Anyone tried both?

Been running a set of Specialized Eskars, which when dry have been great, but that’s becoming a distant memory apparently.

Looking at trying a 2.3 Baron front 2.2 RQ rear, both UST Black Chilli flavour (I have read they are an arse to get them to stay up if you pick the non UST ones) or a Hans Dampf combo for the next few months.

Typical holy grail type question – will be using them for enduro type bits, which to be fair the Eskar is a little flimsy on big rocky stuff, rolls reasonably well, doesn’t weigh as much as a dual ply DH tyre & has some reasonable sized side knobs to bite in when pushing on a bit.

My Baron stayed up tubeless without too much bother. Unfortunately can’t compare with a Hans Dampf but it’s the best wet weather-biased tyre I’ve used by a long way- works very well in the mud and on wet stuff, but not too draggy and also grips on dry hard stuff. Basiclaly it’s like a swamthing, if swampthings were good.

Fair bit slower than your Eskars but also grippier in all conditions, and a lot grippier in the wet.

RQ rear isn’t a perfect match IMO, not if you want to use the wet weather potential of the Baron, RQ is a decent tyre but at its worst in the mud IME.

My baron was a lot better in the mud than my current dampf. In loam i would say they’re on par but when its dry and dusty the dampf is better. Having said that the dampf is a 2.4 which in schwalbe terms is big whereas the baron was a conti 2.3 whcih is narrow. Unsurprisingly the baron rolls better.

For what its worth i think the baron is a great tyre and if they made them in 29er would buy another without a second thought. Opinion of the dampf is that its fine but i’m not massively convinced by it.

I’m looking for more of an intermediate all rounder weather tyre. I’ve ridden DH for so long with just Minions apart from those horror story days when the Wetscreams come out, I’m fairly comfortable in the wet, just wanted something a bit more than an Eskar, which is a big tyre, but light, with a low profile tread (and a little flimsy)

Butcher SX 2Bliss would probably be the ideal tyre for me, but can’t get them for love nor money, hence looking for alternatives.

Baron F&R would probably be a bit overkill, hence looking for something a bit less on the back (MK2 maybe?).

I have ust BC rq’s (2.4 f 2.2 r) and HDs on both my bikes, quick summary imo is the RQs roll v fast for their grip, have good traction on wet rocks and roots, they seem a little more skittish on loose ground unless you have psi worked out well, imo they don’t work well in slop, I find they clog up quickly. HDs are more tractor like and really seem to dig in, I think they’re a better all year tyre but do roll a bit slower mainly when getting them up to speed.

I use UST BC RQs year round. My mates HDs (tubeless) got quite cut up in the alps recently. He ended up with tubes in F&R. I didn’t suffer a single puncture.
Interested in the Baron front though, is it as large volume as the RQ?

Nope, baron is much small volume wise than the RQ.

I wouldn’t say the dampfs are tough. Mine are showing signs of wear on the sidewall from riding round the rigours of the surrey hills. Tougher than a Nobby Nic with the same new sidewall but definitely showing more signs of abuse than the barons and high rollers which preceeded them.

Found my 2.2 & 2.4 RQs good as a front tyre, but not great – not aggressive enough shoulder lugs, tread a little too shallow.
Howver, 2.2 RQ run on the rear paired with a 2.3 Baron up front – proper moon on a stick combo. Loving it 🙂

How does a 2.3 baron compare size wise with a 2.2 RQ?

Yes I’ve used both.

Currently running Baron 2.3 front & 2.2 RQ rear (both black chilli). When it gets dry and dusty I fit a RQ to the front. The RQ on the rear does tend to slip on wet roots. I have tried baron f&r but only run that combo in winter.

I ditched the Hans dampf because I found they didn’t shed mud. I thought they were great in Maritime Alps.

2.3 Baron is a little narrow than the 2.2 RQ

2.3 Baron is a little narrow than the 2.2 RQ

The sidewall height is also less. Why the f*** Conti don’t sort out their sizing is beyond me.

I’d say the carcass on a 2.3 Baron is a teensy bit smaller than a 2.2 RQ, but the knobs are much bigger, so not much in it. I think the ETRO sizes are the same for 2.2 RQ and 2.3 Baron.

Interesting, simialr opinions with some extensive googling regarding the Hans Dampfs wearing quite quick it seems.

I like the idea of the Baron/RQ combination. Size wise are they similar to a 2.3 Maxxis or a little bigger?

My Baron measures 2.23 across on a DT540, so not quite up to size but not drastically under. But the RQ’s a very tall tyre, and the Baron’s a pretty normal height tyre.

Why the f*** Conti don’t sort out their sizing is beyond me.

dunno why everyone can’t sort out their sizing.

WTB (and bonty iirc) used to quote carcass and tread size which seemed the way to go but they screwed it up using metric eg 47/55 who uses mm for tyre size? 🙂

Bigger than 2.3 Maxxis IMHO

Aye. But then I’ve got ball hairs bigger than a 2.35 maxxis. OTOH it’s smaller than a 2.25 Maxxis 😐

Next question then, are our German friends the best place to order, sadly I can’t get a deal on Continental or Schwalbe tyres, so i’m forced to bend over for retail money 🙁