MTB Top Tyres - Wadda You Guys Rate ???

[Raven Flyer]

I can see how tubeless tyres don't get pinch punctures, but how do they cope with trails covered in thorns?

[shalmaneser]

Maxxis Highroller is a great tyre.

Contis are generally agreed to be crap.

Lots of people seem to rate the Panaracer range.

[robpearson]

raven, because there's a fair amount of Stans/similar fluid squirted into the tyre before you fit it, when something small punctures the tyre the fluid fills the gap and seals it up :-) it's pretty good on most holes, but you could equally just fill a regular tube with slime and get the same effect.

and for the record, another vote for the panaracer firexc and trailraker tyres

[MrTom]

It depends on what conditions and terrain you will be riding in for any type of recommendation to be worth considering. I presume the boardman is an XC bike?
XC
All round -Panaracer Fire XC Pro/Kenda Nevegal
Wet/winter - Maxxis medusa(mud specific)

[a11y_m]

Interesting to read some of the posts so far.

For bigger bikes, I don't think you can beat Maxxis High Roller 2.35 single-ply's for all round. I run one on the front of my full-susser with a 2.25" Maxxis ADvantage on the rear (it's a bit quicker-rolling but lacks grip for braking and off-camber wet grass though). Or dual-ply 2.35 Minions for DH use...

For smaller/XC bikes I'm a bit lost on tyres at the moment. 2/3 years ago I used Conti Vertical 2.3's but switched to Bontrager Jones AC-X 2.2's after getting a set on my 29er. Great tyre IMO but I'm not sure if there's better.

I did get a set of Conti Mountain King 2.2's on another hardtail I bought and hated them - sold them after a few rides as they were sketchy as hell IMO.

I'm still searching for a decent 2.2" mud tyre for hardtail use to replace my Bonty's for the winter though.

[Doniger]

Another vote for Panaracer Fire XC Pro here, I mostly do trails but nothing too silly. Had 2.1s before but recently got a pair of 1.8s. Initially fitted them and thought I'd made a horrible mistake as they look so thin, but I'm utterly sold now. They're great on the road too.

[BOR]

Lot of votes for the Panracer XC. What are the disadvantages with these ?

I use MK Supersonics and the rear is coming to the end of its life. I find them a good compromise between speed light weight and (dry)grip, with good steering from the round profile. Negatives are puncture-proneness (although I've ordered a Stan's Tubeless Kit now) and the oft mentioned questionable grip in wet clay(possibly due to said round profile).

I'm happy to try Panracers as long as they are not heavier or slower than MKs.

[shalmaneser]

a11y_m said:

Interesting to read some of the posts so far.

For bigger bikes, I don't think you can beat Maxxis High Roller 2.35 single-ply's for all round. I run one on the front of my full-susser with a 2.25" Maxxis ADvantage on the rear (it's a bit quicker-rolling but lacks grip for braking and off-camber wet grass though). Or dual-ply 2.35 Minions for DH use...

For smaller/XC bikes I'm a bit lost on tyres at the moment. 2/3 years ago I used Conti Vertical 2.3's but switched to Bontrager Jones AC-X 2.2's after getting a set on my 29er. Great tyre IMO but I'm not sure if there's better.

I did get a set of Conti Mountain King 2.2's on another hardtail I bought and hated them - sold them after a few rides as they were sketchy as hell IMO.

I'm still searching for a decent 2.2" mud tyre for hardtail use to replace my Bonty's for the winter though.

Hah! I'm running that exact setup at the moment...will be interesting to see how the advantage goes in the wet.

[a11y_m]

shalmaneser said:

a11y_m said:

Interesting to read some of the posts so far.

For bigger bikes, I don't think you can beat Maxxis High Roller 2.35 single-ply's for all round. I run one on the front of my full-susser with a 2.25" Maxxis ADvantage on the rear (it's a bit quicker-rolling but lacks grip for braking and off-camber wet grass though). Or dual-ply 2.35 Minions for DH use...

For smaller/XC bikes I'm a bit lost on tyres at the moment. 2/3 years ago I used Conti Vertical 2.3's but switched to Bontrager Jones AC-X 2.2's after getting a set on my 29er. Great tyre IMO but I'm not sure if there's better.

I did get a set of Conti Mountain King 2.2's on another hardtail I bought and hated them - sold them after a few rides as they were sketchy as hell IMO.

I'm still searching for a decent 2.2" mud tyre for hardtail use to replace my Bonty's for the winter though.

Hah! I'm running that exact setup at the moment...will be interesting to see how the advantage goes in the wet.

TBH I mainly use my full susser (a Lapierre Spicy) at trail centres (the likes of Innerleithen) and purpose-built DH tracks where there's less mud. I've found the rear has a tendency to let go quite easily in the wet, which can be fun or pant-soiling depending on the circumstances! I'm tempted to stick another HR on the back if I do more natural trails on it over the winter, but I tend to ride HT more often on those sort of trails anyway.

[bumrar]

fellow Boardman team FS rider here - I swapped to panaracer fire XC pro's pretty soon after getting the bike and I immediately noticed an improvement in grip over the speed kings supplied with the bike. Didn't notice much difference in rolling resistance either, and to top it off they look better in my opinion! I now have fire XC's on my hardtail too!

Riding on gravely/light muddy singletrack.

[curlie467]

I run conti speed king 2.1 front and back, my brother runs panaracer xc pros front and back, we went to llandegla today and my bike didnt feel good on the contis. They have been very good to be honest up until today where it is quite rocky on the trails and i struggled really, he was behind me and said the bike was all over the place while his was totally planted and offered good grip all round the course.
I got my first puncture in them too! i have been running them for a while though and havent had one until now.
Lots of bikes had panaracers on today so they do look like the weapon of choice for many, i might look for some myself.
Cant get my head around a none matching pair, i am sure they work well for people but i wouldnt have a clue where to startr!

[carter711]

Has anyone tried the Tioga Square of Eight? My friend has recently bought a pair and they look pretty good, I haven't ridden them yet though.

[smack]

I find I run a few combos of tyres in my local area through the year, which can be a mix of rocky, rooty, sandy, muddy, and clay.

On my XC hardtails, I run Fire XC's for most of the year, but when it gets very wet and muddy in areas, I will put a mud tyre on the rear, which I have a few different ones lying around.
If it drys out enough, like most of this summer, I run some faster low profile tyres

When I take the full sus on trips to Wales or Europe etc, it has fat tyres that can do most things, running Conti Gravity's at the moment.

I got to get back into it, been to lazy this summer.

[Pupp]

Conti have a 1.8 XC mud tyre ready to launch.... felt one at the show but it was wrapped in orange placcie and was a teaser Serve 'em right if I buy Pannys...

[Tomatogti]

Bonty ACX are great all round tyres - and they do some good mud tyres but they ain't that big volume so better as race tyre. Nobby Nics are great too. Don't rate High Rollers at all (against what many people think - then again I broke my collarbone last year when I had them on so I may be slightly biased(!) but didn't like them much before the incident either!).

[P-Jay]

a11y_m said:

Interesting to read some of the posts so far.

For bigger bikes, I don't think you can beat Maxxis High Roller 2.35 single-ply's for all round. I run one on the front of my full-susser with a 2.25" Maxxis ADvantage on the rear (it's a bit quicker-rolling but lacks grip for braking and off-camber wet grass though).

That's the exact same set-up I have, run a supertackie front, the ADvantage only comes in one compound I think - it's 70a in Maxxis speak.

I find it's the perfect set-up for me, BUT... I ride almost exclusivly at Trail Centres with well drained surfaces.

I've run HR's in Mud (in Morzine) and found them less than useless.

For the 'real' mountain bikers who ride 'out there' away from the centres Panracers seem really popular.

[pano amo]

Stay away from Conti's. They came as standard on my Zesty. Im not happy with the grip but worse than that, they puncture so easily. I even upgraded the rear tyre to a conti with side protection but still problems. Im using those sludge tubes at the moment because I sick of repairing punctures. Really, these tyres are disappointing in grib but more so in puncture resistance. Panracer for me now.

[Pupp]

Right, first outing today on Panny Trailraker 1.9s (instead of NN/RR Schwalbes on a hardtail Cube)... fanbloodytastic! Not one clog up on trails that would have stopped me dead in 10 yards previously. Seem to roll ok on hard stuff too so well happy

[smack]

Pupp said:

Right, first outing today on Panny Trailraker 1.9s (instead of NN/RR Schwalbes on a hardtail Cube)... fanbloodytastic! Not one clog up on trails that would have stopped me dead in 10 yards previously. Seem to roll ok on hard stuff too so well happy

I rate them for winter cacked up trails.

[robpearson]

Trailraker 2.1 USTs here, love em although they aren't the smoothest or quietest tyre on road