Quick background. Lapierre spicy 650b. Only bike so gets ridden everywhere. Trail centres and uplifts as fast as my legs will take me. More about the downs than the ups but I’ve still got to get up! Fair few enduros planned also.

I have a second set of mavic 321’s with dual ply super tacky high rollers on for uplifts and big mountains.

Looking for a tyre for the rest of the time. I’m sure there’s a perfect tyre out there somewhere…

I’ve got damn close I think with 2.4 trail king apex on the front, and 2.2 protection trail king on the rear.

My issue with them is the 2.2 is too small. On a 29mm internal rim width wheel the actual tread only measures 2.1 inches. Sidewalls sticks out further oddly. The 2.4 front is a nice chunky 2.4 inches wide in the tread, but is ridiculously high volume vertically to the point I can’t even fit a mudguard under the crown of my pikes. Literally 2mm of clearence. And yes, before someone asks it is a 650b fork. The thing is enormous.

Rear grip is good enough and they roll well. Front grip is excellent and the tyres on wide rims are happy at very low pressures due to the stiffness in the walls. (Settled on 18 front 23 rear). He black chilli rubber seems to stick to most things well enough, super confidence inspiring.

Anything out there a bit less stupidly sized (height wise, not width) so I can have a mud guard again? Loving the stiff walls and rolling resistance to grip ratio of the TK’s especially.

Looking for people who have tried the trail kings and others so I don’t wastell money on the wrong tyres.

Hans dampf? Mystical combination of the confusing minion lineup? Liked butcher/purgatory combo before this but too floppy and not quite as grippy…

Minion DHf front, and minion DHR2 rear. 2.3 comes up 2.25. 3c front and dual compound rear.

Good quality sidewalls, sticky as anything rubber and predictable.

Nothing better as an allround setup for a trail bike.

Forget the Hans Dampf as the nobbles fall over when leaning and go slippery after 3 months of use with me.

Heard too much mixed about the hans dampfs, wondered if it was a stability at speed kind of issue where some won’t push them so don’t notice explaining the mixed opinion.

Dhf/dhr ii seems popular you’d imagine for good reason… plus I can always throw the dual ply high roller ii on the front if it gets wet.

I’m planning on Shorty front and DHR2 rear once my Charge /HR2 wear out or rubber goes off

I have the TK 2.2 front & rear on my full-sus but am waiting for the forthcoming Baron Projekt 2.4 to try as a front – all the reviews of the prototypes are brilliant (and it isn’t as huge as a TK 2.4). I know what you mean about the tread being narrow compared to the carcass but it doesn’t seem to matter.

Incidentally I put the most ridiculous looking but ridiculously effective mud guard on my hardtail – it’s called a Shockboard. It fits in the underside of the fork crown and I’ve had a clean face ever since! Nowhere near the tyre so you could run one just fine.

What rickon said (except I’m running a 2.5″ DHF and a 3c rear as it was very cheap, both in EXO flavour)

my do everything combo used to be

DHF 3C 2.3 EXO
DHRII 60a 2.3 EXO

But I cant get the DHRII in 60a, only a 3c, that i recon would be too draggy/get trashed.

accordingly, as its the closest I can find, im running a HRII on the back in the 60a EXO flavour….
Its a decent enough tyre, but utterly useless on the way up if it even looks like mud, as the center blocks are very ramped.

Also want a Shorty 3C EXO TR for the front, and 60a EXO rear, for muddy days.

sorry I am no help, but I share your pain, the tyres I want arent available in the size, carcass, compound combinations I want

chiefgrooveguru – Member

Incidentally I put the most ridiculous looking but ridiculously effective mud guard on my hardtail – it’s called a Shockboard. It fits in the underside of the fork crown and I’ve had a clean face ever since! Nowhere near the tyre so you could run one just fine.

I love my mudcanoe! I don’t think it even looks that bad, way better than most other mudguard options and better than anything else that works as well.

Have you used the Butcher Grid? IIRC it’s stiffer and stickier than the standard one.

But I cant get the DHRII in 60a, only a 3c

Like these? I’ve got one on order and have the 3c one too. Can’t beat the price 🙂
http://www.acycles.co.uk/maxxis-minion-dhr-ii-exo-tubeless-ready-rear-folding-tyre-10081.html

like those, but in the more fashionable 27.5 size 😉

Ah, I’m still unfashionable then 😉 I’d still be happy to pay that price and replace a bit sooner..

also, 3c version not in stock 🙂

Epic fail from me then.. 😳

What rickon said (except I’m running a 2.5″ DHF and a 3c rear as it was very cheap, both in EXO flavour)

That’s what I’m running 🙂

I am finding the 3c running thin already, not after that many miles – on the edges.

The HDs would be fine if you didn’t ride steep stuff, or ride over wet off camber roots – they’re great for the first couple of months, and then the ruber seems to wear down to a harder layer. Or if you didn’t put any sort of lean in the bike – as the nobbles woulnd’t rip off then.

Continental launches Kaiser and Baron 27.5in enduro tyres

Kaiser 2.4 looks good if it’s sized a little better and actually does weigh 900. …

Anyone know if these are out in 650b enduro flavour rather than the big dh yet?

It’s the protection vein that’s the lighter one, a few sites list them but none in stock 🙁

I like the TKs as a dry tyre primarily but for the wet muddy stuff I’ve just switched to a Magic Mary up front and a HR2 in 3C EXO on the rear. Absolutely love the combo after out for a pretty mud filled day yesterday but man does the 3C feel like a plough on soggy wet fire roads.

The HR2 was on offer so couldn’t not get it but I’d be keen to see what the Barons are like in place of the MM.

Didn’t realise the butcher grid was a softer compound to the control…. His could be a cracking tyre. I liked the butcher control it was just a little to floppy. Be an interesting comparison to an exo minion dhf.

The slaughter rear tyre intrigues me as well… Anyone tried the combo?

Same TK on rear is fine but not in wet conditions. HR2 3c exo upfront is good, I find they have a more square profile than the Conti’s. Time to throw the HR2 on the back as well. Must give DHF DHR a go too.ure mud fest today and yesterday.

I cant get on with the HRII in muddy conditions myself, useless when pedaling uphill, I “think” it is down to the ramped center blocks…

fine when going down though, and as others seem to rate it, perhaps its just me!

maybe adjust your tyre pressure, I run tubeless at 20 psi in the dry and 15 – 18 psi in wet.

the 2015 nobby nic actually looks like it could make a decent rear tyre, Magic Mary up front?

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/schwalbe-2015-nobby-nic-review.html

I’m confusing myself and going round in circles now! lol