Best front AND rear tire

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darkcanuck
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Lac-Beauport, QC CA
3/28/2020 8:59am
Bored at home... (also a Maxxis fan)

Maxxis Minon DHF is the best all round/wet conditions tire that you can run both front and back.
Maxxis High Roller 2 is the best dry/desert conditions tire that you can run front and back.

To save money I like to rotate tires from the front to the back and put my new tires on the front.

Would love to hear you guys tell me how dumb/smart I am.
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Mtbforlife4
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Location
Grand Junction, CO US
3/28/2020 10:15am
I like the Assegai DD(F) and Aggressor DD(R) for all conditions. If it gets a bit looser I throw a DHF on the back(I am keen to try the new Dissector in the rear). I don't agree with darkcanuck about the HR2, I live in the desert and to me the side knobs on the HR2 have very little support and feel like they roll over on the hard packed ground, not to mention they wear out very quickly.

Just my experience, cheers!
3
westeast
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California, CA US
3/28/2020 10:40am
The tires I've run front and back in the last 10 years are the DHF, Ardent, WTB Wolverine (not even sure if it's made anymore) and Specalized Purgatory, which has changed a fair amount I think. Of those if I had to choose just one for my trail/all mountain bike it would be the DHF. I too would rotate the front to the back so that the newer tire was up front.

2
darkcanuck
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Lac-Beauport, QC CA
3/28/2020 10:53am
I like the Assegai DD(F) and Aggressor DD(R) for all conditions. If it gets a bit looser I throw a DHF on the back(I am keen...
I like the Assegai DD(F) and Aggressor DD(R) for all conditions. If it gets a bit looser I throw a DHF on the back(I am keen to try the new Dissector in the rear). I don't agree with darkcanuck about the HR2, I live in the desert and to me the side knobs on the HR2 have very little support and feel like they roll over on the hard packed ground, not to mention they wear out very quickly.

Just my experience, cheers!
When I was living in SoCal (recently moved to upstate NY) I would always try to buy single compound tires because I felt that they lasted longer in the desert. This was win-win because they were also a lot cheaper. Perhaps the harder rubber of the single compound had more bite than a dual or 3C compound. Since moving to NY with more soft dirt and slower average speeds I have moved to the better ($$$) compounds and my tires seem to last just as well. I have been debating trying an Assegai front/back but worry it might be a bit too slow for a rear tire.
Fred_Pop
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11/26/2017
Location
FR
3/28/2020 12:34pm
darkcanuck wrote:
Bored at home... (also a Maxxis fan) Maxxis Minon DHF is the best all round/wet conditions tire that you can run both front and back. Maxxis...
Bored at home... (also a Maxxis fan)

Maxxis Minon DHF is the best all round/wet conditions tire that you can run both front and back.
Maxxis High Roller 2 is the best dry/desert conditions tire that you can run front and back.

To save money I like to rotate tires from the front to the back and put my new tires on the front.

Would love to hear you guys tell me how dumb/smart I am.
I used to run Schwalbe Magic Mary front and back. Great all around tyres. Then last year I got some Maxxis Assegai and find they out corner the Magic Mary. They are less of an all around tyre because they tend to pack up more easily unless you cut the smallest knobs. I also recommend the Schwalbe Eddy Current front tyres on both wheels. Great cornering and more the knobs are more spaced out compared to Assegai,
For Wet/Soft conditions tyres both the Schwalbe Dirty Dan or the new WTB Verdict Wet are great.
2
brash
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Location
AU
3/28/2020 4:06pm
Assegai/Disector combo here in Aus works great. But the dissector can be left near bald after 2 days in the bikepark. They don't last very long. DHR2 if you don't care about rolling speed and Agressor if you do.

I'd love to try other tyres, but Maxxis has cornered the market here in Aus. I walk into my LBS and they have 4 of every tyre in every size/width/casing so it's just convenience more than anything. I wouldn't mind trying some of the new Michelins or Onza's however.
1
Big Bird
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Oceano, CA US
3/28/2020 4:28pm Edited Date/Time 3/28/2020 4:29pm
This thread seems to have turned sideways into What's the Best Tire Combo. The original question was Which Single Tire is Awesome on the front and Then retires nicely to the rear as a fast rolling burner. I've been out of the riding game to to know the options, but just from looking at treads, that Assagai Looks the job. Is it still just DH casing only?
3
w4s
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Location
Verdi, NV US
3/28/2020 8:50pm
In my experience the DHR is the best all F/R tire; rolls fast and has good edge and brake control.
3/28/2020 10:11pm
Big Bird wrote:
This thread seems to have turned sideways into What's the Best Tire Combo. The original question was Which Single Tire is Awesome on the front and...
This thread seems to have turned sideways into What's the Best Tire Combo. The original question was Which Single Tire is Awesome on the front and Then retires nicely to the rear as a fast rolling burner. I've been out of the riding game to to know the options, but just from looking at treads, that Assagai Looks the job. Is it still just DH casing only?
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 probably not so desirable. That is if you care about such things.
1
Alex1
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Location
Athens GR
3/29/2020 3:18am
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.
5
pdon
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Location
Cashmere, WA US
3/29/2020 5:35am
I will toss a curveball out there.

The Michelin Wild Enduro Front and Wild Enduro Rear (clever name) are a fantastic combo.

The front tire is light and has killer bite in the corners. Loose, wet....doesn't matter it tracks well. Super confident at speed
The rear is a little heavy but it is tough and has a ton of grip.

In the 29-inch size, they are only available in 2.4-inch width...but they do measure true to size.
2
darkcanuck
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Lac-Beauport, QC CA
3/29/2020 9:06am
pdon wrote:
I will toss a curveball out there. The Michelin Wild Enduro Front and Wild Enduro Rear (clever name) are a fantastic combo. The front tire is...
I will toss a curveball out there.

The Michelin Wild Enduro Front and Wild Enduro Rear (clever name) are a fantastic combo.

The front tire is light and has killer bite in the corners. Loose, wet....doesn't matter it tracks well. Super confident at speed
The rear is a little heavy but it is tough and has a ton of grip.

In the 29-inch size, they are only available in 2.4-inch width...but they do measure true to size.
What about if you were going to run only ONE of those two front AND rear which would you choose?
1
darkcanuck
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Lac-Beauport, QC CA
3/29/2020 9:10am
Big Bird wrote:
This thread seems to have turned sideways into What's the Best Tire Combo. The original question was Which Single Tire is Awesome on the front and...
This thread seems to have turned sideways into What's the Best Tire Combo. The original question was Which Single Tire is Awesome on the front and Then retires nicely to the rear as a fast rolling burner. I've been out of the riding game to to know the options, but just from looking at treads, that Assagai Looks the job. Is it still just DH casing only?
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...
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 probably not so desirable. That is if you care about such things.
Lots of people are loving the Assagi. Is this just a heavy tire or is the weight high because it’s generally a descending/grip oriented tire and the casing and rubber compound options reflect that?
JayDawger
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Location
WA US
3/29/2020 9:19am
pdon wrote:
I will toss a curveball out there. The Michelin Wild Enduro Front and Wild Enduro Rear (clever name) are a fantastic combo. The front tire is...
I will toss a curveball out there.

The Michelin Wild Enduro Front and Wild Enduro Rear (clever name) are a fantastic combo.

The front tire is light and has killer bite in the corners. Loose, wet....doesn't matter it tracks well. Super confident at speed
The rear is a little heavy but it is tough and has a ton of grip.

In the 29-inch size, they are only available in 2.4-inch width...but they do measure true to size.
darkcanuck wrote:
What about if you were going to run only ONE of those two front AND rear which would you choose?
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!
2
3/29/2020 9:19am
brash wrote:
Assegai/Disector combo here in Aus works great. But the dissector can be left near bald after 2 days in the bikepark. They don't last very long...
Assegai/Disector combo here in Aus works great. But the dissector can be left near bald after 2 days in the bikepark. They don't last very long. DHR2 if you don't care about rolling speed and Agressor if you do.

I'd love to try other tyres, but Maxxis has cornered the market here in Aus. I walk into my LBS and they have 4 of every tyre in every size/width/casing so it's just convenience more than anything. I wouldn't mind trying some of the new Michelins or Onza's however.
I'm running the assegai dhr2 combo and that seems to work quite well. I've ran gwins tire from onza and that was one of the best tires for cornering but only good in the dry. It clogs up far more than a minion dhf. I was also super impressed with Michelin wild enduro but I have only tried out the front version. I think for my next tires I am going to try out the Michelin dh 22 and the dh34
JayDawger
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45
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Location
WA US
3/29/2020 9:21am
Maxxis needs to have the DD and DH casing in MaxTerra compounds. HR2 DD is the only tire I can find in the DD.
2
rockhammer
Posts
2
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3/30/2018
Location
Seattle, WA US
3/29/2020 10:05am
Big Bird wrote:
This thread seems to have turned sideways into What's the Best Tire Combo. The original question was Which Single Tire is Awesome on the front and...
This thread seems to have turned sideways into What's the Best Tire Combo. The original question was Which Single Tire is Awesome on the front and Then retires nicely to the rear as a fast rolling burner. I've been out of the riding game to to know the options, but just from looking at treads, that Assagai Looks the job. Is it still just DH casing only?
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...
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 probably not so desirable. That is if you care about such things.
darkcanuck wrote:
Lots of people are loving the Assagi. Is this just a heavy tire or is the weight high because it’s generally a descending/grip oriented tire and...
Lots of people are loving the Assagi. Is this just a heavy tire or is the weight high because it’s generally a descending/grip oriented tire and the casing and rubber compound options reflect that?
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.
2
raozaki
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34
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5/25/2018
Location
CH
3/29/2020 11:44am
I'm gonna throw something different.
I like the Specialized Butcher front and rear (even though I'll change the front to a hillbilly during the mud months).
In my experience they're grippy, predictable and long lasting plus you can get them with different casings to suit your needs.
2
Masjo
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Location
Ancaster CA
3/29/2020 11:47am
I'm not on the same tread front and rear right now, but I previously liked the Bontrager XR4 (or SE4, if you need more aggressive casing). It rolls quite well but still has good braking and climbing traction and the side knobs are big enough to me. Given the similarities in tread pattern, I would be interested to try the Maxxis Dissector front and rear as well.
This all depends on where you are riding. The XR/SE4s are great for 'trail riding', but if I were doing park laps all day I would probably go Maxxis DHF front and rear. I have not tried the Assegai but that would be another option for some downhill focus. For even more XC-focussed spinning, I would go with a dual Maxxis Agressor combo or Bontrager XR3s for quick rolling but good traction.
3/29/2020 11:52am
Continental Kaisers for anything Gravity
Continental Barons for trail riding
Mudkings for wet racing

Black chili compound is a solid mix of grip/durability and particularly good on rocks compared to some other similarly hard compounds.

I wish they would come out with a Baron+ though. Not a tough enough tire for true DH tracks but the tread would be excellent for enduro racing. Where the kaisers simply a little too grippy especially on pedally tracks.
1
3/29/2020 11:53am
Bravo chaps, this is breaking new ground in boring forum topics
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4
chucknasty
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1
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3/29/2020
Location
Bellingham, WA US
3/29/2020 12:10pm
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.
3
wizard_man
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1
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4/9/2015
Location
Tahoe Vista, CA US
3/29/2020 12:23pm
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. Great in loose dirt. Rolls and pedals suprisngly well. Has terrifying understeer on hardpack dirt.

Maxxis Minion DHF 2.5s Amazing grip in all conditions. Can pack up with dirt if its sticky. Roll decent. Great climbing grip.

Maxxis Recon 2.8s Good grip in all conditions other than mud. Rolls suprisingly well. great grip in rocky terrain.

Schwalbe Hans Dampf 2.35s Rolls really good. Great overall grip. Wears out waaay too fast.


Maxxis Shorty 2.5s Best gripping tire ever in the sand and dust (sierra nevada dirt). Can get werrd on slick rocks. Rolls really slow.

WTB Vigilante 2.6s Really good all around grip, very predictable cornering. Good on off cambers. Not great in sticky mud. Super slow rolling.

Specialized Butcher 2.6s Great in all conditions. Roll really fast. Wears out fast.

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Varaxis
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Location
Lake Elsinore, CA US
3/29/2020 12:42pm
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 standing. 1230 and 435mm...

I chose the tire based on my trails. I found DHR2 rolled as fast as a Nobby Nic but grippier on SoCal hardpack, which is faster than Aggressor, Shorty, DHF, HR2, Assegai, MM, Hans Dampf, Fat Albert, etc. I think its main fault is how prone it is to pinch flatting.

Step 1: choose tires based on favorite trails (trails you repeatedly ride and don't get tired of)
- take note of how fast you generally good, the amount of stopping, the amount of coasting, the amount of accelerating, etc.

Step 2: choose your bike based on the above.
- do you often go mach chicken but don't feel like you are open enough to accelerate even more? Get a longer wheelbase
- do your trails have obstacles that force stop-and-go style braking and speeding up? optimize for lower weight and tires with good braking traction (a lot wide paddle edges)
- when you cruise and coast, do you find yourself dragging brakes for safety? perhaps rolling resistance can be optimized for this, able to tolerate more resistance

Step 3: re-evaluate choices and add on more "checkboxes"
- do you want to 2-wheel drift naturally? does one end of your bike seem more flat prone? perhaps chainstay length can be scrutinized
- do you want a lot of travel out back, want to still pedal up, but don't want to compromise rear suspension plushness? maybe consider a steeper STA
- do you sometimes take your bike to the dirt jumps or do street on it? maybe a shorter seat tube and lower tube tube can be considered for extra clearance
1
Tehllama
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7
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Location
Albuquerque, NM US
3/29/2020 12:46pm
DHR-II Front // e.13 SemiSlick Rear (29x2.4 on both).
For dry desert conditions and going fast with maximum braking potential on the front tire.
The e.13 Semislicks come in super-beefy casings (while the MinionSS 29er tires don't seem to actually exist in the retail world in any casing other than EXO).
TEAMROBOT
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Location
Los Angeles, CA US
3/29/2020 12:55pm
Here's a thought: don't rotate your tires. I used to do this, too, but then I realized my front tires lasted 2-3 times longer than rear tires. Now I replace rear tires when they're worn, and typically my front tire looks fine.

As a bonus, this allows me to buy a harder compound/longer lasting rear tire. Right now I'm running a hard compound (Maxxis call it "dual compound") folding bead 2.5" DHF with a downhill casing in the rear, and it's a dream. Super stable in turns, durable in rocks, brakes good with its full center tread, but it rolls fast because it's not soft. The Maxxis part number is TB96800100.
6
darkcanuck
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Lac-Beauport, QC CA
3/29/2020 1:03pm Edited Date/Time 3/29/2020 1:05pm
Bravo chaps, this is breaking new ground in boring forum topics
This is the type of feedback I was really looking forward to.

Just doing my part to get us through this. Haha
2
Primoz
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3085
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Location
SI
3/29/2020 1:07pm
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 nice, but then I'd have to run a DC in the front. Might do that for the next winter (my HR went bald on the sides this year), but otherwise a 3C is nice. It's useless for the rear due to it getting chewed up by tarmac.
1
Scrub
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Location
Elk Grove/Truckee, CA US
3/29/2020 1:10pm
DH bike-Bontrager G5 DH casing on both f/r.
Trail Bike-Onza Aquila folding on both f/r

Once the front gets worn it goes to the rear and a new one gets put on the front..and so on.
jrcd
Posts
5
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Location
Vancouver CA
3/29/2020 1:10pm
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 so I tried that the 2.4 size in the max terra compound. Worked great for me and for several seasons I would swap the front to the rear when the rear started to wear out, and get a new one for the front, for the sake of my wallet. I also tried the DHRII 2.4WT exo on 25mm rims with no issue.

Last fall I thought I should try some different rubber to know if the DHRII was as good as I thought. I got a WTB Vigilante 2.5 tough/high grip and a Convict 2.5 in the same compound and ran them on a new set of 30mm rims. The vigilante was a major disappointment: it would break loose unexpectedly at different lean angles, especially on off-camber sections. It sketched me out every ride to the point where I was having a tough time on terrain I normally wouldn't think twice about. The Convict is a copy of the DHRII and it has performed fairly well but the tough/high grip compound has a tendency to spin out on wet wood / roots.

After 6 rides I replaced the Vigilante with an Assegai 2.5 max terra exo+ and it has performed flawlessly on the dozen rides I've been out on it. Highly recommended for wet steep black diamond riding! Might not have the best rolling resistance but I don't care becasue the grip is so good.

I'm going to swap out the Convict for a DHRII this spring. Riding 40-50 times per year I go through one set of tires, seems fine by me. Maxxis gets my money.

FWIW a friend of mine swears by hans damfs but whenever we go for a wet ride he does nothing but complain and I've seen them pack up with mud in Whistler like no other tire.
3
Masjo
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200
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Location
Ancaster CA
3/29/2020 1:16pm
TEAMROBOT wrote:
Here's a thought: don't rotate your tires. I used to do this, too, but then I realized my front tires lasted 2-3 times longer than rear...
Here's a thought: don't rotate your tires. I used to do this, too, but then I realized my front tires lasted 2-3 times longer than rear tires. Now I replace rear tires when they're worn, and typically my front tire looks fine.

As a bonus, this allows me to buy a harder compound/longer lasting rear tire. Right now I'm running a hard compound (Maxxis call it "dual compound") folding bead 2.5" DHF with a downhill casing in the rear, and it's a dream. Super stable in turns, durable in rocks, brakes good with its full center tread, but it rolls fast because it's not soft. The Maxxis part number is TB96800100.
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?
2

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