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Assegai DH 2.5' with cushcore front and rear. From guiding up at Tyax to park laps in Whistler, works every time.

Here's my $0.02, and I'm sure I will get torched about it. I'm a total tire nerd and I usually change my tires to something new about once-a-month. Yes I know its overkill and absurd, but, I like trying new and different things. I have been searching for the goldilocks solution for years and, truth be told, every tire has its strong suits and its weak ones. For me, I think the answer to your question is: find a Minion or a Minion clone and stick with them. Wear your rear tire to where you're not comfortable with it and...

Oooh this is a great thread. So many different takes on what tires people like! Bravo.

dont you find a soft front tyre gets crumbly after a year?

For a long time it was Scwalbe Magic Mary for me, both front and rear. 2 reasons, the outstanding grip in all conditions and the Super Gravity casing works really well as a light DH tyre or heavy XC tyre. None of the Maxxiss casings where in the same category for me. Trying a DoubleDown soon to see how it performs, but in the Assegai it weighs a lot more than a MM SG. Maybe worth it?? Every time I try some fast rolling tyre in the back I end up with a squirmy back in the slippery and off...

I ran DHF 2.4 exo front and rear for a couple of seasons. Initially I thought it was awesome but over time I realized that the problem with the design is the lack of transition knobs between the center and the edge. When you lean the bike over, especially in steep slick conditions it will break loose and the tire will wash out, guaranteed. I ride in SW British Columbia where most of the trails are steep and challenging and the DHF was too sketchy for me. I had heard that guys around here like DHRII front and rear and...

Used to love the HR and HR2, but with my 29er and wide trail tires, it just didn't click as well. I ran the Aggressor in the back, but wasn't impressed by it. Good cornering grip, but no braking grip and a lack of pedalling grip when the conditions get tougher. I just recently put on a pair of Assegais, 3C in the front, DC in the back, and so far so good, it's a really 'calm', benign tyre, nice grip, nice rolling, etc. The idea of putting the front in the back a new one on the front is...

I definitely agree with this one. Not sure if it's because of the different 'wear patterns*' front vs rear, but even on road or gravel bikes I stick with replacing the rear tire with a fresh one. * front tire is mostly worn from braking forces, whereas rear tire is worn from both braking + accelerating forces which lead to different wear on the front vs back of knobs. Similarly, front tires corner more calmly than rear tires (though I am in no way good enough to 'get loose' and really experience this). Maybe I'm wrong on this one?

I built a bike around the tire combo I wanted to run. It made so much sense that I wondered why more didn't optimize their bikes this way, rather than just spec'ing travel and wheel size or whatever. Some sort of do it for 29+, fatbikes, gravel, XC, marathon road, touring, etc. I decided to make a custom one designed around DHR2, with wheelbase length that stayed in the tire's sweet spot speed. I adjusted the CS length (sliding drop-outs) to make it so 2-wheeled drifts was natural feeling, and didn't have too much weight excessively on one wheel when...

Bravo chaps, this is breaking new ground in boring forum topics

For riding loam in the PNW I think the 2.35 Magic Mary's are hard to beat. They're slow rolling on hardpack, but they're not too bad in soft conditions and they seem to get braking traction where more paddle shaped tires like the DHR II lock up and slide.

Maxxis High Roller II in 2.5s is great all rounder in all dirt conditions (also pedals nice) but once they are slightly worn out riding anything steep is tricky. Can get wierd on really hard pack. Maxxis DHR II 2.4s great in all dirt conditions other than super dry dust they get a bit understeery Continental Der Kaiser 2.4s Roll amazing, great all conditions. Not the most grip on off camber roots rocks. Schwalbe Magic Mary 2.35s Amazing in the mud, loose dirt. Wear out quickly. Roll Slow, slow pedalling WTB Convict 2.5s Amazing mud tire sheds like no other...

The tire is heavy because of the tall knob height (more rubber per tread) and only being available in 2.5" width. Right now I'm running Assegai EXO+ 3C Maxxterra tires front and rear. This tire combo came stock on my Ripmo AF, but I don't think it's the most versatile tire set. The grip is good, really good, for riding up steep fire roads or trails and bombing back down (or shuttling/park) I think this is a great set. However, if your terrain is more mixed with flat transfers you'll really feel the drag of such a heavy, grippy tire.

I used the Front in the back it's better than the rear specific. The rear specific wears quite quickly and I do find the casing (non DH) not suffice for the rear. Excellent price point!

Assegai comes in all sorts of casings now, I have an EXO+ on the front of my bike at the moment after years of using DHF's. The grip through all sorts of lean angles vs. that transition point of the DHF is crazy, it makes you realise how much your brain has compensated for how the DHF behaves. They are also heavy, I haven't ridden it in the wet yet either but goes well in blown out dusty Australian conditions. Regarding the DHR, it is also significantly lighter if you are using for a trail application where heavy tyres are...

Personally, I choose the 2.4 DHR II combo for F and R. Traction, cornering, and braking are 10/10. Wouldn't say they roll as fast but you can't have all. For a faster rolling scenario, I'd like to try the Dissector in the rear.