# 2015 Nobby Nic



## matto6 (Dec 28, 2013)

Schwalbe 2015 Nobby Nic - Review - Pinkbike

I ordered a Hans Dampf earlier this week Wonder if I should return it for these.

Then again, I didn't really like the previous NN's so not sure I should put money down on these.


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## Alias530 (Apr 1, 2013)

I posted this exactly 1 minute before you 

Looks like a promising tire!

edit: maybe we posted at the exact same time? Now they both say 4 minutes ago


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## tonka214 (Apr 28, 2013)

Has anyone tried this yet? I was going to try them out but wasn't sure if retailers are still selling the original version. Has anyone seen the 2015 version for sale yet?


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## matto6 (Dec 28, 2013)

I emailed Arts Cyclery and they said they're getting them mid November. I'm sure they know enough there to send you the right one of you specify the 2015 tire.


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## trekninja (Oct 22, 2007)

im fairly interested in these tires to replace my ardents. im gona wait another month or so just to make sure i get the 2015 model though. hopefully by than there will be some ride reports too


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## JCP (Oct 3, 2008)

I tried this tire in the 2.25 pacestar compound in the rear. It's about as wide as many 2.3 tires I've used (specialized butcher, new maxxis dhf and dhr ii). High volume. I ride in the PNW, and the conditions were wet with greasy roots and leaves. I liked how the tire handled the conditions. Held traction well despite the challenging conditions, rolled well (maybe not quite as well as the older version). My biggest gripe with the previous version was that it would slide out during hard cornering. This version held its edge much better. I liked it so much that I am waiting for the trailstar version for the front.


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## mbcracken (Aug 12, 2006)

^^^Thanks for the review. I'm getting some soon. Rumor has it the Trailstar version will not be available until early 2015...maybe. I'm just going to go for Pacestar front & rear for the winter...also in the PNW. I'll be using them on my Tallboy with my new Derby rims(whenever they arrive).

Cheers,
Mike


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## JCP (Oct 3, 2008)

Yeah, Schwalbe said the trailstar will be available around January 2015. I tried Pacestar compounds in the front but wasn't crazy about it. Felt like the trailstar was better for that application. Be interested to see what you think once you try it.


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## mattmatt300 (Jul 26, 2008)

mbcracken said:


> ^^^Thanks for the review. I'm getting some soon. Rumor has it the Trailstar version will not be available until early 2015...maybe. I'm just going to go for Pacestar front & rear for the winter...also in the PNW. I'll be using them on my Tallboy with my new Derby rims(whenever they arrive).
> 
> Cheers,
> Mike


I'd love to see what these tires look like on the Derbys on your Tallboy. I'm getting ready to order up some Derbys for my LTc and wanted to go with new Nobby Nics but was worried about them being overkill or too wide.


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## tonka214 (Apr 28, 2013)

mattmatt300 said:


> I'd love to see what these tires look like on the Derbys on your Tallboy. I'm getting ready to order up some Derbys for my LTc and wanted to go with new Nobby Nics but was worried about them being overkill or too wide.


Same here! Hoping they will fit Derbys's on my Ripley


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## ban (Jul 24, 2004)

old NN version was scary with wet roots and rocks....is this version better in wet conditions?


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## Carraig042 (Nov 12, 2009)

I would like to hear more reviews as well. I have hans dampf tires right now... 

Brett


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## NullAndVoid (May 29, 2011)

I've had these new 2.35 NN's for about 2 months now, really like them. Some picks/thoughts in this thread;
http://forums.mtbr.com/29er-components/schwalbe-tire-question-again-935079.html


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

*Just compared Nobby Nics to Hans Dampf & 3 other tires in a PNW tire comparison test*

I am narrowing down the right tires for my Dirt Merchant Bikes shop to carry. We just did a tire comparison test today with 5 riders which included the Nobby Nics (2.25 Rear/2.35 Front) and the Hans Dampf (2.25 Front & Rear). Location was the Grand Ridge Trail east of Seattle. Rain was coming down. Trails conditions were slightly slick in spots with wet leaves, some muddy areas and some wet roots.

The balance of traction and rolling resistance was good for both Schwalbe tires, but the Hans Dampf still has the edge in cornering traction. I think the winning combination would be a Hans Dampf in front with a Nobby Nic in the back for better rolling resistance. Weight of the Hans Dampf is about the same as a comparably sized, similar construction Nobby Nic so rolling resistance vs traction is the main difference between the two.

The tires that we tested today were:

Maxxis High Roller 2.3 Front & Rear - 3C Compound, EXO
Schwalbe Hans Dampf 2.25 Front & Rear - Snakeskin, Pacestar 
Schwalbe Nobby Nic 2.35 Front, 2.25 Rear - Snakeskin, Pacestar 
Panaracer Neo-Moto 2.3 Front & Rear
Vredestein Bobcat 2.3 Front & Rear

The two Schwalbe tires were the best in the test due to the best balance of cornering grip/traction/rolling resistance.

I'll post the results in the next week on my Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/dirtmerchantbikes and on the Dirt Merchant Bikes Website at: Reviews & Events - DIRT MERCHANT BIKES


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## Metamorphic (Apr 29, 2011)

I'd ditto the suggestion of the HD on the front. I've found it to be a great front tire. The knobs are a little weak for my taste on the rear.


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## matto6 (Dec 28, 2013)

Spectre said:


> I am narrowing down the right tires for my Dirt Merchant Bikes shop to carry. We just did a tire comparison test today with 5 riders which included the Nobby Nics (2.25 Rear/2.35 Front) and the Hans Dampf (2.25 Front & Rear). Location was the Grand Ridge Trail east of Seattle. Rain was coming down. Trails conditions were slightly slick in spots with wet leaves, some muddy areas and some wet roots.
> 
> The balance of traction and rolling resistance was good for both Schwalbe tires, but the Hans Dampf still has the edge in cornering traction. I think the winning combination would be a Hans Dampf in front with a Nobby Nic in the back for better rolling resistance. Weight of the Hans Dampf is about the same as a comparably sized, similar construction Nobby Nic so rolling resistance vs traction is the main difference between the two.
> 
> ...


Nice! Thanks.

Question for you. I have only one ride on my hans dampf, but my observation was that the stiff sidewalls gave it noticeably worse small bump compliance than the ardent and ikon I was riding previously. Did you have any such observations?


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

Which casing do you have? The Snakeskin casing felt fine run tubeless.


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## mbcracken (Aug 12, 2006)

Spectre, 

What trails are you testing these tires on for your tire review? Bike, rim & rider style? I am just looking for that info to try to better interpret your testing. I am in Fall City and will have ridden what ever trails the tests are being done on. I am one of the trail gnomes at Tokul... 

I contemplated the HansDampf for the front but was put off by the 125 gram additional weight when compared with the NobNic.

I should be getting my new Derby rims today and hoping to have everything ready to go by this coming weekend. Hoping my ribs heal by then too...

Cheers,
Mike


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

We tested on the 1st climb on the Grand Ridge Trail going southbound after the boardwalk. Testers were myself & 4 other riders that had signed on to be product testers with Dirt Merchant Bikes. We rode each tire up the climb, came back down the climb, and switched tires/wheels on the Boardwalk.

Bike: Turner Flux (120mm travel) & Turner Burner (140mm travel) Each rider rode the same bike for all 5 tires (Tires/wheels were switched between bikes)
Wheel: All Stans Arch rims on DT350 hubs
Riding Styles: All competent climbers & descenders with some faster on the uphills and some faster on the downhills
Conditions: Light rain with wet leaves & some muddy spots. Traction was good overall with the good drainage on the Grand Ridge Trail.
Evaluation Methodology: Quantitative rating of multiple factors on a 1-5 scale with 5 being the best score, 3 being an average score and 1 being far below expectations. Quant score was calculated as an average of the 5 individual rider scores on each attribute & subjective comments will be added to provide more in-depth understanding of the quant ratings. I was not sure if the quant scores would be meaningful given the small number of riders doing the ratings, but the quant scores were just about 100% consistent with the subjective feedback that I heard about the tires.

Weight: I weighted all of the tires and found that the same size Hans Dampf was just about the same weight as the equivalent Nobby Nic. The Nobby Nic will climb "lighter" though given its lower rolling resistance.

I think the hot ticket is a 2.25 Nobby Nic in the back for better rolling resistance with a Hans Dampf in front for better traction. Of the tires in the test yesterday, the two Schwalbe tires were consistently rated best by all testers for the best balance of traction, communication from the tires on grip limits, and rolling resistance.

Tires tested were:
Schwalbe Hans Dampf 2.25 Front & Rear
Schwalbe Nobby Nic 2.35 Front, 2.25 Rear
Panaracer Neo-Moto 2.3 Front & Rear
Maxxis High Roller 2.3 Front & Rear


I have 27.5" x 2.25 Hans Dampfs in stock if you are interested in buying tires for your new wheels.

Other info:

Schwalbe Nobby Nic - 27.5 x 2.25 - Snakeskin, Pacestar, TL Easy
Claimed Weight: 610g
Actual Weight: 710 g (1 tire weighed)

Schwalbe Hans Dampf - 27.5 x 2.25 - Snakeskin, Pacestar, TL Easy
Claimed Weight: 680g
Actual Weight: 690-720g (4 tires weighted)

Schwalbe Nobby Nic - 27.5 x 2.35 - Snakeskin, Pacestar, TL Easy
Claimed Weight: 685g
Actual Weight: 814-820g (1 tire weighed)

Rating Factors in my Test:

Rating Guide
5 stars - Absolutely outstanding
3 stars - Solid performance, meets expectations
1 star - Misses expectations by a wide margin
Tire Rating (as a Front Tire):
Cornering Grip: 1	2	3	4	5
Steering Feel/Handling:	1	2	3	4	5
Predictability at Limit: 1	2	3	4	5
Braking: 1	2	3	4	5
Tire Rating (as a Rear Tire):
Rolling Resistance: 1	2	3	4	5
Climbing Traction: 1	2	3	4	5
Cornering Grip: 1	2	3	4	5
Handling: 1	2	3	4	5
Braking: 1	2	3	4	5


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## trekninja (Oct 22, 2007)

how big is that 2.25 hans dampf? bigger than the 2.25 nic?


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## Hangtime (Jan 25, 2006)

How does the 2.25 NN compare height wise and performance wise to the Neo Moto 2.3?


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## nbicho (Nov 6, 2014)

Hello guys,

My first post here  
I'm Portuguese so go easy on my English mistakes please 

@Spectre I have a 27.5 HT and my kind of rides are XC and marathon, not racing though.
I want traction but since a good part of my rides are on hardpack, I want some low rolling resistance also.
On the winter I get a lot of mud too, so I'm planning to put a NONI 2.25 on front and a RORO 2.1 on rear, do you think it's a bad move? Do you not recommend the NN on front? The older thread seemed more suitable to wear on front even though they had that gap between center and shoulder knobs but it had some good reviews on front, do you think NN 2015 are worst as a front tire?
BTW, what about the RORO on rear, I know it wasn't part of the test, but do you think it's a good choice, or a big mistake?

Thank you


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## smilinsteve (Jul 21, 2009)

I like the old NN, and although the new version sounds beefier and gnarlier, that also means heavier, which I don't need.


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## Ronnie (Jan 17, 2004)

smilinsteve said:


> I like the old NN, and although the new version sounds beefier and gnarlier, that also means heavier, which I don't need.


"Steve" I posted this in another thread:

http://forums.mtbr.com/29er-components/schwalbe-tire-question-again-935079.html#post11516802

The old Nobby Nics just did not last very long. The new ones seem to have a more supported edge knob design and hopefully they'll be more durable, especially as they aren't cheap.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

I have not yet had experience with the Rocket Ron in wet weather so I can't really comment on the Rocket Ron as a rear tire. The Nobby Nic in 2.35 worked quite well as a front tire, but the Hans Dampf did have a bit more cornering grip. I would say that the choice comes down to how much cornering grip you want. The Nobby Nic in 2.25 was quite good in rolling resistance, though the fastest tire that we tested this weekend by a clear margin with traction levels that were still adequate was the Panaracer Neo-Moto.


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## nbicho (Nov 6, 2014)

Spectre said:


> I have not yet had experience with the Rocket Ron in wet weather so I can't really comment on the Rocket Ron as a rear tire. The Nobby Nic in 2.35 worked quite well as a front tire, but the Hans Dampf did have a bit more cornering grip. I would say that the choice comes down to how much cornering grip you want. The Nobby Nic in 2.25 was quite good in rolling resistance, though the fastest tire that we tested this weekend by a clear margin with traction levels that were still adequate was the Panaracer Neo-Moto.


Thank you for your answer.
Maybe a HD will be a better front tire then. Do you think that a HD on front won't slowdown the bike much more than a NN?
So the Panaracer Neo-Moto would be a good option as a rear tire?


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

The HD had average rolling resistance, but the NN was faster. I think having the HD on the front shouldn't impact rolling resistance too much while providing better cornering confidence. With the Neo-Moto, you do trade off some of the cornering grip of the Nobby Nic for more speed. Also, the Neo-moto does feel a bit more fragile than the Nobby Nic. 

It depends on how important having the lower rolling resistance is for you. Ultra long rides or rides with long fireroad climbs where conserving energy is important could be a reason to choose the Neo-Moto. In general, I think the Nobby Nic will probably be the better choice though I wouldn't be unhappy at all to ride the Neo-Moto on the same trails.


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## mbcracken (Aug 12, 2006)

I weighed the old vs new NobNic 29'ers 2.25 in the shop yesterday. The 2015 were lighter just ever so slightly. I would take this data with a big grain of salt though because we all know that Schwalbe tire weights can be all over the board at times. 

Specte, thanks for the testing info. That is a nice short section of trail but a bit limiting in testing a wide range of trail conditions in the fact that it is a bit too smooth. You do bring up good points about rolling resistance vs cornering grip and finding the right balance for the rider. I am banking that the 2015 NobNic will have enough cornering grip for me, especially on the wider rims. I also like longer distance rides when I can fit them in.

Cheers,
Mike


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

Mike,

I agree that Grand Ridge is a bit limiting, but I needed a section of trail that allowed an out-and-back loop with a sustained climb and descent with lots of corners in a relatively short distance for 5 riders to get riding time on 5 sets of tires. You'll see the data and comments soon, but I feel that the results on traction, rolling resistance, and handling/predictability will hold up more generally for other trails as well. The testing loop allowed us to get up to fairly high cornering speed especially as we were testing early in the morning before there was much other traffic. The Schwalbes were liked all around by all of the riders for their predictability and confidence in being able to approach cornering limits.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

obs08 said:


> how big is that 2.25 hans dampf? bigger than the 2.25 nic?


Some data on tire size:

Panaracer Neo-Moto - 27.5 x 2.3
Claimed Weight: 665g
Actual Weight: 710-720g (2 tires weighed)
Tire Height: 53 mm
Casing Width: 55 mm
Knob Width: 59 mm

Schwalbe Nobby Nic - 27.5 x 2.25 - Snakeskin, Pacestar, TL Easy
Claimed Weight: 610g
Actual Weight: 710 g (1 tire weighed)
Tire Height: 55 mm
Casing Width: 56 mm
Knob Width: 56 mm

Schwalbe Nobby Nic - 27.5 x 2.35 - Snakeskin, Pacestar, TL Easy
Claimed Weight: 685g
Actual Weight: 814-820g (1 tire weighed)
Tire Height: 55 mm
Casing Width: 58 mm
Knob Width: 58 mm

Schwalbe Hans Dampf - 27.5 x 2.25 - Snakeskin, Pacestar, TL Easy
Claimed Weight: 680g
Actual Weight: 690-720g (4 tires weighted)
Tire Height: 53 mm
Casing Width: 57 mm
Knob Width: 58 mm

Maxxis High Roller - 27.5 x 2.3 - 3C, EXO, Tubeless Ready
Claimed Weight: 875g
Actual Weight: 865-870g (2 tires weighed)
Tire Height: 56 mm
Casing Width: 56 mm
Knob Width: 57 mm


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

Hangtime said:


> How does the 2.25 NN compare height wise and performance wise to the Neo Moto 2.3?


The NN was quite a bit better in traction, but the Neo Moto did have noticeably lower rolling resistance.

Similar in height & size:

Panaracer Neo-Moto - 27.5 x 2.3
Claimed Weight: 665g
Actual Weight: 710-720g (2 tires weighed)
Tire Height: 53 mm
Casing Width: 55 mm
Knob Width: 59 mm

Schwalbe Nobby Nic - 27.5 x 2.25 - Snakeskin, Pacestar, TL Easy
Claimed Weight: 610g
Actual Weight: 710 g (1 tire weighed)
Tire Height: 55 mm
Casing Width: 56 mm
Knob Width: 56 mm


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## smilinsteve (Jul 21, 2009)

Those weight discrepencies should be illegal!


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## hitechredneck (May 9, 2009)

I am tempted to order some of these up for the winter season.


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## matto6 (Dec 28, 2013)

The new Nobby nic is no lighter than a Hans Dampf?!?


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## fsrxc (Jan 31, 2004)

smilinsteve said:


> Those weight discrepencies should be illegal!


Yeah, all the Schwalbe tires I have are over spec'd weight.


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## mbcracken (Aug 12, 2006)

mattmatt300 said:


> I'd love to see what these tires look like on the Derbys on your Tallboy. I'm getting ready to order up some Derbys for my LTc and wanted to go with new Nobby Nics but was worried about them being overkill or too wide.


And Tonka...

Here is my Tallboy2 with Derby rims and NobNic (2.35F/2.25R)























Cheers,
Mike


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## dirtrider76 (Sep 19, 2012)

I really want to try this in back on my Rune.


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## Frantic (Apr 24, 2014)

Has the NN 2015 round or close to round profile?


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## dirtrider76 (Sep 19, 2012)

Are these available anywhere in the 26x2.35 trailstars yet?


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## NullAndVoid (May 29, 2011)

dirtrider76 said:


> Are these available anywhere in the 26x2.35 trailstars yet?


At least in Europe Jan 2015 looks like.


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## NullAndVoid (May 29, 2011)

Frantic said:


> Has the NN 2015 round or close to round profile?


2.35 version on 30mm rims is nice and round.


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## matto6 (Dec 28, 2013)

dirtrider76 said:


> Are these available anywhere in the 26x2.35 trailstars yet?


Arts says Dec 15 availability for trailstar.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

Frantic said:


> Has the NN 2015 round or close to round profile?


Here is a picture of the 27.5 x 2.35 NN mounted on Stans Arch rims (21mm inner width)






.


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## dirtrider76 (Sep 19, 2012)

Thanks!



matto6 said:


> Arts says Dec 15 availability for trailstar.


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## mbcracken (Aug 12, 2006)

I've had a couple rides with my NobNic tires now. Keeping things mellow while my ribs heal up but I am enjoying these tires. I've had them on a wide range of conditions. I have about 1 mile of pavement riding to get to about 1 mile of dirt road climbing to then get to single track. They are slightly noisier on the pavement but that really doesn't matter as you guys, like me, are only concerned about how they do on the trails. Climbing, I have not been able to really test them for fast speeds yet(hurts the ribs too much) but they have been great for traction on hardpack to hardpack with loose gravel to hero dirt to slimy mud. All very predictable for climbing. I have noticed a big improvement in holding grip on off camber trail sections where previously the old NobNic might slide a bit sideways when putting down the power. 
Flat trails...these are great with very predictable turn in go where I point them. 
Pointed down...again, they go where I ask them to go with very predictable turn in and holding power. 
Just a reminder...I am running these on 29" Derby rims that have 29mm internal width. Air pressure is 22/23PSI in the front (2.35") & 25PSI in the rear (2.25").
Unfortunately, I am unable to differentiate the improvements from going from an ArchEX to Derby rims vs old/new NobNic.
But, I am happy with my current setup thus far.

Cheers,
Mike

Edit: Spectre, I have run these on the trails at Tokul West & East.


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## hitechredneck (May 9, 2009)

Where are people ordering these from? I'm not sure I can fight the temptation any longer


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## Terenceang (Aug 28, 2011)

Anyone else weighed their new 2015 Nobby Nic? And anyone bought the lite skin version? Is it as thin as the previous version?


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

mbcracken said:


> Edit: Spectre, I have run these on the trails at Tokul West & East.


How did you like them at Tokul?


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

hitechredneck said:


> Where are people ordering these from? I'm not sure I can fight the temptation any longer


I have them at $80 with free shipping.


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## semmiho (Jul 29, 2009)

Terenceang said:


> Anyone else weighed their new 2015 Nobby Nic? And anyone bought the lite skin version? Is it as thin as the previous version?


710 g for the 29x2.25 SnakeSkin Pacestar version. I took a picture as well: Schwalbe Reifen Nobby Nic Evolution SnakeSkin Pacestar 29x2,25" / 57-622 - Gewicht von Teilen auf der Waage - MTB-News.de
Nice tire, really grippy. I use the old version at front which is a 29x2.35 Snakeskin and the 2015er version at rear. My bike is a "fully" rigid carbon bike.


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## mbcracken (Aug 12, 2006)

Spectre said:


> How did you like them at Tokul?


I really liked them...If you are familiar with the trail names there...Rode up Tokul West (Pink Ribbon, Small Fries, BonBon) then across to East on Golden Spike. Tokul East Trails included Safety First, Derby & OGDH to finish on the jumpline of OGDH. Very grippy in all those scenarios. I am running much wider rims (Derby) then you are in your testing though plus am on 29'er. I was on ArchEX rims before and old NobNic tires so hard to differentiate perceived improvements from new tire and CF wide rims. I am very impressed with the amount of improved grip in cornering and braking power along with the wheel/tire no longer flexing. It just goes where I point it. Plain and simple.

Cheers,
Mike


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## Terenceang (Aug 28, 2011)

Based on the limited information on the internet, seems like the new 2015 Nobby Nic are about 10% or higher heavier than the specified weight. I have not read anyone posting their new Nobby Nic is less than 5% heavier (don't even talk about lighter) than the specified weight. I think the older Nobby Nic is "relatively close" to the specified weight. I wonder if the weight of the future production batches will drop.


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## luvbuggin (Sep 11, 2005)

Terenceang said:


> Anyone else weighed their new 2015 Nobby Nic? And anyone bought the lite skin version? Is it as thin as the previous version?


I have the 27.5x2.25 Pacestar evo snakeskin. It weighs 685g. Box label says 610g.


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## luvbuggin (Sep 11, 2005)

Terenceang said:


> Anyone else weighed their new 2015 Nobby Nic? And anyone bought the lite skin version? Is it as thin as the previous version?


I have the 27.5x2.25 Pacestar evo snakeskin. It weighs 685g. Box label says 610g.


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## JCP (Oct 3, 2008)

Spectre,

Were you able to get a sense of how the nobby nic pacestar compound felt on wet and slick roots? I've tried the Hans Dampf trailstar 2.35 in the front and it was all you said but it was ridiculously big and noticeably slow compared to other tires I've tried. Thx.

JCP


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

JCP said:


> Spectre,
> 
> Were you able to get a sense of how the nobby nic pacestar compound felt on wet and slick roots? I've tried the Hans Dampf trailstar 2.35 in the front and it was all you said but it was ridiculously big and noticeably slow compared to other tires I've tried. Thx.
> 
> JCP


I don't have enough riding time on the nobby nic pacestar compound to provide a really clear answer to your question. It seems decent on wet roots (meaning not noticeably slippery), but don't have enough time yet to be able to state just how good they are.


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## Averbuks (Oct 24, 2014)

Can anyone help identify these? I was told the only 2015 available at the moment was the 2.35 pacestar. I was supposed to receive a 2.35 2015 pacestar front and 2.25 (old style rear). When I looked up the part #'s on the Schwalbe website it did list my 2.25 rear as the2015 version as well (Although the tread does look alot different). One the side by side pic the 2.35 is on the left.


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## JCP (Oct 3, 2008)

The 2.25 is definitely the older version. The tread pattern is the older version. The newer versions are also TL-Easy whereas the older ones are TL-ready. So it does look like the 2.35 is the newer version and the 2.25 is the older version.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

Averbuks said:


> Can anyone help identify these? I was told the only 2015 available at the moment was the 2.35 pacestar. I was supposed to receive a 2.35 2015 pacestar front and 2.25 (old style rear). When I looked up the part #'s on the Schwalbe website it did list my 2.25 rear as the2015 version as well (Although the tread does look alot different). One the side by side pic the 2.35 is on the left.


The 2.25 Pacestar is available in the 2015 version if you are looking for the 27.5" version. I have the 27.5" version available and believe the 26" and 29" versions should be available as well. PM me if you are interested.


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## warsteiner (Dec 20, 2010)

Front: 2015 Nobby Nic 29x2.25 SS TL-Easy Claimed 650g / Actual 725g! 
Rear: 2015 Racing Ralph 29x2.25 SS TL-Easy Claimed 605g / Actual 680g!

Slipped while cornering (not even technical) on the brand new Nobby Nic but after 1 ride i feel they're better overall than my previous Rocket Ron 29x2.25 or S-Works Fast Trak 2.0's. Felt slow & heavy but surprised to set new PR's for climbing, DH & technical flowy trail with the above combination


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## Terenceang (Aug 28, 2011)

Anyone has any idea if the side wall of the new Nobby Nic is thicker than the previous version?


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## titusquasi (Jan 5, 2006)

I just got (2) 2015 Nobby Nic 29X2.35 Evo Snakeskin Pacestar. Weight: 780g and 820g. This Snakeskin sidewall feels substantial. I didn't have last year's model to compare but as soon as I unfolded the tires they popped into a round shape and held it firmly.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

If my Conti Trail King 2.2 (Santa delivering soon), doesn't work out as RT option... I'll definitely look at the NN

-------------------------------------
Opinions are like A-holes... everybody 
has one & they're usually full of...??


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## matto6 (Dec 28, 2013)

As long as this thread is bumped...

I got notification that my Trailstar 29x2.35 ETA was bumped from Dec 15 to Jan, due to delays at Schwalbe.

I'm starting to wonder if I just should have gone with the Pacestar, particularly given that it's for the rear. But I really want maximum grip. I ride like enough of a pansy that I suspect it will hold up OK.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

Even if your Trail King delivers soon, you may want to consider the NN. If your conditions are anything like ours in the Seattle area, the TK rolled surprisingly slowly (Bike felt about 4-5 lbs heavier with the TKs) in our last comparison test and had cornering traction limits that seemed both low and unpredictable. The NN had very good rolling resistance and good cornering traction and feel. Of the Continentals, the Mountain King did well despite being a good bit narrower than the Trail Kings.

I personally was quite surprised about the performance of the TK as the TK has been well reviewed in the press. I have had a TK as a front tire on my 26" suspension bike for the past 2 years and thought that the nervous feeling that the TK gave me when cornering hard or on off-camber turns were normal for all tires. Riding the Schwalbe Hans Dampf and Nobby Nic has opened my eyes to what is possible to expect from tires with a similar size/weight to the TK.

Our first comparison test from a month ago is located at: Pacific Northwest Winter Tire Comparison Test: 2015 Nobby Nic, High Roller II, Neo-Moto & Hans Dampf ? DIRT MERCHANT BIKES

Our next tire comparison test report will be released within the next two weeks and covers the following tire combinations:

Our upcoming tire comparison test will include the following tire combinations:

1. Hans Dampf 2.25 (front)/Nobby Nic 2.25 (rear) - This combination balances the traction of the Hans Dampf as a front tire with a faster rolling Nobby Nic as the rear tire.
2. Magic Mary 2.35 (front)/Hans Dampf 2.25(rear) - The Magic Mary is the highest traction tire in the Schwalbe lineup short of a full-on downhill tire.
3. WTB Vigilante 2.3 (front)/ WTB Trail Boss 2.3 (rear)
4. Continental Trail King 2.2 Protection Apex - front & rear - The Trail King is similar in concept to the Hans Dampf.
5. Continental Mountain King II 2.2 Protection - front & rear: The Mountain King is similar in concept to the Nobby Nic.

Like our Facebook page to get notification when our second tire comparison test is published in several weeks: https://www.facebook.com/dirtmerchantbikes


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

matto6 said:


> As long as this thread is bumped...
> 
> I got notification that my Trailstar 29x2.35 ETA was bumped from Dec 15 to Jan, due to delays at Schwalbe.
> 
> I'm starting to wonder if I just should have gone with the Pacestar, particularly given that it's for the rear. But I really want maximum grip. I ride like enough of a pansy that I suspect it will hold up OK.


Based on my shop's recent comparison tests of 9 different tires and 10 tire combinations, we found that as long as a tire has a full knob design (no semi-slicks), climbing traction was not really a huge issue and cornering traction is less of an issue than with the front tire. I think the Pacestar version would do fine as a rear tire in terms of traction.

Rolling resistance was a different story though. There were absolutely huge differences between tires in terms of how well a bike rolled. The slowest tires would feel like they would stop dead in their tracks when hitting any sort of mud while the fastest tires could make the same bike feel like it had an electric motor built in. The NN rolled quite well in the Pacestar compound. Not sure how much the softer compound will affect rolling resistance, but let me know when you find out!


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## Alias530 (Apr 1, 2013)

Spectre said:


> Even if your Trail King delivers soon, you may want to consider the NN. If your conditions are anything like ours in the Seattle area, the TK rolled surprisingly slowly (Bike felt about 4-5 lbs heavier with the TKs) in our last comparison test and had cornering traction limits that seemed both low and unpredictable. The NN had very good rolling resistance and good cornering traction and feel. Of the Continentals, the Mountain King did well despite being a good bit narrower than the Trail Kings.
> 
> I personally was quite surprised about the performance of the TK as the TK has been well reviewed in the press. I have had a TK as a front tire on my 26" suspension bike for the past 2 years and thought that the nervous feeling that the TK gave me when cornering hard or on off-camber turns were normal for all tires. Riding the Schwalbe Hans Dampf and Nobby Nic has opened my eyes to what is possible to expect from tires with a similar size/weight to the TK.
> 
> ...


Braking better with Dampf than High Roller 2? That is the opposite experience I had. Dampf is one of the worst braking front tires I've ever used and HR2 was the best ever. Under heavy braking the Dampf would just lock up and slide. I'm 240lbs so that might have something to do with it, those knobs aren't very well supported and small.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

I personally would agree with you that the HR2 had the absolute best braking and cornering traction, but I enlisted 4 other testers so the score is an average of 5 individual tester scores. For good or bad, I wanted to get feedback that was more than just my personal opinion.

FWIW, the Hans Dampf does not rate as well on braking as a front tire in my 2nd tire comparison test (to be published) as several other tires.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

I run 2.35 HD up front & I love it! Going to use/test TK as FT over Xmas holidays - rocky, arid environment... will use TK as RT back on my home trails in Spring and Autumn (trails quite enclosed and damp)... Currently have Ardent Race on rear, it's solid (except in mud). Rock Razor is also in stock pile - has nice volume, I think it rolls slower than AR & definitely less grippy. HR2 is also on the radar for RT. HD will be my go to FT, will change out RT to suit conditions. 

-------------------------------------
Opinions are like A-holes... everybody 
has one & they're usually full of...??


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## Dagonger (Dec 8, 2011)

No Maxxis DHF or dhr2,ardent for the test?


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

yeti575inCA said:


> No Maxxis DHF or dhr2,ardent for the test?


The DHF & DHR were on my initial list. but I am able to get the High Roller II from my distributor sources more easily. I'll have the DHF/DHR combo in my test next fall for sure when I put up that combo and any new tires up against my benchmark from this series of comparison tests.

I have a pair of 2.3 Ardent which I really like in our drier, summer conditions. However, feedback that I've been getting was that Ardents don't do well in any level of mud. Due to this, I decided to shelve the Ardents until my summer tire comparison test which will include faster rolling, dry weather tires such as the Ardents, Rocket Ron, Racing Ralph, Neo-Moto, maybe the X-King.


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## MudBike (Oct 22, 2005)

Anyone know when the 2015 Nobby Nic 27.5 x 2.35 SS TL-Easy Trailstar compound will be available?


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## BikeIntelligencer (Jun 5, 2009)

Ime Schwalbe weights are typically higher than listed, often by 40 grams or more. NNs maybe the worst. But tire weights in general vary wildly from spec, generally best to ignore the discrepancies.



Terenceang said:


> Based on the limited information on the internet, seems like the new 2015 Nobby Nic are about 10% or higher heavier than the specified weight. I have not read anyone posting their new Nobby Nic is less than 5% heavier (don't even talk about lighter) than the specified weight. I think the older Nobby Nic is "relatively close" to the specified weight. I wonder if the weight of the future production batches will drop.


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## matto6 (Dec 28, 2013)

Another weight data point: My 29x2.35 Trailstar TL-Easy Nobby Nic weighs 784 grams. That's only 59 over spec.


















And to confirm the scale isn't just way off, a 29x2.3 High Roller II (with extra cardboard and zip tie) weighs 954


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## hitechredneck (May 9, 2009)

Man those nobbys look beefy on the nobby nice while sitting on the scale. Do you have a picture of a hans you can compare it to?


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## matto6 (Dec 28, 2013)

hitechredneck said:


> Man those nobbys look beefy on the nobby nice while sitting on the scale. Do you have a picture of a hans you can compare it to?


I traded the Hans for the HR2, so the only pics I have are from earlier. It's a different angle and zoom so I don't think it's comparable, but here's some hans dampf:


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## matto6 (Dec 28, 2013)

A couple more tread photos:

HR2 29.2.3 vs Nobby Nic 29x2.35









HR2 vs Nobby Nic again:









Nobby Nic 29x2.35 (unmounted) vs a Bontrager XR4 Team Issue 29x2.3 (mounted on Enve AM rim)









Two observations:

1) The NN seems to have more knob surface area, and less open space than both the XR4 and the HR2. 
2) The NN weighs exactly the same as the XR4, which is surprising given that the NN has more area dedicate to knobs, and also a larger casing (at least in theory, being 2.35 vs 2.3 and I think both measure somewhat true to size). 
3) The NN has the knobs aligned, so you could stick a pencil between the knobs, perpendicular to the tire. I can't help wonder how this doesn't produce sudden slippage when cornering and that gap aligns with the ground surface that you need to grip. The HR2 and XR4 seem to be designed to avoid this, I would guess intentionally.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

*Comparison Pic of Hans Dampf & Nobby Nic*



hitechredneck said:


> Man those nobbys look beefy on the nobby nice while sitting on the scale. Do you have a picture of a hans you can compare it to?











The HD has better grip as a front tire, but the NN has lower rolling resistance.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

*Comparision Pic of Hans Dampf & Nobby Nic*



hitechredneck said:


> Man those nobbys look beefy on the nobby nice while sitting on the scale. Do you have a picture of a hans you can compare it to?











The HD still has better grip as a front tire, but the NN is faster rolling.


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## gooutsidetoday (Sep 15, 2014)

Where the heck can i find these in 27.5??!


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## Carrera911xc (Jul 25, 2006)

gooutsidetoday said:


> Where the heck can i find these in 27.5??!


I just bought my NN from Art's Cyclery and my HD from pricepoint.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

gooutsidetoday said:


> Where the heck can i find these in 27.5??!


My shop has the 2015 NN 27.5s in stock in both 2.25 and 2.35 widths in the Pacestar compound: Schwalbe Nobby Nic Tire (new 2015 version) ? DIRT MERCHANT BIKES

Price is $80 plus shipping.


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## MontrealMarc (Dec 17, 2014)

@targnik
I'm curious to know what are conclusions so far for riding in technical / rooty / damp trails.
I have a Process 134, just received wide carbon rims and I'm about to order tires to be ready when spring come up here.


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## NullAndVoid (May 29, 2011)

MontrealMarc said:


> @targnik
> I'm curious to know what are conclusions so far for riding in technical / rooty / damp trails.
> I have a Process 134, just received wide carbon rims and I'm about to order tires to be ready when spring come up here.


I'm pretty impressed this winter with how the 29er 2.35 pacestar f/r on 30mm carbon rims has performed. Climbing with total confidence and good flotation in deep mud. Cornering is pretty good with nice rolling resistance, all round no complaints.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

MontrealMarc said:


> @targnik
> I'm curious to know what are conclusions so far for riding in technical / rooty / damp trails.
> I have a Process 134, just received wide carbon rims and I'm about to order tires to be ready when spring come up here.


Haven't ventured into Nobby land yet (nobby/noddy) :mwhahaha:

Still waiting on my frickin Conti TK 2.2!? Somehow Santa (aka freight) lost it... and the back order is taking for-ever :grrr:

Riding of late has been in dusty/sandy/rocky terrain (summer hols) dam rocks were starting to eat away at my Schwalbes (RR/HD)... back on home trails now, and sure enough it rained last night.

Hans Dampf up front is awesome on my local trails... get away with Rock Razor/Ardent Race RT...

Had more wear on tires from a months riding out of town than 3 months of home trails riding (NB, I was riding more on holiday).

NN - would be fine for my home trails...

-------------------------------------
Opinions are like A-holes... everybody 
has one & they're usually full of...??


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## bongski (Dec 8, 2011)

Well, this tire is a deal breaker for me. Bike is a 2013 Transition Trans AM 29er with flow EX rims.
I've been using Hans Dampfs for the last 2 years and had never had an issue especially with sealing punctures and installation.
Hans dampfs were easy to seat. Floor pump was all I needed except for the 29er which seated with the compressor.
With the nobby nics, I had to put a tube in and finally go the tire to seat.
Comparing the nobby nics to HD, they definitely rolled better and I was able to climb faster. I noticed a slight loss in traction when cornering and braking compared to the HD, but still manageable when going downhill. 
I really liked the tire, and even thought about replacing the HD rear on my bandit, but then on my 4th ride today with about 45 miles of use, I got my first flat tire. Stan's didn't seal it at first and I let it sit for about 5 minutes, spun the tire to check. The hissing stopped but as soon as I put some weight on the tire, the hole just opened up.
Not sure if it's my fault for assuming the the Nics were up to par with the HD, but I'm definitely dissapointed.


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## dirtrider76 (Sep 19, 2012)

Those were some pricy miles! The only Schwalbes I've run were Fat Alberts and the old Nobby Nic in the snake skin and have had no issue's.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

bongski, it looks like an ordinary puncture. That can happen to pretty much any tire so don't worry unless it happens repeatedly.


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## challybert (Sep 5, 2014)

Is the Panaracer a tubeless ready tire? Search their site and around the web, it doesn't appear to be.


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## NullAndVoid (May 29, 2011)

Travis Bickle said:


> bongski, it looks like an ordinary puncture. That can happen to pretty much any tire so don't worry unless it happens repeatedly.


Bad luck imo, get a hole big enough and stans can't cope under the pressure. If the hole is under the tread you could patch it and keep on using the tire.


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## bongski (Dec 8, 2011)

Yea. I guess im just really upset, cause of how expensive that tire was. 
Like i said, i really liked the tire and im basing my experience with the hans dampf. 

Im going to use a motorcyle plug/patch and see if it works, if not i can always stick with the tube. 
Such a new tire too... 😭


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## JCP (Oct 3, 2008)

Looks like the trailstar versions of the new nobby nic are in but currently only available from Schwalbe direct. Just got mine in one day after ordering (I am in Washington st). Talk to the rep at Schwalbe, still couldn't tell me though when they are going to ship out to the shops. Had to pay full price but got tired of waiting.


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## JCP (Oct 3, 2008)

Fyi, got the 2.35 width. Compared to the Hans Dampf 2.35, definitely looks narrower which is what I was looking for. the HD 2.35 is a huge tire!. Looks proportional to the NN 2.25 which I have in the rear.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

JCP said:


> Looks like the trailstar versions of the new nobby nic are in but currently only available from Schwalbe direct. Just got mine in one day after ordering (I am in Washington st). Talk to the rep at Schwalbe, still couldn't tell me though when they are going to ship out to the shops. Had to pay full price but got tired of waiting.


Dirt Merchant Bikes has them at $79.99 with free shipping in the Continental United States. Ping me if you are interested.


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## baltik (Nov 16, 2005)

Spectre - do all of the trailstar versions weigh in in the high 700g range or has Schwalbe been able to get closer to its stated weight now that production is rolling?


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

baltik said:


> Spectre - do all of the trailstar versions weigh in in the high 700g range or has Schwalbe been able to get closer to its stated weight now that production is rolling?


I can't speak for the Trailstar versions, but for the 27.5"x2.25 Pacestar version, weights are consistently about 60-70g over the stated weight of 610g. (10 tires weighed)


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## hitechredneck (May 9, 2009)

Any idea on the eta of the trail stars to hit shops?


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

hitechredneck said:


> Any idea on the eta of the trail stars to hit shops?


Hard to say. It depends on how quickly shop managers or their buyers spot demand and how often they order. A lot of shops do several large orders a year. During Interbike, most suppliers do a big push to have shops place large order by providing discounts for larger orders. I would guess that the other timing for large orders for many shops might be in mid-spring when shops can take stock of what's selling and what's not when the riding season starts. The two shops in which I've worked in the 80's & 90's were usually pretty well stocked with an early season (fall) order and handled other requests with special orders.

I'm running a tighter supply chain for my shop so we're more able to quickly respond to demand and interesting new products. If you're interested, I can get the Trailstar NNs delivered to you by the middle of next week.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

Anyone have any interest in running a Hans Dampf in front with a Nobby Nic in the back? I'm just curious because in our tire testing the HD had better cornering grip than the NN, but having the NN in the back noticeably reduces rolling resistance.


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## matto6 (Dec 28, 2013)

In Dec I cancelled my order for a trailstar 29x2.35 Nobby nic because it was taking too long. I ended up putting two brand new bontrager xr4 team issues (29x2.3) on my bike and I was quite content. 

But then Arts shipped me the Nic by mistake! I could return it easily with the included return label, but I just keep looking at the tread thinking... Should I try it on the front??? Same weight, more volume. Tempting.


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## JCP (Oct 3, 2008)

Spectre, I wish I knew you had the trailstars in stock. Could have saved myself a few bucks. I rode the trailstar 2.35 front/ pacestar 2.25 NN combo today and was very pleased. Rode at Japanese Gulch in Washington with conditions ranging from dry (west side) to pretty muddy (east side). The tires rolled really well and felt very stable in variable conditions. The best improvement I've found over the older versions is the new NN's ability to make hard, fast turns. I didn't trust the old NN at all in this regard. Today, absolutely no issues. I used to use the HD trailstars in the front and really liked the tire but for now, these are keepers for sure.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

JCP said:


> Spectre, I wish I knew you had the trailstars in stock. Could have saved myself a few bucks. I rode the trailstar 2.35 front/ pacestar 2.25 NN combo today and was very pleased. Rode at Japanese Gulch in Washington with conditions ranging from dry (west side) to pretty muddy (east side). The tires rolled really well and felt very stable in variable conditions. The best improvement I've found over the older versions is the new NN's ability to make hard, fast turns. I didn't trust the old NN at all in this regard. Today, absolutely no issues. I used to use the HD trailstars in the front and really liked the tire but for now, these are keepers for sure.


Great to hear that the NNs are working well for you. I am amazed at how much cornering traction the NNs have for a tire that rolls so well. We are still running Hans Dampfs as the front tire on our demo bikes paired with a NN in the back. HDs have a steering response that seems a bit sharper than the NNs & running the HDs as a front tire doesn't have much impact on rolling resistance. The HD/NN combination puts a smile on my face every time with how their fast rolling, sharp steering response, and predictable cornering grip really helps me feel one with my bike & reducing the number of off-days when I feel like a klutz on wheels.

Let us know when you next need tires! We have Schwalbe Nobby Nic, Hans Dampf, and Magic Mary tires in stock as well as Maxxis tires. We offer free shipping within 2 days (typically 1 day) in Western Washington & 3-4 days to the rest of the continental US.


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## Quantumhigh (Nov 3, 2014)

I am running a 2.35 Trailstar NN in the front and a geax aka 2.2 rear. Pulling the stock geax aka 2.2 off the front and on go's the NN.... Holy smokes! I am new to Mtbing first season here but I go all striving for perfection in life and within a few months I am hitting things just a month before rattled nerves so I know I am progressing. The tire change knowing it would impact a lot was one of my first upgrades and wow huge confidence boost!


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

Quantumhigh said:


> I am running a 2.35 Trailstar NN in the front and a geax aka 2.2 rear. Pulling the stock geax aka 2.2 off the front and on go's the NN.... Holy smokes! I am new to Mtbing first season here but I go all striving for perfection in life and within a few months I am hitting things just a month before rattled nerves so I know I am progressing. The tire change knowing it would impact a lot was one of my first upgrades and wow huge confidence boost!


That's great to hear. A key foundation of my shop philosophy is to not push what's new, but to focus on what can make a ride as good as it can be for busy people who want a great experience on every ride. From my comparison testing, a small investment in tires make a huge difference.


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## kburati (Mar 9, 2008)

Spectre said:


> Anyone have any interest in running a Hans Dampf in front with a Nobby Nic in the back? I'm just curious because in our tire testing the HD had better cornering grip than the NN, but having the NN in the back noticeably reduces rolling resistance.


I have read your reviews and curious which size HD front and NN rear you've decided on for all your demo bikes. 2.25 F&R? I have last year's NN 2.35for 27.5 and it only measures a little over 2.2" wide or on par with my rear 2.25 RR SS. Was a little disappointed so concerned of going with a 2.25NN unless the widths are completely different in real life than the old NN. HD 2.35 Gravity on my DH bike are huge, don't need that big on my trailbike.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

kburati said:


> I have read your reviews and curious which size HD front and NN rear you've decided on for all your demo bikes. 2.25 F&R? I have last year's NN 2.35for 27.5 and it only measures a little over 2.2" wide or on par with my rear 2.25 RR SS. Was a little disappointed so concerned of going with a 2.25NN unless the widths are completely different in real life than the old NN. HD 2.35 Gravity on my DH bike are huge, don't need that big on my trailbike.


We're using 2.25 HD for the front and 2.25 NN for the back. The volume seems decent and I don't feel the need to add 100g by going to the 2.35. From our first comparison test for Winter 2014 (Pacific Northwest Winter Tire Comparison Test: 2015 Nobby Nic, High Roller II, Neo-Moto & Hans Dampf ? DIRT MERCHANT BIKES), this is sizing for the 2.25 & 2.35 NN compared to a 2.25 HD:

Schwalbe Hans Dampf: 27.5" x 2.25 Front & Rear, Pacestar/Snakeskin

Claimed Weight: 680g
Actual Weight: 690-720g (4 tires weighted)
Tire Height: 53 mm
Casing Width: 57 mm
Knob Width: 58 mm

Schwalbe Nobby Nic, Pacestar/Snakeskin

27.5" x 2.25

Claimed Weight: 610g
Actual Weight (avg) : 670g, Range between 650-710 g (8 tires weighed)
Tire Height: 55 mm
Casing Width: 56 mm
Knob Width: 56 mm

27.5" x 2.35

Claimed Weight: 685g
Actual Weight: 814-820g (1 tire weighed)
Tire Height: 55 mm
Casing Width: 58 mm
Knob Width: 58 mm


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## JCP (Oct 3, 2008)

Specter,
First, before anything, thanks for the reviews. I found them very helpful and informative. I noticed that the review states that the magic Mary tested was pacestar but I didn't think schwalbe made that tire in that compound. Possibly trailstar was used in the test? I would like to see a head to head between the MM and HD, same width and compound especially for use in the front. I saw that the widths differed and I am assuming that the compounds did as well. I am loving the new NN in the front (2.35, trailstar) and have a trailstar 2.35 HD lying around. I do want a second set for wet, winter PNW riding and trying to decide on the HD and MM.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

JCP said:


> Specter,
> First, before anything, thanks for the reviews. I found them very helpful and informative. I noticed that the review states that the magic Mary tested was pacestar but I didn't think schwalbe made that tire in that compound. Possibly trailstar was used in the test? I would like to see a head to head between the MM and HD, same width and compound especially for use in the front. I saw that the widths differed and I am assuming that the compounds did as well. I am loving the new NN in the front (2.35, trailstar) and have a trailstar 2.35 HD lying around. I do want a second set for wet, winter PNW riding and trying to decide on the HD and MM.


Yes, you are correct. The Magic Mary does have the Trailstar compound. The HD was a 2.25 Pacestar.

Between the HD & MM, I would consider your weight and how you ride. The MM does have higher cornering and braking capabilities at the expense of higher weight (+100-200g compared to the 2.35 HD and the 2.25 HD respectively) and less responsive feel, but I believe the Magic Mary's capabilities might be more than needed for many riders. Exceptions would be heavier riders and more aggressive downhillers. From our second test, all of the testers preferred the 2.25 HD on the front even though the MM had higher quantitative scores. The HD has a more lively feel while the MM has a more inert feel.


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## hitechredneck (May 9, 2009)

new nobby nic or rock razor for the rear in the dry colorado high alpine desert? Going to be paired with a Hans front in Pace star and see if I can get it to last longer on the dry rocks and such then the trail star does (which is only a hand full of rides)


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## fsrxc (Jan 31, 2004)

Spectre said:


> Yes, you are correct. The Magic Mary does have the Trailstar compound. The HD was a 2.25 Pacestar.
> 
> Between the HD & MM, I would consider your weight and how you ride. The MM does have higher cornering and braking capabilities at the expense of higher weight (+100-200g compared to the 2.35 HD and the 2.25 HD respectively) and less responsive feel, but I believe the Magic Mary's capabilities might be more than needed for many riders. Exceptions would be heavier riders and more aggressive downhillers. From our second test, all of the testers preferred the 2.25 HD on the front even though the MM had higher quantitative scores. The HD has a more lively feel while the MM has a more inert feel.


based on my experience with a 29x2.35 HD Trailstar on the front, it doesn't clear mud very well, but decent enough on rocks/roots.


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## morandi (Jun 20, 2008)

I just got the new 2.25 x 29 nobby nic. And when I aired it up on a stans flow it seems crazy small. More like a 2.1. The casing seems super anemic. Not a 2.25.
I was surprised because the Hans Dampfs are just the opposite. They are crazy big. And there casing is huge.
Anyone else experience this? Does the casing expand much? Maybe the 2.35 Nobby Nic is more what I'm after.


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## dirtrider76 (Sep 19, 2012)

Got a set of calipers to measure the tire and see what it actually measures?


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## morandi (Jun 20, 2008)

dirtrider76 said:


> Got a set of calipers to measure the tire and see what it actually measures?


Sorry, took it off and mailed it back. I'm not paying $80 for a tire that is that small. 
Not even close in size to an Ardent 2.25, and Ikon 2.25, or Purgatory 2.25. The reason I didn't order the 2.35, was that I know the Hans Dampf cannot fit between the stays of my hardtail, so I assumed the 2.35 Nobby Nic would be the same. But the 2.25 had yards of space between the tire and the stays.
FWIW Art's Cyclery lists the Hans 2.35 at 2.22 casing and 2.34 tread. the nic for the 2.35 is 2.18" casing and 2.2" tread, and the 2.25 is 2.07" casing and 2.09" tread.


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## dirtrider76 (Sep 19, 2012)

I don't blame you, I was just curious.


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## ridetheridge (Mar 7, 2009)

I am interested in these tires as well.. Below are measurements from someone who commented on Amazon...

Amazon.com : Schwalbe Nobby Nic Tire -29in : Sports & Outdoors

Excerpt...
"Mounted measurements are 2.17 tall at the tread and 2.19 wide at the carcass and tread at 30psi. A little small, but will probably stretch out to over 2.2. I doubt they will ever be 2.25. These are mounted on 23.4 internal rim width."

These measurements seem to be inline with my 2.25 RR and 2.25 GC


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## morandi (Jun 20, 2008)

The casing on the 2.25 Nobby Nic, seemed super low volume when I mounted mine up. Not the voluminous mass that is the Hans Dampf. I was hoping the 2.25 Nic would be a step down from the Hans Dampf casing, instead its like a good 2 to 3 steps down.


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## Verbl Kint (Feb 14, 2013)

The new Nics just arrived in Manila. Price US$57 for the 2.25 PaceStar 650b.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

morandi said:


> Sorry, took it off and mailed it back. I'm not paying $80 for a tire that is that small.
> Not even close in size to an Ardent 2.25, and Ikon 2.25, or Purgatory 2.25. The reason I didn't order the 2.35, was that I know the Hans Dampf cannot fit between the stays of my hardtail, so I assumed the 2.35 Nobby Nic would be the same. But the 2.25 had yards of space between the tire and the stays.
> FWIW Art's Cyclery lists the Hans 2.35 at 2.22 casing and 2.34 tread. the nic for the 2.35 is 2.18" casing and 2.2" tread, and the 2.25 is 2.07" casing and 2.09" tread.


Based on my measurements of several 2.25 Nobby Nics, I think Art's measurements are a bit small:

Schwalbe Hans Dampf: 27.5" x 2.25 Front & Rear, Pacestar/Snakeskin

Claimed Weight: 680g
Actual Weight: 690-720g (4 tires weighted)
Tire Height: 53 mm
Casing Width: 57 mm
Knob Width: 58 mm

Schwalbe Nobby Nic, Pacestar/Snakeskin

27.5" x 2.25

Claimed Weight: 610g
Actual Weight (avg) : 670g, Range between 650-710 g (8 tires weighed)
Tire Height: 55 mm
Casing Width: 56 mm
Knob Width: 56 mm

27.5" x 2.35

Claimed Weight: 685g
Actual Weight: 814-820g (1 tire weighed)
Tire Height: 55 mm
Casing Width: 58 mm
Knob Width: 58 mm


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## ridetheridge (Mar 7, 2009)

Art's measurements are for the 29er...


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## morandi (Jun 20, 2008)

Yes I was referring to the 29er variety of nics. Thats what I tried. Those are the ones that seemed ridiculously small.


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## NullAndVoid (May 29, 2011)

I've got the 29' 2.35 pacestars on 30mm rim and it's slightly oversized (measures as 2.37), wouldn't want it any bigger as there would be clearance issues on my Spec Camber Evo!


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## caRpetbomBer (Jul 13, 2013)

Looks like the new Knobby nics also come in Double Defense. Also the racing Ralph's. Very interesting indeed.


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## murrdogg11 (Apr 4, 2010)

how is the durability on the new NN? looking for a new rear, typically i use a HD 2.25, and its great, other than the durability.


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## NullAndVoid (May 29, 2011)

Been running pacestar versions for 4 months over the winter. Wet mud / gravel / flinty trails and tread is fine with only a few small nicks, expect many more months worth of use still.


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## dyg2001 (Jul 31, 2004)

Who has the 2015 Nobby Nic 27.5 x 2.35" Evolution SnakeSkin (TrailStar or PaceStar) in stock? Are they out yet?


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

dyg2001 said:


> Who has the 2015 Nobby Nic 27.5 x 2.35" Evolution SnakeSkin (TrailStar or PaceStar) in stock? Are they out yet?


Yes & Yes, check our site.


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## dyg2001 (Jul 31, 2004)

Nice! 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## 75Denver (Feb 16, 2013)

I'm after a new rear tire and have been very happy with the Schwalbe performance. Except for one thing. The sidewall knobs chunk off like CRAZY! Last season I decided to go back to a hardtail and in the essence of keeping it light when for the Rocket Ron. After about 25-30 miles I quickly realized this was an awful choice for a rear tire.

What compound would you guys recommend in the Nobby Nic and is this a good rear tire option? Or should I find a different tire all together? Some helpful things to know:

200lb rider, Northern NV rocky, dry, loose granite trails. This is what's happening to my RR and is only a tiny section of tread.


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## NullAndVoid (May 29, 2011)

As a rear pacestar is holding up very well for me, very nice grip in the wet winter conditions here.


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## Back2MTB (Jun 4, 2014)

75Denver said:


> I'm after a new rear tire and have been very happy with the Schwalbe performance. Except for one thing. The sidewall knobs chunk off like CRAZY! Last season I decided to go back to a hardtail and in the essence of keeping it light when for the Rocket Ron. After about 25-30 miles I quickly realized this was an awful choice for a rear tire.
> 
> What compound would you guys recommend in the Nobby Nic and is this a good rear tire option? Or should I find a different tire all together? Some helpful things to know:
> 
> ...


That's crazy, I can't imagine spending Schwalbe money and have knobs rip off like that after 25-30 miles.. I'd be apesh#t. Have you tried WTB tires? I've got Vigilante tcs 29s on my bike now and I love them, very tough/durable thus far in sloppy, rocky, rooty NE conditions.


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## wheatgerm (Jan 30, 2006)

That's crazy! Have you tried to warranty the tire?


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## cerebroside (Jun 25, 2011)

wheatgerm said:


> That's crazy! Have you tried to warranty the tire?


Schwalbe flat out say that it is a race only tire on their website. I have a pair in 26x2.4 because they were cheap, I will be interested to see how long they last (no rocks here.)



Schwalbe - Rocket Ron said:


> NOTE: This is an out and out competition tire! Puncture protection and durability are limited!


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## k2rider1964 (Apr 29, 2010)

hitechredneck said:


> new nobby nic or rock razor for the rear in the dry colorado high alpine desert? Going to be paired with a Hans front in Pace star and see if I can get it to last longer on the dry rocks and such then the trail star does (which is only a hand full of rides)


I can tell you that I was running the Rock Razor out here in SoCal on our dry conditions with no problems but when I went to the St George/Hurricane/Gooseberry Mesa area two weeks ago, it was the worst rear tire I've ever tried out there. It was so bad I had to buy a new tire while I was there to make my trip more enjoyable. If you aren't familiar with the area, it's a lot of slickrock and loose over slickrock. The Rock Razor would just spin the second I was forced to get out of the saddle.


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## 75Denver (Feb 16, 2013)

Back2MTB said:


> That's crazy, I can't imagine spending Schwalbe money and have knobs rip off like that after 25-30 miles.. I'd be apesh#t. Have you tried WTB tires? I've got Vigilante tcs 29s on my bike now and I love them, very tough/durable thus far in sloppy, rocky, rooty NE conditions.





wheatgerm said:


> That's crazy! Have you tried to warranty the tire?


I can't even remember what I paid for this set but at the time I thought it was a sh$t ton. Figured they'd last a long time given the price. I called AND emailed Art's Cyclery a couple times to see if they manufacturer would offer a warranty but eventually was dropped without even a follow-up response. I'm not sure what Schwalbe would say but I'd figure it would fall on me as the RR apparently are not intended to be used on the rear.

I've had WTB's and have been happy but they're heavy as hell&#8230;unless I've missed a good pair. I'll look into them again. But moving on from RR, how about these NN??. Anyone running them in the rear? Will I experience a case of deja vu?


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## Back2MTB (Jun 4, 2014)

cerebroside said:


> Schwalbe flat out say that it is a race only tire on their website. I have a pair in 26x2.4 because they were cheap, I will be interested to see how long they last (no rocks here.)


That's gotta be one of the most foolish things I've heard. If you're using a tire in competition it should be far more likely to fail you at the advantage of a few grams? If you're capable of being at the front of a race a couple of grams is not what got you there or what keeps you there.That's make believe from Schwalbe. A puncture ends a race basically, though folks clearly buy it. That said, if kids want to ride toy tires that fall apart on the trail in a few rides because it makes them feel faster it aint none of ma' badness.


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## cerebroside (Jun 25, 2011)

Back2MTB said:


> That's gotta be one of the most foolish things I've heard. If you're using a tire in competition it should be far more likely to fail you at the advantage of a few grams? If you're capable of being at the front of a race a couple of grams is not what got you there or what keeps you there.That's make believe from Schwalbe. A puncture ends a race basically, though folks clearly buy it. That said, if kids want to ride toy tires that fall apart on the trail in a few rides because it makes them feel faster it aint none of ma' badness.


Agreed, but it probably depends a lot on your conditions. I've never had a puncture at my local trails in almost four years of riding here (just pinch flat and broken valve stem), so if I was racing here (which I don't) maybe I would choose to compromise durability. But anyway, I will stop derailing the thread.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

75Denver said:


> What compound would you guys recommend in the Nobby Nic and is this a good rear tire option? Or should I find a different tire all together? Some helpful things to know:
> 
> 200lb rider, Northern NV rocky, dry, loose granite trails. This is what's happening to my RR and is only a tiny section of tread.
> 
> View attachment 966199


For a rear tire, I would definitely recommend starting with a Pacestar tire and seeing if the amount of traction is sufficient. I don't have experience with the Nobby Nic on your terrain, but generally it has one of the best balance of rolling resistance and traction that I've experienced.


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## BikeIntelligencer (Jun 5, 2009)

Most of the guys I know who ride on your type of surface go with Maxxis, DHF or High Roller II. They're heavier yes but hold up much much better in the chunk and sandstone. If you go with Nobby Nic first of all be sure you get the 2015. I'm riding one (Pacestar) on front of a T275c and really love it. I'm in woodsy hardpan tho, not the red rock. Never been as happy with NN on rear tho. Maybe the Dampf? Best of luck!


Spectre said:


> For a rear tire, I would definitely recommend starting with a Pacestar tire and seeing if the amount of traction is sufficient. I don't have experience with the Nobby Nic on your terrain, but generally it has one of the best balance of rolling resistance and traction that I've experienced.


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## jmcdev1 (Jan 1, 2011)

Hey spectre, what's your take on the notion of not running a snakeskin sidewall on the front tire to protect from sidewall rips? We get quite a few sidewall gashes in my area and I finally just used snakeskin front and back. Problem solved. However, with tire weights evidently increasing in 2015, I am tempted to go with Nobby Nick 2.35 Trailstar compound and no snakeskin on the front tire next time I replace it. Would you think you could get away with this in your area?


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

jmcdev1 said:


> Hey spectre, what's your take on the notion of not running a snakeskin sidewall on the front tire to protect from sidewall rips? We get quite a few sidewall gashes in my area and I finally just used snakeskin front and back. Problem solved. However, with tire weights evidently increasing in 2015, I am tempted to go with Nobby Nick 2.35 Trailstar compound and no snakeskin on the front tire next time I replace it. Would you think you could get away with this in your area?


Yes, I could probably use a lighter casing in our area if I were a more careful rider. We don't have the sharp rocks prevalent in other areas, but we do see some decently high speed so casing integrity is an issue for lighter weight casings. Practically speaking, Schwalbe doesn't make the Liteskin NN in 2.35 so that wouldn't be an option. Also, I believe the Liteskin is more porous than the Snakeskin casing so not as suited for tubeless use.


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## BikeIntelligencer (Jun 5, 2009)

Fat Alberts almost never come up in discussion but are among best Schwalbes ime. Great all around, roll well, corner great, long lasting and mid-weight. Too bad they don't get the cred.


dirtrider76 said:


> Those were some pricy miles! The only Schwalbes I've run were Fat Alberts and the old Nobby Nic in the snake skin and have had no issue's.


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## jmcdev1 (Jan 1, 2011)

Thanks for picking that up Spectre. Remembered the old Racing Ralph having both types of sidewalls & presumed Nobby Nic had also. I like the knobby Nick so much I will stick with the snakeskin sidewall. Definitely thinking of trying Habs Dampf in front after you're testing. Very helpful stuff. Thanks.


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## BikeIntelligencer (Jun 5, 2009)

*+77g on NoNi weight*

Just adding to the database, my 2015 27.5 NN EVO PaceStar Snakeskin 2.25 came in at 687 with claimed weight of 610... Oh and the TL EASY is bogus too! Practically took off my thumb getting the thing to seat... Still and all, luv the tire!


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## Locksley (Sep 17, 2008)

Can I say that a good tires combination will be hans 2.35 front and nn 2.35 rear ?


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## rhysjenz (Mar 3, 2012)

Hey Spectre, I've had a good read of your test day articles & all you posts in this thread, thanks for all the info! I'm building up a frame and would like to try the Hans Dampf front/Nobby Nic rear combo, it sounds pretty decent 

For the Hans Dampf, I'm choosing between either a 2.25" TrailStar (claimed 680g), or a 2.35" PaceStar (claimed 795g). Is the extra weight of the PaceStar worth the lower rolling resistance compared to the smaller TrailStar tyre?

As far as the Nobby Nic goes, I'll definitely go with PaceStar, so it's either 2.25" (claimed 610g) or 2.35" (claimed 680g). I'll probably go with with 2.25" seeing you don't think there's too much benefit. The tyres will be on WTB KOM i25 rims btw.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

rhysjenz said:


> For the Hans Dampf, I'm choosing between either a 2.25" TrailStar (claimed 680g), or a 2.35" PaceStar (claimed 795g). Is the extra weight of the PaceStar worth the lower rolling resistance compared to the smaller TrailStar tyre?


I don't think rolling resistance on the front is as critical as with the rear tire. Even the weight of running a Magic Mary on the front was apparent when climbing, but didn't make as much of a difference in rolling resistance on the flats.



rhysjenz said:


> As far as the Nobby Nic goes, I'll definitely go with PaceStar, so it's either 2.25" (claimed 610g) or 2.35" (claimed 680g). I'll probably go with with 2.25" seeing you don't think there's too much benefit. The tyres will be on WTB KOM i25 rims btw.


I measured both 2.25 and 2.35 NNs in my 1st tire comparison report from Nov 2014. Check the widths to see would work better for you. Actual weights are about +60-80 grams over the claimed weights.

Also, I have not had experience fitting the Schwalbes to WTB rims (only on Stans rims on which they are a perfect fit). My understanding is that WTB uses the UST standard and WTB rim diameters are smaller than Stans rim diameters. (see http://forums.mtbr.com/wheels-tires/stans-notubes-rim-wtb-tcs-vigilante-tire-940985.html) You may need another layer of tubeless tape to help do initial seating of the Schwalbe tires.


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## tadmcmichael (Mar 19, 2012)

Is anyone running the 2.25 NN as a front tire? Will measure about the same as my 2.3 Specialized Butcher, but wonder if ithe NN will have enough cornering bite?


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## hitechredneck (May 9, 2009)

Schwalbe and wtb play well together. My i23 inflate with a floor pump on the first pump every time.


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## tadmcmichael (Mar 19, 2012)

Got the 2.25 Nic today. On the plus side, looks very beefy and the casing is very tough. Much tougher than the snakeskin I remember. On the minus side, weighed in at 728 grams. I weighed at the post office, which has always been very accurate in the past. I have a scale on the way, so will try to validate if the post office scale has gotten off. Are the "Liteskin" Schwalbes still paper thin? I don't need much armor as a front tire. Don't think I have seen the 2.25 Liteskin Nic in the US yet, but looks like they are available in Europe. Will post some measurements once they have had a week to stretch.


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## tadmcmichael (Mar 19, 2012)

As much as I wished the scale was off, it came up as 726 grams on another scale. I'm not a weight weenie, but at that weight I'm going to stick with my 755 gram Butcher as a front tire. Do think the Nic would do well in the rear.


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## Terenceang (Aug 28, 2011)

I just received mine, 27.5 x 2.25 SnakeSkin Pacestar.
Interestingly, it weighs 625g to 630g (I tried weighing using 2 kitchen scales).
I am not sure whether both scales I used are inaccurate or Schwalbe managed to reduce the weight of the newer batches.


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## tadmcmichael (Mar 19, 2012)

Sent the guy a note at tiremaniacs.com about the Nic being so far over. Good guy, he offered to switch out the 728 gram for one at 647. Should have told him when I ordered to send me the lightest one. Saw one aired up yesterday and it looked pretty beefy. Would be amazing if they start to come in consistently at 625.


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## Back2MTB (Jun 4, 2014)

tadmcmichael said:


> Sent the guy a note at tiremaniacs.com about the Nic being so far over. Good guy, he offered to switch out the 728 gram for one at 647. Should have told him when I ordered to send me the lightest one. Saw one aired up yesterday and it looked pretty beefy. Would be amazing if they start to come in consistently at 625.


Geez, I sure wish I went into the tire business.. Not many industries where people are clamoring to pay more for less...


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## Terenceang (Aug 28, 2011)

Just want to share, I managed to inflate my 27.5 x 2.25 SnakeSkin pacestar tire mounted tubeless on BOR XMD333 rim fairly 'easily' using Lezyne CNC Floor Drive pump.


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## SierraOutsider (Apr 1, 2015)

The new Nobby Nics came on my bike, and I'm running them tubeless, roughly 30 pounds front and rear. So far I'm really happy with traction and rolling resistance. No damage yet on some really rocky trails, but I have less than 100 miles on them so far. I may be looking for something more aggressive when things get really sandy this summer in Tahoe, but it'll be hard to give up the weight and rolling resistance of these tires.


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## whoodie (Apr 15, 2012)

Just fitted a pair of 2015 Nic's on my Tallboy LTc. Coming from various Maxxis tires (Ardent, Ardent Race & Ikons) I expected a lot of rolling resistance but was surprised at how well they rolled. But I was really surprised at the grip levels, I've never had this much traction before. If I do discover they roll a little on the slow side, the added grab definitely makes up for it. I had to negotiate some pretty nasty loose rocky tech descents and they've handled it really well. Looking forward to putting a lot of miles on these tires. 

Sent from my SM-N900A using Tapatalk


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## ridetheridge (Mar 7, 2009)

whoodie said:


> Just fitted a pair of 2015 Nic's on my Tallboy LTc. Coming from various Maxxis tires (Ardent, Ardent Race & Ikons) I expected a lot of rolling resistance but was surprised at how well they rolled. But I was really surprised at the grip levels, I've never had this much traction before. If I do discover they roll a little on the slow side, the added grab definitely makes up for it. I had to negotiate some pretty nasty loose rocky tech descents and they've handled it really well. Looking forward to putting a lot of miles on these tires.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N900A using Tapatalk


Did you get the 2.25 ? Was curious how the width compares to the other tires, you've run. I read some reports that the tires seem to run narrow on the 29 version.


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## whoodie (Apr 15, 2012)

ridetheridge said:


> Did you get the 2.25 ? Was curious how the width compares to the other tires, you've run. I read some reports that the tires seem to run narrow on the 29 version.


I have 2.25 and 2.35. Both are about 0.05" narrower at the tread than as advertised. That's on a 23mm internal width wheel.


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## Simplemind (Jul 17, 2006)

BikeIntelligencer said:


> Most of the guys I know who ride on your type of surface go with Maxxis, DHF or High Roller II. They're heavier yes but hold up much much better in the chunk and sandstone.


Yeah, I am surprised Spectre has included these (DHF/DHR) in the mix. Not really heavier than the HD and supposedly have "good" rolling resistance.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

whoodie said:


> Just fitted a pair of 2015 Nic's on my Tallboy LTc. Coming from various Maxxis tires (Ardent, Ardent Race & Ikons) I expected a lot of rolling resistance but was surprised at how well they rolled. But I was really surprised at the grip levels, I've never had this much traction before. If I do discover they roll a little on the slow side, the added grab definitely makes up for it. I had to negotiate some pretty nasty loose rocky tech descents and they've handled it really well. Looking forward to putting a lot of miles on these tires.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N900A using Tapatalk


Schwalbe is generally acknowledged as having the fastest casings in the industry.

As opposed to Kenda, whose low-knob race tires like the SB8 roll slower than AM/Trail tires from other brands.


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## Verbl Kint (Feb 14, 2013)

Replaced my 2.25 Ardent at the rear with a 2.25 Nobby Nic (Pacestar). Most trails today in the Philippines are dried up and dusty, so I expected the Ardent to have a bit of an advantage and roll faster. Pleasantly surprised that my Strava times say otherwise. 

I have a GT Sanction 650b.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

Verbl Kint said:


> Replaced my 2.25 Ardent at the rear with a 2.25 Nobby Nic (Pacestar). Most trails today in the Philippines are dried up and dusty, so I expected the Ardent to have a bit of an advantage and roll faster. Pleasantly surprised that my Strava times say otherwise.
> 
> I have a GT Sanction 650b.


That is interesting. I would have expected the Ardent to be faster as well. For our next set of tire comparison tests this summer, I am planning to test the Nobby Nic/Hans Dampf combo that has worked well here in the winter against tires that should be faster rolling such as the Ardent, Neo-moto and the X-King. I am looking into timing options to be able to compare both climbing and descending speed.


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## hitechredneck (May 9, 2009)

Don't forget about the rock razor in the rear. That tire feels like cheating to me.


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## arc (Sep 9, 2004)

hitechredneck said:


> Don't forget about the rock razor in the rear. That tire feels like cheating to me.


Trails are still too wet around here so I was riding the paved/stone dust multi-use trails. Had a Vredstien Bobcat up front and a Rock Razor rear. The RR was awesome at cornering on the stone dust. Let it slide until the corner is lined up, weight the rear, lean the bike a little more until the cornering knobs dig in and blast on through. Made some boring trails fun.

Did the Bobcat ever get tested? Big knobby treadblocks but rolls like a Race King. Seemed to corner fine and had good braking traction on a dry wooden bridge when I did a 30km/hr to stopped test. Hopefully will be able to try this tire combo on real trails soon.


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## jazzanova (Jun 1, 2008)

Anyone interested in a 26" 2015 Nobby Nic 2.25 SS Pacestar ridden exactly 4.9miles? 
I will need something a touch bigger in the front. It will make a nice fast rear tire though.


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## Dagonger (Dec 8, 2011)

jazzanova said:


> Anyone interested in a 26" 2015 Nobby Nic 2.25 SS Pacestar ridden exactly 4.9miles?
> I will need something a touch bigger in the front. It will make a nice fast rear tire though.


Pm me...


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## Five Miles Out (Aug 3, 2010)

Has anyone compared a '15 Nobby Nic with the Ardent yet?


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## Verbl Kint (Feb 14, 2013)

I've used a 2.25 Ardent before I replaced it with a 2.25 Nobby Nic TLE pacestar. The 2015 Nic is way better in terms of traction, cornering, braking, and on wet soil. The Ardent rolls slightly better.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

We'll be doing so once the trails dry out in the Seattle area. Same comparison test format as previous tests+ considering options for timing test runs: Pacific Northwest Winter Tire Comparison Test Session 2: 2015 Nobby Nic, Mountain King II, Trail King, Vigilante/Trail Boss, Magic Mary & Hans Dampf ? DIRT MERCHANT BIKES


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## Bail_Monkey (May 8, 2007)

Just weighed a new 2015 NN, 26x2.35 Pacestar 674gm on my scale.


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## Five Miles Out (Aug 3, 2010)

Verbl Kint said:


> I've used a 2.25 Ardent before I replaced it with a 2.25 Nobby Nic TLE pacestar. The 2015 Nic is way better in terms of traction, cornering, braking, and on wet soil. The Ardent rolls slightly better.





Spectre said:


> We'll be doing so once the trails dry out in the Seattle area. Same comparison test format as previous tests+ considering options for timing test runs: Pacific Northwest Winter Tire Comparison Test Session 2: 2015 Nobby Nic, Mountain King II, Trail King, Vigilante/Trail Boss, Magic Mary & Hans Dampf ? DIRT MERCHANT BIKES


Cool, I'll keep an eye on the thread.

I'm after a general trail/AM tyre. My trails don't have anything too rocky or loose. I currently have a stock 2.4 Mountain King II which I find grips well but is a little too slow. I'm currently thinking of either a 2.4 Ardent or a NN. Weight is fairly important.


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

Five Miles Out said:


> Cool, I'll keep an eye on the thread.
> 
> I'm after a general trail/AM tyre. My trails don't have anything too rocky or loose. I currently have a stock 2.4 Mountain King II which I find grips well but is a little too slow. I'm currently thinking of either a 2.4 Ardent or a NN. Weight is fairly important.


Given the description of your trails, a 2.4 NN or Ardent both seem like overkill. I'd think a 2.2 Ikon or smaller RR would be plenty and dramatically reduce rolling resistance. I run 2.4 Ardents front and back for Moab, but when I'm in Park City, I go back to a 2.2 Ikon rear and 2.35 Ikon front. I love Schwalbe's but have never gotten more than about 200 miles out of one.


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## nutfluff (Apr 16, 2014)

morandi said:


> I just got the new 2.25 x 29 nobby nic. And when I aired it up on a stans flow it seems crazy small. More like a 2.1. The casing seems super anemic. Not a 2.25.
> I was surprised because the Hans Dampfs are just the opposite. They are crazy big. And there casing is huge.
> Anyone else experience this? Does the casing expand much? Maybe the 2.35 Nobby Nic is more what I'm after.


Exactly what happened to me today. Used it on the front and it felt like a skinny rear tire. So I took it off, and made it a skinny rear on my FS replacing a 2.3 Ground Control. The new NN is very similar to the ground control pattern.


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## tadmcmichael (Mar 19, 2012)

In the 27.5 2.25, it is actually pretty true to size. 2.23 on 23mm internal rims after 24 hours. It definitely looks smaller than that, but that is more from the height. Very happy with it as a front tire. Coming from a Butcher and I feel like I am giving up very little in terms of grip. It's actually a bit more predictable than the Butcher if you are transitioning and haven't laid the bike over to the cornering knobs yet. Absolute cornering grip is a bit under the Butcher, but I really had to push it to find the limits. Measures same width as the Butcher, but not as tall. Rode rough initially at the 25 psi I'm used to running. Backed it down to 21 and didn't feel it folding over or getting squirrelly. The casing is much stiffer than the Butcher. The decreased volume from the smaller height did make it a bit more unpredictable when hitting rocks. It was more likely to deflect. At 637 grams actual weight, this is my new front tire. Rolling resistance was a bit better also, but I don't pay much attention to that on the front.


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## PhoS (May 12, 2009)

I have about 50 mi on my New Nics(650b 2.35 SS PSC rear, TSC front), and I have to say pretty impressed thus far. I was riding the SG MM/RR prior. I'm liking these more than the old nics and HDs for the matter. Previously, I was totally sold on the RR but with as well as these roll I don't feel the need to go that route anytime soon.

The new SS casing feels pretty nice, only time will tell if it will hold up. If they are not up to the job I will definitely destroy them but so far so good! The side knobs feel good and the transition from the middle is very consistent with no surprises. The most noticeable part is how well they track in the loose stuff. I have run them from 26-35psi, 30 seems to be about the sweet spot to me.


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## jazzanova (Jun 1, 2008)

I had a 26" 2015 NN SS PS 2.25. It was really narrow, under 2.1 mounted. I believe it would stretch with time. 
I just installed a 2.35. It is closer to claimed size. 
The 2.35 is also spot on with the claimed weight at 640g.
The 2.25 was around 670g...


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## H00rst (Apr 14, 2015)

How does it compare Rock Razor vs NN 2015 in terms of rolling resistance and braking grip?


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## Lornholio (Mar 5, 2013)

So I got out on my 2015 Nobby Nic 2.25 Double Defense Pacestar rear for the first time this week (paired with a 2.25 Hans Dampf Trailstar front). Overall great performance and speed but I got a pinch flat and nasty rim dent on one very rocky section which I wouldn't have expected if I was riding my old setup. Could anyone offer some input into air pressures (with your weight & terrain referenced) for Schwalbe 2.25s?

My previous rear tyres for the last 3 years have been Minion DHF 2.5s or DHR2 2.4s (slightly more volume than Schwalbe 2.25s) and 27 psi in the rear has been perfect for me (tubeless on old Stan's Flows, 80kg/175lbs on pretty rough terrain). I don't have new tubeless valves yet so ran the Nobby Nic at 30psi with a tube to be on the safe side, on slightly wider rims now, but still dented my rim on my first ride. So even when I get these tubeless I'm a little scared to drop below 30 psi otherwise it could mean a lot of dings to my rims.


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## bajaguy (Jul 13, 2009)

Threw a Nobby Nic away today after three rides. A nob tore right off and left a half inch hole in the tire. Completely useless now and last time I run these light Schwalbe tires in the rear. If you ride aggressive on rocky trails then rI would pass on these tires.


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## Bttocs (Jun 21, 2014)

bajaguy,

Was it the new 2015 NN and if so what size and compound?

The 2015 is "supposed" to be much improved in durability. I bought a pair of 29", 2.35 size in the harder compound. Only had a short ride or two on them, they feel very firm so far and I am dropping the pressure down to 20-22 psi.


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## Verbl Kint (Feb 14, 2013)

bajaguy said:


> Threw a Nobby Nic away today after three rides. A nob tore right off and left a half inch hole in the tire. Completely useless now and last time I run these light Schwalbe tires in the rear. If you ride aggressive on rocky trails then rI would pass on these tires.


Just had two runs on a local rocky DH track near my city (track's called Patiis) with a 2.25 Nic Evo TLE Snakeskin Pacestar as my rear tire. No lost knobs so far. Traction was really good, btw.

Conditions were really hot and humid. Tire is set tubeless on Flow EX's.


----------



## bajaguy (Jul 13, 2009)

Bttocs said:


> bajaguy,
> 
> Was it the new 2015 NN and if so what size and compound?
> 
> The 2015 is "supposed" to be much improved in durability. I bought a pair of 29", 2.35 size in the harder compound. Only had a short ride or two on them, they feel very firm so far and I am dropping the pressure down to 20-22 psi.


It was the new one. The tire is only 680 grams so only way I could see if being more durable is if it weighed more.


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## Lornholio (Mar 5, 2013)

Verbl Kint said:


> Just had two runs on a local rocky DH track near my city (track's called Patiis) with a 2.25 Nic Evo TLE Snakeskin Pacestar as my rear tire.


What's your weight & psi *Verbal*?


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## dirtrider76 (Sep 19, 2012)

bajaguy said:


> Threw a Nobby Nic away today after three rides. A nob tore right off and left a half inch hole in the tire. Completely useless now and last time I run these light Schwalbe tires in the rear. If you ride aggressive on rocky trails then rI would pass on these tires.


They likely would have warrantied it no problem. I've warrantied 2 tires from them no problem.


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## Verbl Kint (Feb 14, 2013)

Lornholio said:


> What's your weight & psi *Verbal*?


I weigh 130 lbs, rear tire is at 28 psi.


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## Bttocs (Jun 21, 2014)

I had my first ride of the season yesterday on my new 2015 Nobby Nic 29", 2.35 Evo SnakeSkin PaceStar tires. I have them on the front and back. I have an Airborne Seeker hardtail and I weigh about 245 lbs. Rode them on some New England trails with smallish rocks . I have them mounted on 24 mm internal width rims. I have tubes in them now and the pressures were 21 psi front and 22 psi rear. I was using the stock GEAX AKA tires last year. The NN's have a lot more traction, it is really noticable. On the road the AKA's roll better, but the NN's are pretty close, unless the speed gets high like going down hill. On the dirt the NN's feel very good, although I didn't push them very hard on this ride. My biggest impression is how stiff the side wall is compared to the AKA tires I had. With the AKA's I had to run air pressures in the 25-30 psi range. For the NN's I plan to lower the pressure some more, to 18-19 psi range so the tires ride a little softer. They are medium firm right now in the 20-22 range. I can feel the extra volume in the tires (the AKA's were 2.25 wide) compared to the AKA's. The tires are not quite the spec size, I measured about 2.30" at 30 psi when I mounted them. Overall very pleased and looking forward to finding their limits.


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## Bttocs (Jun 21, 2014)

had my second ride today on my 2015 NN's and pushed them a bit. Dropped the pressure to 17 front and 19 rear. Really, really like these tires. The control and stability over medium rocks is great. They really absorb the bumps without kicking me of the seat (Airborne 29" hardtail). So far I am impressed and they are making me a better rider.


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## dirtrider76 (Sep 19, 2012)

This is a picture of a friends tire, pretty obvious its damned near new. 2nd ride it got a hole and it sealed, 3rd ride the hole started leaking and had to be tubed to get out. Kind of crappy that it didn't even last 3 rides.


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## bongski (Dec 8, 2011)

Same thing happened to me. 4 rides and i got about a 1/4" size slash in the center and wouldn't seal. 
I cleaned the tire from the inside and used a regular tube patch and it held up pretty well. I contacted Scwhalbe and they recommended using Orange Seal.


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## SierraOutsider (Apr 1, 2015)

Here's a couple shots of my 2015 Nobby Nick wear patterns for refrence:








Front








Rear

Seam to be holding up OK, but front shoulder knobs are looking a little beat up.


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## tadmcmichael (Mar 19, 2012)

dirtrider76 said:


> This is a picture of a friends tire, pretty obvious its damned near new. 2nd ride it got a hole and it sealed, 3rd ride the hole started leaking and had to be tubed to get out. Kind of crappy that it didn't even last 3 rides.
> 
> View attachment 989976


That doesn't look like my Nobby Nic? Might be a Rocket Ron?


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## BikeIntelligencer (Jun 5, 2009)

Gonna have a hard time on this forum convincing folks that tire only has 3 rides on it.


dirtrider76 said:


> This is a picture of a friends tire, pretty obvious its damned near new. 2nd ride it got a hole and it sealed, 3rd ride the hole started leaking and had to be tubed to get out. Kind of crappy that it didn't even last 3 rides.
> 
> View attachment 989976


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## BikeIntelligencer (Jun 5, 2009)

Not a 2015...


SierraOutsider said:


> Here's a couple shots of my 2015 Nobby Nick wear patterns for refrence:
> 
> View attachment 989988
> 
> ...


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## SierraOutsider (Apr 1, 2015)

BikeIntelligencer said:


> Not a 2015...


Really?







Source: Schwalbe 2015 Nobby Nic - Review - Pinkbike


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

Looks like a 2015 to me. ^^^


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## BikeIntelligencer (Jun 5, 2009)

oops youre right. my bad sorry!


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## dirtrider76 (Sep 19, 2012)

tadmcmichael said:


> That doesn't look like my Nobby Nic? Might be a Rocket Ron?


Yeah its a Rocket Ron, I don't know why I got them confused. I can remove the pic if desired.



BikeIntelligencer said:


> Gonna have a hard time on this forum convincing folks that tire only has 3 rides on it.


Why cause it still has nubs all over it and casing flash? No reason to lie, that tire might have 30 miles on it top's.


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## redo7 (May 26, 2014)

*NN2.25 width*

Hello all,

I just installed NN2015 26x2.25 on my bike.
Previously i had the smart SAM 26x2.25 i can see that the NN have less width than the smart SAM? Is it something common, so are the new NN narrower?

I am not sure if my bike has the clearance for 2.35.













what do you think will it be ok?


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## JeroenK (Oct 3, 2005)

dirtrider76 said:


> This is a picture of a friends tire, pretty obvious its damned near new. 2nd ride it got a hole and it sealed, 3rd ride the hole started leaking and had to be tubed to get out. Kind of crappy that it didn't even last 3 rides.
> 
> View attachment 989976


Blame the rock or piece of glass that did that, not the tire. I am surprised the sealant managed to seal it in the first place. Just put a regular inner tube patch on the inside, after clearing the area of sealant and roughing it up with sandpaper. It's good to go after that.


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## jonshonda (Apr 21, 2011)

hey redo7, did you take the pics of your bike under water? 


OT, I really wasn't fond of my (pre-2015) NN until I started dropping the pressure(when used as a front tire). 235lb ride w/ 2.35NN front @ 23 psi, and 2.35RaRa @28 rear. 

I ride some rocks and roots, but have very sandy type soil in my area. NN is wearing very well on the front, and RaRa is showing typical side-knob wear on the rear. I will be trying Ardent/Ikon next, but for now I am very pleased with what lower pressures have done for the performance of the Schwalbe tires.


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## redo7 (May 26, 2014)

jonshonda said:


> hey redo7, did you take the pics of your bike under water?


No these are taken over water.
Its the blue color of the bike that confuse you


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## upstateSC-rider (Dec 25, 2003)

Bttocs said:


> had my second ride today on my 2015 NN's and pushed them a bit. Dropped the pressure to 17 front and 19 rear. Really, really like these tires. The control and stability over medium rocks is great. They really absorb the bumps without kicking me of the seat (Airborne 29" hardtail). So far I am impressed and they are making me a better rider.


Wow, those are low pressures with tubes.
I'm about 210 and feel that 25f/27r is the lowest I can go on my tubed RR's on my HT.


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## H00rst (Apr 14, 2015)

Bttocs said:


> had my second ride today on my 2015 NN's and pushed them a bit. Dropped the pressure to 17 front and 19 rear. Really, really like these tires. The control and stability over medium rocks is great. They really absorb the bumps without kicking me of the seat (Airborne 29" hardtail). So far I am impressed and they are making me a better rider.





upstateSC-rider said:


> Wow, those are low pressures with tubes.
> I'm about 210 and feel that 25f/27r is the lowest I can go on my tubed RR's on my HT.


I agree, I'm 195lb and I can't go under 30 PSI rear on RR/HD/NN with tubes.


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## titusquasi (Jan 5, 2006)

FYI: I bought 2 29X2.35 SS TE PaceStar 2015 Nics earlier this year for my Enduro 29. They weighed 780g and 820g. 

I just bought 3 more of the same tires and they weighed 750g, 750g, & 740g. 

I am very impressed with the 2015 Nics. They survived a week in Moab much better then the Hans Dampf and any other Schwalbe tire I've used. The compound seems much more durable than past tires.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

redo7 said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I just installed NN2015 26x2.25 on my bike.
> Previously i had the smart SAM 26x2.25 i can see that the NN have less width than the smart SAM? Is it something common, so are the new NN narrower?
> ...


Dimensions for the 27.5"x2.25 & 2.35 versions of the Nobby Nic from our tire comparison testing last fall:

*Schwalbe Nobby Nic: 27.5" x 2.35 Front, 2.25 Rear, Pacestar/Snakeskin*

2.25

Claimed Weight: 610g
Actual Weight: 710 g (1 tire weighed)
Tire Height: 55 mm
Casing Width: 56 mm
Knob Width: 56 mm

2.35

Claimed Weight: 685g
Actual Weight: 814-820g (1 tire weighed)
Tire Height: 55 mm
Casing Width: 58 mm
Knob Width: 58 mm

Pacific Northwest Winter Tire Comparison Test: 2015 Nobby Nic, High Roller II, Neo-Moto & Hans Dampf ? DIRT MERCHANT BIKES


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## Bttocs (Jun 21, 2014)

H00rst said:


> I agree, I'm 195lb and I can't go under 30 PSI rear on RR/HD/NN with tubes.


The 17/19 are the lowest pressures I have ever run, but the tires feel good. I may find I need to go up a bit in really technical terrain. The snakeskin side wall is a lot stiffer than the GEAX AKA 's that came off the bike. The Geax I had to run at 25-30 psi. The NN's are great at the low pressures because they absorb the roots and smaller rock impacts and allow you to just roll over them. I don't get bounced out of my seat on my hardtail nearly as much and I can ride up much more difficult rough climbs due to the tire. I am impressed. I think I am at about the lowest setting I can get away with on these tires.


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## fsrxc (Jan 31, 2004)

Spectre said:


> Dimensions for the 27.5"x2.25 & 2.35 versions of the Nobby Nic from our tire comparison testing last fall:
> 
> *Schwalbe Nobby Nic: 27.5" x 2.35 Front, 2.25 Rear, Pacestar/Snakeskin*
> 
> ...


still much heavier than claimed, dang.


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## H00rst (Apr 14, 2015)

Not sure what's going on with Schawlbe. I've ordered a Nobby Nic 2015 27,5x2,35 and I've got a Nobby Nic 2015 26x2,25


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## Verbl Kint (Feb 14, 2013)

The above post was the reason I got a 2.25 instead of a 2.35.


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## jazzanova (Jun 1, 2008)

Verbl Kint said:


> The above post was the reason I got a 2.25 instead of a 2.35.


Funny thing is my 2.35 was exactly the claimed weight and lighter by about 40g than my 2.25...


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## ALS650L (Apr 19, 2009)

Can anybody provide a comparison between the old style Nobby Nic and the new? Specifically as a rear tire in 29X2.35 variety?


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## Mahmer09 (Jan 8, 2013)

I recently got a Giant Anthem SX that came with Nobby Nic tires. They are the evo, pace star 3, liteskin version. According to Giant's website, the tires that come on the bike are tubeless ready. But Schawlbe's website seem's to indicate that the ONLY evo version of this tire that isn't tubeless ready is the liteskin one. WTH? Anyone try and go tubeless with this particular version with any success? I got all the stuff to go tubeless but didn't research these tires well enough. They are brand new and I can't justify two new tires just to go tubeless. Thanks in advance


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## Bttocs (Jun 21, 2014)

I bought a 2015 Nobby Nic in that exact size and really like them. I have them on both front and rear of my 29" hardtail. Never tried the earlier version. Pinkbike did a very good comparison of them, check that out. Personally, I run the 2015 at sub 20 psi pressures and the tires are great at absorbing small rocks and ruts. It feels like I have new suspension on the bike. It makes such a difference on the trails, I can't believe it. I have only great things to say about the 2015 tires. Just put them on this season, so not a lot of miles yet, but so far they have great traction and roll pretty well also.


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## ridetheridge (Mar 7, 2009)

Bttocs said:


> I bought a 2015 Nobby Nic in that exact size and really like them. I have them on both front and rear of my 29" hardtail. Never tried the earlier version. Pinkbike did a very good comparison of them, check that out. Personally, I run the 2015 at sub 20 psi pressures and the tires are great at absorbing small rocks and ruts. It feels like I have new suspension on the bike. It makes such a difference on the trails, I can't believe it. I have only great things to say about the 2015 tires. Just put them on this season, so not a lot of miles yet, but so far they have great traction and roll pretty well also.


2.25 or 2.35 ? I've heard the the 2.25 are on the skinny side.


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## Bttocs (Jun 21, 2014)

29x2.35 size. They measure about 2.30 wide. They seem to run a little narrower than spec size in the 29" line


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## NullAndVoid (May 29, 2011)

Bttocs said:


> 29x2.35 size. They measure about 2.30 wide. They seem to run a little narrower than spec size in the 29" line


It all depends on the rim width though, on a 30mm inside wide rim they are actually slightly oversized. I wouldn't be able to go wider on my Camber.


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## Dagonger (Dec 8, 2011)

ridetheridge said:


> 2.25 or 2.35 ? I've heard the the 2.25 are on the skinny side.


Just mounted a 26x2.35 on 21mm Easton haven carbons. Wow they are skinny..


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## rayninaces (May 18, 2011)

did you get the 2.25, or 2.35. If you got the 2.25 will the TB LTc take a 2.35?. Also, did you go with the Trailstar or Pacestar compound?


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## Bttocs (Jun 21, 2014)

I can believe on a 30mm wide rim the tires are slightly oversized. I mounted 29X2.35 NN's, snakeskin, EVO, pacestar tires on a 24mm rim (inside spec width) and they measured about 2.29" wide. On the same rim I had Geax AKA tires, 2.25 size and they measured about 2.27" wide. They were over spec, while the NN's are significantly under spec on the 24mm rim. I tried moving the bead in and out to simulate wider and narrower rims and you could see the tire width change pretty drastically. My conclusion is rim width makes a big difference and the spec size is just a ball park number and each tire company will use a different std. I would hope that for a single tire company, their sizes are consistent, but I bet that is not ever true. So you have to rely on experience and information sharing like we are doing now.

Just a FYI, I asked my bike company what the max size tire I could put on was, and they told me it was 2.25 and the tires I bought would not fit. I am pretty sure I could fit a Ardent 2.40 tire after measuring my bike, but it would depend on exactly how wide the 2.40 tire was on my rims. If they were 2.40 or smaller, they would fit by my measurements. This is allowing for some clearance for tire wobble and mud build up. You really have to look at your specific bike and what the narrowest point is for tire clearance.


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## F29Lefty (Apr 10, 2014)

Just tried a pair of the 15 Nobby Nic Evos. Just did a wet race and they were phenomenal.


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## redo7 (May 26, 2014)

I ordered 26x2.25 and they send me 26x2.1...also


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## CaRaBeeN (Mar 24, 2012)

I've ordered a set of evo 26 x 2.35 trailstar.
Will be changing from XR4 Team Issue..
760 gram vs 645 gram
What I expect is to get
1- reduced weight
2- increased speed
3- better cornering grip
4- better sidewall protection against cuts..

let's see..


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## brainzito (Apr 7, 2012)

F29Lefty said:


> Just tried a pair of the 15 Nobby Nic Evos. Just did a wet race and they were phenomenal. However. On normal hard pack and loose over hard pack up here in Idaho on a dry day. I'm not impressed. Put 100 miles on them. And I'm taking them off. Way over priced. I like my stock XR3 experts better. The Nobby Nic spins out a lot on climbs. And is not a confidence builder in off camber corners. If it rained here everyday is keep them. But I don't live in Seattle. Lol. If any one wants them I'll sell them to ya cheap.


I'll take them...


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## CaRaBeeN (Mar 24, 2012)

Here the actual weights of my set:


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## CaRaBeeN (Mar 24, 2012)

Today I've tried them for the first time.
It's same route that I do almost every weekend.
I'm coming from Bontrager XR4 Team Issue.
To be honest, I'd almost walk my bike at fire road climb. I think it's because I used very low psi (23 front 24 rear, where i normally make 26 front 28 rear). So for me climbing is noticeably difficult
But when it comes to descend, it was really confident inspiring where the XR4's awful.
Tomorrow I'll try increasing psi on the same route to make a better comparison.

Last but not least, it looks tiny even in 2.35 in comparison to my 2.35 Bontys..


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## fsrxc (Jan 31, 2004)

CaRaBeeN said:


> Today I've tried them for the first time.
> It's same route that I do almost every weekend.
> I'm coming from Bontrager XR4 Team Issue.
> To be honest, I'd almost walk my bike at fire road climb. I think it's because I used very low psi (23 front 24 rear, where i normally make 26 front 28 rear). So for me climbing is noticeably difficult
> ...


Hey Carabeen, where did you buy yours? I'm having trouble finding 27.5 NN TSC in stock anywhere.


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## mtnbkrmike (Mar 26, 2015)

What is the Cole's Notes version of this thread? Is there a general consensus on these tires? I previously ran an HD front and NN rear and liked that combo. I am currently running DHF front and DHR2 rear. I'd try the NNs (2.35 snakeskin's if available) front and rear iso long as they can: a) handle sharp rocks without getting shredded, b) fair ok in wet roots/rocks, and c) hold a corner reasonably well.

Thanks.


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## BikeIntelligencer (Jun 5, 2009)

I didn't know Cliff's last name was Cole but here goes: 
NNs are a compromise that cover 80 percent of what Maxxis will do but at much lighter weight and improved trail feel. If you have to have Maxxis then by all means. But if you want to save a pound or more and like a springier feel, the 2015s are the next best thing. I run them on both 27.5 and 29er FSes and go Maxxis only for the truly malevolent trail trash, loose spiky rooty knack knack where getting thru without a blowout is the primary goal...



mtnbkrmike said:


> What is the Cole's Notes version of this thread? Is there a general consensus on these tires? I previously ran an HD front and NN rear and liked that combo. I am currently running DHF front and DHR2 rear. I'd try the NNs (2.35 snakeskin's if available) front and rear iso long as they can: a) handle sharp rocks without getting shredded, b) fair ok in wet roots/rocks, and c) hold a corner reasonably well.
> 
> Thanks.


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## CaRaBeeN (Mar 24, 2012)

fsrxc said:


> Hey Carabeen, where did you buy yours? I'm having trouble finding 27.5 NN TSC in stock anywhere.


I got them online from bike24.com


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## CaRaBeeN (Mar 24, 2012)

CaRaBeeN said:


> Today I've tried them for the first time.
> It's same route that I do almost every weekend.
> I'm coming from Bontrager XR4 Team Issue.
> To be honest, I'd almost walk my bike at fire road climb. I think it's because I used very low psi (23 front 24 rear, where i normally make 26 front 28 rear). So for me climbing is noticeably difficult
> ...


Boys'n Lads, no way! Climbing is horrible with this 2015 Nobby Nic's.
Today I've increased psi to 28 front , 30 rear. But result is same. I'd almost walk my bike at climb.
It's the same route that I make which requires 25min of climbing (open fireroad), elevation gain is 300m.
However I had to stop 2 times and cleared it in 35 minutes! Where I normally never stop to catch my breath.

On the other hand, descending is amazing. I've increased my top speed at descend!

I don't know what to do , either I'll give couple of rides to try. Otherwise I'll look for another tire set.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

Nothing about your review indicates that they are a bad tire. It only indicates that you are piss poor at climbing. 

Schwalbe tires are known to be fast rollers.


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## Lornholio (Mar 5, 2013)

I've been riding a 2015 Pacestar Nobby Nic Double Defense 2.25 on the rear of my Bronson so far this summer (Hans Dampf 2.35 Trailstar up front). Yes it's light and fast but the grip just isn't there for me, both in straightline braking and in cornering, in all but dry hardpack situations. It's also wearing pretty quickly, almost twice as quickly as a Maxxis 60a I'd say. Durability has been OK, just one hole which required a tubeless plug, but a lot of tiny holes can be seen between the knobs with damp patches where the sealant is doing its thing but also seeping out a tiny bit. Maxxis EXOs are slightly more durable than Schwalbe Snakeskin even with Double Defense - I normally get 2-3 cuts in the tread of those in an entire summer but none of the tiny holes I mentioned.

The Nobby Nic is a good tyre, but not what I'm really looking for. I live in a spot with very rocky, technical terrain so I was 50/50 if a tyre this light would work for me but wanted to try as that was the only way to know for sure. My recent 26" tyres were mostly Maxxis DHF 2.5s so I'm trying Specialized Butchers front & rear next to see how they work out.


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## caRpetbomBer (Jul 13, 2013)

No idea about what your talking about a bad climbing tire. I have only good things to say about these new nobby nic tires. Serious amount of grip climbing. Or people giving them a bad review cause it doesn't have a good grip as a Magic Mary tire. LOL sure.


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## CaRaBeeN (Mar 24, 2012)

I am just saying too much grip on climbs. It sticks to the ground so tooks so much efforts to pedal
Also keep in mind that I am running trailstar compound which is softer than pacestar


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## jonshonda (Apr 21, 2011)

CaRaBeeN said:


> I am just saying too much grip on climbs. It sticks to the ground so tooks so much efforts to pedal
> Also keep in mind that I am running trailstar compound which is softer than pacestar


It would have been nice to know that you were using a tire that was intended to be in the front...as a rear. You are a customer Schwalbe wishes they never had. Using tires in the wrong application then b!tching about it on the internet. ReAl nIcE


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## CaRaBeeN (Mar 24, 2012)

jonshonda said:


> It would have been nice to know that you were using a tire that was intended to be in the front...as a rear. You are a customer Schwalbe wishes they never had. Using tires in the wrong application then b!tching about it on the internet. ReAl nIcE


OK
Please let me know if I choose PS compound instead of TS, would that make me happy climber? Or Nobby Nic's should only be used as front you think?


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## NullAndVoid (May 29, 2011)

I'm very happy with my pacestars, a good blend of rolling resistance, grip, and wear rate.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

The Nobby Nic in Pacestar actually rolls pretty well:
Pacific Northwest Winter Tire Comparison Test Session 2: 2015 Nobby Nic, Mountain King II, Trail King, Vigilante/Trail Boss, Magic Mary & Hans Dampf ? DIRT MERCHANT BIKES
Pacific Northwest Winter Tire Comparison Test: 2015 Nobby Nic, High Roller II, Neo-Moto & Hans Dampf ? DIRT MERCHANT BIKES
I recommend the faster rolling Nobby Nic in the back with a Hans Dampf in front.


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## moefosho (Apr 30, 2013)

Spectre said:


> The Nobby Nic in Pacestar actually rolls pretty well:
> Pacific Northwest Winter Tire Comparison Test Session 2: 2015 Nobby Nic, Mountain King II, Trail King, Vigilante/Trail Boss, Magic Mary & Hans Dampf ? DIRT MERCHANT BIKES
> Pacific Northwest Winter Tire Comparison Test: 2015 Nobby Nic, High Roller II, Neo-Moto & Hans Dampf ? DIRT MERCHANT BIKES
> I recommend the faster rolling Nobby Nic in the back with a Hans Dampf in front.


I just bought a new bike with a HD 2.35 up front and I am ordering a Nobby Nic as a rear tire.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

Spectre said:


> The Nobby Nic in Pacestar actually rolls pretty well:


Indeed. I'd argue that it is the fastest rolling tire in its class.

If you're complaining about the Nobby Nic, try a Nevegal and get back to us.


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## Bttocs (Jun 21, 2014)

I am running the Pacestar snakesin 29X2.35 NN front and back on my hardtail. I really like the tires so far. They are a huge improvement over the Geax AKA tires I had previously. They roll pretty fast, have a lot of grip, feel good, and for me at 245lbs they have a stiff enough side wall that I can run them sub 20 psi (17/19) and they really absorb and damp the small roots and rocks. I can climb short steep stuff much better due to the grip and the tire not bouncing me off the seat as much over the roots. I think they are pretty much what they claim to be, a very good all around tire. I haven't had them in mud, but others report they are pretty good for an all arounder.


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## fsrxc (Jan 31, 2004)

Le Duke said:


> Indeed. I'd argue that it is the fastest rolling tire in its class.
> 
> If you're complaining about the Nobby Nic, try a Nevegal and get back to us.


I'm running Trailstar F&R and they seem to roll pretty fast too.


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## F29Lefty (Apr 10, 2014)

Is the 2.35" NN too wide for the i9 ultralites? 21.3mm internal 25mm external. I have 2.25" RocketRons and I really like them. Very fast and good grip on smooth. When the trail gets a little techy it leaves me wants a little nobbier front tire. Tried a 2.35" NN but felt like is was folding on me. Thinking I should try the 2.25" NN. With the RocketRon rear. I called i9 and they recommended a 2.25". Curious to see what you guys think.


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## spyghost (Oct 30, 2012)

anyone here who rides the road going to the trail?

i curious as to its durability on the road since i pedal 9 km to get to the trail.... so that's 18k back and forth on the road on a single ride


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## Bttocs (Jun 21, 2014)

I ride the road to get to my local trails. I just put the 2015 NN's on for this season and so far they are holding up well, but I don't have a lot of riding on them yet, just finished getting the boat in the water, so not a lot of riding yet. I will say they are not as smooth rolling as a small knob tire on the road, but that is the price you pay for more traction. I also feel they have a "fast roll" speed range that they feel good in and works well on the trail. On the road going down hills, they don't feel as fast or good as a small tire, but that is expected


----------



## PhoS (May 12, 2009)

PhoS said:


> I have about 50 mi on my New Nics(650b 2.35 SS PSC rear, TSC front), and I have to say pretty impressed thus far. I was riding the SG MM/RR prior. I'm liking these more than the old nics and HDs for the matter. Previously, I was totally sold on the RR but with as well as these roll I don't feel the need to go that route anytime soon.
> 
> The new SS casing feels pretty nice, only time will tell if it will hold up. If they are not up to the job I will definitely destroy them but so far so good! The side knobs feel good and the transition from the middle is very consistent with no surprises. The most noticeable part is how well they track in the loose stuff. I have run them from 26-35psi, 30 seems to be about the sweet spot to me.


Just to follow up on this, I have put a fairly considerable amount of time on the tires in the last few months.

They have been holding up tubeless with no flats but I have been noticing a few stans wet spots in-between knobs here and there. (mostly on the rear) The holes must be tiny because they're not losing air in-between rides? Otherwise they are wearing nicely, no torn knobs to mention. Thanks to the drought I have been riding mostly dry loose, hardpack, and rocky trails. Personally I feel like I want a little more side knob bite on the front sometimes in deep stuff but overall I find them to be pretty neutral handling. Not sure what the guy is talking about these not rolling well, these tires roll great compared to anything short of a rock razor. Maybe he had too many cookies for breakfast.


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## Rootsboy (Mar 25, 2013)

I have been running a 2015 Nobby Nic pace star on my rear for a few months now teamed up with a High Roller2 on the front.
Really like how it feels, but! I have been having constant small leaks all around the tyre. And a few very slow sealing issues on obvious punctures. 
I had the tyre off to make sure there was no multiple thorns left in. Re-mounted the tyre with fresh stans and it still is leaking from all of the 30 or so tiny holes around the tyre. During a ride it is loosing more pressure, and as soon as I re-inflate you can see the extra pressure causing liquid to leak out. It's like these holes are refusing to seal. 
Not sure if this is a issue with this tyre or maybe a problem with the stans. My HR2 is fine and I have about 2 punctures I see from last ride.
I contacted shawalbe customer support to be told. I should use a Gravity Hans Dampf instead.


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## fsrxc (Jan 31, 2004)

Rootsboy said:


> I have been running a 2015 Nobby Nic pace star on my rear for a few months now teamed up with a High Roller2 on the front.
> Really like how it feels, but! I have been having constant small leaks all around the tyre. And a few very slow sealing issues on obvious punctures.
> I had the tyre off to make sure there was no multiple thorns left in. Re-mounted the tyre with fresh stans and it still is leaking from all of the 30 or so tiny holes around the tyre. During a ride it is loosing more pressure, and as soon as I re-inflate you can see the extra pressure causing liquid to leak out. It's like these holes are refusing to seal.
> Not sure if this is a issue with this tyre or maybe a problem with the stans. My HR2 is fine and I have about 2 punctures I see from last ride.
> I contacted shawalbe customer support to be told. I should use a Gravity Hans Dampf instead.


I've seen some posts where people are having similar problems with leaks not sealing, using Stans sealant, then changed to Orange seal and it did a better job. Might be worth a try if it's been going on for a while.


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## Averbuks (Oct 24, 2014)

I have been running 2015 2.35 Nobby Nic Pacestar in the front and old style 2.25 Nobby Nic in the rear. Tubeless with Stans. These are on WTB i25 rims. I lose a consistent 2 PSI per week on these tires. I know this because I measure with a digital gauge before each ride. The amount of loss is identical each time. I only ride once a week so not a huge deal for me.


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## Rootsboy (Mar 25, 2013)

fsrxc said:


> I've seen some posts where people are having similar problems with leaks not sealing, using Stans sealant, then changed to Orange seal and it did a better job. Might be worth a try if it's been going on for a while.


Yeah I think I also saw that some where. The problem is, I can't see where to buy orange sealant in Europe, but I did see a test somewhere saying that the bontrager sealent maybe similar to the Orange. If that is the case I maybe able to get hold of some to try. 
If anyone else is having similar problems, please let shwalbe customer service know about it as they are saying they have not had other reports of this.


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## Ronnie (Jan 17, 2004)

Rootsboy said:


> If anyone else is having similar problems, please let shwalbe customer service know about it as they are saying they have not had other reports of this.


That has simply got to be untrue. Someone simply pushed your query aside. I had really hoped that Schwalbe had addressed this issue on their new tyres as I've been wanting to try a set of new Nobby Nics. I and others have had the same problem in the past as can be seen on this thread:

http://forums.mtbr.com/wheels-tires...-tubeless-ready-tires-leaking-air-774705.html

I would suggest that it has nothing to do with the sealant but rather the tyres. I've never had the problem with any other tyre brand.


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## boomslang64 (Feb 18, 2015)

Just got a '15 Nobby Nic. It has a nice bulge in the sidewall. CRC is great and a new one is on it's way. Hopefully the new one is bulge free and doesn't wear out as fast as the Hans Dampf I had out back.


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

Rootsboy said:


> I have been running a 2015 Nobby Nic pace star on my rear for a few months now teamed up with a High Roller2 on the front.
> Really like how it feels, but! I have been having constant small leaks all around the tyre. And a few very slow sealing issues on obvious punctures.
> I had the tyre off to make sure there was no multiple thorns left in. Re-mounted the tyre with fresh stans and it still is leaking from all of the 30 or so tiny holes around the tyre. During a ride it is loosing more pressure, and as soon as I re-inflate you can see the extra pressure causing liquid to leak out. It's like these holes are refusing to seal.
> Not sure if this is a issue with this tyre or maybe a problem with the stans. My HR2 is fine and I have about 2 punctures I see from last ride.
> I contacted shawalbe customer support to be told. I should use a Gravity Hans Dampf instead.


My 2014 Racing Ralph rear is doing the same... Mind you, it must have been in service for at very least 8 months.

It didn't do that when new. Apparently, it does it more with Bontrager sealant than Stan's. Air loss is not an issue. It may lose a couple strokes of my cheapo track pump a week.

I have looked closely and the casing has small pin-holes or mini-rips (1-2mm only the rubber exterior layer?) where the leaks are.

Somehow I prefer this to a sudden catastrophic failure? It seemed to happen over time and it's getting worst as rides go by. I haven't had a flat or a burp yet. NOthing serious other than the funny looking tyre.

I was looking at the 2015 Nobby Nic as a replacement in order to get a bit more traction and probably prevent these small-pox leaks.


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

F29Lefty said:


> Just tried a pair of the 15 Nobby Nic Evos. Just did a wet race and they were phenomenal.


Did you seriously find them lacking in grip in dry compared to XR3's?
Not calling you out, but I put an XR3 Team Issue on the back and had it replaced with my Racing Ralph because the Ralph grips better on climbs.

This would mean the Nic has even less climbing grip than a Racing Ralph? It doesn't look like from the tread design!
Well, I thought the same of the XR3. IT looked like it would hook up better than the Ralph, but it doesn't.


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## Skedasticity (Feb 6, 2014)

Warp said:


> My 2014 Racing Ralph rear is doing the same... Mind you, it must have been in service for at very least 8 months.
> 
> It didn't do that when new. Apparently, it does it more with Bontrager sealant than Stan's. Air loss is not an issue. It may lose a couple strokes of my cheapo track pump a week.
> 
> ...


I just put a Nic on the back and noticed a few small wet spots like this after a couple rides. Definitely worrisome, I rode similar trails with other tires and didn't have any issues with small leaks like this.


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## dirtrider76 (Sep 19, 2012)

Try Orange seal, I'm finding it seals up a good bit better in leaky tires.


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## Skedasticity (Feb 6, 2014)

dirtrider76 said:


> Try Orange seal, I'm finding it seals up a good bit better in leaky tires.


I guess I'm not so much worried about getting the tires to seal as I'm worried that these small pinhole leaks indicate that the quality and/or durability of the tire is very suspect. Granted, I expect them to wear faster based on descriptions but developing these leaks all over (which did not appear on the ardent I was running) is a concern.


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

Skedasticity said:


> I guess I'm not so much worried about getting the tires to seal as I'm worried that these small pinhole leaks indicate that the quality and/or durability of the tire is very suspect. Granted, I expect them to wear faster based on descriptions but developing these leaks all over (which did not appear on the ardent I was running) is a concern.


Yeah, well... As mentioned. My tyre is pretty old. 8mo at the very least and only started doing it around the 4mo mark.

It's more of a mental thing. It gets into your head that the casing is leaking. As Sked says, the tyre seals just fine.

Again, I've found pinholes and cuts in the casing in the places the leaks are present.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying it's all right. None of my Bontragers or Maxxis do that. I just can't be positive that it affects the tyre.

Shame. The Racing Ralph it's a perfect rear tyre for me. I liked the old Nobby Nic on looser forest soil also as a rear.


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

Here is my Racing Ralph. Looking more worrying now, lol. But it has been unused for a couple weeks now


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## Skedasticity (Feb 6, 2014)

Warp said:


> Here is my Racing Ralph. Looking more worrying now, lol. But it has been unused for a couple weeks now


Are those from only a couple leaks or are there little holes all throughout those wet areas?


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

Skedasticity said:


> Are those from only a couple leaks or are there little holes all throughout those wet areas?


Didn't inspected closely, but I think that is 4 leaks. Two separated, two merged because of extending.

There are more on the rest of the tyre and now it is starting to sweep along the bead but that could be the places I've used a tyre lever on and the less than perfect rim tape.

But again, my brand new Bontrager doesn't do that. The dust only makes it look worst. It's the dry season here and we are deep in it.


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## buggymancan (Jan 30, 2005)

Warp said:


> Didn't inspected closely, but I think that is 4 leaks. Two separated, two merged because of extending.
> 
> There are more on the rest of the tyre and now it is starting to sweep along the bead but that could be the places I've used a tyre lever on and the less than perfect rim tape.
> 
> But again, my brand new Bontrager doesn't do that. The dust only makes it look worst. It's the dry season here and we are deep in it.


Ive had a similar experience with my newer (2015) racing Ralph tires, where several of the side knobs have begun to rip away form the casing. This causing a small tear and leak that the orange sealant could not handle. Anybody have any experience with sending the tire to Schwalbe for Warrantee replacement. It has happended to (2) new ralphs within a day of each other after only 2-3 short rides.:madman:


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## F29Lefty (Apr 10, 2014)

Warp said:


> Did you seriously find them lacking in grip in dry compared to XR3's?
> Not calling you out, but I put an XR3 Team Issue on the back and had it replaced with my Racing Ralph because the Ralph grips better on climbs.
> 
> This would mean the Nic has even less climbing grip than a Racing Ralph? It doesn't look like from the tread design!
> Well, I thought the same of the XR3. IT looked like it would hook up better than the Ralph, but it doesn't.


Yah I don't even know anymore man. I'm so lost in the tire world. So many variables. I felt like the 2.35 Nics didn't grip as well on my 21.3mm internal rims as the 2.25 Rons I have been running. I freakin loved the Rons but just rode up at Sun Valley very Loamy and rocky and the Rons were smoked in one day of 30+ miles. One of them survived but the rear is missing knobs and got a huge gash in it. So I put a 2.25 nic on the front in hopes it will suffice. If not I guess I'm going back to the XR3s. They last way longer and have good grip. But idk. Too many dang options. I need a tire consultant lol


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

Is weeping a huge deal? 

I've had Contis, Specialized, Bontrager and Schwalbe weep. Didn't seem to affect performance at all.


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## F29Lefty (Apr 10, 2014)

dirtrider76 said:


> This is a picture of a friends tire, pretty obvious its damned near new. 2nd ride it got a hole and it sealed, 3rd ride the hole started leaking and had to be tubed to get out. Kind of crappy that it didn't even last 3 rides.
> 
> View attachment 989976


my Ron did the same thing yesterday only 150ish miles on it.


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

Le Duke said:


> Is weeping a huge deal?


In all honesty... not in my case. Just puzzling.

It's like having rattles in the car's dashboard. You know it will probably won't affect a thing. It's just not easy on the mind. Makes you think something bad is about to happen.


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

F29Lefty said:


> I need a tire consultant lol


Tell me about it.

I went to Schwalbes because I ripped a Conti. 
Maxxis haven't made a rear tyre I really get to love (of the ones I've tried).
Then Schwalbe makes fantastic rear tyres (Nics and Ralphs) but they have this sort of gizmos.
I got one Bontrager replaced because it had a bulge on the casing.


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## Rootsboy (Mar 25, 2013)

Warp said:


> In all honesty... not in my case. Just puzzling.
> 
> It's like having rattles in the car's dashboard. You know it will probably won't affect a thing. It's just not easy on the mind. Makes you think something bad is about to happen.


Not sure. I was loosing a lot of psi over a ride. Since then I have had my wheel off and doing all juggling about with it at different psi to try and seal the holes over a few days. 
It's a pain and the uncertainty I now have going on long rides,. Something I never had with the maxxis.
Will see how this tire fair's when I return to riding once my shock and fork are serviced.


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## Back2MTB (Jun 4, 2014)

Rootsboy said:


> Not sure. I was loosing a lot of psi over a ride. Since then I have had my wheel off and doing all juggling about with it at different psi to try and seal the holes over a few days.
> It's a pain and the uncertainty I now have going on long rides,. Something I never had with the maxxis.
> Will see how this tire fair's when I return to riding once my shock and fork are serviced.


Are you using Stan's sealant? Try giving orange seal a shot, made a huge difference for me.


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## Rootsboy (Mar 25, 2013)

Would love to but can't buy it in Europe. I will look for the bontranger liquid as meant to be similar


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## F29Lefty (Apr 10, 2014)

Warp said:


> Tell me about it.
> 
> I went to Schwalbes because I ripped a Conti.
> Maxxis haven't made a rear tyre I really get to love (of the ones I've tried).
> ...


Yah I'm so picky. Not sure I'll ever be satisfied with tires. Haha this week I'm on a 2.25" nobby nic 15 in front and 2.2" xr3 team issue. 20miles in. I'm liking it. Idk .. Maybe it's just me but I think 2.2-2.25 is the sweet spot for 21mm internal rims. I know everyone says wider is better. Who knows.


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## Snipe (Mar 6, 2005)

Le Duke said:


> Is weeping a huge deal?
> 
> I've had Contis, Specialized, Bontrager and Schwalbe weep. Didn't seem to affect performance at all.


I agree. I haven't found the weeping to affect the performance. I have a half dozen wheelsets going and am using or have used '14 nobby nic, RRs, RoRo, Conti Xking, Nevegal, Schwalbe HD, Maxxis Ardent and Hutchinson Cobra and Cougar Air Light.

All the Schwalbes and Contis except for the Hans Dampf weep regardless whether the sealant is Stans or my homemade. Initially they may not when they are new but sooner or later they start. They are lower priced performance level tires, single sidewall, light weight. The Hans Dampf is a more expensive evo and they haven't leaked and neither has the Maxxis ardent in exo tr version. But they both cost a lot more. Surprisingly the cheap Nevegal, that doesn't recommend sealant, doesn't weep at all. The worst of the bunch by far was the Hutchinson Cobra and then the Cougar. The Cobra sidewall never did seal, leaked like a sieve and I put in tubes. The Cougar finally sealed enough to be rideable but weeps. But then what do you expect from Air Light.

As to durability the Schwalbes and Contis suck. The knobs either rip off, wear off or become so wobbly as to be useless. 8 rides I got on my RR 29er rear. Now I am glad that they only cost 16euros. Again the cheap Nevegal has lasted much longer and the performance is adequate.

So I try and balance out the weight, cost, durability, performance, and the weeping. It seems you can't get them all. If the new 2015 Nobby Nic is more durable and the performance reviews are good then I will give that a try even if it does weep a bit. At 17euros for the performance level tire that may be a good all rounder.


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## Metamorphic (Apr 29, 2011)

Le Duke said:


> Is weeping a huge deal?
> 
> I've had Contis, Specialized, Bontrager and Schwalbe weep. Didn't seem to affect performance at all.


What I worried about with the weeping is the tire drying out faster, requiring more frequent additions of sealant, which is expensive. Also, all that refilling will see a lot more latex precipitating out of solution onto the tire casing increasing weight.

All in all it just seems like a sucky downward spiral of increasing cost, more frequent maintenance, and increasing weight that I would just as soon avoid.


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## Snipe (Mar 6, 2005)

Metamorphic said:


> What I worried about with the weeping is the tire drying out faster, requiring more frequent additions of sealant, which is expensive. Also, all that refilling will see a lot more latex precipitating out of solution onto the tire casing increasing weight.
> 
> All in all it just seems like a sucky downward spiral of increasing cost, more frequent maintenance, and increasing weight that I would just as soon avoid.


However the solution is to buy tubeless ready tires with heavier sidewalls, increased cost and probably less quick performance. It seems impossible to get a light weight tire with low rolling resistance that is durable, seals tight and performs well in all conditions. There is a complaint about every tire made. whats the saying: light, durable, cheap...pick 2.

Considering that where I live thorns are not a problem, I run reasonable tire pressures 30/25 on wide rims and I am not a clydesdale I am beginning to think about going back to tubes.


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## Metamorphic (Apr 29, 2011)

Snipe said:


> However the solution is to buy tubeless ready tires with heavier sidewalls, increased cost and probably less quick performance. It seems impossible to get a light weight tire with low rolling resistance that is durable, seals tight and performs well in all conditions. There is a complaint about every tire made. whats the saying: light, durable, cheap...pick 2.
> 
> Considering that where I live thorns are not a problem, I run reasonable tire pressures 30/25 on wide rims and I am not a clydesdale I am beginning to think about going back to tubes.


If I were running those kinds of pressures I'd go back to tubes too.

Tubeless is attractive from the thorn and pinch-flat perspective. But after you get it all dialed in it ends up being the lower tire pressures, higher grip, smoother rolling, and more supple tire feel that really makes it worth while. At least IMHO.


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## Back2MTB (Jun 4, 2014)

I have run WTB Weirwolves (2.55 and 2.3) and WTB Trailboss 2.25 fast/light for a year now with Orange Seal and have not yet had one flat. I ride in rocky/rooty New England. Rims have a number of scratches, I've burped them a few times and have a sidewall puncture that OS sealed up on the trailboss. No knobs ripped off, tires show wear but nothing like the weepy junk you guys are sharing pics of. I weigh 190 and run 22-3f/23-25rear. They may not be super light, though not terrible, but they are a lot faster than changing flats or walking home. If you're not using them for race tires, Schwalbes seem silly to me, wasting my limited ride time fiddling with tires is way more costly to me than a couple of extra $ for good tires that last. Also have a WTB Vigilante 2.3 but that tire is a truck and I love the confidence I can ride with when it's on the front!


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## Snipe (Mar 6, 2005)

Metamorphic said:


> If I were running those kinds of pressures I'd go back to tubes too.
> 
> Tubeless is attractive from the thorn and pinch-flat perspective. But after you get it all dialed in it ends up being the lower tire pressures, higher grip, smoother rolling, and more supple tire feel that really makes it worth while. At least IMHO.


No argument that I would love to run lower tire pressures. But with light weight xc tires that I use and the amount of rock we ride on I have pinched too many sidewalls and bent too many rims. So I accept that I don't get all the benefits that tubeless has to offer and play it a little safer on tire pressure.


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## Haymarket (Jan 20, 2008)

I just ordered a new NN TrailStar 29 2.35 for the back of my 5" trail bike, with a new 2.3 Bonty XR4 for the front, but now I'm thinking maybe the NN would be better on the front with XR4 on the back to start. Which one would you put up front to start?


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## JonMX5 (Dec 22, 2011)

How are you guys liking the 2015 NN as a front tire? I have the older version as my rear tire and have been really happy with it but I haven't found a front that I'm quite happy with yet. 

I ran a Hans Dampf in front first and found traction near the limit to be a bit vague and inconsistent. I replaced it with an older DHF I had and definitely prefer it in the corners and I didn't notice much of a difference in the effort it takes to pedal it. However, I would like something a little wider with more volume without sacrificing weight or rolling resistance. 

The new NN seems beefy enough that it might work. I was also considering the Magic Mary. For you guys running it in the front, how does it compare to other tires you have tried?


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

JonMX5 said:


> How are you guys liking the 2015 NN as a front tire? I have the older version as my rear tire and have been really happy with it but I haven't found a front that I'm quite happy with yet.
> 
> I ran a Hans Dampf in front first and found traction near the limit to be a bit vague and inconsistent. I replaced it with an older DHF I had and definitely prefer it in the corners and I didn't notice much of a difference in the effort it takes to pedal it. However, I would like something a little wider with more volume without sacrificing weight or rolling resistance.
> 
> The new NN seems beefy enough that it might work. I was also considering the Magic Mary. For you guys running it in the front, how does it compare to other tires you have tried?


If you didn't like the Hans Dampf in front, I don't think the Nobby Nic will be any better.

Pacific Northwest Winter Tire Comparison Test: 2015 Nobby Nic, High Roller II, Neo-Moto & Hans Dampf - DIRT MERCHANT BIKES

It seems that you like the solid row of cornering knobs that the 
DHR has, I would suggest considering other tires with a similar profile without intermediate knobs. The Magic Mary would do well, but is even heavier than the DHF. Maybe consider a Specialized Butcher or a Michelin Wild Rock'r 2 as DHF alternatives. I've ridden the Butcher and like it generally (Planned for our Nov 2015 test session). Haven't ridden the Wild Rock'r but have heard good things about traction. The Wild Rock'r is also heavy though like the Magic Mary.

Pacific Northwest Winter Tire Comparison Test Session 2: 2015 Nobby Nic, Mountain King II, Trail King, Vigilante/Trail Boss, Magic Mary & Hans Dampf - DIRT MERCHANT BIKES


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## boomslang64 (Feb 18, 2015)

I'm liking my new Nobby Nic in the back. It's a 2.35 in Pacestar compound. The durability is dramatically better than the Hans Dampf Trailstar it replaced. It has good grip on climbs and rolls well. It hooks up well when cornering, but has a tendency to enter a nice controllable drift, which I enjoy.


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## loamranger (Oct 26, 2006)

Anybody running Magic Mary front and NN rear apart from Nico Lau?

From Schwalbe News:

NICO LAU WINS ENDURO WORLD SERIES SCOTLAND.
At its recent debut at the Enduro World Series in Scotland, Nobby Nic achieved its first ever win. The French Enduro rider Nico Lau, riding for the Cube Action Team rode Nobby Nic on the rear with the aggressive tread of Magic Mary on the front, all set up on our new Dual Chamber System.

The win was also Nico’s first ever win at an Enduro World Series Race with hopefully more to come!


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

loamranger said:


> Anybody running Magic Mary front and NN rear apart from Nico Lau?
> 
> From Schwalbe News:
> 
> ...


Yes, The NN rolls a lot better than the Hans Dampf without too much loss of cornering traction. I've run a MM with a Hans Dampf as a rear tire and found that the MM and NN as the rear tire is probably the better combination due to noticeably lower rolling resistance unless there is a need for more rear tire traction. The MM is still a lot to push uphill though, but having the lower rolling resistance NN as a rear tire makes it a little easier.


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## loamranger (Oct 26, 2006)

Spectre said:


> Yes, The NN rolls a lot better than the Hans Dampf without too much loss of cornering traction. I've run a MM with a Hans Dampf as a rear tire and found that the MM and NN as the rear tire is probably the better combination due to noticeably lower rolling resistance unless there is a need for more rear tire traction. The MM is still a lot to push uphill though, but having the lower rolling resistance NN as a rear tire makes it a little easier.


Thanks, good to know. Running RR rear at the moment but looking ahead for wet conditions. New NN sounds like a good bet.


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## fsrxc (Jan 31, 2004)

loamranger said:


> Thanks, good to know. Running RR rear at the moment but looking ahead for wet conditions. New NN sounds like a good bet.


Based on a few wet/muddy rides, the new NN (also old NN) clears mud quite a bit better than the HD.


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## boomslang64 (Feb 18, 2015)

loamranger said:


> Anybody running Magic Mary front and NN rear apart from Nico Lau?
> 
> From Schwalbe News:
> 
> ...


I am. Loving the combination.


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## Haymarket (Jan 20, 2008)

boomslang64 said:


> I am. Loving the combination.


Which tread compound version are you running on the rear?


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## jmcdev1 (Jan 1, 2011)

*NN 2014 vs 2015*

Wow, what a difference! Recently built up a 2016 SWorks Stumpy 29 XL frame with new 2015 NN 2.35 front and new 2014 NN 2.35 rear that I had bought last year. Sorry Spectre, it be hard to throw away a new $100 tire even if you say it's old technology :_) Rocky, rooty, off camber, scary-slippery roots here and usually wet conditions from last nights rain. Not racing, used to race in past, but extremely competitive trail riding. 
The front was unbelievably better traction in the above conditions than older version which I have ridden exclusively for past 3 yrs. The front just didn't constantly skip side to side, or totally slide out on off camber roots like I remember w/ older version if pushing too fast. Stiffer sidewalls allowed me to lower tire pressure ridiculously low and not kiss the carbon rim. The rear on the other hand was very squirrely, constantly slipping sideways, squirming with low pressure (don't run as low as front tho) and just not confidence inspiring at all. Kept looking back to see if I had a flat or something. It was so bad I bought another 2015 for the rear after just 3 rides, and it was just as stable as the front, altho have to run a bit higher pressure to avoid kissing the rim when wacking tree stumps and bigger roots at speed going downhills. (This Stumpy just plows through stuff you had to loft the wheels a bit for on the Epic!) The increased grip/traction is that noticeable. The off camber/slippery wet root grip also amazing. 
Riding near elite level,so not just plodding along. For reference, I pump tires up so that needle just clears the zero on Specialized floor pump for front tire and 1mm higher than that on the dial for rear. We routinely test tire pressure by straddling tire and pushing down with both thumbs crossed over the top of tread as hard as we can. We aim for compressing 1/3 rear-1/2 front way down into the tire for best results. So this is really low pressure and these stiffer sidewalls on the 2015 let us ride with this confidently without squirm/burp/smashing rim beads. They are tighter beads and a bugger to get on, but this is the tradeoff I guess for no burps. Won't complain since tire stays on till worn out. 
We absolutely have to ride Pacestar and Snakeskin here. Get 1-2 rides before ripped sidewall without.
Just some feedback. 
After Spectre's comments in this post last year I expected a bit of an improvement but this has blown me away. 
I think the test I did is most revealing since you have both tires on the bike all the time for constant comparison in exactly the same conditions, and then you only make one change in the rear. When I had the earlier version on the front I really had to go slower to stay upright in wet conditions, than I have in the last 6 rides w/ 2016 up front and then even faster again with 2016 front and back recently. 
We ride the same loop trail once a week with 10 min warmup rolling trail, then gut busting climb for 20 min then the long/very technical, rooty, rocky, slippery downhill, going around for a second loop over 90 min total ride for past 10 yrs or more. So I know every nook and cranny and what gear for each section or how much brake I'm pulling at every point. I have found that I am letting off the brakes more or pulling less brake because of the confidence. Have had to adapt to almost running right off the trail in places, where that absolutely never happened before, because of the higher speeds.
I'm reading that tire manufacturers will soon learn how to make proper tires for the new fatter rims and that everyone will love them then and make the switch. It occurs to me that tire manufacturers are finally learning how to make tires for skinny rims (my Roval Control SL 22mm ID) with stiffer sidewalls that give them much of the touted benefits of fatter 30mm ID rims w/o the added rotating weight. Was considering going to the Traverse Fattie SL 30mm ID wheels, but not now. Lovin it!
By the way, first NN weighed 730gm, second 760, I think advertised was 725. I'll take a little more rubber in the rear, hee hee.


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## C.M.S (Aug 28, 2009)

Thanks for the great review jmcdev1 , thinking i'm going to try out the new nn 2.35 trailstar up front and a pacestar 2.25 (r) on some 23mm inner width rims . I have the 2014 pacestar 2.25 (r) on 21mm inner width rims and dont like how bad it slides off roots , gobs of grip other than that . So hopefully new wider rims and the new nn's will be a smile from ear to ear performance .


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

jmcdev1 said:


> The front was unbelievably better traction in the above conditions than older version which I have ridden exclusively for past 3 yrs. The front just didn't constantly skip side to side, or totally slide out on off camber roots like I remember w/ older version if pushing too fast. Stiffer sidewalls allowed me to lower tire pressure ridiculously low and not kiss the carbon rim. The rear on the other hand was very squirrely, constantly slipping sideways, squirming with low pressure (don't run as low as front tho) and just not confidence inspiring at all. Kept looking back to see if I had a flat or something. It was so bad I bought another 2015 for the rear after just 3 rides, and it was just as stable as the front, altho have to run a bit higher pressure to avoid kissing the rim when wacking tree stumps and bigger roots at speed going downhills. (This Stumpy just plows through stuff you had to loft the wheels a bit for on the Epic!) The increased grip/traction is that noticeable. The off camber/slippery wet root grip also amazing.
> Riding near elite level,so not just plodding along.
> 
> After Spectre's comments in this post last year I expected a bit of an improvement but this has blown me away.


Yep, I try to be as objective as I can be in how I word my feedback on tires, but I've now seen how much better a bike can feel with the right tires. It's great to read about your experience riding the older and newer versions of the NN back-to-back.


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## Professed (Sep 25, 2007)

Haven't checked all the posts but wish to chime in with another Yes NN 2015 is a big step up from the 2014. 
When new, rear grip better than say Ardent. Feels similar but faster rolling than a HD. Faster than a HRII.

BUT - I have now been running it for about 3-4 months Rear and all of the centre knobs are ripped off and the side knobs have started to peel back. ( 2.25 Pacestar on 35mm internal. sandstone and clay. )
No more than 70km a week on the trails. 
Durability is as poor as ever. 
Disappointing. 

Combined with a HD 2.35 trailstar front its a nice combo for wet rock, damp trails, semi mud. 
NN better than HD in mud. 

HD side knobs after 4 months on the front are peeling back. 

One of them has been pulled off. Tyre is getting quite sketchy. 

When new these Schwalbe are awesome but they have a very short life.

Moving back to Maxxis HRII front (2.4 3C) and something else on the back. Considering an Ikon 2.35 R for the drier conditions.


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## C.M.S (Aug 28, 2009)

Thinking i may just give the WTB Vigilante's a try . tread pattern looks like the new nn's , and the WTB's might be more durable in the long run .


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## Barman1 (Jan 8, 2014)

Installed 2.35 NNs this week to replace a set of Ardent 2.25s.
600 miles on the Ardents mounted tubeless on Stan's Arch EX.
The rear Ardent was trashed. Right down to canvas on the sidewall and all the side knobs were torn off.
Went back to tubes for a while as well. Usually I run tubes for a few rides to get the tire formed to the wheel for ease of tubeless installation but I might leave them in.
I love these Nics. Much grippier than the Ardents and even with the wider profile they're better rollers. Tubes maybe?


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## bde1024 (Feb 14, 2005)

Anyone having problems getting 2015 NNs to bead up tubeless? I have been running the previous version of the NN 29 X 2.25 on a Roval carbon wheel on the back of my Tallboy LTc. Got the 2015 version (also 2.25) to replace it, but just couldn't get it to bead up tubeless despite lots of soapy water on the bead and 70 psi from my compressor blowing straight into the valve with core removed! I've mounted numerous tires tubeless in the past using the same methods with no issues. Previous Schwalbe Tubeless Ready tires mounted with ease. 

I have the tire mounted now with a tube. It's the "tubeless easy" Snakeskin version. The bead did seem to be on the tight side compared to the old tire. Did Schwalbe change 
bead diameter or something? I'm hoping the bead will stretch a bit after a couple of rides and let me set it up tubeless.


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## Haymarket (Jan 20, 2008)

bde1024 said:


> Anyone having problems getting 2015 NNs to bead up tubeless? I have been running the previous version of the NN 29 X 2.25 on a Roval carbon wheel on the back of my Tallboy LTc. Got the 2015 version (also 2.25) to replace it, but just couldn't get it to bead up tubeless despite lots of soapy water on the bead and 70 psi from my compressor blowing straight into the valve with core removed! I've mounted numerous tires tubeless in the past using the same methods with no issues. Previous Schwalbe Tubeless Ready tires mounted with ease.
> 
> I have the tire mounted now with a tube. It's the "tubeless easy" Snakeskin version. The bead did seem to be on the tight side compared to the old tire. Did Schwalbe change
> bead diameter or something? I'm hoping the bead will stretch a bit after a couple of rides and let me set it up tubeless.


That's strange. My 2.35 Version was as easy as it gets, no soap, left the valve core in, popped right on with a compressor, but it would have been no problem with a high volume floor pump the way it went on. Would the bead just not pop out of the middle channel on the rim? Was a lot of air escaping? My rims are fairly tight and I think that makes it easy because minimal air escapes around the bead even in the channel.


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## bde1024 (Feb 14, 2005)

Haymarket said:


> That's strange. My 2.35 Version was as easy as it gets, no soap, left the valve core in, popped right on with a compressor, but it would have been no problem with a high volume floor pump the way it went on. Would the bead just not pop out of the middle channel on the rim? Was a lot of air escaping? My rims are fairly tight and I think that makes it easy because minimal air escapes around the bead even in the channel.


Yeah, the bead wouldn't pop out of the middle channel. I tried mounting it with a tube (which beaded it without much effort), then de-beading one side, but as soon as I pulled the tube out the other bead slid off its shelf and into the center channel. Maybe too much soapy water. I'm going to let it sit with the tube at 40 psi for a while and try tubeless again. So far, the 2015 is also disappointly small in volume compared to the old NN or even a 2.25 RR.


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## fsrxc (Jan 31, 2004)

bde1024 said:


> Yeah, the bead wouldn't pop out of the middle channel. I tried mounting it with a tube (which beaded it without much effort), then de-beading one side, but as soon as I pulled the tube out the other bead slid off its shelf and into the center channel. Maybe too much soapy water. I'm going to let it sit with the tube at 40 psi for a while and try tubeless again. So far, the 2015 is also disappointly small in volume compared to the old NN or even a 2.25 RR.


Yeah, mine is not as bad but still hard to seat, even harder to mount onto the rim.
Check that the rim tape is centered and not affecting the bead seating.


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## bde1024 (Feb 14, 2005)

fsrxc said:


> Yeah, mine is not as bad but still hard to seat, even harder to mount onto the rim.
> Check that the rim tape is centered and not affecting the bead seating.


I'm using the 25mm Stan's yellow tape, which covers the center channel and bead shelves. It's in perfect shape, no wrinkles or gaps.


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## jmcdev1 (Jan 1, 2011)

I also had a very hard time mounting nobby nic 2.35 SS Pacestar front and rear as the bead is tight for 2015, as well as for the last 2014 tire I mounted. However had no trouble getting the beads to pop on and stay there with a tiny 1 gallon air compressor. Didn't use soapy water and never do. After the beads pop on I let all the air out, screw the valve core back in and pump it up with a floor pump and the beads stayed put. Also mounted the nobby Nics on Roval control SL wheelset. I've never had trouble with the beads slipping off that way even when I did used to use soapy water. Just wanted to let you know that someone else didn't have your same problem.


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## bde1024 (Feb 14, 2005)

jmcdev1 said:


> I also had a very hard time mounting nobby nic 2.35 SS Pacestar front and rear as the bead is tight for 2015, as well as for the last 2014 tire I mounted. However had no trouble getting the beads to pop on and stay there with a tiny 1 gallon air compressor. Didn't use soapy water and never do. After the beads pop on I let all the air out, screw the valve core back in and pump it up with a floor pump and the beads stayed put. Also mounted the nobby Nics on Roval control SL wheelset. I've never had trouble with the beads slipping off that way even when I did used to use soapy water. Just wanted to let you know that someone else didn't have your same problem.


I finally got the tire mounted without tube. I needed the compressor and a lot of pressure, a floor pump wasn't even close. "Tubeless Easy" is definitely a misnomer. It didn't grow much over night, still a bit undersized. The Snakeskin layer seems thicker than previous NNs.


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## Ronnie (Jan 17, 2004)

I've got to add to the chorus of people having problems seating these tyres. I ordered a 29" Trailstar 2.35 for the front and a Pacestar 2.35 for the back from Schwalbe USA. I ordered on the phone and mentioned to the guy that I previously used the old type Nobby Nicks which were TLR. He told me that the "Tubeless Easy" were better.:nono: Yeh right! I've been riding only tubeless for at least twelve years with only TLR, UST, 2Bliss etc. and never used anything but a floor pump but not with these. I mounted them on my SUNRinglé Charger Pro wheels which are NoTubes BST spec. rims. I got them on by hand so they are not very tight and NoTubes rims are supposed to have a bit bigger BSD. I even pulled out the valve cores which I've never done before but these tyres were not going to seat. I had to run out to the local gas station to use a compressor. Not impressed.:incazzato:


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## F29Lefty (Apr 10, 2014)

Warp said:


> Did you seriously find them lacking in grip in dry compared to XR3's?
> Not calling you out, but I put an XR3 Team Issue on the back and had it replaced with my Racing Ralph because the Ralph grips better on climbs.
> 
> This would mean the Nic has even less climbing grip than a Racing Ralph? It doesn't look like from the tread design!
> Well, I thought the same of the XR3. IT looked like it would hook up better than the Ralph, but it doesn't.


I'm on some XR3s right now. Thinkin bout going back to a NN 2.35 in front and back. Or maybe a Ralph 2.35 rear. How's the durability of the Ralph? Been riding more places that are a little rockier then normal. I tried an Ardent/Ikon combo and lost the front end and lost all confidence on Maxxis. So going back to schwalbe. But not sure if I want NN/NN or NN/RaRa. Any advice?


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## upstateSC-rider (Dec 25, 2003)

Racing Ralphs grip like crazy but wear too fast for my money.
Just had a first ride on a nobby nic 2.35 in front and maxxis ardent 2.25 in the back and love the combo so far.


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## F29Lefty (Apr 10, 2014)

upstateSC-rider said:


> Racing Ralphs grip like crazy but wear too fast for my money.
> Just had a first ride on a nobby nic 2.35 in front and maxxis ardent 2.25 in the back and love the combo so far.


how fast we talking? couple hundred miles??


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## upstateSC-rider (Dec 25, 2003)

F29Lefty said:


> how fast we talking? couple hundred miles??


Definitely between 200 and 250 miles there was significant wear. 
Hardpacked trails with rocks strewn in plays a part I'm sure.


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## mtbiker040 (Jul 11, 2010)

currently running NN 2.35 F / 2.25 R tubeless and I love them on my i23 rims.

I have a set of LB 30mm inner width wheels on order and am considering just bringing them over to see how they do!


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## jabrabu (Aug 2, 2010)

upstateSC-rider said:


> Racing Ralphs grip like crazy but wear too fast for my money.
> Just had a first ride on a nobby nic 2.35 in front and maxxis ardent 2.25 in the back and love the combo so far.


I find the Racing Ralphs to be light and fast rolling, but lacking in grip compared to a Nobby Nic or Specialized Ground Control. The Ralph loses grip more easily on rooty climbs and skids a lot easier under braking.


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## F29Lefty (Apr 10, 2014)

man i am torn on these tires. been riding extremely dry conditions.. have a 225 and 235.. currently running 235 on front and ron 225 rear. the nic brakes so good and rolls decent but in fast corners it becomes skidish.. started at 20 PSI and now down to 16 PSI ( i weight 130) feels better but Its not gripping like i want should i go back to the 225?


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## loamranger (Oct 26, 2006)

F29Lefty said:


> man i am torn on these tires. been riding extremely dry conditions.. have a 225 and 235.. currently running 235 on front and ron 225 rear. the nic brakes so good and rolls decent but in fast corners it becomes skidish.. started at 20 PSI and now down to 16 PSI ( i weight 130) feels better but Its not gripping like i want should i go back to the 225?


What compound are you using, TS on the front will grip much better? If this doesn't work then HD or MM front and NN rear? On my 29er I have used both these and recently switched to MM TS front, so much grippier. Really like this tyre and it rolls pretty well with NN PS or RR PS at the back. For wet conditions I would put the HD on the back.


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## F29Lefty (Apr 10, 2014)

loamranger said:


> What compound are you using, TS on the front will grip much better? If this doesn't work then HD or MM front and NN rear? On my 29er I have used both these and recently switched to MM TS front, so much grippier. Really like this tyre and it rolls pretty well with NN PS or RR PS at the back. For wet conditions I would put the HD on the back.


Yah running the pacestar for the rolling resistance.. I don't want to run anything heavier then a nic cuz I do a lot of climbing as well. Might try the trailstar. Or go back to the Ron. I feel like it grips way better in corners .. Which seems ass backwards when you look at the tread and see that the Ron is skinnier.. Haha


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## mtbiker040 (Jul 11, 2010)

I rode in very wet conditions today on my local trails with the 2.35 F / 2.25 R NN and they were awesome! I was pleasantly surprised. Rain started falling as soon as we set out and the conditions got more wet as we went along.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

I'm not surprised that you found the Rocket Ron to grip better in dry conditions. In our recent Seattle comparison testing, the Rocket Ron seemed to bite and turn in quicker than the Hans Dampf which works great in wet conditions here. As you mention, it seems completely counter-intuitive given the size of the Rocket Ron's tread blocks compared to those of the Nobby Nic or Hans Dampf.

Pacific Northwest Summer 2015 XC Tire Comparison Test: X-King, Rocket Ron, Ardent, Neo-moto, Hans Dampf & Nobby Nic ? DIRT MERCHANT BIKES


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## F29Lefty (Apr 10, 2014)

*Rocket Ron & Nobby Nic Evo*

Selling these tires. Both are Evo Snakeskin 29"x2.25" only have 1 ride on them that was 10miles. Bought them for $90 each. Selling for $50 each or $80 for set. Hit me up if interested


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## mbcracken (Aug 12, 2006)

F29Lefty said:


> Selling these tires. Both are Evo Snakeskin 29"x2.25" only have 1 ride on them that was 10miles. Bought them for $90 each. Selling for $50 each or $80 for set. Hit me up if interested
> 
> View attachment 1015405


I'll take 'em. PM'd you...

Cheers,
Mike


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## Barman1 (Jan 8, 2014)

I installed 2.35 NNs front and rear a couple weeks ago and with the extremely dry conditions they worked great.
But
We finally got some rain recently and the NNs are way too slippery on the wet rocks and roots. I was sliding all over the place and climbing traction was horrible.
The front end stays planted well enough but I'll be swapping the rear back to a 2.25 Ardent.


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## F29Lefty (Apr 10, 2014)

Barman1 said:


> I installed 2.35 NNs front and rear a couple weeks ago and with the extremely dry conditions they worked great.
> But
> We finally got some rain recently and the NNs are way too slippery on the wet rocks and roots. I was sliding all over the place and climbing traction was horrible.
> The front end stays planted well enough but I'll be swapping the rear back to a 2.25 Ardent.


Thats crazy i experienced the exact opposite. They were awesome in wet and horrible in dry.


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## Barman1 (Jan 8, 2014)

F29Lefty said:


> Thats crazy i experienced the exact opposite. They were awesome in wet and horrible in dry.


I just came off Ardents for 2 seasons and the rear Nic was all over the place on wet roots and rocks. They do well in mud though with the more aggressive knobs.
I'm thinking the compound is harder? Even with the wider tire they roll better than my Ardents did at the same pressure.
I'm not trying to knock them because they do shine in areas where the Ardents didn't, it was the slippery climbs for a couple days that put me off.
I'll use the Nics on the front and I've got a pile of Ardents to mount up still so no loss, positive actually seeing as I won't need to buy any more tires till next season.


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## rideitall (Dec 15, 2005)

Just took the 2015 NN of the back of the bike (snakeskin trailstar). Was pretty good through most of the summer. Great traction over most conditions, but definitely need to keep the wheel pretty much fully weighted or it will slip out.

Was getting pretty good and knowing when it would let go as well. Over the past few rides the wear on the tire along with some wet/greasy conditions want more from the back tire. I had a Hans Dampf and Nobby Nic (both trailstar, SS) in the box and decided to put the HD on. Should get most of the winter on it.

Surprisingly the Magic Mary up front has got to be close to a year old and still in decent shape. It has wear, but the knobs are still in tact. The rubber is not as grippy as it once was, perhaps have burned through most of the outer rubber that has the softer durometer. I have a new MM ready to install should it be needed for the wet and greasy conditions that are sure to arrive on the shore.


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## socalrider77 (Sep 1, 2012)

Bumping this thread. Looking to go with an HD up front and a NN rear. Ride in SoCal, so dry dusty/sandy conditions, with not very many rocks. Would the performance versions of these tires be fine? Will be running on a 2014 trance 3 27.5. Hard to justify spending double for the pacestar. Thanks for any input


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## Professed (Sep 25, 2007)

socalrider77 said:


> Bumping this thread. Looking to go with an HD up front and a NN rear. Ride in SoCal, so dry dusty/sandy conditions, with not very many rocks. Would the performance versions of these tires be fine? Will be running on a 2014 trance 3 27.5. Hard to justify spending double for the pacestar. Thanks for any input


Its interesting how we all have differing experiences with tyres, its so subjective.

HD front ( 2.35 trailstar ) with NN rear ( 2.25 pace star ) - importantly current generation NN previous gen were pretty awfull as a rear- is a terrific trail combo. Lightish, the nice large casings and way the schwalbe carcasses are made make for a lively feel. I have some of my fastest gravel/rock singletrack times on this combo so will likely be great for socal.

BUT. The tyres disintegrate quickly. NN turns into a semi slick out back quickly and side nobs tend to tear off the HD. 
For something more precise out front try a much slower rolling HRll or a minion DHF or DHRll. Their casings feel less lively but cornering and braking is superior if you race the descents.


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## Verbl Kint (Feb 14, 2013)

My current am combo is a Maxxis Shorty up front and the new NNic out back. I am very pleased with it. Note that we have tropical monsoon conditions right now. 

Sent using Tapatalk


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

How well does the Shorty work in drier conditions?


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## socalrider77 (Sep 1, 2012)

Ordered a 2.35 HD pacestar and 2.35 NN pacestar today, both snakeskin. Will report back once I get some rides on them. Will be on a trance 27.5


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## hoverp (Sep 6, 2011)

Big trip to Moab last week , rode Mag 7 and 1/2 of the whole Enchilada, then blew out my rear Continental 2.25 Mountain King 29 er RS on Enve 50/50 wheels right at the bead , just above the actual bead right blow where you can first see the tire above the rim, my buddy also blew out his TWO Conti Trail kings 27.5 2.4 Protections right in the same spots. Basically bead tire horizontal seperations. We were running tubeless and Stans, I was at 29 psi and he was at 30. I've never had any problems with The mountain or trail kings before but Contis bead junction just doesn't seem up to Moab abuse. It was not coincidental. 3 Contis 2 protections, 1 RSand all in the same locations on the tire.

We went to poison Spider, I bought the New 2.35 Nob Nic EVO TLE SNAKESKIN , PACESTAR, he bought some Maxis Ardents. Stans and 25 psi out the door GTG. 
I Then rode slick rock, Amasaback and Capt Ahab, on the NN , and was pleased with their dry and loose performance. Slick rock really wore the rear in on the first ride though. So I'm not sure how they compare to the Contis for life span. I rode them on a 18 mile Montana Rocky loose single track when when I got home from Moab and they performed well, nothing unexpected. 

I could feel the weight increase for sure compared to my Conti 2.25 RS Mountain King.

Have not ridden them in the wet yet. Overall if they hold up I'll be pleased wth them. But the look to be wearing faster than my Conti Mount. Kings for sure .


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## hoverp (Sep 6, 2011)

Forgot to ask in my above post, 

Has anybody compared the PACESTAR compound to the TRAILSTAR compound on the new NN , if so what did you learn?


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## Rootsboy (Mar 25, 2013)

Starting to get fed up with the new Nobby Nic, it's great for me as a rear until something goes wrong which just seems to be a lot more then my old maxxis. Loads of small puncture holes and others that just don't seal. Shame I really want to like it, but it does not seem up to the job. Think I will stick a tube in to get some more use and start looking what to replace it with.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

Rocky areas seem to be tough on Schwalbe tires. Maxxis tires would be my go-to suggestion if durability seems to be a concern.


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## hoverp (Sep 6, 2011)

Just did 21 more mikes this afternoon, Rocky singe track, my Contis mountain kings had over 500 miles on them and most from this trail, I'm afraid the new Nobby nic is a bit wear prone rather fast in comparison, it's great up front, but the back has about 70 miles on it and it's looking like a 450 mile mountain King. I would think the TRAILSTAR version would be worse?


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## hoverp (Sep 6, 2011)

I feel It's a compound issue, I don't think they have it right for anti chunking, n a bit better wear. But everything in life is a trade off. Maybe they could make the PACESTAR compound a bit more wear prone on the center knobs , but then traction might go down. Anyone tried the TRAILSTAR compound?


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## Davide (Jan 29, 2004)

Spectre said:


> ... the 27.5 x 2.35 NN mounted on Stans Arch rims (21mm inner width).


Same rims here, Stans Arch and 27 x 2.25 Nobby Nic. They work great and have a wonderful round profile. Exceptionally smooth on the turns with no "edge" effect of any sort they roll very well. Weight was right on specs. I am coming from 26 x 2.4 NN.


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## Verbl Kint (Feb 14, 2013)

Spectre said:


> How well does the Shorty work in drier conditions?


Sorry for the late OT reply as I just saw this now. The Shorty works fine in drier conditions but not as well on dry AND loose conditions.

Joining a 3-stage Enduro this weekend with my Shorty and Nic '15 combo even if I have a Magic Mary and Hans Dampf lying around. 

Sent using Tapatalk


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## Professed (Sep 25, 2007)

my mate has a trailstar up front. loves it for general and technical trail riding on clay, sand and rock.

pacestar still isn't hard enough for the style of tread pattern IMO. Trailstar will provide fab initial grip and performance with a little less roll but will likely tear apart even quicker than the already low durability pacestar


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## Miker J (Nov 4, 2003)

To add my time on the NNs...

About a dozen rides on them. Derby rims on a Mach 6. Replaced a pair of DHF/DHRII to make the bike a bit quicker. Tubelesson Derby rims. NE rider with local trails being a good mix of dirt, roots, and rocks, in that order. Local conditions are not hard on tires, but with that said I do tear weaker tires often. Luckily I can get the tires at cost.

Way faster than the Maxxis tires I had on. Very nice . Some loss of grip though. I can live with that out back but not sure about up front. Trailstar front, pace rear. I've a spare Mary in a Trail and may put that up front. Might roll too slow though.

Rear end grips well but when I try to get it to let loose and drift in a turn, it does it suddenly, scary.

Wearing well so far.

Setup Tubeles with some hassle, not as easy as a Spec or Maxxis.

Was a hard move going away from Maxxis and Spec tires that I trust so much.


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## JCWages (Jan 26, 2015)

Thanks for this thread. As much as I wanted to try Schwalbe tires I just can't get around the terrible wear. I'll stick with WTB and Maxxis for now. Way to many Rocky trails to mess with weak tires.


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## hoverp (Sep 6, 2011)

The tires are strong, Moab proved that out, they just wear a bit faster than I would like.


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## Rootsboy (Mar 25, 2013)

I think there are some very mixed opinions of these tires. Mine have been rubbish loads of pin hole leaks and large rips showing the fabric around the knobs which take ages to seal.
I am guessing I may have one of a bad batch, and all customer service has told me is to buy tires designed for downhill.
I would not say that I even ride them the aggressive.
I may try the double defence version in the future, but having a bitter taste I will go back to maxxis tires which I know just work or give some specialized a try.


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## Verbl Kint (Feb 14, 2013)

I've used the 2.25 trailstar snakeskin version for a rear tire on a couple of rocky DH tracks. They seem fine but note that it's been raining here a lot more. 

This is after I've had an Ardent out back which would just refuse to stay solid and would puncture at the smallest crag on a blue level trail. 

Sent using Tapatalk


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## Roaming50 (Apr 30, 2009)

loamranger said:


> Anybody running Magic Mary front and NN rear apart from Nico Lau?
> 
> From Schwalbe News:
> 
> ...


I have this combination on a Tallboy LTc. I ride in fairly rocky terrain. The Magic Mary is okay but not as good as the Maxxis DHF I had on before (but that is a different class or tire). The Nobby Nic is a terrible rear tire though for my conditions. It has next to no braking ability on the rear - it slides just thinking about braking. It's a quick tire on the right terrain but it is not durable. Mine is the Pacestar and after only about 3 rides it was showing significant wear on the rear. But my 7th ride I ripped a knob open through a rocky creek bed at 30 mph and holed the tire. I now have to try to patch that or just trash it.

I was looking for a tire that would be faster than my prior combination (Maxxis 2.5 DHF and 2.35 DHR II) and while the MM/NN is, it just is not durable. The Maxxis lasted over a year and near a 1000 miles. The Schwalbe lasted < 2 months and barely 200 miles.

I don't want to mess with tires on a regular basis so I guess in the future I will for slower rolling by durable tires (Maxxis) over faster rolling by crappy tires..


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## ALS650L (Apr 19, 2009)

I'm running a Hans Dampf front and new Nobby Nic rear combo. I was previously running old Nic pacestar rear, now on a new Nic Trailstar. I'm much happier with the new Nic, even in trailstar compound I'm finding it is way more durable than the old Nic. I've got 300 miles on it and will do many more. I like it much more than the old Nic design in all conditions I ride in VT.


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## Miker J (Nov 4, 2003)

Follow up review...

Had a Pacestar in back, Trailstar in front. Fast combo. Turned out to not inspire enough confidence when pushed hard. Would be good for trail riding but not AM.

Put a Magic Mary up front, but that left the back way outmatched, so I put the Trailstar NN out back and shelved the Pacestar. 

The MM is right up there with the classic DHF, but even bigger volume - which is a really good match with my Derby rims. I had the MM as it came stock on the front of my new DH rig from last year - wouldn't use it for real DH unless it was the real DH version, which it is not.

The NN Pacestar out back is confidence inspiring. Climbs, brakes, and hooks up great but rolls so-so at best. I think I'll stick with a DHR II out back - which set up tubeless easier, is likely much more durable, and may even roll a bit faster.

So, overall, the NN would likely make a good, fast trail tire. But for AM it just doesn't cut it. I was looking for something that hooked up like the DHF/DHR II but rolled faster - no go. Guess you can't get something for nothing.


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## socalrider77 (Sep 1, 2012)

I've been running the new NN for a couple months, put about 150 miles on it so far. Rolls decently well, braking traction is there and seems fine in the corners. However, the center nobs have started to chunk off from the back (strange to me) so I don't know how long it will last. Hopefully around 400 miles because that's the only thing that is showing wear so far. Side nobs are great, just the center ones are chunking now.


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## Verbl Kint (Feb 14, 2013)

I'm building an AM hardtail right now and I'm thinking of using the new Nobby Nic up front and the older Nobby Nic as a rear tire. 

The logic being I need the grip up front but not so much at the back. The plan is to set it up tubeless on 27.5 ZTR Arch EX rims. Is this set up a good idea or should I just go with a rocket ron or Racing Ralph at the back? 

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## ALS650L (Apr 19, 2009)

Verbl Kint said:


> I'm building an AM hardtail right now and I'm thinking of using the new Nobby Nic up front and the older Nobby Nic as a rear tire.
> 
> The logic being I need the grip up front but not so much at the back. The plan is to set it up tubeless on 27.5 ZTR Arch EX rims. Is this set up a good idea or should I just go with a rocket ron or Racing Ralph at the back?
> 
> Sent using Tapatalk


My experience with the old Nic is that the tread gets destroyed pretty quickly as a rear tire. It just shreds apart. I've switched to the new style Nic, in trailstar and it's working much much better than the old nic in pacestar, way more durable.


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## DrDon (Sep 25, 2004)

ALS650L said:


> My experience with the old Nic is that the tread gets destroyed pretty quickly as a rear tire. It just shreds apart. I've switched to the new style Nic, in trailstar and it's working much much better than the old nic in pacestar, way more durable.


I agree. The new NN is much better particularly if I'm caught out in a rain storm. It's still a light duty trail tire with an emphasis on speed.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Miker J (Nov 4, 2003)

DrDon said:


> I agree. The new NN is much better particularly if I'm caught out in a rain storm. It's still a light duty trail tire with an emphasis on speed.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Agreed - the new NNs wear well.

Though my set (650b Snakeskin, 2.35, Trailstar and Pacestar) have only a few rides on them, they look like new.

Speaking of that if anyone is interested in them PM me, as I prefer Maxxis and Spec tires, and I'd let them go real cheap as they are only collecting dust.

Ok to delete this if this is considered a cheap shot (spam).


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

Just curious, you guys with the weepy NN's, what sealant are you using. The NN Pacestar is prevalent as a rear tire amongst most of my riding buddies. I just had carbon hoops built up and put a new NN pacestar on the rear and a Hans Dampf TS on the front and started off with Orangeseal. I'm 300 miles in on these and have torn a lug that required an interior patch on the NN due to our sharp, rocky terrain. Other than that, both tires are holding up very well considering this terrain. All my buddies are using the standard Stan's and each and every one has tons of weepy pinholes on their NN. Several are the same age as my tires. With Orangeseal I have absolutely NO weeping whatsoever. After the recent cut repair, I was ready for a recharge of the goo so I am currently testing a new research product by Slime's parent company located here where I live. It's pretty amazing stuff but it's early in the game. It's working as well as Orangeseal, at least so far. I'm only running it in the NN and still not a single pinhole visible. So, have you leaky NN users tried anything other than Stan's?


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## Rootsboy (Mar 25, 2013)

I was using Stans's with mine. And I got the pin hole thing. I had read that orange seal was the way to go, but can't get it here in Europe. 
I did want to try the bontrager sealant, but did the find any local. Just decided to scrap the NN and opt to try a specialized ground control instead.
When that's worn out, I may go back to try the NN but with a double defense casing. And maybe a different sealant by then. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Davide (Jan 29, 2004)

Nobby Nic 2015 with Stan's Arch Ex and Stan's sealant. Zero weep, almost zero pressure loss over 2 week periods.


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## Ronnie (Jan 17, 2004)

I'm also using a pair of the new Nobby Nics on a set of SunRinglé Charger Pro wheels. Basically the same rims as Stan's and I'm using Stan's sealant. 

I also have no weeping or pressure loss. I have noticed that not shaking the sealant well and not dispensing it with the container upside down results in the liquid being poured and the latex particles settling out and not enough getting into the tyre. The liquid will not seal holes, resulting in seepage.


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## Rootsboy (Mar 25, 2013)

Mixed mine fine, I am guessing there was a dodgy batch which people are having issues with. Customer service did not want to admit nothing and just told me to get double defence next time


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

Not a Stan's bashing but I thought I'd mention that when I changed out my Orangeseal, I pulled out a near completely intact tough and elastic casing that coated the inner carcass of the tire. It literally was like a sausage casing and was even very tough to poke through with my finger. Quite impressive. I've utilized several quarts of Stan's over time and have never experienced the same when servicing and adding product every month or 2. It always seems to separate into solid and liquid parts. In the case of NN, my friends always have tiny puddles of the milky liquid on the floor under the tire when the bikes are sitting in the garage


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## NH Mtbiker (Nov 6, 2004)

Anyone here rockn the new NN's in the 2.8 or 3.0 size either b+ or 29er? Thinking of using it in either the front/rear or both on my GT 9r conversion to B+. It is brand new and not sure if any real time reviews are out there yet. Tread looks real good and the traction on these oversized Nics should be sweet. Will be riding them in the spring NH and VT!


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

No weeping at all with the Snakeskin casing.


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## rufus (Jun 15, 2004)

Davide said:


> Nobby Nic 2015 with Stan's Arch Ex and Stan's sealant. Zero weep, almost zero pressure loss over 2 week periods.


Yeah, I just put a Nobby Nic on the front and set it up tubeless and their Tubeless Easy is absolutely correct. Aired it up with a floor pump, it held air immediately and then stayed inflated without any sealant whatsoever. As opposed to the older Racing Ralph I moved to the rear, which took me forever to get it to begin to hold air, the tire bead kept sliding over the valve inside, and when I'd tug it over to cover, the other side would slide over, letting all the air just go into the valve and straight out again. To its credit, once I got it to hold air, it too stayed inflated without any sealant, but this was a tire that had already been mounted tubeless.


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## Rootsboy (Mar 25, 2013)

Ok so here is the pace star double defence I used on my rear for just over 2 months and about 500km. Used mainly in dry and equal up/down.


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## Stonerider (Feb 25, 2008)

I don't like using Schwalbe on the rear because of the fast wear. I can do something else with that money instead of spending $90 every two months for a replacement tire.


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## cycloxer13 (Oct 27, 2014)

I just threw a set of 2.35 NN's in Pacestar Snakeskin on my bike front and rear. I kinda like them. I was running a set of Ardents EXO TR - 2.4 front and 2.25 rear. These are somewhat comparable. My Ardents weighed 800 and 805 grams and the Nobby Nics weigh in at 775 and 793. The NN is definitely a more spikey tire and you can feel it corner and grip better in loose conditions. I think the Ardents were a bit more grippy on pure rock. You don't get as much tread squirm. I also think the NN has more pedaling traction than the 2.25 Ardent. Speed-wise they seem to pedal about the same. The Ardent's feel a little faster on real smooth trails whereas the Nics feel better in the looser loam and dirt. We'll see how these hold up, but I plan to keep them on and log a few good rides.

I think this is a decent Trail tire or light-duty AM. As others have pointed out, this in not a DHR II, nor even a High Roller II, but I'd give them a leg up over the Ardent. Also, the new SnakeSkin seems reasonably sturdy, but probably not quite as tough as Maxxis EXO.


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## cycloxer13 (Oct 27, 2014)

Okay I got a few rides on these. In general, I like them. I think it is a decent trail tire. It has better cornering than my Ardents. It rolls pretty good. It seems about comparable in rolling resistance and feel. It might be a tiny bit more flexible even with Snakeskin. I was running 17/19 psi in my Ardents and these seem to like 18-20.The Pacestar compound seems comparable to the Maxxis dual compound. 

This tire excels is loose, forest soil conditions. It is acceptable on rocks, but the height of the knobs make it a bit more skittish than the shallower tread of the Ardents I was running. The advantage is that in the loose corners, you don't feel like you are about to die as can be the case w/ Ardents.

I just ordered up a Rock Razor for the rear to try that out.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

cycloxer13 said:


> ...you don't feel like you are about to die as can be the case w/ Ardents.


 That's a funny but true comment.


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## jonshonda (Apr 21, 2011)

Tried out a buddies 2.5 DHF to compare against my (old/outdated?) 2014 2.35" NN, and for the type of trails I ride (wisconsin XC/trail) the NN doesn't hold a candle to the DHF, and I really cannot detect much...if any added rolling resistance. Now I see what all the DHFuss is all about!


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

jonshonda said:


> Tried out a buddies 2.5 DHF to compare against my (old/outdated?) 2014 2.35" NN, and for the type of trails I ride (wisconsin XC/trail) the NN doesn't hold a candle to the DHF, and I really cannot detect much...if any added rolling resistance. Now I see what all the DHFuss is all about!


The old Nobby Nic was a pretty poor tire.

Massive difference in rolling resistance between a NN and any DH tire, though.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## jonshonda (Apr 21, 2011)

Le Duke said:


> The old Nobby Nic was a pretty poor tire.
> 
> Massive difference in rolling resistance between a NN and any DH tire, though.


Massive difference in rolling resistance....I can barely detect ANY difference at all on the trails (I am talking front tire only fyi). My buddy initially had the latest NN on the front and didn't like it. Said he has no reason to ever go away from a DHF at this time, and we ride fairly tame XC/Trail type conditions.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

jonshonda said:


> Tried out a buddies 2.5 DHF to compare against my (old/outdated?) 2014 2.35" NN, and for the type of trails I ride (wisconsin XC/trail) the NN doesn't hold a candle to the DHF, and I really cannot detect much...if any added rolling resistance. Now I see what all the DHFuss is all about!


A great combination is a DH-F on the front with the new Nobby Nic on the back for better rolling resistance with cornering traction that still decent for a rear tire. I don't mind having the rear tire start sliding before the front tire. Here's our test of the DH-F vs the Hans Dampf and Butcher as front tires: Pacific Northwest Spring 2016 Enduro Tire Test: Hans Dampf/Nobby Nic, DH-F/DH-R, Butcher/ Purgatory ? DIRT MERCHANT BIKES


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## jonshonda (Apr 21, 2011)

Thanks for reminding me of the test, I guess I was under the impression that the old NN wasn't too bad of a tire, but others say different compared to 2015. 

Regardless, I wouldn't run that aggressive of a rear tire in my area, as the only climbing concerns are really have are related to roots or rocks and my RaRa bouncing or sliding off of them. We have been very wet lately, and the RaRa is becoming annoying for me, but I admit it is probably close to end of life. I plan on running the Ikon 2.35" in the rear which has been a great tire on my SS Karate Monkey. Only thing I don't like was breaking, but I haven't had much time to test that tire out.


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## cycloxer13 (Oct 27, 2014)

After 56 miles I pulled off my 2.35 Nics and went back to my Ardent 2.4/2.25 combo. I dunno - for the terrain I ride I like the Ardents much better. They have much better grip on roots and rocks and I also realized they do roll quite a bit faster. 

I really wanted to like the Nic, and I do like the cornering capability of the tire, but it was just a little bit too luggy for the trails I ride. I think it is a tire well suited to loose and loamy trails.

btw, if anyone wants a set of these, shoot me a PM.


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## jabrabu (Aug 2, 2010)

The Ardent 2.4 has been a popular tire in my area (mid-Atlantic). I used to see a lot of guys using them around here. Lately I've been seeing a lot fewer of them, and I'm seeing a lot more Bontrager tires -- mostly XR3 but also some XR4 and XR2 mixed in.

I've always liked the Nobby Nics. I think they provide a good mix of grip, weight, and rolling resistance. The only issues are that rear tire knob durability is poor and they are expensive.


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## Fedeleon (May 15, 2016)

Hi, looking into some nobby nics to replace my ardents 29x2.25 in my Carbon scale, anyone has reference if the nobby 2.25 is the same as the ardent? Want tires to all year, Also I use the scale as a trail bike, do you recommend me this tire? Or maybe look something else, hope you can help me


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## LCW (May 5, 2008)

Rootsboy said:


> Ok so here is the pace star double defence I used on my rear for just over 2 months and about 500km. Used mainly in dry and equal up/down.


Whoa... Do you skid a lot??

Here's mine after about 300 miles (500km)... Pacestar Snakeskin 29x2.35. It's my rear tire. I run a Magic Mary Trailstar on the front. I typically run 18/21 psi. Mounted to 35mm internal Ibis rims.

Wearing very well... I'm quite impressed based on Schwalbe's reputation as fast wearing...


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

Schwalbe tire wear is almost entirely dependent on trail conditions and braking technique.

I get hundreds and hundreds of miles out of mine on the east coast. About 400-500 miles out in CO.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## Rootsboy (Mar 25, 2013)

I live on the Balearic Islands and the conditions at that that time of year are very dry loose rock and gravel. And a lot of steep climbs and docents. I have moved to some Michelin Wild Rock/Grip tires for the summer and a Alps trip. 
I will put the other Nobby Nic I still have, back on for the winter,
Once it rains the ground should hold together better, and I won't be sliding about so much.


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## jonshonda (Apr 21, 2011)

Le Duke said:


> Schwalbe tire wear is almost entirely dependent on trail conditions and braking technique.


Exactly. I think riders in my area (very sandy conditions) get a lot longer life out of their tires than riders in rocky areas. That is why so many people run them in the region.


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## Rootsboy (Mar 25, 2013)

Yeah! My Spanish friends looks at me odd when I arrived for a ride with my brand new Nobby Nic on the back, they were like "hmm that won't last long here!" And I was "Well it's the new version, got to give it a go!" Loved it for the first 3 weeks, then... Well back to Maxxis and Specialized for the good to go in this area.


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## socalrider77 (Sep 1, 2012)

LCW said:


> Whoa... Do you skid a lot??
> 
> Here's mine after about 300 miles (500km)... Pacestar Snakeskin 29x2.35. It's my rear tire. I run a Magic Mary Trailstar on the front. I typically run 18/21 psi. Mounted to 35mm internal Ibis rims.
> 
> Wearing very well... I'm quite impressed based on Schwalbe's reputation as fast wearing...


Mine seems to be wearing the opposite of the worn out tire above. The nobs are wearing down on the back and getting a reverse ramp if that makes sense. Why does this happen exactly?


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## Miker J (Nov 4, 2003)

So I resurrected my NNs. Trailstar front - ok tire. Pace out back and ran lower pressures than usual, about 28 for my 180#s, where I usually run 30-35 psi.

As for the rear... Sudden death on anything slick and damp, let alone wet. Loose is ok as those brittle little knobs dig in. Anything that would require sticky rubber, like wet roots, damp rocks, etc... Forget it. I was all over the place. Hit a fast off camber sheer rock face on a corner, leaned into the turn, and the back end broke so loose, so fast, almost did a 180. Missed so many of my techie climbs I stopped trying to climb anything that might even come close to challenging and I walked. This is no exaggeration.

The durometer on that tire still feels just like plastic too me.

Of course it doesn't come close to a dhr2 or Purg, but it's not even on par with an Ardent.

I'm giving it away the first chance I get before I forget my lesson and try it again and get myself killed.

The tire seems to work well for others, just not for me.


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

Wet rooty AND rocky terrain takes the NN out of it's element. Especially Pacestar. I would bet the TS compound would do better but on the rear, it won't last. The NN PS TLE accels in my dry, loose, rocky conditions... for which it is ultimately designed.


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## Appalachian (Apr 12, 2006)

Miker J said:


> As for the rear... Sudden death on anything slick and damp, let alone wet.





Oh My Sack! said:


> Wet rooty AND rocky terrain takes the NN out of it's element. Especially Pacestar.


This is my experience as well. I think its the open channel, lack of knobs in a row from side to side. Like if a root gets in there and there is nothing to grab on to, it just slips out the side. 
I have to run at dangerously low pressure to get any grip in the damp.


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## Back2MTB (Jun 4, 2014)

Appalachian said:


> This is my experience as well. I think its the open channel, lack of knobs in a row from side to side. Like if a root gets in there and there is nothing to grab on to, it just slips out the side.
> I have to run at dangerously low pressure to get any grip in the damp.


100% agree, I took my NN 2.8 pacestars out in rooty/wet conditions and was 'terrified' for the first time in a loooong time. Seriously disappointed


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

If you look at the design spec for the NN, it's geared for loose, rocky, loamy. Wet is not an option. It's perfectly suited for my local terrain here on the Central Coast of CA. I have a shelf full of them and Hans Dampf TS for the front. The NN sidewalls are a little light if you really hammer the rocky downhills but if you're not trying to ride like Gwynn, they do extremely well.


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## nashwillis (Dec 27, 2012)

I am choosing between the NN 2.35 performance or 2.25 HD pacestar snakeskin. I am running tubes on 21mm internal rims and have found these about the same price. I ride mostly aggressive xc and trail in TN/NC. Which of these would roll faster or grip better?


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## Miker J (Nov 4, 2003)

Oh My Sack! said:


> If you look at the design spec for the NN, it's geared for loose, rocky, loamy. Wet is not an option. It's perfectly suited for my local terrain here on the Central Coast of CA. I have a shelf full of them and Hans Dampf TS for the front. The NN sidewalls are a little light if you really hammer the rocky downhills but if you're not trying to ride like Gwynn, they do extremely well.


Those dudes who did a formal report/write up, and raved about the NN, were riding in an area I presumed was known for its wet weather. Guess I was wrong. Or, maybe it's a wet loam specific tire


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## Appalachian (Apr 12, 2006)

Miker J said:


> Those dudes who did a formal report/write up, and raved about the NN, were riding in an area I presumed was known for its wet weather. Guess I was wrong. Or, maybe it's a wet loam specific tire


Like this part of the write up?

Wet and mud: Pinkbike's Mike Kazimer had the opportunity to ride the new Nics in the rain in the rooted and mossy trails of the Pacific Northwest. Kazimer says that it is not his favorite tire in the wet. In semi-muddy conditions it was not bad, and the same went for traveling in a straight line, but things got really interesting when the trail had any off-camber roots or rocks. The culprit seems to be that the staggered edging blocks, which give it good grip in dry and loamy conditions, do not provide a defined edge to grip on greasy surfaces. Everything seems fine and dandy, and the all of a sudden: "Oh sh*t, I've got no grip!" That quick slide out is what makes them tricky to ride in the wet.​


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

These are probably the most relevant two comparison tests from us on the Nobby Nic on this topic of riding in wet conditions:

Pacific Northwest Winter 2015 Tire Comparison Test 2: 2015 Nobby Nic, Mountain King II, Trail King, Vigilante/Trail Boss, Magic Mary & Hans Dampf ? DIRT MERCHANT BIKES
Pacific Northwest Winter 2015 Tire Comparison Test 1: 2015 Nobby Nic, High Roller II, Neo-Moto & Hans Dampf ? DIRT MERCHANT BIKES

I like the Nobby Nic as a rear tire in these conditions due to its fast rolling characteristics and reasonable amounts of grip. I'm definitely okay with a rear tire that slides at a reasonable level of cornering force if it is predictable. I wouldn't run a Nobby Nic as a front tire though in wet or dry conditions. Especially in wet conditions, a DH-F for most trail riding or a Magic Mary (even more grip, but feels unbearably heavy for everyday riding) would be the way to go as a front tire.

Also, if you have the front tire under control with a grippy front tire, it doesn't matter quite as much as to what the rear tire does. The DH-R might be a good rear tire choice when more grip is desired than the Nobby Nic provides though it does roll slightly slower than the NN.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

nashwillis said:


> I am choosing between the NN 2.35 performance or 2.25 HD pacestar snakeskin. I am running tubes on 21mm internal rims and have found these about the same price. I ride mostly aggressive xc and trail in TN/NC. Which of these would roll faster or grip better?


NN in Snakeskin would definitely roll faster than the HD. Not sure if this is the same with the Performance casing.

This comparison test includes both NN and HD in Pacestar tested as both front and rear tires: Pacific Northwest Winter 2015 Tire Comparison Test 1: 2015 Nobby Nic, High Roller II, Neo-Moto & Hans Dampf ? DIRT MERCHANT BIKES

Generally, I'd suggest a NN as a rear tire, but you might consider the DH-F as the matching front tire.


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## DrDon (Sep 25, 2004)

Just got back from Colorado. All Maxxis out there for good reason. My 2.25 NN DD looks pretty battered which is fine. I wanted to get some use out of it because I don't think it's on par with an Ardent or Purg on the rear. The 2.35 NN TS actually wasn't bad but it's no match for a 900+ gm front tire. I do like it better than the 2.4 Ardent on the front. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## LCW (May 5, 2008)

Got about 350 miles on my rear NN (29x2.35 PS Evo). Holding up pretty well. Some small tears in a couple knobs. That's about it. Did get a teeny puncture that sealed up with Stans last week. Otherwise trouble free.

Very versatile tire and grip vs rolling is well balanced.

I run a MM up front (TS Evo) which has insane grip.


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## Miker J (Nov 4, 2003)

Spectre said:


> These are probably the most relevant two comparison tests from us on the Nobby Nic on this topic of riding in wet conditions:
> 
> Pacific Northwest Winter 2015 Tire Comparison Test 2: 2015 Nobby Nic, Mountain King II, Trail King, Vigilante/Trail Boss, Magic Mary & Hans Dampf ? DIRT MERCHANT BIKES
> Pacific Northwest Winter 2015 Tire Comparison Test 1: 2015 Nobby Nic, High Roller II, Neo-Moto & Hans Dampf ? DIRT MERCHANT BIKES
> ...


I've got to admit, your favorable review on the NN rear Pace, snake skin, contributed to me trying it out. By your trail conditions report looked like it was at least a bit damp. Looks like you called it a pretty good climber in terms of traction.

It really didn't work out for me at all short of being a super fast on our hero dirt. My guess is you just have more of that, enough to make the tire work well often enough. Our local NE riding is only part dirt, with lots of steep, damp, rock face, roots , on climbs and descents. Real punchy. Mostly out of the saddle tech climbing, and descending.

I agree the tire was predictable. I predictably ended up nearly eating it on any tech section not bone dry! 

Appalachian's post referring to Kazimer is much closer to my findings.

Another point, despite the Pace flavor feeling like a very hard durometer, hence the low RR, the side knobs wore down super fast. Folks say that's a Schwalbe thing, but my Magic Mary is holding up very well.

I would say on close to ideal trail conditions the tire is wicked fast and fun though, and again, your trails were likely closer to that.

The DHF is my front on two of my bikes (one a DH rig), and the Mary on the front of the other, AM bike. Rim width dictates which of the two I use. The Mary is much fatter so goes on the wider rimmed wheel.

Rear is a DHR2 ,EXO, dual compound, on more than one bike. It's pushed the Purg Grid out of place as my favorite rear. The dhr2 in a dual compound gives me the best blend of traction and roll. I mistakenly tried it before in a 3c on the rear and found it too slow, so stuck with the Purg. Then tried the dual, and find it way better. I think it's faster than the Purg with at least as much overall grip. I think the Purg has smaller knobs, but a bit softer durometer, but that's speculation.

Recently tried an old Ardent 2.4 I had as a spare. Put it on the rear and it works well but is no dhr2.

For traction out back I'd say the NN is quite a few steps below the DHR. In between the two I'd place the Ardent and Purg.

Not saying the NN isn't a great tire for some rider's conditions. Just not mine. I think I need more tire. Hopefully this will add useful info to the NN database.

In a few weeks I'll be spending a week park riding with my AM bike (DH bike is too much to ship) with a MM and HD Supergravity. But I guess that's another thread.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

Miker J said:


> I've got to admit, your favorable review on the NN rear Pace, snake skin, contributed to me trying it out. By your trail conditions report looked like it was at least a bit damp. Looks like you called it a pretty good climber in terms of traction.
> 
> It really didn't work out for me at all short of being a super fast on our hero dirt. My guess is you just have more of that, enough to make the tire work well often enough. Our local NE riding is only part dirt, with lots of steep, damp, rock face, roots , on climbs and descents. Real punchy. Mostly out of the saddle tech climbing, and descending.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the feedback. We do have really sticky dirt here in the Seattle area. I used to live and ride in the NY/CT/NJ area so fully understand your comment on more rock faces in the NE.

For what it's worth, the DHR was most preferred overall in our recent test in dry conditions: Pacific Northwest Spring 2016 Enduro Tire Test: Hans Dampf/Nobby Nic, DH-F/DH-R, Butcher/ Purgatory ? DIRT MERCHANT BIKES

The NN likely works in our conditions because our trails have just a bit more traction so the cornering grip is less of an issue.


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## DrDon (Sep 25, 2004)

Miker J said:


> I've got to admit, your favorable review on the NN rear Pace, snake skin, contributed to me trying it out. By your trail conditions report looked like it was at least a bit damp. Looks like you called it a pretty good climber in terms of traction.
> 
> It really didn't work out for me at all short of being a super fast on our hero dirt. My guess is you just have more of that, enough to make the tire work well often enough. Our local NE riding is only part dirt, with lots of steep, damp, rock face, roots , on climbs and descents. Real punchy. Mostly out of the saddle tech climbing, and descending.
> 
> ...


How about comparing a Aggressor to a DHR2 on the rear BTW, ten days in CO chewed up my 2.25 NN DD pretty well.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## zakazak (Jul 27, 2016)

I currently cant decide between:

Spec GoundControl (Control) + FastTrak (Control)
vs
Schwalbe NobbyNic (SnakeSkin Trailstar) + RocketRon (SnakeSkin Pacestar)

Specialized Ground Control 2,3" (Control): 691g
Specialized FastTrak 2,2" (Control): 582g
Schwalbe Nobby Nic SnakeSkin Trailstar 2,35": 702g
Schwalbe RocketRon SnakeSkin PaceStar 2,25": 672g
Specialized 1273g vs Schwalbe 1374g... 101g

Would the Spec combination be better in terms of rolling resistance and wet handling? 
The FastTrak looks to me like a "Schwalbe SmartSam".. so it is hard to believe that it would outperform a RocketRon.
The NobbyNic + GroundControl look kinda the same but maybe on is still better than the other?


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## LCW (May 5, 2008)

Inspected my Nic yesterday as I had a small hole that sealed up with Stans.

Come to see that the whole casing in between tread blocks has small 2-3mm cuts. Very disappointing.

I like riding rocky sections and rock gardens even though I wouldn't call most of the trails I ride rocky. I think I'll need to get something with a tighter tread pattern. Hans Dampf maybe. Because I like how Schwalbes feel and grip.

My front Mary looked new still. Taller lugs are likely keeping the carcass more protected. But it's not a tire I want to run in the rear.


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

We see the tread pinholes with the Nics all the time. Most of us in the group have given up on Stan's as it flows right through and literally puddles in a clear state on the garage floor. I've been distributing an R&D Slime to my homies which is really good or we have used Orangeseal and all we see on the Nics with those products are what appear to be wet spots in the tread but no air loss whatsoever. We tend to wear the tread out long before we have any leaking issues.

As for the Specialized Ground Controls vs Nics mentioned 2 post above. I've not personally run the GC but several of the group had them and their sidewalls always leaked liked sieves requiring constant baby sitting with the air pump. Keep in mind that was using Stan's again so maybe that was a factor?

If your getting a NNic for the rear, I'd highly recommend the Pacestar compound. Trailstar is real nice but I literally only got <150 miles out of it because the compound is so soft. They just burn up in my terrain. YMMV. Side note, IME the Pacestar really sucks up front. We tend to roll the HD Trailstar up from and the NN Pacestar on the back. Just my .02


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## zakazak (Jul 27, 2016)

Oh My Sack! said:


> We see the tread pinholes with the Nics all the time. Most of us in the group have given up on Stan's as it flows right through and literally puddles in a clear state on the garage floor. I've been distributing an R&D Slime to my homies which is really good or we have used Orangeseal and all we see on the Nics with those products are what appear to be wet spots in the tread but no air loss whatsoever. We tend to wear the tread out long before we have any leaking issues.
> 
> As for the Specialized Ground Controls vs Nics mentioned 2 post above. I've not personally run the GC but several of the group had them and their sidewalls always leaked liked sieves requiring constant baby sitting with the air pump. Keep in mind that was using Stan's again so maybe that was a factor?
> 
> If your getting a NNic for the rear, I'd highly recommend the Pacestar compound. Trailstar is real nice but I literally only got <150 miles out of it because the compound is so soft. They just burn up in my terrain. YMMV. Side note, IME the Pacestar really sucks up front. We tend to roll the HD Trailstar up from and the NN Pacestar on the back. Just my .02


I am not sure if I fully can follow / understand what you say.

First: I will run them with tubes.
Second: I would get the GC (front) and the FastTrak (rear) both as control version (=more durable side walls).

As for Nobby (front) it would be TrailStar while the RocketRon (rear) will be Pacestar.

Any thought on which one rolls better and grips better (on dry and wet)?

Also: Are 100g differnce smth I should also take in consideration?


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

DrDon said:


> How about comparing a Aggressor to a DHR2 on the rear BTW, ten days in CO chewed up my 2.25 NN DD pretty well.


The Aggressor is on my radar. Tires that I am considering for testing once it starts raining here are:

*Front:*
Maxxis DH-F 2.3 (benchmark)
Maxxis Aggressor
Schwalbe Fat Albert Front
e*Thirteen TRS Race - Dual Compound
Michelin Wild Rock'R 2.3
Vittoria Morsa
Vee Tires? - Not sure which one would work best.

*Rear:*
Maxxis DH-R 2.3 (benchmark)
Maxxis Aggressor
e*Thirteen TRS Plus - Dual Compound
Maxxis Wild Grip'R Advanced
Vittoria Morsa
Vee Tires? - Not sure which one would work best.

Any thoughts or requests?


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## DrDon (Sep 25, 2004)

Spectre said:


> The Aggressor is on my radar. Tires that I am considering for testing once it starts raining here are:
> 
> *Front:*
> Maxxis DH-F 2.3 (benchmark)
> ...


Bontrager SE5 front and rear vs DHF 2.3 and 2.5

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## LCW (May 5, 2008)

Here's the small holes I described... This Nic was no longer holding air. Maybe 400 miles on it.


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## LCW (May 5, 2008)

So went and picked up a WTB Breakout 2.3 at my LBS - choices were limited but I have a buddy that has this tire and he loves it.

Sadly a bit heavier than the Nic @ 915 g (so about 100g more) but with tighter spaced knobs and hopefully a tougher casing, durability will be much improved.

Measured 159 flat bead-to-bead. So should be nice and beefy. I'll remeasure it after a couple days on the rim. I think it's a tad wider that the Nic 2.35 it's replacing.

I hope it rolls as well as the Nic. This one is the TCS Fast Light compound.


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## Appalachian (Apr 12, 2006)

Breakout is a great tire! I had it on the back of my Scout over the fall last year. Have the NN on now as it is a bit lighter. The Breakout grabs wet roots, but is heavier. Seemed more than 100 grams to me, but it does roll well for it's heft. 


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## JCWages (Jan 26, 2015)

Nobby Nic 2.25 Pacestar/Snakeskin vs. WTB Trail Boss 2.4 Light/Fast

Similar number of miles and same dry, dust and rocky terrain.

Nobby Nic








Trail Boss


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

Trail Boss looks like a good rear tire. Was it used as a rear? How does it compare performance wise to the NN? The NN has been superior to many others in my terrain and because I source them several at a time for cheap, I'm willing to deal with their somewhat reduced life span.


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## JCWages (Jan 26, 2015)

Oh My Sack! said:


> Trail Boss looks like a good rear tire. Was it used as a rear? How does it compare performance wise to the NN? The NN has been superior to many others in my terrain and because I source them several at a time for cheap, I'm willing to deal with their somewhat reduced life span.


Both were used as a rear. I much prefer the Trail Boss in all terrain except probably mud although I've never ridden the NN in the mud yet. I know there was a review by Dirt Merchant on these tires and I disagree with their assessment but everyone has different opinions and requirements for a tire.

I feel the TB rolls faster and offers better grip on loose over hard, hardpack, semi-loose, rocks, etc.. The NN may do better in really loose dust, loam and mud due to the wide spacing between knobs. I absolutely hated the NN as a front tire (2.35 Trailstar). This is just my opinion obviously. The extremely fast wear on the NN is simple fact and that is all I was trying to illustrate for potential buyers. If you buy in bulk and get them cheap then that could change my opinion on them. The NN is not a bad tire at all. I just prefer other fast rolling alternatives. 

Our trails look mostly like this. At least they do before they blow out in deep summer. Haha


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

JCWages said:


> Both were used as a rear. I much prefer the Trail Boss in all terrain except probably mud although I've never ridden the NN in the mud yet. I know there was a review by Dirt Merchant on these tires and I disagree with their assessment but everyone has different opinions and requirements for a tire.
> 
> I feel the TB rolls faster and offers better grip on loose over hard, hardpack, semi-loose, rocks, etc.. The NN may do better in really loose dust, loam and mud due to the wide spacing between knobs. I absolutely hated the NN as a front tire (2.35 Trailstar). This is just my opinion obviously. The extremely fast wear on the NN is simple fact and that is all I was trying to illustrate for potential buyers. If you buy in bulk and get them cheap then that could change my opinion on them. The NN is not a bad tire at all. I just prefer other fast rolling alternatives.
> 
> ...


This was our review comparing NN and TB as rear tires: Pacific Northwest Winter 2015 Tire Comparison Test 2: 2015 Nobby Nic, Mountain King II, Trail King, Vigilante/Trail Boss, Magic Mary & Hans Dampf - DIRT MERCHANT BIKES


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

JCWages said:


> Both were used as a rear. I much prefer the Trail Boss in all terrain except probably mud although I've never ridden the NN in the mud yet. I know there was a review by Dirt Merchant on these tires and I disagree with their assessment but everyone has different opinions and requirements for a tire.
> 
> I feel the TB rolls faster and offers better grip on loose over hard, hardpack, semi-loose, rocks, etc.. The NN may do better in really loose dust, loam and mud due to the wide spacing between knobs. I absolutely hated the NN as a front tire (2.35 Trailstar). This is just my opinion obviously. The extremely fast wear on the NN is simple fact and that is all I was trying to illustrate for potential buyers. If you buy in bulk and get them cheap then that could change my opinion on them. The NN is not a bad tire at all. I just prefer other fast rolling alternatives.
> 
> ...


This was our review comparing NN and TB as rear tires: Pacific Northwest Winter 2015 Tire Comparison Test 2: 2015 Nobby Nic, Mountain King II, Trail King, Vigilante/Trail Boss, Magic Mary & Hans Dampf ? DIRT MERCHANT BIKES

My impression was that the NN rolled faster than the TB, but this may well be due to the characteristics of our trails versus trails that others are riding. This test was run in the rain with a typically firm trail surface. I also don't love the NN as a front tire as the cornering feel is vague compared to something like a DH-F.

This is the spider chart of performance ratings by 5 testers:


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

Thanks for the info...both of ya'll! It's good to know there's something pretty close to the NN with an edge on the side of longevity. No doubt, trail conditions in different regions are going to play very strongly into the equation. Getting the top line NN in Pacestar for $33 a pop makes it very, very hard to try something else given it's superior _rear_ tire performance in my region of home trails here on the Central Coast. At least for my riding style and numerous others in my circle. I'd never consider the NN for a front end, though. Not even the Trailstar. Hans Dampf in Trailstar is the absolute ticket for confidence inspiring, corner sticking, awesomeness. Longevity is just fine on those. Just for grins and giggles, I tried a Pacestar Hans Dampf up front recently and it was a disaster in comparison. I was rather surprised at the stark difference in an identical tire with the just the compound change. 2 rides and off it went! I'll rotate it on to the back someday when I'm low on stock.


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## Miker J (Nov 4, 2003)

Spectre said:


> Thanks for the feedback. We do have really sticky dirt here in the Seattle area. I used to live and ride in the NY/CT/NJ area so fully understand your comment on more rock faces in the NE.
> 
> For what it's worth, the DHR was most preferred overall in our recent test in dry conditions: Pacific Northwest Spring 2016 Enduro Tire Test: Hans Dampf/Nobby Nic, DH-F/DH-R, Butcher/ Purgatory ? DIRT MERCHANT BIKES
> 
> The NN likely works in our conditions because our trails have just a bit more traction so the cornering grip is less of an issue.


Try the dhr2 in a dual compound. It retains most of its grip while rolling well. Its really sort of an anomaly how a tire with so much grip can roll so fast.

I run two bikes, one AM bike that can do trail duties, and a trail bike that can handle AM if needed. The AM bike has a 2.3 dhr2 out back and the trail bike runs an Ardent 2.4". When the Ardent dies I'll likely go to a dhr2 on the trail bike also because it rolls so well. Eventually I may move to the 2.4 dhr2 WT on the AM bike.

Oooppps. Sorry, this is a thread about the NN.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

Just ordered a NN 2.35 Evo SS TL Trailstar

Will try it up front on my 29er (w/ a 2.35 Ardent Race out back).

Hopefully will be a set and forget combo

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## WoodstockMTB (Oct 5, 2010)

Anyone have any real world rolling/speed observations on NN vs RacingRalph for long distance races (50mi+)? I've seen some of the testing comparisons between NN and RaRa and it seems like I am giving up cornering/Climbing for a bit more speed between the two. I'm just wondering if over 50mi the RaRa use less energy.

I like the 2.25 NN I have on the back of Derbys. The HD Trailstar up front is awesome, but slow.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

First ride last night on my NN 2.35 TSC, running it up front on my Transition Bandit 29 1... 

Tyres I have recently run up front on this steed = Ardent Race 2.35, Conti MKII 2.4 Protection BC...

I'll be using the AR 2.35 up front for Summer trails (and out back when NN is up front). 

I found the gaps between lugs on the MKII to be too wide and tyre would slip occasionally on narrow obstacles.

Hence my purchase of the NN 2.35 TSC.

Firstly the tyre is BIG, maybe even bigger than the MKII I sold. 

It rolls quick, definitely quicker than the MKII and I'm thinking - it also edges the AR 2.35 o_0

Grip? Still early days re grip comparison. But, I was on my favourite trail (last night) that I've ridden many times before. 

The trail was hardpack, with occasional roots and the odd man made rocky feature. 

Tyre rolled and gripped well on all apart from one occasion. As it was nighttime fare and there was some low lying cloud (which made for extremely exciting riding... my two companions would disagree). Both front and rear tyres did let go on one obstacle that was running down the centre of the trail. I'm guessing it was an exposed root.

So, for it's maiden voyage in quite trying conditions I'll give it a pass mark. (Although it did like spitting up stones!)

My next ride will hopefully suit it better. Loamy, rooty fare... something for the lugs to dig into.

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## C.M.S (Aug 28, 2009)

targnik said:


> First ride last night in my NN 2.35 TSC, running it up front in my Transition Bandit 29 1...
> 
> Tyres I have recently run up front on this steed = Ardent Race 2.35, Conti MKII 2.4 Protection BC...
> 
> ...


I ran a 2.35 NN psc up front for most of a season and did pretty darn good but hated roots once the knobs got alitle round . Then absolutely went to crap when i put a Ardent 2.25 on the rear . But the previous rear was a 2.35 roro( 26er) and that was a fun set up .

Hope your trail star compound treats you well long term :thumbsup:


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

C.M.S said:


> I ran a 2.35 NN psc up front for most of a season and did pretty darn good but hated roots once the knobs got alitle round . Then absolutely went to crap when i put a Ardent 2.25 on the rear . But the previous rear was a 2.35 roro( 26er) and that was a fun set up .
> 
> Hope your trail star compound treats you well long term


I'm only planning to (may change o/c) run it on my local, not overly rocky trails.

The Ardent Races are/will be much harder wearing.

The MKII was bomb proof, but missed the mark on smaller, slippery roots etc.

The MKII on my 650b whip is much better at above as the lugs are closer together. It does pack up quicker in mud though o_0

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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

Back from loamy/rooty trails... 

The NN 2.35 worked well enough that I forgot all about it and just enjoyed the ride ^^

Will leave it up front for the near future. 

Then change things up for racing.

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## Appalachian (Apr 12, 2006)

Schwalbe customer service is top tier.


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

Photos of damage areas and then get a photo of the white stamp inside the tire. Not the Barcode but a white stamp production code, and get on their warranty support site and fill out the form. You'll get a replacement.


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## Appalachian (Apr 12, 2006)

^ Thanks Sack! Schwalbe customer service is top notch.


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

Appalachian said:


> ^ Thanks Sack! Schwalbe customer service is top notch.


It is! And just another reason why I roll exclusively with my favorite Schwalbe combo and nothing else.


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## hardmtnbiker (Feb 22, 2005)

Agreed NN rear with HD front is about the best loose trail tire combo around. I've been running that combo on my So Cal trails for a little over 3 years. 


Oh My Sack! said:


> It is! And just another reason why I roll exclusively with my favorite Schwalbe combo and nothing else.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

Got a 2.25 NN PSC, coming in the post... 

Trails will be moist here for another couple months... 

Might go - NN 2.25 & AR 2.2 for race day... 

If the smaller NN ain't too narrow o_0

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## Junersun (Jun 10, 2014)

Anyone have 2.25 NN on 30 mm internal rims? What the width of the knobs come out too?

Also for those with this setup on 27.5, what's your diameter of the total wheelset?

I'm doing some experiment fun to my bikes geo and I think my rear is going to get pretty close to rubbing so I want to get some feedback here. 

Thanks


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## LCW (May 5, 2008)

What's the ETA on being able to order the 2.6 NN? Is it officially available yet?


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## panchosdad (Sep 21, 2008)

Junersun said:


> Anyone have 2.25 NN on 30 mm internal rims? What the width of the knobs come out too?
> 
> Also for those with this setup on 27.5, what's your diameter of the total wheelset?
> 
> ...


Mine ran right at spec on 30mm rims. On a 29er though so can't help with the diameter.


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## jazzanova (Jun 1, 2008)

panchosdad said:


> Mine ran right at spec on 30mm rims. On a 29er though so can't help with the diameter.





Junersun said:


> Anyone have 2.25 NN on 30 mm internal rims? What the width of the knobs come out too?
> 
> Also for those with this setup on 27.5, what's your diameter of the total wheelset?
> 
> ...


The width of the tread doesn't change much with the wide rims. What changes is the sidewalls.


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## LCW (May 5, 2008)

Giving Nobby Nics another try - this time front AND rear. Need better rolling (i.e. lower) resistance.

Trailstar front, Pacestar rear.

On Ibis 941 rims:

Front TS 2.35
Knobs: 2.31"
Casing: 2.42"
812g


Rear PS 2.35
Knobs: 2.29"
Casing: 2.42"
838g


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

LCW said:


> Giving Nobby Nics another try - this time front AND rear. Need better rolling (i.e. lower) resistance.
> 
> Trailstar front, Pacestar rear.
> 
> ...


Another way to go is to run the NN Pacestar in the back with a better cornering front tire such as a Maxxis DH-F. Most of the rolling resistance gains will be coming from the rear tire.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

jazzanova said:


> The width of the tread doesn't change much with the wide rims. What changes is the sidewalls.


Was thinking the same thing... pushing sidewalls out could actually make tread narrower o_0 (i.e. excessive squareness)

My 2.25 NN Psc on 25 IW rim, measures 56mm (2.20 inches).

Thing growls on the flat and feels quite draggy  more so than the 2.35 Ardent Race that was changed out 

On the downward pointing trails we rode today, it rocked  grip in spades!

We were riding techy enduro-ific fare, plus some DH  for such a narrow tyre (it measures same width as my 2.2 Ardent Race) it's grip is awesome 

Real acid test well be my next trip to rocky-ville  to see how they wear (or hopefully do not wear). In the past, I've ridden a HD & RR out West and they didn't cope so well 

For now they're the  knees 

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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

Here she is... shod with Nobbies - fore and aft 2.35/2.25 










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## LCW (May 5, 2008)

Spectre said:


> Another way to go is to run the NN Pacestar in the back with a better cornering front tire such as a Maxxis DH-F. Most of the rolling resistance gains will be coming from the rear tire.


I previously ran a NN PS rear and Magic Mary TS front. Then ran a Breakout rear with the same MM. But I could still feel the drag from the MM on "faster" trails. Both the MM and Breakout were also over 900g. So wanted something to get back to something that rolled better and was lighter.

Ran the Nic dual combo yesterday. Definitely noticed the better (lower) rolling resistance. Conditions were damp too so not the fastest. Roots and rocks were damp and a bit sketch but grip was okay and predictable. Obviously front grip isn't quite like the MM which is a beast. But wasn't bad at all. Just can't drive that front wheel quite as hard as with the MM.

Will run these for a while and see how they fare in the long run.


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## manitou2200 (Apr 28, 2006)

Another combo that works well and rolls faster than the DHF or MM front is the Hans Damf front and NN or Ardent 2.4 rear. I had been riding the HD/ Ardent combo lately but now have my NN TS front/ NN 2.35 DDPS rear combo on the bike. It's a very good rolling resistance traction combo compromise.


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## Averbuks (Oct 24, 2014)

i mounted NN 27 x 2.35 to Arc 27s today, meaured 2.412 inches when measured with the caliper.

Anyone know when the new 2.6 tires will be for sale? They are showing on Schwalbe site. What is the min rim size for these? 30mm?


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## LCW (May 5, 2008)

Rode at the bike park today with the Nic combo... The extra speed was nice. Grip wasn't an issue at all. So far liking this setup. Will see how they perform through the fall season...


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## jmcdev1 (Jan 1, 2011)

New NN 2.35, Pacestar, snakeskin, evo, tlr installed tubeless 2 1/2 months ago. I love this tire for it's lightweight and excellent traction and wear in the past. Run them front and back. But I'm getting flats at an alarming rate that I never experienced in the past. Do mostly fast trail riding. We have very rocky terrain here and I'm getting holes punched in the tread of the tire that have to be plugged because the sealant will not seal them. I have three plugs in the rear tire in just 2 1/2 months. One hole was so big the tiny plugs for mountain bike tires wouldn't stay in and I had to use a truck tire size plug which has worked. Also see a lot more weeping from the tire tread and sidewalls but this does not bother me as the tire still holds air. Is this a defective tire that I should ask them to replace? Is anyone else having this kind of trouble with the new NN's?


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## Oh My Sack! (Aug 21, 2006)

Couldn't hurt to try. I would process a claim on their site. You'll need to break the tire off the rim to get a photo of the stamped production code and problematic ateas on the tire, then thoroughly fill out the questionnaire. If you explain your prior successes/experience with the tires, perhaps they'll see fit to investigate and maybe hook you up with some new tread.


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## Rootsboy (Mar 25, 2013)

Oh My Sack! said:


> Couldn't hurt to try. I would process a claim on their site. You'll need to break the tire off the rim to get a photo of the stamped production code and problematic ateas on the tire, then thoroughly fill out the questionnaire. If you explain your prior successes/experience with the tires, perhaps they'll see fit to investigate and maybe hook you up with some new tread.


I tried this route, I got a email back saying I should try their double defence version.
I think there was something not good with my tire as it was snakeskin pace star, but when I weighed it, it was a lot less then it should have been. And I had issues with stans sealing, and always had multiple pin hole damp spots all around the tire.
Have a look at my earlier posts in this thread.
Double defence did fix that, but then they just did not last very long for me, so back to other brands that do.


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## aerius (Nov 20, 2010)

Finally got to try out a set of the new NN after a friend gave me the take-offs from his new bike. Let's just say my knee & elbow pads were well tested and I'm definitely not keeping these tires. I've also put small tears into most of the side knobs on the Trailstar front in a bit over a week of riding. The Pacestar rear is holding up better, but I've rounded out the edges on most of the knobs so there's a noticeable decrease in grip compared to when they were new. Overall, I'm not impressed. About the only good thing I can say is that it rolls fast, the grip was average at best, durability was poor, and they just don't work for the way I ride.


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## Averbuks (Oct 24, 2014)

aerius said:


> Finally got to try out a set of the new NN after a friend gave me the take-offs from his new bike. Let's just say my knee & elbow pads were well tested and I'm definitely not keeping these tires. I've also put small tears into most of the side knobs on the Trailstar front in a bit over a week of riding. The Pacestar rear is holding up better, but I've rounded out the edges on most of the knobs so there's a noticeable decrease in grip compared to when they were new. Overall, I'm not impressed. About the only good thing I can say is that it rolls fast, the grip was average at best, durability was poor, and they just don't work for the way I ride.


What is your weight?


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

aerius said:


> Finally got to try out a set of the new NN after a friend gave me the take-offs from his new bike. Let's just say my knee & elbow pads were well tested and I'm definitely not keeping these tires. I've also put small tears into most of the side knobs on the Trailstar front in a bit over a week of riding. The Pacestar rear is holding up better, but I've rounded out the edges on most of the knobs so there's a noticeable decrease in grip compared to when they were new. Overall, I'm not impressed. About the only good thing I can say is that it rolls fast, the grip was average at best, durability was poor, and they just don't work for the way I ride.


I don't trust Nobby Nic on the front, but do run them on the rear wheel paired with a Maxxis DH-F in front. That's probably the best use of the NN's low rolling resistance with the amount of grip that the NN offers. I find that other tires with a similar level of low rolling resistance have even less cornering grip unless you go to a semi-slick tire such as s Minion SS or Rock Razor.


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## aerius (Nov 20, 2010)

Averbuks said:


> What is your weight?


150 lbs. I'm pretty hard on rims & tires since I believe every bike should be ridden like a DH bike on downhill sections of trail. This often results in marginal or out of control situations where bad things happen to the bike.



Spectre said:


> I don't trust Nobby Nic on the front, but do run them on the rear wheel paired with a Maxxis DH-F in front. That's probably the best use of the NN's low rolling resistance with the amount of grip that the NN offers. I find that other tires with a similar level of low rolling resistance have even less cornering grip unless you go to a semi-slick tire such as s Minion SS or Rock Razor.


I'm not the most sensitive person when it comes to rolling resistance, I can tell the difference between a DHF and an Ardent for example, but the difference if any between a NN, Vittoria Goma, or Conti MKII is not something that I really notice. The NN and the Goma are close enough in rolling resistance that it feels pretty much the same to me, but the Goma has much better braking grip and corners better as well. With the Goma I could use the same braking points as a DHF or HR2, with a NN I had to brake far earlier to get down to a safe speed.

The scary part for me is how quickly the NN lets go and dumps me on my face when trying to drift it through loose over hard or blown out corners. There's very little resistance once the tire starts sliding and it goes out from under the bike really fast. The Goma doesn't have as much cornering grip as a DHF but it has much of that same predictable feel, there's still a decent amount of resistance after the tire breaks loose which makes it fairly easy to control and recover from a drift. I can drift it through corners with both feet clipped in and not think twice about it whereas I quickly learned that getting the inside foot out and down was a must with the NN, and even with my foot out I still dumped the bike a couple times with the Schwalbes.

I'd say the tire might work for me if I rode more like an XC rider, problem is I think that half the fun in mountain biking is drifting the bike into loose corners and trusting the tires to catch.


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## croakies (Mar 4, 2011)

aerius said:


> 150 lbs. I'm pretty hard on rims & tires since I believe every bike should be ridden like a DH bike on downhill sections of trail. This often results in marginal or out of control situations where bad things happen to the bike.
> 
> I'm not the most sensitive person when it comes to rolling resistance, I can tell the difference between a DHF and an Ardent for example, but the difference if any between a NN, Vittoria Goma, or Conti MKII is not something that I really notice. The NN and the Goma are close enough in rolling resistance that it feels pretty much the same to me, but the Goma has much better braking grip and corners better as well. With the Goma I could use the same braking points as a DHF or HR2, with a NN I had to brake far earlier to get down to a safe speed.
> 
> ...


Exact same experience here. NN Rolled pretty darn well and grip level is decent for a trail tire but holy crap is it unpredictable at the edge of traction. Snaps off instantly. Super scary on the front, and still lead to scary moments on the rear. It wore well for me though.

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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

Have you tried a Maxxis DH-R? It rolls well and grips about as well as a DH-F.

Here's our review of both the DH-R and the Nobby Nic.

Pacific Northwest Spring 2016 Enduro Tire Test: Hans Dampf/Nobby Nic, DH-F/DH-R, Butcher/ Purgatory - DIRT MERCHANT BIKES


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

jmcdev1 said:


> New NN 2.35, Pacestar, snakeskin, evo, tlr installed tubeless 2 1/2 months ago. I love this tire for it's lightweight and excellent traction and wear in the past. Run them front and back. But I'm getting flats at an alarming rate that I never experienced in the past. Do mostly fast trail riding. We have very rocky terrain here and I'm getting holes punched in the tread of the tire that have to be plugged because the sealant will not seal them. I have three plugs in the rear tire in just 2 1/2 months. One hole was so big the tiny plugs for mountain bike tires wouldn't stay in and I had to use a truck tire size plug which has worked. Also see a lot more weeping from the tire tread and sidewalls but this does not bother me as the tire still holds air. Is this a defective tire that I should ask them to replace? Is anyone else having this kind of trouble with the new NN's?


Mmm... these types of posts have me concerned about hitting rocky trails when out of town.

I'll definitely keep a close eye on them after each ride to check wear.

I'm not as sensitive as others re, rolling resistance - but I am attuned when it comes to grip ^^ I find the grip to be acceptable for my riding style.

I'm no Brook McDonald... but, I'm the quickest downhill out of my riding buds and I'm also the only one that likes to huck o_0

Last Friday's ride was pretty technical with some gnarly rock gardens and lite DH (10+ foot gaps = book-book line).

The 2.35 Tsc I feel has adequate grip almost on par with the HD, for me up front.

The 2.25 Psc on back, I find has great grip... It's comparable to a 2.3 DHRII 3C I used to have. Definitely faster rolling.

The 2.25 Psc used for rear duties is slower rolling than I expected though (don't believe the hype).

The 2.35 Ardent Race it bumped, is quicker... but losses out in the grip stakes.

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## aerius (Nov 20, 2010)

Spectre said:


> Have you tried a Maxxis DH-R? It rolls well and grips about as well as a DH-F.


I have. It's a darn good combo of grip, weight, and rolling resistance but the EXO casings are too weak and do not stand up to the abuse that I dish out when I have that amount of traction available. After a few weeks of slamming rocks & ruts at high speed, the EXO casings get damaged and end up with bad wobbles in them. Maxxis doubledown casings take care of this issue, but if I'm going to pedal that much weight around I'd much rather run the Michelin Wild Rock'r2 Advanced Reinforced which gives far more cornering grip with only a slight penalty in rolling resistance.


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## manitou2200 (Apr 28, 2006)

I've personally not had any issues with my NN 29er, 2.35 TS and 2.25 PS double defense set that I have, other than the tread blocks have gotten chewed up a bit from the likes of Pisgah's gnar and other technical very rocky terrain. I'm on the lighter end at 145 but I ride hard and on trails with overhead to about 10' drops. I also have a big quiver of tires and wheels so I change them up a lot rotating in and out the Hans Damf TS, Ardent 2.4, Ikon 2.35, DHF 2.5 and DHR2 2.3's. The NN's are faster but aren't as grippy as the HD or the Minions but have better grip than the Ardent and Ikon and roll almost as well as the later on hardback. 
I think they're a good compromise trail tire. One condition with these lighter weight non 2 ply tires is air pressure and getting that dialed in for the rims and conditions. Too little pressure and you've got rim strikes and cuts, to much pressure and you have punctures and sidewall tears. If your terrain is always sharp chunky rock then you should be riding a two ply or reinforced tire. I've also had good luck with Conti protection apex tires and the 2.4 MK2 is a good balance of traction, weight and protection with good volume. I just wish they would update that tire to work better with 30+mm rims. 


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## DrDon (Sep 25, 2004)

My NN DD was pretty chewed up after 10 days in CO. The 2.35 SS in the front faired fairly well but undercutting of side knobs was slightly evident. Right now I'm running a DHR2 EXO DC 2.3 front/2.25 Ardent EXO rear. 


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## Placek (Jun 9, 2009)

Guys

You have tried plenty of tires, hence i’m corious Your opinion.

Currently i owne Set of 2,35 MaMa F and HansD R 29” (both 62mm on my 32mm internal rims)

It’s perfect in wet, rough terrain but when it comes to more flatter, speedy one it’s just too much. 
I’m planning to leave it for my epic days and order some more day2day combo with lower rolling resistance.
What i like is big volume (not fat tire) and good behaviour on wet roots.

My initial thought was to g try new 2,6 Nobby Nic’s in one of below setups, but than starterd to wonder if this would be a real difference in performace or just different label ?

2,6 NoNo F+R
2,6 NoNo F + Rock Raz 2,35 R (i already have spare Razor)


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

For a faster rolling combination, I might suggest trying a Nobby Nic 2.35 as your rear tire with a Maxxis DH-F 2.35 or 2.5 as your front tire. For an even faster rolling combination, the Rock Razor would well also. The DH-F has more cornering grip than the Hans Dampf though perhaps not quite to the level of the Magic Mary. The Nobby Nic would not be preferred in my opinion as a front tire as it seems to be a less predictable cornering tire than either the Hans Dampf or the DH-F.

This is our test of DH-F & Hans Dampf as front tires and Nobby Nic & DH-R as rear tires: Pacific Northwest Spring 2016 Enduro Tire Test: Hans Dampf/Nobby Nic, DHF/DHR, Butcher/ Purgatory

This comparison test compares the Hans Dampf and the Nobby Nic as rear tires: Pacific Northwest Winter 2015 Tire Comparison Test 1: 2015 Nobby Nic, High Roller II, Neo-Moto & Hans Dampf


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## Roaming50 (Apr 30, 2009)

Spectre said:


> For a faster rolling combination, I might suggest trying a Nobby Nic 2.35 as your rear tire with a Maxxis DH-F 2.35 or 2.5 as your front tire. For an even faster rolling combination, the Rock Razor would well also. The DH-F has more cornering grip than the Hans Dampf though perhaps not quite to the level of the Magic Mary. The Nobby Nic would not be preferred in my opinion as a front tire as it seems to be a less predictable cornering tire than either the Hans Dampf or the DH-F.


I have a Magic Mary on the front at the moment. I would say the grip is less than the 2.5 DHF I had on before. When the MM wears out (at the end of this season) a DHF will be going back on. For the rear, I did indeed find the NN fast, but it did not last. It shredded knobs within a 1/2 dozen rides and was destroyed by rocks within six weeks of putting it on. In comparison, every other tire I have used as lasted a lot longer. Perhaps I was unlucky with the NN, but I'll consider it a race only tire to be babied. As a trail tire it offers no durability at all.


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## Placek (Jun 9, 2009)

Spectre said:


> For a faster rolling combination, I might suggest trying a Nobby Nic 2.35 as your rear tire with a Maxxis DH-F 2.35 or 2.5 as your front tire. For an even faster rolling combination, the Rock Razor would well also. The DH-F has more cornering grip than the Hans Dampf though perhaps not quite to the level of the Magic Mary. The Nobby Nic would not be preferred in my opinion as a front tire as it seems to be a less predictable cornering tire than either the Hans Dampf or the DH-F.
> 
> This is our test of DH-F & Hans Dampf as front tires and Nobby Nic & DH-R as rear tires: Pacific Northwest Spring 2016 Enduro Tire Test: Hans Dampf/Nobby Nic, DHF/DHR, Butcher/ Purgatory
> This comparison test compares the Hans Dampf and the Nobby Nic as rear tires: Pacific Northwest Winter 2015 Tire Comparison Test 1: 2015 Nobby Nic, High Roller II, Neo-Moto & Hans Dampf


Read both articles and i have hard time to understand why MaMa is not there when DHF is real competitor. To me it's obvious that DHF is more effective than HD but if You put MaMa than situation might change?
Secondly the rear tire seems to be the only "rolling resistance" creator so how to understand one of comments below the article that "it's true" with one exception which is MaMa?

And third outcome - i know that "do it all" set is impossible hence curious what would be best 4-tire set out of which one would be pure mountain super-cornering,extra climbing , probably slower - MaMa and HD ?

Second combo would need to be much faster, baloony, reliable in simple singletrail - here i thought of NoNo 2,6 up front and Razor 2,35 on rear - would it be the best relation of volume and speed ?



TheNormsk said:


> I have a Magic Mary on the front at the moment. I would say the grip is less than the 2.5 DHF I had on before. When the MM wears out (at the end of this season) a DHF will be going back on. For the rear, I did indeed find the NN fast, but it did not last. It shredded knobs within a 1/2 dozen rides and was destroyed by rocks within six weeks of putting it on. In comparison, every other tire I have used as lasted a lot longer. Perhaps I was unlucky with the NN, but I'll consider it a race only tire to be babied. As a trail tire it offers no durability at all.


To be honest i've never looked at Maxxis as i don't care about Schwalbe wearing, the only what matters was effectiveness, so when You say best cornering or fastest than i pick it up. 
Stats on EWS don't lie so it would end up with deciding between Schwalbe and Maxxis .


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

Placek said:


> Read both articles and i have hard time to understand why MaMa is not there when DHF is real competitor. To me it's obvious that DHF is more effective than HD but if You put MaMa than situation might change?


The Magic Mary does corner better than the DH-F to me, but its weight and added rolling resistance even as a front tire is a deal breaker for me as an everyday trail riding tire. The DH-F provides about 90-95% of the cornering ability of a Magic Mary with the benefit of not feeling like a boat anchor when climbing.

So, yes, if it is only about descending and cornering capability, the MM would get my nod as a front tire for your first combo.

For your 2nd combo, I would still go with a DH-F as front tire though I haven't ridden the 2.6 NN. My guess is that the DH-F would provide better cornering traction in either the 2.35 or 2.5 widths than the NN without really adding much noticeable rolling resistance. Also, the RR is probably faster rolling than the NN.


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## Placek (Jun 9, 2009)

Spectre said:


> The Magic Mary does corner better than the DH-F to me, but its weight and added rolling resistance even as a front tire is a deal breaker for me as an everyday trail riding tire. The DH-F provides about 90-95% of the cornering ability of a Magic Mary with the benefit of not feeling like a boat anchor when climbing.
> 
> So, yes, if it is only about descending and cornering capability, the MM would get my nod as a front tire for your first combo.
> 
> For your 2nd combo, I would still go with a DH-F as front tire though I haven't ridden the 2.6 NN. My guess is that the DH-F would provide better cornering traction in either the 2.35 or 2.5 widths than the NN without really adding much noticeable rolling resistance. Also, the RR is probably faster rolling than the NN.


Spectre
Believe me or not, Your input means to me.

Basing on above and what i have in my garage (MM,HD,RaRaz all in 2,35 - all almost new) i'm trying to have ultimate setup for rough nasty terrain and second one on opposite side = flatter terrain,shiny day, comfort trip for local trails.

To avoid spending too much money i'll try to mix them up depending on purpose.

Mountains, descents, all day trip with unpredictable weather - seems like MaMa and HD as this setup is a benchmark - rest are skills
Shorter trips around house, when it's dry, fast, rooty - here i can take much higher risk - maybe HD + RaRaz or NN 2,6 + RaRaz


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## Averbuks (Oct 24, 2014)

New Nobby Nic 27.5 x 2.6 Trailstar on a ARC 27 rim. Measures 2.53 on the casing lets
See if it stretches a little.


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## Erock503 (Oct 20, 2014)

Spectre said:


> Another way to go is to run the NN Pacestar in the back with a better cornering front tire such as a Maxxis DH-F. Most of the rolling resistance gains will be coming from the rear tire.


Thanks for those reviews, they were very helpful. I've had the NN 2.35 rear and HD 2.35 front on all summer, and they worked great for my trails. Really enjoying the combo. :thumbsup:


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

Have done a few wet/muddy rides lately on my 2.35 tsc & 2.25 psc combo... 

The 2.35 up front works flawlessly, set psi to 23-24 & it's rail-a-geddon!

The 2.25 out back has done o.k. considering the trails and their condition.

One trail was wet, hard pack, some roots etc... was getting some rear wheel drift, which made things interesting o_0

Another trail was loamy, rooty wet also. 

NN 2.25 did pack up, but seemed to self clean quick enough. 

I managed to scramble up several wet, rooty sections. 

Still got a little drift out back, but less than when on the slick hard pack.

Next ride will be a mixture of both... Hope trails are a little drier.

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## Stalkerfiveo (Feb 24, 2015)

targnik said:


> Have done a few wet/muddy rides lately on my 2.35 tsc & 2.25 psc combo...
> 
> The 2.35 up front works flawlessly, set psi to 23-24 & it's rail-a-geddon!
> 
> ...


Thread is 2 years old, are we still talking 2015 tires? Or the newly designed 2017 Nic?


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## Appalachian (Apr 12, 2006)

Stalkerfiveo said:


> Thread is 2 years old, are we still talking 2015 tires? Or the newly designed 2017 Nic?


There is a new Nic different from the new 2015? Pictures please.

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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

There's - before 2015 & after 2015, last time I checked it was still 2016...

Tyres were (are) on close out... So, I bought a couple ^^

Would seem silly for Schwalbe to change it again so soon...

Rode some rooty, rocky, dry hard pack trails today.

Several steep, bermy run outs w/ lots of changes in direction (like being a pinball, I imagine)...

Tyres actually seemed quite well suited for the application.

If they do redesign stuff for 2017... 

I may look at them in 2018, once these ones wear out ;-P

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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

I think Schwalbe has come out with new Nobby Nic models to support 2.8" and E-bikes. I don't think there have been any changes in design, just an expansion of sizes and applications for 2017.


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## Stalkerfiveo (Feb 24, 2015)

MSU Alum said:


> I think Schwalbe has come out with new Nobby Nic models to support 2.8" and E-bikes. I don't think there have been any changes in design, just an expansion of sizes and applications for 2017.


Got it. Thanks!


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## LCW (May 5, 2008)

Wasn't there a new 2.6 NN also coming?


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## NullAndVoid (May 29, 2011)

LCW said:


> Wasn't there a new 2.6 NN also coming?


Yes the 29er 2.6 NN looks interesting.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

Looks like Schwalbes are as brittle as ever (for rear duties).

My front 2.35, 2015 is running great up front. Barely any signs of wear, looks like new almost. It's in the Trailstar guise.

The 2.25, 2015, Psc - after maybe 6 or 7 rides... with only one of those rides being on dry, rooty, rocky trails - is already starting to melt away.










Approx. 4+ sets of the central lugs, in the same area are showing damage.

Which makes me suspect, it was one heavy yank on the anchors that revealed this tyres persisting flaw.

Fortunately, I only parted with $35 usd.

I definitely won't be putting anything Schwalbe out back again.

On a positive note I will be keeping the 2.35 Tsc out front ^^

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## mevnet (Oct 4, 2013)

NullAndVoid said:


> Yes the 29er 2.6 NN looks interesting.


The 2.6 looks the same with all others, just wider. I have the 650b and it measures 2.45 on a i29 rim. Both tires came under the stated weight and only about 25-30g heavier than a 2.35, I have more details here:


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## rsilvers (Aug 23, 2015)

F29Lefty said:


> man i am torn on these tires. been riding extremely dry conditions.. have a 225 and 235.. currently running 235 on front and ron 225 rear. the nic brakes so good and rolls decent but in fast corners it becomes skidish.. started at 20 PSI and now down to 16 PSI ( i weight 130) feels better but Its not gripping like i want should i go back to the 225?


At 130 lbs and if the tire measures 61mm wide, I would try as low as 10 psi front and 13 psi rear. 16 is too high for sure for your front.

Personally I would only buy Trailstar for a front tire.


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## o27 (Apr 3, 2016)

Having seen some Youtube´s on measure of the Nobby Nic 2.6 and 2.8 it seems like the 2.6 measures 61.87mm on an i29 rim. I have American Classic Wide Lightning with 29,2mm internal rim width and a max of 65mm max tyre clearance on my Cannondale Habit Carbon 2.

Any actual experience in 2.6 on i29 rims?


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