I’ve got a Patrol, Arc30s, and a DHF2.5 WT on the front.
I want something for the rear for dry weather/hardpack type jazz.
Generally aggressive trail riding/jumps/DH on local stuff and also, crucially, to look after me on the Ard Rock/BPW/Stile Cop/occasional Follow the Monkey as well.

I’m thinking Minion SS or an Aggressor. Would I regret the SS? I ran HR2s last summer and although I like them as a general all rounder, I want something more specialised for the drier month(s).

I’m erring toward the SS for the extra speed. Will I regret it?

Rock Razor Super Gravity Trailstar.

Minion ss’s don’t play well with wide rims (as do most 2.3 maxxis tyres).

I’m running a specialized slaughter grid on the back at the moment for the dryer months, the rock razor is decent as well.

My mix and match OCD is twitching :/
I’m going to go all out and say no Schwalbes in fact. My mate’s had several different variants, and even with not particularly rocky south east riding, they seem to just fall apart. In fact, the one he used at the Ard Rock last year was practically new when it went on, and after the even looked like someone had taken a machete to the side knobs.

Enigmas – what’s the complaint with the SS on wider rims?

I really like the Minion SS. It takes a little getting used to and there’s times when it feels pretty iffy (dry crumbly fall-line steeps, bottom of innerleithen sort of thing, can be exciting) but semi-slicks have a great combo of mental speed while still having corner grip.

(I’ve not used a Rock Razor, I want to give it a try) On wider rims the Minion puts its sideknobs down very early which is kind of a mix of good and bad.

fitted a minion SS on saturday. started raining. stopped on wednesday.

rode tuesday night in the shittiest conditions and it was pretty good. in that I expected to be all over the place and wasn’t.

rode it last night again in the mostly dry and its great. like riding with a tailwind but still bites when you crank it over.

OK, cheers guys, is the Silkworm/EXO variant going to be OK for the Ard Rock type conditions? It’s going to be my first North Yorks type foray.
I’m a reasonably aggressive rider, but I weigh ~10 stone.

Have any of you used the Aggressor to compare it to?

I’m going to put it out there that in 20+ years of riding I’ve never slashed a tyre. I’ve only gone tubeless in the last year though.

Rock Razor Super Gravity is slightly heavy but offset by the tread. It is also surprisingly versatile in a range of conditions and is definitely tough (I’ve ridden it at Antur Stiniog and Revolution without issue).

I also have high praise for Maxxis Ikon 3C 2.35. I had them front and back from January > May (bike just sold that had them on) and they were stupidly rapid. Perhaps not ideal on the front but OK. As a rear though; awesome.

Rock Razors work far better than you expect them to in most situations, even wet. Only real weakness is braking grip on loose ground (wet or dry), which makes them slower overall on some of my local trails. They are very, very fun though.

My experience is based on unfashionably narrow (23.5mm internal) rims though.

EDIT: just saw that Ardent Races (like an Ikon with bigger cornering knobs) come in proper sizes now. The 2.2 version is excellent, but skinny, so I’d love to try one of those too.

another 2 rides on the minion SS and i’m really rating it, although I walloped it off a piece of granite last night and holed it. thought I was going to have to put an anchovy in it but seemed to seal up and hold air overnight.

Minion SS is my go to tyre for the summer and I really like it. You can lean on it surprisingly hard

Butcher / Slaughter combo here. Actually ran it through the winter because I couldn’t be bothered to change it. Surprisingly good – actually prefer the Slaughter to the Purgatory. Very nice, chunky sideknobs (same as the Butcher – corners very well) and rolls well in a straight line. Like any SK tyre its major failing is deep mud or hard braking in a straight line; however I’m trying to get into better habits and brake more effectively (which also transfers more of the braking duties to the front) so the second point isn’t really a huge deal when running a decent front tyre.

I’ve got the aggressor and am getting on well with it, predictable and corners well but is a lot faster rolling that the hr it replaced

Are maxxis doing a wider version of the aggressor yet? I like it but a bit more width would nice.

Enigmas – what’s the complaint with the SS on wider rims?

The minion SS is designed around a 23mm rim (a maxxis designer confirmed on mtbr). On wider rims it’s too square to the point that the side knobs touch the line going in a straight line, making it feel draggy and wear fast.

I swapped mine for a slaughter which is much better suited for wide rims.

I should mention this is also on easton arc 30’s.

I asked a similar again recently and went for the minion SS in the end, silk worm version.

Pretty good!

Does roll quick and more than grippy enough for my mincing around! 🙂

Specialized Butcher/Slaughter here as well.

Use them in all weather as I can’t be bothered to change. Just wish I went for the Grid casing instead of trying to save a few grammes. The Control is fast and light but deforms a bit in hard corners.

They’re really coming into their own now the trails are hard and dry.

2.4 Ardent
Agressor or tomahawk probably, enough grip but fast enough

Ardent Race is working great for me with a Minion DHF up front.

Maxxis DHR 2, 2.3wt on the front and Maxxis Aggressor 2.3 on the rear. Great combo imo for a multitude of surfaces found riding lots of natural stuff round Wales, The Peak, The Lakes and Spain.

Pretty fast rolling, lots of predictable corner grip, sheds mud well when it’s wet and tends to find grip unless it’s proper sloppy/claggy. Seem to wear well too but side walls on the DD version start showing the threads after a month or so.

Going to give the WT version a go when that comes out over here and see if the ride characteristics are the same

Carlos

Trail boss is ace, bloody quick, and has better straight line traction, but doesn’t have the same grip leaned over as the SS ones already discussed, as it doesn’t have the same aggressive edge knobs.

It’s a good option, and I like the tough fast casing, as I’m a big bastard and like riding rocky stuff.

I’d like to try a Slaughter, as I rate the grid casing, but EXO isn’t tough enough for me.

I’m going all in with a Slaughter Grid on the back for the EWS this weekend. Last time I tried a semi slick was the Rock Razor which had a lifespan measured in minutes.

Borrowing a set of 30mm ID rims so hopefully they work out ok. Might go for the Butcher Grid on the front too.

Nobeerinthefridge – Member

Trail boss is ace, bloody quick, and has better straight line traction, but doesn’t have the same grip leaned over as the SS ones already discussed, as it doesn’t have the same aggressive edge knobs.

Yeah, I just had a first ride on the trailboss and that’s exactly how it feels too. If you could glue on the side knobs off a minion it’d be a fantastic tyre

Another vote for the Ardent Race.

Currently running one on Flow EX rims paired with a HD front.

It works well but not a huge amount of grip under breaking …… #skidzarentjustforkidz

Minion SS is just too narrow and square for wide rims.

Rock Razor on the left , Minion Ss on the right.

I tried the SS on 35mm internals and only lasted a month before the sidewall slashed. Put the 18 month old Rock Razor on and is a much better shape.

Yeah, I just had a first ride on the trailboss and that’s exactly how it feels too. If you could glue on the side knobs off a minion it’d be a fantastic tyre

Isn’t this where the Aggressor wins over other ‘intermediate’ tyres like the Trailboss or Purgatory for instance.

Isn’t this where the Aggressor wins over other ‘intermediate’ tyres like the Trailboss or Purgatory for instance.

Not for me it doesn’t, if you’re 10 stone and ride light, then yes.

Maxxis or now on the ‘front tyre only’ list, just below Schwalbe… 8)

I run a Minion SS in the summer on ASC 30 rims and like it – it’s worn well so far (into it’s second summer). On steeper, loose stuff it can be interesting but on harder packed stuff it works really well.

Not for me it doesn’t, if you’re 10 stone and ride light, then yes.

If by ride light you mean mince then that works for me 😉 Not had problem with EXO casing tyres, oh that’s done it now 😕

Ardent race has a pretty flimsy casing and the tread isn’t that high. Its a good xc tyre but wouldn’t want it on the back for anything steep/loose.

At Ardrock last year I ran a DHF on the front and SS on the back. Conditions were dry, this year if its wet there will be a minion dhf on the back as well.
I have an aggressor on the back of the reign at the moment, its not as quick rolling as an SS (but quicker than a HR2/DHF/DHR), but way more braking grip, side bite is a little bit less than a minion.

For trails which are steeper (Inners/Shropshire) I like something with a bit more braking traction, then not having to worry about braking when I need to!

I tend to just use a worn down rear tyre in the summer. Im planning on riding my worn Purgatory or possibly a worn Rubber Queen this summer.

Isn’t this where the Aggressor wins over other ‘intermediate’ tyres like the Trailboss or Purgatory for instance.

The Purg may not be the best when it comes to braking on the rear, but the consistent element I’ve found with all of the more aggressive modern Specialized tyres (Butcher, Slaughter and Purg) is they have stacks of cornering bite. I’ve not used an Aggressor so couldn’t comment, but it does look like a nice tyre. Compared to a Maxxis Ardent I feel the Purg bites better in the corners and is pretty equal when it comes to straight line grip.

I tend to just use a worn down rear tyre in the summer. Im planning on riding my worn Purgatory or possibly a worn Rubber Queen this summer.

🙄

😆

Whoa! That picture of the SS on a wide rim has put me right off!

I’m not that keen on the idea of an Ardent, I’m not sure they’re aggro enough. Aggressor is looking like the best bet at the mo, or a Purgatory.
And I am a 10st weakling, if that helps!

I’m an idiot – it’s the Slaughter that’s the equivalent of the Minion SS isn’t it? Not the Purg?
Are these any cop? I had one on a demo bike last year at Friston and remember being reasonably impressed at how it held on soft stuff for such a low treaded tyre. I’m not sure I was really pushing it and didn’t have much to compare it to at the time though.

Purgs on the other hand are only £20 from JE James…

Minion SS is great on a Flow EX (25.5mm internal), similar shape to that Rock Razer on a 35mm rim. Hopefully they’ll make a WT version soon for those of you on wide rims because it’s a great tyre!

I didn’t get on great with the slaughter grid, it felt really similar to the minion for braking and cornering but it seemed way down on pedalling traction- spun up on technical climbs where the minion doesn’t seem to (hard to really compare fairly as conditions vary so much but innerleithen’s annoying step climb was a pain in the nuts with the slaighter)

I’m honestly not that bothered about climbing traction. I mean, it’s handy, but if it’s that ‘technical’, I’ll probably fail in the technical skill bit, and just get off and push 😀 As long as it’s handy when it’s up to speed on the downs/flow, I’m good 😀 So from your description, it sounds dead handy!

I’m an idiot – it’s the Slaughter that’s the equivalent of the Minion SS isn’t it?

Pretty much. Can’t comment on a comparison as not ridden a Minion SS.

Purg is a meatier tread, but doesn’t seem to brake any better in a straight line (in my experience). Does roll well tho.

Worth getting teh Grids if you ride anywhere rocky too.