[Closed] One tyre all year

Conti Gravity for me. Not great in the mud but then neither am I.

one tyre?

does sir ride a uni-cycle? Or have you managed the perpetual wheelie, therefore saving the need for a pair of tyres and those expensive newfangled boingyforkthingymebobs? 🙂

I only do one set. Has been Conti Verticals (thought they were great, realised they are avarage), followed by Nobby Nics (fabulous, but wore out quickly), Mountain Kings (never got on with them, especially in corners, either normal or Black Chilli) now on some Ardents and liking them a lot. Seem to be as supple as the NN's, nippy and great cornering grip.

Continental Vapour for me, they came with the bike and have done the job just fine for the past 18 months (need new ones really but can't be arsed just yet...)

High Rollers. Changing them every season seems nuts to me. Much like having a 'winter bike'.

GP4000S - the one's with the black chilli compound.

Conti Mountain Kings Protection 2.4's, soon to be the same but Tubless. I suppose if I do any events I should go for some light weight narrow tyres, but I'm not anal retentive enough to bother!

WTB Velociraptors.

I use High Rollers 2.35 all year round also. I can crash on them in rain, snow or shine and on any terrain.

Joking aside, they are really good all rounders.

I'd be happy to run Nevegal / Blue Groove all year.

Advantage. Grippy enough for anything without too much drag penalty

Look outside.
See the acres of mud and more mud and swollen streams and sodden trails.
2 sets. Winter and summer.
Don't be such a lazy toad!

Nothing lazy about it. Just don't feel the need to change them, High Rollers work a treat for me.

WOMBAT once you try another tyre you wont believe how crap those vapour are

Conti Mountain Kings 2.4 Supersonic haven't been too bad at anything I'd tried them with, but I haven't lived long enough to try everybody's recommendations.

/edit - and yes, they stay on my bike all year round, been running them since last May, tubeless since november.

That's cos you rides teh trail centres coogan!

There's other type of riding Al? You lie!

Nevegal StickE up front DTC out back, or Panaracer Fire XC pro work well for my & where I ride all through the year

nevegals give better grip, but a bit draggier & Fire XC Pro's roll better but have a bit less grip up front

Seen as I have a new bike, I'm going with Fire XC out back wit a Nevegal StickE up front, should work well (in theory anyhoo!)

Conti vert pro tubeless....
Haven't changed them in an age!

Get on well, and appreciate there are better tyres out there, but what the hey!!!

Will look at high rollers as they get good praise, but not if they weight a tonne more than the verts.

DrP

Ti29er, you're right not only am I a lazy toad (I love that) but I don't have tons of dosh for rubbers 🙂

NN 2.1" - but I love changing tyres! 😀

fat albert

high rollers, shit all year

Maxxis Ignitors for me. Stick 'em on and run 'em year round.Work just fine in all but deep mud, great on the local trails and trail centres.

In the forest of new, the only really rideable tyres between about Nov and April are trailrakers or similar so that'd have to be your year-round option

They're a tad draggier than absolutely necessary when it's dry

Nevegals - passable in mud, passable to race, great on everything xc in between.

another one for ignitors i run them on my ss find them great all year round for the last 2 years.

For the road bike Conti GP4000's are awesome in black chilli as above.

Ont the MTB Nobby Nic 2.1 UST are great for most things, as are the 2.1 Ignitors.

i am an ignitor man.
sometimes put a crossmark on the back.

i like black ones. but i used to have green ones. and a red one.

up until a few months ago it was minion front, highroller/advantage rear....until I discovered wet screams, they just take the piss! 😆

Hutchinson Pythons.

"High Rollers. Changing them every season seems nuts to me"
The 2.35" ones will cope with sloppy mud, but they're so much harder work to pedal through than a mud tyre because of the extra width. The ramps don't help them out much for pedalling

I reckon If I had to have just one, It'd be Bontrager ACX TR (55/62a) 2.2"s. A touch small volume, but cope with mud almost as well as mud X's (but bigger), roll pretty well, grip pretty well and 55a corner knobbles corner okay
Theres one big drawback though, Bontrager has pulled them from their lineup! Barstewards

I like to change tyres though so my current 'schedule' is something like:
FS Winter slop: Bontrager ACX (55/62a) 2.2"
HT Winter slop: Bontrager Mud X (55/62a) 2.0"

FS 'Summer': Kenda Nevegal (50/60a)2.1"
HT 'Summer': Maxxis Crossmark 70a 2.1"

FS Alps: Maxxis High Roller 60a (single ply wire) 2.5"
FS Beefier than normal: Maxxis Advantage 60a 2.25"
FS Autumnal/Spring Transitional Conditions, but slighly beefy: Maxxis High Roller 60a 2.35"

I'd like to try some 2.35" (folding) 60a Minions in place of the folding HRs, and some lower profile tyres for drier 'summer' conditions, maybe some Michelin Dry2 XC 2.15", and 2.5" 60a single ply wire Minions in place of the 2.5" HRs, or maybe Specialized 2.3" Clutch SX (45/50a) up front, or a 2.35" 50a Kenda Nevegal or Blue Groove. Ooh I could try 2.3" (55/65a) Specialized Eskars in place of the single compound Advantages too ..
Theres just so many to try ..

I for one am continually surprised by how much folk put into tyre choice.

Conti Vert Pros (but they are about to be replaced with some Conti Mountain Kings (Black Chilli) - so hopefully they will be just as good.

I tried a 2.2 Nobby Nic 2 nights ago and was mighty impressed with it, so that would also be a consideration for me.

I got High Rollers (folding 2.1's I think) on the Marin when I bought it and they were very sketchy - lasted 3 rides - great in the dry but the slightest bit of mud and I couldn't keep a line and cornering was very worrying (saying that I'm not claiming to be a great rider).

So personally, I've had real bad experiences with the High Rollers (admittedly only about 30 miles on them but enough to scare myself silly); Conti Vert Pros are very long in the tooth now but they seem to work well in all conditions, I'm hoping the Mountain Kings will be just as good (they look very similar) - I'm getting them at a silly low price so if they are junk, I won't be shy in saying so - seem to have mixed feelings to them on here but other review sites seem to suggest they are fine.

I'm just looking for a tyre that doesn't spin out when riding over any ground (apart from thick snow, ice and wet roots - I'm expecting all tyres to spin on those) - keep me going in mud until I physically can't go on; clear well once away from the mud and offer grip whilst cornering. I'm not overly bothered about tyre weight (although I'd steer clear of real heavy stuff as my legs would suffer!), so as long as the tyre ticks those boxes then I'll be happy with it...the idea of changing tyres for each ride seems a bit strange to me - I know loads of folk who do it, but it just seems a waste of 20 minutes on a weekly/daily basis to me.

If I had the cash to spare I think I'd be looking at some Nobby Nic's, but I tend to react badly to having to pay more than 20 quid for a tyre - not really sure why as a good tyre can make a huge difference to a ride.

Bontrager Mud X, for all year round.

Not impressed though with the "tubeless ready" claim. I've tried, they've been a PITA tubeless, but that aside, run them with tubes and its my all-round tyre.

S.

I use Specalized 'The Captian' sworks 2bliss tyres tublessly all year round. The roll fast enough and also work well in mud and even snow.
I have the 2.2 on my FS and the 2.0 on the HT plus they only cost £22 each.

Well I used to be one tyre for all:

Started with Panaracer Fir XC Pro - low rolling res but crap on corners/tech
Then MK Protection 2.2 - poor wear and washed out on corners but fairly grippy.

Finally got some Maxxis minions/High rollers - too heavy for nornal days XC riding but great fro tech stuff.

Then got another wheel set and went for 2.1 Advantages and they seem a good combination of grip and mud clearance.

They will be my all round tyre unless very dry and then poss put my MK's on but I reckon they will stay there 🙂

Normally would have changed to Trailrakers but the NobbyNics have stayed on this year. Not noticed a massive reduction in grip. May change to Ralphs if the summer's nice

[b]coogan[/b]

High Rollers. Changing them every season seems nuts to me. Much like having a 'winter bike'.

😆 I agree on both counts

I use HR on the rear and Nobby Nic up front, sized depending on the bike (2.1s on the weight weenie SS, 2.35/4 on the Evil) works for me year round. ofc I could get better mud performance out of a specific mud tyre but these are great allrounders aswell as superb tyres in their own right

as for "winter" bikes, ofc I have one, at least that's what I tell mrs Fascist it is. In reality it's just an excuse for another bike!

Nobby nics for me. 2.25 flavour. Tried many others and they just didn't seem as versatile.

Just put some of the new 2010 nobby nics on the new bike, cant wait to try those after the review they got.

kenda nevegal for me.

most tyres seem pretty similar to me though!

Racing Ralphs
Seriously, they have pin like grip and are great on off cambers. They have been perfectly fine all winter in ice snow rain and axle deep mud.

On the other hand I doubt that I would have ran them all year when I was riding s/s.

Solo - Member
Bontrager Mud X, for all year round.

Not impressed though with the "tubeless ready" claim. I've tried, they've been a PITA tubeless

You haven't followed the instructions, have you..

I think Hutchinson Toros are a good all-rounder. Only used them in mud so far, so not entirely sure.

Mud tyres all year!
Nothing like resitance training, eh?
Swap out to a RR in the summer and feel the wind in your hair again.
My Bonty Mud X was a pig to fit (2.0 front) but the ACX (2.2 rear) was much easier. As soon as it drys out, RR go back on again.
Really don't see the issue changing tyres twice a year, we do the same with the clocks and the central heating.
Can't be a £ issue, so what is it?

High Roller front, Ignitor-worn-almost-slick rear. Seem to work for most things most of the time, rear traction is for wimps...

ok... well I'm definately from the one pair of tyres, replace as they fall off school of thought...
I've just taken advantage of the on0one spesh offer on conti mountain kings 2.0
has anyone got anything to report about them..? (they arrive later today so they are going on anyway...)

I'm a 'wet season' and 'dry season changer'.

However, if I was forced to have one year round tyre, it would be something like a Bontrager Mud-X (My current winter tyre - they roll really well considering their mud performance, (but they do fall short in the thick sticky mud compared to say, Panaracer Trailrakers), or a Bontrager ACX which has a fairly open tread.

In reality, I prefer something a little faster in the summer, like a Maxxis ADvantage or a Kenda small block 8. I've yet to try anything from Schwalbe, but I do fancy trying some nobby nics or a racing ralph.

Nicks puncture too easily and they wear far too quickly, esp' up by the contact patch with the rim.
2 yrs with several of them and I've moved away as there are better tyres with far greater longevity at a similar price point or better.
I'm very impressed with Bonty tyres of late.

Fire XC Pro 2.1s all year round for me.
It's not so much that I can't be bothered to swap tyres over (although I can't really!) as that I don't really want to get into trying to see what's better when I think the enormous range of factors makes it very hard to tell if you've wasted your money or not.

Nobby Nic 2.1s. Amazing. Fast but grip. No mud tyre but good enough and predictable. This question will never have one answer though - everyone has their own opinion, which is why my bike is also different from yours!

Nevegal and Blue Groove @ 2.35 on the Alpine and 2.25 Cinders on the Soul has always worked for me. My riding ability is rubbish enough without having to factor in changing tyres for every type of terrain!

I'm of the fit and forget mentallity - WTB Veloceraptor's atm, mainly because I can't afford 2 or 3 different sets of tyres and the hassle aspect of changing them whenever I want to ride on the limited time I get.

Really like rubber queens, fast rolling and big volume. Recently tried Advantage 2.4 and really impressed with these too, both great tyres.
Just bought myself some Swampthings 2.3 SP for riding in really sloppy condition as the snow melts etc. Grip is incredible but like riding with chains on on the road.

Hutchinson Pythons virtually all year round, occasionally use Trailrakers if its really muddy and I can be bothered changing them. I don't think tyres make that much difference unless its really muddy. Its just kit obsession on the part of a lot of riders, plus its an easy excuse blaming tyres when really most of it is down to skill.

MrS.
Isn't this a rather odd burry-head-in-sand approach to bike kit?
The XC Pro is a sound general purpose tyre, but boy, are they draggy! YOu can even them them dragging.

Jim: The idea that you can afford to run a bike, riding kit, feeding, hydration, spares, servicing, any upgrades, replacement pads, lubrication, tools, accessories, replacement moving parts, esp' rear cassette, front ring(s), chains and all that jazz - but not own 2x sets of tyres is utter nonsence. FFS OnOne are selling theirs for a tenner.

Same camp as oldgit - Racing Ralph on both bikes all year... been surprised how well they have coped 😉 just started trying a rocket ron on the front...

I do like to change tyres mind for racing.. Between panaracer razors, nobby nics, trailrakers and above depending on conditions!

Dickbarton,

2.1 highrollers are different kettle of fish from the 2.35's to be honest. don't know hwy but the 2.1s are a bit sketchy, the 2.35's are grippy tastic, except in muddy mud - but swamp things are good for that;)

Chris

I was thinking of trying Rocket Rons next.

Someone else mention Conti verticals.
Absolutely amazing in the snow - nothing comes close.
Completely Unpredictable in the mud at speed - when others were just fine - it's the day you find this out by almost ending in the barbed wire, at speed, more than once that scared me!
+ THE most draggy tyre I've ever tried.
Trailrakers for really horrible mud - it's amazing what they can deal with.

Oldgit - Been quite impressed with the rocket ron..

come up a bit narrow but with the weather being so crap I have only been able to try them out in mud/wet at the moment...

Hutcheson Python 2.0 is the fastest dry weather xc tyre I've used but I've gone face first on slippery wood/roots on numerous occasions with this- and that's an instant loss of grip with no warning.
Using Racing Ralphs at the moment, but haven't/wouldn't take them through heavy mud. I expected these (RRs) to be faster than they are though.
Kenda Blue Groove are good offroad but hoover you onto tarmac. I went out with a friend who I'm usually faster than and couldn't get near him with these on (on the road). I actually had to stop and get off and check what the problem was- I though I had a flat.

Bonty ACX all year round on my Scandal. Never had a problem with them, never felt the need to get all 'Ti29er' on tyres - thats just strange.

If you are pressing down on your tyres with 250lbs, they will find grip 😀

Advantage 2.25" - the thinking man's Highroller 2.35 😉

Currently Panaracer Fire XC Pro 2.1s on my full suss, and Panaracer Trailraker 2.1 on my singlespeed (since it's intended to ride in mud, snow, muck etc where I can't be bothered cleaning/maintaining drivetrain, rear shock, etc). When the Fires wear out I'll probably go to Rampage 2.35s on that bike.

The ACX is an absolutely excellent tyre (I think they have stopped making them BTW). But too slow in the dry summer months when you're entering the likes of Bonty, Clic, SITS, Mayhem, Kielder, Meridas, etc - and all points in between.

Isn't this a rather odd burry-head-in-sand approach to bike kit?
The XC Pro is a sound general purpose tyre, but boy, are they draggy! YOu can even them them dragging.

What I meant was that if I get some, say, new forks I can tell reasonably objectively if they're an improvement or not, but with tyres they might actually be great but seem crap over a first couple of rides in one place in one set of conditions...

Actually I don't even know what I meant now. I was just making excuses for my tyre-changing laziness I think.

I have 2 or 3 sets per bike and 4 bikes. What have I become? The space they take up in the shed is no laughing matter either..

Some from my collection....

HRs 2.1s have no grip in the mud but are ace on hard summer trails. HRs 2.35 are too slow in the mud.

WTB Timberwolfs 2.3 grip in the mud like no tyre I have ever come across (even Trailrakers) and roll well too.

Bontrager Mud X 2.1 are great pretty much all year as are Maxxis Advantage 2.1. Panaracer Cinders also are a good all year choice.

Nevegal Tomac Stick-Es were the worse tyres I ever had - no grip in the bends and wore out in a few months (ooh...controversial)

I found I couldn't even get a dry season out of a Nevegal. Still, I suppose I get a semi-slick for the supper dry bits of the year.

Tried lots of tyres, quite like maxxis larsen TT for summer and stick 2.3 Conti Vert Pro's back on for winter months. Nevegals grip well, to well for me and wear really quickly. Fastest tyres I've ever used are the ones off my wife's hybrid Raleigh, semi slicks, no grip but boy do they fly!

Anybody tried Maxxis Aspens yet? The 2.25 seems like it could be a good all rounder.

[i]Bontrager Mud X, for all year round.

Not impressed though with the "tubeless ready" claim. I've tried, they've been a PITA tubeless, but that aside, run them with tubes and its my all-round tyre.
[/i]

You're having a laugh - have you never tried a decent summer tyre on dry trails - you can run a couple of gears higher, for no effort.

I'm running Mud X's at the moment on XM819's tubeless, no problems whatsoever - managed about 500 miles so far, and the sealant is still liquid (as I found out yesterday when pulling thorns out of them).

Maxxis Larsens work fine for me on the Quantocks, OK they're not perfect on wet squidgy grass but I can live with it. Here's an idea, pick a tyre, ride within its limitations and get on with your life!!!

I have 2.35 hard compound high rollers on all of my bikes all year round.

On my car, it's one-tyre-all-year.
On my m'bike it's similar-ish. Actually have 2 sets of wheels, one road tyre, one with slicks.

I guess because we don't have our own tyre changing facilities at home, whereas changing a mtn bike's 2x tyres is a 20 minute job, unless you're tubeless, or lazy 😉

As is stated earlier, you can gain an extra 2 gears in the dry months with a fast rolling tyre and still keep her sunny-side up out on the trails. This can really put a huge grin on your face and make some trails sections so much easier / quicker & your ability to overtake at least someone out there a distinct possibility!

Nobby Nics pretty much all year here.Might swap the rear to a Ralph if/when the ground dries out,but find the NN is a good all rounder particularly given the very mixed surfaces that I ride on.

Panaracer Fire XC Pro 2.1's on the long travel HT, some IRC balloons on the SS. I like the Fires, just what I'm used to and the IRCs? Just what I had lying around when I built it. 😉

Nobby Nics all year for me 2.25 very good in my opinion. No doubt someone will come along and say NN ....too expensive....they get punctures etc etc.

I have had no more punctures using them than i did than when i had Kenda Nevegals and WTB Motoraptors.

They roll well, grip well , not a mud tyre but still cope well in the sticky stuff. Pricey ...yes, but worth it for me as i really like them and if you look around they can be found for a reasonable price .

full susser - Rampage 2.35 all yr round

hard tail - 2.1 fire xc pro's for the 2 months of scottish summer, 2.1 trailrakers the other 10 months 🙂

Wish I could settle to a tyre. I like the Speed Kings, but they are far too puncture prone. NN's tend to shred too easily on the flints, and I haven't found them very good in deep mud (all we have round these parts, although did someone above say it was going to dry out this year?!).

Trying out an ACX but finding it heavy after the Speed Kings, but I suppose it would be.

May try some Ignitors in the summer - if it ever comes.....