Ok so one of my pair of trial kings id comming to the end of its life. Its a 2.2 protection version (black chilli) running tubless on stans crest. Ive been impressed with it for most of what i ride.

I was thinking of trying something else however. Just to see if there is anything better out there. Now i appreciate that people have different opinions on tyres but im looking for people that have compared their tires to this type.

Im thinking poss trying the mountain kings (2.4) or a high roller 2

Rubber Queens??

😉

Trail Kings = Rubber Queens, simply renamed 🙂

Trail kings are top draw, hard to beat unless its super muddy.

Magic marys seem like a good tread pattern, although I’d steer clear of Trailstar compound. Its not sticky in the wet (compared to BlackChili) and the knobs rip off quickly (hans dampfs too). I’m yet to ride my Vertstar compounds but a mate rode his hard on the front wheel in the Alps over 40,000m descent and they held up MUCH better than Trailstar.

Spesh purgatory 2.3 grid version

I’m trying Purgatorys at the mo. Seem pretty good and compare with the Rubber Queens very well. I got then for £25 each from Freeborn.

Beginning to go right off Purgatorys. Average for traction, poor for braking and utterly dominated by the Butcher I’ve got on the front. Strangely thinking that Advantages might be better (but not on the front……. cause that’s like death)

Maxxis Ignitors. Put as big a grin on my face as anything in 20 years of riding.

sorry but im not buying the ignitors. They appear to be pretty rubbish.

So were sticking with the trail kings then. Bugger. I was hoping there would be some new super tyre on the block now.

Onza Ibex RC2a, BRILLIANT tyre.

you don’t state the type of riding or terrain, but that Onza seems to work on everything.

found RQ’s a bit delicate in the sidewall dept, gone back to maxxis
h roller on back and minion front-

draggy, but it keeps you fit!

Wouldn’t put a Purg on the front tbh, especially if you’re used to the sticky rubber of a chili Queen.

TBH I wasn’t that blown away by the Rubber Queen, I went back to Nevegals from them and thought they worked better most of the time. Specialized Butcher is pretty similiar, better in mixed/damp conditions though not as grippy in the dry- just a wee touch too hard compound to be perfect imo

not too bothered about the dry. Its those wet muddy roots that get me. tbh I cant fault the RQ’s but would have been nice to have something a little faster rolling as im upping the mileage a bit and there quite draggy for 20+ mile rides.

so no one running the hr2’s?

They appear to be pretty rubbish.

Appear?

HR2 here, the sticky compound ones grip very well, but wear much quicker than black chilli RQs
Ive now got the exo 60A one on the front and its a good compromise in the wet and mud, but with an ardent at the back

Butcher front, purgatory rear. I have ran UST BC queens for best part of a year before, they don’t last as long as tje black chili rubber but in my opinion are better or as good all round, especially in the slop as they actually shed mud.

I’m really tempted to try a HR2 but then I see the price of the 3C model and a little bit of poo comes out.

I am one ride in (so probably not enough testing) on a Hans Dampf 2.35 29er and I am super impressed at the grip so far, coming from purgatory 2.3

I thought the 29er butcher was really good, but I’ve had a few rides on the hr2 (admittedly in 650b flavour) and I’ve been really impressed. So much so I’ll probably put one on the front of my bike. In the standard compound (not 3c) they’re not too expensive either

Trail Kings = Rubber Queens, simply renamed

Clearly my wink was wasted….

🙂

🙂

still non the wiser folks, considered a mk2 2.4 as a rear but its wider then the 2.2 rq up front and wondered if it would make the bike handle strangely?

so could try a HR2 60a rear. but if it doesnt have anything better than the trail king am i wasting my time and money?

I go for maximum grip on the front and something more playful on the back

On my 26 inch bike I have a High Roller on the front and a Larsen on the back.

On my 650b I have a HR2 on the front and an Ardent on the back….I have also had a Trail King on the front and an X-King on the back…. and I’ve done similar with Schwalbe tyres with a Nobby Nic front and a Racing Ralph rear…. all good fun combinations where the back breaks traction before the front but in a predictable manner…. Not sure what I’ll do this winter though, probably go back to the road again until the trails are rideable in the spring!

Edit. Double post.

+1 for the Ignitors. Keep going back to my LUSTs and reckon they are a good all rounder.

Use a Bonty XR4 on the front during the muddy winter. Another good tyre.

well its looking like theres nothing as good out there from most folks opinions, more trail kings it is then

Sorry what size? If its 26″ Baron front Trail King rear.

I used to run 2.2 Rubber Queens F&R summer and Baron F&R winter but this summer I left the Baron on the front and I much prefer it. cant really say it feels any draggier to me and you don’t have to lean it right over to get it to bite in the corners like the 2.2 Rubber/Trail/ Queen/Kings