I’ve been on this forum forever but pretty sure I have never posted a tyres thread.

I am not that fussed about tyres, I don’t change them for trails or conditions, I don’t have any other to change with, just those that are on my bike (and they’ve been there since I bought it about 5 years ago).

But, they now need replacing. I ride local natural stuff as well GT and Inners, not the mega step stuff. Wheels are 29ers and I’m not bothered about tubeless. What is a good, all year, all rounder? Not after anything too racy/fast rolling, would like to have a bit of bite.

Ta

Michelin Wild Enduros do all that for me.

XR4s

Magic Mary up front and a dhr2 rear maybe.

Kenda Nevegals.

Blimey mate, it actually appears they’re still available.

Dhf or assagai 2.5wt 3c maxxgrip front exo+ front, dhr2 2.4wt 3c maxxterra dd rear. Set up tubeless 22/24psi all good. Not nevegrips or wildslippers 😂👍

How about Continental CrossCountry 1.9” or 1.4” – your choice.

Small Block 8s?

WTB Velociraptor?

Bonty MudX?

These and the Nevegals were considered fantastic tyres at the time.

Tyres really have moved on over the last 25 years.

Tyres really have moved on over the last 25 years.

Cheers for that.
Perhaps that is the reason I was asking for help on a forum?

Who said anything about 25 years though?

Me. I’m getting old. And feeling a little facetious tonight.

More helpfully, howsyourdad1 isn’t far off.

Minion DHF in the front and either a faster or grippier Maxxis on the back. I have a Reckon on one bike and Aggressor on the other.
Other brands are available, but Maxxis seem good at the moment.

Now you see, when you say “everything”… The tyre company employee in me starts developing a nervous twitch in my right eye, and I start having heart palpitations! 😭

Smoke and Dart.

Sounds like you should just buy the same as what you had. Any other suggestion might give you a tyre that is either slower or not as grippy as what you are used to, as tyres are often a compromise between the two things.

Butcher front, Slaughter rear.

Specialized Butcher or Purgatory on the front depending on how much bite you want. Ground control on the rear.

I too tend to be ‘fit and forget’ – perhaps a slightly lighter set for a few dry weeks in the summer…

XR4’s or Goma’s are just great.
Fast enough rolling, supple, work well most of the time.
They give way some in really muddy conditions, but that is OK by me.

I am actively avoiding Specialized tyres now – all five tyres (three tread patterns and two sidewall types) we bought had leaky sidewalls and play ‘guess when I am blowing off that rim?’ for giggles. No other brand of tyre does that in my house, on those wheels – and we have Michelin, Schwalbe, Vittoria, Maxxis, Giant and Kenda tyres, all tubeless on different rims.

.

Maxxis Minion DHF front and rear for me.

Slightly bigger and stickier up front.

Specialized Butcher or Purgatory on the front depending on how much bite you want. Ground control on the rear.

I’m guessing that you ride a Stumpy and that is your set up from new? Guess what? I also ride a Stumpy and just checked my current tyres and didn’t know what they are. Butcher on front and Purgatory on rear.

I am actively avoiding Specialized tyres now – all five tyres (three tread patterns and two sidewall types) we bought had leaky sidewalls and play ‘guess when I am blowing off that rim?’ for giggles.

I have no interest in running tubeless so not an issue for me.

Sounds like you should just buy the same as what you had

I think you are right, reinforced by the recommendations above.

Thanks

Anyone have any experience with the new Schwalbe Big Betty as a rear tyre?

magic mary F / Hans Damp R
I run that combo year round in everything. No complaints

I go for Spesh tyres these days, mainly cos they’re the only ones not stupidly overpriced.
Me and my son both have Slaughter rear, Eliminator front. Great combo.

TBH, I would have Mary front all year, but the spesh were £17.50! Show me a Mary for that price!

Panaracer Cinder on my 26er for the last 10 years but I still like them. Time for a change of tyre and wheel size very soon!!

What’s on your bike now and do you like them?

I built a bike recently for a mate who doesn’t change tyres regularly and tends to ride the same all year round.

I put a 2.5” DHR Exo 3c max Terra on the front / 2.3 DHR2 Exo TR on the back. If you are heavy on tyres then maybe stick an Exo+ or DD casing on the rear.

Equally (and often cheaper) you could go Spec Butcher front and Purgatory rear – I’d go grid in both but I think with the rear you could probably go grid trail for more sturdiness.

Schwalbe I guess you could go Mary from and Hans Dampf rear. Not sure about casings as they’ve just made them all heavier / sturdier so have a look at weight ma and see what floats you boat.

Not used Wild Enduros – but price wise they always seem ‘cheap’ vs Maxxis and Schwalbe.

franksinatra

I’m guessing that you ride a Stumpy and that is your set up from new? Guess what? I also ride a Stumpy and just checked my current tyres and didn’t know what they are. Butcher on front and Purgatory on rear.

I do ride a Stumpjumper, but that’s no the set-up from new. Well, it was Purgatory on the front & something else on the back that they don’t make anymore. But, I’ve tried a few different options in the mean time but ended up back with Purgatory on the front & Ground Control on the back.

This choice was arrived at from a few things – ultimate tyre performance not being very high up the list, admittedly.
– Bike is 26er & I wanted tubeless capable tyres. This limits options & I’ve had success in the past with Specialized 2Bliss tyres.
– My wallet runs and hides when I consider spending £60 on a tyre and I found these current tyres for a decent price.

But, all things considered, I’ve always found Specialized tyres suit a variety of conditions – rocks, sandy stuff, mud – they seem to have most areas covered.

Smoke and Dart.

Sigh, loved them to bits. Smoke may be a bit draggy by modern tapered knob standards but it dug in well in all sorts of glaur. Dart still the best front tyre ever for varied conditions.

What’s on your bike now and do you like them?

.. you could go Spec Butcher front and Purgatory rear – I’d go grid in both but I think with the rear you could probably go grid trail for more sturdiness.

Stumpjumper FSR and what you describe is my current set up. What do you mean about grid/grid trail, is this a different block pattern?

Life was much easier when you rode Onza Porcupines until they wore out (in about 1 month) then got a new set of the same again!

I think Grid is a Specialized term relating to how tough the sidewall is.
So Grid has a beefed up sidewall.
Not sure how Grid g Grid Trail differ.

If you were only letting me have one set of tyres (perish the thought), then at the moment I’d probably go for an Assegai on the front and DHR2 on the rear (keen to try the Dissector though).

Previously I’d have said Magic Mary on the front, but the Assegai has really impressed me.

Mary and Hans Dampf is a pretty good combo too, if you like cuffs and collar to match.

What did you used to ride and what did you like or dislike about them?

I use Minion DHF and Minion DHR2 all year round. Some like faster tyres. Some like cheaper tyres. MY trails are normally a little muddy and a rather rooty.

I live just over the hill from you and run Michelin Enduro’s on my FS (brilliant for flat out steep stuff of Golfie, Inners etc) and a Magic Mary / Minion SS combo on my HT (front end grip and back end speed for everywhere else).