BudLeach wrote on 06/27/16 at 1:59pm:
I run Hans Dampf 2.35 up front. SS casing, trailstar rubber. They have been good to me. Stick with trailstar rubber for a front tire as they offer better wet grip (I have tried pace star and trail star back to back, BIG difference in wet) Though, as with all Schwalbe tires, the tread blocks tend to erode away at the base after only about 400 miles. They still perform well though. I have yet to puncture one, or tear off a knob, and can easily get 1000+ miles before I even need to think about replacing.
I have used a Conti Trail King 2.2 w/ Protection casing on the rear before and was less than impressed. Heavy, slow rolling, and not very grippy in wet (even with black chili). The surprisingly narrow tread pattern makes me think it wouldn't be a great option for the front if you tend to lean it over a lot in the corners. My benchmark for comparison here is a Schwalbe Nobby Nic 2.25, SS, Pacestar.
Currently running a Rock Razor 2.35 in the rear that I got for free. I LOVE it... It is definitely my new “go to” for dry weather/summer singletrack.
I will probably switch up the front to something different when it is time to replace the HD. Want to try something without so many transition knobs. From what I have read the transition knobs give a more consistent grip feel across the full range of lean angles, but removing them allows the side knobs to fully bite in and give greater ultimate cornering grip when the bike is fully leaned over
On my short list is the Specialized Butcher, and Maxxis Minion DHF.
+1 for the Hans Dampf. Been happy with mine. I run the 2.35 snakeskin trailstar version up front. Grip is good (but does slide a bit on wet roots and rocks) and no problems with it on the rougher trails in Pisgah. Never had a puncture or torn off knobs. I run a 2.25 Nobby Nic at the back at the moment but will switch to a Rock Razor next summer.
If you want something with even more grip than the HD then the Magic Mary is supposed to be the bench mark. Used by a lot of the dh and enduro riders, even riders that are sponsored by other tyre companies (
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)). It doesn't have the transition knobs of the HD so gives better cornering grip for similar weight and rolling resistance. The MM will most likely be my next front tire with the rock razor at the back.
People complain about the high cost of Schwalbe but I get mine from bike-discount.de at very reasonable prices even including shipping.
Pages: 
Front Tire Opinions? (Read 3058 times)