[Closed] FRONT: Maxxis High Roller II, REAR: Maxxis Ardent - anyone use this combo?

That's exactly what I've been using for the past month.
Prior to that it was Ardent 2.25 front and rear (also on my hardtail) for the past 2 years.

I'm really happy with it.
I run the EXO folding 60a versions of each.
£27.99 for the HRII from nextdaytyres, but can't find the Ardents cheaper than £38 which is a shame.

I like the rear slightly slipper than the front.
I would have also considered the Ardent 2.4 up front if it had been slightly cheaper. They look quite aggressive compared to the 2.25.

That's what I have been using for the last few months. All good so far!
The ardent allows a little slip and slide fun, whilst the front end stays planted. Took a couple of rides to get used to the high roller, but it turns out that it just loves being leaned over.

Also, with a 60a compound on the front, they roll brilliantly. Very stable, no 'squirm' in the corners.

I much prefer them to the previous mountainkings, although as I have just moved to a hardtail and am now considering a hans damph for the front as it has a little more volume than the HR.

got a EXO TR 3C HRII (fantastic, rolls well, and cos of the sticky edges, grips well in corners) and either 42 or 60A ardent (forget which but prob 60a, fast rolling, can break free if you're really trying!) on the rear of my 5010, works really well in most conditions, though the rear can get a bit clogged in really sticky, shitty conditions, but then what wouldn't. Really happy with them.

Minion DHF front and Larsen TT rear. You won't regret it.

I've used old Highroller front and ardent rear, was pretty effective. Grip on the front, slip on the back.

Sounds promising, I think I'll go for it.

Anyone spotted either model online going for cheaps?

I'm looking for the 60a folding model in both.

Seems the Ardent is pretty expensive.

Try the Larsen on the back, it really is great, especially on a hardtail if you like to stick the front into corners and let the back end do its own thing. May well be cheaper than the Ardent too.

You don't say whether you're running tubeless or not? If you are, you might as well setup a 2.35 60a Minion, tubeless...you'll save 1/4lb over a HR2 on the front, plus I think the edges on the Minion grip slightly better.

That's what I've got on the Rocket at the mo.

The HR11 (3C version) is great. The Ardent isn't. Really rather disappointed with it. I had been running a Crossmark 2.25 which I really got on with, was hoping the Ardent would split the difference between the CM and the HR. It's nicely drifty on loamy (but not muddy) corners, but it's horrible on loose rock. I've failed to get up so many climbs in the last couple of rides that I've not dabbed on in years. Just spin out as soon as I try to put power down.

I think some of it might be down to the profile of the tyre - the Ardent is very tall and pointy, and I'm running Arches which aren't the widest rim, so I have a feeling there's just not much rubber in contact with the ground, even though I've dropped the pressure right down.

For a summer tyre, I'd advise a Crossmark on the back as being better, then a HR1 2.5 on the back for winter.

You don't say whether you're running tubeless or not? If you are, you might as well setup a non-tubless Minion tubeless...you'll save 1/4lb over a HR2 on the front, plus I think the edges on the Minion grip slightly better.

This ^^^. And did I mention a Larsen out back? 🙂

@mblobby

I'm intrigued. Where do you ride usually? What are the downsides to a Larsen?

I currently run an Advantage front and Crossmark rear.

I'm intrigued. Where do you ride usually? What are the downsides to a Larsen?

Must admit I've only done a week taking in Winlatter, GT and Innerleithen on that combination so far. I had the Minion front and HR rear on the big bike for weeks in Morzine and thought they were brilliant. Wondered if they'd work on the trail HT but wanted something quicker for the rear. Ride with a lot of weight over the front on the HT and the Minion front really works well being shoved into corners and the Larsen is quick on the back and drifts nicely too. I like it.

Thats what I used. I then switched to a Beaver 2.25 front. My new mini swampthing.

I've got an ardent on the back for summer, its very good, bit sketch on wet rock and mud but great otherwise, rolls well.

I currently have this set up on my Orange 5, HR II 2.3 front & Ardent eco 2.25 rear. I've arrived here from x2 HR II 2.4 so its noticeably lighter & rolls a lot quicker than previous. Ive has no such issue with rear grip when climbing yet, I would recommend 8)

JonEdwards - that sounds odd about the Ardent.
I pride myself on being a technical climber and here in the Peaks there are plenty of those. My Ardents have felt pretty similar climbing compared to all the tyres I've run before (Mountain King, Nobby Nic, Fire XC Pro).
Interesting that you thought the Crossmark was better.

Alex - I'm Peaks too. Its getting up stuff like the top half of Pindale, or up behind the Ladybower Inn heading up to Whinstone Lee Tor - loose rubbly stuff. It's not just that it breaks traction really easily - it tends to kick out hard one side or the other, so I end up correcting then going off line, then just ending up all over the place. It's also rather all or nothing under straight line braking.

I can see a bit of that, but I haven't found a tyre that rolls as well, offers the puncture protection and all-year-round ok-ness of the ardent.
I haven't tried the Crossmark though.

I run this combo on my FS. Works well.

For the HT I prefer something with a tougher sidewall on the rear. The Ardent LUST is almost tough enough but not quite.

Crossmarks are brilliant, my only issue is the sidewalls which seem to be made of paper. Maybe I'll try the tubeless version.

A tenner cheaper than the Ardents too.
I might give it a go in 2.25 flavour as one of my Adents is nearly dead.

Shame it's not available in 2.25 EXO.

I can't believe folk are recommending Crossmarks'...where do you all live, Spain?
I was once riding with one on the back and thought the bolts had come loose on my swingarm. Turned out it was the tyre sliding side to side with each pedal stroke! No grip on techy descents either.

Never heard of any issues with crossmarks sliding about with pedal strokes, sounds like you had a defective tyre. Grip wise, they have been fine for me but everyone is different I suppose.

Running a High Roller II up front and a Crossmark rear on my Superlight.

Crossmark is ideal for trail centre / hard pack, plenty of grip. In mud and loam its an absolute riot as it has no grip! Fun on the descents can be annoying on muddy climbs though.

HRII is pretty grippy in most conditions

So a good combo for the summer I would say

Not tried Ardents

I had a 2.4 high roller 2 and a 2.25 ardent on my full susser. There was loads of grip on the front but i found with the ardent whilst it rolled well and gripped well in most situations there was a few climbs where it wasn't grippy enough and on some of the faster loose rocky descents on the quantocks it felt like i either had a flat tyre or all the bolts were loose on the back end of the bike 😯

I put a 2.35 60a highroller 1 on the back in the end which solved that at the expense of a bit of drag.

Another combo which i stick with all year round on my hardtail now is a 2.35 60a highroller 1 on the front and a 2.0 larsen on the rear, the larsen rolls fast and is a lot grippier than it looks!

The 2.4 Ardent is well worth the extra money over the 2.25 - hardly any real rolling difference but sooo much nicer in the corners, and you can run them alot softer as the extra width is noticable.

To answer an earlier question, no, I don't run tubeless.

Thanks for all the suggestion everyone btw.

Hmm, I haven't considered the Crossmark or Larsen before. I've never ridden these, but looking a pictures of them, they look very summer XC to me. Surely the Ardent would provide more grip, no?

Also, I noticed that Santa Cruz have opted for the HR front and Ardent rear set-up on their latest Chameleon.

By the way, how does the HR II compare to the Minion? Excuse my ignorance, but they seem like tyres designed for a similar sort of job.

Me again. Just wanted to say that in the end I opted for a 2.3 High Roller II on the front and a 2.25 Ardent on the rear, both in 60A.

The set-up felt great from the word go. One aspect in particular that was clearly noticeable was the much improved rolling resistance compared with the 2.35 Kenda Nevegals I was using before. I felt like I had tonnes of grip in the dry, although I am yet to test these in wet conditions.

Thanks all for your recommendations!