Which tyres if Minions are overkill?

Hello,

Any suggestions? I have a 29er hardtail and I ride trail centres and in the local woods. Was thinking about going Minion DHR II 2.4 front / 2.3 rear for this time of year, then putting the stock Ardent 2.25 on the back in spring / summer / when the ground dries out.

But then it struck me that downhill tyres are probably overkill.

What do you recommend as a step down? I had High Roller IIs before and thought them very draggy.

I only mention Maxxis as they seem almost universally liked, but I’m open to other brands. With the cost of tyres these days I’d like something that won’t wear down in 5 minutes. I was considering a 3C front / dual compound rear in the Minions.

Thanks in advance!

I have a 2.3 DHF front and 2.25 Ardent rear. Deals will most things ok other than full on clarts

Dissector front rekon rear if you must stay maxxis. I’ve ridden that in the lakes in the summer and it’s a great combo.

How are you getting on with the Ardent in mud? And how does the 2.3 DHF compare size-wise with it? I’ve read that the tyre is Maxxis’s ‘old’ sizing, and comes up small. Is it bigger than the Ardent, as it should be?

Cheers

Thanks but not looking for summer-specific tyres.

Assegai front Dissector rear ?

Ardent in mud?

OK in anything other than full on deep Northumberland clarts, but not brilliant. The DHF is deffo wider than the Ardent

I just fine the Minions really grippy DHF and DHR II in Maxx Terra 3c so not super heavy ones. Just great all round and predictable.

Vittoria Aggaro is a good step down from a minion IMO. Bit more versatile than a dissector. Decent grip but quick rolling.

The new Forekaster 2.4 is Maxxis’ light duty mud-ish tyre

Thanks everyone. People run Minions for a reason so I’ve just ordered a DHR 2.3 for the front.

I was going to say for a step down in grip and rolling resistance either Nobby Nics or Forecaster front and rear. Forecasters make a decent fist of mud on the back wheel in my experience but are faster than Minions.

You can’t go wrong with dhr2’s in general – although I prefer them on the back to the front as they can come up quite square and I prefer a slightly rounded front tyre

If I were running a dhr2 on the front I think I’d go 2.4” and 3c Max terra personally. 2.3” on the back and accept the limitations in the slop for the faster rolling speed.

Agree with 2.4, Forekaster.

Depends on your terrain and mud type, but I run WTB Vigilante/Trail Boss all year round, and they are grippy enough in the winter, but the TB still rolls fast.

That wtb duo is a good choice and should come in at budget.
I’ve used some bontrager tires which ran well XR something. Worth having a look.

I was just gonna say Bontrager XR4 in 2.4in are one of the best “faster than a Minion” tyres I’ve tried.

But I think OP has ordered something now.

Im using the Vittoria tyres at the moment and very impressed with them. Good predictable grip and a reasonable weight. Not had them long enough to comment on wear rates / durability yet

But then it struck me that downhill tyres are probably overkill.

For what? Unless it’s just ridiculous mud, when I’ll have a Shorty on the front I pretty much have either DHR front and rear, or if it’s really dry then maybe I’ll stick on an Ardent on the back.

Maxxis are popular because they work, they last, and they don’t get punctures, I’m not sure what bit of that combo is overkill TBH.

FYI the forkaster has changed

https://www.bikeradar.com/news/maxxis-forekaster-tyre/

It’s gone down country

“But then it struck me that downhill tyres are probably overkill.”

The DHF is named the DownHill Front but that’s just how it started out and that’s the name of the tread pattern, that’s alll. You can get it in four different casings (Exo, Exo+, DoubleDown and Dual Ply), three different compounds (Dual, MaxxTerra and MaxxGrip) and dozens of sizes.

A MaxxGrip Dual Ply 2.5” DHF is definitely an overkill downhill tyre for trail riding. An Exo MaxxTerra 2.5 or 2.3” DHF definitely isn’t overkill, it’s a great front tyre for a trail bike. Likewise the DHR2 2.3 Exo Dual compound is a great rear trail tyre.

chakaping

I was just gonna say Bontrager XR4 in 2.4in are one of the best “faster than a Minion” tyres I’ve tried

Opened thread to say same. “Team Issue” version is a decent all year round tyre.

I also liked the Spesh Eliminator Grid on the front of my full sus. Not heard many other people say good things about them though! But they are cheaper than most 🙂

Don’t think i’ve ever heard DHF/DHR’s being called overkill for this time of year, usually folk are removing them to stick on some assegais/shorty’s/etc.

As others say, don’t think of DHR as a downhill tyre, it might have been a long time ago, but now it’s got various compounds, protection levels and so on, for what you do i’d say having double downs (DDs) would be overkill, having EXO/TR is pretty much XC/Enduro stuff.

Weight difference between ardents and DHR’s is negligible in similar casing and size, this time of year it’s about having that little more bite in corners and muddy sections for me.

Yeah, after chiefgroove’s post, checked a photo of my hardtail – 2.5″ 3C MaxxTerra EXO TR DHF on the front. Certainly doesn’t feel like a weighty DH tyre. Bonkers the number of compounds there are!

With a 30mm internal rim do the DHR2s & DHFs come up true to size or are they continuing the Maxxis tradition of coming up short on the width ?

I’ll measure it when I get home 🙂

Yes, but what about your tyres..?

I’ve compared a 2.4 and 2.3 DHRII on the same size rim and the 2.4 is a lot more biggerer than 0.1 of an inch!

Not sure I would be going to something with less tread at this time of the year unless your riding changes towards more gravelly stuff due to everything else being under water.

Maxxis are popular because they work, they last, and they don’t get punctures, I’m not sure what bit of that combo is overkill TBH.

The bit you left out specific to their more gnarly tyres: weight, rolling resistance and simply being ‘over-tyred’. See the 2-pot brake thread elsewhere – if it is reasonable that we don’t all need 4-pot brakes then it might be reasonable to ask if such aggressive tyres are necessary, especially in light of my stating that I found High Roller IIs very draggy.

Modern bike geometry and the marketing surrounding it might lead some to believe that we are all solely riding downhill, but I suspect I’m not alone in spending more time going up and along than down, and wanting tyres also appropriate for such riding.

Anyway, I went for a thinner (hoping less rolling resistance) 2.3 DHR in 3c Maxx Terra. Thanks all for your input.

Anyway, I went for a thinner (hoping less rolling resistance) 2.3 DHR in 3c Maxx Terra. Thanks all for your input.

Which casing? I have that tyre in Double Down and it is in no way “fast rolling”.

DHRs aren’t fast rolling in any casing though to be honest. DHF, Rekon, Forecaster and Ardent all roll faster.

EXO. Sorry, forgot to mention that.

I’m keeping a faster-rolling tyre on the back (For now…) but need more grip up front. Will see how this goes. Like many, I’m likely to go through a few tyres / combinations before settling on something. Not had a 29er before, and I’m still learning about its characteristics.

Yes, but what about your tyres..?

Add an inch 😛

” Modern bike geometry and the marketing surrounding it might lead some to believe that we are all solely riding downhill, but I suspect I’m not alone in spending more time going up and along than down, and wanting tyres also appropriate for such riding.”

Thats 2 of us then. My pleasure comes more from the flow and its difficult to get my flow mojo when the tyre/wheel combo weighs too much and the tyre drags. Obs this is a subjective discussion but I struggle with the heavier sticky tyres.

i’ll take a grippier tyre over XC all day.
ran DHFs for a long time, but prefer the assegai 3c upfront, DHR rear exo

saying that i put a DHR 3c maxxgrip on the front on my XC built yeti, its a cracking grip and seems fast.
minion SS on rear, love the unpredictable braking on straights. same sidetread as the DHF and DHR so fine on cornering

I suspect I’m not alone in spending more time going up and along than down, and wanting tyres also appropriate for such riding.

I very much suspect that even for those using the push up paths, this is the case anyway.

Modern bike geometry and the marketing surrounding it might lead some to believe that we are all solely riding downhill, but

Marketing certainly, but modern bike geo is better everywhere IMO.

What its really about is priorities for your ride experience.

By all means take a lighter, less grippy tyre, but its likely that you’ll have to moderate yourself more to manage grip – you may be fine with that, or your skill set might preclude you being able to utilise a grippier tyre in the first instance, which makes draggier, grippier tyres seem pointless overkill.

Or you might be speccing your tyres for peak performance under more extreme conditions and be prepared to tolerate the drag, viewing lighter, faster tyres as pointless, flimsy, slidy things.

Or you could be one of those outrageously skilled riders that runs whatever and is perfectly happy to run semi-slicks in a bog and don’t seem to be affected in the slightest.

I am sure I am closer to outrageously unskilled than to even moderately skilled but last time I looked there were no specific tyres for the “outrageously unskilled” 🙂

“Or you could be one of those outrageously skilled riders that runs whatever and is perfectly happy to run semi-slicks in a bog and don’t seem to be affected in the slightest.”

Some years ago I found myself just about managing to keep ahead of a local rider in very greasy conditions – I was on some (pretty perfect for that mud) cut spike style tyres. When we got to the end of that trail we stopped for a chat – and I found he was still on his worn-out summer semi-slicks. Annoyingly talented…

I can get almost any bass guitar to sound good but when it comes to bikes I need them set up as well as possible to compensate for my lack of two-wheeled talent!

Reading this thread I wonder if I have made the right decision. I ditched Minions for 2.8F and 2.6R Rekons (and therefore bypassing several stages in between) for when I start riding again, probably April. Sounds like the worst of all worlds.

By all means take a lighter, less grippy tyre, but its likely that you’ll have to moderate yourself more to manage grip – you may be fine with that, or your skill set might preclude you being able to utilise a grippier tyre in the first instance, which makes draggier, grippier tyres seem pointless overkill.

Or you might be speccing your tyres for peak performance under more extreme conditions and be prepared to tolerate the drag, viewing lighter, faster tyres as pointless, flimsy, slidy things.

Or you could be one of those outrageously skilled riders that runs whatever and is perfectly happy to run semi-slicks in a bog and don’t seem to be affected in the slightest.

You read as though you take different opinions and priorities very personally. Just an observation.

How funny!

If you delve a bit deeper into my posting history you might find otherwise.

My use of language is an attempt to recognise the multivariate reasonings for tyre use – is all.

The bit you left out specific to their more gnarly tyres: weight, rolling resistance

Sure, everything is a compromise, I will trade in a couple hundred grams over never having to dick about with a puncture, and being able to steer and go forwards

and simply being ‘over-tyred’.

This is nonsense though, no one ever said “what I need is less grip over those slimy rocks and roots and heaps of under-steer; that sounds just right for me”.