Is there a grippy and reasonably fast-rolling tyre with sidewalls as tough as a dual-ply Maxxis, but without the 1+kg weight penalty? Looking for an alternative to a Minion dual-ply 2.35 (front tyre to run on the back), specifically for the Lakes. Really needs a bomb-proof sidewall. Ta.

Specialized Grid series tyres may be worth your investigation.

Have you thought of using a Maxxis tubeless tyre? Or even their tubeless ready ones? Saying that, I’m still not sold on their tubeless readies – second ride out on a High Roller II and I sliced the actual tread in a few places, riding trails I have ridden plenty of times before. Not sure if it was just bad luck or not.

I’m in a similar boat

Looking at maxxis Ardent LUST and Conti Trail King (BC) UST

Not too keen on Specialised Purgs really….

Thanks for these ideas. I think Conti are out – I tried a Rubber Queen and Mountain King in protection format and both were hopeless. Constant punctures. A Baron was better, but I’m still veering towards a good old dual-ply Minion with an inner tube for fit-and-forget Lakes riding.

What about the EXO sidewalled Maxxis? Been using them for a while now with no problems. Normally around 850-900g’s depending on tyre.

steveid – thanks, you used them in the Lakes with success? I heard they’re not as robust as claimed, but maybe that’s not so. Don’t think I’ve ever ridden anywhere as punishing on tyres as the Lakes.

I’ve done 1 short ride in the lakes but have also used them for uplifts at Antur/FoD etc and in Coed-Y (maybe not as rocky as the lakes tho)
Malvern Hills, regular riding spot, are also pretty rocky at the moment depending on where you ride (we tend to ride the rocky stuff 😉 )

They’re not as tough a DP, obviously, but I find them a happy medium. Have cut a few non-EXO’s on the hills in the past.

I have been running a dual ply DHF 2.35 on the rear, but for an attempt to try to shed some weight, I have just fitted a 2.3 DHR2 TLR EXO….

going to give it a go and see how it works out

Schwalbe Rock Razor?

I use exo minions but have cut a couple on rocky stuff so although I still use them and rate them highly if you really want fit and forget dual ply strength then I’d be looking at the mavic crossmax charge, a supergravity hans dampf or magic mary or maybe one of wtb’s range in their enduro casing. I think a true bombproof hard terrain trail tyre needs to be up around the 900 to 1000g weight range to get away with rocky stuff tubeless. Specialized control casings are paper thin and even the grid controls aren’t a great deal beefier, shame as I’m a fan of the butcher(minion) tread

I’m running Hans dampf snakeskin evos and not had a puncture in ages, riding the peak.

Few of the lads are running the super gravity versions and also no punctures, they are however, about 950g in 27.5 flavour.

Rock razor will be going on the back when the HD wears out.

Specialized Grid series tyres may be worth your investigation.

Currently running a Specialized Purgatory Grid on the back of my Camber. Not the fastest rolling tyres but grippy as hell and really good value.

I find Maxxis tyres run tubeless pinch on the bead which is almost irrepairable, so I gave up on them. Currently running Schwalbe Hans Dampf Snakeskins which are OK but nowhere near as tough as the (very slippy) Fat Albert UST Snakeskins they replaced.

Schwalbe Hans Dampf Super Gravity TL Ready are sub 1kg (just) and have a 4 layer sidewall.

OP, if you’re using tubes could you not setup your wheels tubeless (ghetto if need be). Then use the tyres you have been, without the weight of the tubes.

I think Stevede had a point about weights too – I’ve used tubeless 2.35 High Roller’s (900g) on the back for years. Not many problems at all, when I have it was because they were too soft for the terrain.

I’ve recently put a 2.3 HRII tr exo on, as per previous answer, sliced it second time out. It weighs 830g, too light I think, and it looks like I’ll be taking it off – a shame too, as I think the tread works better than a normal HR.

Edit: Conversely, I’ve used standard, single ply, 2.35 Minion DHF’s, setup tubeless on the front for years. They only weigh about 700g and last ages! I live and ride everywhere in the Lakes too.

Thanks for all these – some useful ideas but I reckon I’ll stick with what I know and like, and go DP Minion. Heavy, but probably as dependable as it gets for a 2.35 or thereabouts. Not too steep at £30, which helps. Never have a problem with fronts – got a tubeless 2.4 BC Rubber Queen which is a year old and has been amazing.

Michelin Advanced Reinforced gripper 2 for me on the back, around 800g I think.

Another vote for Hans Dampfs (Trailstar), but not particularly light though, or fast rolling

One of the reasons I like tubeless so much, you can run tyres at a pressure where they work without having to run dual plys. Having said that, the Maxxis ones were useless and broke at the bead where you struggled to repair them.

But if you insist of tubes, the only other tyres I managed to work without a million pinch flats were WTB ones. I’m now using Specalized and they are working well for me despite being really thin. But not sure they’ll work so well with a tube in.

One of the reasons I like tubeless so much, you can run tyres at a pressure where they work without having to run dual plys.

Until you tear the sidewall open and spray stans fluid all over the place (happened at the weekend), I’ll be running dual ply from now on!

It might be worth trying a Specialized Butcher SX- it’s basically a “ply and a half”, sub 1kg, it’s been my standard dh rear for a while and though there’s a lot of scars on it, no flats. I’m not hard on tyres so can’t say for sure if it’s as tough as a dualply though- tough enough for me, for sure, in the alps and fort william and that.

I’m in a similar position, riding in the Lakes and have torn 9 tires in the last year. Schwalbe Super-Gravity’s are the only non-dual ply ones I have had last more than a month. Rock Razors are a great Lakes tyre but the soft compound means tread tears off rapidly, often tearing the carcass with it.
I find 2.35 DP minions too skinny to run on the rear at anything below rock hard pressures.
A 2.35 schwalbe SG tire is much bigger volume, and about 200g lighter. £35 posted from Bike Discount.

Spesh butcher on the front, Purgatory Grid on the back. That combo survived the Alps with no problems or punctures and went up ghetto tubeless no problem at all.

Coolhandluke has it spot on. Great tyres.

Yes he does, also a Ground control 2.3 grid is a good option for a tough but faster rolling alternative for the summer. (Stuck with the butcher on the front)