[Cavedog]

I'm finding myself on the pavement as much as the trails and I'm wondering if any of you can recommend a tire that will ride better on pavement than my Jones XR tires. The trails I ride are mostly hard packed or groomed easy stuff...

Thoughts? Thanks!

 

[xrmattaz]

Dang, I was gonna recommend the Jones XR! Fastest rolling tire of the bunch I use.

Used 'em extensively for my "mostly road" commute, which also involves several miles of singletrack. I'm now using the Maxxis Ignitor, just 'cause it fits the Vulture sixty niner as well. The Bontrager is quite a bit faster than the Maxxis.

I'm interested in what others have to say.......

 

[Ricky J]

Tried & True

Cavedog, your particular application has "Nanoraptor" written all over it. Got 'em on my Spicer 29er cruiser and they are excellent for that "all-rounder" use.

 

[Cavedog]

Cavedog, your particular application has "Nanoraptor" written all over it. Got 'em on my Spicer 29er cruiser and they are excellent for that "all-rounder" use.

While I'm sure the Nanos are a completely different tire, they remind me of what I already have in the Jones XR. Short nobbies...Looking for something with less knobbies for a smoother ride and less road hum.

On a 26 inch bike I had, I had a pair of conti tires with a smooth center patch with slices to channel water and dirt, along with some knobs on the sides to handle cornering when in dirt...I loved those tires and wish they had something similar for 29ers. I don't think they even make it for 26ers any more either...the model name of the tire escapes me...it's been at least 6 years since I sold that bike

 

[Rainman]

While I'm sure the Nanos are a completely different tire, they remind me of what I already have in the Jones XR. Short nobbies...Looking for something with less knobbies for a smoother ride and less road hum.

On a 26 inch bike I had, I had a pair of conti tires with a smooth center patch with slices to channel water and dirt, along with some knobs on the sides to handle cornering when in dirt...I loved those tires and wish they had something similar for 29ers. I don't think they even make it for 26ers any more either...the model name of the tire escapes me...it's been at least 6 years since I sold that bike

Nano's are the go, imo.

They are very fast on the road for me at about 40psi and when dropped to about 25 psi perform well on the dirty stuff.

Great tires...:thumbsup:

R.

 

[Cavedog]

Are the Kenda Karmas or Stan's Crows options for me? I know they are both popular tires and seem to be a little more sparse on the tread...is either a better option for me or should I look into nanos?

Thanks for all the feedback!

 

[The Monkey]

Personally, I think Nanos may be a better choice. i just put some pn my KM, and am really impressed with how quickly they get rolling (had Motos on for 3 years before)
They will handle the occiasional mud hole, but arent thaqt good on slimey New England rocks and roots. I have ridden this tire (26") in SoCal DG and hardpack,and it does pretty well.
Karmas are hard to find. Crows are very similar to the Karma, and available.
G

 

[Cavedog]

Anybody running Karmas or Crows that care to chime in? Again, I'm realistically riding 65\35 pavement\trail and the trails are pretty tame here in Minnesota when you can find them.

I'd be running the new tires on Bontrager Superstock wheels (GF 06 x-cal stock) and be using tubes so any advise or warnings for wear, tire fit, etc. I'm hoping some of your experiences may save me time, money, frustration, etc. I've read a couple posts about ppl having problems getting Crows mounted.

Thanks,
-Cavedog

 

[GlowBoy]

Well, tires are always a tradeoff. Your choices in fast rollers are:

• Nanoraptor. Plus: About the fastest rolling "full" knobby. Minus: not as fast as a semislick, and unsuitable in muddy conditions. Probably good for MN summer conditions though.
• Kenda Karma. Plus: Lighter than the Nano (mine is 440g!), rolls more or less similarly Minus: less tread, and the thin casing makes it flat-prone. Taller knobs (2-3mm) than the Crow though, and grips much better than you'd expect by looking at it. Very fast tire that might not be a bad choice for what you describe, especially in front. I used this as my KM's front tire for a few months and it worked well other than its high vulnerability to thorn flats.
• The Crow. Light, superfast. Early reports seem to indicates grip is much better than expected for a nearly slick tire.
• Kenda Khan. Plus: Super fast roller with some offroad grip, center tread is thick enough to make it totally bombproof in urban situations, very cheap at Nashbar. Minus: still only semislick-level grip, and it weighs 760g. The Khan has a slick center tread with inverted side tread, much like you are asking for. It looks, and in every condition I've tried it performs very much like the old Conti Town & Country. Not a whole lot of offroad grip, but far more than a true slick. My KM sees 80/20 pavement/dirt (very little singletrack), and this is my rear tire of choice for that mix, period.
• Schwalbe Black Jack. Plus: also quite fast rolling with a nearly continuous center tread, grips well in a variety of offroad conditions from desert sand to rocks to mud. Minus: small (1.9), heavy for its size (650g), not very grippy on pavement (still fine when dry, scary when wet). If my riding mix were closer to 60/40 or 50/50, and conditions were generally dry, this would probably be my choice of rear tire despite the low volume.
• Schwalbe Marathon XR. Plus: it's a semislick, and has a puncture resistant belt. Minus: weighs 880g. Also, my experience is that tires with puncture belts roll considerably more slowly than similarly treaded tires without them. This may mean that you end up with the grip of a semislick and the rolling resistance of a full knobby. Having not ridden this tire I'm only guess, but that has been my experience with the similar Michelin Transworld Sprint. But as the only Euro "trekking" tire measuring a full 2.0, it's worth mentioning.
• Hand customized tire of your choice: shave off the center knobs with snips or a sharp knife, leaving nice tall side knobs for offroad use. Plus: make the tire YOU want, can be very fast rolling on road, can be very grippy offroad (especially cornering, but straight line traction can still be decent if pressure is reasonably low). Minus: takes 30-60 minutes of work to modify each tire, could be dangerous if not done right, and you're definitely into out-of-warranty territory. I have a customized Kenda Klaw with the center 4 rows of knobs shaved off and the outer knobs left on. It rolls super fast onroad, weighs under 600g and grips like crazy when aired down, even in thick mud. It also scares me, because I cut 2-3 knobs a little too short and leaving thin spots in the casing. Do this at your own risk.

 

[grawbass]

While I'm sure the Nanos are a completely different tire, they remind me of what I already have in the Jones XR. Short nobbies...Looking for something with less knobbies for a smoother ride and less road hum.

On a 26 inch bike I had, I had a pair of conti tires with a smooth center patch with slices to channel water and dirt, along with some knobs on the sides to handle cornering when in dirt...I loved those tires and wish they had something similar for 29ers. I don't think they even make it for 26ers any more either...the model name of the tire escapes me...it's been at least 6 years since I sold that bike

I'm pretty sure you're thinking of the Goliath. Its a 26 x 1.6. They are good for a mix of pavement and dirt and I think they were made in a 700C version, maybe 700 x 45? I'm not sure if they're still available.

The Geax Revert 700 x 41 is a good choice too.

 

[GlowBoy]

I'm pretty sure you're thinking of the Goliath. Its a 26 x 1.6. They are good for a mix of pavement and dirt and I think they were made in a 700C version, maybe 700 x 45? I'm not sure if they're still available.

The Geax Revert 700 x 41 is a good choice too.

Probably was the Goliath, which came in 26x1.6 until pretty recently. It was made in a 700x47 many years ago, but those are long gone.