Going "downcountry" for tyres?

I used to run that combo on the grid carcasses - they were okay.  I’ve since switched to Bontrager offerings.  I’d be looking at the XR4>XR3 front and maybe XR2 rear.  I run paired XR2 2.4s in the summer in the UK.  They are around 700g a tyre in the best compound and are usually quite cheap.

The newer maxxis forekaster fits this niche, as well. You could also run the Dissector on the front and put a rekon on the back - this is how my Spur was specced from the shop. Like Daffy I have Bontrager XR4s, which are decent all rounders.

finally made the move of a lifetime and have left the West Country for Nelson, in New Zealand

Nothing to add re tyres but much jealousy about the move!  Lovely spot

I like Bontrager tyres, available in a range of casings SE (tougher) / XR (lighter) in a really easy to understand range of 1 - 5 with one being fastest and 5 most aggressive.

I have XR3 front and XR2 rear.

(current UK conditions are foul and the XR2 rear won't be great).

Can't wait for UK hardback to try XR2 F&R or 1 rear.

I have a pair of rekon exo on my spur. Whilst they are lovely and fast, grippy enough in the dry, they are not great on the steep and off camber. Rear brake on steep descents becomes pretty useless and anything apart from bone dry and off camber singletrack can be interesting. My mate has a pair of forecasters which look like they would work much better. I also have an old minion ss that i might try on rear for side grip (fair bit heavier though), and dissector up front

again the bontrager range

have used xr3 and 2 combo which was good in the dry, and the se4 and 5 when it was sloppy, new bike came with xr4s front and rear so i think my summer riding will be xr4 front xr3 rear simply just because the 4 really does have a decent amount of extra bite for when you really need it

Just on the rekon exo I found one I tried quite fragile. It’s one of only 2 tyres I’ve ever damaged and it was only in the local woods which is more rooty than rocky. Put a hole right through the middle of the casing and it wouldn’t seal. The exo+ version I ran seemed a bit tougher and still fast rolling. I’d say fine to run one on the back (maybe with an insert) but I wouldn’t run it in the front. You’d could stick your dissector on the front instead.

Has anyone mentioned the Bontrager XR range yet? My Occam haS XR4s front and rear, with the newer one on the front.

My hardtail 29er has XR2s F&R but in skinny 2.0 flavour.

I'd look at what the locals are using, plus no point us recommending something you can't buy there.

You could always swap the Dissector to the front and run a Rock Razor on the back for something quick rolling, but with a bit more outright grip.

I still find it slightly bizarre the way that downhill tyres seem to be the new uk 'trail' tyres. I can't help thinking that there are an awful lot of riders getting nowhere near the capabilities of their tyres, but still dragging all that extra weight and rolling resistance around with them.

One of my riding mates is/was convinced that he'd lost huge amounts of fitness. I suspect it was more to do with the downhill casing, super tacky compound rubber he insisted on running, but each to their own.

Rekons or Wicked Wills work well for me as an all rounder trail tyre at least in the dry(ish). Doesn't even have to be anything to do with Down country. But in 29 I use 2.6 front (and 2.4 rear).

Like many I have been guilty of over tyring for my needs over the past few years, perhaps influenced by fashion or trend for Enduro type tyres.

But I have taken a step back to realise that a more balanced tyre offer huge traction and lateral grip without weighing 1.2kg.

You could also run the Dissector on the front and put a rekon on the back – this is how my Spur was specced from the shop

My 2023 Spur came with this set up, so far it seems good for dry UK weather (Spur hasnt been used since August/September 23 due to weather!)

Why don't you ask the locals?

...they won't bite.

Maxxis ikon rear, recon front.

Been running Hutchinson Griffus 2.5F/2.4R all winter on one bike. Every ride had moments where I cursed their drag and then others where I praised their grip when they saved me in sketchy moments. With spring on the way, I'm definitely putting a Wyrm on the back at least though. Hopefully get the best of both worlds.

On my other bike, I've just fitted more Hutchinsons - Wyrm 2.4 front and Kraken 2.4 on the back, both Hardskin/Racing Labs. It was such a joy the first time I went out on these after a winter on heftier enduro tires. The Kraken has more obvious traction limitations, but still decent volume and strong casing without being too heavy. The whole ride felt like I had a strong wind at my back wherever I went though. Such fun after months of grinding away every ride.

I'm using Hutchinson Wyrms front and rear, seems great so far. Also had a lot of time on a pair of Krakens which were a bit 'fast' for me up front, then a Griffus front Kraken rear which I preferred pre Wyrms.

The Wyrms even say Downcountry on the packet 🤣

Yeah, Wyrms seem really good, D-word and all. A fair bit more grip than the Krakens, but still roll fast.

Thanks for the feedback! Most locals are running bigger rigs than me and doing steeper gnarlier stuff so Assegai and dissector or the new Kryptotals seem to be faves - but on a shorter travel rig they are definitely too much.

We have most tyres here though the Hutchinsons are harder to get. Forekasters seem a good bet but are very pricey.  Specialized tyres are much better value than any other offering which is why I asked the question. Lots of Butcher/Eliminator combos on bigger travel rigs and bikes, but very few seem to be trying the downcountry/light trail options.

No idea on the ones you mention. My Canyon came with 2.4" wicked will on the front and a 2.3" racing ralph on the back. That works well in all but the worst slop. Left them on for pretty much everything that wasn't a race where I went for Barzo/Mezcal.

Grip would be fine but it depends on rocks etc. In the NE UK I'm not too worried about sharp rocks destroying tyres as it tends to be dirt/loam/mud.

At one point I had Agarro s on my hardtail, I really liked them. At the slow and heavy end but grippy and robust.

Thanks for the feedback! Most locals are running bigger rigs than me and doing steeper gnarlier stuff so Assegai and dissector or the new Kryptotals seem to be faves – but on a shorter travel rig they are definitely too much.

I used to run a Ground Control front and Ardent rear for similar riding. Or keep it simple and whack some Ardents on both... 2.4 up front.

Specialized - I've found new Purgatory rear and Purgatory Trail front, in GRID casings and T7 compound surprisingly fast rolling. £60 for both as a billy bargain. I've found the Ground Control prone to pinch flat/sidewall cuts, but that was Control casing.

My experience of Spesh tyres is one of very thin sidewalls.

Hard to work out what would be similar to an EXO+ or a DD equivalent.

I would just go up to EXO+ rear and EXO front. Not too flimsy, but also OK to pedal around for long rides. Then you can keep the tread patterns youre used to?

On my last trail 29er i had a 2.25 purgatory up front back in the day. I worked in a bikeshop so got spesh tires super cheap, less margin on others. I Did like it. More recently (when margin doesn't matter) that bike switched to 2.4 ardent and I'd use those again. Felt less draggy to me.

If Hutchinson are too hard to get, I'd just go with a pair of Wicked Wills

My "DC" EpicEvo came w Spesh Groundcontrol Front, and FastTrak Rear. This works really well on dry hardpack on the SDW. I run a nobbynic on the back for winter slop
I think Spesh are putting GroundControls front and back with current Evos.

I run a pair of Ground Controls all year round. Excellent all rounders. Get the T7 version (at least for the front). IME, they're tough/grippy/fast enough and fit fairly easily. Plus, they're substantially better value than many other brands. Might be tempted by a Fast Trak rear if such a thing as summer ever approaches these shores.

The Gen 2 Forekasters are really good.

I'm nearly always using tyres that are a range lighter/faster than all my riding mates, never struggled for grip but consistently o the lightest and easiest rolling/fastest climbing bike!

(I suppose just as I tend to err on the shorter travel side, I find it's better to have the bike/tyres for the riding you actually do, not what you think you do.)

It depends on the rockiness for DC tyres…

Wicked Wills are a good compromise between speed and grip, plus they do them in a 700g-ish version.  Used them for 2 weeks in Madeira and only got one flat when I ****ted a too-soft rear on a rock in the east side trails.

Fast Traks/Ground Controls good if less rocky.  Plus they are half the price and last for ages.

Totally agree on the trail tyre weight problem, I used to run Snakeskin Hans Dampfs on my trail bike but they don’t mak them any more.  The super trail/ground are about 200g more per tyre.  I found a few NOS snakeskin ones on eBay so bought 4 of them!