December 13, 20232 yr In the UK. 26" for MTB I want a good GRIP over anything else tyre (yes it is TYRE here ) Wet winter roads, leaves, manhole covers, and off road, gravel no downhill see image. any advice please Thanks
December 13, 20232 yr This has been my preferred 'all-rounder' tyre for many years: https://www.maxxis.com/uk/tyre/holy-roller/ Enough tread to cope well off-road, minimal rolling resistance on pavement and hardpack dirt.
December 13, 20232 yr Awww... when I told you to buy proper MTB tyres I thought you just ignored my advice... and you didn't After you change tyres, please treat yourself and buy a suspension seatpost. You deserve it.
December 13, 20232 yr Author Awww... when I told you to buy proper MTB tyres I thought you just ignored my advice... and you didn't After you change tyres, please treat yourself and buy a suspension seatpost. You deserve it. Actually I now have these on one bike and want to try something else on another bike https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07GTJ832H?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
December 13, 20232 yr Author I WOULD consider a seat post BUT, there isn't enough space to fit it either bike I rarely ignore advice
December 14, 20232 yr I want a good GRIP over anything Unfortunately I don't have 50 different tyres to honestly say I compared them all and recommend only one. I suggest you visit manufacturers web sites and use their own comparisons. Unfortunately there are no universal cheap tyres good at everything, so you will have to make some compromises. https://www.tredz.co.uk/help-advice/guides-reviews/buyers-guides/component/wheels-tyres/mountain-bike-tyres https://www.schwalbe.com/en/mtb-reader/magic-mary Many cyclists recommend Schwalbe Marathon https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Schwalbe-Marathon-Plus-SmartGuard-E-50-Endurance-Compound-Wired-26-MTB-Tyre_92758.htm
December 14, 20232 yr This has been my preferred 'all-rounder' tyre for many years: https://www.maxxis.com/uk/tyre/holy-roller/ Enough tread to cope well off-road, minimal rolling resistance on pavement and hardpack dirt. It looks like a fast rolling tread not optimized for best grip. I wouldn't use it for muddy terrain.
December 14, 20232 yr It looks like a fast rolling tread not optimized for best grip. I wouldn't use it for muddy terrain. Best grip on what though?... As you correctly stated, there's no 'perfect' tyre - they're all a compromise in one way or another. The Maxxis Holy Roller is my favourite 'all-rounder' - pretty much what the OP was asking for.
December 14, 20232 yr So after I skidded and fell off on a very loose surface (on my mid drive E- MTB) I changed my (rather worn) tyres to Nobby Nics Evolution, Super Ground casing and Speed Grip compound. Seem very good for mostly off road cross country and trails and ok on tarmacced roads. I have ridden the same section that I fell off on and it is much more confidence inspiring. There were some good deals on that combination or there is the cheaper Performance line model. https://www.bikeradar.com/news/2021-schwalbe-mtb-tyre-range https://www.merlincycles.com/schwalbe-addix-nobby-nic-super-ground-tl-easy-folding-tyre-26-240530.html?utm_source=PHG&source=PHG&utm_medium=Affiliates&utm_campaign=genieshopping Edited December 14, 20232 yr by Peter.Bridge
December 14, 20232 yr On terrain like shown by Saracen of course. "Wet winter roads, leaves, manhole covers, and off road, gravel" So a bit of everything really?
December 14, 20232 yr Schwalbe Smart Sam Plus that looks perfect for road / moderate terrain, and good puncture protection and e-bike certification https://www.schwalbe.com/en/mtb-reader/smart-sam-plus
December 14, 20232 yr The problem is that if you use any tyres other than Schwalbe MPs, you get punctures. Why not fit MPs, get a hub-motor and ride on the roads? That gives you enough grip, no punctures, a better ride, more convenience, more reliability and lower running costs - win, win, win, win, win, win! You guys are always trying to make things more difficult than they need to be. Remember KISS!
December 14, 20232 yr The problem is that if you use any tyres other than Schwalbe MPs, you get punctures. Why not fit MPs, get a hub-motor and ride on the roads? That gives you enough grip, no punctures, a better ride, more convenience, more reliability and lower running costs - win, win, win, win, win, win! You guys are always trying to make things more difficult than they need to be. Remember KISS! Riding on roads is pretty boring compared to an off road countryside gravel track.... it's not all about getting from A to B with minimum fuss, even in winter there's still a bit of fun to be had !. And Schwalbe MP's are not the best in cold and wet, there's better road tyre options that still over great puncture protection but with better grip (and lighter/less rolling resistance, better range), especially if you are pushing on (regular Marathons, Energizer Plus/Tour etc etc)
December 14, 20232 yr Schwalbe Smart Sam Plus Thoose do look suitably knobbly, also tempting - likely more capable of tackling mud than Marathon Plus, which are awful in muddy conditions, over metal manhole covers... but even on road tarmac in the cold and wet at speed, they're ok in my experience. Cue video evidence (after the 19 second mark) - my MPs held onto the road fine. https://vimeo.com/874431040:19s I do wish Schwalbe would use the thicker blue layers in tyres they designate "Plus". Those Schwalbe Smart Sam Plus only appear to have the inferior 3mm thick/thin Greenguard. Maybe they're plus Greenguard? MPs slip away sideways at the merest hint of mud offroad. Also terrible on wet gravel, dry gravel, wet metal, shale. But they're great on roads, if they're clean and you steer clear of wet metal. Edited December 14, 20232 yr by guerney
December 14, 20232 yr Riding on roads is pretty boring compared to an off road countryside gravel track.... it's not all about getting from A to B with minimum fuss, even in winter there's still a bit of fun to be had !. And Schwalbe MP's are not the best in cold and wet, there's better road tyre options that still over great puncture protection but with better grip (and lighter/less rolling resistance, better range), especially if you are pushing on (regular Marathons, Energizer Plus/Tour etc etc) Nothing is boring except in the view of boring people. Everything is interesting if you're interested in it. Riding on the road is much more fun than boring trails. You see more things, have to deal with traffic, and you can do spotting and reporting of people on their phones in their vehicles, like CyclingMikey does. His cycling looks a lot more interesting and fun than what Saracen showed. Also, when riding on the road, you don't need stupid inefficient knobbly tyres. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm6g2GP912ku4lPd-155-Vw
December 14, 20232 yr On my Haibike Yamaha crank drive hard tail I run a Schwalbe Hans Dampf gravity 2.35 tyre on the back. I run it tubeless but the carcass is so tough I cannot see it puncturing if you used a tube. It is a brilliant tyre off road and much better than I thought it would be on the road. My £100 second hand Oxygen Emate came with Marathon plus road tyres fitted and with one reservation they have been brilliant, no punctures and very hard wearing. The reservation is that in the winter their quite hard compound means their grip can be compromised and they will slip on man hole covers, so you need to take more care. I did try the Mountain Bike version of the Marathon plus and did not like it, finding it very lacking in grip off road.
December 14, 20232 yr Nothing is boring except in the view of boring people. Everything is interesting if you're interested in it. Riding on the road is much more fun than boring trails. You see more things, have to deal with traffic, and you can do spotting and reporting of people on their phones in their vehicles, like CyclingMikey does. His cycling looks a lot more interesting and fun than what Saracen showed. Also, when riding on the road, you don't need stupid inefficient knobbly tyres. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm6g2GP912ku4lPd-155-Vw Well my definition of fun is clearly different to yours. I'd rather see deer, rabbits, and other wildlife on my alternative off road commute route home (below), than looking and hearing at traffic. Plus, 'stupid' knobblies work on roads better than road tyres work on mud
December 14, 20232 yr Plus, 'stupid' knobblies work on roads better than road tyres work on mud Why do you want to ride on mud with road tyres? Surely, you'd get a lot more grip on tarmac?
December 14, 20232 yr Why do you want to ride on mud with road tyres? Keep up, I don't. I ride on mud with knobblies
December 14, 20232 yr Nothing is boring except in the view of boring people. Everything is interesting if you're interested in it. Riding on the road is much more fun than boring trails. You see more things, have to deal with traffic, and you can do spotting and reporting of people on their phones in their vehicles, like CyclingMikey does. His cycling looks a lot more interesting and fun than what Saracen showed. Also, when riding on the road, you don't need stupid inefficient knobbly tyres. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm6g2GP912ku4lPd-155-Vw AAARRRGGHHHH! Drivers are always on their damned phones! It's a miracle more cyclists don't end up as street pizza. I'd hope my very bright lights will help avoid my body involuntarily imitating smeared Italian food all over the road.
December 14, 20232 yr Keep up, I don't. I ride on mud with knobblies Why? Doesn't it get you covered in mud? You'd have to change before you went into the shops. Edited December 14, 20232 yr by saneagle
December 14, 20232 yr AAARRRGGHHHH! Drivers are always on their damned phones! It's a miracle more cyclists don't end up as street pizza. I'd hope my very bright lights will help avoid my body involuntarily imitating smeared Italian food all over the road. You can stop drivers from using their phones. You have everything you need to do it. Learn from the master. As you can see, it can even be done with a crank-drive bike. Though not optimal, he still scores up to 10 per hour:
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