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Hi all,
Been using Maxxis Ardents (29x2.4) for 2 years, originally in a bikepacking rigid bike. At first the tyres felt great, very balanced and versatile.
My riding kept evolving into what people now call AM or #ENDURO or hardcore trail or whatever, generally climbing step stuff and then going down aggressively. The wheel set now lives in a 150mm enduro 29er and meanwhile swapped to a Minion SS rear.
The thing is, I feel the front Ardent is really holding me back. The front keeps washing out in every sort of terrain, loose to hard, dry to moist. The rear has more grip and it's a fre@king semi slick!
Maybe my cornering technique is still bad or I'm still adapting to my bike's long front center.
Or could it be they just suck?
No, they’re crap. Cut them up into amusing belts.
They are odd, I've ran them as a pair and they are ok but a bit drifty.
Try a minion dhf 🙂
I think the 2.4 was supposed to be the best one, but yeah it's supposed to be more of an XC tyre and less of an aggressive cornering tyre isn't it? I've got a 2.25 and don't mind it for general XC stuff but wouldn't put it on for anything more fun, or for wet or loose or steep stuff by preference.
Pretty much my benchmark for a "meh, it'll do" tyre. My technique is far from perfect too though!
No matter what you want them to be they are a fast rolling trail tyre not that aggressive but great in the right conditions for something a bit more than xc. If you look at your minion ss it will haveore aggressive side knobs which help with cornering
What would you suggest for the front?
Minion DHF or High Roller?
supposedly they've changed the design but they used to have quite a marked bare strip between the central knobs and the edges - meant that they'd only really grip if you leaned them over quite a way and that's not always possible/everybody's style anyway
Great for XC & trail centre armoured trails, out of their depth on loamy stuff
Front, not for me. Minion DHF has been faithful up front for years for me. I run Ardents at the back though mostly in recent years. Not for xc duties, but something faster rolling than a HR2 which is draggy to me. Means I don't have to swap tyres for local pootle which might be a bit more xcish and copes on rear for rough stuff and loamy. I tend to slice them up easy though. Might try something else.
I always found that Ardents weren't too bad when new but by the time they were 50% worn then they would be practically unusable. Not like the Advantage which had a nasty grip, slip, grip again thing going on. I now use various combinations of Minion DHF/DHRII/SS and Highroller depending on which bike and terrain.
I use a 26" 2.4 Ardent on the back of my hardtail when it's not too wet.Paired with a DHF on the front It's reasonably quick and acts a fuse because it always lets go before the Minion. Putting it on the front would probably bring on the familiar scent of A and E.
I’m not a fan of an Ardent on the rear, let alone the front. DHF always on the front. I’ve had 2.25 and 2.4 on rear and each time I remember why I removed them - great for lightweight/ speed but anything off camber/ technical they let go comically. May of course be some bad technique on my part, but DHF, DHR2, SS don’t let go so easy...
Dhf 2.5wt or assegai if you want to be bang on trend
Dhr2 on the front for loose/dry summer riding, shorty when it gets muddy. Dhr2 in the back for winter, aggressor for drier times. No ardents anywhere near my bike thank you........
DHR2 front and rear, for everything.
CBA with faffing about and if they are a bit draggy it just means I'm getting fitter.
I don't mind an Ardent on the rear, it can be lively at times but fairly predictable. It's only wet fell sides that it's really out of its depth round here.
Summer
Dhr2 front... Minion ss rear
Winter
Shorty front... Dhr2 rear
Done
Main differences between DHF and DHR?
Kind of glad there is a remote possibility that I'm don't completely suck at cornering...
Main differences between DHF and DHR?
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/maxxis-minion-dhr2/4
Dhf is better as a pure out and out cornering tyre but the dhr2 has more grip under braking and rolls better imo.. There will be someone along who knows the real reason soon but that's my experience.
Main differences between DHF and DHR?
In my experience the DHR2 is better for braking and loose surfaces while the DHF is a bit faster rolling and possibly better in mud but needs cranking over more through hard corners. By the time my DHR2 is struggling a shorty is a better option than a DHF in my neck of the woods. The DHR2 is possibly a better tyre than the DHF for the less gnarly amongst us due to its more predictable behaviour in corners......
If in doubt DHF 3C on the front, a bit muddier go for a Magic Mary and be ready to sweep up the rubber that falls off, even muddier a Shorty. If it is cold avoid the softer compounds (3C etc.) and go for a Maxxis dual compound or equivalent (softer compounds perform poorly below about 6degC - there used to be a warning on the Maxxis german site).
Summer/dry = DHF on the font, Minion SS rear
normal conditions for where I live = DHF front DHR2 rear
Winter/ slop = Shorty front DHR2 rear
Thanks all
I think I'm giving the DHF a try.
Now, which size? Running Flow EX rims
DHF / DHRII on both bikes all year round for me - can't be bothered swapping tyres. They work well enough in all conditions for me.
I used to like the Minion SS in the summer and still do for rockier, hardpack trails but am not a fan of it on the looser, loamier stuff that I ride more these days.
Or, if your tyres don't have to match, give the Michelin Enduro Front a go.
Absolutely love mine as it just feels better everywhere when compared to the DHF or DHR2 (except maybe slightly slower rolling).
Stevied have you ridden a Mary, as the Michelin Enduro looks like it'd be close to that and wondering how they compare.
Stevied have you ridden a Mary
I have although a slightly used one. Not a patch on the Michelin IMO for the mixture of surfaces here on the Malverns. Yet to try it in the wet but I have high hopes as it's so good on everything else.
Cool. I run a Mary for FOD off piste conditions. The Michelin is definitely on the list of alternatives when it's time to replace. Not that I'm disappointed with the Mary, far from it, but always looking for 'more' 🙂
The Maxxis german site is back up, the bit about soft compound tyres in cold weather is still there. https://maxxistires.de/technologie/gummimischungen/
I think I'll go DHF 29x2.3.
I'm actually quite happy with the rear Minion SS. Very fast, grips well when you want (leaning) and slides when you want.
But curious about an Aggressor at the back anyway...
I tried Ardents in their 26" 2.35" flavour and disliked them a lot. I had a new bike turn up with steel beaded Ardents, I didn't even bother with them and went straight for something else.
Either a Minion DHR up front or a High Roller II if that's your thing, either way you'll still have a fast rolling bike but with some cornering bite.
Used 2.4 Ardents for a while - was the 3c version and think the softer rubber disappears quick, they still look OK but grip was seriously down.
Personally ( and like everyone else on here!) I would look at DHF, DHR2 - if you go DHF on the front the 2.5 is a better bet as the knobs are bigger, mud shedding netter and great in loose over hard stuff. DHR2 is a bit of a revelation when you get on the brakes though.....
I ran ardents f&r for a long time on every terrain but mostly off piste loam and mud.
Mates kept insisting that I would die. I didn't die.
They're rubber circles with sticky out knobby bits on them, very similar to other rubber circles with sticky out knobby bits on them.
They're fine.
I use Spesh butcher now but that's mainly an economic decision. 😉