So I have been riding HDs since Christmas I guess the only thing I liked about them was that they rolled much better than previous chunky monkey front and rear combo. Rode the chase on Saturday, it was dryer than it has been in months and I was shocked at how little grip and confidence they gave me they seemed to be far worse than in the wet. So I’m going back to CM at the front but I want something faster rolling at the back than a CM.

So I’m considering Smorgasbord, XR4, XR3, Purgatory Control, Mountain King.

So I would like some views on these options what I’m looking for is a tyre that rolls fairly well, has nice corner grip and works at low pressures.

That’s a shame – HDs are the grippiest I’ve ever used.

I did an uplift day at a very wet, rocky and slimy Cwmcarn last year and they were faultless.

I’ve also found HDs amazing pretty much all year ’round…

All those tyres you suggested are good, go eeny-meeny-miney-mo and pick one, because it’s a new tyre that smells nice the placebo effect will take care of the extra grip. Personally I like the Purg on the rear at the mo.

I’ll do you a favour and take your HD’s

Doesn’t sound like a Hans Dampf to me. What version are you using?

+1 awesome tyres

I’m a Chase regular and love my HD’s. I use them all year round because I’m too lazy to swap tyres and reckon they work well in all but the grottiest conditions. They’ve been to the Peaks and Wales plenty too.

They wear well too.

I think the High Rollers on the hardtail offer a bit more cornering bite though (but I’m in the minority who really like High Rollers).

????????
Im currently thinking of ditching mine as they grip too well (i.e. slow rolling)

Thats the only thing I can say is wrong with em

I love my HDs, better than anything I’ve used before and grip like anything (as above, too much, if anything!)

Never a fan, good grip and rolling in decent conditions but they clog too much for what they are, they’ve got no edges on normal rims (ps, seems to be no coincidence that the people going mad for super-wide rims are mostly putting schwalbes on them, which I reckon benefit from the reshape). Not too happy with the wear rate either

I might suggest a Butcher/Purg combo- Purgatory doesn’t have the grip on hard stuff that the HD does so not really a fan on the front, can be a wee bit washy. And 2 Butchers is pretty dang slow. But one at each end works for just about anything, not at all fast but worth it imo for the treadoffs.

OK, different tyre, but a scenario for you…

I used High Roller 2’s Dual Ply for the first time at BPW – first couple of runs I wondered what the fuss was about – I was squirming and washing out all over the place.

Let 5psi out and they were by far the grippiest tyre I’ve ever used

What psi are you running the HDs at? I can only imagine you have too much in there, as mines stick like shit to a blanket.

Wait for the new Magic Marys if you insist on changing! There is a pretty convincing review on pinkbike.

My latest combination of awesomeness is Magic Mary 2.35 up front, Trail King (aka Rubber Queen) 2.2 out back. Butcher 2.3 up front is good too though not quite as grippy as the Magic Mary. TK out back keeps things rolling fast enough for me whilst having lots of braking/driving grip, plenty of edge grip but not as much as the MM and very progressive behaviour at the limit. MM is pretty amazing.

Do want to try those Marys.

They do seem to provoke a polar response. I’m another in the ‘these things are hideous’ camp.

The big Maxxis alternatives (Minion DHF’s, DHR2, HR2’s etc) all grip significantly better IMO. I thought I was going a bit mental when I tried them, so I lent them out to my riding friends who all hated them too. Very odd.

When you say the Chase do u mean the dog/monkey or off piste, I find on the armored stuff nothing is perfect, those polished rocks can be lethal even in the dry, for everywhere else & natural stuff HD’s are pretty grippy

i’d echo RD above, its actually quite slippy in the dry especially on the pebble type stuff, i think its probably a tad grippier when wet/damp dare i say it

that said once it dries out theres no need to have such a massive tyre on like a HD for cannock, way way overkill

Anyway, how much posted for these? 😀

On my Chunky Monkey I ran 10 front 15 rear with the HD I ran a bit under 20 at the rear and a bit under 15 at the front.

To be fair I do find them ok at the back it is just the front inspires no confidence at all.. Evo Trailstar Front a Performance at the rear..

Really felt like I was under-steering like a shopping trolley on Saturday.

HD’s are great, but you have to run really low pressures. 22f/26r (psi).

Hds are great, really good all rounder. but like any single ply tyres if i run them much below 30psi ill rip a hole in them or dent a rim, on anything fast and rocky. Thats with tubeless too.

I love my Mountain Kings.

A mate of mine swore by Hans dampfs but has recently moved to Conti Rubber Queen UST BC’s and prefers them over the Schwalbes.

I run the RQ’s as well and like them, I’ve a pair of UST mountain kings as well but tbh keep the RQ’s on all year round now.

Run mine at 18F 24R. Mate runs his at 24F 28R

ive used both and thought the RQ’s pissed all over the HD in every department

RQ’s roll faster, seem way grippier and even in 2.2 are massive, last a real long time too, i sold mine almost a year old as a pair for £50 quid!

really good tyres, easily the best all round tyre out there the UST 2.2 rubber queen (or now known as trail king in uk at last)

the only reason i went to spesh’s is they are a fair chunk lighter and cheaper, current purg/butcher control was fine at cannock saturday

although i could have easily run a set of captain controls on saturday at cannock (and will be doing once it properly dries up ala spring)

The only manufacturer who can get Cannock Chase right is Maxxis IMO

Every other one struggles with baby head rocks up there.

I run a 2.35 DHF Front and 2.1 Medusa rear. Works for me!

Haha! Brilliant. Have a vision of all these tyre designers walking round the UK’s premier dogging spot, scratching their collective heads, dumbfounded by the epicness of the place and realising that tyre design for such a trail is nigh on Impossible….

Well Hora can’t ride it so it must be awumz

Awumz?

I have a High Roller 2 on the rear atm and I want to cry.

Payday Friday, Hans Dampf non-evo compound fitted by Monday morning I hope.

I’m never “trying something new” ever again.

Change, huh!

When you say the Chase do u mean the dog/monkey or off piste, I find on the armored stuff nothing is perfect, those polished rocks can be lethal even in the dry, for everywhere else & natural stuff HD’s are pretty grippy

Couldn’t agree more. Was at Cannock yesterday riding it for the first time in months, it’s like riding on polished marble at the moment! Very sketchy indeed.

Pleased with the new HR2 2.3’s, good grip in the wet/slop.
Roll well.

Awumz?

Awesome Horafied

Those of you that find the HD draggy, are u running the pacestar version on the rear because i have never found they dragged much considering what they are designed for. Trailstar on the front is pretty much my ideal mountain tyre. Although i am running a Chunky Monkey at the moment as they were going for not very much and had amazing reviews. So far so good. 🙂

My current combo is a bc conti baron 2.3 up front and a 60a maxxis beaver exo 2.25 on the rear, job done. Wanted the magic mary up front but they weren’t (and still aren’t) available when I needed one and I got my baron for a bargain price (can’t justify them normally as the sidewalls don’t last me but I managed to get a pair for £30 off a conti sponsored rider who’s moved up to 650b).

HDs seem to run a bit better when you’ve worn them down a bit IMO. Good tyres in the dry and not too thick mud. Prefer Purgs front and rear in real gloop…but definitely prefer RQs in slightly wet to dry conditions esoecially around CYB.

Still to find something for an all rounder round Cannock/Brocton on and off piste.

I have to say that I have ridden Cannock with numerous tyre combinations, none are invincible! Tyre pressure more than anything else seems to improve grip on the slippery bits, rode Cannock this Sunday for the first time on a HD Front, initially with pressure around 28psi, dropped it too 25psi and it improved considerably.

IMO there are no tyres that will be foolproof on the Cannock pebbles!

I’ve got HD trail star upfront with a pace star rear and I find them very grippy in most situations although they are absolutely terrible in thick mud, don’t shed the muck at all. Moved over from Conti Barons which were just as grippy but more draggy.

Conti rubber queen 2.2 in black chilli tubeless casings run at 30psi front and 35 rear at Cannock on all the trails are fine ( 19 stone weight all up before anyone suggests going below 30psi). The stones on the armoured surface are something you learn to ride/surf!
I have tried maxis minnions SP but found side walls to shallow and was constantly holing them or the bead areas were giving way. They too gripped on the armoured trails but off piste clogged up too fast and wouldn’t clear.
I guess people tend to fall into the Schwalbe, maxis or Continental club on tyres. For me I have to admit although I have tried others contis have always been my favourites.