Normally running Ardents on the rear all year round but the current slop around the South East is overwhelming them. Though it’s fun sliding about, there’s little grip at times.

Been looking at the Aggressor which seems a bit more knobbly than the Ardent but not as much as DHF/DHR/HR2. I run DHF on the front which is fine all year but I’m not so keen on a draggy rear especially when doing more XC-ish/trail rides and trying to keep up with faster groups. HR2 I run on the rear of my old Nomad, which is fine when it’s pointing mostly down hill but really no good picking up speed on the flat though. Too draggy.

Any opinions on Aggressor for mud conditions while keeping fast rolling, or as much as possible?

Not talking swamp mud, but more the sticky trail type mud generally mixed with dryer trails, as is my current typical kind of riding. If I hit boggy areas, then I just deal with it. I’m not breaking out full on mud tyres for that.

I haven’t ridden the Aggressor but by the look of it and feedback I’ve heard I wouldn’t bother – it’s more tightly packed than any of those tyres, including the Ardent, so will clog up rather easily. I’ve found the DHR2 2.3 dual compound is actually surprisingly fast on the back, not much slower than a Minion SS – yet it’s very good at providing good driving traction up slippery climbs.

Aggressor will clog up as chief says, tread is quite tightly packed, it runs really well on dryer rockier trails like we have up here in the Lakes.

I run DHR2 most of the time and just deal with the extra drag, but it’s probably no better than a highroller drag wise. Maybe try a specialized purgatory, i’ve had some luck with them in the past, bit grippier than an ardent and quite cheap too (make sure to buy GRID version).

Shorty.

Apart from the fast bit.

Awesome in the mud though, it’s like cheating.

aggressor and DHR2 are poor in the mud.

Never had an issue with 29er DHR2 in mud and soft dirt, ran one for a couple of winters in N.E Scotland. Not as good as the replacement E13 but still plenty acceptable.

Contrary to the above, I’ve been running the aggressor on the rear for the last 18 months or so now, and in albeit the claggiest of mud, always seems to find some traction. The extra sipes in the main body of the tread help with clearing. Yeah occasionally it spins out, all tyres will. Maybe its down to riding style, but if I do have to get off and push because its span out, I’m normally the last in the group to do so. The group tends to ride DHR2’s or HR’s out back.

Make of that what you will, I think you’ll be surprised at the grip you get from it once you’ve actually ridden with one on. I was dubious when I first got it, but only thing I’d change it for is a 2.4WT version (if they ever come to the UK)

I ride all over The Peak, Wales, The Lakes, The Long Mynd and other stuff in all weathers, and for 99% of the time its natural trails, not a groomed TC.

At the moment, thinking mainly for Surrey Hills and Tunnel Hill / Minley / Caesars kind of mud mix. As that’s my stomping ground really. It’s different mud composition in each and varies with trails.

SH tends to be worse at the moment in parts, but I don’t want a draggy tyre when round the MoD areas. HR2 are fine for Surrey Hills muck about and shed the mud well, but not some of the other rides I do if I want to keep up.

mud mix

different mud composition in each and varies with trails

😉

I like mud-science…

And, even: depends onto the time of the year and the “mud-history”…
Hell of terrible mud: if the stuff “nearly dried”…

Only fat crash 2017 for me was this

“nearly dried”

mud on a trail which wasn’t new for me at all…

But sorry. No

Aggressor

input.
Just talking / making noise..

😯

I took the aggressor off the back of my bike in around October – even with trail centre riding I found it was beginning to lose drive- although it still cornered ok.

I moved the dhr2 from my front wheel to the back wheel and it seems ok. I’ve done some quite muddy rides and it’s been ok – although with really thick mud it gives up so I’m sure there are better tyres out there for natural trails.

In terms of drag I’m on a 32lb ish enduro bike with a 2.5 dhf wt up front and a 2.3 dhr2 at the back. Can’t say I noticed it get worse going from aggressor to dhr2 but then I’m not the fastest tool in the box uphill / on pedally sections anyway!

Aggressor is terrible in the proper mud… were you on that ride I dumped into a puddle Deadkenny?…. Just stick a shorty on and change it again in the spring 🙂

I don’t change my tyres all year round. Shorty front and dhr2 back, just the right amount of grip and predictable skidz value.

As Ben says its a crap tyre in the slop but you’ll be ok with the Aggressor for your needs, thought about high roller?

I ride all over The Peak, Wales, The Lakes, The Long Mynd and other stuff in all weathers, and for 99% of the time its natural trails, not a groomed TC.

Feeble thin northern and western muds. No comparison to the claggy teflon horrors of the south.

Was running 2.3 DHF and DHR. Switched to Aggresor on the back. Brilliant. Far better, no clogging woods, mud, roots. Now DHF and Aggresor rear seems to be best combination for me. I’ve used HR2 as well, good all round tyre. Try experimenting, it seems from the above the ones that have bought and tried like them, the rest is just opinion.

Ran it since end of winter down here, did really well in the dry 😉 opening of the new local uplift venue and the rain plus the various mud types made it hilarious, though as nobody down here owns a spike or mud tyre we were all in the same boat. A lot will depend on the depth and type of mud but if it comes off when I get back to the UK it will be back on in summer

TBH on the rear it really depends on what you want it to do. I’m really happy with the DHR2, it’s not mega grippy but it’s predictable, it’s not nervous, it breaks and regains traction beautifully, basically I trust it which I think for most riders might be more important than actual grip- you can’t use all that grip if you don’t trust it. But it’ll not paddle me through a swamp like a mud tyre would

agreed depends a lot on where you ride. Low pressures here at 20psi and I’m a light rider

I’m still running an Aggressor on the rear. It’s not terrible in the mud and worlds faster than a DHR2 (which I have on the front still) when the trail firms up. I’d probably swap out to a HR2 rather than a DHR2 if I was struggling with mud.

I’m still running an Aggressor on the rear. It’s not terrible in the mud and worlds faster than a DHR2 (which I have on the front still) when the trail firms up. I’d probably swap out to a HR2 rather than a DHR2 if I was struggling with mud.

Is that 3C versions of both? I’m sure the dual compound DHR2 is quite a lot quicker than the 3C – and I don’t need the extra stickiness on the back. I’ve had the 2.4 HR2 on the front for a while and it definitely rolls slower than the 2.3 DHR2 in the same compound and doesn’t brake quite as well (not far off though) – better in the turns for sure. But with those very ramped central knobs can it find the traction up muddy hills? Won’t clog as much though, that’s for sure.

benpinnick – Member
Aggressor is terrible in the proper mud… were you on that ride I dumped into a puddle Deadkenny?…. Just stick a shorty on and change it again in the spring

Cheers Ben. I suppose most the time I’m avoiding proper mud but some rides get bogged down with it in places. I’m more concerned about less boggy stuff night rides where I don’t want too much drag.

I could just swap tyres about or different on each bike and use for the appropriate conditions. Far too sensible though.

Not sure about that ride, can’t remember. Last we did was ages ago, maybe couple years ago on your birthday ride.