Hi, i have a Giant Reign 2 which at the moment has Nevegal tyres on it (2.35). Stick-e on the front.

Im looking for some new tyres, i ride mostly in wet/muddy uk woods (swinley forest just down the road). I suppose its xc with a few steep hills to barrel down. I dont have great front end grip with these tyres ive noticed.

After a bit of browsing i thought Maxxis High Roller DH Tyre – Dual Ply
26 x 2.35 – Super Tacky 42a for the front and Maxxis Minion DH Front Tyre – Single Ply 26 x 2.35 – MaxxPro 60a – Folding for the rear.

Are these a good choice or are they more suited to proper d/h?
Thanks for any advice.

If you plan on riding up any hills then a dual ply super tacky high roller is just about the heaviest, draggiest thing in the world. 🙂

It’s good to ride DH tyres just to see how they perform – you’ll know the meaning of ‘grip’ once you plough downhill on them. They weigh a ton, though, and other than as an educational exercise, I wouldn’t fit them to a XC bike.

I use a UST rubber queen 2.4 on the front and it is superb. It **** should be at 50 quid, mind. Great confidence inspiring tyre on the front. I have also been using a 2.2 on the back which is good, but nothing special IMHO. I’d be happy with these year round in the UK.

Another tyre to consider for when it get’s really grimy is the maxxis swamp thing – this is a mud tyre, though, so fairly specific. If Swinley forest gets muddy in the winter it night be worth trying out.

no one in their right mind would run a dual ply front with single ply folding rear. Maxxis dual ply is a thicker/heavier carcus with an anti pinch flat insert, if you’re only going to run one you’d run it on the rear. Yes a dual ply DH tyre is best suited to proper DH pedalling round local woods on 1300g tyres is just madness so if you’re riding XC choose XC tyres and if you are not confident riding mud on dry tyres maybe you should try a mud specific tread (or at least an intermediate)

+1 for all the comments above although if I’m riding anywhere seriously rocky, like the Peak or Lake District, then I tend to run a dual ply Maxxis 60a of some form on the rear simply beause otherwise I spend all day swapping out snake bitten innertubes.

The better compromise is to go for Maxxis High Rollers 2.35 single ply, 60a. These will give good bite and straight line rolling speed.

The Super Tackys are a skill compensator for trail riding. You’ll learn more about bike handling skill and control from running harder compound tyres while trail riding where the speeds are lower anyway. On anything other than a decent down slope you really will feel the Super Tackys dragging.

if I’m riding anywhere seriously rocky, like the Peak or Lake District, then I tend to run a dual ply Maxxis 60a of some form on the rear simply beause otherwise I spend all day swapping out snake bitten innertubes.

I used to too before going tubeless.

Thanks for replies. So a dual ply on the front is overkill, heavy, draggy, noted.
Any suggestions for XC tyres? Its not always muddy but you know the UK weather..
Would High roller single ply offer more grip than the Kenda Nevegals? I just tend to notice the front end losing grip when cornering at speed, nearly put me into the trees a few times.. maybe im just going too fast lol but ive read the nevegals arn’t all that and was hoping a better tyre would offer a little more grip.

I have ridden in spain, (brother is a guide for switchbacks, although is out atm with a shattered ankle, ouch) It is crazy rocky out there and i can see needs a much tougher tyre.

I dont get any pinch flats but get a shedload of small thorns causing punctures, damn brambles. Thinking about tubeless at some point in the future.