I want a tyre that is Ok on the road, but will let me get offroad and have a reasonable chance of geting round the next corner.
I ride in West Oz, where there is a lot of pea gravel (real ballbearing stuff) of various depths, some of it on rock. The rest of the offroad stuff is fine sand. I am not racing, but like to take a few risks. I am pretty new at mountain biking, but tore about when younger on some steel beast that prpobably weighed twice what I ride now!<G>
My Yukon has Hutchinson Scorpion Air Lights on it. Now I ride a fair bit on gravel, and have washed out a few times, but find that the tyre will catch you pretty well as it leans over. I run them at about 30 front 35 rear.
I assumed it was just me and gravel, but I started reading reviews by riders and they pretty well said these tyres were total [censored]! But then somebody always says _any_ tyre is [censored]! <G>.
Some of these guys claimed to have pinch-flatted them in a test ride in the shop parking lot. I am not quite sure about these people, as I have pounded the fish out of these a couple of times, including once when I did not realise how flat the rear was, I have ridden over sharp rocks, and logs etc, and never had a flat yet....however....
I realise they will be no good on the road, as I have tried it, and can see that they are noisy and will wear fast.
So, given that I do not need a super tyre, is there something that will work as well as the Scorpion, but have a better rolling character and better wear for road work?
I am also finding that every tyre that gets a good writeup has just gone out of production! Maxxis Mimo was one.
I will probably get as mnany differenr answers as answers, but thanks for any ideas.