[TheNatureBoy]

I’m reading reviews on 49 different tires and the range of like & hate from one guy to the next has my head spinning...

I’m liking Hans dampf rear and magic Mary upfront ?

Im using a Tallboy one thing I hate in a tire tho is something that wears me out ... I bought minions for my old Stache - sold them after 3 rides ... like mud shoes


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[eb1888]

Tire depends on terrain and speed.

 

[JackieTreehorn8]

XR4/Forekaster

 

[caRpetbomBer]

Older version WTB trailboss 2.4 Light fast rolling on the rear. New version WTB vigilante 2.6 Light High grip up front.

 

[KVV]

I did not like Hans Dampf in the rear. I think it has more rolling resistance than DRH II and I also don't like the feel of weak side knobs that stick out.

I currently ride a "winter" setup: XR4 TE 2.4 rear / Magic Mary 2.35 front. Big mountains are under snow, and anything rideable is mostly man-made and does not have sharp rocks. Plus this setup is light and more supple.
For the summer I'll put SE4 TE rear / DHF 2.5 Maxxterra front. Both are 60 tpi with very strong side walls. This is 900g + 1065g (!!!). DHF 2.5 is still a question to me. I think it's too square on the 29mm rims. I actually liked 2.3 on the 27mm rim better.

For lighter setup, Nobby Nic rear with Hans Dampf or MM front is not that bad. But after riding XR4 / SE4 / DHR in the rear, I can only tolerate NN for one ride. There is something wrong with how it behaves under braking. At this time Magic Mary is probably the only Schwalbe I like to keep.

XR4 is actually an awesome tire on the front, too. I was really surprised how good it worked in the combo with Ardent Race. And how good the AR is. Until it's wet.

If I'm to choose the only tire set, will go back to DHF/DHRii 2.3 MaxxTerra. It was quite a revelation to ride it after HD trailstar / NN pacestar combo. On the pavement if felt like the bike didn't want to move. But after a couple of hours on the trail it was the best tires ever.

 

[RS VR6]

I had a 2.35 Hans Dampf that measured 2.4 knob to knob. Currently running 2.35 Nobby Nic and Rock Razor. Works pretty well for my dry hardpack to sometimes loose dirt.

 

[MSU Alum]

It's pretty hard to recommend tire combos when we have no idea how or where you ride.
I like 29x2.6 DHF front (closer to a 2.5), 2.5 Aggressor rear (closer to a 2.4), but I also like 2.35 Nobby Nic front and back. Also, since the big knob Maxxis tires grip so well, I prefer a dual compound rear and 3c front, but so many work these days.
Hans Dampf Rear and Magic Mary front sounds good, but a faster combo would be a Nobby Nic rear, with a HD or MM up front, I think.

 

[bitflogger]

I moved away from Hans Dampf based on wear and price but they worked well. I moved from other German and expensive tires after being pleasantly surprised by recent Bontrager and WTB tires.

The Bontrager SE models are my first choice. They've had great durability without being as heavy as some tires I like. The family fleet has been mostly SE3 and SE4. The SE3 just got redesigned looking like a 2 model with late model 4 model outside knobs. One thing about the earlier 3 tread is they don't pack up as soon as some faster tread patterns. For the past year my wife and I have had both as a 4 pattern because of extra overall traction and faster feeling when you bike to trailhead over a Minion or Bontrager 5 tread.

The SE3 same as old XR3 can be a fast front tire but more for harder surface trails. I ran that in front for a while and realized the SE4 had me better covered when you land in or go into a loose stuff turn. Some racer friends argue my loving the 4 tread in front is crazy but I ride in different conditions.

One of our bikes has a WTB Riddler back and Trail Boss front. That is really sweet for speedy feeling and something that's got you covered when you lean over. The 2.24 Riddler in back is a really big 2.24 tire - seems every bit as big as the 2.4 Trail Boss in front.

Unfortunately you just missed all the Bontrager tires on sale but some bike shops sell them to you at a bro deal if you're verified paid local club member or trail crew. At first some thought I was a bit crazy for suggesting the Trek OEM brand but now I see there are good reviews out there.

Minions are all time favorites but I've become fond of the all around nature of the Bontrager 3 and 4.

 

[heartland]

I'm enjoying the 2.4 XR4 / 2.35 XR2 combo that I'm using for general XC riding with lots of hardpack, loose over hard, and decomposed granite. Not much mud or loam where I ride, so ymmv.

 

[KVV]

Speaking of the recently announced new XR3 (and possibly SE3), does anybody know when they are going to be available? That will be a great combo with XR4/SE4!

 

[leeboh]

Riding style, terrain , surface? MA rider here. Rocks, roots, dirt and big rocks. I like the dhf 2.5( or 2.3 ) and the aggressor 2.4 for the back tire.

 

[BlueCheesehead]

Speaking of the recently announced new XR3 (and possibly SE3), does anybody know when they are going to be available? That will be a great combo with XR4/SE4!

They are available now on the Trek website.

 

[TheNatureBoy]

Would a xr 2.4 front & rear be slowish ?

I had dhr dhf minions on my Stache - absolutely awful. Like I was pulling an anvil ...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Schulze]

No, the XR series tires are not slow. But if you want the fastest, do Vittoria Morsa 2.3 rear XR4 or XR5 front.

 

[410sprint]

Would a xr 2.4 front & rear be slowish ?

I had dhr dhf minions on my Stache - absolutely awful. Like I was pulling an anvil ...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Please describe the type of riding you do and the conditions of your trails.

 

[gregnash]

Favorite combo to date has been the 2.4 Goma TNT and 2.35 Martello TNT. Goma is currently no longer being produced by Vittoria but I have a feeling that a redesign is happening, similar to the Gato. The Bontrage XR/SE 4 are very similar tread pattern so that could be right up your alley.

 

[Nurse Ben]

Not slow, but also not the most durable tires.

Rekon rear for speed without giving up too much on traction, Minion up front for burl, less aggressive options are available.

Would a xr 2.4 front & rear be slowish ?

I had dhr dhf minions on my Stache - absolutely awful. Like I was pulling an anvil ...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[beer_coffee_water]

Not slow, but also not the most durable tires.

Rekon rear for speed without giving up too much on traction, Minion up front for burl, less aggressive options are available.

I was just going to post this setup here as well, 2.4 Minion DHR II and Rekon. I run both in the 3C compound. As a set they seem to do well in a lot of conditions. Definitely faster than DHF and Aggressor and sheds a half pound off my bike.

 

[Yupstate]

I run 29x2.4 Maxxis Ardent in the rear. More aggressive than the Rekon and measures a true 2.4 on my 30mm ID rim. Minion DHRII up front.

 

[beer_coffee_water]

I run 29x2.4 Maxxis Ardent in the rear. Less aggressive than the Rekon and measures a true 2.4 on my 30mm ID rim. Minion DHRII up front.

I fixed it for you. Sorry to disagree, but;

The Ardent should be canceled with the Rekon as its successor. I have ran the Ikon, Ardent and Rekon as rear lighter knobby tires. The Ardent's side lugs are so unsupported they fold over at any lean and you can feel them do it because it just lets go. I don't have an Ardent mounted or in my bin to measure the center tread depth but I would be willing to bet the Rekon has the same depth as an Ardent. The Rekon brakes better than an Ardent due to the paddle design, too. Again the Ardent knobs are just too small at their base to be effective. Even the Ardent Race is a better thought out tire. Take a look at the Rekon again and notice how it is right in between an Ikon and High Roller II. I will concede that the Ardent is a big 2.4 for Maxxis.