[slyfink]

The combo with the most top level enduro wins (multiple mega, Mt Hell, Super Enduro, French Enduro Series, Trans Provence, CWX, Enduro Nations) is 2.4 Ardent Front and 2.35 Larsen TT DH rear. Both run tubeless. As run by Jerome, Remy and a couple of other top riders with "other" tire sponsors. This doesn't mean its for you and there are more and more choices every season.

I had a look for those Larsen DHs, and they're very hard to find. Even the big on-line stores didn't have any when I was looking. It almost seemed to me that they are made and reserved for racers only...

 

[ZHendo]

any feedback on Conti's "Apex" sidewalls? After gashing 4 rear tires this season, I've come to the realization that I need a properly reinforced sidewall for my rear tires. I'm currently running a 2.35 full dh-casing HighRoller, but it's not a very good xc tire for the wet season here in the North East - I find it lacking in climbing ability over wet rocks and such. Which is fine, that's not what it's meant for.

So I am seriously considering a Continental Baron 2.3 Black Chili. I would have liked to try the Rubber Queen (Trail King), but I don't really want to go full 2.4 to get the Apex sidewall. And it seems the Baron has that sidewall. So... any experience with it?

I can provide lots of feedback - I have been on a Baron 2.3 up front and Trail King ProTection 2.4 rear for months now. I had the Rain King DH tires on my Nomad as my Whistler/resort tires for the last couple years and they were fantastic, so I opted to get the Baron as my all mountain tire. I have yet to have any issues with the Apex sidewall even after time at Whistler and Stevens Pass bike parks, but I also have yet to find issue with the Trail King. The Baron is narrower and lower volume than the Trail King, but you can feel that the Apex sidewall has more support than the ProTection sidewall on the Trail King.

In my experience the Baron is an incredibly predictable tire and does really well in intermediate/wet conditions. Its not a mud tire despite the DH version having previously been called the Rain King, and I've found that it shares many handling traits with my old Specialized Clutch SX tires while being slightly lighter and narrower. It doesn't pedal as well as the Trail King, but the traction is much more aggressive and the tread seems to be lasting better.

 

[Verskis]

If you want to avoid gashes, look for Protection sidewall. Apex is an anti-snakebite reinforcement near the bead, it wont protect the most gash-vulnerable area of the tire just below the sideknobs.

 

[djjohnr]

That's because the 2.35 has a much thicker, reinforced sidewall and like Jeremy said, the knobs are WAY blockier. They corner amazingly, and the durometer is a bit softer than the other versions.

How do they do in loose conditions - ie loam?

 

[djjohnr]

Just grabbed a set of the 2.35 WildGrip'r2 Advantages. Looks like they'll dig in fairly well due to the knob height, have a small side channel and two levels of "sipes" (not really sipes but not sure what else to call them) on the sides of the edge knobs that theoretically should allow for predictable break-away without folding over. Rubber feels somewhere between ST and 60d, actually pretty similar to Trailstar. Sidewalls feel plenty thick. Actual weight of both tires is 998 grams. I don't have calipers but a ruler measurement shows 58mm width at the knobs and 52mm at the casing. No ride time yet, it's pretty damn muddy here so it may be awhile before I know how they handle on anything dry.