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First up, apologies for starting another thread about tyres but I figured it was worth asking about this before spending the money to find out myself.
Since building up a new chameleon 29er over the summer I’ve been riding around with some 29x2.35 speed grip Nobby nics (on 30mm rims if that makes any difference) front and back. I’ve been getting on reasonably well so far bar a few slightly slippy moments when venturing off into rockier trails than I get round my way. However I’m looking to get something slightly gripper set up for the wetter winter months and was wondering if anyone has any experience of how the new Hans dampf compares to the newish Nobby nics?
The easiest thing for me ok do at the minute would be to just go and stick a 2.35 Hans Dampf HD in soft up front and carry on with the NN I already have on the rear. However I’ve also been considering switching up to a 2.6 HD (only available in speed grip) up front and trying to squeeze a 2.6 NN on at the back.
My typical local trails are pretty sandy and don’t get too much sticky mud even when under a fair bit of water (for better or worse I tend to ride most around Thetford and Brandon forests) so if anyone has tried any of these combinations on similar trails it would be good to hear before I go shopping.
Volume is king! I am using the new HDs in 29x2.6 on my P7, they seem pretty nice. Have also run the NN in 2.6 on the front of my XC bike, also a good tyre.
If you can fit the 2.6 in the back, go NN rear HD front. Perhaps test with the 2.6 HD then if it doesnt fit just run it on the front 👌
So, we’re saying the extra girth will trump the soft and sticky rubber when it comes to extra traction?
I'm saying you want the sticky rubber first
The width diff isn't a lot
Sticky rubber if it's for grip on rocks I reckon. Bigger volume will ping off less though...
Where is the news Hans Dampf actually for sale? I had a look a few weeks back and could only find the old one - so bought a Maxxis dhr2. Means I’ve got one bike as dhr2 2.4 / dhf 2.5 then the other is Magic Mary 2.35 / Dhr2 2.3. Had thought it would be nice to have a Schwalbe on the back to match the MM but wasn’t to be at the time (having read bad reviews of the older HD).
A couple of the German stores seem to have them in stock now (both the 2.35 soft and 2.6 speedgrip); prices are quite a bit higher than you will pay for the old model but reviews seem a lot more positive so hopefully worth the extra.
https://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/schwalbe-hans-dampf-evo-addix-29-tle-folding-759136
Think I’ll probably just go with the 2.35 soft for now as that won’t leave me wanting to buy two new tyres if it looked like the 2.6 would actually fit in the back of the chameleon.
Had some decent time on the new 2.35 soft Hans Dampf now, really quite impressed with it.
Rolls well, brakes well, grips very well and doesn't mind a bit of slop (despite the close-ish spaced knobs).
Used the 2.6in Nic as a front tyre a lot over the summer, good in the dry - fast rolling and handles nicely, but lets go a bit unpredictably when it's muddy.
That sounds a bit hard core for Thetford forest !
That sounds a bit hard core for Thetford forest !
If you think that’s bad you should see the bike that the bike that the chameleon replaced. It might have something like 170mm of travel and didn’t get too many away trips in the last few years.
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