Just had an email from Merlin with an offer on Schwalbe Hans Dampf TLE Addix Soft Evolution Super Trail

I’ve run Minion DHF or Specialized Butcher for years, and I’ve no experience of Schwalbe at all. I need some new tyres. Is it worth a shot on front and rear for trail/Enduro stuff?

https://www.merlincycles.com/schwalbe-hans-dampf-tle-addix-soft-evolution-super-trail-folding-mtb-tyre-275-pair-270626.html?mc_cid=06bd506c37&mc_eid=e0ff948330

They were doing the black version for £29.99 the other week as I got some!

Hans out back, Magic Mary up front is just about perfect in my opinion, they are ace!

Just to add, I’ve had both the Specialized tyres and Minion’s in the past and much prefer the Schwalbe.

I know that I used to see people mention them on here all the time a few years ago when they seemed to be the latest thing, but I never really took any notice so don’t know anything about them.

The offer is 2 for £50 but after doing a bit of research it appears that they aren’t rated as a front tyre so it seems a pointless offer for me

I run a dampf up front in the summer and a Mary front (and the same) dampf on the rear in the winter. Ain’t dead yet.

I think, and may be mistaken, but aren’t these the original version that didn’t get terribly good reviews? Also, is it the lower spec as it doesn’t appear to have the compound colour stripe around it. And soft, not on the back for me, and probably wouldn’t run a HD on the front. I have a soft MM on the front and blue stripe rock razor on the rear.

Ran one on the back for a while and wasn’t impressed. It punctured very easily (set up tubeless), and I’m fairly easy on kit and very rarely have a rear flat. After 4 or 5 tubeless worms I gave up on it and moved to a DHR 2.4. No flats in 2 years since.

I didn’t like the old one either: large knobs set too close together so that mud stuck to it like shit to a blanket, the Mary is so much better in every way.

HD isn’t especially good. It’s not bad either, it’s just happily middle of the road. The old one got a good rep mostly because it was the first half decent enduro-ish tyre you could really get in 650b.

Big Betty is better all of the time imo. So is the dhr2. Magic Mary is much better some of the time, better most of the time and just a little bit less good some of the time.

HD isn’t especially good. It’s not bad either, it’s just happily middle of the road.

You do realise than “Hans Dampf” is the German for “Jack of all Trades” 🙂

I’ve been running one on the back of the Rise since January (though I did change back to the original Rekon for a few weeks when it was bone dry and dusty). Got to say I am very happy with it. Have cased some pretty big rocks that have dented the rims but yet to flat it. Was forever needing to stick plugs in the Maxxis tyres I have been running in the past. Not sure which model I have on there but will definitely consider buying again.

I like it as an XC trail tyre on the front with something like a Racing Ralph on the back. It’s meant to be an all-rounder, not a DH tyre.

welshfarmer
Full Member

You do realise than “Hans Dampf” is the German for “Jack of all Trades” 🙂

I do- but, what I said was it’s not bad or good, just middle of the road. That’s not really anything to do with being a jack of all trades, it’s just about being adequate in a world of good tyres.

The Mary is Schwalbe’s true joat tbh

But by definition (or rather, how the saying goes), a jack of all trades is also a master of none. Which is exactly how you describe it.

The Mary is Schwalbe’s true joat tbh

It’s much more DH optimized. The Hans Dampf is much more of an all-rounder. An all-rounder will always be a compromise.

I like it as an XC trail tyre on the front with something like a Racing Ralph on the back. It’s meant to be an all-rounder, not a DH tyre.

me too

The Mary is Schwalbe’s true joat tbh

No way. They’re far too knobbly / draggy for all-round use. Great in winter slop, too hard work the rest of the time, plus in the dry they seem less grippy than tyres with smaller knobs (too little rubber in contact with the floor? Perhaps I’m imagining this).

The Mary is Schwalbe’s true joat tbh

I’d say its the big betty now, rolls well and brakes like the Magic Mary. I played with it on the front this year and had no issues…

back to the OP, no I’d say the Hans Dampf is best suited to XC or trail centres, once I started riding more natural and enduro style trails the braking and grip was awful. Magic Mary front or Big Betty then Big Betty rear is my go too now

HD isn’t especially good. It’s not bad either, it’s just happily middle of the road. The old one got a good rep mostly because it was the first half decent enduro-ish tyre you could really get in 650b.

Early 29er tyres too. There was a period when the HD was pretty much the most aggressive 29er tyre available. It’s long been eclipsed by others.

They’re far too knobbly / draggy for all-round use. Great in winter slop,

They’re not that knobbly, and they are too close together for anything other than runny mud. I’d say they’re perfectly positioned in the middle.

gutted that are not 29ers otherwise id have jumped on those

The Mary is Schwalbe’s true joat tbh

No way. They’re far too knobbly / draggy for all-round use. Great in winter slop, too hard work the rest of the time, plus in the dry they seem less grippy than tyres with smaller knobs (too little rubber in contact with the floor? Perhaps I’m imagining this).

Yep but that’s the thing about “all trades”. Most tyres that people think about as allrounders are really bad at some jobs. The Mary’s a true allrounder, there’s no conditions where it won’t get the job done except for sheet ice. It’ll be draggy, sure, and yes there are grippier tyres in the dry but that’s just it being joatey.

welshfarmer
Full Member

But by definition (or rather, how the saying goes), a jack of all trades is also a master of none. Which is exactly how you describe it.

It’s not the mastery of none that makes it an average tyre rather than a good one- it’s the fact that it’s less good than other jacks of all trades. The Minion dhr2 and big betty being the most obvious, they do everything the hd can do and they do it better all of the time.

A good joat tyre makes sense. Buying a less good joat tyre might make sense, if it’s cheap enough, but it’s not the joatyness that mades the HD average, it’s that it’s not that good.

“The Mary’s a true allrounder, there’s no conditions where it won’t get the job done”

As a front tyre, absolutely! I know loads of riders who run an MM year round on the front of their bike (not on XC bikes but on hardtails and full-sus bikes from about 130mm up). It’s only a bit worse than a DHF on hardback and once the dry ground breaks up it’s better again, just as it is in the mud and wet.

Not sure I’d want it as a rear tyre all year unless on a very DH oriented bike. But the DHR2 fills the “rear for all seasons” spot very well!

but it’s not the joatyness that mades the HD average, it’s that it’s not that good

Glad it’s not just me that thinks it was rubbish. I’m glad mines completely knackered.

Thanks guys. Looks like I’ll stick to what I know

Hans out back, Magic Mary up front

Thats what came specced on my Ebike. 2.6″.

Obviously I took them of cos im an urban rider but I’ll hang on to them if theyre that good.

I run a dampf up front in the summer and a Mary front (and the same) dampf on the rear in the winter. Ain’t dead yet.

I run a hans dampf up front in winter, sometimes if its really bad I do double dampf. I think it’s a great tyre.