I have a 2.6 inch Maxxis DHF up front but am thinking about replacing it with a 2.8 DHF, mainly because I borked the tyre forcing it on with an insert in it 😳. Rim internal width is 37mm. Will I barely notice any difference or is this a guarantee of suddenly floppy/squirmy death?

I changed from 2.6 to 2.8 on my eBike by mistake (wrongly thought OEM tyres were 2.8″). Rims are 37mm too.

Overall, it was an improvement. Though mostly because the only Forekast the original Maxxis could do was which bush I’d end up in. Put Specialized Butcher on. The grip was much better, no squirming or anything and any rolling resistance is negated by the motor in the bike.

Sorry if I’m answering questions you didn’t ask!

I find the 2.8 is grippier and has more cushioning but it’s less precise and seems to roll more slowly. Doesn’t cut through the mud as well as a 2.6 either.

You;ll deffo notice. Whether it’ll be good or bad, who knows… but you’ll be able to tell.

2.8 is worse than 2.6, which is also rubbish. Hope that helps!

Practically no 2.6″ tyres are 2.6″, it seems like a marketing exercise for old 2.5 tyres. 2.8s, though, are much bigger (with the exception of WTB who must have bought the wrong caliper and have tiny 2.8 tyres). I find plus tyres much better as a front tyre- grippier, easier to conform in technical terrain and they let you go faster (there are, somewhere, some back to back test videos on bikeradar by their man of science, Seb Story, to support that). So you will notice a difference.

I find the 2.8 is grippier and has more cushioning but it’s less precise and seems to roll more slowly.

This basically, and the 2.8s can be alarmingly squirmy on loose-over-hard trails (e.g. trail centres) IME.

Fun though.

Just out of interest – what pressures are you running your 2.8″ tyres at?

Pro’s: Increased grip on firm surfaces, increased comfort and cushioning on anything rocky.
Con’s: Front wheel will want to slide out the minute it gets muddy.
I’ve 2.8 on both ends. They really make a hardtail grip and feel like a full sus on rocky & rooty but firm ground, but are totally and utterly hopeless in the slop. (Rekon and Aggressor), oh, and so much drag.

I’ve 2.8 on both ends. They really make a hardtail grip and feel like a full sus on rocky & rooty but firm ground, but are totally and utterly hopeless in the slop. (Rekon and Aggressor), oh, and so much drag.

Isn’t that more tyre tread than size though, the reckon isn’t the most aggressive tread pattern.

Interested in this as I’ll be considering tyre choice for a new hardtail build for the next few weeks, I’ll probably end up going mullet with a 27.5/2.8 and 29/2.6 or a 27.5/2.6 and 29/2.4, martello 2.8 rear, mazza 2.6 front or mazza 2.6/2.4 front and rear.

but are totally and utterly hopeless in the slop. (Rekon and Aggressor),

Not surprised they’re hopeless, there’s no tread at all on those. I run a 3″ Minion DHR up front and it’s excellent- I prefer it in the mud. If it’s properly sloppy I swap my rear Bontrager Chupacabra 3″, which has small tread but a surprising amount of grip, for a normal 29er wheel with a 2.4″ tyre.

Tallpaul- why stop at 29×2.6 at the front? Why not go up to a 29×2.8 or 3?

the bigger the tyre the more grip you get in the dry
the bigger the tyre the less grip you get in the wet

…is my experience. Wider tyres for Summer for me (though 2.6 is the max that will fit on my bikes)

Tallpaul- why stop at 29×2.6 at the front? Why not go up to a 29×2.8 or 3?

Vittoria (which I have to say I’m a big fan of when it comes to tyres) only do the martello bigger than 2.6 (2.8 martello), its OK as a rear in winter and a front in summer but I want something more aggressive for winter. And I think 2.6 is a good size for mud clearance with my mudguard which I’ll be running, that’s the exact set up below (possibly a bit wider actually, I’ll be using 35mm rims vs 30mm currently), 2.6 Mazza and RRP bolt on guard with a 29 fox 36.

If there’s room in the frame I’ll go 2.6 mazza front and rear bit I think it’ll be tight, specs say room for 29×2.5.

I switched from a dhr to a spesh slaughter both 2.8 on the rear and it made a massive difference in rolling resistance

Rolling resistance isn’t a factor for me, its partly why I like vittoria tyres, as they roll really well but still have loads of grip. I’ve had a martello 2.35 on the rear of my FS bike for a year and 700 miles and it’s only now wearing out a bit, it did last winters mud with no issues.

It’s rare I ride proper full on mud (like the DH the other day) but I do ride ‘soft’ trails in winter, hopefully a 2.8 treat won’t be too ‘floaty’.

“Isn’t that more tyre tread than size though, the reckon isn’t the most aggressive tread pattern.”

The Rekon is on the back so hasn’t been so much of an issue. I’ve been looking at DHR’s but the bikes already quite draggy in the dry and I don’t like constantly changing tyres. Might bite the bullet for the winter though. I thought the Aggressor was more, ahem, aggressive, than the minions I ran in 2.3 on my old bike, but I’d say the grip is lower than those in the slop – thus the comment about the extra width. I’m probably wrong tho.

The king couldn’t actually see the clothes, but everybody agreed, he was wearing them.

Now you’ve put it like that I can see your point.