What tyres are available as an option for the front with the softest available compounds, but without the heavier casings?
I know Maxxis does the Assegai in MaxxGrip with EXO+ casing in 29x2.5. What else is there compatible?
I don't need double down, downhill, super gravity etc.
2.4 dhr2 maxxgrip exo is my standard front tyre, bloody lovely.
Oh, and DHF and DHRII are available too. What is comparable from Schwalbe, Continental etc.
Magic Mary Soft Super Ground
mine weighed 1.05kg in 29x2.4
Preferably above 2.4 width too
But a Mary soft is not super soft
Schwalbe do some excellent tyres in Trail casing (same weight as sxo+ roughly). Magic mary & Tacky Chan available in ultra soft. This time of year a Mary in trail/ultra soft could be the best front tyre going.
Contis are good but they really limited the combos. The only lighter casing is the trail but that only has the firm endurance compound. Enduro is not _heavy_ but the compound is also not that soft.
Oh and a Mary 2.4 is certainly as big as an Assegai 2.5.
I thought this might be an @joebristol thread to find out what to replace the front tractor tyre with!
What you’re asking for basically doesn’t exist, so it’s going to be a compromise somewhere.
Could also look at Specialized T9 tyres (softest and grippiest compound) but in lighter grid or grid trail casing.
They aren’t lighter casings, as per op request. So, no they aren’t.
Contis are good but they really limited the combos. The only lighter casing is the trail but that only has the firm endurance compound. Enduro is not _heavy_ but the compound is also not that soft.
The old Der Baron Project was a trail-level casing with Black Chilli compound that IIRC is enduro-softness. That's the combo they don't do in the new range.
@ben_haworth has a durometer, can we have a tyre group test to end all tyre threads please?
I didn't mean to start an argument about what is light, or what is soft, but it is kind of inevitable with the stupid naming logic used.
EXO or super ground strike the right balance for strength/weight on the front for me.
A Mary ultra soft could well fit the bill, if I accept 2.4. Shame there is no 2.6.
and shoe soles
edit. the durometer
I have an Assegai to try again once my current Mary is worn, which I hope will be the spring to conincide with dryer weather. If that Maxxis lasts ok I might try a DHRII after that.
Very happy with Kryptotal Rr Enduro at the back... I wonder about a 2.6 in the front?
The Specialized T9 Grid Trail tyres are properly sticky (stickier than Addix Soft or MaxxTerra) and the casing is nicely damped but pretty light and fast rolling. The new Hillbilly is a bloody amazing front tyre - it’s like the magic old Baron updated for harder hitting bigger wheeled bikes.
“@ben_haworth has a durometer, can we have a tyre group test to end all tyre threads please?”
The best sticky compounds manage to have more grip than their durometer reading would suggest, because they’ve been designed to rebound slower, so they grip well without being really draggy or squirmy.
Yeah, likewise conti rubbers tend to give misleading durometer results too as they're less outright soft but full of magic chemistry. Which I <think> more or less just means "loads of carbon black and silica". Not that durometer results can't be interesting but they're far from a measure of grip.
northersouth
They aren’t lighter casings, as per op request. So, no they aren’t
Not that the OP specified that, he just said not Double Down, but yes, the DHR Exo MaxxGrip is Maxxis' lightest trail casing, there are three heavier versions, and it does exist
https://r2-bike.com/MAXXIS-Reifen-Minion-DHR-II-29-x-240-WT-3C-MaxxGrip-TR-EXO
What kind of riding, conditions and/or location are wanting this tyre for?
And why the width or is it more the 'volume' that you're after?
The old Der Baron Project was a trail-level casing with Black Chilli compound that IIRC is enduro-softness.
That was a cracking front tyre for properly schloppy and nasty slides mud riding.
WTB Verdict light/high grip?
*fist bump*
Good to meet another member of the Verdict fan club. Feels similar to an Assegai Maxxgrip but still works great in mud IME.
The Vigilante is really good too.
Between those and the Specialized T9 Grid Hillbilly and Butcher, I think I have all my front tyre needs covered now.
T9 grid trail butcher or hillbilly sprung to my mind for proper soft and reasonably light.
Highlights the issue of weight though - a Light casing WTB tyre will be heavier than/same as say a Trail spec Schwalbe which is middle ground for Schwalbe. And a trail spec schwalbe is lighter, and arguably tougher than an Exo+ Maxxis. Specialized are making some genuinely light soft tyres as mentioned with the Gridtrail T9, but the range availability tends to be a total crap shoot with availability of each combo seeming random at any time.
Just put one these front of my Swoop (27.5x2.6 version) and it's ace. Sounds like it's what you need.
Did have to buy it from Germany though as they don't bring them here. Think it's only worth while if you buy a few.
Light/high grip WTB Vigilante is perfect on the front imo.
They improved the sidewalls on their light casings a few years ago and they're now comparable with EXO. I have one on the front of my hardtail, and it's great all year round.
I also run a heavy casing one on the front of my fully rigid Stooge (my thinking is that it needs to have stronger sidewalls on a rigid) and tbh that's great too. Not noticeably more draggy, and very confidence inspiring.
I've just fitted one of these but not tried it yet. Heavier than I would usually go for at just over 1kg. Guess it depends what your definition of lighter is.
https://www.merlincycles.com/michelin-wild-enduro-gum-x-folding-front-mtb-tyre-29-150343.html
There is a grippier magi-x version for £35 but not sure if it weighs more or less.
I still want someone to test out the new Purgatory in T9/T7 combo for me - anyone done that yet?
