Always had maxxis (HR’s, Advantage, Ignitors) but fancy something different.

Been looking at Conti Rubber Queens but not sure what the none Black Chilli ones are like ( and im a bit tight to splash £100 on a pair of tyres), so the question is, what are you running for general rock smashing on a 140mm bike in the dark peak etc

Mud X’s or trail Rakers at the moment. no sign of it drying up in the near future!

I’m tempted (once things dry up a bit) to try a rubber queen 2.2″ up front (or 2.25″ Albert) with a 2.15″ Michelin Dry2 after using a 2.25″ advantage up front with the michelin on the rear last summer. Okay there was a bit of loss in uphill pedalling traction on quite hard ups, but not enough to bother me and I was running it the wrong way round for pedalling anyway.

atm, high roller 2.35″ 60a front, bontrager ACX 2.2″ GumBi rear for a bit less drag when not in slop (which they cope alright with)
that’ll be the road then ..

Currently using a pair of single ply Minion DHF 2.5 EXO with them both pointing the same way.

Work well for me

tioga factory mud on the singlespeed for the really squidgy rides.

maxxis advantage 2.1’s on the geared hardtail.

Panaracer Rampage 2.3.

does the job

Spesh eskar controls all year. Similar tread to a high tiller or advantage and 22 quid each

Spesh eskar controls all year. Similar tread to a high tiller or advantage and 22 quid each

Plus they are 100g lighter than than a Maxxis High Roller

Spesh Purgatory Controls all year in 2.2in size. at £45 a pair you can’t complain

Maxxis Advantage 2.25 F & R at the moment, and they’ll stay until they wear out as they cope fine with most stuff.

I knew this would draw you out James the moment i saw the thread title 😛

Intense Edge Lite DC

THE peaks tyre

Kenda blue groove 2.1 rear and Nevegal 2.1 front. Seems pretty good all year round. Other bike has Mud X on, but only for the next few months

o don’t like my Nevegal on the front. too much sideways movement

There was a time when the Kenda BG and Nev were the tyre to have in W Yorks so I bought some and they were TERRIBLE for me. I have Spesh Eskar on my bike and I love them. Haven’t ever been in a situation where Ive had any unwanted grip surprises, barely get any punctures (one or two) and a decent volume for the rocky tracks of the Peaks. I’ll be buying the same tyres when they wear out, which won’t be far off.

robdob – Member
There was a time when the Kenda BG and Nev were the tyre to have in W Yorks so I bought some and they were TERRIBLE for me

I know a fair few people who have heard really good things of the classic Kenda combo, bought the tyres and really not got on well with them so have ditched them only a month or so later.

I know plenty that run the Schwalbe Nobby Nics front and rear in the Peaks. I’ve tried it myself and although good, bloody pricey which is why I went for the Spesh Purgatory Controls which are cheap and IMHO better than the Schwalbes.

Rubber Queens here (I ride Peaks)
but they can block up easy and really drag in mud

Conti Slash’s are good.

Specialized Enduro 2.3s

“Plus they are 100g lighter than than a Maxxis High Roller”
than the wire ones yes. But not the 2.35″ folding (60a) ones (spesh are folding)
Maxxis claim the 2.35″ folding 60a are 695g (eskar controls are 700g)
JustRidingAlong claim after weighing them they’re more like 645g

Treadwise eskars are closer to advantages? High Rollers being closer to spesh chunders (I believe no longer available in the UK, are in the US though, inc. a 2.2″ trail version)

“Kenda blue groove 2.1 rear and Nevegal 2.1 front”
Interesting to see someone riding them the opposite way around to how (I thought) Kenda designed them
I’ve ditched kenda (at least on the rear) until they sort out the premature (as in tread still almost perfect) sidewall giving out problem I and other I know have had

I run 2.4 rq’s but the black chilli version. Not heavy for their size and about average for draggyness. Good and predictable, a decent all round tyre that copes fine with mud, rock, etc., a good fit and forget tyre I would say. There will be better mud/dry tyres but I like them as an all rounder and I’m a tyre tart.

“Kenda blue groove 2.1 rear and Nevegal 2.1 front”
Interesting to see someone riding them the opposite way around to how (I thought) Kenda designed them

I always thought they came BG rear and Nevegal front on the Giant range? Could have sworn they were like that on my old XTC…?

I prefer a blocky tread pattern on the back for climbing grip, and a more directional tread on the front to rail the tyre round corners. Thats my logic anyway…

B come before N in the alphabet – was what i was told i a bike shop when discussing which way round

“Kenda blue groove 2.1 rear and Nevegal 2.1 front”
Interesting to see someone riding them the opposite way around to how (I thought) Kenda designed them

As someone who used to work for the UKs Kenda distributors I can tell you they haven’t been designed to be front or rear specific, but most people find the directional tread on the BG better on the front and the more blocky pattern of the Nev on the rear but like I said they are not front or rear specific so each to their own I guess.

Specialized Eskar 2.3, they’re great. I had the Enduro 2.2 beofre that, they were some of the best tyres I’ve ever used but then Specialized stopped making them…