all rounder

[paxterg]

Can anyone recommend an all round tyre for trails, off roading, hills, hardtrack. I currently use mountain kings and I find them a little slippy in the wet stuff. The reviews of Schwalbe's suggest they wear out too quick!

 

[VamP]

Mountain Kings are pretty grippy in mud, so if you want more grip you are looking at specialist territory that will take you away from all round use?

What about pressures, have you looked at running MKs at lower pressures?

I tend to run Nobby Nics front Rocket Ron rear for almost all my riding, and find that a pretty good all round combo, little bit biased towards slippery terrain. No sign of premature wear.

 

[GilesM]

It all depends how much you want to spend, on my hardtail which I use for all sorts of riding, from trails to road, I use Conti race king supersonic, 26 x 2.0 a fairly light race tyre, good grip, but is limited in real heavy mud, apart from that they do most things quite well, the Conti tyres with the black chilli compound do seem to work better on wet slippy stuff, not sure which Mountain king version you have.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental-race-king-supersonic-folding-mtb-tyre/

 

[Tango]

I run maxxis high rollers for everything for the last 5 years and ave been very happy, although I do hear great things about nobby nics

 

[JohnClimber]

There isn't one tyre to use all year.

Unless you like riding with knobby tyres on dry dusty trails in the summer.

If you do have a look at On One's Smorgasbord

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/TYOOSM26X225/on_one_smorgasbord_26x225_tyre

If you feel rad use a Chunky Monkey up front

http://www.on-one.co.uk/c/q/tyres_and_tubes/chunky_monkey_tyres

2 fantastic tyres and change from £25

 

[Psycolist]

I only got into MTB'ing this summer, and tyres have been my biggest headache. All my off roading has to be preceeded by a road ride as well as getting back home too. (I dont drive) Therefore, I need a tyre that offers good off road traction, without giving horrid drag on tarmac. I began with a pair of FAST FRED from the Schwalbe stable. Great on road, naff off road unless on dry hardpaced surface, slightest bit of damp and i may as well have been on slicks. So I quickly switched to a pair of KENDA SMALLBLOCK 8 (2.1") These were terrific off road in dry and damp conditions, but even at high pressure, were hard work on tarmac. I would get them up to @ 60psi before leaving home, that wasnt too bad, but on going off road, I would drop the pressure to between 25 and 35 psi. That would give me all the traction I needed on hardpac, woodland, bridlepath and off piste. But the journey home on road would be very tiring at these lower pressures. Just as autum began in earnest, and I started to find the KENDA was not so good in full wet and mud, I took advice from a fellow biker, who urged me to try a combination of a RITCHEY SHIELD (2.0) for the rear and a GEAX SUGUARO (2.2) at the front. This I did. I've only had them on for a fortnight, but have been VERY impressed so far. Having them both at @ 35psi gives very good rolling quality on road, and superb traction in full mud, as well as on hardpac, woodland, bridleway and anywhere else I have managed to get to, in dry, wet and damp conditions. So far, this combination has been exceptional, and for my own circumstances and needs, have no hesitation in recomending that you give it a try.

 

[RWright]

Thanks for posting that, your timing on it sort of freaked me out a little. I was typing a post yesterday asking about tires, something came up before I got finished, so I never posted it. I have a ripped sidewall on one of my tires and rather than trying to patch it I will just buy a couple of new tires. I may try to patch the sidewall on the old set just to have spare tires if I need them.

I will be riding on mostly hardpack, rocks and roots I think. I don't plan on riding in the mud if I can help it but you never know. I would also like to ride the bike about 6 miles to the nearest trail. I had narrowed it down to WTB Velociraptors or Panaracer Fire XC Pro and now you throw two more into the mix that are in the same general price range, at least from what I can see. I thought road bike tires were a can of worms, mountain bike tire selection makes the
road bike tire selection process look like child's play.

I will keep reading some more before I buy, Thanks again for posting your observations.

 

[LimeBurn]

There isn't one tyre to use all year.

Unless you like riding with knobby tyres on dry dusty trails in the summer.

If you do have a look at On One's Smorgasbord

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/TYOOSM26X225/on_one_smorgasbord_26x225_tyre

If you feel rad use a Chunky Monkey up front

http://www.on-one.co.uk/c/q/tyres_and_tubes/chunky_monkey_tyres

2 fantastic tyres and change from £25

I've been running a pair of Smorgasbords - so far they've been pretty good in all conditions. Although I do tend to avoid extreme situations with deep mud