As above really, can’t find it so was wondering if it has a different name now? For the now autumn conditions of slippery rocks and roots.

Baron Projekt, or Projekt Baron, or something. Not out yet afaik.

The prototype is called the baron projekt 2.4 but it isn’t in production yet it seems. I think you can get a butcher which is similar?

Butcher’s a bit more Minion-like (slightly better shape). Only a Baron is like a Baron ime.

Seen a lot of people using/recommending the Minion DHR2 as a front tyre for the same job you’d choose a Baron for. Though whether it’s really that good, or whether it’s partly maxxis sponsored riders making the best of a bad selection I don’t know. I just like the irony.

Have you considered changing to a wheel size that has decent choice for tyres? 😉

alas I am sticking with my incorrect wheels. This lack of tyre choice very hectic though . Dunno what else to go for now

I have a brand new Magic Mary Sg VertStar 27.5 – unfitted – if you’re interested?

There’s always the Magic Mary

Without sounding like a petulant teenager , what’s so good about the Magic Mary?

Without sounding like a petulant teenager , what’s so good about the Magic Mary?

It’s a similar proposition to the Baron but it’s available to fit your wheels?

Similar position, Baron’s on the 26er in winter, want something similar in 27.5. Just ordered a WTB Vigilante, was thinking of combining with a WTB Trail Boss, but can’t seem to find anyone stocking that yet…

Would you use Magic Mary front and rear? What compound? I’m not after a mud tyre it’s those slippery rocks and roots that get me. Although I appreciate grip in wet roots is nearly impossible.

robinlaidlaw – Member

It’s a similar proposition to the Baron but it’s available to fit your wheels?

Exactly thaat. And cheaper form German sites, readily available, proper tubeless ready, can be had in various compounds and with or without the Super Gravity carcass

Would you use Magic Mary front and rear? What compound?

I do, yes. Trailstar compound as that’s the only available option that’s a not got the heavier casing. It’s a good chunk bigger and more robust than the Baron. Some people would suggest though that compound is the most important thing on wet rocks and for that, the Conti black chilli is almost unrivalled, which would leave you with the option of the Trail Kings (were Rubber Queen) in 650b if you aren’t too fussed about proper soft conditions.

Mary (in 26 at least) is pretty different in use, Mary I reckon will be better in real slop (haven’t had a chance to test that) but it needs to get its teeth into something to grip best, it’s nothing like as good as the baron on hardpack, roots and rocks etc. Though, not bad, to be fair. Also a fair bit slower.

Basically Mary feels like an outright mud/soft tyre. What makes the Baron so good is that it isn’t. But I reckon you could do a lot worse.

Christ they weigh a tonne! Won’t be going for those methinks!

You should bear in mind that the Baron may not be very Baron like in its next incarnation. It’s been on my mind as I am long term shopping for a 650b wheelset, but there are lots of tyres I have never tried (because the Baron up front never disappointed, maybe it drags but you can’t notice it without a comparison).

I am slightly worried about this too. Bigger volume is good (especially if they’ve bought a new set of calipers in the meantime and 2.4 really is 2.4), but reshaped knobs for better grip on soft surfaces sounds ominous when I’m so in love with what’s already there.

why would the baron be different on 27.5?

Let’s say for arguments sake that barons don’t come out for 6 months, and they are different (i.e. not as good)

Magic Marys are out, is it only butcher and purg left?

They’ve actually changed the tread too, across all sizes, not just upsized the old one for #Enduro! wheels. Bonus should be that the old ones will be sold off cheap to make way, hopefully.

Sigh… Pesky clown wheels

A snakeskin magic mary is listed as 835g which is the same as one of my Barons, so not that heavy? http://www.schwalbe.com/gb/offroad-reader/magic-mary.html

Isn’t any tyre with more volume going to help on the roots? If you expect the weights to compare with a 26″ tyre though you will end up with something weaker in my view.

Up front I ran a Baron on my 140mm 26″ hardtail last winter and have had a Magic Mary on my 160/140mm 27.5 full-sus most of this year. Personally I feel that the Baron has the edge in serious mud whilst the MM is better the rest of the time. I don’t know which rolls slower but neither are fast but nor are they slow considering how grippy they are. The Baron’s compound is definitely grippier on wet roots/rocks but the Magic Mark puts down a greater amount of rubber (more/bigger knobs and larger carcass allowing lower pressure) so it’s not a huge difference. I’m running the Super Gravity carcass at the moment which means I’ve got the front at 18psi in the dry and I can go a bit lower in the wet because the sidewalls are very stiff indeed.

They’re both bloody good tyres but I prefer the Magic Mary despite the Trailstar compound not being quite as magic as the Baron’s particular black chili blend (which is stickier than the Rubber Queen / Trail King black chili). I run the RQ/TK out back on both bikes (and up front on the hardtail much of the time).

howsyourdad1 – Member
Christ they weigh a tonne! Won’t be going for those methinks!

Just out one on the front of my bike, was 10g heavier than the Hans Dampf I took off, about 840g

Conti Projekt Baron 2.4 coming out in 2015 according to Conti UK. A slightly bigger Baron with better side walls was what we wanted, the Projekt looks like that’s what it delivers but I too am suspicious of the new shaped knobs.

Ok thanks for the information , especially about the 2015 date and magic Mary with RQ/TK out back. Just been out, it’s super wet and muddy and my racing Ralph at the back was feeble, so need to get something on order sharpish before i slip to a muddy rooty death

Holy thread resurrection Batbikers!

If anyone else was wondering if the mythical Baron Projekt 2.4 would ever appear, Continental UK have informed me that it’s now due this autumn.

Sounding a bit like the mythical Baron UST… I waited for ages for that, it was promised for about 18 months before never actually materialising and being cancelled.

Sounding a bit like the mythical Baron UST… I waited for ages for that, it was promised for about 18 months before never actually materialising and being cancelled.

I was waiting for that too! Conti told me it was too heavy as a UST tyre so they weren’t going to make it – I couldn’t be bothered pointing out quite how many hundred grams of sealant it took me to get a normal Baron to seal…

Before they replied to my Projekt 2.4 27.5 question I’d also got bored of waiting for that (it was due this spring) and bought a Minion DHR2 which is bloody brilliant (but yet to face the test of wet trails!)

FWIW, I’ve had 2.3″ WTB Vigilante TCS on both ends for the last 3 months, set up tubeless. In my limited experience, I think that they’re brilliant. Predictable, confidence-inspiring grip wet or dry, even in thick mud. Slightly hard work on tarmac, but seem to roll as fast as anything off road as long as they’re run at *low* pressure (~20PSI). YMMV 🙂

I’m a long-term Baron liker but I ended up on a Shorty for most of winter, they’re not that similiar on paper but they end up doing a pretty similiar job and I think the shorty just has the baron beat. Not as good in the dry, better in mud.

I couldn’t be bothered pointing out quite how many hundred grams of sealant it took me to get a normal Baron to seal…

no issue with mine that I did recently.

I was always a big Baron fan on 26″ changed my bike and as they didn’t do a 650B Baron I tried a Magic Mary and it is brilliant in my opinion !

Just in case any Baron fans out thee want a new 26 I have one and have now gone 650. Gimme an email – see my profile. Dont reply here please email me on flatpedalthunder(at)gmail(dot) com)

https://www.bike-components.de/de/Continental/Der-Baron-Projekt-27-5-Limited-Edition-Faltreifen-Modell-2016-p45456/

Here you go, if you’re curious….
This is on my radar along with the new 2.5 Shorty.

Shorty is not due to 2016, so just ordered the Baron projekt in 26″. Will let you know how it goes…

Just a quick update. I’ve taken delivery of the Baron and have used it for one decent ride at Hamsterley and commuted on it for 4 days.
In 26″ guise it weighed in at 916 grammes on the kitchen scales, and measures 53mm across the carcass and 57mm across the tread.
On the road/hardpack I would say that it’s rolling resistance is not significantly greater than my dhf 3c. It coped really well with rooty conditions and also on trail centre stuff. I had only one moment of scary understeer but I think it was more rider error than the tyre.
Unfortunately (?!!!!) conditions were perfect – dry, fast and dusty – so I cannot comment on wet performance. For the first time in ages, I’m actually looking forward to rain. I will report back once Hamsterley returns to it’s traditional wet slop.

So anyone seen the 650b/27.5 Baron yet? Keep hearing rumours that it’s ‘nearly’…

I asked Conti when a 650b Baron would be available and they said ‘before Christmas’. That’s brilliant except I asked the question in November 2014. Seriously.

Like some others here IMHO there is no substitute for the Baron in winter, for a mix of light mud and roots/rocks. The Butcher doesn’t come close and I’m curently running a Maxxis Shorty Exo 3c up front and a HRII out back and the Shorty is sketchy on anything other than soft ground (obviously – but I can’t get a Baron which isn’t sketchy).

I ride quite a bit at QECP which is lethal in winter (wet chalk and roots) and the Baron has no equal there. Also ran Barons F&R year-round on my 26 HT last year and they’re simply the best I think.

Just get on with it Conti. Please.

So anyone seen the 650b/27.5 Baron yet?

You can get em now from a few of the German sites. Bike Components etc

I got a new Baron from one of the German sites it’s absolutely brilliant.