Tyres for winter, but not 'winter tyres'

[N/B]

I'm going to be using my Cannondale rigid 26" MTB for NYC winter commuting (mostly bike paths and city streets) but wanted to keep it quite lightweight/fast and fun for park shreds in the snow.
Choosing tyres at present, and I know already that spikes/studs are a total no-go and that I don't want bulletproof touring tires that weigh a kilo each and last twenty years. I'm thinking folding XC-race-knobblies or similar.

The shortlist so far:
Continental RaceKing ProTection 2.2 rear + X-King ProTection 2.2 front
Maxxis Ardent Race 2.2 3C EXO rear + Maxxis ??? front
Schwalbe Racing Ralph 2.1 rear + Schwalbe ??? front
Hutchinson Python2 2.1 front + rear
Kenda Small Block Eight 2.1 front + rear

Any input/feedback/stories welcomed, I really don't know much at all about modern MTB tyres and was almost going to buy some reissued Ritchey Z-Max gumwalls until I realised they'd probably be unbearably slow on tarmac.
If it helps, these worked a treat on my steel singlespeed CX bike last winter;

I suppose I just need something a bit more cushy that can still roll fast.
A friend suggested Schwalbe Sammy Slicks...

 

[FluffyChicken]

Re:

Wouldn't that semi slick, other than wear the little knobbles out quickly on tarmac, be a bit slippy on snow? They'll not cut through it as they are much wider than the Cross tyres?.
Have a look through Vittoria/shcalbe website and look for a narrow slightly knoobly tyre like the cyclocross tyre you are using.

 

[hamster]

Panaracer Fire XC Pro 1.8's work well for me as a mixed road / offroad tyre. I have no idea if they are any good in snow though.

 

[N/B]

Re: Re:

Wouldn't that semi slick, other than wear the little knobbles out quickly on tarmac, be a bit slippy on snow? They'll not cut through it as they are much wider than the Cross tyres?.
Have a look through Vittoria/shcalbe website and look for a narrow slightly knobbly tyre like the cyclocross tyre you are using.

In 26", that appears to be a rare thing. Most 26" tyres below 1.95 are commuter-slick, no knobs at all. Also usually wire-bead, focused on puncture protection and pretty damn heavy. Those that are knobbly are cheap 60tpi rubbish, again wire-bead.
I suppose most nice lightweight small-knobbled folding CX tyres were developed for CX racing, which is predominantly 700c.
Besides, I want a little volume to keep the PSI down. Streets can be pretty rough here.

Shortlist has been revised to include
Kenda Small Block Eight 1.95 rear + Kenda Happy Medium 1.95 or 2.10 front
Schwalbe Sammy Slick 2.1 rear + Schwalbe Racing Ralph 2.1 front

 

[The History Man]

Have a look at schwalbe CX comp. Might be a bit heavy though

 

[FluffyChicken]

Re:

Nobby Nics in 2.1 or 1.8 ?

Geax ,(Vittoria) Mezcall2


Schwalbe make a comparable tyre the CX Pro in 26x1.35 if you do decide to go thin.

 

[N/B]

Yep, Nobby Nic 2.1 (or even 2.25) front could go well with a Racing Ralph 2.1 rear. Added to the list!

 

[hamster]

How about Schwalbe CX Comp? The 1.3s I run on my tourer roll pretty fast.

 

[N/B]

Can't find any CX Comps narrower than 2.0 - those are wire bead only and weigh about 700g each.
CX Pros in 26x1.35 are $25 each at CRC, good call. 405g and wire bead makes me think they might be fragile though.

 

[hamster]

Oops, my mistake, I meant CX Pro. They do come up smallish in width, definitely a 32mm tyre. They have been fine for me - my area is really flinty and I have had no trouble, unlike Rocket Rons which manage to acquire 4 punctures in a single ride with flint cuts.