Tyre advice: upgrade from Smart Sams

[DieBoy]

I've been riding the stock Smart Sams on my humble hardtail and am slowly looking for an upgrade. They're not bad tyres by any stretch, and on paper at least ideal for my use-case but I'd like a bit more grip off-road.

Use-case

Mixed (on and off road) riding.

The commute and kindergarten run involves amongst other things gravelly park tracks and potholes a-go-go as well as a stretch of okish asphalt. 12 months the year, all weathers, central Europe (typically from ~ 35 to - 12°C). Depending on season involves mud, piles of wet leaves, slush, and snow.

Off-road: Generally relaxed forest trails, though plenty of roots (damm trees! ), rocks, occasional sandy sections, etc. Roughly March to November depending on time constraints and how much the seasons are playing silly buggers.

About 4.5 thousand km per year.

Specs
Size: 29ers
Max width: 2.4" (at least in front, I think am good for at least 2.5" rear). No less than 2.3
Price: shouldn't require a 2nd mortgage
Puncture protection: needs to be good
Weight: for me unimportant (gladly accept more weight for better protection)
Tubelessness: not a factor for me currently

Some things I've looked at

Nobbly Nics look like they might be right, but goodness which ones? Super Trail Speedgrip or Performance RG Addix DD or something else?

I've had good experience with Scwalbe's Addix 365 compound in the past (analogue bike) but that's only available for the Johnny Watts, which despite the cool name would be a downgrade if I'm not mistaken.

Continental Kryptotal Trail Endurance.

Maxxis Rekon.

Conclusion

I'd be really grateful for any tips or advice particularly from those who have a similar use-case experience.

 

[Mikerb]

In general terms any trail tyre in the brands more durable compound and use higher pressures on gravel and tarmac, lower pressures off road. E.g. with Maxxis max terra/Exo+.

 

[steve_sordy]

Take a look at Continental Cross King.
Think about whether you need/want the ones with the black chilli compound (BCC). In my experience if the tyre advert does not claim BCC, it doesn't have it. BCC adds grip without affecting life too much (also in my experience of the Continental Trail Kings with BCC).

 

[DieBoy]

Thanks for the advice so far.

Interestingly it's the rear wheel that feels flakey on occasion. Just this week in the park (hardpack type surface, with leaves) fairly gentle 90° bend on the flat, felt the rear wheel almost give out, and I wasn't going that fast or leaning particularly IMO. Though my skill level and/or amateur mechanical workings aren't to be excluded.

My off-road use isn't that demanding but my "on-road" use is more demanding than the term might usually suggest (perfect asphalt on sunny days between May and September it mostly isn't).

I suspect I really need different tyres at different times but I don't have the time to be swapping around and will need to settle on a compromise, though with pressure adjustment.

 

[DieBoy]

Decided to try the Nobby Nics. I'd settled for the Super Trail Speedgrip variant as that sounded right for me.

Then while shopping around, read a review from someone (customer on a German retail website) that when it's hot they're really sticky and unpleasant on asphalt and cobblestones. Panicked slightly that I was about to blow €90 on tyres that would be crap for my use-case part of the year, and went for the Performance RG DD variant instead. Which aren't quite as good compound-wise as the evo version but considerably lower priced (⅔) and thus less of a risk.

Should arrive this week and if I'm lucky will get to put them on this weekend.

Will try to remember to post how I find them in the future.

 

[DieBoy]

New tyres on.

Here the Smart Sam:

There's wear but they've done pretty well for 3800km. I'm on the heavy side too, being 194/6'4" tall.

Here the Nobby Nics for comparison:



My hypothesis currently is that the continuous centre line on the Sams which makes them fast-rolling on-road is what makes them suboptimal on things like wet roots. The gap after every 2 shoulder knobs on the Sams is what I think I found disconcerting when leaning in corners.

 

[steve_sordy]

New tyres on.

Here the Smart Sam: View attachment 150453

There's wear but they've done pretty well for 3800km. I'm on the heavy side too, being 194/6'4" tall.

Here the Nobby Nics for comparison:

View attachment 150454

My hypothesis currently is that the continuous centre line on the Sams which makes them fast-rolling on-road is what makes them suboptimal on things like wet roots. The gap after every 2 shoulder knobs on the Sams is what I think I found disconcerting when leaning in corners.

The moulding fins still present on the shoulder knobs after 3800km, witnesses your reluctance to lean over in corners. Otherwise they would have long been worn away.

 

[DieBoy]

The moulding fins still present on the shoulder knobs after 3800km, witnesses your reluctance to lean over in corners. Otherwise they would have long been worn away.

Yeah, well spotted, there's obviously been a point where I've Instinctively felt "lean no further", about 80% of the shoulder knob width in.