We had a rare day this past Tuesday as it got up to 51 degrees with plenty of sun. I went out for a two hour ride/walk and it was nothing but mud. I run Continental Kings and they were totally useless. I got a new bike for Christmas, nothing too fancy, just a Polygon Siskiu T7 and it comes with Schwalbe Nobby Nicks which look pretty aggressive. Haven't taken the new bike out yet but it's supposed to be nice again on Friday so I'm going to give it a whirl then. I hope the Schwalbes don't gum up like the Conti's did.
You're lucky! There's still a lot more snow on the trails up here in NoCo. Pretty sloppy ride I went on today. I'm also on the Ripley, still have the stock tires and they did surprisingly well in the mud and snow.
Question what would be a good tire combination all year round for my ibis Ripley they came with a 2.5 Dhf And aggressors in back Maxis tires. Thinking of going to the Noby nic hd Schawlbe.2.3 what do you think. I think we do similar riding except I’m in California where we really don’t have bad weather just dry dusty trails. Thank you I enjoy your videos
Good question. I've been experimenting with lots of tires lately. I rode my demo bike with 2.6 Nobby Nics front and back. Liked it a lot. Think you will too. Many riders prefer a slightly skinnier (and lighter) tire like the NN in 2.4. If you have 30 mm rims, you can go from 2.0 to 2.6 wide tires. If 35 mm rims (like mine), you can go 2.35 to 2.8 (Ripley will only go to 2.6 in back). All that said, I got my bike with massive 2.5 Assegai. Rode for winter and liked in messy wet. However, for spring and summer, I rode Ardent Race 2.35 from and back. Loved them. So light. Rolled fast. Great for climbing. And sticky enough for downhill. Also tried Rekon 2.6 front with Ardent Race 2.35 back. It was fine. Slightly more grip front, but I'd prefer the double AR. Also tired a 2.6 Dissector front with 2.6 Rekon back for some fall riding. Worked fine. Grippier than ARs, but heavier. Just tried 2.6 Forekaster front and back for winter, wet, snow, and mud. Worked great in wet, snow, and light mud. However, we have sticky mud. Caked on the back, clogged so bad, the rear wheel could not rotate. So Don't have mud tire solution (planning on getting some 2.3 shortys to try). Okay. So what do I recommend for you. Based on what you said, I'd go for lighter first. If they don't grip like you want, step up to heavier, grippier tires. Start with the 2.35 Ardent Race front and back. If not enough grip, add a 2.4 Rekon to front. OR ... you can go for the 2.4 Nobby Nic combo. Both are light weight, yet agressive cross country tires. Let us know what you decide - and how they ride.
I put on Noby nic hd schawble 2.3 This morning took it for a ride it’s a different bike now much quicker less rolling resistance , good traction. But the Maxis tires 2.5 definitely feel more stable coming down runs more confidence. One thing that I did notice with the new tires is I got a few pedal strikes where I never used to. Thanks
@@kimbramsen6611 cool. Me too. With 35 mm rims, the narrowest recommended tire is 2.35. However, I'm about to try some 2.3 Shortys. I think you'll, be fine. The 2.3 NN will just be slightly squared off. Let us know how you like it.
I use Short for this type of conditions, but if it's ice it's studded tyres, I recently started using Schwalbe Ice Spiker 2.25 Lite Skin, I use it with Cush Core so can ride as hard in the winter. I sold the Suomi Extreme 294 they were durable, cut not tubeless, and they were too flat, and narrow at 2.1.
@@50mtb44 the knobs on the studded tyres have to be harder in order to hold the studs in place and not wear out fast and eliminating fås tloss of studs, which will happen on the softer rubber knobs, it happen on Suomi WXC 300, few km only and it got shredded.
@@50mtb44 hard rubber won't grip on ice, nor Wil extra soft, you need metal spikes/studs. Or you Wil crash, of there is a off camber section you crash, you got zero chance, same of turning or braking, can brake fast enough.
Worked great for me. Everything I've read says you should use SOFT rubber for grip in cold weather. I did try some dual compound Forekasters (front and back) yesterday in mud, wet, and light snow. Great grip. Eventually clogged due to our sticky clay mud.
I was a bit surprised you didn’t buy the Jeffsy 29 pro race after posting/commenting about it all over the internet haha. How does the Ripley compare to the Jeffsy?
Tucker, hi. There are so MANY great bikes out there right now. Hard to go wrong. Depends on what you are looking for. I love climbing. There is no better full suspension bike (in my opinion) than the Ripley for efficient climbing. The DW Link is so impressive. And the downhill (with modern geo) is as good as the other bikes in it's travel class. Jeffsey is a great value (and I like it). I just like the Ripley more. If in the market, be sure to demo lots of bikes. One will jump out and talk to you. The Ripley spoke my language. I listened.
50mtb In Texas we don’t much worry about winter tires, most trails close if it’s too muddy to keep them from being damaged. I don’t like getting mud on my bike either, lol! I see how you need them though.
Lan, cool. It's a tough question. We don't want to damage trails. But if 90-95% is clear, what do you do about the other 5-10%? Ride it? Walk it? Stay home? New strategies for water sheding on trails are improving the equation. Our newest trail is almost completely dry (surprised me). It has a lot of off camber on the trail to move water off the trail as it appears. Also, in England, they appear to be riding year around and have a lot of mud and muck. Wonder how they do it without damaging trails and caking mud on their tires and frames. I'm a curious guy.
50mtb There are signs at the trail heads that are used by trail stewards but also posted on social media and other websites Like DORBA, Dallas Off Road Bike Assoc. and NTX MTB association. Mostly the trail builders and supervisors get the word out. Of course we don’t have anything like you have in Colorado as trail systems, MTB trails here don’t compare. You are lucky!
You're a sic dude taking a brand new Ripley through that slop!
Great review on the tires...you make some great vids.
James. Bike is doing awesome. Lots of cleaning up afterwards.
We had a rare day this past Tuesday as it got up to 51 degrees with plenty of sun. I went out for a two hour ride/walk and it was nothing but mud. I run Continental Kings and they were totally useless. I got a new bike for Christmas, nothing too fancy, just a Polygon Siskiu T7 and it comes with Schwalbe Nobby Nicks which look pretty aggressive. Haven't taken the new bike out yet but it's supposed to be nice again on Friday so I'm going to give it a whirl then. I hope the Schwalbes don't gum up like the Conti's did.
Don, awesome. Congrats on new bike. Enjoy!
You're lucky! There's still a lot more snow on the trails up here in NoCo. Pretty sloppy ride I went on today. I'm also on the Ripley, still have the stock tires and they did surprisingly well in the mud and snow.
Steve, cool. Good to know. Enjoy the winter riding.
Question what would be a good tire combination all year round for my ibis Ripley they came with a 2.5 Dhf And aggressors in back Maxis tires. Thinking of going to the Noby nic hd Schawlbe.2.3 what do you think. I think we do similar riding except I’m in California where we really don’t have bad weather just dry dusty trails. Thank you I enjoy your videos
Good question. I've been experimenting with lots of tires lately. I rode my demo bike with 2.6 Nobby Nics front and back. Liked it a lot. Think you will too. Many riders prefer a slightly skinnier (and lighter) tire like the NN in 2.4. If you have 30 mm rims, you can go from 2.0 to 2.6 wide tires. If 35 mm rims (like mine), you can go 2.35 to 2.8 (Ripley will only go to 2.6 in back). All that said, I got my bike with massive 2.5 Assegai. Rode for winter and liked in messy wet. However, for spring and summer, I rode Ardent Race 2.35 from and back. Loved them. So light. Rolled fast. Great for climbing. And sticky enough for downhill. Also tried Rekon 2.6 front with Ardent Race 2.35 back. It was fine. Slightly more grip front, but I'd prefer the double AR. Also tired a 2.6 Dissector front with 2.6 Rekon back for some fall riding. Worked fine. Grippier than ARs, but heavier. Just tried 2.6 Forekaster front and back for winter, wet, snow, and mud. Worked great in wet, snow, and light mud. However, we have sticky mud. Caked on the back, clogged so bad, the rear wheel could not rotate. So Don't have mud tire solution (planning on getting some 2.3 shortys to try).
Okay. So what do I recommend for you. Based on what you said, I'd go for lighter first. If they don't grip like you want, step up to heavier, grippier tires. Start with the 2.35 Ardent Race front and back. If not enough grip, add a 2.4 Rekon to front. OR ... you can go for the 2.4 Nobby Nic combo. Both are light weight, yet agressive cross country tires. Let us know what you decide - and how they ride.
I put on Noby nic hd schawble 2.3 This morning took it for a ride it’s a different bike now much quicker less rolling resistance , good traction. But the Maxis tires 2.5 definitely feel more stable coming down runs more confidence. One thing that I did notice with the new tires is I got a few pedal strikes where I never used to. Thanks
@@kimbramsen6611 everything is a trade off. Let us know how you like the NN after a few rides. 30 or 35 mm rims?
35
@@kimbramsen6611 cool. Me too. With 35 mm rims, the narrowest recommended tire is 2.35. However, I'm about to try some 2.3 Shortys. I think you'll, be fine. The 2.3 NN will just be slightly squared off. Let us know how you like it.
I use Short for this type of conditions, but if it's ice it's studded tyres, I recently started using Schwalbe Ice Spiker 2.25 Lite Skin, I use it with Cush Core so can ride as hard in the winter.
I sold the Suomi Extreme 294 they were durable, cut not tubeless, and they were too flat, and narrow at 2.1.
Johannes, thanks for input. Cool to hear there are spiked tires. Are they metal spikes/studs or hard rubber?
@@50mtb44 the Shorty are mud tyres, do they have even spacing, same pattern, sharp, tall knobs, but Ice Spiker has metal studs.
@@50mtb44 hard rubber studs? I haven't heard of that. 🤔
@@50mtb44 the knobs on the studded tyres have to be harder in order to hold the studs in place and not wear out fast and eliminating fås tloss of studs, which will happen on the softer rubber knobs, it happen on Suomi WXC 300, few km only and it got shredded.
@@50mtb44 hard rubber won't grip on ice, nor Wil extra soft, you need metal spikes/studs. Or you Wil crash, of there is a off camber section you crash, you got zero chance, same of turning or braking, can brake fast enough.
The 3c compound is no problem? Maxxis said that the compound will become to hard and maybe gets damaged
Worked great for me. Everything I've read says you should use SOFT rubber for grip in cold weather. I did try some dual compound Forekasters (front and back) yesterday in mud, wet, and light snow. Great grip. Eventually clogged due to our sticky clay mud.
I was a bit surprised you didn’t buy the Jeffsy 29 pro race after posting/commenting about it all over the internet haha. How does the Ripley compare to the Jeffsy?
Tucker, hi. There are so MANY great bikes out there right now. Hard to go wrong. Depends on what you are looking for. I love climbing. There is no better full suspension bike (in my opinion) than the Ripley for efficient climbing. The DW Link is so impressive. And the downhill (with modern geo) is as good as the other bikes in it's travel class. Jeffsey is a great value (and I like it). I just like the Ripley more. If in the market, be sure to demo lots of bikes. One will jump out and talk to you. The Ripley spoke my language. I listened.
Forgot to add good review on the tires Mike.
Don, I'm warming up to the Assegai tire.
Can't remember. Did YOU tell me you've ridden bikes with SPIKES in the tires?
No not me Mike.
@@donnovicki9771 all cool. : )
What winter tire do you ride?
50mtb In Texas we don’t much worry about winter tires, most trails close if it’s too muddy to keep them from being damaged. I don’t like getting mud on my bike either, lol! I see how you need them though.
Lan, cool. It's a tough question. We don't want to damage trails. But if 90-95% is clear, what do you do about the other 5-10%? Ride it? Walk it? Stay home?
New strategies for water sheding on trails are improving the equation. Our newest trail is almost completely dry (surprised me). It has a lot of off camber on the trail to move water off the trail as it appears.
Also, in England, they appear to be riding year around and have a lot of mud and muck. Wonder how they do it without damaging trails and caking mud on their tires and frames.
I'm a curious guy.
Lan, how do they close the trail? Post a sign?
50mtb There are signs at the trail heads that are used by trail stewards but also posted on social media and other websites Like DORBA, Dallas Off Road Bike Assoc. and NTX MTB association. Mostly the trail builders and supervisors get the word out. Of course we don’t have anything like you have in Colorado as trail systems, MTB trails here don’t compare. You are lucky!
@@lanyouree8532 Born in the right spot. : )