Still reckon NN's squirm when leaning on hard pack, bit disconcerting. They have big side knobs.
29er Tyre Thread
- Thread starter leftieant
- Start date
pharmaboy
Eats Squid
If it's sidewall movement, then that's a function of tyre width over rim width - Schwalbe generally are a little wider than most.
If it's genuine squirm if knobs, then you have a shit load of grip and would be better off with a racing Ralph . I've ridden plenty of XC buff track that RRs would be grippiest, but when doing normal mountain biking in gravel, sooner or later you are picking rocks out of your thighes and arms.
Your either a Schwalbe, continental or maxis person in oz - each of them have std XC/trail combos that are the most popular - schwalbes most popular combo is easily RR rear, NN front ( around my parts anyway)
redbruce
Eats Squid
I'm with Casnell.
Neither my son nor I took to the pre 2015 NN's (and I haven't had a chance to give new version a good go to comment on them).
Too much squirm (not sidewall movement as it occurs over reasonable tyre pressure range). I also found side nobs shear on rocky sections at Youies. I find NN's very sensitive to pressure to get best out of them.
My mate has also discovered this as well and changed his 2014 NN for a Specialized Butcher control (has Ralph on rear) and hasn't looked back.
Jnr and I run Rocket Ron on front and Ralph on rear. Great 3.5 season combo.
For the other 0.5 season, if muddy, NN come into there own.
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Much loamier around Newcastle, we get really hard-packed trails where the knobs squirm. I like a Ralph on the front because of the smaller knobs for summer, Nic for winter. Just been using an Ikon front and I think it'll move to the rear soon.
redbruce
Eats Squid
They are good value.
Enjoyed my time with Ground controls (s-works nice but fragile) and ran Fast tracks last summer. More grip than I expected.
Spesh tyres seem smaller than same size in others (bit like Rocket Ron) but I would consider going back based on performance/$ for my riding.
pharmaboy
Eats Squid
Yeah, I'd never pay Aussie prices for Schwalbe - they are good, but not that good. Maxxis are pretty good value in Australia - Schwalbe really need to be bought from the Germans or maybe UK at a push ( I pay around $42 a tyre)
Edit - no matter what, brand new tyres are great!
I've never considered using either of those as a front tyre, but I reckon if I had to give one a go I'd be rolling with the Captain in 2.2". On the rear I found it had more cornering grip (better side knobs). The GC is a very round tyre and the side knobs are too small IMO, they wrap around too far down. And too many intermediate knobs. Great as a rear though.
Probably talking complete sh1t though as ive never tried either as a front!
Ivan
Eats Squid
I have a GC 2.3" as a front. It's pretty reasonable for grip, and it has a nice predictable slide.
I have been running Specialized tyres for about the past three years or so. The Captains during winter, Fast Trak during summer, and I have also tried Renegades during summer and I have also tried combinations of these three tyres (always tubeless). I have been pretty happy with them and have not had a flat with them or had problems getting them to seal tubeless (to be honest, I can usually get them to seal with a track pump and without any goop in the tyre!! The only problem that I have had is a couple of tyres that have developed a big wobble in them - this must be a manufacturing issue as another mate of mine was running them recently and he had the same thing happen.
Anyway, two weeks ago I got a set of Maxxis Ikon 2.35 tubeless tyres and I was also able to seal them tubeless with a track pump only and my initial impressions are pretty good after three rides (Smiths Gully and Plenty Gorge). They hook up pretty well both when cornering and on loose climbs and at this stage they seem to be better than the Specialized tyres in both areas. I guess that time will tell in regards to wear and durability but so far so good!!
Anyway, two weeks ago I got a set of Maxxis Ikon 2.35 tubeless tyres and I was also able to seal them tubeless with a track pump only and my initial impressions are pretty good after three rides (Smiths Gully and Plenty Gorge). They hook up pretty well both when cornering and on loose climbs and at this stage they seem to be better than the Specialized tyres in both areas. I guess that time will tell in regards to wear and durability but so far so good!!
Hmm. I've done this to a few purgs and eskars back in the day. Couple of those tyres I blew off the rim cornering though so that doesn't really help. Haven't had this issue with any of the recent spesh tyres ive used.
Berserker26
Squid
Dudes at my LBS run Geax AKA's at the You Yangs, reckon they are their favorites. They did say specifically for the the You Yangs, heading somewhere else might have gotten a different recommendation.
Whats a good all-round setup for the 29er, I was always thinking when my current set of Bonty XR3 Experts die I'd put on the 2.4 Ardent / 2.2 Ikon Combo for bashing round on everything other than the crazy downhill stuff.
Whats a good all-round setup for the 29er, I was always thinking when my current set of Bonty XR3 Experts die I'd put on the 2.4 Ardent / 2.2 Ikon Combo for bashing round on everything other than the crazy downhill stuff.
Current bike has XR3 in 2.3 and previous bike I was running Ardent Race & Ikon 2.2... I'd consider using the Ikon 2.35 over the 2.2 if matched with Ardent 2.4. The 2.35 Ikon is not just wider but has more pronounced knobs and is a better tyre according to people who have riden both. I found the 2.2 on rear locked up when braking a lot more than the XR3 does.
Ivan
Eats Squid
I just went front from Dual XR3's to a 2.3 Butcher Front and a 2.3 Slaughter rear. I'm quite happy with the new combo, but could have easliy have kept a XR3 on the rear. The DHR2 3C TR EXO and Minion SS would also be a combo worth considering.
I don't think you can get a 2.4 Ardent in a soft compound, which was off-putting for me.
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/article/friday-five-a-side-this-weeks-new-bike-gear-43849/
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mitchy_
Llama calmer
what casing did you get the slaughter in?
butcher control up front was fine, but i found the slaughter control a bit too squirmy. then the slaughter grid is too heavy at a kilo as well.
minion ss is the same weight as a slaughter control, but much better sidewall. can runt it at whatever pressure i like now.
DHR II up front was good, very similar to the DHF. i just got my arm twisted by Pushy's 10% off maxxis tyre sale and bought a 2.5 DHF... holy shit is that a big tyre! quick lap this morning had me throwing it in places i usually wouldn't, and it just stuck.
Ivan
Eats Squid
Control casing for both, and there was heaps of big holes in the sidewall of the Slaughter. I nearly returned it, but one more cup of sealant has sorted them all out.
I wanted Maxxis, but nowhere had the 3C version of the DHR2 in stock. So when I was buying the Butcher, the Slaughter was an impulse buy. I rode them on on some compacted loamy soil on wednesday and the traction was immense.
mitchy_
Llama calmer
fair enough! that's where the DHR came from. i wanted a DHF/SS, but they had the DHR in stock so i gave it a crack. always need spare tyres anyway...
spesh have a 30 day return period as well. if you dont like it, doesn't suit, etc. you can exchange it for another tyre.