What 29er trail tyres are we using?

After some new tyres, very much a trail/xc rider. Usually riding around soft woodland in Lincolnshire or the Peaks. If it maters they’ll be going tubeless on Stans, fitted to a 100m/hardtail. What’s getting the good reviews at the minute?

We are running Butcher/Purgatory combo. As we do on all our bikes. Tubeless with Stans no problems.

Ive just swapped my OE Conti rubber queens (wire bead plasticy) for some top end Schwable hans damphs in 2.3

Night and day. the HDs are “tubeless ready, but not tubeless specific”. Went up first time and stayed up.

WTB Vigilantes set up tubeless. Due to being an idiot, one bike runs the AM version on the front and the other bike runs the AM version on the back (not that I can tell the difference).

Used mainly in Surrey Hills (soft loam natural trails) and I really like them. Good edge grip IMO, when they eventually let go they are progressive and usually pick up again. Unfortunately they are draggy when on the rear.

Went up tubeless quite easily too.

Bonty xr4 and xr3

Ardent/Crossmark

Been enjoying vittoria barzo tubeless this summer.

I’m still fannying about with mine. The ones that might be keepers… Minion DHF 2.5 and DHR 2.3 is the best overall I’ve found but it sloooow, and heavy, you need to be using the grip to justify that. Slaughter adds speed and occasional terror. HR2 2.3 good for lighter use on the front. Shorty for the slop.

Got an Ardent on the way to try on the back, really want to find a 2.2 Captain. Hans Dampf I just thought had essentially no redeeming features, pretty horrible. Mountain King 2 just outclassed by the highroller 2. Xking wasn’t tough enough on the back, actually worked quite well otherwise but punctured for fun (I had one for the XC bike, gave it a go). Bonty XR4 just doesn’t quite get the compromise right I thought, it’s neither fast or especially grippy- got this on my rigid now. Vigilante was good but took second fiddle to the Shorty. Butcher, I love in 26 but haven’t gelled with in 29, need to try again.

I like my Vigilante front Trail Boss rear combo and I’ve bought another Vigi for the back for winter.

£20 at CRC.

Rocket rons all year round for me.

HD Front with a Purgatory rear and it works !

Minion DHF 2.5 and DHR 2.3 is the best overall I’ve found but it sloooow, and heavy, you need to be using the grip to justify that.

This is the combo I’ve now defaulted to. Dual compound front, single compound rear. The grip is phenomenal, and they’re not as slow as they look to be fair. Probably overkill for a 100mm hardtail mind.

Would probably run a 2.3 Minion DHF on the front and maybe a 2.25 Ardent on the rear on a 100mm HT myself. Have also had good results with both a 2.25 WTB Trail Boss or a Geax Goma 2.25 on the rear too. Have tried many many front tyres, nothing comes close to the grip and confidence I get from a Minion DHF so I just don’t bother with anything else these days, though may try a 2.3 Shorty in the winter if it gets sloppy.

Vigilantes were my first 29er tyre and I could hardly fault them, phenomenal grip. I’m now running the On One Chunky Monkey / Smorgasbord combo. The dual compound CM has offered more grip than the Vigilantes but both tyres have worn quickly – you get what you pay for. Given they’re essentially Maxxis tyres, I’m keen to try Maxxis as my next brand.

Bonty XR4/XR3 for me

Chunky monkey front, ardent rear

CMs are greatall round tyres, I find ardent grippier in 29 flavour than it is in 650b

Continental X-King 29er ProTection.

Tried Ralphs & Ikon but came back to these. Fast, grippy, robust & almost silent, & set-up easily tubeless – perfect for my 100mm FS XC bike. Cheap enough from Bike-Discount, just beware they come up small. The 2.2 measures 2.0 so I’ll be buying the 2.4 next time.

I’be been using a Magic Mary front and Hans Damp combo that has been OK.

Had an issue with the Hans on the rear so I’m looking at maybe trying a Minion DHR11 or Trail Boss on the back but my strange tyre ideas mean I would want to also change the front to match whatever brand the rear is…..

Butcher/ Purg here to, tubeless with no complaints

Same on my Scandal 29er as my 26″ wheeled FS bike, hans dampf front & smorgasbord rear, both tubeless…great combo at a reasonable price

dickie – Member

The 2.2 measures 2.0 so I’ll be buying the 2.4 next time.

I know i’m a nerd, but, this really pisses me off more than the normal tyre size bullshit. They make a 2.2 and a 2.4, the 2.4 measures 2.2, you make a tyre of that size for anyone who wants it, so why the lies? Grr. It’s like the old highroller 2.5 that measured 2.35 and the 2.7 that measured 2.5.

Rocket Rons for me as well.
Only deviation is a Nobby on the front of the fs when its a bit claggy, and a thunder burt on the back of the ht when its not!

Chunky Monkey on the front, smorgasbord on the back alk year round. Even if they weren’t so cheap they’d still be bloody good tyres. As it is though they were an absolute steal.

Just swapped a HR2 to DHRII on the front, better braking traction and more predictable cornering. Running a purgatory out back, will be swapping to a Smorgasbord when it runs out.

Specialised storm 2.0 rear.

Onza lynx 2.25 front. Love the combo

Soft compound magic Mary on the front way out performs a spesh butcher. Spesh slaughter/ purgatory on the rear is a good choice

Was an avid Continental black chili tyre user but since going to a 29er I’m running Hutchinson Toro tubeless on the front and rear 29X2.35. They are great in the dry, wet and damp. Definitely underrated, have just bought a new Python II for the rear when things drier in the Spring. Cheap at Acycles.

Ikon. Except in 26″…

Fast and surprisingly grippy.

Was an avid Continental black chili tyre user but since going to a 29er I’m running Hutchinson Toro tubeless on the front and rear 29X2.35. They are great in the dry, wet and damp. Definitely underrated

Would agree with you fudge.

I run Toro’s front and back on the 69er and have thrashed them hard with nothing but confident, sure footed response. These are used primarily as a winter set up so not sure about rolling speed.

Had an issue with the Hans on the rear so I’m looking at maybe trying a Minion DHR11 or Trail Boss on the back but my strange tyre ideas mean I would want to also change the front to match whatever brand the rear is…..

Trail Boss has been my de facto Spring/summer rear tyre this year. Fast rolling, very predictable, more traction than it looks like it should have, and not too bad under braking. That said, now Autumn is here and the ground is softening up in places, I’ve just fitted a Minion DHR2 in its place and it’s only marginally slower but definitely much more reassuring under braking and has more outright cornering grip too.

Butcher (F) / Ground Control (R) here

Only been 29’r ing a few weeks but have yet to find anything they totally suck at, which is my general criteria for whether I like a tyre or not.

Shorty front, smorgasbord back.

Yes, I know, but I’m not a brand matching tart!. Good tyres for the softer stuff.

Just swapped from Slaughter (R) and Dampf (F) to Magic Mary (F) and Nobby Nic (R) for the winter.