Remember I am UK based so NO US makes or outlets please

Saracen

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 24, 2023
342
21
In the UK.

26" for MTB

I want a good GRIP over anything else tyre (yes it is TYRE here :) )

Wet winter roads, leaves, manhole covers, and off road, gravel no downhill see image. any advice please

Thanks







IMG_1626.JPG
 

danielrlee

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 27, 2012
1,349
691
Westbury, Wiltshire
torquetech.co.uk
This has been my preferred 'all-rounder' tyre for many years:
Enough tread to cope well off-road, minimal rolling resistance on pavement and hardpack dirt.
 

Az.

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 27, 2022
1,271
572
Plymouth
Awww... when I told you to buy proper MTB tyres I thought you just ignored my advice... and you didn't :)
After you change tyres, please treat yourself and buy a suspension seatpost. You deserve it.
 

Saracen

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 24, 2023
342
21
I WOULD consider a seat post BUT, there isn't enough space to fit it either bikeIMG_1734.JPGIMG_1735.JPG

I rarely ignore advice
 

Az.

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 27, 2022
1,271
572
Plymouth
I want a good GRIP over anything
Unfortunately I don't have 50 different tyres to honestly say I compared them all and recommend only one. I suggest you visit manufacturers web sites and use their own comparisons. Unfortunately there are no universal cheap tyres good at everything, so you will have to make some compromises.



Many cyclists recommend Schwalbe Marathon

 
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Az.

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 27, 2022
1,271
572
Plymouth
This has been my preferred 'all-rounder' tyre for many years:
Enough tread to cope well off-road, minimal rolling resistance on pavement and hardpack dirt.
It looks like a fast rolling tread not optimized for best grip. I wouldn't use it for muddy terrain.
 
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danielrlee

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 27, 2012
1,349
691
Westbury, Wiltshire
torquetech.co.uk
It looks like a fast rolling tread not optimized for best grip. I wouldn't use it for muddy terrain.
Best grip on what though?...

As you correctly stated, there's no 'perfect' tyre - they're all a compromise in one way or another. The Maxxis Holy Roller is my favourite 'all-rounder' - pretty much what the OP was asking for.
 

Peter.Bridge

Esteemed Pedelecer
Apr 19, 2023
671
303
So after I skidded and fell off on a very loose surface (on my mid drive E- MTB) I changed my (rather worn) tyres to Nobby Nics Evolution, Super Ground casing and Speed Grip compound. Seem very good for mostly off road cross country and trails and ok on tarmacced roads. I have ridden the same section that I fell off on and it is much more confidence inspiring. There were some good deals on that combination or there is the cheaper Performance line model.


 
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Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
20,134
8,230
60
West Sx RH
Any reasonable knobbly tyre will be ok , none of that terrian is overly bad .
 
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saneagle

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 10, 2010
4,194
2,078
Telford
The problem is that if you use any tyres other than Schwalbe MPs, you get punctures. Why not fit MPs, get a hub-motor and ride on the roads? That gives you enough grip, no punctures, a better ride, more convenience, more reliability and lower running costs - win, win, win, win, win, win!

You guys are always trying to make things more difficult than they need to be. Remember KISS!
 
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egroover

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 12, 2016
979
579
56
UK
The problem is that if you use any tyres other than Schwalbe MPs, you get punctures. Why not fit MPs, get a hub-motor and ride on the roads? That gives you enough grip, no punctures, a better ride, more convenience, more reliability and lower running costs - win, win, win, win, win, win!

You guys are always trying to make things more difficult than they need to be. Remember KISS!
Riding on roads is pretty boring compared to an off road countryside gravel track.... it's not all about getting from A to B with minimum fuss, even in winter there's still a bit of fun to be had !. And Schwalbe MP's are not the best in cold and wet, there's better road tyre options that still over great puncture protection but with better grip (and lighter/less rolling resistance, better range), especially if you are pushing on (regular Marathons, Energizer Plus/Tour etc etc)
 
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guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
10,245
3,004
Schwalbe Smart Sam Plus
Thoose do look suitably knobbly, also tempting - likely more capable of tackling mud than Marathon Plus, which are awful in muddy conditions, over metal manhole covers... but even on road tarmac in the cold and wet at speed, they're ok in my experience. Cue video evidence (after the 19 second mark) - my MPs held onto the road fine.




I do wish Schwalbe would use the thicker blue layers in tyres they designate "Plus". Those Schwalbe Smart Sam Plus only appear to have the inferior 3mm thick/thin Greenguard. Maybe they're plus Greenguard?

MPs slip away sideways at the merest hint of mud offroad. Also terrible on wet gravel, dry gravel, wet metal, shale. But they're great on roads, if they're clean and you steer clear of wet metal.
 
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saneagle

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 10, 2010
4,194
2,078
Telford
Riding on roads is pretty boring compared to an off road countryside gravel track.... it's not all about getting from A to B with minimum fuss, even in winter there's still a bit of fun to be had !. And Schwalbe MP's are not the best in cold and wet, there's better road tyre options that still over great puncture protection but with better grip (and lighter/less rolling resistance, better range), especially if you are pushing on (regular Marathons, Energizer Plus/Tour etc etc)
Nothing is boring except in the view of boring people. Everything is interesting if you're interested in it.

Riding on the road is much more fun than boring trails. You see more things, have to deal with traffic, and you can do spotting and reporting of people on their phones in their vehicles, like CyclingMikey does. His cycling looks a lot more interesting and fun than what Saracen showed. Also, when riding on the road, you don't need stupid inefficient knobbly tyres.
 
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georgehenry

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 7, 2015
1,435
1,259
Surrey
On my Haibike Yamaha crank drive hard tail I run a Schwalbe Hans Dampf gravity 2.35 tyre on the back. I run it tubeless but the carcass is so tough I cannot see it puncturing if you used a tube. It is a brilliant tyre off road and much better than I thought it would be on the road.

My £100 second hand Oxygen Emate came with Marathon plus road tyres fitted and with one reservation they have been brilliant, no punctures and very hard wearing. The reservation is that in the winter their quite hard compound means their grip can be compromised and they will slip on man hole covers, so you need to take more care.

I did try the Mountain Bike version of the Marathon plus and did not like it, finding it very lacking in grip off road.
 

egroover

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 12, 2016
979
579
56
UK
Nothing is boring except in the view of boring people. Everything is interesting if you're interested in it.

Riding on the road is much more fun than boring trails. You see more things, have to deal with traffic, and you can do spotting and reporting of people on their phones in their vehicles, like CyclingMikey does. His cycling looks a lot more interesting and fun than what Saracen showed. Also, when riding on the road, you don't need stupid inefficient knobbly tyres.

Well my definition of fun is clearly different to yours. I'd rather see deer, rabbits, and other wildlife on my alternative off road commute route home (below), than looking and hearing at traffic. Plus, 'stupid' knobblies work on roads better than road tyres work on mud

55494
 

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