Hi,

I am currently riding an XC MTB with 27.5 x 2.1 tyres (54-584).

I seem to be using my bike more on the roads than off-roads over the last couple of months.
I am considering replacing the tyres to a more road friendly condition, however I still would like to go off-road every now and then as well. On a scale of 1 - 10. I would travel on the road maybe about 6 or 7

I am considering the Schwalbe Big Ben(27.5 x2) at this point.

Is it better;

-If i replace my rear tyre with the Big Ben and keeping my front knobby tyre as it is. I am assuming this would improve my speed on the road and maintain grip for some off-roading?

OR

-Should I replace both the tyres? Would I still be able to go off-road every now and then?

I am also looking for some other alternatives to the Big Ben, any suggestions would be helpful

Another good one to look at is the WTB Horizon. It's 47 mm wide, which is just 1.85 inches, which means your outer diameter would drop somewhat. I run a set on a bike that I ride often on gravel roads and doubletrack.

Maxxis crossmark is worth considering too. It has some tread and is ok on the dirt (unless really loose, wet or steep), rolls fairly well on pavement. This might hit your mix of still being able to handle basic trail duty and being pavement worthy.

If you want tires that you can still go off-road from time to time, you need something with a little more nobs. You can try some of the following tires:

• Maxxis Ikons I have this as a 27.5 back tire and has good grip
• Maxxis CrossMark I have this as a 29 back tire and grip is ok but not that good in very loose
• Maxxis CrossMark2 I have not used this but read that they do have more grip than the original CrossMark