Hearing generally good things about these tyres – can anyone expand, and tell me which are the best/most versatile version and where to buy cheap? How do they come up size-wise? After an alternative to 2.2 Black Chilli Rubber Queens for a 150mm trail bike. Need to roll ok, grip well and not puncture on rocks. I ride in the wet quite a lot, and on greasy rocks and roots – sometimes 30+ miles. Ideally to run tubeless. Cheers.

You’ll get varying opinions on this! But I thought they’re basically crap in the mud, block up instantly on trails that haven’t given me as much problems with most other tyres. Decent when things dry out a bit though.

I’m basically becoming a Butcher-recommending bot, they’re brilliant hard-use allrounders. Though, the sidewalls don’t seem massively tough, I’ve had no problems at all but then I’m not a sidewall killer in general so I’m a wee bit cagey about recommending that…

Cheers, Northwind.

Can anyone compare them to BC Rubber Queens having used both?

Hmmm, I have mixed feelings. They were great on Snowdon, where my lack of finesse meant hey took a real beating without a problem. I find them fine in mud, and grip reasonably well in the slop. However, for most of my riding (non-mountainous, not too boggy) they are over kill: unbelievable drag!

EDIT: I also used RQ Black Chilli – wasn’t overly impressed with them. Not as grippy as the HDs though, which is good or bad…

I’m too looking for something to replace the rubber queen/ trail king, good grip in the dry but side walls a bit flimsy for Rocky riding

boxfish – Member 
Hmmm, I have mixed feelings. They were great on Snowdon, where my lack of finesse meant hey took a real beating without a problem. I find them fine in mud, and grip reasonably well in the slop. However, for most of my riding (non-mountainous, not too boggy) they are over kill: unbelievable drag!

EDIT: I also used RQ Black Chilli – wasn’t overly impressed with them. Not as grippy as the HDs though, which is good or bad…

POSTED 19 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

Would you say the rubber queens rolled better then?

Would you say the rubber queens rolled better then?

Yes, but they weren’t as grippy. Grippy enough, but just less so than the HDs. I also prefer the tread profile of the HDs – felt much more predictable when leaning the bike over. With the RQ, I really noticed the transition between the centre tread and side tread.

There have been a few threads on these, they basically divide opinion. Many have had issues with them for whatever reason but i have used them for the majority of last year and i think they are pretty goddamn awesome :-). Trailstar evo for the front and pacestar evo on the rear. Dont even think about touching the cheaper versions. They are pretty nasty, no real grip and have a nice habit of the sidewalls tearing when they see a rock from 20 paces.

But as with everything it depends on the type of riding you do, i like mountains and these tick my boxes. Good volume and they go up tubeless and stay up so well 🙂

I keep reading that people find then draggy as well. Look at the profile, its a mountain tyre. And even then i never found them draggy.

If a tyre pretty much polarises opinion on here, you can probably bet it’ll be pretty decent at most things.

I had the cheap (‘Performance’) version on the front and found it to be pretty excellent for Peaks, Lakes, Wales, Alps riding. Despite all this the sidewalls do look and feel pretty flimsy. I’ve found it to be pretty poor in the slop too.

I’ll try the more expensive compounds in the future.

I run a black chilli rubber queen on the rear and a trail star Hans dampf on the front, the HD is a bit dragier which I why I run they that way round, mostly peaks, also welsh and Scottish trail centres good grip in most conditions over wet rocks and roots, and when it does start to slide I find it predictable and easy to control. Great tyre

You’ll get varying opinions on this! But I thought they’re basically crap in the mud, block up instantly on trails that haven’t given me as much problems with most other tyres. Decent when things dry out a bit though.

I’m basically becoming a Butcher-recommending bot, they’re brilliant hard-use allrounders.

I was going to write this – but he had. The 29er HDs weight about 15 kilos, and have no grip, once rolled through a bit of clag. (Fine in the dry though).

I’d also comment they went up tubeless very easily on my Crests, but I took then off as I decided the profile was too light-bulbish, they need a wider rim to be safer IMO. I use a Butcher Control now.

Try a Fat Albert: http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/TYSCFAFF/schwalbe-fat-albert-front-folding-tyre

£20 and roll well on front, plus plenty of volume/tough/grippy. Very similar to the HD.

I use the 2.35 HD Pacestars front and back. I find them ideal and think they are great. Got them on both my bikes; I’ve tried loads of different tyres over the years and these are the best for me.

I should add I run them on Flows, can’t comment on their use on narrower rims.

C

Only tyre I have stuck with for a while

Weight – reasonable
Roll – ok
Grip – excellent (IMO)
Mud – not the best
Tubeless – excellent
Puncture resistance – good (survived a month in the alps)
Lifespan – average > poor

Get them from bike-discount for sub £30. Come up at a proper 2.3 (i.e. bigger than a maxxis 2.3)

j3ffo – Member

Lifespan – average > poor

I kept hearing “They last for ages” then finally someone said the magic words “for a Schwalbe” and it all made sense.