Currently have HR2 on the 6″ bike, superb grip in every aspect, literally faultless in all conditions in terms of grip, but makes lengthy rides a chore, sort of defeats the reason of having a 6″ bike.

I know maxxis, could use a single ply minion or HR without any issues, the decision would be made in a flip of a coin, i like both tyres that much.

Thinking of getting adventurous and trying something new, either black chilli UST rubber queens or team issue bonty XR4 tlr.

Will be running tubeless, rocky conditions, getting loose. I have a habit of burping tyres that are too light (am running 30psi+ typically), purgatory controls for example, so they’re out of the window.

So mid weight, stable tyre, handles all conditions well without being as slow as HR2s. Are the XR4s or rubber queens going to be any better than what i know and love from maxxis? Conti barons are in the mix too.

What size you looking at?

My experience of the (older) XR4’s wasn’t especially great. They rolled ok, but no real bite at all. They’re also massive for their stated size, more so even than Rubber Queens!

Rubber Queens in Black Chilli are amazing tyres. But you looking at the 2.2″ or 2.4″? The 2.2’s will be noticably quicker than an HR2, but the 2.4″ version due to its size is quite a bit slower rolling than the 2.2″ version so may not be any quicker.

Barons are very slow rolling by all accounts. Great as a front tyre for winter from what I understand, but not on the rear. They’re also small for their stated size.

If you ride mainly rocky conditions though, worth giving plenty of other tyres a go. I mainly ride in soft(er) forested conditions where a tyre needs lots of bite from the knobbles. For instance I found the On One Smorgasbord tyre (seals well tubeless) great on rocky conditions, really grippy in fact, but rubbish in the soft conditions cos of a complete lack of edge bite. Got one only 6 rides old for sale if anyone wants it!

Will be looking at 2.2 rubber queens, will be rocky and rooty/muddy conditions too.

Used all those tyres you mention, bar the XR4

IME it’s the Baron up front with a RQ 2.2 rear FTW – proper fit and forget, all conditions combo.

I’ve had the old XR4s – great tyre until you start to push hard and then the front drifts/crawls prematurely (side knobs too narrow for their height). The UST RQ 2.2 are great. The new XR4 are totally different – different (and stickier) compounds, team issue is dual compound, 2.35 is tougher casing than the 2.2, 2.2 is smaller than RQ 2.2, 2.35 only slightly bigger than RQ 2.2, 2.35 has bigger and wider spaced knobs than 2.2, feels nicely sticky. Haven’t ridden it but reviews and shop looking/prodding suggests it’s a good tyre, 2.35 team issue TLR being the one to get for your kind of bike.

Run 2011 2.2 XR4’s – roll well, plenty of grip and a reasonable 700g. Have just changed from my holiday tyres – a 2.5 Minion on the front single ply but with reinforced sidewalls. The Bonty seemed just as wide, but the heavier minion had better grip and stability if rolled slower and was significantly smaller than the 2.4 HR2 I had on the back.

I’ve been playing with different tyres & doing swapsies with friends trying pretty much all you have listed above.

Settled on 2 sets of tyres, dependant on use.

The RQ’s roll well, but didn’t inspire me on the front. Baron up front works well, but probably drags more than an HR2. Doesn’t work so great on hardpack stuff. Better in loam & muddy trails.

HR2’s are pretty draggy I found, as you have, didn’t really get on with them, but then I never really got on with the original HR’s.

I ended up with some Minion EXO’s. The come up slightly smaller than the revised sizing of the 2.4 HR2’s, but I always ran Minions on my DH bike and like them so knew what to expect. Great tyre, better for bigger days, I can imagine on an XC fest they will be a slog, but long since come to the conclusion there is on one tyre solution.

I also run a set of Specialized 2Bliss Purgatory/Eskar/Butchers for more local use & blatting around in the woods where I don’t need such a big, tough tyre as we have no rocks. Just roots, loam & hardpack trails 🙂

I’d consider the Barons again, only reason I discounted them at the time was no BC UST version, which I believe is now on the way.

I quite like the RQ, but am not convinced of its durability in rocky conditions.

Can I throw a Maxxis Ardent into the mix to confuse matters? Running the EXO 2.4s front and back on one bike and they are a good combination of grippy and fast rolling. The 2.4s are huge though – much bigger than the 2.4 HR2 I’ve got on another bike. I love the grip the HR2 gives, but it is relatively draggy. Got a Team XR4 on the back of that – fast but lacking teeth, especially in anything sloppy.

I steered clear of Rubber Queens before due to reports they didn’t seal well, but I gather they’re better now and they’d be high up my list.

I hear all these good reports on the Rubber Queens…I hate them! On the front at least. The knobs along the edge of the tyre are zig-zagged, if that makes sense. I found them to just let go when leaning the bike over. I’ve got used to Maxxis’ Minions DHF’s and High Rollers with continuous knobs along the edge.
Have you tried a DHF on the rear? Maybe not as draggy as a HR2?
I’m pleased to hear the Minion Exo’s are not as wide as the HR2’s too…I think I’ll be trying a set, 60a rear and 42a front for my winter tyres.

Can I throw a Maxxis Ardent into the mix to confuse matters? Running the EXO 2.4s

This will be my next rear tyre choice for my all mountain shred sled.

Like you OP, I have found the HR2 just a bit too draggy on big rides.

Minion DHF 2.5 EXOs seem exact same width as HR2 2.4 EXO to me BTW.

Currently use an XR4 Team 2.35 front (tubeless) and love it. Safe, stable and strong (live in Scotland).

Run an Ardent rear, fast and strong also.

Minion DHF 2.5 EXOs seem exact same width as HR2 2.4 EXO to me BTW.

Thanks for that.

What about Hans Dampfs?

Im a big fan of RQ black chili 2.2 UST’s

over the summer i couldnt keep it on the back as it was just too draggy in the bone dry road (we do a few tough road climbing sections to tag in off road most rides), so i swapped the back out for an x-king UST.

ive now put a whole in the X king ust tyre which im going to repair, so im seriously considering running the spare RQ black chili 2.2 ust on the back as well as the front now the weathers turned…..

my RQ on the front is grippy as hell, and even with the 2.2 it just floats over stuff (cant imagine how the 2.4 must feel), i ride on the rockiest of places really 3 times a week and its been superb throughout since probably april time….as i said on the back i found it draggy (due to the road sections),

but if i was constantly off road ie, riding trail centres only etc i think the RQ would pretty quick and extremely grippy on any surface off road…i wouldnt hesitate to use them as a combo all year round (except deep mud conditions)

to sum up superb for me on the front, inspires confidence even on slippy roots/rocks, very good grippy tyre on the back, but a bit draggy on the road (if you can live with that then they are excellent all round)

I find the RQ’s excellent in most conditions which I think is all you can ask of a tyre.

Nothing’s perfect, but they suit me and my riding.