What tyres? The Ultimate Tyre Thread

Aug 20, 2021
32
30
Los Angeles
Can I get some input from you all on this? I'm trying to figure out what sizes to go with...

My 2022 Giant Reign E+ 3 currently has the original 29x2.6 DHF up front and 27.5x2.5 High Roller II in the rear, but I intend on replacing with a 29x2.5 Assegai front. I had dual 2.6s (DHF front/DHR II rear) on my old Trance E 27.5 and it felt well-balanced, but the 2.6 29er in the front on the mullet Reign E just feels too big.

For the rear, I was thinking of going up in width to a 2.6. The YT Decoy MX comes with the 2.5 front/2.6 rear setup and is akin to a dirtbike config - larger diameter, skinnier wheel/tire up front; smaller, fatter wheel in the back. Though an ebike doesn't make nearly the power of a dirtbike, so maybe that's unnecessary? It could still add climbing grip and bigger cushion for smoother pushin', I would imagine? My Reign is a hefty 56.5 lbs, so having a fatter 2.6 rear tire seems to make sense to me, but I dunno, what do you guys think?

Big bottom, talkin' bout mud flaps, my girl's got 'em...
 

Rus Ler

New Member
Aug 25, 2023
15
62
SW Victoria, Australia
Looking to replace my well worn Maxxis Rekon EVO 2.6 on my Rail 5.
Riding is mostly dry hardpack so something easy rolling and long wearing, little in the way of muddy trails as we're starting to dry out down under.
 

irie

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Subscriber
May 2, 2022
2,751
2,825
Chichester, W.Sussex, UK
Looking to replace my well worn Maxxis Rekon EVO 2.6 on my Rail 5.
Riding is mostly dry hardpack so something easy rolling and long wearing, little in the way of muddy trails as we're starting to dry out down under.
IMO "easy rolling" is not an issue on eBikes, just use a bit more assistance. We (wife and I) have Maxxis Assegai Maxxgrip DD front and rear on our '22 Rail 5's. Unsurprisingly grip is never an issue. Not cheap and not long wearing but losing grip and crashing can cost a lot more. DD because got too many punctures with Exo+ tyres on our local (South Downs UK) chalk and often flint rides. Run 26psi front and rear, seems to work well for us but drop a bit when it's wet. We're 75-85kg grandparents and pretend we're half our ages ;)
 
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kntr

Active member
Sep 19, 2019
198
282
USA
I finally went to 29x2.6 Muddy Mary front and a 27.5x2.8 Muddy Mary rear. It is a game changer. Our trails are super dry and dusty right now, but we have super gnarly rock sections. I beat a ton of my Strava climb and downhill times today on a ride I do 10-15 times a year. Its a 20 mile loop with almost 5000ft vert. I have run a Maxxis DHF Minion 29x2.6 front and a Maxxis Highroller 27.5x3.0 rear on my last 5 Levos. I will never go back unless these Magic Marys start ripping knobs off or get sidewall slashes.

tempImageDXzd5j.png tempImagevFn6vu.png
 
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Winryn

Active member
Nov 10, 2019
135
191
Shropshire
I finally went to 29x2.6 Muddy Mary front and a 27.5x2.8 Muddy Mary rear. It is a game changer. Our trails are super try and dusty right now, but we have super gnarly rock sections. I beat a ton of my Strava climb and downhill times today on a ride I do 10-15 times a year. Its a 20 mile loop with almost 5000ft vert. I have run a Maxxis DHF Minion 29x2.6 front and a Maxxis Highroller 27.5x3.0 rear on my last 5 Levos. I will never go back unless these Magic Marys start ripping knobs off or get sidewall slashes.

View attachment 123558 View attachment 123559
I’ve come from a 27.5 2.8 plus bike and I really dislike how skinny a 2.5 assegai and a 2.4 minion dhr feel so looking for something a bit bigger to remove some of the trail chatter. Haven’t used magic Mary for well over 6 years but used to love them so a 2.6 front and rear is quite tempting. (Mullet setup now ) I’m having to run the pressures much higher than I’d like to stop rim dings because there is very little volume there. Also doesn’t allow me to get the nice supple feel im used to so even though my travel has increased I feel like I have less than before
 

Bndit

Active member
Jul 14, 2022
334
394
Finland
My findings about tires so far. Turbo Levo Comp Gen2 3000km. Home trails: roots and rocks.
Origanal T7 Butcher 2,6/Eliminator 2,3 tires: Really good set of tires, just little thin casing for my taste (Grid Trail)
Conti Der Barons 2,4": Excellent all weather tire but same thing with these, little thin casing for my taste (Trail) I have to admit that I ran these with inserts and really low pressures so some of excellent wet weather grip has probably because of that.
Magic Mary 2,6 Soft Super trail / Big Betty 2,4 Soft Super trail: Thicker casing than those Specialized/Conti's, excellent on dry but horrible on wet roots. Could have maybe gone lower pressures but there's a limit with 2,6 MM when it starts to feel to vague or not so precise...
Now after couple of rides with Kryptotal Fr/Re soft Enduro casing 2,4". For me, I think I have found optimum all weather tire. With 1.1 bar front and 1.3 bar rear, these offer excellent grip and damping and riding feel. There's probably better tires to front for wet roots but I'm lazy to change tires.
Side note that on my bike park bike I have MM ultra soft super gravity 2.4 in front and juts love it. Won't be changing that for anything :D Rear I have had BB Soft super gravity 2.4 . That's been great for two seasons but since Tacky Chan should be better and faster I'll try that next time on back.
I'm 70kg so I can run my tires easily with lower pressures but on bike park have to keep that rear tire around 1.8 bar on super gravity casing so that it doesn't burp...
For me 2.4" tires are perfect, won't be bying 2.6" anymore...well maybe to acoustic HT :)
 

kntr

Active member
Sep 19, 2019
198
282
USA
Dang it. I really love these tires. Two rides and now this. Maybe it was just a fluke, but it was 2 big rides with lots of vert and rocks. Ill keep riding them and see what happens.

tempImageIUjHf6.png tempImageUeEWDR.png
 

Suns_PSD

Active member
Jul 12, 2022
530
455
Austin
It's been a good tire (27.5 x 2.5 Aggressor DD) and did (edited after checking computer) 92 miles even though a lot of miles were pretty mild as I was trying to get my flow going on a new bike. I suspect that some of the quick wear is a result of the awful rear shock that came on my Relay.

The tire still isn't horrible but is breaking loose pretty often.

Next up is a Vittoria Martello. I was hoping to hold off until I had my new suspension but can't wait any longer.
20230909_194311.jpg
2.6.
 
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Durrti

Active member
Aug 22, 2021
157
158
California
I
It's been a good tire (27.5 x 2.5 Aggressor DD) and did about 120 miles even though a lot of miles were pretty mild as I was trying to get my flow going on a new bike. I suspect that some of the quick wear is a result of the awful rear shock that came on my Relay.

The tire still isn't horrible but is breaking loose pretty often.

Next up is a Vittoria Martello. I was hoping to hold off until I had my new suspension but can't wait any longer. View attachment 124545 2.6.
I like the Martello, but wears out quickly. I’ve got 4 rides on one right now and it looks worse than your aggressor.
 

stiv674

E*POWAH Elite
Mar 4, 2019
777
600
Wiltshire
My Rise came with Dissector on the front and Rekon on the rear, with the weather likely to change soon I'll be wanting more rear grip...

Currently considering replacing the Rekon with a Forekaster v2, or maybe putting the Dissector on the rear and Forekaster or something similar on the front... 🤔 Don't want to buy two new tyres if possible, I do have a partly worn HR2 which could be used...

Looking for more climbing grip rather than cornering, my riding is mainly cross country with some long rutty, muddy ascents/descents, didn't want to put down country but it does sort of describe what I do 😬

Any advice welcome 😀
 

Zimmerframe

MUPPET
Subscriber
Jun 12, 2019
14,052
20,846
Brittany, France
I think if you're going through a tyre in 120 miles (mild...) going cheap might be the way ?

WTB Vigilante 29*2.5 €10 !

 

Suns_PSD

Active member
Jul 12, 2022
530
455
Austin
I

I like the Martello, but wears out quickly. I’ve got 4 rides on one right now and it looks worse than your aggressor.

I'm not getting on great with the Martello as it seems to skip and glide a lot more on top of rocks and loose trail. It is wearing quite well however.

I have some other tires to test but pretty sure I'm just going to be an Aggressor 2.5 guy for the rear of this bike as it did a lot of things really well.
 

KnollyBro

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Dec 3, 2020
1,014
2,370
Vancouver
I ride on a mix of damp loam, dry loam with loose small rocks, potentially slippery roots and pretty grippy granite slabs. Once a tire has worn its edges off the center section, its time to change it as it not worth crashing and getting injured over a few dollars. I ride Maxxis DHR II 3C EXO+ MaxxTerra on the rear with Assegai 3C EXO+ Max Grip on the front. The one on the left is done and will be changed to ride in the up coming wetter season.
tires.jpg
 

Mrj35

Member
Sep 29, 2023
194
124
canada
That's what happens with max grip. It's soft. Want more miles? Go For max Terra. You will give up grip. But that's less of a problem on the rear.
Yeah I have a max terra dhr2 on my regular bike. This is just what came on the bike stock. I'll switch over to a dhr2 max terra double down when that ones toast
 

Plummet

Flash Git
Mar 16, 2023
1,152
1,635
New Zealand
Yeah I have a max terra dhr2 on my regular bike. This is just what came on the bike stock. I'll switch over to a dhr2 max terra double down when that ones toast
It already looks toast to me. The big betty is basically a bigger volume similar to dhr tread pattern. Its worth a shop if dhrs are over the top expensive.
 

Mcharza

E*POWAH BOSS
Aug 10, 2018
2,623
5,423
Helsinki, Finland
I changed Maxxis DHR II DD MaxTerra to Continental Kryptotal Enduro Soft for bike park rides. And I won't go back, because Kryptotal has the same brake and berm grip.
The Maxxis lasted maybe 10 days and the Continental still going strong after over 40 days.

Edit: An addition to the previous one. However, I will keep the Maxxis Assegai EXO+ (or DD) MaxGrip on the front until Conti releases the Enduro Super Soft version
 
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Perryqhill

Member
Jul 16, 2023
61
25
Doncaster, Uk
What's peoples opinions on the Gen2 Maxxis Maxxgrip Shorty?

Currently got a DHF maxxterra and DHR maxxterra on my Kona Remote.

I'm thinking going with the Shorty up front as I ride a mix of terrains (also use a gravel bike for longer/ flatter rides and road type stuff) but the place I frequent the most is the wood behind where I live and there's a wood behind that and another area pretty close.

I do the occasional trail centre etc but it's likely to be lessened over winter.

Given the amount of rain in the UK this year and increase recently they're exceptionally wet and muddy. Whereas normally it wouldn't be so bad and I'd stick to a more allround tyre, I'm thinking a mud tyre may be more appropriate over winter.

*this has maybe been heightend by an off I had in said woods back in April on my Kona Process (pre ebike) which also had a DHF upfront, caused by some clay type mud and I ended up tearing a hamstring.
 

Boomstick303

New Member
Aug 16, 2023
11
5
Colorado
For those that have run the same tire with and without cushcore, did you experience understeer once the cushcore was installed? Meaning did you have more steering without the insert and had less steering with the insert installed.
 

Suns_PSD

Active member
Jul 12, 2022
530
455
Austin
I have not.
The easiest way to make your bike quit understeering is to (corrected) lower your bars/ stem. Even 10mm makes a big difference.
 
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ozzybmx

New Member
Sep 26, 2023
9
6
Adelaide, South Australia
Went from Maxxgrip DD Assegai/Dissector combo to Conti Argotals, SS DH front and S DH rear.

There is a noticeable difference in grip with the Argotal in supersoft on the front. Just be aware that Contis are very tight fitting tyres.
 

Mrj35

Member
Sep 29, 2023
194
124
canada
I've decided I'm going to run assegai dh casing in the rear with a tube. I run such high pressure in the back I won't get pinch flats anyway so I figure it's less fuss than the tubeless. I'll keep running tubeless up front and also dh casing.
 

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