Sorry - a "what tyre" thread.
I'm looking to replace a pair of Continental Mountain King 2.4s on my Scandal 29er (the new one) - have moved the tyres to my Singlespeed to replace their rubbish tyres and aside from being a bit heavy I like them.
They seem to hit a nice sweet spot for me, so I'm thinking of just buying another pair, but would like to check options first. Ideally I'd like:
Slightly grippier front (in mud). Possibly going up to a 2.6
Slightly faster rolling back - sticking with 2.4
Any ideas, or just more MK's ?
Thanks - Mark.
Where do you ride and what kind of riding do you enjoy?
I'm based in the midlands, so mostly bridleways etc, muddy and rutted through the winter and dry and hard in the summer - top priority is working here.
Where I like to ride is a bit different, the likes of Cannock, Llandegla etc with the occasional trip to the peaks - so they also need to work here.
Mountain Kings seem to achieve this balance well. I've also like Nobby Nics in the past (although they seemed quite fragile - this was a few years ago so maybe they're better now).
You'll get the usual myriad of answers I'm sure but I'm currently enjoying my new Magic Mary / Hans Damf combination.
Particularly after a recent hard fall when I lost control in a fairly innocuous muddy stretch.
I might swap out to something less grippy come the summer, I might not!
Be aware that the newer 2.3" (and 2.6) mountain kings are a totally different tread to the older ones, they have a chevron shape like a tractor tyre. I quite like them as a rear tyre, they roll fast and have quite good grip climbing on muddy stuff but they slide too much side to side to be a good front tyre.
Lost faith in the Mountain Kings on my Big Dog after the front wheel let go on me. Swapped out to 2.35 Nobby Nics as my go-to allrounder.
Nobby Nics would be my recommendation as that's what I use for my go-anywhere bike normally but after a PSA on here I got some cheap Hans Dampfs and they're just as fast rolling but with a bit more bite when leant over.
So maybe a Hans Dampf on the front with a Nobby Nic on the rear.
The new MK is available in a 2.6 I believe
Crossking out back if you want faster on hardpack in summer. Great tire that only really struggles when things get blown out dusty.
Ive mixed and matched over the years between 2.4mk2 front X-King rear, X-King front/rear and now settled on 2.3MK front, 2.3 cross king rear on my go fast or munch miles bike.
My 150 bike I run the 2.3mk out back but I've found its a little susseptable to casing pinch flats or pointy hole flats than the old version. Run with an insert and its held up much better than 20psi without.
Like JimDY above, I had a big let go out front last year with the 2.3 but I'd switched off and was relying on the tire more than actual cornering technique
Trail King on the Front? I find them a good all rounder.
My 150 bike I run the 2.3mk out back but I’ve found its a little susseptable to casing pinch flats or pointy hole flats than the old version. Run with an insert and its held up much better than 20psi without.
no wonder you were getting pinch flats running 20psi lol
I (like @jimdubleyou) lost confidence in my MK's in the wet. I couldn't even push my bike with OEM MKs on on wet cobbles one time without it slipping out from under me. I assume the proper versions are better.
I replaced them with Vittoria Gato. Noone else seems to ride them but for dry bridleways (remember them!) they are excellent and they hold well on wet stone. I tend to stick to quite tame terrain though.
stick with the MK, i cant comment on the new ones as i havent and probably wont ride them.
However if i was after something for dry/fast i would look at the race king / racing ralph or grippier front trail king / hans damph
If you like them, stick with them.
Otherwise, as mentioned, Hans Dampf are quite fast and should suit your use well.
Maybe a Bontrager XR4 Team Issue on the front. I was riding one in Lockdown v1 and it was super fast but still had enough grip for technical riding.
Thanks everyone - I wasn't expecting so many answers, or quite so much of a consensus which is encouraging.
I currently have the old mountain kings - I didn't realise the new ones had changed so I'm glad to find that out now.
I'll try a Magic Mary on the front I think, but it sounds as though Hans Dampf would be good too.
I might even keep the mountain kings on the back of both bikes and fit the newer Schwalbes to the front of both.
I've got a Racing Ralph / Rocket Ron combo hanging up in the shed having taken them off quite quickly as they're useless in the winter mud - they might go back on come summer.
Right - I'm off to look for deals on Schwalbe tyres !
Slightly grippier front (in mud). Possibly going up to a 2.6
IME with muddy (YMudMV) conditions a narrower front tyre with a squarer profile is better as it cuts in underneath and finds some purchase. Also more clearance, so if it all gets a bit Biblical then you’re (to whichever degree depending how narrow) less likely to get a muddy tyre rubbing up with fork/frame than running plus size. Obviously much of the decision depends on mud type/depth and tyre-pressure, along with what type of riding. Extreme gravity-racing and big airtime rides probably do better with big fat tyres whatever the conditions underfoot. But for general mucking about I prefer a 2.4 maximum with a wide block pattern that clears quickly.
Magic Mary is a level or two up on the gnarliness front (and thus much slower). Trail King is like a better Mountain King v2. XR4 is a good shout too. TK front, MK rear should work well, so I’d try that to start with.
Magic Mary is quite a lot more draggy (but grippy) than a Mountain King.
You could have a look at the Maxxis Forekaster - I’ve bought one in 2.6” for the back of my hardtail - meant to be ‘aggressive XC’ - so figuring it’s in the same region of tyre as a mountain king or Nobby Nic. Hoping to use it all year round as a fast ish rolling rear tyre that’s passable in a bit of mud.
Current conditions around here are too muddy for it I’m sure (my 2.4” wt dhr2 is having a fun time with plenty of drifting about - but it’s braking ok and getting more drive than the 2.3” version of the same tyre was) - but it is biblical right now. Going to run a 2.6” Magic Mary U.K. front - but for your riding that’s probably too heavy / draggy.
So maybe a Hans Dampf on the front with a Nobby Nic on the rear.
@markwsf On my full suss I run a Hans dampf on the front all year round. Nobby nic on the back in winter. As soon as spring arrives I put a rock razor on the back.
However, on my rigid scandal I did run some some 2.35 maxxis but I replaced them with 2.6 nobby nics front and back and theyve been amazing.
Thanks All.
I've just ordered 2 x Schwalbe Hans Dampf's - a 2.6 for the front of the geared (latest model) Scandal, and a 2.35" for the front of the Singlespeed (mk2) Scandal - both will run the existing model 2.4" Mountain Kings (older model) as rear tyres.
I'll let you know how that works out once arrived and ridden !
Correction re above - the mountain kings are the OLD model, not EXISTING model.