Clobber – I have both high rollers 2.35 and 2.00 storm controls – about 4 days ago I swapped from the HRs to the Storms. Mounted a storm and compared directly to the HR on the other rim. Seriously, there is hardly anything in it, the HR is bigger but not by much. Both on Arch EXs by the way

Tried the RQ 2.2 BC UST front and rear (had an X-King 2.4 BC Protection on the rear previously) over 20 miles and a few thousand feet climbing of muddy chalky rooty twisty singletrack, downland and steep natural muddy leafy greasy rooty DH runs, in constant heavy rain yesterday. Possibly the perfect rear tyre for those scenarios! Amazing braking and climbing traction and loads of edge grip, and it rolls much faster than I was expecting. Noticed I was committing in corners more like I do in the dry, and this was generating more grip from better technique as well as benefiting from a grippier rear tyre. For enduro racing in the wet I might want something even grippier up front, just to deal with the surprises when riding unseen trails at race pace, but knowing what’s coming up the matching Rubber Queen on the front was great, only slipping when my technique fell down (weight too rearward, bike not leant enough).

just to echo what CGG has said – basically the rubber queen 2.2 ust black chili, is perfect for winter as an all rounder front and back!

used yesterday in the normal riding spots i go, and i must say the grip/traction/braking performance was out of this world, i;ve had it on the front since may and never questioned its excellent performace.. but on the back its got incredible traction on the mud/gloop/wet..

i dont tend to ride in thick thick mud etc, mostly rocky peak stuff, but yesterday was possibly the greatest time to do the testing given how much rain we’d had and how slippy/muddy everywhere was….this tyre in another league!

glda i didnt go for the purgatorys now, saved myself some dosh, as the
RQ’s are perfect for what i need!

if you ride through fields/ constant mud (why would you choose to do that though?) then they aint for you, but what i can tell you if you mix it up, ie, bridleways, footpaths, loose rocks, big rocks, natural descents, natural slippy climbs, fireroads, cheeky woods etc etc then this tyre is second to none!

it is still a little draggy on road sections, and come drier months (late spring /summer) id have no issues putting the X king back on the back for a little more speed…but off road i cannot tell the difference at all, so if your constantly off road it would be even better!

but given most rides in winter dont entail to much road, the trade off is a good one!

seriously seriously impressed with the RQ on the back, its nice to finally be able to brake on stuff again and not be sliding about everywhere! and of course climbing slippy stuff and not wasting lots and lots of energy spinning out! all tried and tested yesterday!

ohhhh and wear wise, these are bloody good, ive had the front one on since may time, and i stuck a 3 ride old one on the back on saturday (so more or less new), and the tread is more or less the same, i cannot say the front has lost any more tread than the 3 ride old one!