I’ve always been a fan of Spesh tyres and currently have a Butcher/Purgatory combo.

They don’t seem to suit my Capra though. It’s more skittish than my Enduro and the tyres don’t seem to be coping very well with wet roots and rocks.

I don’t want Highrollers, as they are far too draggy – the bike came with them on and they were horrible.

So, something that rolls like the Spesh’s, but with a bit more grip.

Ta

My Butcher Grids were definitely skittish on wet roots at normal PSI – they came into their own when dropped to the low 20’s on the front though.

Not much beats a Highroller on wet roots unfortunately. Personally, I’d go for a Highroller/Aggressor combo.

Shorty 2.5 3c front is the answer 🙂 they are brilliant

It’s a bit spendy but I can highly recommend the new E13 TRS+ triple compound Race version up front. It needs wide-ish rims and mid-twenties psi to work best but boy does it grip. I also have the dual compound version out back, which rolls about the same as my old DHR2 which IIRC is about on a par with a HR so maybe not what you’re after. Great combo though.

Not tried a shorty yet, I’m not sure how the taller knobs are going to feel on roots? I’d have said squirmy looking at the tread profile.

I also struggled with the Butcher/Purgatory when I got an enduro bike. Seemed a bit too skinny.

Currently running a Rock Razor supergravity rear with either Chunky Monkey dual compound or Magic Mary snakeskin trailstar front – depending on conditions.

DHR2 might be a better rear choice as we head into autumn, if you can live with the EXO carcass.

It’s a bit spendy but I can highly recommend the new E13 TRS+ triple compound Race version up front. It needs wide-ish rims

Ironically, I have e-13 trs rims, but wide they are not

Shorty is basically a cut off mud spike. Not squirmy at all, really like them.

At the moment in the garage is a magic Mary , minion dhf , high roller 2 and an ardent . Tyres get changed depending on what I’m doing , at the weekend at tweedlove I had the mm front and minion rear which worked really well but is overkill for some of the rides I do . As a general all rounder minion or hr2 on the front with an ardent on the back works for me although the ardent is useless in winter .

DHR2 3C front, DHR2 dual rear. They roll quicker than an HR2 2.3 and miles faster than the HR2 2.4

Shorty 3C not quite as good on wet rocks or hard ground, about on par on wet roots, better on loose ground – on the front I barely notice any difference in rolling speed but it’s pretty obvious on the back.

Chief ^^ has it. DHR2 is a cracking tyre on both front and back. My current choice is Minion DHF 3c up front for ” summer ” then shorty for the rest if the time. Aggressor is an ace tyre out back but I’ll switch back to dual compound DHR2 soon I reckon.

£58 for an e13 tyre. Seriously 🙂

Everything I’m reading about the DHR suggests it doesn’t roll that well. Don’t just want to end up with a slightly different HR II

So, something that rolls like the Spesh’s, but with a bit more grip.

Rock Razor / Hans Dampf as a direct comparison to a Slaughter / Butcher combo? Plenty of compounds to choose from too, to tailor your ride.

It rolls well by most people’s standards, but if you are particularly sensitive get a Rock Razor or maybe a Trail Boss (similar but slightly less extreme).

Conti MK 2? I can’t give recommendation yet as mine is still in the post having just ordered one for the front of my FS for winter to go with the purgatory which will be going from the front to the back (currently running a ground control out back).

Conti MK 2?

Ran them as year rounders for a year.

2.4 is a bit bulky on the rear for summer riding and the tread on both sizes is quite pronounced – could swap out for a X King (great tyre) or even a Race King – but otherwise I found them good.

Nice more aggro set-up is an MK2 on the rear and a Rubber Queen / Trail King on the front.

Sidewalls can be a little sensitive (even Protection, however USTs are pretty bombproof) and it’s definitely worth buying the Black Chili versions as the cheap ones are often made of something akin to kitchen lino.

Worth noting the 2.4 is a good size tyre and the 2.2 comes up quite small – same as the X King.

Hans Dampf has less grip than a Butcher. Considerably less.

Everything I’m reading about the DHR suggests it doesn’t roll that well. Don’t just want to end up with a slightly different HR II

I don’t know what you’re reading but the dual compound DHR2 rolls almost as fast as the Minion SS – I was really kicking myself for running the Minion SS in a recent enduro race as the marginal decrease in rolling resistance came no way close to compensating for the huge decrease in braking grip and control when cornering less than perfectly.

Tom_W1987 – Member
Hans Dampf has less grip than a Butcher. Considerably less.

This. Butcher/Slaughter better than Hans Dampf/Rock Razor IMO.

Interestingly though, since I’ve had the Rocket (a couple of months) I find the 650b Butcher not quite as confidence inspiring as the 26er version I had on the Alpine. I’d put it down to me not yet nailing fore/aft weight distribution on the new bike but now I’m wondering whether the tyre itself might be contributing?

Interestingly though, since I’ve had the Rocket (a couple of months) I find the 650b Butcher not quite as confidence inspiring as the 26er version I had on the Alpine. I’d put it down to me not yet nailing fore/aft weight distribution on the new bike but now I’m wondering whether the tyre itself might be contributing?

This is exactly where I’m at!

I had the same with the 27.5 vs 26 Trail King! Turns out the side knobs on the 27.5 version are both smaller and further apart, so there’s less of an edge to rail.

Colournose, gone for a longer reach? My dad used to have a Nomad Mk2 with a ridiculously short reach – almost 3 inches shorter than my large reign – 26 inch wheels and Maxxis Advantage – yet it had more grip at the front.

Turns out it was the weight distribution, had to lower the fork and tyre PSI a bit more than I was used to – and ride differently.

DHR2 is a cracking tyre on both front and back. My current choice is Minion DHF 3c up front for ” summer ” then shorty for the rest if the time.

Thinking about buying a new set of (26″) tyres, what’s the difference between the DHR2 and DHF i.e. when would you run a DHF up front and when would you run a DHR2?

My understanding is that the DHR2 has more braking grip and rolls a little faster whilst the DHF has a little more cornering grip. However, you can trim the wide centre knob on the DHR 2 to open up the channel and then it matches or betters the DHF for cornering (the side knobs are thicker). I like it so much I haven’t bothered with the DHF thought I had a Butcher on my last bike.