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I've got the last generation of the Voodoo Bizango (the orange one). Currently I've got a 2.5" Assegai WT on the front and 2.4" DHR Minion II WT on the rear. They are great especially on descents, but more tyre than I need as the bike really only gets used on local paths and trails, so I want something a lot lighter. I'm currently thinking 2.25" Racing Ralphs. Is this a good choice or should I be looking at something else?
Yes to Ralphs. Also consider Vittoria (Barzo, Mezcal) and Bontrager xr2 or xr3.
Check out Bonrtager tyres.
I've used Vittoria for the last 5 years but since moving from the North Downs to Brighton at Christmas I have suffered a lot of punctures on the sussex flint. Following a terminal puncture I popped on a BonedraggerXR3 which has a similar tread but is over 100gm lighter. I wasn't expecting it to last long but I haven't had a puncture since (riding just about every day) !
I recently went less gnar on the rear after recommendations on here and ended up with a 2.25 Nobby Nick, with Magic Mary upfront. Just back from Bike Park Wales and it was great and rolled much better than the previous Hans Dampf.
Bontrager XR2. Used them on several bikes and work well
Had similar recently. Was running a DHF front and a DHR back and it felt a bit overkill for local trails. I stuck the DHR on the front and now running a 2.35 Ikon on the back - feels very much quicker but still a decent amount of grip.
Thanks everyone, that's really helpful. Those XR2s look really light, I'll look into them.
Maxxis Ikon, or Recon Race. Unless its muddy.
yup, bontrager...
so simple to understand.. se for the heavier carcass, xr or lighter.. then the higher the number basically the more gnarly...
i put an xr 3 and 2 on my hardtail and was blown away
Conti Racekings Protection 2.2 630g
Nobby Nics have really surprised me with their all-round ability. Not much slower than the Ralph Ray combo they replaced.
I used to love Specialized Purgatory back in the day.
Another vote for Nobby Nic/ I was unsure when others said it was almost as fast as a Racing Ralph... it is true!. Great tyre and way way more grip than a Racing Ralph. The new Schwalbe Wicked Will are also light and very fast.
Rekons are pretty light for the grip. In 27.5 my 2.8 front is 800g and the 2.6 rear 750g. A good trail combo in the dry.
Vittoria Barzos are suiting me for up to blue stoney/forest trails. Like you, I found the Maxxis pair it came with to be far too much tyre for my needs. The Barzos were very reasonably priced, too.
I've got a Ralph/Ray combo on my Scalpel HT, very happy with them. Also got Wicked Wills on the Jeffsy, and they are just amazing. Light, grippy and very fast rolling.
I'm currently on Conti Cross King protection front and Race King protection rear, both light and plenty grippy enough for typical XC duties and the like.
I swapped from DHF/DHR to Barzo TNT's.
IIRC, they were half the weight & have made a huge difference to the ride & no noticeable drop in grip. I've just ordered a bigger chainring as I'm nearly always in the wee cogs on the back now.
Just swapping out the dhr for a rekon will make a big difference
Have Maxxis discontinued the regular Rekon? Can only see the Rekon Race on their site now. (Need a new set of 29x2.6 tyres)
I’ve found the continentals pretty fast. I use cross king, but I think race king etc are all similar. Usually reasonable cost in pure grip from r2 bike and similar
I picked up a rekon exo 3c max terra in 27.5x2.6” recently. Never had an issue with tubeless but holed it today - running 22psi with a rimpact in it. Managed to fix it with an anchovy - will see how it does the next few rides.
I ran an exo+ rekon last year in 29er 3c exo 2.6” and gave it a fairly hard time at BPW / Risca etc with no dramas. So it depends what you ride but today was just the local woods in the pouring rain so it wasn’t massively fast but hit a rock I think.
So I’d suggest not going too light personally.
If it's lighter that your after, Wolfpack Cross and Speed come in at 1340g for a 2.4" 29er pair, or, if your brave enough, a pair of Speeds will be 1280g. That's pretty light for 2.4".
I’ve got a Ralph/Ray combo on my Scalpel
Yep. Great combo. Although can I hellfire figure out the different compounds from Schwalbe.
One of the great mysteries of space and time.
I really rate the Specialized Eliminator, T9 compound up front and T7 on the rear.
I’m happy with Nobby Nics. Wife likes her wolfpacks, which seem nicely made
Yep. Great combo. Although can I hellfire figure out the different compounds from Schwalbe.
Mine is as it came from Cannondale, a Ray on the front with a blue stripe (Speedgrip) and a Ralph on the back with a red stripe (Speed). Seems to work.
Left to right, hardest to softest. Mystery solved.
Have Maxxis discontinued the regular Rekon? Can only see the Rekon Race on their site now. (Need a new set of 29×2.6 tyres)
R-2bike have them at a decent price. Just got a 2.4wt rekon reckon to go on the back of my bfe max with a dhf upfront. I find that the compound makes just as much different to rolling speed that's why I've gone for the dual compound over 3c
I have a rocket Ron front and racing Ralph rear. Noticeable lighter than knobby NICs and considerably cheaper than Barzo Mezcal mix
Thanks everyone, I went for a pair of Bontrager XR2 Team Edition and tried them out today. The bike feels lighter and rolls much more cleanly. It also weighs in 900g lighter than with the Assegai/DHR2 combo.