I'm just debating pulling the XR4s off the bike. I've got some spare wheels with XR5s which may do the job OK in replacement, but some reports on these are not exactly amazing at times.
Agressor look decent at this money...
All the rest of our spares are DH Supersoft so not exactly ideal. I do have a Mary in a 2.6 but that seemed pretty slow in terms of rolling/drag even when on the front. I think it's a soft compound.
But other than that i'm not sure what to run over the autumn/winter this year.
Merlin seem to have some Krypto/Argo enduro softs
https://www.merlincycles.com/mountain-bike-tyres-75332/?diameter=29-
tacky chan super soft
big betty soft
sheffield/peak/gritstone/roots/peat/clay
All the cool kids are running radials aren't they - so the Schwalbe combo that suits you best?
Plus the 20 other different answers you'll get
1. Big Bike: Tacky Chan Ultrasoft Super trail (F), Tacky Chan Soft super Trail (R). Or, I might put the 2.6 Magic Mary back on (F)
2. Trail HT: part-used Tacky Chan (F), Wolfpack Trail (R) (as that's what I had in the garage)
3. SS HT: DHF 2.6 MaxTerra (F), worn Dissector (R) (as those are what I had in the garage)
4. Gravel Bike: WTB Nano F&R.
The Aggressor is made for hardpack trails so not really a good UK winter choice. The Tacky Chan is surprisingly good in wet conditions but still rolls well and is good in the dry too. For proper muck I like a Shorty but they're not as fast rolling as the Tacky and don't cope so well if conditions improve
Same as the last two winters... new Hillbilly Grid Trail T9 on the front and either part worn Hillbilly or new DHR2 2.3 on rear (maxterra or dual compound, Exo).
Light rider on short travel trail bike in Hebden.
If you're conscious of price as well as performance then Hillbilly on front is a no-brainer for a winter tyre; about £40 each at the moment, often reduced on Specialized site and I got most of mine for £25 each.
The Aggressor is made for hardpack trails so not really a good UK winter choice.
Yeah it'll clog really badly.
DHR2 is fine on the rear all year, for me.
Front I currently have a Spesh Hillbilly and WTB Verdict ready for the slop, both are great.
High Roller 3 also looks good, but if I were buying a front tyre now I think I'd have to try the Radial Mary.
The Aggressor is not good in any sort of mud in my experience. This winter will be the same as last:
High Roller 3 / DHR2 on the full bounce.
WTB Verdict / Big Betty on the HT.
Hillbilly Grid Trail T9 on the front and Purgatory Grid Trail T7 on the back.
Same as the rest of the year.
For the Geometron
DH34/Wild Enduro front on the DH wheels
DHR2/High Roller on the Enduro wheels
Rekon/Forkaster on the XC wheels.
Hardtail
Crossmark 3/DHF
The same "not ideal for anything" combo as the rest of the year: 2.6" Hans Dampf Super Trails Soft front & Super Trail Speed rear.
Although if I can find a good deal on a Magic Mary Super Trail Soft in bronze wall I might pop one on the front.
I keep the DHR on the back, it doesn't clog too much. Front I'll probably swap the Assegai for HR 3, I have one of those kicking around.
For mellower stuff, I find Hans Dampf is actually pretty good in mud and very good at avoiding clogging. Eddy Current Front also seems to be awesome at shedding clay. I'd be happy to run that in 2.4 at both ends
On my hardtail for local rides (lots of shared use woodland that becomes a morass in winter) I reckon my Shortys have another season in them. But they won't be going on until the top inch of trail has gone past the point of no return. They're pretty deadly on greasy hardpack, they definitely need something to bite into.
Until then it's DHRs and DHFs.
On my full suss (high days and holidays) it is DHRs and DHFs year-round. The logic being that I'm quite unlikely to make a special trip to ride somewhere shitty enough to need Shortys. So it'll tend to be better all-weather trails I'm riding.
Just fitted radial Mary gravity ultrasoft front and radial Albert gravity soft rear to the eBike
Not ridden yet, but keen to see what they hype is about, the DH Kryptotal supersoft/soft they replaced were excellent
I'm also braced for the yearly moment when I've put the Shortys on. Pedalling through some cack to start it will be "oh, these things are amazing, I should have put them on sooner" before I remember the trade-offs.
Like the yearly moment when the lights are turned on for the first time, mid-ride, and my brain can't adjust - having to look at things twice and feeling that focal point creep back towards the front wheel. It doesn't last long as riding with lights becomes familiar again.
Or the brake pads that were bedded in during warm, dry weather, that squeal like a banshee for the first wet ride, then settle down again.
Ahh, winter...
assegai on the front, DHR on the rear. only ride in marginal conditions in the winter, just can't be bothered to ride in full mank anymore.
Same as the summer.
Magic mary trail supersoft radial on the front.
Continental xynotal enduro soft on the rear.
Gotta be the Contys
Don't think Merlin have Soft compound left - filtered by In Stock . Peeps don't like the non-soft Enduro but I find em ok.
Same as my summer tyres.
Magic Mary front, Big Betty rear.
I have radial ultra soft mary front and soft albert on the proper bike and conti krytotals on the ebike. Definitely noticing the extra grip of the radials now conditions are changing. So I'm thinking of getting a couple of rear shreddas and putting them on the ebike for the winter
I used Assegai/Dissector (known as the Ass-Dissector combo apparently!) for Morzine bike part stuff etc. but I don't think it's meant particularly for natural winter trails.
I'm not an amazing rider but I found Michelin Wild Enduro Front/Rear in 29x2.4 almost like cheating on wet roots and natural trails (QE Off-Piste type stuff if you know it) and wet roots are my kryptonite normally. I wondered if it was partly psychological just going to a beefier tyre (I also swapped from XR4's) but a few reviews have said the same.
Vittoria Mota front and mazza rear. Then if it gets really bad, Mota front and rear.
Just back from my first ride on the Lou/Bud 4.8” pairing. Fantastic! How do they make them roll so well on hard surfaces and hardpack yet grip well in the loose and soft? All at 5.5psi.. Not too heavy either.
went down a rabbit hole... this is for my top fuel, thinking Pirelli Scorpion trail M and R, still.. mega money...
Sticking with my Spring Summer and Autumn tyres like every year
Butcher Gravity Grids T9 front and rear. May need to put a new one on the rear as its looking a bit worse for wear
I'll be keeping the Conti Kryptotals (DH/Supersoft) front and rear that I installed for a recent trip to Spain (not unrelated to the fact that they're a pain in the arse to fit). Got on fine with the same last winter, albeit with the Enduro/Soft rear. Haven't died whilst climbing yet.
Magic Mary and Nobby Nic on the 130mm full suss.
Nobby Nic front and rear on the hardtail.
Fronts are soft, rear are speed.
Terravail Rutland on the gravel
Gave up seasonally changing tyres a few years back, so it's these all year round now...
Minion DHF 29 x 3.0 / Rekon 27.5 x 2.8
WTB Vigilante 29 x 2.8 / WTB Ranger 27.5 x 2.8
Not in any way claiming these are a good rear choices though (especially during the muddy months!)
Hillbilly Grid Trail T9 on the front; Eliminator or Butcher on the back (Grid Gravity T7/T9 on the ebike, Grid T7 on the hardtail); same as the rest of the year!
They roll much faster in the dry than in the mud, so as long as I don't try any quicker tyres in the summer then I don't notice their downsides - I really like how they grip in the dust, they're not a squirmy confused mess like winter tyres often used to be on dry hard trails.
I'm going to see if the Highroller 3 in maxxgrip can cut it. It's really bloody good and I've been happy to run it all year so far, it's obviously slow but it's brilliant. I'm just not sure it's got the teeth for real wet slop. If not, I guess I'll try the argotal supersoft I have, but I figure they're very similiar so probably if I want more it'll be back to the maxxgrip Shorty for its sheer cheat-mode powers. Just sucks that they don't do an exo maxxgrip Shorty.
DHR2 on the rear, love these things. Not too cloggy, not too slow. Not super grippy but it's got those uncanny brilliant sliding manners that means it's not an instant nightmare when you run out of grip, which also means you can use all the grip it actually has. I think basically as a rider I struggle to use any more rear grip than this, if I can't ride it with a spiky front and a rear dhr2 I don't really want to ride it 🙂 Again wish there was a doubledown dual compound, the DHR2 range is a little weird.
(aside really but I've seen testing that says the HR3 is actually faster like for like than an Assegai. I'm not sure, it feels about the same to me but either way I think they've basically made the Assegai completely irrelevant with the HR3, it's way better in bad conditions, doesn't have the clogging problems and it's about as good in everything else Same true of the Argotal supersoft. Give one of these a try if you like assegais and magic marys folks, they are both just as far as I'm concerned better at everything.
I swapped a DHF max terra for a HR3 max grip on Northwind’s recommendation and it’s astonishingly good! Best front tyre I’ve used in mixed conditions by far, and that’s on a LLS hard tail where I really have to weight the front
ive kept the 2.6 DHR2 on the back for now. I might replace with a Radial Albert for spring summer
Front - Michelin Wild Enduro Front, competition line. Digs in well, lot fewer edge knobs than others, quite square so not for crazy lean angles.
Rear - Continental Kryptotal Re Trail/Endurance. Lot of bite and reasonably soft while being fast.
I want to try some Kryptotals on my Levo and also get rid of the inserts (Roval carbon rims), so looking at 27.5 x 2.6 DH Soft rear and want a 29'er DH Supersoft on the front.
For some reason, they only seem to do this in a 2.4? Enduro casing is available in 2.6 front, but only soft as far as I can see
Would people that have used this combo recommend it? I'm not averse to a bigger rear tyre - have Eddy Currents 27.5 x 2.8/29 x 2.6 on my Kenevo
As a half-price punt in early spring I bought some Aspens (haha, I know right?) They've been amazing this dry spring/summer/autumn but once I get over this cold and back out I know I'm going to be on my arse in short order. So need something that'll tackle woods/canal paths/tarmac and not get too clogged up, might go back to Vittoria Barzo...
The Enduro has an Assegai/Dissector combo and while they're a massive pain to grind uphill, they are amazing back down, so they get to stay on all year.
Schwalbe Hans Dampf and Eddy Current, same as what the bike came with as i'm a newb 😀 🤣
I want to try some Kryptotals on my Levo and also get rid of the inserts (Roval carbon rims), so looking at 27.5 x 2.6 DH Soft rear and want a 29'er DH Supersoft on the front.
For some reason, they only seem to do this in a 2.4? Enduro casing is available in 2.6 front, but only soft as far as I can see
Would people that have used this combo recommend it? I'm not averse to a bigger rear tyre - have Eddy Currents 27.5 x 2.8/29 x 2.6 on my Kenevo
I can give you a part worn DHSS front in a 2.4 to use. It'll have not THAT much life in it, but in truth the DHSS really doesn't last long at the best of times. If you get 5 days riding out of a rear you've done really well. Fronts can last a bit better though.
Depends what you are riding and how much drag you are willing to put up with.
Eeeb, Mary/Mary and the option of a shredda for cutting in new tracks.
G1, Mary/Albert
XC, Ground Control/Renegade
I bought an aggressor once, it was terrible. For the grip was low and the drag high, DHR is a better tyre IMO.
I can give you a part worn DHSS front in a 2.4 to use. It'll have not THAT much life in it, but in truth the DHSS really doesn't last long at the best of times. If you get 5 days riding out of a rear you've done really well. Fronts can last a bit better though.
Cheers for the offer pal - I'll stick some brand new rubber on to see me through the winter though.
Would only go SS front and soft on the rear.
Been down the SS rear route with a MM and it didn't last long
Do you rate the Kryptotals?
I can give you a part worn DHSS front in a 2.4 to use. It'll have not THAT much life in it, but in truth the DHSS really doesn't last long at the best of times. If you get 5 days riding out of a rear you've done really well. Fronts can last a bit better though.
Cheers for the offer pal - I'll stick some brand new rubber on to see me through the winter though.
Would only go SS front and soft on the rear.
Been down the SS rear route with a MM and it didn't last long
Do you rate the Kryptotals?
He won't run anything else. Although i've got a MM Radial for him to try over winter. But the Krypto is the go-to tyre for him, no matter the conditions. We've seen Pros run them in pretty horrible conditions and do really well. They seem to just do anything and everything right.
Lots of racers run Krypto rears on the front due to the pattern giving better grip on steep/loose stuff. He certainly seems to like that too.
+1 new hillbilly T9 if youre in the mud, quite draggy, i went for a T7 eliminator on the back when i did naughty northumbrian and they were superb on the steep very muddy rooty/rocky stages
Grid trail casing at a minimum (grid is too flexy)
ive been around the houses on tyres, always liked a shorty up front , M Marys OK but not as good as a shorty (tho not tried radials)
ultimately the specialized ones are considerably cheaper at rrp and often discounted around the web
I find it very hard to justify paying for other brands when spesh ones are so good
Still debating and not decided on this yet, i've been sticking with the Bontrager XR5 for now, but i don't think they're the greatest ever, however they seem OK for me.
The Merlin Krypto endurance trail are tempting but a 2.6 and some very debatable reviews on that compound.
Still debating and not decided on this yet, i've been sticking with the Bontrager XR5 for now, but i don't think they're the greatest ever, however they seem OK for me.
The Merlin Krypto endurance trail are tempting but a 2.6 and some very debatable reviews on that compound.
I bought a pair of them in the end. They'll get tested at Climachx and FoD this weekend.
I've been riding the MM ultra soft and Albert soft radials in the current conditions and compared to the the krypto softs on the ebike there is a noticeable difference in grip and that is on a 130mm trail bike compared to the 170mm ebike. Pretty impressed with the radials but probably not enough just to sack off the kyrptos as they are still good tyres and they do seem to last for ages
Big bike
Hillbilly T9 grid gravity / butcher t7 for pedaling, butcher T9 gravity for uplift
Medium bike
Butcher T9 trail/ butcher t7 trail
Hardtail
Butcher t7 purgatory v1
Tandem
Butcher/ butcher
Same as the end of summer, on both the KSL and the 916 - 2.4 Argotal Enduro Soft front and rear
I've got Kryptotals on my new bike and it sounds like they'll be ok in the mud, so I'm gong to stick with them.
I've got the new Eliminator on my the back of Levo and I'm really liking it. It's almost nothing like the old one in tread pattern or how it behaves - old on the left, new on the right:
(the old one was like a Dissector with very ramped centre tread whilst the new one is more like a DHR2 with squarer blocks that brake well)
I've got the T9/T7 dual compound Grid Gravity (dual ply) version and it seems pretty ideal as an year-round ebike rear tyre - rolls faster than you'd think too. Worth trying if you like DHR2's but not their price nowadays!
Aggressor is meh for winter. I used one on the rear of my big bike last winter (was too lazy to swap it off) and it coped, but much better options out there.
I'm enjoying Specialized tyres at the moment. Pissed off with a couple of Maxxis with mega wobbles so stopped buying them.
Big bike: Assegai 2.5 3C + DHR2 2.4 3C
E-bike: Hillbilly T9 Grid Trail + Eliminator T7 Grid Trail
Tallboy: Hillbilly T9 Grid Trail + Purgatory T9 Grid (not ideal compound or sidewall combos but its what I have)
For big bike and all the grip in slop but still ok for pedalling it’s Hillbiilly Grid Trail T9 on the front and Kryptotal enduro soft on the rear for me. Both 29x2.4.
For new “downcountry” bike I’m trying new Forekaster / Rekon…..not going to try that in off piste slop I don’t think!
Whatever is lying around. If it get that sloppy then I will go and do something else for the day rather than get cold, wet and destroy the trails.
For me on my ebike it's Hillbilly T9 gravity front and Cannibal T9 gravity rear.
Still debating and not decided on this yet, i've been sticking with the Bontrager XR5 for now, but i don't think they're the greatest ever, however they seem OK for me.
The Merlin Krypto endurance trail are tempting but a 2.6 and some very debatable reviews on that compound.
I bought a pair of them in the end. They'll get tested at Climachx and FoD this weekend.
Fitted the Krypto trail endurance, they seem to size up nicely... Lets see what they feel like at the weekend.
The big ebike has an Assegai/DHR combo, th hardtail has a DHF and I think either a Minion Semi slick or WTB Trailboss, I’ll probably put the Trailboss on if it isn’t already. The jump/Dadcountry bike has a Kenda Small Block 8 and DTH which is interesting when riding with the kids at trail centres (rock hard forks and 65psi and wet roots keep you on your toes)
I can’t be bothered with changing tyres all the time not they’re tubeless, I’m not racing and rarely ride in total muddy slop these days so CBA
@theartist, a bit slow this but Conti are still filling out the new range, the original launch was very limited in compounds and carcasses and then they couldn't keep up with orders, some of the gaps like the argotal enduro ultrasoft are filled now and I'm pretty sure there's more to come. But they're definitely prioritising the biggest sellers and most obvious gaps
That new Eliminator looks relevant to my interests, the old one was a classic spesh "nearly good if they changed one thing" I reckon but I've been hoping for a "slightly faster dhr2" for ages, and never found one, maybe this is it?
@theartist, a bit slow this but Conti are still filling out the new range,
Ended up 29 x 2.4 DH Supersoft front, 27.5 x 2.6 DH Soft rear.
They won't go on the rim, but they look alright in the shed...
My favourite combo is a super trail Magic Mary and Hans Dampf rear. My ebike came with Butcher T9’s front and rear. I really like them but probably ott for what I’m doing 99% of the time.
Any recommendations for ebike tyres? I’m radial curious and a schwalbe fan boy. I would certainly try more from Specialized. Think I may get away with a lighter tyre than a T9. Mainly tame long distance trail riding with a few trips to FOD and Bike park Wales thrown in.
“That new Eliminator looks relevant to my interests, the old one was a classic spesh "nearly good if they changed one thing" I reckon but I've been hoping for a "slightly faster dhr2" for ages, and never found one, maybe this is it?”
I found some numbers from ze Germans:
(these lab tests are constant tyre pressure so tyres with bigger contact patches and stiffer cases score a bit higher than they would in reality when you’d run lower pressures)
DHR 2 MAXX-TERRA DH 29 X 2.5
34.3W
MAXX-TERRA DOUBLE-DOWN 29 X 2.4
36.5W
MAXX-GRIP DOUBLEDOWN 29 X 2.5
50.1W
MAXX-GRIP DH 29 X 2.4
52.2W
ELIMINATOR T7/T9 GRID GRAVITY 29x2.4
38.8W
Also, according to their puncture resistance tests that version of the Eliminator scores higher than all the version of the DHR2.
I don’t think it’s anything magic, I think it’s mostly from having a bigger different in speed/stick from centre to side knobs. Doesn’t feel unpredictable though!
I need winter tyres for the Levo, any love for the Shredda or is it overkill? I've got a spare front wheel it can go on.
I've not used it but I've seen a bunch of people speak highly of the Shredda rear as a front, looks pretty sensible to me and I've been trying to find a cheap one to try. Basically looks like they put a Mary on steroids (which imo is exactly what the Mary needs)
The front shredda looks an absolute beast tbh, it'll be amazing in deep slop I'm sure but also probably has the downsides of a full on spike- not as good on hard stuff, not much contact patch for rocks and such in the mud. Maybe back when I was racing a bunch I'd have had a use for that but even then the conditions where it'd really pay off would be pretty rare I think, most tracks still have enough hard stuff and rocks and such. For casual riding I just can't see it, unless you're somewhere that everything is bottomless mud and no better options of trails.
The radial carcass should absolutely shine for low grip riding, though, especially if you're a "low pressure" person- I liked it with higher pressure, giving that little bit of low pressure feel but allowing more stability and speed... but I loved it at my normal pressures, giving sort of Super Mega Soft feels without being too splodgy. Especially when riding speeds drop. It's almost fatbikey in how it finds little bits of grip that other tyres just don't see by glomming around stuff better, genuinely a unique advantage that tread and compound can't do, it is awesome.
My Bontager Muds are going on tomorrow.
Without bankrupting yoursefl, Spesh Hillbilly. T9 front, T7 rear.
Sometimes Michelin Mud Enduro 2.25 front.
On that subject, if anyone wants a Hillbilly 29x2.6 Grid Trail T7 (now discontinued) I have an unused one spare now I've mulleted my ebike.
For a minor update, i ran the Conti Krypto Trail Endurance at ClimachX at the weekend and they worked perfectly well. I've not used them in an XCish context in terms of pedalling/rolling, but ClimachX as anyone knows who's ridden it is pretty climby. But yeah i was happy. It was wet, but not necessarily that muddy. Worked nicely... They were cheap at Merlin at £66 for a pair posted, which i can't argue with.
First ride on the Kryptotals today and suitably impressed.
Sure-footed and well damped down a wet leaf covered fluffy kittens. And dealt with a good dose of mud elsewhere
Seem to roll well enough, but I'm on an ebike
Front - 18psi, 2.4 DH casing, Supersoft, 29"
Rear - 20psi, 2.5 DH casing, soft, 27.5"
Would prefer a 2.6 up front though but couldn't get one in that flavour, the 2.4 comes up a bit skinny
Keep thinking i might need to swap from my summer set-up, but it's not yet minging enough to do different. Getting a bit claggy on the SD, but i find that running my rear fasttrak at a slightly lower pressure gives me great grip on damp chalk, and the mud is (it'll catch me out tomorrow now...) not yet too unpleasant to make grip there unmanageable. Running a groundcontrol on the front and that is doing ok too
Hillbilly T9 grid gravity is amazing on the front t of the HT around the Wye valley. I'm unconvinced on the Eliminator T9/7 gravity on the back. Rolls ok and has good edge grip but not a lot of bite in a straight line
Schwalbe winter marathon 2.0
(I’m not overly enamoured with the prospect of a fractured collarbone 😫)
though, Schwalbe could manufacture something with fewer studs and a higher volume that would perform just as well?
“I'm unconvinced on the Eliminator T9/7 gravity on the back. Rolls ok and has good edge grip but not a lot of bite in a straight line”
Is that the old or the new one? They’re such different tyres that them having the same name (and compounds and casings) is massively confusing.
Enduro
Magic Mary 2.6 f&r. Ultra soft up front and soft at the back. Stays like that all year works on everything and I don't find it that draggy.
Trail/xc
I swap the front wheel depending on conditions. DHF 2.5 or shorty 2.4.
I've got a dissector on the back at the moment but might swap a hans dampf on.
Michelin Wild Enduro on the front for me as of a couple of weeks ago. Last one was faultless, less than £30 if you shop around. Rear this winter will be the Teravail Kessel I put 1000km on last winter, once I've scrubbed the last few 100km out of my current Hans Dampf. I'd buy another if the price was right.
“I'm unconvinced on the Eliminator T9/7 gravity on the back. Rolls ok and has good edge grip but not a lot of bite in a straight line”
Is that the old or the new one? They’re such different tyres that them having the same name (and compounds and casings) is massively confusing.
It's the new one. At the moment the local trails are covered in so many leaves it's difficult to tell if the tyre is clogging with dirt or just sliding on leaves. Or both!
Front winter tyre went on this week… High Roller 3 MaxxGrip. It works. Very well. Leaves on rocks on Blue Big nearly had me off still! Time to slow down and stop riding like it’s still summer?
Oh, I put a new Dissector G2 MaxxGrip on the front of my other half’s bike as well… that’s going to be a great all year round tyre with extra winter capability I think.
Rear tyres next week… standard fare… DR2 MaxxTerra on mine, old Dissector G1 MaxTerra on hers.
Probably just keep the same Magic Mary/Nobby Nic combo it's had on since I bought it! I've been thinking about swapping at least the NN for something a bit faster rolling but might leave it til spring now. It was pretty interesting over wet roots and leaves at Wharncliffe last week so probably don't want to be going less knobbly at the minute. Kinda interested in trying a Tacky Chan either at the back, or both ends.
“It's the new one. At the moment the local trails are covered in so many leaves it's difficult to tell if the tyre is clogging with dirt or just sliding on leaves. Or both!”
Until it went all greasy and leafy I found it was gripping well on the steep stuff - right now I’m not sure anything grips either!