zenout

i ride 3 times a week and i don't race.......i have a 29er full suspension...i ride mostly hardpack and yes i hit sand now and then.....i have a budget of 180.00 and i want to use amazon as i have a credit there....i would prefer light and i use tubes..im would like to keep it around 650 grams per tire and of course id like some big tread ....want a great all around mtb tire and of course want to be as puncture proof as possible....the internet was not a good source as there are hundreds of posts on this with no tire really standing out..so i came here..thanks all..would you recommend a 2.25 or a 2.35 as well thanks again

dminor 

Best tire out there is the Maxxis High Roller II 2.3 3C EXO . . . but it's 920 grams. Too bad 4 U.

zenout

ran into a schwalbe nobby nic tl snakeskin tire any thoughts ?

zenout

920 is way to heavy but thanks

ColinL

I have used, and destroyed, a few Schwalbe tires on hardpack and rocks. the pacestar and trailstar compounds only survive well, for most people, on loose loamy terrain.

Nothing is going to work great on sand that is smaller than a fatbike tire. However, many tires do work well with a little sand or dust on top of hardpack.

I'd use a Maxxis Ikon 2.35. Bigger shoulder knobs than the narrower sizes. Can't comment on puncture resistance as I've been tubeless for years... punctures and pinch flats are not a factor.

7daysaweek

I've had great experience with Nobby Nics, Racing Ralphs, and Rocket Rons. No issues with durability on rocky/rooty terrain here.

Also like the Ikons but you said big tread which I wouldn't exactly say fits with Ikons. Maybe look at Ardents but in the more durable casing they're going to be too heavy for you?

My vote would be Nobby Nics. Maybe also take a look at Hutchinson Toro?

osco53

If your at the skill level where you have to ask this kinda question go get a Bontrager XR3 29x2.35 for the front and a Bonty XR 1 29x2.25 for
the back.

These tires work and the pair should come in about $110, I know for a fact the XR3 out front sticks like glue, is extremly predictable, rolls great, edge treads don't come off, they are not heavy and from my experience my XR 3 will last as long as any TWO Schwalbe's you put out front at about $90 EACH.. been there...
Four seasons In variable trail conditions and I am finished with expensive tires.. I'd rather have beer money

zenout

skill level where you need to ask....lol..was that really necessary?the rest of your reply i do appreciate.....i went nobbys..

ColinL

I wouldn't consider myself unskilled. I buy and try a lot of tires. I research the hell out of them before I buy. Even when I do that, I still have bought some that I end up disliking for one reason or another.

Two examples: Specialized Ground Control - not very fast and not very grippy when cornering. If you have big, slow knobs it's kind of good to have traction at least.

WTB Vigilante - noticeably slower than a Minion and very thin casing (TCS Light version). Corners and brakes awesome, but if I wanted a slow tire I'd buy Kenda.

An example of a tire well-loved online that I also love: Minion DHR2. Doug isn't wrong about many things, but he should try one of these the next time he wears out a High Roller 2.

dminor 

I disliked the original DHR but was all pumped when Maxxis released the 'improved' DHR 2; so put one on the back of the DH rig. I did part of a season on it and went back to the tried-and-true DHF/DHF combo. Will likely never buy another DHR2.

ColinL

Interesting, I'm not sure I've heard of anyone else who disliked it, but I'm sure some do. Tires are so subjective.

roadwarior

I use Maxxis Arent Race, but I used to 27.5

Clem von Jones

If you live in the mountains and have to climb thousands of feet in altitude it's worthwhile to get lightweight tires like Racing Ralph 2.1 Evolution Liteskin. I have them on my full-squishy 29er. Racing Ralphs are around 450 grams or less and have good grip but low rolling resistance. Nobby Nics are too heavy for me and the rolling resistance would be substantial. Bigger tires aren't necessary if you ride carefully but If I wanted something bigger I'd try the lightest Rocket Ron in front. When I first got my 29er I put huge tires on it and that was a mistake. The extra rotational weight is hell. I also run lightweight 26" tubes in my Ralphs. If you're heavy maybe consider the snakeskin version Schwalbes for a back tire otherwise the liteskin is good enough. You have to be somewhat obsessive about tire weight on 29ers.

dminor 

True that. I think 'dislike' would be a little strong in my case - - I just didn't like it as well as the DHF. I don't know if it's because the intermediary center blocks are less beefy or the more 'paddle-like' configuration of the wider center-tread blocks but I felt like they accelerated slower and were less predictable in the corners. Plus the casing seemed awfully narrow - - even narrower than the DHF.

ColinL

I would also think our soil is way different. I'm using the DHR2 almost exclusively on hardpack and loose-over-hard.

ColinL

dminor, do you use the dual-compound or 3C Minion DHF on the front? (and what about rear?)

I intentionally got a dual-compound DHR for the rear because it rolls faster and lasts longer. Kinda confusing that 3C can mean either really soft Maxx Terra, or really fast (and hard in the center) Maxx Speed depending on the tire.

dminor 

I have gone 3C with everything. I used to use Super-Tacky a lot, because: 1) they were cheaper; and 2) I could afford to replace more often at my pricing. But I found I preferred both the better wear characteristics and the performance of the 3Cs.

The variances are because how they vary the layering of the three compounds in the tread to achieve the result they're looking for. With the MaxxGrip, the emphasis is on the softer, slow-rebound compounds, where I believe the MaxxTerra is stronger on the firmer, middle compound to improve wear and rolling-resistance. A pretty good rundown HERE and HERE.