I’ve always run the same model of tyre front and rear (although have run some that have specific F&R versions like Smoke/Dart back in the day or Duster F&R), but I see a fair few people running totally different treads front and back.

Just wondering 3 things.

1 What’s the reasoning (I think this is fairly obvious but might have missed something)?

2 How different can you go front and back?

3 What mismatched combo do you run and why?

Just wondering why and how a very different combo like (e.g.) a High Roller semi-slick or Continental Twister on the rear would work with a grippier front end like a Rubber Queen? Would the fast rolling/drifty rear be just too different to the grippy front?

slainte ❓ rob

For me:
The front – lots of grip please so high roller or minion
The rear – faster rolling, thinner, happy to get my drift on so crossmark at the moment.
All depends on your riding style really I think.

I’ll run 2nd the same winter Tyres (bonty mud x) then go to a nobby nic front and racing ralf rear for better conditions. the thinking being as above, the front tyre will grip and hold the line well past the rear letting go and sliding. Could have two the same but it rolls faster with a more slick type rear.

Discussed here not long ago…

Grip is more important on the front in general, less rolling resistance on the back. Of course it’s not always true, but more often than not these are the desirable traits.

Smallblock8 rear, Jones ACX front on my 29er. Works well.

Smallblock8 rear, Jones ACX front on my 29er clown bike. Works well

FTFY

Wtb Stout front and Prowler rear for me.

I run a high roller front, crossmark rear on one bike,
and a minion front, high roller rear on the other.

I like to have more grip on the front because more cornering load goes through the front wheel. The rear wheel has less cornering load so I go for a faster rolling tyre.

Have a play, there’s no right or wrong, only what you’re happy with.

Thanks for the comments everyone.

In the end not brave enough to go semi-slick on the back end.

Currently running Michelin Wild Grip’r 2.1 F & R and love them (now I’m used to the ‘grip gap’ between centre and shoulder knobbles).

Want to stick with what I know for now so have now ordered a fatter Wild Grip’r 2.25 for the front and a faster rolling Wild Race’r 2.1 for the rear to see how I get on.

slainte ➡ rob

Bonty XR front Crossmark rear for 29er

Ardent front 29″ larsenTT 26″ rear

In the end not brave enough to go semi-slick on the back end.

Don’t worry about it, the back wheel will almost always follow the front 🙂

I currently have a Bonty 29-3 as a rear tyre

Depends cos I change them depending on what course I’m racing on. The main pairs are:
Rocket Ron F and Ralph R,
Fast Fred F and Conti Twister R.

Bonty XR rear (the old one) and Big Earl Wet 2.35 up front as when I go the bike it was a bit damp and the XR front scared the bejeesus out of me so I bought the biggest knobbliest thing they had in JE James (LBS at the time) which I fortunately loved.
As above, the rear almost always follows the front and when it doesn’t it is usually more fun than disastrous.