Schwalbe embraced the mid-sized wheel format, making a number of its most popular tread patterns readily available for XC/trail, enduro and downhill.The Nobby Nic has risen to the top of our short list of 650B XC/trail tires for its fast roll and all-situation grip. Schwalbe makes the Nobby Nic in
a dizzying number of models for all three wheel diameters and in widths from 2.1 to 2.4 inches. For 650B, however, the options are either a 2.25 or 2.35-inch carcass. In this feature, we review the larger, 2.35-inch tire, which is constructed with Schwalbe's mildly reinforced 'Snakeskin' sidewalls, a tubeless-ready bead construction, and a widely-spaced tread pattern, molded with its premium, three-compound Pacestar rubber. Published weight is 685 grams
(ours weighed over ten grams lighter) and its MSRP is $88. Our test tires measured 27.75 inches in diameter at 32psi and the tread width was 2.35 inches on a 19-millimeter ID rim.
Schwalbe's Nobby Nic has a wicked blend of spiked, widely spaced tread on a tough, but flexible carcass. The edging blocks are deeply siped in an H-pattern to add grip.
Nobby Nic 650B Details:• Intended for XC and trail use
• 27.5" x 2.35" stated size
(27.75 x 2.3 inches actual)• Three-compound tread construction
• 'Snakeskin' anti-abrasion sidewalls
• 67 threads per inch
• Tubeless Ready bead and carcass construction
• Weight: 685g
(670g actual)• MSRP: $88.25 USD
Evolution is Schwalbe's top level off-road tire, TLR means that the beads are designed to seat quickly on tubeless type rims, but that you'll need sealant to keep air inside. Snakeskin is a thin nylon anti-abrasion sidewall, and Pace Star refers to its three-compound tread design. Note the spiky edging blocks - very good for finding grip on hard pack covered by loose dirt.
FeaturesEvolution DesignSchwalbe designates its top level tires as Evoloution, which can mean a lot of things, but in this case, it refers to a group of features, including a supple nylon casing, a folding bead coated with a soft layer of rubber and shaped to ease tubeless inflation, and finally, Schwalbe's 'Ttriple Star' tread compound.
Full-Width CasingThe Nobby Nic follows Schwalbe's tradition of pairing a high-volume casing design, with an inflated measurement of 2.35 inches - wider than some tires rated a 2.4 inches. The combination of a large casing and widely spaced tread has proved to create a fast-rolling tire.
H-blocksSchwalbe claims that its deeply grooved side blocks create extra gripping surfaces when the tire is pressed hard onto the trail surface. H-blocks are used on the transition and edging tread where cornering takes place. Siped blocks are featured elsewhere. The Pacestar triple-tread compound features tougher, more durable rubber in the center, with slightly softer edging tread. The third compound is a tough, flexible under-tread layer.
Directional TreadThe use of siped and vectored blocks requires that the minimally adorned tread design be run in the correct direction. We accidentally ran a set of 26-inch Nobby Nics in reverse with mixed results. Climbing traction was enhanced, but turning grip seemed to suffer. We followed the arrows for this review.
Tread on the front tire looked good (left), but the rear tire did nor fare as well. The wear took place over about 100 miles of rocky, technical trail riding in both wet and dry conditions. Skidders will quickly destroy Nobby Nics,
PerformanceCorneringLots of grip to be found on any type of trail surface made the Nobby Nics one of the more enjoyable tires this season. Sliding is easily predicted and controlled. The tires seem to work equally well on the front and rear too - with little, if any pushing recorded throughout the three-month test period. For as minimal as the tread seems, the Schwalbes were always trustworthy.
RollingNobby Nics feel smooth and grippy, so they don't give you a sense that you are moving fast - that is, until you realize how much spreed you are carrying out of corners and down slight inclines. The 2.35-inch size seem to be a perfect match for 650B wheels - with a just-right contact patch to grip the turns without dragging down the fast sections.
ClimbingExpect mega traction up every climb. Steeps? No worries, just keep pedaling and the Nics will find somewhere to grip. The wide carcass and relatively narrow tread pattern will drop into slots in between rocks sometimes, which can be unnerving, but those moments were few and far between. Over loose or gravely climbs, the spiked tread seems to find tiny bits here and there to hold onto - and we also had no problems scaling smooth rock faces.
Braking Stopping was equally strong and predictable, but use your front brake when dropping down steep chutes, because habitually locking up the rear wheel will quickly turn your 88-dollar trail tire into a cross-country racing slick. Scratching our way down the rocks near San Diego took its toll on the rear Nic.
Tubeless ReadyA quick note for those who run tube free that Schwalbe has the tubeless thing pretty wired. Every Schwalbe tire we converted over the past year, including the Nobby Nics, was easy, and required only a standard floor pump.
Pinkbike's take: | Schwalbe's Large-volume/spike tread school of tire design has spawned a notable progeny of followers. The Nobby Nic has always been one of our favorites, but it truly comes alive in the mid-diameter, 2.75-inch application. The 2.35-inch option feels just right - light weight without being too small, and its casing feels supple, but not mushy in the corners. It grips predictably on moist soil, and it manages to find hold on sketchy, 'marbles on concrete' surfaces as well. Don't expect to get a year's riding out of your Nobby Nics though - they wear quickly. Pushing small, sparsely populated tread blocks down steep chutes and through high-speed turns is not a recipe for long tread life. Shelling out 160 bucks for a pair of Schwalbe tires may seem extravagant, but brilliance is fleeting. For some, that's only two rounds of drinks - a pair of Nics should last a few months longer and will show you a far better time. - RC |
Schwalbe Tires
I saw a guy once on a 6" bike on Conti Mking Supersonics 2.4 on Mavics XC717s - I mean you will never ever learn anything on such bike. It's like parkour on high heels!
Also, a lot of people blame every little slide out/sketchy moment on their tyres. Ive seen guys slaying trails with the most worn out tyres imaginable. Sometimes it just requires you to adapt your riding style.
I am surprised with your experience on granite ShabbyD as Zi find those to be the best grippers on wet and mossy rock faces of all kinds of tyres I had, save Maxxis Slow Reezay. Comparing toblack chilli MKings II which are their closedt competitors, NNics grip rock quite well IMHO
This is an all out XC tyre for few terrains in the world. Dry conditions tear them apart. But if they work for your bike/terraim, they are unbelievable. A love hate tyre ondeed
I would think if a tire is good in 26 it's going to be good in 27.5. And if it is shit in 26 it's not going to maniacally be better in a slightly bigger version.
I think the same thing when I hear about tire companies 'developing' and 'testing' 27.5 versions if their current models. Developing? What is there to develop? Just make it bigger, it's the same tire.
PaceStar is their hardest rubber compound mix on this line of tyres. (Good for a faster rolling/longer-lasting rear trail tyre)
TrailStar is a bit softer. (Good for a Trail tyre if you don't mind a bit of extra rolling resistance - logically it most often gets used as a trail front tyre but sometimes for front and rear)
VertStar is not available on all versions but is their super sticky version, with a bit more damping, for gravity use - wears out quickly.
All are triple compound.
From the Schwalbe website...
www.schwalbetires.com/sites/all/definitions/Performance.html
www.schwalbetires.com/sites/all/definitions/Compound.html
Such sort of blanket statement, like Kenda and WTB being useless in "Europe" is a clear indication that you have no clue whatsoever what you are talking about.
I've had issues with Specialized 2Bliss tyres, twice, having porous sidewalls that will not, with Stan's, stay inflated for more than a few hours, but never with Schwalbe.
A mate has had issues once with a RocketRon that exploded off the rim, when initially inflating to seat them, at a little over 40psi and I had the same with a Spesh Purgatory so be careful. Using a bit of dish-washing soap liquid around the bead helps the tyres pop up on to the rim sides upon initial inflation.
The Performance line gets NN's a bad name from OE reviews because they are cheap and light for bike co's to fit. They help pass the ''prospective customer lifts up in bike store' test well. The 'proper' compound versions are a better quality altogether.
The fact that the review says the PaceStar version wears down very fast is a bit scary because that's the relatively 'hard' compound version compared to 'middling TrailStar compound. + you can't (well shouldn't) reverse the (directional) rear to get extra life out of its ripped up knobbies like you can with its unidirectional cousin the Hans Dampf.
Back to MAXXIS for me. £40 down the drain.
Although I have only tested these on a new bike, the grip is outstanding, especially for a mild mannered looking tyre pattern. It hadn't let me down up until last week in the lashing rain, but by then it was balding anyway.
The snakeskin had also reduced flats to none in 2 months. I normally get a flat every other ride on my previous Panaracers.
Cracking tyre, great rolling with correct pressure, will only buy these in future
It is an all out xc/trail tyre. Do not try in AM. But they are the best I've ever tried in XC
You see the same thing with Hope hubs... in the UK they're cheap, because they're made there... in Canada and the USA they cost easily 50% more.
It is not the shipping, it is a bad business model. Tires are commodity, no need for three layers of markup.