All I can say is, keep the back tire a bit smoother than the front, less grip means less resistance which should get you more speed. I couldn't help you on what tires to use though.

Long time, no see.

no i haven't bought any tires yet. i am just waiting for the snow around here to melt - i won't be able to hit the trails anyways.

right now i'm farting around on the streets - i'll just continue to wear out my nevs while i do this. i get my new tries when the season starts.

There is only one tyre for you to get---And that is one that works in your area.

I live in an area that has a lot of chalk trails. In the forest it is rooty but there are other areas that are deep claggy clay based Mud. Only one tyre for me and everyone else that rides the same trails and that is the Panaracer FireXC Comes in 2.1 and if you want less drag -more speed and better at negotiating Mud- then go for the 1.8.

Find the tyre that others use with success in your area. And get the same.

I think that's what i'll do. thanks!

That's the best piece of advice I've heard regarding tyres in a while... well put!

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If I may, I'd also like to add one other thing I have noticed with tyres pertaining to cornering more than anything else. My first MTB was a hardtail with an early XC geometry so it had a fairly steep head angle and a short travel fork. The best all-around tyre for me at the time was the Continental Explorer 2.1 (they've discontinued the previous tread pattern and now have a new pattern with spiderwebs). This tyre was just exceptional in cornering so when I got my first FS bike, I naturally got a pair for the new bike. Horrible cornering! Just washes out in the loose stuff. I was puzzled at first until I realised the FS bike had a slacker head angle and a long-travel fork which also had a longer rake than the XC fork... different bike and fork geometry changed the performance of the same tyre completely even in the same terrain.

Beside bikes having different head angles, various forks also have various amounts of "rake," resulting in differing amouts of "trail." I worked on a DH bike some time ago and it cornered differently with a Manitou Dorado than with a Rockshox Boxxer. Maxxis Minions cornered better on the Dorado, HighRollers cornered better on the Boxxer... same bike!

Next time someone recommends or rubbishes a tyre for it's cornering ability, it might pay to consider what sort of bike and fork they're using... besides just the terrain.

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