Best front tyre from maxxis DHF, DHR2 or HR2?

Talking about dry/intermediate tyres not spikes or mud tyres.

As a tyre whore I am thinking about changing and am curious about the DHR2 or HR2 on the front.

Is the Minion still king or has it been overtaken?

Minion for me

Ben @ Bird bikes was raving about the DHR2 vs the others so I took his advice! Haven’t tried the others though. Had a Butcher (DHF-clone) on the other bike but that was a while ago and too many variables…

As an intermediate then DHRII 2.4 followed by the DHF 2.5. I find it a good choice for UK Enduro races where you have a mixture or trail centre hardpack and fresh cut.

Minion DHF. Best tyre out there in my opinion. 2.35 or 2.5 depending on how you feel, both are perfectly fine for UK or Europe. I prefer a 2.5 60a or 3C With the EXO side walls personally but the single ply are good or 2 ply for DH and rocks.

Run them all year around unless it’s proper mud when I’ll switch it to a Wet Scream or cut Wet Scream on the front.

Have tried all the other brands but always keep returning to the DHF as its reliable, predictable and doesn’t cost the earth.

Tom KP

Not the HR2 if you’re using the 3C compound, mine lasted 3 months before all the side lugs split. Now weighing up butcher or minion to replace it with

DHF (3C/EXO 2.5″) is my ‘go to’ front tyre for most conditions. I’ve got a DHR2 (3C/EXO/TR) that I’m going to try at some point. Running a Crossmark rear now the trails are dyring up. Shorty front/DHR2 for winter

Not the HR2 if you’re using the 3C compound, mine lasted 3 months before all the side lugs split. Now weighing up butcher or minion to replace it with

Not had any issues with mine on the front – been on there for a good few months now and wearing well despite plenty of use (3C EXO TR). Would definitely recommend it – better than an HR. Can’t really compare to DHF (I’ve not ridden one for a while and only in a 2.5″ dual ply variety, so hard to say), not ridden a DHR2.

DHR2. Not got quite the dry cornering of a DHF but much better under braking, and much better in intermediate conditions.

DHR2 – designed as a rear tyre, and isn’t even great at that. No chance would I be putting that on the front, considering taking mine off the back.
DHF – Minion go to tyre for many (including myself) for a reason.
HR2 – Haven’t tried yet, but have two sitting in the house. Looks like it’ll be better in softer conditions than a DHF, but not as good on hard stuff

If what you ride is quite loose then a 2.4 HR2, but otherwise a Minion DHR2

FYI 2.4 HR2 is much knobblier than the 2.3 HR2. It’s quite confusing how Maxxis tend to do that, it’s the same with the 2.4 vs 2.25 Ardents, the knobs change size more than the carcass does!

Apparently you can slightly trim the wider centre knobs on the DHR2 to create a more clear channel between them and the side knobs which makes it a stronger cornering front tyre than the equivalent DHF. I wouldn’t know, it already corners well enough for me!

+1 for the minion, however im running a WTB Vigilante (very similar) at the moment and find it as good as the minion.

http://www.blazingbikes.co.uk/wtb-vigilante-tyre-650b&currency=GBP&language=en?gclid=CPmSmI3_mMUCFWH3wgodebcAsw#.VT97-WdFDcs

Butcher would be my choice. Its designed by the same person as Spesh recruited him from Maxxis hence the more than passing resmblence. Plus its half the price

DHR2 – designed as a rear tyre, and isn’t even great at that. No chance would I be putting that on the front, considering taking mine off the back.

Are you confusing the original DHR with the DHR2?

There is a lot of praise out there for the DHR2 – and a lot of people run them out front.

It’s a really good tyre. A lot better than a HR2.

If I had to choose one it would be an HR2 because it’s totally unobtrusive & just lets me get on with riding.
No complaints about Minions but they have their characteristics and foibles and tbh after buying so many of them I CBA to buy another one

Hob Nob – Member
Are you confusing the original DHR with the DHR2?

Nope, got one on the back of the DH bike.

From http://www.maxxis.com/catalog/tire-311-122-minion-dhr-ii

The Minion DHR II is a complete redesign. Acceleration, cornering and braking have all been improved. The shoulder knobs were borrowed from the legendary Minion DHF and then beefed up to handle duty as a rear tire. The center tread has been heavily ramped and siped to roll fast and track straight under braking. Pair the DHR II with the Minion DHF for the ultimate aggressive riding combo!

I’m planning DHR II for my next set of tyres. Am I right in saying that there only a DHR ‘II’ and just a DHF? No DHF II? I like my Maxxis tyres (usually HRII’s) but do find it a bit baffling on their website all the different versions.

For cornering and control when descending Minion DHF is my tyre of choice. Happy running a DHF on the rear too.

Nope, got one on the back of the DH bike.

First person who i’ve ever seen suggest it’s anything other than really good!

They probably shouldn’t have called it the DHR2 though, just given it a new name.

But, back to the original question – i’d run a different Maxxis out front. Happily run a Shorty all year round. It’s been a great tyre so far 🙂

Am I right in saying that there only a DHR ‘II’ and just a DHF? No DHF II?

Yes, they got the DHF right first time around! 😉

Mixed opinions then. I think the DHR2 is out of the running as it seems like it only corners as well as a minion if you start trimming it. Too much hassle.

I’ve been on butchers for ages and have tried the old faithful DHF, so that leaves the HR2 to try.

But, back to the original question – i’d run a different Maxxis out front. Happily run a Shorty all year round. It’s been a great tyre so far

Happy to run it on hardpack? I rode a Baron for a while on hardpack and while it wasn’t terrible it wasn’t great either.

Mixed opinions then. I think the DHR2 is out of the running as it seems like it only corners as well as a minion if you start trimming it. Too much hassle.

Here’s the review that talked about trimming:

http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/maxxis-minion-dhr2

“I wouldn’t say it supports hard cornering any less than a DHF, but I also can’t say that the DHR2 works better than a DHF in this regard. I honestly consider it a bit of a wash, with maybe a nod to the DHF if I was forced to choose sides…

(tyre trimming content)

…The result is a tire that brakes much better than a Minion DHF, but also supports hard cornering even better than a DHF. Except for rolling resistance, it’s a better all-around front tread than the most popular front tire in downhilling.

Those slightly-more-stout side knobs still behave in the same predictable, supported drifting as the DHF, they just grip a little more. It’s noticeable. I’ve tried this trim on the rear as well, and it’s pretty much the sum total of all previous discussions: it supports hard turns a little better, but doesn’t quite hold as well or under as many angles under stiff braking, and overall, some of braking traction is compromised. To be honest, I only really think there’s a significant benefit to trimming this tread if it’s going on the front of my bike. Your results may vary.”

It is really bloody good at braking – I’ve never hauled on the front brake with so much confidence as with the DHR2 up front (and I usually run very good braking tyres – Baron/Trail King aka Rubber Queen/Magic Mary – the last tyre I remember being not quite so good at braking was the Butcher, which is like a DHF).

So as I’m about to bin my fairly new rear hr2, what’s the opinion of hr2 v minion then on the rear?
Always rode he’s and prefer the 2 to the original, is the minion better? Riding mostly Surrey hills and Triscombe areas.

I found the HR2 on the back didn’t give as much grip/traction on climbs as the DHR2. In the wet it loses grip under power so the DHR2 is my go-to rear for autumn/winter, Crossmark working really well on the dryer stuff at the moment

Happy to run it on hardpack? I rode a Baron for a while on hardpack and while it wasn’t terrible it wasn’t great either.

I don’t ride a huge amount of hardpack stuff, the occasional trail centre & it was fine, certainly not a horrible, draggy mess. It’s obviously not as fast as something like a Crossmark (obviously).

I don’t really use anything like that though, ever – so maybe i’m just used to bigger volume, slightly draggy tyres.

So as I’m about to bin my fairly new rear hr2

Don’t put it in the bin, send it to me please.

Changing tyres makes you a better rider because tyres contain magic and that is a true fact.

Changing tyres makes you a better rider because tyres contain magic and that is a true fact.

Exactly. This is why I am a tyre whore.

Euro – Member

Changing tyres makes you a better rider

I am all the proof you need that this is not true

I am all the proof you need that this is not true

As am I, but where is your sense of humour today Northwind?

Butcher would be my choice…. Plus its half the price

eh? quick google says butchers are ~£30, minion DHF tacky are easily had for <£25

yes I know some maxxis versions go up to (and above) £50

seen a few people running dhr2 on the front, might give them a go.

My humour detector is malfunctioning today.

Anyway back to the topic, what tyres for making you ride like a god?

(they must be out there, I just haven’t found them yet)

Anyway back to the topic, what tyres for making you ride like a god?

New tyres don’t quite have enough magic for that.
New bike contains the right quantity.

New tyres don’t quite have enough magic for that.
New bike contains the right quantity.

New bike’s are expensive to swap every 3-6 months. Tyres, much more affordable.

As per euro

Changing tyres makes you a better rider because tyres contain magic and that is a true fact.

They may have less magic than new bike magic, but at least I can afford them.