What rear tyre 🙄 to complement a 2.2 Conti RQ on the front?

I’d like a UST compatible tyre that is a bit faster rolling than a RQ for the back. I was thinking along the lines of Race King, X-King, Nobby Nic etc. I mainly ride Peaks, Lakes and the odd trail centre.

I’ve been running a 2.2 RQ black chilli front with a 2.25 Nobby Nic rear (only because I ripped the sidewall out of the rear RQ).

It’s worked well for me at Hamsterley, Yorks Dales, Durham Dales etc. Fast enough rolling but with plenty of grip. The only problem is the wear rate on the Nobby Nic.

Not a great combo when the mud gets thicker (fine in loose mud) as the tread on the RQ fills and gets very sketchy.

X-King 2.4 Protection. Rolls fast but grips pretty well in all conditions and lets go progressively.

I have a conti Vertical on the back of my P7 and it is excellent for the money and loads of grip.

Conti have missed a trick here. RQ great tyre not tough enough for the back end unless you go for 2.4’s. Then best to buy both ends due to the steepening geometery.Due to that you start looking at maxxis stuff. 60a high rollers ,minions. These feel totally different from the contis and so the best bet minion super tacky front high roller rear. Had RQ s what a tyre when not riding aggro stuff( inners/ lakes) both ripped sidewalls .If sticking with the conti mountain kings ?

RQ great tyre not tough enough for the back end

The standard folding RQ’s seem to have pretty thin sidewalls, but the UST versions are much beefier, albeit with the accompanying weight penalty. I don’t run tubeless but I have gone for the UST versions for strength