Originally Posted by
hokiefyd
Please report back! I have the Nates on my Pugs as well and, though I usually do ride it in primarily single track environments, maybe a smoother tire would enable me to expand its versatility a little bit.
I can report now... I had (and still have in the fork) 45North Van Helga (tubeless), which is nice and light and rolls smooth and fast. Then I bounded some unknown object on the road one day that cut the rear Van Helga down. I replaced it with a tubeless 45North Husker Du (it was the only tire the local shop had available) which was even better than the Van Helga! Loved that tire! Then late last fall another unknown object on the road sliced through the Husker Du and that was the end of that tire. The only tire the shop had available next was the Surly Nate (w/ tube). I hate this tire on the road and concrete, which I drive on daily on my commute. It is the heaviest, most rigid, toughest tire I have ever owned and will shake you to your core and drag down your speed on the road because of the thick, high knobs, especially at lower pressures. It is great for snow, slush, mud, trails, gravel, etc., because it really digs in and gives you that traction, but it is miserable on the road--just miserable! And now, here in South Dakota anyway, the snow is all melted, so the Nate is no longer helpful in getting me where I want to go in ease and comfort. So it will be replaced with the Fat B Nimble I ordered yesterday (local bike shop had nothing for a fat bike). I can tell just by looking at the Fat it will roll much faster and easier on the pavement and flatter, groomed trails. I've also used the Maxxis Chronicle and a Specialized tire (can't recall which one it was) and I can tell you with certainty--
any of these tires rolls better than the Nate on pavement! So, to answer your question, no doubt about it the Fat or any of the other tires I've mentioned are more versatile than the Surly Nate! Nate is good for one thing and one thing only--really tough stuff! The Nate will soon be hanging on the wall to serve as a spare tire and a winter tire.
As an aside, I prefer the fattest tire I can fit on the bike, front and back, and with high air pressure (usually maxed out). I want to roll fast and bouncy on the pavement (it's my flubberbike!), while still having grip in lower pressures for the trails and snow, etc. If I lived in the city and rolled only on pavement I would definitely go with a smooth fat tire at maximum pressure and be done with it.