Normal HR2 rear, tacky? HR2 front. Freeride tubes inside.

or do I really need dual ply?

More than fine. Always run them and never fail me over in the alps. I just run the EXO ones.

You do not need dual ply. Fwiw never had a picture in 6 odd trips with my hr’s dual ply but also last year rode 10 days with Hans Dampfs no problem. Depends what you are riding and how agressively, plus tyre pressure.

@jambalaya do you recommend increasing tyre pressure or decreasing?

how do you people get dressed in the morning?

how do you people get dressed in the morning?

That’s what mumsnet is for 😆

To the OP: I found round ones worked quite well.

Zeelac firstly I am a right mincer 😳 but I run 30-35 in Alps. I don’t get the best grip but I am not shredding the switchbacks or screaming round the berms with my bar ends 12″ from the dirt. IME those with low pressures get the punctures or pinch flats. I would experiment with what suits you and indeed how rocky the trails are you are riding. Even some of the roots can pinch flat you or flatten a rim, everything is “bigger” and of course you are generally riding faster than at home.

how do you people get dressed in the morning?

One leg at a time but is it left first or right, thats the question 🙂

My experience of non dual ply was pinchflatting at 35psi. Although it was quite a old tire, on a hardtail, on a flatout DH track, with my terrible line choice.

YMMV.

Yup that’ll do it, go hard or go home 😀

If you’re just doing full on downhill, and stuff like the Mega, then maybe think about the dual ply, but otherwise regular trail tyre HR2 will do, except make sure it’s EXO. Flint and rock in the sidewall and the main killer, but really no different to going to some places in Wales.

Spare tube in case. Personally I’d run tubeless and plenty of sealant, and you can run low pressure without concern then (relatively low. Too low and you risk burping, but I can run 20psi anywhere happily).

Spare tyre for the trip also, as local prices will be extortionate. Obviously better if you’re driving as can take whatever spares you like.

Totally depends what you’re going to do when you get there. The big thing is, if you’re largely uplifted then the drawbacks of drag and weight are way smaller so it’s realistic to fit tougher and grippier tyres than you’d want normally. And I definitely wouldn’t settle for “run higher pressures to avoid punctures”, you want to be able to run the pressures you want and avoid punctures

Last time out I was on UST highrollers, worked very well- not too heavy, not too slow, tough and tubeless. Can’t say I’m that much a fan of the HR2 though but if it’s what you’ve got, they’ll do the job just fine. That was for maybe 3/4 uplift, 1/4 pedalled climbs/traverses etc, I’d not use those for trail riding in the UK.

Guided for 2 seasons on HR2’s , with no issues. Chamonix is pretty rocky. Plus 2 trips to Moab on the same bike / tyres – from what I remember, there were rocks and spikey things there too.

Probably around 30psi – but no one is going to be “shredding switchbacks” there. Always ran tubes too, but I’m 11st soaking wet.

There’s a pair for sale on the classifieds! :=/

Minion up front, always IMHO 😀 . HR2 works back.

Agreed 😆

Dual ply for the Alps any rocks seem to be bigger and sharper over there. If you know it’s just natural trails exo should be ok.

Which alps, which country in which alps?
Assuming you mean morzine? Super tacky if your prepared to bin them at the end of the week. Tubes? Go tubeless.

Some weird advice above IMO – not sure how ‘natural’ trails come with a guarantee of not containing these strange pointy rocks that apparently dont exist in the UK. Or what it is on DH trails that is going to rip open tyres or make tubes redundant.

Anyway, have fun and dont worry about it too much.

It’s your first Alps trip, so anything to add confidence helps. If you’re on 26 the Specialized Clutch are fab and tough enough IMO. message me if you want a little used pair. I am so sad i can’t use em now.
My 5c: tubeless all the way, not had a n issue on any of my 5 Alps trips.
Need 26″ DH rimstrips? I have some of those too!
Maxxis – I’d go dual to avoid sidewall cuts and you’ll also find that the bulk can “feel” great on DH too, better roll over, more “momentum”, maybe.
Apparently the HR2’s are improved over the old ones in many ways except the side knobs are a bit smaller and can let go (see review on blistergear).

So, for Maxxis I reckon consider Minion DHF both ends or DHF front and DHR2 rear perhaps. Or Schwalbe Magic Mary Supergravity, Vertstar front, Trailstar rear. Very confidence inspiring tyres.
It can be wet there at a moment’s notice and get surprisingly muddy fast.

For MUD apparently THE choice in Conti Muds (the DH version not the 1.8’s.
Shorty’s would be good too, pretty good all round. Supertacky up front.
neil

Normal HR2 rear, tacky? HR2 front.

Run the tacky on the front. 🙂

Spare tyre for the trip also

+ 1 Take at least one, even if tubeless.

Guided in Cham on single ply HR1s – they were fine. OK this was back in 2003, but I was riding more, harder and faster than I do now.

Personally I’d run about 30pst as that middle ground between pinch flatting and grip. Don’t run too hard – you will want grip!

As per every other tyre thread – depends on what you’re planning to do while out there (uplift, more ‘enduro’ (dude) with some climbs, wide open Morzine tourist trails, hidden sneaky singletrack hunting etc.)