The Schwalbe Nobby Nic has long been one of the most well-known all-mountain and touring tires. It’s often marketed as an “all-rounder” – light, versatile, with great grip. But my experience shows: this image can be misleading.
Hidden Talent – and the Price You Pay
Yes, the Nobby Nic can be phenomenal on dry terrain – even outperforming the Maxxis Assegai. But only if you’re willing to ride like a pro racer:
- Dial in the perfect tire and suspension pressures
- Keep your body position active and focused at all times
- Ride every turn flawlessly
Under these conditions, the grip can indeed be sensational.
But let’s be honest: who can, or even wants to, ride like that all the time in casual mountain biking?
The Problem in Real Life
In reality, the Nobby Nic is anything but forgiving. I’ve had three crashes – and not one happened on a trail.
All three were on asphalt, at moderate speeds, simply riding through a curve. No aggressive maneuvers, no extreme lean angles – the grip was just gone.
The reason? The Nobby Nic demands you to always be in race mode. If you just want to cruise, it punishes you.
The Comparison: Magic Mary & Big Betty
Frustrated, I looked for alternatives – and stumbled upon the Magic Mary (front) and Big Betty (rear) combo from Schwalbe.
The result shocked me:
- More grip in all conditions
- Better corner control, even when riding casually
- No dangerous grip loss at moderate speeds
In short: Magic Mary does everything better than the Nobby Nic.
The Question for Schwalbe
So why does the Nobby Nic remain such a prominent part of Schwalbe’s lineup, when there are tires in their own range that are safer, grippier, and more versatile?
For casual riders, the Nobby Nic’s weaknesses can quickly become dangerous.
My verdict: If you know exactly how to ride the Nobby Nic “properly,” you might enjoy it – but you’ll need to stay in race mode at all times. For everyone else: avoid it. There are far better and safer choices.
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