Tyres for mountain biking

[summerdays]

I'm off with friends to the Brecon Beacons to do a bit of mountain biking next month, hopefully nothing too demanding as I've not got very much experience other than Ashton Court a few times. I need to change the tyres on my ice bike.... Currently got studded tyres on, but normally it has Schwalbe Marathon so I need something more suited to the conditions.

Will any knobbly tyres do?

 

[Cubist]

Up to a point, yes, but there are some seriously crap cheap knobblies out there, hard compounds and no grip.

Halfords have continental Mountain Kings in at 10.99, can't see past those personally, they'll be well up to the job. http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-parts/bike-tyres/continental-mountain-king-bike-tyre-26-x-2-2

 

[outlash]

Not that I have masses of experience of off road, but generally work to the theory wider spaced knobblies work better when it's muddy as it'd be easier to shed mud. On both my crosser and MTB I'd use something like Schwalbe Rocket Rons as 'winter' tyres.

 

[summerdays]

Up to a point, yes, but there are some seriously crap cheap knobblies out there, hard compounds and no grip.

Halfords have continental Mountain Kings in at 10.99, can't see past those personally, they'll be well up to the job. http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-parts/bike-tyres/continental-mountain-king-bike-tyre-26-x-2-2

I ended up on the crc site to look at reviews, and a number of people seem to have 2.2 at the front and 2.4 at the back, or the other way round.... Do I need to use a different size front and back?

 

[Cubist]

Wider at the front for more grip,. Will you be on the edge of the envelope where a slightly bigger contact patch is needed, or would you be better on a lighter tyre.? 2.4 is pretty big by the way, and I suspect the Crc reviewers may not be out for a sociable bimble with some fun thrown in.

 

[summerdays]

I'm all for a social Bimble, but some of my mates are not of the bimble variety....however my skills and nerves aren't up to their level! So it's 2.2 then....

I've also realised these aren't going to fit under my existing mudguards are they (SKS Chromoplastic ones)

 

[Crackle]

What bike are you taking?

 

[summerdays]

It's my spare.... My first bike I bought as an adult... A Dawes Saratogo about 10 years old, hence why it's currently got studded tyres on, so pretty basic (naff suspension at the front), but I'm not good at buying bikes quickly, I spend ages pondering. I suppose I could put the tyres on my commuter but then I'd have to ride the knobbly tyres the following day as I would be tired when I got home I expect.

 

[Cubist]

It's my spare.... My first bike I bought as an adult... A Dawes Saratogo about 10 years old, hence why it's currently got studded tyres on, so pretty basic (naff suspension at the front), but I'm not good at buying bikes quickly, I spend ages pondering. I suppose I could put the tyres on my commuter but then I'd have to ride the knobbly tyres the following day as I would be tired when I got home I expect.

I doubt you'd have clearance for 2.4s anyway. You may even need to look at 2.0 or 1.9.

 

[summerdays]

I doubt you'd have clearance for 2.4s anyway. You may even need to look at 2.0 or 1.9.

And the difference will be less comfort, and possibly higher risk of pinch punctures?

 

[Crackle]

I was going to say the same, 2.2's might be pushing it and you will need to take those SKS guards off in all probability unless you really are just cycling forestry type tracks in which case you might not even need different tyres.

Can you not borrow some tyres? i always find new tyres take a few miles to wear in and develop full grip.

Comfort wise, a smaller tyre will still be OK, God knows I ran on such beasts for years, you'll need a higher pressure though, none of this modern low pressure malarkey, probably north of 35psi.

 

[fossyant]

2.4's are more cushy, but they are a tight squeeze.... Stick with 2 or 2.2 if unsure

 

[potsy]

M+ mtb tyres, the weight of them will stop you getting too much air on the jumps

 

[summerdays]

M+ mtb tyres, the weight of them will stop you getting too much air on the jumps

If you have seen me trying to mountain bike you would know that I'm not going to try to "get air", my biggest problem is overcoming my fear of not being on firm ground, I hate the feeling of sliding. So me trying to do a bomb hole ends up with me trying to track stand on the lip too scared to go over the top

 

[HarryTheDog]

Going back to thinner at the front, wider at the back, this is to do with very muddy soupy conditions where less wieght is on the front and a wider front tyre tends not to bite through the top slop to the harder ground below and can give you actually less grip and gives a floaty feeling. Counter intuitive really. The rear having more wieght on it gets pushed through the top slop.