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Looking at the Slaughter rear, what would go well for a front?
Thanks 👍
The Eliminator 👌
If you never want to worry about your fronts grip again..... Hillbilly Grid ✌
I'm currently running a Hillbilly front / Ground Control rear. If we have another fantastic summer i'm thinking GC front / Slaughter rear.
I've got ground controls on my XC bike and I curse them every ride.
Actually, i'd probably go Eliminator front............
Butcher
I was running a slaughter grid rear, and butcher grid on the front all summer. Now it's supposed to be winter, hillbilly front, and eleminator, in fat bastard casing on the back.
I've been running the butcher and the hillbilly as front tyres. Both are good, the butcher is great in the wet, and I only really want the hillbilly when it's properly slick or loamy. I have just left the hillbilly on for the last 2 months though as I ride alot of muddy wet steep tracks and can't be arsed changing it all the time. I'd say the butcher is a better match for a slaughter though. The eliminator looks good as well, but I haven't tried it so can't really comment.
Uselesshippy, what do you think if the eliminator? How does it compare to a minion dhr 2 if you have used that? I'm tempted to try one as I need a new rear tyre, running a 2.3 hillbilly on the back is overkill!
Further to my post right at the start, the Eliminator is an incredible tyre and I've found grip in all but the sloppiest conditions. The tread really clears quickly (unless you cycle through a field that is essentially 110% clay) and just keeps the traction going. Given that they're usually a good bit cheaper than Schwalbe and Maxxis' offerings, I won't be running anything but the Eliminator (on the front at least), except for maybe a Slaughter come summer and Ard Rock.
I use a slaughter grid all year round on the back, of you commit to the corners the side knobs held on well. I currently have a Michelin Rock’r2 Upfront but will probably go for an eliminator next.
I've ended up with nothing but Specialized tyres. I've never had a bad one but I've decided a Grid casing is a bare minimum, even so I split my Slaughter wide open this summer.
The Slaughter is a funny one. I thought it wasn't as fast as it looked and lacked grip on the brakes so now I'm running a pair of Butchers which seems perfect for the half dry, half soggy not quite winter we're having.
The Hillbilly is a mint front tyre in the slop and loam. Every bit as good as the Shorty's I used to have. I'll have to try the Eliminator it looks like the best of both worlds.
I'm currently on 2.6's which are the biggest tyres I've ever had regardless of whether or not they measure up to the claimed size. I love the extra level of insulation you get, and I seem to ding the rim less often on rocky stuff.
like longmover, I use slaughter year round, but with a 2.6 Magic Mary up front, great combo. If you're one of these weirdies that must brand match, I'd go Hillbilly out front.
I've been running Butchers front and rear through the winter here in NZ, they have been superb, but its summer now and cant help but think I should be running something faster rolling in the rear. Slaughter or Purgatory, maybe Eliminator in Blck Dmnd, I'm a heavy bastard.
Butcher
Loving the 2.6 Hillbilly on the front, doesn't seem at all draggy and completely predictable in all conditions. Previously had a 2.3 Butcher on the front of the other bike and didn't get on with it, that's on the back at the moment where I'm much happier with it.
was stuck between the hillbilly and mary for winter. gone with the mary as its the same price atm.
Stuck a 2.6 Butcher on for the tail end of summer/autumn and like it so far. I'd say it's unobtrusive in a good way, i.e. seems to have done everything I needed without me noticing it. I haven't actually measured it but it looks about the same size as the 2.35 hans dampf it replaced (29mm rim).
Winter wise, I really like the hillbilly. I would say it's more towards the mud specialist end of the spectrum than the magic mary though, clears better. On North Downs clag at least, in an extreme case mine was still hanging on and gripping off camber whereas the mary on my friend's bike behind me had completely gummed up.
Never, ever had a Mary 'gummed up', 2.4 or 2.6, always shed really well, need to keep the speed up though, if your mate goes too slow, no tyre will clear.
Ive liked the butcher so far. going to swap it to the rear.
"Never, ever had a Mary ‘gummed up’, 2.4 or 2.6, always shed really well, need to keep the speed up though, if your mate goes too slow, no tyre will clear."
If you have the right (wrong) mud, it will! Chalky clay is probably the worst.
If it has to be Specialized I'd go for the butcher or hillbilly in grid casing, used controls a few years ago and they would pop at the 1st sign of rock. Personally it's either a Magic Mary or a Maxxis Shorty at this time of year, Minion DHF or Magic Mary in summer, although the trails in the north east are currently bone dry and dusty so any of the 3 above will be good year round, always go 3c on the front if its maxxis tho
Faur enough CGG, never rode in that southern mud!.
“Faur enough CGG, never rode in that southern mud!.”
Lucky you!
The Hillbilly 2.6 is a really really good 2.4” mixed conditions front tyre. Just as good as a Shorty 2.5 in the mud until it reaches its clogging up limit and better at everything else. Haven’t ridden a Magic Mary in ages but the Hillbilly is a little more open and the blocks are spikier.
I am curious about trying the Eliminator later in the year but the Hillbilly seems so good on the current dry-ish trails I may not bother!
I like the Butcher 2.6 on the back but have learnt I prefer tyres with more braking aggression on the front (like I like the DHF 2.5 but it doesn’t drop anchor as well as the DHR2).
I'm also loving the hillbilly, really pleased with it for winter riding.
Has anyone tried it all year round? In dry conditions?
I haven’t tried it year round but it was pretty dry in the Surrey Hills on Saturday!
Taken off the 2.4 Butchers that came on my Enduro for Shorty/DHR combo that I normally run this time of year. The Butcher's OK, but where I ride its steep and greasy and they were a little out of their depth