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Hi,
What should be the ideal FRONT tire? should it be folding or wired? With choices from Maxxis DHF, Kenda Hellkat Pro, Schwalbe Hans Dampf, WTB Vigilante and Continental Baron. Leaning on 27.5 x 2.3-2.4 tubeless. Any thoughts?
It depends on many things. Â Most/all of the tyres you list have several sub-versions with different carcasses and compounds.
In principle there's no reason a wire beaded tyre shouldn't be ideal but for marketing reasons you tend to get the cheapest compounds and constructions only in wire beaded form (exception for Downhill). Â Resultingly you more or less get pushed into folding if you want to choose the better options whether it is needed or not.
Your first real question is what sort of terrain you will ride. Â That will give you an indication of stickiness of compound and desirable shape of tread.
In very general, people tend to run softer compounds at the front and sometimes wider too although this is a bit old-school now. Â Most of the steering for a bike comes from the front with the back simply pushing in a straight line until it breaks traction.
The Hans Dampf is a good allrounder but not particularly great at anything. Â If you want one tyre for all occasions it's a safe choice. Â Trailstar is the usual front choice here. Â Vigilantes are similar if maybe more aggressive (and less likely to fall apart). Â The 'High Grip' is the typical front choice. Â The DHF is often run as a rear tyre, confusingly...
At the moment? Shorty
At the moment conti projekt baron.
Magic Mary is probably the best front tyre this time of year and rest of year
Specialized Hillbilly Grid 650b 2.3" for this time of year.
Specialized Hillbilly Grid 2.6.
Mega tyre.
one bike, 27.5:
wire bead WTB Vigilante 2.3 inch on 25 mm internal rim size:
excellent! Not easy to get the low cost wire version.
other bike, 29:
Hans Dampf 2.35 , TrailStar, folding, SUPER GRAVITY, Snake Skin, 1135 gram...
This super gravity version is very heavy and very difficult to get onto the rim (also 25 mm internal rim size)
Bike rides: excellent!
Maybe look for the TrailStar Hans Dampf - Schwalbe changes to "addix" compound and the "old" TrailStar Hans Dampf you little money right now (around 25 bucks instead of over 50. That's the reason I ended up with the "super gravity"...- this was the one they gave away for little money. But really wanted "TrailStar" / "SnakeSkin" version!).
Above posts, Magic Mary: great for wet conditions. But couldn't get this in sale.
Important: if you hate punctures ... there are always versions of the same tyre which are "better" or "worse". Example "protection" version of Continental Mountain King - or "SnakeSkin" with Schwalbe and, and and.