[eric strt6]

Anyone have experience with these? Local shop has the 26x2.5 for $47 and they looked ok and the shop guys said they were running them but... I hate buying something and finding out its crap

http://www.pricepoint.com/Brand/Schwalbe/Schwalbe-Hans-Dampf-26x2-35-Tire.axd

 

[slyfink]

they're pretty popular to hate on in here, but the reality is they're decent all rounders for non-agressive use. if you like to corner hard, the side knobs will rip off in very short order.

 

[SkaredShtles]

The tread simply melts off these on rocky stuff. Sidewalls are pretty thin as well.

 

[HAB]

They're maybe okay for more moderate use, but the tread pattern is really, really poorly designed for hard cornering. Many, many better tires out there.

 

[eric strt6]

kind of what I figured. At 220 I would shed them in one ride.

So what would you suggest? Trek Fuel heavy rider, I like to fly down singletrack that is a mix of hard pack and rock gardens and at the same time I earn my way to the top by pedaling. Money is an object as I have to pass muster with SWMBO

 

[HAB]

Maxxis Minion DHFs. $40 each here.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

Maxxis Minion DHFs. $40 each here.

Talked to a rider who had one on the rear and an Ardent 2.4 up front. Both looked like solid tires with big knobs perfect for Pisgah. A set of one of those is on my short list.

I run 2.2 Ardents, which have smaller knobs than the 2.4, for the local flattish stuff that has a mix of hard pack, roots, and a few rocks. They can slide a bit under hard cornering, however they're very predictable, and controllable. On sandy hard pack berms I can get a mean two wheeled drift going.

Been on Ardents with tubes since 2011 and switched to tubeless this year. Big difference. You can run silly low tire pressure (25 psi) and it feels like riding on a pillow with traction.

 

[slyfink]

kind of what I figured. At 220 I would shed them in one ride.

So what would you suggest? Trek Fuel heavy rider, I like to fly down singletrack that is a mix of hard pack and rock gardens and at the same time I earn my way to the top by pedaling. Money is an object as I have to pass muster with SWMBO

I'm 220 also, and ride on the east coast so you know our Rox are gnarly (!). I got ahold of some of the very first Hans Damps that came to North America and they were better than what was available then (there were a lot of Nevagals around back then), but I tore off all the side knobs in about 6 weeks (that was the Trail Star compound). So I went looking for other solutions... I tried WTB Motos, Specialized Purgatory, Continental Mountain King, Rubber Queen, Michelin Wild Grip'R, WTB Vigilantes, and the latest incarnation of the Schwalbe Nobby Nic.

After all that futzing around with various tires, I went back to the Hans Dampf last year because they seemed to offer the best combination of weight, grip, cut resistance, volume, and I got them for a good deal from that German website (bikediscount.de). They improved the side knob strength, so they don't come off in 6 weeks. A buddy of mine who is quite the ripper got a whole season on them last year. My strategy will be to ride them when it's wet and muddy out, and swap to a fast rolling rear tire, and maybe a WTB Vigilante or Nobby Nic in the front. If I can get my hands on the Butcher Grid for a reasonable price, I might try that, or even a DHRII.

If your trails are even moderately dry, and you ride hard, my suggestion is to get one of those new-is-old slemi-slick with agressive side knob tires for the rear, with a reinforced casing. In 26" I think your only options are the Specialized Slaughter in DH casing, or Schwalbe Rock Razor in supergravity casing. I used a rock razor in Sedona and was surprised by the amount of grip they offered. Then when I came home, it was that muddy, snowy time of year, and I was surprised at how well they handled that too. What you trade off in terms of weight, you gain in rolling resistance, and with the reinforced casing you can not give two shits about rock gardens... Then run something meaty on the front like a Vigilante, DHRII, High Roller, Butcher....

ymmv of course, but that's been my experience.

 

[slyfink]

Talked to a rider who had one on the rear and an Ardent 2.4 up front. Both looked like solid tires with big knobs perfect for Pisgah. A set of one of those is on my short list.

I run 2.2 Ardents, which have smaller knobs than the 2.4, for the local flattish stuff that has a mix of hard pack, roots, and a few rocks. They can slide a bit under hard cornering, however they're very predictable, and controllable. On sandy hard pack berms I can get a mean two wheeled drift going.

Been on Ardents with tubes since 2011 and switched to tubeless this year. Big difference. You can run silly low tire pressure (25 psi) and it feels like riding on a pillow with traction.

The problem with the OG DHF has always been their width. That 2.3 comes out of the original mold, and actually measures in closer to 2.1. If they could make it a little wider (maybe they have, I'll have to look into it), it would rule the world once again.

 

[Quo Fan]

I switched to these from Nevegals, and haven't had any problems. I have ripped through the trails at Viet Nam in Mass, all over CT, upstate NY and Vermont. I tip the scales around 200, maybe a little more with gear. I did rip one of the side walls, but a tire patch has been holding for a while.

 

[CBJ]

Remember the Hand Dampf also totally changed last year from a trail tire to a enduro tire. The new is totally new.

 

[StiHacka]

They are brilliant for downtube protection.

I have not found any other useful application.

 

[maxyedor]

Call me crazy, but I actually liked my Hans Derps as XC tires. They're not good for railing ruts and nailing sluts, but I ran the 2.4s on my Carbine for a while when I was exploring a lot of new hard pack trails and in cruise mode more than shred mode and they were great. I got them from zee Germans, so being $45 for the pair didn't hurt either. I wouldn't recomend them for a level 7 shredder, but for an average dude riding an average bike, averagely, I dig them.

No clue which compound I have, the front is sticky, the rear is a little less sticky, but they held up pretty well, and although they don't corner amazing well, they're very predictable. My Minion DHF on the front right now corners great, right up until it doesn't, and it's way more sensitive to pressure changes, 3-4 PSI either way seems to take it from unrideable, to excellent, and right back to unrideable. The Derps were pretty forgiving when you forgot to check your tires before a ride. I really wish Maxxis would stick the Minion knobs on the Ardent 2.4 casing, that's the downfal of the Minion IMHO as an AM tire, the 2.3 is burly-ish, but skinny, and the 2.5 weighs more than my high-school girlfriend.

 

[rockofullr]

The Michey Wild Rock'r is a newer addition to the category of tires that don't suck. I haven't heard enough about them to buy any yet but I think I will replace my rear High Roller II with one when it wears out just to give it a go.

Talked to a rider who had one on the rear and an Ardent 2.4 up front.

Weird. I feel like he got his setup switched.

 

[HAB]

The Michey Wild Rock'r is a newer addition to the category of tires that don't suck.

I've got a lot of time on them, in both rubber compounds. They're on the heavy side, and only roll kinda okay, but the casings are tough, and they've seriously got the best side knobs out there. They aren't the best at clearing really thick, gooey mud, but aren't terrible or anything.

In short, I absolutely love them as a front tire for anything short of a full on slopfest (at which point I like the Shorty), but they're a little much for me to want to run in back. If you like the DHF as a front tire, they're like that but better.

 

[SkaredShtles]

The Michey Wild Rock'r is a newer addition to the category of tires that don't suck. I haven't heard enough about them to buy any yet but I think I will replace my rear High Roller II with one when it wears out just

Be advised - The Rock'r is NOT light. That said - I don't give a shit as long as I don't get flats any more.

 

[rockofullr]

I've got a lot of time on them, in both rubber compounds. They're on the heavy side, and only roll kinda okay, but the casings are tough, and they've seriously got the best side knobs out there. They aren't the best at clearing really thick, gooey mud, but aren't terrible or anything.

Be advised - The Rock'r is NOT light. That said - I don't give a shit as long as I don't get flats any more.

Anyone rode the Rock'r 2 yet? Is it any lighter since it's all "enduro" and stuff? The tread pattern looks pretty similar.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Anyone rode the Rock'r 2 yet? Is it any lighter since it's all "enduro" and stuff? The tread pattern looks pretty similar.

All my comments are regarding the Rock'r 2. I've heard the orig was not so great.

2 is 1000g.

 

[HAB]

Anyone rode the Rock'r 2 yet? Is it any lighter since it's all "enduro" and stuff? The tread pattern looks pretty similar.

Yes. I was referring to the 2, which is a completely different tire than the original.

 

[Full Trucker]

Isn't the answer always Minion DHF?

 

[eric strt6]

Maxxis Minion DHFs. $40 each here.

Isn't the answer always Minion DHF?

In this case it is. ordered them this morning. thank you very much

 

[Jm_]

F-you for starting this thread. I was finally getting some quality time on my RFX this morning at Tiger Mtn and slashed my Hans Dampf on a rock, about a .75-1" hole in it. Had to bandage it with a chemheater pack and rode out with a 29er tube in it.

 

[HAB]

F-you for starting this thread. I was finally getting some quality time on my RFX this morning at Tiger Mtn and slashed my Hans Dampf on a rock, about a .75-1" hole in it. Had to bandage it with a chemheater pack and rode out with a 29er tube in it.

Yeah, it's really too bad this thread exists, because nobody else has said anything bad about those tires on the internet before now.

Does Tiger Mountain mean you're in the Seattle area, or just some other TIger Mountain?

 

[Jm_]

Yeah, it's really too bad this thread exists, because nobody else has said anything bad about those tires on the internet before now.

Does Tiger Mountain mean you're in the Seattle area, or just some other TIger Mountain?

This Tiger Mtn:

Was here for this, screwed up my knee tho and my skiing plans dissolved, brought the bike tho...

 

[HAB]

Ed Force One flew by my office today...


How long are you around for?

 

[Jm_]

Ed Force One flew by my office today...


How long are you around for?

Leaving tomorrow afternoon, just enough time to lazily get breakfast around noon. Trying to squeeze another ride in is probably a bad idea: the curse of the Hans Dampf. Real fun trails, OTG and Predator.

 

[eric strt6]

Bummer about the tire. My tires shipped from SoCal today USPS, should be here Wed or Thur. Just in time for a Saturday morning break in ride

 

[Full Trucker]

The thin about Minions is that they might be heavy, but at least they'll roll slow. But you won't care because they're durable, and corner/grip like a champion.

 

[HAB]

Those 2.3 EXOs are about 750g. I can't think of anything lighter that holds up worth shit.

They are not the fastest rolling, I'll give you that.

 

[jstuhlman]

slow rolling averages out when you're not stopping every other ride to patch a flat or tear..

 

[SkaredShtles]

The thin about Minions is that they might be heavy, but at least they'll roll slow. But you won't care because they're durable, and corner/grip like a champion.

slow rolling averages out when you're not stopping every other ride to patch a flat or tear..

And this x1-billionty. I had the misfortune of Nevegals stock on my bike back int '10. I hated those tires. Sooooo many flats. I started making the joke at my local go-to trail that I had to pay the "Deer Creek Tube Tax" every time I went up there.

 

[Jeremy R]

And this x1-billionty. I had the misfortune of Nevegals stock on my bike back int '10. I hated those tires. Sooooo many flats. I started making the joke at my local go-to trail that I had to pay the "Deer Creek Tube Tax" every time I went up there.

Ha, the Nevegal is the only tire I ever flatted at 40 psi.

 

[StiHacka]

Hey, let's talk about Nobby Nic.

 

[HAB]

Hey, let's talk about Nobby Nic.

 

[Full Trucker]

Those 2.3 EXOs are about 750g. I can't think of anything lighter that holds up worth shit.

They are not the fastest rolling, I'll give you that.

Yeah but the ones I have aren't that... 29x2.5 are over 1,000 grams—over 2 pounds per tire. Fack! That said, I don't really like many tires under 800g for the same reason you stated... not a weight saver here was just making a funny.

 

[Jm_]

Bummer about the tire. My tires shipped from SoCal today USPS, should be here Wed or Thur. Just in time for a Saturday morning break in ride

To be fair, I don't think any tire short of a 1500g 4x intense DH tire from 2005 would have stood a chance. That rock was razor sharp and like obsidian. If anyone liked that rock, im sorry, I chucked it far from the trail.

I should be able to sew the little-hands Drumpf back together and put a patch over it to make it work again, I've done this before many times. The tire ended up a bit smaller than I wanted anyway, I have a Veredstien Bobcat in the rear and it's got the same or bigger casing with much more massive knobs. I'm going to move that up to the front. To finish my day of riding, I got a wtb vigilante tcs dual dna 2.3, which ended up much smaller than the rear tire. I'll probably swap it back and keep the schwalbe in reserve.

I remember one time last year when I was running my 1000+g 29x2.5 minions because I was lazy and didn't want to switch them back after a day of DH. We decided to take the road back like 10 miles roadie-style, following a Russian that didn't understand drafting+lack of a big ring and an XC guy on a 21lb hardtail. Mother of god, that was one of the worst things I'd ever experienced on a bike. To be at such a disadvantage compared to the other guys. Those tires take a toll over 20-30 miles and are just painful for big AM rides. I can also tell how they limit turning at speed compared to something a few hundred grams lighter on both ends. Great traction, especially on the road, great DH tires too, no brainer for that. Do not recommend for road riding.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

F-you for starting this thread. I was finally getting some quality time on my RFX this morning at Tiger Mtn and slashed my Hans Dampf on a rock, about a .75-1" hole in it. Had to bandage it with a chemheater pack and rode out with a 29er tube in it.View attachment 122066

View attachment 122068

View attachment 122069

Quartzite?

 

[eric strt6]

So USPS dropped a box of tires at my door. Damn I like the way they look on my bike. first dirt tomorrow morning

Minion left OEM Bontrager rght

 

[maxyedor]

Jesus, to think somebody at Bontrager actually designed that tire on purpose, some guy in manufacturing missed the April fools joke and made them, and then some asshole put them on a bike. even Nevagals aren't that bad.

 

[jstuhlman]

it's like someone dumped a bunch of leftover rubber scraps on the floor, rolled a blank tire in glue, and rolled through the scraps.

eric, you're gonna have a really good ride today. push into the corners! lean your bike! it's magic!