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I think that was specific to chalky mud? Which observes no known laws of physics. Assegai definitely clogs more than a dhr in most conditions.
Ah, ok. I've only experienced a more clay type wet mud experience. Bike ground to a halt.
All bets are off on wet chalky runs, dont think there is a unicorn tyre that can improve on that type of terrain
Not as good as a Magic Mary up front though.... 😉
The DHR 2 was my go to tyre for a few years, but only as a rear. I tried it on the front and it was horrific in comparison to the likes of a DHF or Magic Mary.
MM/DHR2 was a fantastic setup but its been overtaken by the MM/Big Betty now.
Existential crisis moment – am I slower and having less fun on the interesting bits with this tyre than I would have on a less grippy but faster rolling tyre because I’m more knackered than necessary getting there on the bits in between?
The 2.3 Dhr2 with the same acronyms you have (exo / 3c / maxterra) is much faster rolling than the WT 2.4 version you have. The 2.4 is only marginally bigger casing wise but the knobs are significantly bigger. Good for steep / wet / muddy stuff - but the 2.3” version is almost as good in that but rolls quicker. I like gMBR same 3c version you have (rather than the dual compound version) as it grips wet rock better.
In the winter I run the 2.3” dhr2 at the moment with a 2.6” Hillbilly up front - works really well in most places. I couldn’t find the equivalent 2.6” Magic Mary or Wild Enduro or Shorty in stock anywhere in December. Hillbilly was literally the only aggro sort of mud tyre I could find in 29er.
Some great deals on DHRs on Merlin £41-55
Exo 3c maxxgrip exo+ and DD
Honestly can’t tell the difference between DHR, DHF or Assegai on the front. They all just seem to do the job. Snake oil.
Would be good if you could still buy 60a compound tyres in modern widths for the back.
Googling says “ Maxxis Dual Compound = centre tread is 70a (hard), shoulder tread is 60a (normal).
Maxxis 3C = three layers of different compound rubbers, available in 3 combinations (see below). The base layer is always a very firm, stiff rubber and the two layers on top of this are progressively softer. The idea is to create a grippy tyre that doesn’t squirm around or drag as much as a single compound soft tyre.
Maxxis 3C Maxx Terra = 70a base, 50a centre, 42a shoulders.”
I think there used to be tyres that were just 60a as well?
The shoulder knobs wear really quickly/rip off using 3c tyres on the rear.
They are so good that here at Singletrack World we’re going to start putting them on all our test bikes. To level the playing field. To act as control tyres. Once a useful numbers of test rides have been done on the test bikes’ own tyres, we’ll be swapping them out to some Maxxis Minion DHR II 2.4in WT tyres.
I'm curious - as well, as going by my comments a year ago, a bit cynical - but does this actually happen? The 'control tyre' thing I mean, or was a it a nice idea that never quite happened in real life? And if it did, was there anything you learned from it?
Are there bikes which undergo a radical transformation just by fitting a set of DHR IIs? Or even feel worse with the original tyres ditched?
Been running them front (3C) and rear (harder compound, DD) for years....
Although now got Aggressor on the rear, no fancy DD or compound. Survived many bike parks and Finale without any problems.
But I thought the Hillbilly was the best tyre going??
Stand Out Product Of The Year: Specialized Hillbilly - Singletrack World Magazine
TBH it's always about your idea of "allround"- the Hillbilly's superb, but it's definitely a "soft conditions tyre that can do hard stuff". Most riders just don't do very much of the soft, difficult riding where it really earns its keep. Let's be honest, most do none or almost none. If you do, then the tradeoff of dragging it around on hard stuff and having that reduced traction on the dry is probably worth it, but it's never going to be worth it if you don't.
(IMO the Hillbilly like the Magic Mary has been completely outdone by Conti's Argotal Soft, I think it's better at everything, all the time... And more so in the areas where the Hillbilly doesn't shine, it makes no sense that the Argotal is as good as it is at trailcentre hardpack etc. But, on the other hand, the argotal costs a million pounds and only comes in like 3 versions so far)
I'd disagree with Ben on the Minion too, it's a superb tyre but "one tyre for everything"? Nah. It's pretty much a 3 season tyre for me, it can do mud/soft/slippy especially in the maxxgrip but it runs out of steam at much the exact point where I start really wanting a tyre to keep me upright. I would never choose it to go and race at kinlochleven, or for a day of winter fort william offpiste survival, it'd be the difference between riding and walking, or riding and crashing. And that's OK, because it's so damn good all the rest of the time.
And like with the hillbilly, most people don't do much of that sort of riding where the minion is struggling. But that's "one tyre for everything except" And the same applies at the other end, I never go to a faster rolling front tyre than the minion except for my one xc race a year, but, there's "everything except" again.
There is no one tyre to do everything, but there is one tyre that's best for your compromise, and there's a good chance it's a Minion.
soft, difficult riding
What do you mean by that? Muddy, slippery rides? Slow and technical?
Yep, mostly. Not necessarily slow though, I mean the hillbilly and similar really have their birth in cut dh spikes. I guess you could say any time you're really asking a lot of the tyre