This is a whole new world to me, but we've just got son No.1 a 140mm travel FS for the more bike park style kind of things, it comes with the new style Maxxis Forecaster EXO 2.35" tyres front and back. If he were to want something more chunky up front for added grip would something like a Minion be the way to go?
EXO casing won't last long. Downhill casing is strongly recommended. The classic DHF/DHR is still worthy, although you could put an Assegai up front.
Does it have to be Maxxis? Magic Mary/ Tacky Chan in Super Gravity are worth a mention as are Argotal/Kryptotal in DH SS.
Assegai front and DHR2 rear, or some like DHR2 front also. Might want to consider a tougher casing than Exo also depending on how rough terrain and rider are..
Minion is a great bike park tyre. 2.5 WT would be a good option.
Before you rush to maxxgrip DH tyres, how big/aggressive is your son? DD and exo+ are inbetween. And no point running a DH casing up front with exo at the back. If you just want more grip up front with the exo forekaster on the rear, and he's light, then no reason not to run a exo DHF or similar up front. Or go a bit tougher up front and add an insert to help the rear?
Agree with casing requirements being relative to the lad's size and speed, also with DHR2 being the obvious rear choice.
Assegai front for putting as much rubber down as possible, DHF for slightly easier pedalling and great grip in the dry, the HR2 is decent enough if you can snag one cheap. No experience of the HR3 but it looks great for more mixed conditions.
Is he insisting on Maxxis then 😉
Should have said, I have a used 29 Assegai if its any use that would be good to get re-homed.
Don't overthink it. Just get a pair of DHR's with the DD casing and crack on. They'll do everything.
+1 for Maxxis Assegai for front. Just put a 2.5 on my Rise and it has so much more grip. The difference to the tyres on my XC bike that I've been riding on for the few years is night and day, but that might be the fact that the e-bike is 8kg heavier and so much more planted.
What age, how big, and how 'heavily' does son no.1 ride?
We found that as he got faster, despite being a light lad, he had a penchant for destroying tyres, rims and spokes... We ended up with an insert in the rear AND some heavier casing tyres. Front remained a more trial oriented tyre, but he on occasion popped an insert into there.
IMO, I found that at a certain teenage age he ripped through tyres through the huge miles he started putting on as well as how aggressively he he was trying to keep up with mates or win races. Therefore cost of tyres became a real defining issue, and so I was buying appropriate tyres in a sale en-masse, not paying £85 for a tyre which lasted a race weekend because it was 'best'....
And FWIW, he stull errs towards Schwalbe and Hutchinson for tyres, with occasional foray to Michelin.
Specialized hillbilly gravity are also good and can be cheaper.
Assegai up front would be my preference on whatever flavour is the right price for you, or a DHF if he's good at getting the bike cranked over early. I'm a bit too tentative to get a DHF straight onto it's side knobs so the intermediate tread on the Assegai made a big difference for me.
Specialized hillbilly gravity are also good and can be cheaper.
Butcher is a good bike parky tyre IME, if OP's lad is willing to stray from Maxxis
Interesting seeing so many recommendations for the Assegai. Fine in the dry but as soon as anything starts to stick to it I found it disappointing. If it's still wet once I get back after the crash I think it contributed to, I'll try the new High Roller up front.
Yeah I agree with that, Assegai can be very cloggy if you're not going fast. Which obviously is what you're supposed to do, but if you're not able to keep speed up all the time or you're riding slower nadgier stuff, it's a sort of double whammy because it basically stops working at the exact moment you most want it to work best.
Thing is, "bike park" doesn't mean the same for everyone and definitely not in the UK, online a lot of people's idea of "bike park" is just jump lines and flow, other people's is more varied but still basically Dry Laps Of Whistler or similiar. So I'd bear that in mind too, sooner or later he'll be doing laps of dyfi or somewhere in the absolute pissing rain and that's where stuff like a Hillbilly really outshines the "park tyres"
A bit more info wouldn't go amiss, the kid could be a 9 stone 12yo and people are recommending DD casing, Maxxis only seems to be the criteria, you can't go wrong with DHR2.
Interesting seeing so many recommendations for the Assegai. Fine in the dry but as soon as anything starts to stick to it I found it disappointing.
I guess it depends where and what you ride. Near me is clay and chalk slop in winter so the assegai isnt great as it doesnt clear mud very well. I found a magic mary works best in these conditions. Riding in Wales or somewhere with more rock or hardpack and I prefer the Assegai.
Saying that if I could only have 1 set of tyres for everything, I'd be fitting Assegai and DHR.
What age, how big, and how 'heavily' does son no.1 ride?
He's 13 in a couple of months, 45kg, to be fair he's pretty light on the bike, but does have a tendency to do some daft things.
He's been racing XC & CX for a few years and the little ball bag is faster descending than me and I'm not slow in that respect, seems to find grip where there shouldn't be any - occasionally ends with him upside down or sliding down the trail on his backside 🤣
I'll admit I do like Spesh tyres in the XC range of things, and always found Maxxis to be pricey.
How much mud will be involved in his riding?
Sounds like he'd be alright on Exo-level carcasses for now, at his weight and if he's developed his riding style through XC.