Modern Tyres

[jimmy5willy]

So I'm on the hunt for some tyres.
I've put this post in this section because we're talking new tyres, so that probably qualifies as off topic but if the mods feel it should be in the 1998+ section then please bump me over.

I'm looking for something around the 26" x 2.3 or 2.4 size although I can fit a 2.5
and I'm kinda torn between a Schwalbe or a Maxxis

The Schwalbes being:
Magic Mary
Tough Tom
Hans Dampf

And the Maxxis:
High Roller
Shorty

Most of the rides I'm doing are cycle paths, usually gravel but sometimes mud and the occasional weekend away at somewhere like Dalby Forest -purpose made tracks, crazy fast downhill and jumps.
Mud is definitely a thing in both.

Interested in people's experiences with either tyre. Things like how fast they wear, wet grip on roots etc.

 

[greencat]

Can't speak to the Maxxis - but I have no complaints about the MM (F) and HD (R) combo that came with my full sus. Grip well enough in most conditions - bear in mind I'm in North Wales so no stranger to wet of all descriptions (mud, grass, rocks, streams that used to be footpaths...)

 

[brocklanders023]

Agree with the above, I have MM up front and HD back and they're the best combo I've ever had, to the point where most other tyres feel dodgy as hell! Bit draggy on road but spot on everywhere else.

 

[jimmy5willy]

Can't speak to the Maxxis - but I have no complaints about the MM (F) and HD (R) combo that came with my full sus. Grip well enough in most conditions - bear in mind I'm in North Wales so no stranger to wet of all descriptions (mud, grass, rocks, streams that used to be footpaths...)

You're not the first person I've seen running two different Schwalbe tyres.
From pictures though, the Hans dampf looks like it has a more compact tread pattern, which I think would clog with mud more easily than a Mary? I dunno. Maybe it's just the pictures making it look like that. Want to try and avoid getting all clogged up though. Had that before and it just makes everything slippery.

 

[jimmy5willy]

 

[2manyoranges]

Brocklander speaks much truth.

Note we have in our stable:

Hans Dampf rear and front - on our XC focussed bikes and some enduro bikes (e.g. Stanton 29ers, Cotic 29ers)
Hand Dampf rear and Magic Mary front - on most of our enduro bikes (e.g. Transition)

Running HD front and rear is not mad - recommended by some very serious riders.

Now...the problems start. They come in a bewildering and frankly confusing set of carcass and compound combinations. And they changed the nonmenclature a while ago for their range - so some outlets sell older versions which have a different name than the current range. Confusing? Yes.

Basically, I buy by weight and compound. I use standard compound but kevlar/folding to keep weight down on the XC bikes. Any loss of grip over the exotic SOFT and SUPERSOFT compounds can to an extent be overcome by running them slightly softer. Do buy a Topeak digital gauge - this makes a world of difference to the accuracy of inflation. Does 1 lb makes a difference. Nope, can't feel it. Does 5 lbs make a difference? Yes....a lot. HD in Kevlar, snakeskin carcass and regular compound will be around 850g, which is a lot less than the 1200+ of some tyres.

For the more DH purposed enduro bikes we have, and the proper DH rigs, we do something different.

For serious enduro (e.g. Wales): soft compound (orange stripe) with kevlar beads.
For DH: supersoft compound (purple stripe) and/or DH Carcass (gold labels) - but these are 1300grams and mighty chunky.

We have experience of Maxxis but I keep coming back to Schwalbe....there's something very predictable about the way they find the limit of their grip. HD is really good in clag....clears really well.

 

[clubby]

How often will the Dalby type stuff be? To be honest the combo’s you have listed sound horrible and draggy on gravel cycle paths. Great tyres for off piste stuff but hard work on hard pack.

Have experience of a few of the tyres on the list, so here’s my tuppence worth.

Mary and Shorty very similar. Predominately front orientated unless very muddy. Shorty wins in pure mud but Mary better over roots and rocks. 2.3 shorty comes up small. 2.5 version is same as 2.3 Mary. Unless riding downhill avoid softer versions of either.

Original High Roller I liked but have never gelled with High Roller 2. Much prefer DHR2. Don’t be put off by DH part, it’s a great all rounder. Rolls nicely and has good traction in all but mega thick mud.

Mate does a similar mix of riding to you and swears by Hans front and Nobby Nic rear. Loses ultimate mud performance but a better all round balance.

I’m a Maxxis man myself and I’d go DHR2 front (2.4 maxxterra) and Rekon or 2.3 DHR2 rear.