# Help with MTB tyres please.



## EltonFrog (21 Jan 2019)

My 29” MTB wheels have Bontrager 29-1 Expert, 29x2.20 tyres on. I don’t know for certain, but I reckon these stock tyres are for dry California dirt tracks and the like. Where I live, when it’s wet it’s muddy and chalky, the chalk ground is hard and slippery.

Does anyone know what type of tyres would be good to give better grip on that type of surface?


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## Phaeton (21 Jan 2019)

Watching thread for information, I have Schwalbe Smart Sam, Active, 29x2.25" fitted & was not happy with them in the mud yesterday the front wheel seemed to want to go where it wanted & not where I wanted it to go.


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## EltonFrog (21 Jan 2019)

Phaeton said:


> Watching thread for information, I have Schwalbe Smart Sam, Active, 29x2.25" fitted & was not happy with them in the mud yesterday the front wheel seemed to want to go where it wanted & not where I wanted it to go.




Same for me, nearly had a very muddy fast off.


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## Alwaysbroken (21 Jan 2019)

https://www.mbr.co.uk/buyers_guide/mountain-bike-mud-tyres-332535


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## EltonFrog (21 Jan 2019)

Alwaysbroken said:


> https://www.mbr.co.uk/buyers_guide/mountain-bike-mud-tyres-332535



Thanks, I did do a search but that didn’t come up.


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## EltonFrog (21 Jan 2019)

Blumen eck tyres ain’t cheap are they?


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## Yellow Saddle (21 Jan 2019)

Before you spend your money or fool yourself, have a look at these threads.

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/rolling-resistance-schwalbe-marathon-plus.243012/post-5460406

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/schwalbe-or-continental.243951/#post-5484434

And many similar ones.


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## Phaeton (21 Jan 2019)

Can it be down to pressure, of the tyres not mine pressing down on the bike, I run mine pretty high 40+


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## Jody (21 Jan 2019)

I'm running and Conti Baron on the front and a Race King on the rear most of the year round. Both Black Chilli compound. Great for grip when it gets slippy on roots/rocks and it still rolls fairly well for what they are. Tyres aren't cheap these days but you get what you pay for.


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## Cycleops (21 Jan 2019)

I think you're asking a bit much for one tyre to cope with such diverse conditions.


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## Jody (21 Jan 2019)

Cycleops said:


> I think you're asking a bit much for one tyre to cope with such diverse conditions.



Not really


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## EltonFrog (21 Jan 2019)

I’m out on the MTB as I type( tea break), I have reduced the tyre pressure, don’t seem to be making much difference, it’s very slippery out today.


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## fossyant (21 Jan 2019)

Phaeton said:


> Can it be down to pressure, of the tyres not mine pressing down on the bike, I run mine pretty high 40+



40, blimey. Have you got any teeth left. 30 PSI max, lower if you have tubeless.


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## Phaeton (21 Jan 2019)

fossyant said:


> 40, blimey. Have you got any teeth left. 30 PSI max, lower if you have tubeless.


I'll try that tomorrow if it's reasonable when I get home, I like the rolling resistance to be nice & low, it's easier on the old muscles.


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## fossyant (21 Jan 2019)

Tyres are a mine field as everyone has a different opinion. All depends on the riding you are doing.

Schwalbe Hans Dampf and Magic Mary's seem to be well respected, but, they are now available in different compounds, and I believe the 'softest grippy' tread doesn't last long.

Maxxis Minions, and Ardents are also popular.

I'm quite happy with my Nobby Nic's - some folk say they can break away in mud, but most tyres do anyway.

As for price, keep a close eye on sales.


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## fossyant (21 Jan 2019)

Phaeton said:


> I'll try that tomorrow if it's reasonable when I get home, I like the rolling resistance to be nice & low, it's easier on the old muscles.



I run about 28-30 PSI on my FS. The Nobby Nics roll well anyway as it's a lightish tyre.


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## Jody (21 Jan 2019)

fossyant said:


> I'm quite happy with my Nobby Nic's - some folk say they can break away in mud, but most tyres do anyway.



Nics were sketchy if you didn't get the lean angle right. It wasn't just a mud thing. Swapped for the combo mentioned earlier and they haven't broke away without warning yet.


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## EltonFrog (22 Jan 2019)

I went to my lbs today for further research into the dark art of MTB tyres. 

The guy there seemed to concur (I think) with @Yellow Saddle about the width of tyres but suggested ( well he would, wouldn’t he) that a narrower but more treaded tyre would work better for the conditions around here. 

He also suggested that I could convert to tubeless tyres as they provide better puncture resistance, ( I had three thorn holes in my tube on Monday. 

Anyway he’s going to get some tyres in for me to look at, with no commitment to buy.


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## gasinayr (23 Jan 2019)

Have a look at Conti Mountain Kings, good price at Halfords.


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## Levo-Lon (23 Jan 2019)

fossyant said:


> 40, blimey. Have you got any teeth left. 30 PSI max, lower if you have tubeless.



Indeed,I'm more like 20psi this weather.

You won't go far wrong with Hans Dampf snake skin front and a fast tyre on the back.

I use a continental trail king puncture resistant black chilli


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## Levo-Lon (23 Jan 2019)

gasinayr said:


> Have a look at Conti Mountain Kings, good price at Halfords.




There the wired hard compound things.
You get what you pay for


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## Ciar (23 Jan 2019)

Tyre pressure is a huge factor, if i ride Epping in the winter it's a full on mudfest and i find it's best to run around 30 psi or below and i also run standard issue Nobby Nic's myself.

in the summer it's actually nice to swap out for a different set of summer tyres, as it really does make a difference.


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## Jody (23 Jan 2019)

meta lon said:


> Indeed,I'm more like 20psi this weather.



I'm low 20's also.


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## EltonFrog (23 Jan 2019)

It would seem then that the my tyre pressures are too high judging my the latest comments.


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## Levo-Lon (23 Jan 2019)

CarlP said:


> It would seem then that the my tyre pressures are too high judging my the latest comments.



You will give the tyre a chance to deform as you go over stuff which helps with grip.
However chalk when wet and roots will always require focus and method.
Wet roots will get the best riders in the world eating mud, so don't be too hard on yourself if you take a tumble.


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## EltonFrog (23 Jan 2019)

meta lon said:


> You will give the tyre a chance to deform as you go over stuff which helps with grip.
> However chalk when wet and roots will always require focus and method.
> Wet roots will get the best riders in the world eating mud, so don't be too hard on yourself if you take a tumble.



Ta, I’ve come off the MTB more times than I can remember! Right of passage innit.


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## Levo-Lon (23 Jan 2019)

CarlP said:


> Ta, I’ve come off the MTB more times than I can remember! Right of passage innit.



Afraid so..


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## fossyant (23 Jan 2019)

Not fitted the Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro Evo tyres yet to the FS. Awaiting some silly weather for crazy fun. The old MTB has snow studs on for ice.

The Ice Spikers are incredibly loud, given there are over 300 spikes in each tyre.


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## EltonFrog (25 Jan 2019)

I went to the LBS yesterday, they where extolling the virtues of Bontrager XR mud 29er tyres, used a lot up on the chalky Ridgeway apparently. I was tempted but a forty queens a pop I couldn’t quite bring myself to press the go button. I’m going to persevere with experimenting with tyre pressures on my tyres.


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## fossyant (25 Jan 2019)

£40 a tyre is about average. Keep an eye on sales - I spotted some Maxxis Ardent's down to about £32 each last week - they are usually £50 each, but couldn't justify it as the Nobby Nics are fine. 

The Ice Spikers were £45 each (in a sale).


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## Pale Rider (26 Jan 2019)

There's more apostrophe abuse in this thread than punctures in hedge cutting season.


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## SkipdiverJohn (26 Jan 2019)

Pale Rider said:


> There's more apostrophe abuse in this thread than punctures in hedge cutting season.



Grammar Pedant! 

I've found it pays to keep an eye on Chain Reaction's sale offerings and buy for future use when there's a deal on the table. They are quite crafty sometimes with these in that they will reduce one size of a particular tyre by a large amount, so it will flag up in any search you do, but only reduce the other sizes by a smaller amount - thus minimising the cost of the offer to them. If one of your bikes happens to use the one size on offer with the biggest headline discount, happy days! I picked up some Marathons in the unpopular old-school 26 x 1 3/8" Roadster size for a stupidly low price not that long ago.


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