I've ran the Magic Mary and DHR2 combo for a couples years, now, and it works better than any combo I've tried in damp, steep, intermediate terrain. Thanks for the comprehensive review!
I ran Dissector rear and Minion dhf II front in Advanced and expert tracks and the tires slows me down when I need to and hold me on the berms hardpack and on muddy rooted, rocky tracks of Brown county trails.
Cross country hardtail with 100m fork: Forekaster 2.35 Front, Rekon Race Rear. Great for dry conditions. All-Mountain "Down-country" 120 mm trail bike, 130 mm fork: Minion DHF 2.3 in the front, Rekon Race 2.25 rear. Interestingly, AMAZING for climbing. The descent, not so much grip in the back. I am changing the trail setup to Dissector 2.4 in the Front, and Rekon 2.4 in the back.
@@smuy3782 The rear specific of course. I tried many brands of tyres and so far Michelin ones are best suited for me. I do not ride in bike parks, so I pedal everywhere I go, sometimes it is a bit harder especially dh22 wich weight 1500g. but it is well worth it pedaling 15 kg 140mm full sus bike and then bomb it down natural trails. You will be happy with dh 22 it has insane amount of grip!
Both good choices. Seb reviewed these a few months ago, you can check out his reviews of the Michelin tyres here: www.bikeradar.com/reviews/components/tyres/mountain-bike-tyres/michelin-wild-enduro-front-2-4in-gum-x-magi-x-tyre-review/ www.bikeradar.com/reviews/components/tyres/mountain-bike-tyres/michelin-wild-enduro-rear-gum-x-2-4in-tyre-review/
@@cryx4 It's true, it depends on what / where you're located, I live in Norway and it is very good because of the large use capability. I've used Assegai for two seasons now and my only complaint is the weight and rolling resistance the times I do not plummet hillsides.
Also another thought - probably testing on a shorter travel or even hardtail bike will reveal even more the character of a tire, because you don't have the suspension travel to mask some of the characteristics of the compound/casing.
I feel like this combo is pretty much like the blend of a dhf and assegai with a dissector :) I need a nobby nic... My hans dampf addix isn't that good.
My winter setup: Maxxis shorty front, dissector rear, and summer setup: Maxxis DHF front, and dissector rear. Best combo. (Also dissector epic tyre so versatile)
I use Magic Mary 2.35 in front and High Roller II 2.3 in the back of my 100mm 27.5" xc bike. Super grippy combo, maybe just little problematic when starting up a steep greasy hill bc of the HR II, otherwise insane amounts of grip in the forest. Down some rocky descents it is amazing what a difference the thicker carcass makes compared to thinner xc tires. First of all the bike feels more compliant and absorbs more vibrations bc of bigger volume and tougher casing. Second it is way more confidence inspiring in the corners and last but not least stopping power is another level, it feels like changing to more powerful brakes! I mean the tires by far can change how a bike feels and rides, experimenting with different brands and models is eye opening(mish-mashing brands front to rear), also it is the best value upgrade you could and should do to your bike. Unfortunately this comes at a cost - bike feels heavier and less responsive on the pedals, also on asphalt you will suffer with a LOT of rolling noise (high drag/friction) and squirm in corners (those big chunky side knobs are magic in the rough, but on smooth paved roads are super unstable and squirmy). Great video guys!
took me a rewatch to realize during the front tire roundup you were referring to braking traction as opposed to breaking traction. was confused and concerned why you wanted to lean, break traction, and drift with a front tire.
@@tacoman107 braking traction=brakes on your bike, breaking traction= your tires losing grip on the ground, it's a play on two meanings & spellings of the word braking/breaking..... I don't know why they say English is hard to learn as a second language.
I run a MM on the front with a Maxxis Aggressor in Double Down on the rear, Aggressor runs a little faster than DHR but still grips really well, especially climbing.
Definitely need to do another test with the Assegai front (paired either with the DHR2 or Dissector), and the Michelin Wild Enduros and maybe Vittoria Mazza/Martello combo.
@@hannes6114 for traction: magic mary for less rolling resistance: hans dampf if you really want a versataile grippy tire for enduro, go mary. If you want a good dry weather and not that grippy tire but with less rolling resistance, go hans.
Magic Mary out front and Hans Dampf out back. Bike came stock with Nobby Nics. Swapped out the front tire initially for awhile to compliment the faster-rolling NN but soon after changed the rear as well for more grip and predictability.
I recently changed out my Maxxis Assagai / Aggressor combo with Michelin's Wild Enduro gum-x. I have to say I'm extremely impressed and happy with the switch. Living in the PNW we have wet, roots, mud and recently snow. I'll have to wait and see how they perform in the dry this summer. Love them so far!
I thought Magic Mary had good traction but squirm easy in bike park hard cornering. When I went from Magic Mary to Michelin Wild enduro I was surprised how much better The Wild Enduro was at basically everything. Better cornering, rolling speed and puncture resistant. Does not squirm easy as the MM. A clear winner!
I'm running Maxxis High Rollers on my 27.5 Intense Tracer but planning to swap them out. Always been a fan of Maxxis for off-road riding. I do have a pair of Maxxis DHR and DHF for my Specialized Camber 29er, which I plan to swap out after my Ardents wear out.
Fitted HRII’s to my hardtail build front and rear and I wouldn’t fit them again. Terrible braking traction - wheel judders as it begins to lock up between central lugs. Wanted nobby nics but couldn’t get any.
it depends on how you ride as to whether it makes much of a difference . i'm old (76 ) and ride on pavement and dirt about fifty fifty . so , i buy any good quality tire that has a center ridge and knobs on the side . i've used Schwalbe , continental and some others and haven't noticed any appreciable difference . the tires roll nicely on pavement and are fine on dirt . i suspect the only time one will notice a difference is if you are the Kamakazi downhill type . it pretty east to get hung up on the arrangement of the knobs . probably more of a n art thing than practicality . ok yougins , flame alway at that rant 🔥
I’ve just changed from a Maxxis DHF to the Maxxis Assegai up front. Amazing confidence inspiring grip. In combination with the fast rolling, playful yet grippy Maxxis Aggressor in the rear it’s my favourite combo atm. Before the Aggressor I’ve been using the DHR II for years.
Magic Mary's all the way! But I still prefer the old Verststar compound , instead of the new Addix Ultrasoft - it has better damping , the Addix is slightly woodier. Never than less - the best freeride tires at least for europian topography. Great video, thanks.
1) I'm running the Maxxis Assegai (29x2.5 3C Max Tera) in Front and Minion DHR II (27.5x2.4 3C Max Tera) in Rear. This is a mullet configuration for my most aggressive trails. 2) I'm running the Specialized Butcher (29x2.3 Grid 2Blis) in Front and the Maxxis Dissector (29x2.4 3C Max Tera) in Rear. This is the best rolling configuration for endurance race that take 4+ hours without giving up to much control of the cornering and trail handling. 3) I have also ran the Maxxis Dissector (29x2.4 3C Max Tera) in front and the Vittoria Barzo (29x2.25) in Rear. This is the fastest rolling configuration but you give up control of the cornering and trail handling with the Barzo in the rear.
For northeast usa conditions (rocks, roots, loam, mud mountain leaves) I haven’t found anything better than magic Mary/big Betty combo. These were an upgrade over maxxis, at least for me and how I ride.
I was drawn to the DHF/R combo from stock Bontrager XR5 Team Issue. When the DHF/R wear out, I'm going back to the stock tyre for my bike. Generally more stable in all conditions!
Lucky, I have 2 set. For all around effeciency : Magic Mary, front and hans Dampf, rear. The other pair is for my local hard pack et rocky trails, for speed and cornering : Conti Der Kaiser, front and Maxxis High Roller 2, Rear, both are really fast rolling tires. Next try will also be Assegai front and Dissector rear.
How you like it? I had a DHF, then Mary and now DHF again. I miss the Magic mary so much. Ill chnage back to it soon tho. It has sooo much more grip than the DHF(dhf was 3c max terra and magic mary was Soft)
@@andrei3720 I’m glad you posted this. I upgraded my Lyrik fork, bought a OneUp carbon handlebar and a few smaller things. As such I didn’t switch out my front tire yet as it had fair tread left. When I get home I’m going to order one. I’ll post back here in a month and let you know my thoughts. Thanks again - appreciate the info.
Im with you on the magic mary, i had them front and rear on my old bike and i think they’ll be my new tires on my dh bike . My new bike came with the vee tires flow snap and i was quite surprised by them , awesome grip from a company we usually consider a budget brand .
I´m riding the butcher grid trail now for quiet some time - I need to admit... they take some time and get super awesome when they´re broken in. First I was not so convinced - Meanwhile I love them a lot. I´d call my terrain foresty/loamy...
would really love to hear your opinion on the kenda hellkat, which is supposed to be similar to a magic mary but slightly better suited to dry conditions
I have used schwalbe and specialized tires on rear and I rip knobs right off and have had numerous tears on schwalbe, the only tire that has held up for me is maxxis dhf dd. I plan on using dhr2 next, thanks for showing.
I have the butcher t9 29x2.6 front and eliminator t7 29x2.6 rear. I agree the rear tire absolutely sucks on wet roots and rocks. Im loving the butcher up front tho 👌🏼
I run magic mary 2.4 soft on front and and big betty soft 2.4 addix in rear but the new bime came with this set up in 2024 yet to have an Issue! Pretty good For good old Scottish weather!
Magic Mary 7 days a week. Amaoury Pierron use ultra soft 2.4 in all conditions. Won in Lourdes in dry condition. And followed it up at Forth Williams in wet muddy, rocky and rooty conditions. Cant find a better statement than that. Only downside. I use ultra soft front and rear on my Levo. Rear tire dont last long. But after 150km i put the swap the front to rear. And new tire on front. Even without berms i can gain speed in turns.
I have to say, while the DHR II definitely is a good all around tire to be passable as a front tire, I just think Maxxis did too well of a job into making it a rear tire. It just wants to track exactly like a rear tire and washes out in the front and loses traction during braking exactly like skidding a rear tire. As a rear tire, its profile always makes it counteract the forces you put on the front end, allowing the bike to rotate better. If you put such a tire on the front end of the bike, it starts to understeer at high speeds. Both the front and rear tires are essentially opposing the rider's steering inputs. If it wasn't for COVID and the lack of availability of a ton of bike parts, I would have done it properly and put a 2.5 Assegai (or followed this video's suggestion and bought a Magic Mary) on the front wheel, but here we are I guess.
Do You like the dhr 2 for loose gravel over hard pack? That’s my complaint about my current front tire. I just ordered one to try and if that doesn’t cut it I’m going full assguy
Very helpful, thank you. I really like the WTB trail boss for the rear and Vigilante for front on my hardtail. I ride on mostly hard packed and rocky soil with some slick mud spots. Video on tires for fat bikes?
Avoid DHR ll on special offer that are not DD casing for the rear, they tear too easily 👍. Currently on a DHF & Wild Enduro rear. Got them for under £50 each
Not sure I'd pick Big Betty over Hans Dampf on the rear. Seems like Betty is all about traction and cornering but not technical grip. Would put a Magic Mary on the back if I needed more than a Hans for some reason.
Assegai/DHR2 is an incredible combo, so much control, but the DHR2 still has enough play in it that you can get it to do what you want, and rolls decently for a high grip tire. I DO NOT recommend an Assegai out back, way too slow
Continental Argotal/ / /WTBvigilante in the front, Continental Xynotal// /Kryptotal in the rear. I have also tried many other combos with maxxis and schwalbe, DHRII in the rear works great except when its sloppy, Schwalbe Nobby nic in the rear was amazing but too difficult to install and uninstall, MINION DHF front is garbage, works great on the rear though, and wet scream was great in the mud and not too bad on an ebike.
DHR II front and rear works for me in almost all conditions. Thinking about trying out the michelin wild enduro in the near future as i've heard nothing but good things about those tyres.
For me I haven’t been impressed with Assegai grip even running it in MaxxGrip DD version despite all the hype. I like WTB Verdict way more for winter riding. I do judge tire performance and grip based on how they act on wet off camber roots and corners. Vittoria Mazza was better than Assegai and WTB Judge is even better.
@@ab_mtb No sir. Southwest USA. The hellkat is best is blown out situations where the tall treads can reach deep. I tried running HKs front and rear and COULDN'T make the rear break loose, which is what I prefer. I'd imagine you'd be golden in the UK which an HK front and rear.
DHR II EXO 2.4 front, DHR II Maxx Terra 2.3 rear... nothing comes close for me, great grip, decent rolling resistance and the best braking stability of any tyre.
I have 23mm rims Cush Core Pro, I installed 2.4 Michelin wild enduro front and rear there is something about the tyre that makes the front utrn over when track standing and doing slow turns, I've only tested it indoors not taken it for a ride yet. Mabye it's the stiff cornering knobs, thread pattern too mabye, mabye cus it's 2.4 too. I ran Maxxis MaxxTerra c3 Exo Shorty, High roller 2 depending on conditions. But the Wild Enduro front felt better more predictable, smoother turning, front end felt less floppy. I have a Geometron G1 about 62 deg head angle, use 33mm stem, so direct and great steering and stable bike, but this front tyre seems like it will improve things alot. But I don't know why for sure yet. But I see the roundness is good, the all looks good on 23mm rims. I've tested this with both rear tyre inflated to 26 psi and tyre flat, no air, it still felt good on the front, I had 24 psi in the front i did not test with full kit on yet I am 72kg naked, so I might be few hundred grams heavier with clotching and foot wear, but 86kg last time I weihd in fully kitted but now I have a neck brace too, so probably 87 kg now, I will test fully kitted as soon as I am well enough to ride.
Hi - need some help to select the right gravel tire. I currently have the Bontrager GR2 Team Issue Gravel Tire (700c 40mm) - but get flats all the time (even when i ride on the normal street - 1 week riding - flat - 4 flats on the back tire, 1 flat on the front tire in the last 4 weeks). I got the Tannus Armour Tire Inserts - but that doesnt fix the flat problem. Can you recomment me another gravel tire (high puncture resistance!)? which one has the best quality and prevents flats Vittoria, Continental or WTB or something else? My terrain: Road and also some Offroad (forrest with gravel and fine sand). I would say 60% road, 40% offroad.
Alex has done a written one of the Vittoria Mazza: www.bikeradar.com/reviews/components/tyres/mountain-bike-tyres/vittoria-mazza-2-4-x-29-graphene-2-0-4c-tyre-review/ And Seb’s review of the Mota is here: www.bikeradar.com/reviews/components/tyres/mountain-bike-tyres/vittoria-mota-tlr-g2-0-29-x-2-35in-front-tyre-review/
You guys totally missed the best combination in my opinion of course. Maxxis Assegai 2.6 Exo+ front, Maxxis Agressor 2.5 WT Exo+ Rear. For Arizona riding, dusty rocky terrain this setup is amazing.
@BikeRadar In 27.5 inch world with my bike I cannot use too wide tyre, when I want to pair magicmary and dhr2 only available size is 2.4 inch front and 2.3 inch rear, will it work, not dangerous combination having different widths ? So far I used the same tyres front and rear
Just switched from dhf to maxxis shorty up front for winter riding, pretty awesome rubber with loads of grip, maxxis dhr ii rear is ok but maybe i should downsize to a smaller width from 2.8 to 2.6
Look for cross country tires like continental cross king or schwalbe rock eater or sth. It's not worth for this use case to get trail tires as they all have quite a high rolling resistance and are made for off-road surfaces.
Would you run MM up front and DHii outback even though they are different brands and therefore might spoil the look - or do most people not care about the brand symmetry? Cheers
That's what I've been running. The Magic's dig in amazingly well in wet and soft conditions, so I think they make one of the best winter tire set ups. They are still solid in dry and dusty conditions, but some other tires might have the edge when it comes to more hardpacked riding.
I got a Giant Faith 0 2010 just before Covid and the previous owner had a thing called a "Wildlife Leopard 26 x 2.7" on it that was so plastic that I would have been better off with a walmart street tyre. I like Maxxis for the grip but hat that the bike world has turned its back on the 26" world so selection/size is relegated to that little pile of tyres in the corner under the tyre shelf. If only I could still get a Gazzaloddi 3.0 to replace the 20+yo ones on my museum piece.. a Foes Weasel II (I only stopped riding when I got the Faith.
you can get custom dropouts to fit actual 27.5 tires on the 2010 faith. stock dropouts are 442mm and 445mm. in order to fit 2.4 and above 27.5 tires, comfortably, you need to have a customized 450 dropout. just have them done well by the machine shop so that your rear doesnt become a superboost 🤣. or if that is too much of a hassle, schwalbe still offers 26 tires. put 26 on the rear and 27.5 on the front for a mullet setup.
@@ridesafealways4929 Trouble is I just want to try a mullet as the increase of head angle wouldn't hurt... (Although it's a freeride it's only 66.8deg where current geometry is low 60's and I seem to oversteer corners a bit so it may all just work out. I have a TRX-1 27.5 (28mm) rim I got from the local recycle centre and a friends near new NobbyNic 2.35 so I'll get a 12mm skewer and make some adapters, see how it goes... and see if someone makes an adapter if it plays out. (On the walkthrough of my old Foes you can see adapters I made for the Boxxers to take the Magura 10mm hub... It's about time I dug the rubbish off my lathe.
@@TheButlerNZ i have a giant faith 0 2010 also, stock angle with 180 fork is 66.77. using a dual crown 200mm fork will lower it by 1 degree. use also a -2 degree angle headset from wolftooth. use the long dropout 445mm to lower again by 0.5 degree. and finally use a 27.5 wheel front as a mullet setup to lower by 0.5. that will be -4 degrees total. which will give you head angle of 62.77 degree. that is actually lower than the glory. 🤣
@@ridesafealways4929 Excellent stuff.... only I am about as mediocre as you can get on a mountain bike (for the time I have been riding) so I don't need anything as extreme.. What I WOULD like tho.. is a little less chatter from the sticky Totems and small 26". I'm also not planning to spend a lot of money... I got the Faith for $580NZD and with a cheap dropper (Zoom Tequila was all I could get that fit the small seat tube and my height and still gave 100mm and wasn't more than the initial cost of the bike) new shock (Debonaire worked well with semi lockout, I couldn't get a stem for the 5.1) and free hub and spokes... all came to ~$1200, Way cheaper than a similar spec new Giant (and it already had upgraded brakes, rear disk and derailleur). Thankyou VERY much for the info. Highly appreciated. (You can see my Faith in a couple of my rather crap videos... Well worn but with a set of bearings.. beautiful.. and the (ok old school) chrome stands out among all the black & pastel things out there currently.
My Schwalbe tyre has stretched in last 5 months since a bought the thing, can’t even fit it on the 26’’ rim just slides off where as usually a tyre is tight well this is loose as n pops out when riding
Which tyre is your favourite? Is there a tyre we’ve missed off this list? Let us know in the comments! 🚴🚴
Maxxis assegai.
Vee tire snap wce! most grip I've ever had from a tyre!
Idd like to see a xc test!
Magic Mary, going to try the big Betty at the rear soon
Magic Mary but going to test an Assegai
I've ran the Magic Mary and DHR2 combo for a couples years, now, and it works better than any combo I've tried in damp, steep, intermediate terrain. Thanks for the comprehensive review!
Thanks for watching! Interesting to hear what works for you and your riding 🕺🕺
I ran Dissector rear and Minion dhf II front in Advanced and expert tracks and the tires slows me down when I need to and hold me on the berms hardpack and on muddy rooted, rocky tracks of Brown county trails.
I run a Hansdamf rear. Ace cornering grip, fast rolling but loses grip on the technical climbs when it’s wet and cold
i will put on my bike soon on that combo MM and dhr2
Cross country hardtail with 100m fork: Forekaster 2.35 Front, Rekon Race Rear. Great for dry conditions. All-Mountain "Down-country" 120 mm trail bike, 130 mm fork: Minion DHF 2.3 in the front, Rekon Race 2.25 rear. Interestingly, AMAZING for climbing. The descent, not so much grip in the back. I am changing the trail setup to Dissector 2.4 in the Front, and Rekon 2.4 in the back.
I will say only this. Michelin DH22 front, Wild Enduro rear. Perfect combo for natural enduro trails/mountaineer paths.
Which Wild on the rear? I'm running F/R specific Wild Enduro and love them.
Keen to give the Dh22 a go.
@@smuy3782 The rear specific of course. I tried many brands of tyres and so far Michelin ones are best suited for me. I do not ride in bike parks, so I pedal everywhere I go, sometimes it is a bit harder especially dh22 wich weight 1500g. but it is well worth it pedaling 15 kg 140mm full sus bike and then bomb it down natural trails. You will be happy with dh 22 it has insane amount of grip!
Both good choices. Seb reviewed these a few months ago, you can check out his reviews of the Michelin tyres here: www.bikeradar.com/reviews/components/tyres/mountain-bike-tyres/michelin-wild-enduro-front-2-4in-gum-x-magi-x-tyre-review/
www.bikeradar.com/reviews/components/tyres/mountain-bike-tyres/michelin-wild-enduro-rear-gum-x-2-4in-tyre-review/
isn't it a bit annoying that the front tire is half a kg heavier than the rear? i hope they make a lighter chasing for the dh22
I run wild enduro gum x fantastic grip very happy with them I always swore by Maxxis but won’t go back to them now
Surprised you didn’t test the Assegai…?
Assegai might be considered overkill for a lot of uk riding, might be why it was ommited
@@cryx4 it's a mega tyre, true 3 season fit and forget tyre.
@@cryx4 It's true, it depends on what / where you're located, I live in Norway and it is very good because of the large use capability. I've used Assegai for two seasons now and my only complaint is the weight and rolling resistance the times I do not plummet hillsides.
Also another thought - probably testing on a shorter travel or even hardtail bike will reveal even more the character of a tire, because you don't have the suspension travel to mask some of the characteristics of the compound/casing.
as I die hard hardtail rider, this is so true!
Awsome review. I use a magic Mary up front and Nobby Nic at the rear. For me they are amazing in mud, snow, dust, hard pack rocks and roots. Love them
Same combo. Very good never flat good grip good for everything
I feel like this combo is pretty much like the blend of a dhf and assegai with a dissector :) I need a nobby nic... My hans dampf addix isn't that good.
My winter setup: Maxxis shorty front, dissector rear, and summer setup: Maxxis DHF front, and dissector rear. Best combo. (Also dissector epic tyre so versatile)
I use Magic Mary 2.35 in front and High Roller II 2.3 in the back of my 100mm 27.5" xc bike. Super grippy combo, maybe just little problematic when starting up a steep greasy hill bc of the HR II, otherwise insane amounts of grip in the forest. Down some rocky descents it is amazing what a difference the thicker carcass makes compared to thinner xc tires. First of all the bike feels more compliant and absorbs more vibrations bc of bigger volume and tougher casing. Second it is way more confidence inspiring in the corners and last but not least stopping power is another level, it feels like changing to more powerful brakes! I mean the tires by far can change how a bike feels and rides, experimenting with different brands and models is eye opening(mish-mashing brands front to rear), also it is the best value upgrade you could and should do to your bike. Unfortunately this comes at a cost - bike feels heavier and less responsive on the pedals, also on asphalt you will suffer with a LOT of rolling noise (high drag/friction) and squirm in corners (those big chunky side knobs are magic in the rough, but on smooth paved roads are super unstable and squirmy). Great video guys!
took me a rewatch to realize during the front tire roundup you were referring to braking traction as opposed to breaking traction. was confused and concerned why you wanted to lean, break traction, and drift with a front tire.
LOL your comment took me a reread as well
more braking traction would cause less breaking traction
@@BeLoveHaveFun nooby biker and... I am very confused. would greatly appreciate an explanation.
@@tacoman107 braking traction=brakes on your bike, breaking traction= your tires losing grip on the ground, it's a play on two meanings & spellings of the word braking/breaking..... I don't know why they say English is hard to learn as a second language.
A good comprehensive review!
Could you also make one for light trail/xc tyres too?
Swear by a Magic Mary up front. It's like a cheat code. I admit the Michelin wild enduro come very close but they didn't roll quite as well
Are you running Soft or Ultra Soft?
yeah but where can you even find these
@@stevenparisi I bought an unused, tan wall magic Mary on eBay for criminally cheap
@@stevenparisi What do you mean?
try an assegai if you want godmode than
I run a MM on the front with a Maxxis Aggressor in Double Down on the rear, Aggressor runs a little faster than DHR but still grips really well, especially climbing.
Definitely need to do another test with the Assegai front (paired either with the DHR2 or Dissector), and the Michelin Wild Enduros and maybe Vittoria Mazza/Martello combo.
Magic mary and hans damf, awesome
I have a canyon stoic 4 and i have magic mary and hans dampf
How is the hans dampf compared to the magic marry?
@@hannes6114 for traction: magic mary
for less rolling resistance: hans dampf
if you really want a versataile grippy tire for enduro, go mary.
If you want a good dry weather and not that grippy tire but with less rolling resistance, go hans.
@@finn1613 thanks mate
@@hannes6114 cheers mate
For Maxxis, wouldn’t it make more sense to have selected compounds the other way around (i.e MaxxGrip front tire and MaxxTerra back)?
Magic Mary out front and Hans Dampf out back. Bike came stock with Nobby Nics. Swapped out the front tire initially for awhile to compliment the faster-rolling NN but soon after changed the rear as well for more grip and predictability.
I recently changed out my Maxxis Assagai / Aggressor combo with Michelin's Wild Enduro gum-x. I have to say I'm extremely impressed and happy with the switch. Living in the PNW we have wet, roots, mud and recently snow. I'll have to wait and see how they perform in the dry this summer. Love them so far!
bit late, how did they do in the summer?
The same for xc please🙌
Thanks for the suggestion!
I second that request!
Yeah, xc/trail-ish tires ❤️
Agree. XC tires too.
Xc 🤢
I thought Magic Mary had good traction but squirm easy in bike park hard cornering. When I went from Magic Mary to Michelin Wild enduro I was surprised how much better The Wild Enduro was at basically everything. Better cornering, rolling speed and puncture resistant. Does not squirm easy as the MM. A clear winner!
Here’s a hack for all these videos, play it back at 1.25 speed and you don’t have to hear this guy talk painfully slow!
yeah agreed, not sure why he treats his audience like a group of 5 year olds
Imagine complaining about someone's personal attributes. Better yet, doing so when they're offering you free informational content.
Yes broskiiiii
Dude 100% best tip ever!!!
Most helpful RUclips comment, I was just wondering how long I could cope with it for!
I'm running Maxxis High Rollers on my 27.5 Intense Tracer but planning to swap them out. Always been a fan of Maxxis for off-road riding. I do have a pair of Maxxis DHR and DHF for my Specialized Camber 29er, which I plan to swap out after my Ardents wear out.
Fitted HRII’s to my hardtail build front and rear and I wouldn’t fit them again. Terrible braking traction - wheel judders as it begins to lock up between central lugs. Wanted nobby nics but couldn’t get any.
@@elslanedog1264 I swapped out my HRII for Minion DHR and DHF after they slipped on a downhill ride.
it depends on how you ride as to whether it makes much of a difference . i'm old (76 ) and ride on pavement and dirt about fifty fifty .
so , i buy any good quality tire that has a center ridge and knobs on the side . i've used Schwalbe , continental and some others and haven't noticed any appreciable difference . the tires roll nicely on pavement and are fine on dirt . i suspect the only time one will notice a difference is if you are the Kamakazi
downhill type .
it pretty east to get hung up on the arrangement of the knobs . probably more of a n art thing than practicality . ok yougins , flame alway at that rant 🔥
I use maxxis high roller 2 exo protection f&r I love the grip and handling of them
Nice. I use Blackburn 26" MTB tire from walmart. 👍
I’ve just changed from a Maxxis DHF to the Maxxis Assegai up front. Amazing confidence inspiring grip.
In combination with the fast rolling, playful yet grippy Maxxis Aggressor in the rear it’s my favourite combo atm. Before the Aggressor I’ve been using the DHR II for years.
Magic Mary's all the way! But I still prefer the old Verststar compound , instead of the new Addix Ultrasoft - it has better damping , the Addix is slightly woodier. Never than less - the best freeride tires at least for europian topography. Great video, thanks.
1) I'm running the Maxxis Assegai (29x2.5 3C Max Tera) in Front and Minion DHR II (27.5x2.4 3C Max Tera) in Rear. This is a mullet configuration for my most aggressive trails.
2) I'm running the Specialized Butcher (29x2.3 Grid 2Blis) in Front and the Maxxis Dissector (29x2.4 3C Max Tera) in Rear. This is the best rolling configuration for endurance race that take 4+ hours without giving up to much control of the cornering and trail handling.
3) I have also ran the Maxxis Dissector (29x2.4 3C Max Tera) in front and the Vittoria Barzo (29x2.25) in Rear. This is the fastest rolling configuration but you give up control of the cornering and trail handling with the Barzo in the rear.
For northeast usa conditions (rocks, roots, loam, mud mountain leaves) I haven’t found anything better than magic Mary/big Betty combo. These were an upgrade over maxxis, at least for me and how I ride.
Great video, I really like my Magic Mary & Big Betty combo. Both in soft compound super trail casing, perfect for my local trails.
How do I know if they will fit my Raleigh M800, 26 inch wheels?
Magic on the front and Betty on the rear right?
I was drawn to the DHF/R combo from stock Bontrager XR5 Team Issue. When the DHF/R wear out, I'm going back to the stock tyre for my bike. Generally more stable in all conditions!
Lucky, I have 2 set. For all around effeciency : Magic Mary, front and hans Dampf, rear. The other pair is for my local hard pack et rocky trails, for speed and cornering : Conti Der Kaiser, front and Maxxis High Roller 2, Rear, both are really fast rolling tires. Next try will also be Assegai front and Dissector rear.
Do you have a 2.4 magic Mary on the front and a 2.35 Hans damf on the rear?
I Have a DHF On the Front Of My CF Warden And DEFINITELY Found Another Level the Other Day 😎
I’ve always been a Maxxis guy. I think I’ll give the Magic Mary Super Trail a go on my front this Spring. (Switching out Maxxis DHF MaxGrip).
How you like it? I had a DHF, then Mary and now DHF again. I miss the Magic mary so much. Ill chnage back to it soon tho. It has sooo much more grip than the DHF(dhf was 3c max terra and magic mary was Soft)
@@andrei3720 I’m glad you posted this. I upgraded my Lyrik fork, bought a OneUp carbon handlebar and a few smaller things. As such I didn’t switch out my front tire yet as it had fair tread left. When I get home I’m going to order one. I’ll post back here in a month and let you know my thoughts. Thanks again - appreciate the info.
@@mrsmartypants_1 ill do my first ride on schwalbes today. Im excited after 1 or 2 years of beein on maxxis
@@andrei3720 Everyone is out of stock. I haven’t been able to score any so far. 🙁
Im with you on the magic mary, i had them front and rear on my old bike and i think they’ll be my new tires on my dh bike . My new bike came with the vee tires flow snap and i was quite surprised by them , awesome grip from a company we usually consider a budget brand .
WTB Verdict for grip on the front and anything with enduro casing going cheap on CRC on the rear. It's a rear tyre after all 😄✊🏻
Magic Mary and Hans dampf on my trail bike has been a great combo
agree with the flow snap verdict. They came on my bike stock and while the grip is excellent they are too heavy and slow for flat or uphill sections
I´m riding the butcher grid trail now for quiet some time - I need to admit... they take some time and get super awesome when they´re broken in.
First I was not so convinced - Meanwhile I love them a lot. I´d call my terrain foresty/loamy...
would really love to hear your opinion on the kenda hellkat, which is supposed to be similar to a magic mary but slightly better suited to dry conditions
I have Hutchinson Squale (rear)....and Continental Trail King (front)....very good !!!
I have used schwalbe and specialized tires on rear and I rip knobs right off and have had numerous tears on schwalbe, the only tire that has held up for me is maxxis dhf dd. I plan on using dhr2 next, thanks for showing.
I have the butcher t9 29x2.6 front and eliminator t7 29x2.6 rear. I agree the rear tire absolutely sucks on wet roots and rocks. Im loving the butcher up front tho 👌🏼
Great review 😉👍cheers for the help 🤘🇬🇧
I run magic mary 2.4 soft on front and and big betty soft 2.4 addix in rear but the new bime came with this set up in 2024 yet to have an Issue! Pretty good
For good old Scottish weather!
Magic Mary 7 days a week. Amaoury Pierron use ultra soft 2.4 in all conditions. Won in Lourdes in dry condition. And followed it up at Forth Williams in wet muddy, rocky and rooty conditions. Cant find a better statement than that. Only downside. I use ultra soft front and rear on my Levo. Rear tire dont last long. But after 150km i put the swap the front to rear. And new tire on front. Even without berms i can gain speed in turns.
I have to say, while the DHR II definitely is a good all around tire to be passable as a front tire, I just think Maxxis did too well of a job into making it a rear tire. It just wants to track exactly like a rear tire and washes out in the front and loses traction during braking exactly like skidding a rear tire.
As a rear tire, its profile always makes it counteract the forces you put on the front end, allowing the bike to rotate better. If you put such a tire on the front end of the bike, it starts to understeer at high speeds. Both the front and rear tires are essentially opposing the rider's steering inputs.
If it wasn't for COVID and the lack of availability of a ton of bike parts, I would have done it properly and put a 2.5 Assegai (or followed this video's suggestion and bought a Magic Mary) on the front wheel, but here we are I guess.
So you are saying MM front, Dhr || rear?
@@hannes6114 yeah that's the tl;dr version lol
I run rekon in the back and DHR2 in the front... very nice balance between rolling resistance/weight/ DH perfomances
Do You like the dhr 2 for loose gravel over hard pack? That’s my complaint about my current front tire. I just ordered one to try and if that doesn’t cut it I’m going full assguy
Soft Magic Marry up front and MaxxTerra DHR on the rear give no reason to fear
Very interested in Vee tires, but it’s very hard to get them.
Very helpful, thank you. I really like the WTB trail boss for the rear and Vigilante for front on my hardtail. I ride on mostly hard packed and rocky soil with some slick mud spots.
Video on tires for fat bikes?
Avoid DHR ll on special offer that are not DD casing for the rear, they tear too easily 👍. Currently on a DHF & Wild Enduro rear. Got them for under £50 each
Not sure I'd pick Big Betty over Hans Dampf on the rear. Seems like Betty is all about traction and cornering but not technical grip. Would put a Magic Mary on the back if I needed more than a Hans for some reason.
Hi i wana buy new tyre but ikd whic. Now i have quesstion is there difreance beatween 2.35 and 2.6 tyre
Love my T9 Butcher and T7 Eliminator combo
Magic Mary front and Hans Damph rear
Nope. BIG BETTY rear please.
Magic Mary front, dhr2 rear
Great combo
My combo for last season. Very pleased overall
Assegai/DHR2 is an incredible combo, so much control, but the DHR2 still has enough play in it that you can get it to do what you want, and rolls decently for a high grip tire. I DO NOT recommend an Assegai out back, way too slow
Vee Attack HPL vs Flow, which would be the front, which would be the rear tire for DH tracks (rolling resistance no issue)?
WTB ranger my pic front and rear... incredible traction regardless of pressure and they roll
Continental Argotal/ / /WTBvigilante in the front, Continental Xynotal// /Kryptotal in the rear. I have also tried many other combos with maxxis and schwalbe, DHRII in the rear works great except when its sloppy, Schwalbe Nobby nic in the rear was amazing but too difficult to install and uninstall, MINION DHF front is garbage, works great on the rear though, and wet scream was great in the mud and not too bad on an ebike.
DHR II front and rear works for me in almost all conditions. Thinking about trying out the michelin wild enduro in the near future as i've heard nothing but good things about those tyres.
That’s what I have on my Hightower but I would like a better rolling tire. What did you end up doing?
Assegai beats all other Maxxis tires if rolling speed isn’t a major concern.
For me I haven’t been impressed with Assegai grip even running it in MaxxGrip DD version despite all the hype. I like WTB Verdict way more for winter riding. I do judge tire performance and grip based on how they act on wet off camber roots and corners. Vittoria Mazza was better than Assegai and WTB Judge is even better.
The MM isn't a fit and forget option since you always admire the tires look and grip and sometimes think about the weight :)
Michelin Wild Enduro Front and Rear are great on tacky loamy dirt but not so much fun on loose over hard pack terrain corners
Kenda Hellkat front, Pinner rear.
Interested in this combo. Do u ride in the uk?
@@ab_mtb No sir. Southwest USA. The hellkat is best is blown out situations where the tall treads can reach deep. I tried running HKs front and rear and COULDN'T make the rear break loose, which is what I prefer. I'd imagine you'd be golden in the UK which an HK front and rear.
@@11leonidas11 thanks for the info
Assegai front and rear... nothing beats it for me.
Exactly!! And you can just select a harder compound for the rear and job done for more dry conditions!
@@rodrigopages1054 Yes, I have different casing and compound front and rear.
Like one of the most popular
maxxis front tire assegsi up front (like riding on rails)
And dissectior for reared fun :)
DHR II EXO 2.4 front, DHR II Maxx Terra 2.3 rear... nothing comes close for me, great grip, decent rolling resistance and the best braking stability of any tyre.
I have 23mm rims Cush Core Pro, I installed 2.4 Michelin wild enduro front and rear there is something about the tyre that makes the front utrn over when track standing and doing slow turns, I've only tested it indoors not taken it for a ride yet. Mabye it's the stiff cornering knobs, thread pattern too mabye, mabye cus it's 2.4 too. I ran Maxxis MaxxTerra c3 Exo Shorty, High roller 2 depending on conditions. But the Wild Enduro front felt better more predictable, smoother turning, front end felt less floppy. I have a Geometron G1 about 62 deg head angle, use 33mm stem, so direct and great steering and stable bike, but this front tyre seems like it will improve things alot. But I don't know why for sure yet. But I see the roundness is good, the all looks good on 23mm rims. I've tested this with both rear tyre inflated to 26 psi and tyre flat, no air, it still felt good on the front, I had 24 psi in the front i did not test with full kit on yet I am 72kg naked, so I might be few hundred grams heavier with clotching and foot wear, but 86kg last time I weihd in fully kitted but now I have a neck brace too, so probably 87 kg now, I will test fully kitted as soon as I am well enough to ride.
Hi - need some help to select the right gravel tire. I currently have the Bontrager GR2 Team Issue Gravel Tire (700c 40mm) - but get flats all the time (even when i ride on the normal street - 1 week riding - flat - 4 flats on the back tire, 1 flat on the front tire in the last 4 weeks). I got the Tannus Armour Tire Inserts - but that doesnt fix the flat problem. Can you recomment me another gravel tire (high puncture resistance!)? which one has the best quality and prevents flats Vittoria, Continental or WTB or something else? My terrain: Road and also some Offroad (forrest with gravel and fine sand). I would say 60% road, 40% offroad.
Do a review on a vittoria a mazza and Martello!
Alex has done a written one of the Vittoria Mazza: www.bikeradar.com/reviews/components/tyres/mountain-bike-tyres/vittoria-mazza-2-4-x-29-graphene-2-0-4c-tyre-review/
And Seb’s review of the Mota is here: www.bikeradar.com/reviews/components/tyres/mountain-bike-tyres/vittoria-mota-tlr-g2-0-29-x-2-35in-front-tyre-review/
It lacks a final scoreboard with the comparison. It would be a lot useful.
Thanks anyway.
I run a magic mary up front and an assegai out back. Its a bit slow but sticks like glue!
The video was very informative. Thanks
You guys totally missed the best combination in my opinion of course. Maxxis Assegai 2.6 Exo+ front, Maxxis Agressor 2.5 WT Exo+ Rear. For Arizona riding, dusty rocky terrain this setup is amazing.
Sounds great! Sadly the UK is rarely dusty, dry and rocky so we need something that works better for boggier conditions 🌧️ Thanks for watching!
Is EXO+ noticeably better than EXO? My new EXO Dissector cut between the tread after about 5 rides.
You should do a test of trail tyres with a maximum weight of 800g
You might just buy a road bike at that point
@@th_js you are a superior being, I excuse myself for being different than you. Sorry if I offended you, master.
@@MarcGibeault Haha no you didn't
@@MarcGibeault Just messing around
@BikeRadar In 27.5 inch world with my bike I cannot use too wide tyre, when I want to pair magicmary and dhr2 only available size is 2.4 inch front and 2.3 inch rear, will it work, not dangerous combination having different widths ?
So far I used the same tyres front and rear
Amazing lesson
good review , but i only gave a thumbs up because of the magic Marys, i run only Schwalbe on my bikes
Just switched from dhf to maxxis shorty up front for winter riding, pretty awesome rubber with loads of grip, maxxis dhr ii rear is ok but maybe i should downsize to a smaller width from 2.8 to 2.6
What kind of tires should I be looking for a hardtail that is usually used on hardpack terrain with some use on the trail in both wet and dry?
Look for cross country tires like continental cross king or schwalbe rock eater or sth. It's not worth for this use case to get trail tires as they all have quite a high rolling resistance and are made for off-road surfaces.
@@tomlademann2521 thanks for your reply
Plzz help. Whats the best tire for wet trail centers like bikepark wales. My maxxis minion dhf kept washing on the bends please recommend me better
Jealous of you getting out to the Golfie 😁 Hopefully it won't be too long before I can get back there.
Very professional teaching😍
Would you also mix brands (front and rear)?
I ride the Continental der baron in the front and on the rear I got the maxxis DHR
Continentals are the best but so difficult to install & remove I can't use them anymore!
Would you run MM up front and DHii outback even though they are different brands and therefore might spoil the look - or do most people not care about the brand symmetry?
Cheers
Nothing wrong with mixing tyre brands... it's all down to whether you prefer asthetics or tyre performance.
DHR II front and rear, front exo+ maxxgrip, rear DD maxxterra
Maxxis high roller 2 up front , maxis dhr rear , 3c compound .
Would you recommend a Magic Mary front and rear for winter?
That's what I've been running. The Magic's dig in amazingly well in wet and soft conditions, so I think they make one of the best winter tire set ups. They are still solid in dry and dusty conditions, but some other tires might have the edge when it comes to more hardpacked riding.
I got a Giant Faith 0 2010 just before Covid and the previous owner had a thing called a "Wildlife Leopard 26 x 2.7" on it that was so plastic that I would have been better off with a walmart street tyre.
I like Maxxis for the grip but hat that the bike world has turned its back on the 26" world so selection/size is relegated to that little pile of tyres in the corner under the tyre shelf.
If only I could still get a Gazzaloddi 3.0 to replace the 20+yo ones on my museum piece.. a Foes Weasel II (I only stopped riding when I got the Faith.
you can get custom dropouts to fit actual 27.5 tires on the 2010 faith.
stock dropouts are 442mm and 445mm. in order to fit 2.4 and above 27.5 tires, comfortably, you need to have a customized 450 dropout. just have them done well by the machine shop so that your rear doesnt become a superboost 🤣.
or if that is too much of a hassle, schwalbe still offers 26 tires. put 26 on the rear and 27.5 on the front for a mullet setup.
@@ridesafealways4929 Trouble is I just want to try a mullet as the increase of head angle wouldn't hurt... (Although it's a freeride it's only 66.8deg where current geometry is low 60's and I seem to oversteer corners a bit so it may all just work out.
I have a TRX-1 27.5 (28mm) rim I got from the local recycle centre and a friends near new NobbyNic 2.35 so I'll get a 12mm skewer and make some adapters, see how it goes... and see if someone makes an adapter if it plays out.
(On the walkthrough of my old Foes you can see adapters I made for the Boxxers to take the Magura 10mm hub... It's about time I dug the rubbish off my lathe.
@@TheButlerNZ i have a giant faith 0 2010 also, stock angle with 180 fork is 66.77.
using a dual crown 200mm fork will lower it by 1 degree. use also a -2 degree angle headset from wolftooth. use the long dropout 445mm to lower again by 0.5 degree. and finally use a 27.5 wheel front as a mullet setup to lower by 0.5.
that will be -4 degrees total. which will give you head angle of 62.77 degree. that is actually lower than the glory. 🤣
@@ridesafealways4929 Excellent stuff.... only I am about as mediocre as you can get on a mountain bike (for the time I have been riding) so I don't need anything as extreme..
What I WOULD like tho.. is a little less chatter from the sticky Totems and small 26".
I'm also not planning to spend a lot of money...
I got the Faith for $580NZD and with a cheap dropper (Zoom Tequila was all I could get that fit the small seat tube and my height and still gave 100mm and wasn't more than the initial cost of the bike) new shock (Debonaire worked well with semi lockout, I couldn't get a stem for the 5.1) and free hub and spokes... all came to ~$1200, Way cheaper than a similar spec new Giant (and it already had upgraded brakes, rear disk and derailleur).
Thankyou VERY much for the info. Highly appreciated.
(You can see my Faith in a couple of my rather crap videos... Well worn but with a set of bearings.. beautiful.. and the (ok old school) chrome stands out among all the black & pastel things out there currently.
Vittoria brand tire is definitely missing
Dhr II back and Assegai front.
not going back to anything else in the near future...
My Schwalbe tyre has stretched in last 5 months since a bought the thing, can’t even fit it on the 26’’ rim just slides off where as usually a tyre is tight well this is loose as n pops out when riding
Magic Mary front, Nobby Nic rear.
Só far the tyers I’m in love are Michelin wilds won’t try the Dh just because off the weight may give it a go at the Schwabe a magic Mary’s
Most people: don’t use Michelin
RUclips comments: everyone talks about Michelin
I run the wild enduro gum x front and rear a bit slow rolling but stick to the ground like spunk to a sock
How many riders out there have severel pairs of wheels and choose a pair on the day.
Better to have a few bikes for every season - weather condition, like me:)
Changing the wheels is a waste of time for me.
So no vittoria tyres