Best tire for rocks & roots?

Fogerson said:
I like Conti Mtn Kings too, but my rear tire is wearing out FAST! And they suck a bit on really loose/gravel stuff.
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They def have a super supple compound...It's a pain in the arse but rotate em...After all they are a good $ or better yet a good EU
 
After I wear out my conti verticals, I plan on giving mountain king a try. They look alot like the verts and I've been very happy with them.
 
I like MK too but there is a noticeably difference between MK protection and regular version. I have both of them. The first one has better grip... Anyway Panaracer Fire XC pro works better as a rear tire (I compare it to MK 2.2 with smaller knobs than MK 2.4).
 
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I can vouch for the Schwalbe Albert UST - grips like a pit bull but the flavor wears out faster than a lollipop. Expensive - barely put 500 miles on my rear one and the side knobs are already peeling off - exposing the fabric snakeskin mesh.

I run Conti MK UST on the front - (very) small volume tire.
 
My favorite tire so far for all conditions, except mud is the michelin xc dry2. It's like a cross between a sb8 and nevegal. It's a 2.0, but runs big, more like some 2.1-2.2, and with stan's it's amazing. It only weighs 480g or so too.
 
monteverest said:
I can vouch for the Schwalbe Albert UST - grips like a pit bull but the flavor wears out faster than a lollipop. Expensive - barely put 500 miles on my rear one and the side knobs are already peeling off - exposing the fabric snakeskin mesh.
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500 miles is an eternity to me. Most tires are lucky to last 200. I would be thrilled to get 500 out of a tire.
 
Norm said:
500 miles is an eternity to me. Most tires are lucky to last 200. I would be thrilled to get 500 out of a tire.
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How disappointing. I'd better keep my expectations low for tire durability then. Odd because the Wierwolfs I ran previous to the Alberts lasted nearly two season and still has enough thread to serve as a reserve.

The Albert has between 400 - 500 miles on it and with rubber worn to the mesh, I'm going to regret riding on the tire. It really should have been trashed some time ago ... unspoken is the price I paid for the Albert, about $62.00. According to Schwalbetire.com, the 2009 UST Albert is priced at about $78 - yikes, about the price of my car tire.
 
Came across this thread and was surprised to see all the positive votes for the Panaracer Fire XC as a good tire for rocks and roots.

Not that I mind, I just ordered a set in the 2.1 size and the 127 tpi.

Just surprised, in a day where I would have figured volume was king for this kind of riding, the Panaracer's are such a narrow tire. I know volume seems to be key for suspension and float which would seem important for control on a rocky and rooty course.

Any thoughts on the width of this tire for Chimney Rock-style riding?
 
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Does the Protection version come in 29"? I have 2.4 front and rear, I'm happy with them at CR & Hartshorne, but when on the street I felt a little slow.

Scott
 
I am a major fan of the Specialized Fast Traks. I use them all year round and have had zero problems with traction.

Specialized rubber is good stuff man, no lies.
 
Besides the crappy tires that have come on my bike i've only tried the Kenda Nevegals and Panaracer Fire XC. Wish the Panaracer came in a wider version. The Fire XC 2.1 is way thinner than the Nevegals. I am looking for a new tire to run. The Nevegal sidewalls are all messed up from rock gardens. It was already said in this thread but the Nevegal doesn't seem to be a good rock tire.

I don't have tubeless rims, but am going to research this whole stans thing.
 
scotth said:
I have 2.4 front and rear, I'm happy with them at CR & Hartshorne, but when on the street I felt a little slow.

Scott
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So now you want something to handle rocks, roots, and street. C'Mon now. :rolleyes:
 
idbrian said:
Besides the crappy tires that have come on my bike i've only tried the Kenda Nevegals and Panaracer Fire XC. Wish the Panaracer came in a wider version. The Fire XC 2.1 is way thinner than the Nevegals. I am looking for a new tire to run. The Nevegal sidewalls are all messed up from rock gardens. It was already said in this thread but the Nevegal doesn't seem to be a good rock tire.

I don't have tubeless rims, but am going to research this whole stans thing.
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I ride CR more than any place and have run Nevagal 2.1's and Panaracer Fire XC 2.1's for the last three years with zero flats or sidewall tears. I DO (or did) run tubeless though, which I think they make the sidewalls thicker (guessing) which may account for the success. I started losing air in one Panaracer recently, threw in some spez tire sealant and that was fixed. I say get the tubeless and go for it.
 
CR isn't really sidewall tearing territory. Mine most likely came from Sourlands /Mah Dickerson / Wawa.

Cool if UST's have thicker sidewalls. I forgot about that.
 
A side note on tread profiles from my experience of using a cx bike on the local trails: Big tread patterns are often more detrimental than helpful for your typical xc/trail riding stuff. I know the post is about rocks/roots, but you'd be shocked at how well a slick 28mm tire will hold on hardpack dirt - what's usually inbetween those rocks and roots. Until you get to downhill style riding on really loose, eroded trails, any reasonable tread pattern should work.

For rocks/roots you want a big, soft low presure tire that will warp over obstacles as opposed to bouncing off of them.
 
mooch91 said:
Came across this thread and was surprised to see all the positive votes for the Panaracer Fire XC as a good tire for rocks and roots.
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I agree, they suck, I ride them in "Thy Kingdom O' Sand" and they suck there. Nevgal are much better.
 
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