Schwalbe Hans Dampf 29er is a solid, large volume 29er tyre.

The Hans Dampf is a full 2.35in wide and uses the same tread pattern as the 26in version. A combination of large shoulder knobs that can really be leant on in the corners and prove reluctant to give up traction too easily. When they do let go they drift controllably. That allows you to really lean on these tyres in the corners, and that inspires confidence.

A couple of rows of widely spaced square knobs along the central section don’t make for the fastest rolling tyre, but there’s loads of traction when for straight line braking into corners, and equally when you get on the power out of corners. A row of angled knobs form a smooth transition from upright to leaning over.

Chunky tread pattern finds high levels of traction on all sorts of trails.

The downside with these tyres is their weight, but they’re right on the money for an all-mountain tyre of this style. They hit the scales at 860g. They’re available in two rubber compounds, PaceStar and a softer TrailStar. I ran the latter on the front and together this proved to be a good combination. The front tyre is noticeably tackier and finds huge amounts of traction when you’re piling through rocks and over roots.

The Hans Dampf is a very good fit-and-forget tyre. I’ve been riding them through the winter where they coped well in most of the mud, with the occasional drift moments. And on the last couple of dry rides, now that spring is here, they come alive on the drier trails. Ideal for those who can’t be fussed with changing their tyres all the time. The name stands for jack of all trades so it’s spot on really.

Huge 2.35in volume.

All Schwalbe tyres are tubeless ready and on a set of Mavic CrossMax ST wheels they popped up onto the rim with the first stroke of the pump. I’ve added some sealant and they’ve been running just fine for the time I’ve had them.

Durability has also proved good. I’ve run them at 20psi, they offer phenomenal grip at this level, and the reinforced Snakeskin sidewall shows no scars of being pummeled. the blocks are showing a good wear, the harder compound of the PaceStar handling the abuse the rear tyre is submitted to.

I summed up the 26in tyres as “fully capable tyre for a range of conditions, with incredible grip whatever the trail throws your way.” Riding the 29er version for a few months over the winter, my mind hasn’t changed. There’s a growing number of wider aggressive tyres for 29ers, the Hans Dampf is a top choice.

Verdict

The perfect tyre for the growing market of long travel aggressive 29er trail bikes.

Price: £49.99

More information: Schwalbe Hans Dampf 29er

What Schwalbe says:

For a perfect trail ride. Everything has been tuned for control and maximum riding fun. The tread functions with absolute poise and is well behaved in every situation like difficult terrain on singletrack. Grippy TrailStar compound or faster rolling PaceStar as an option for the rear wheel. Light and robust SnakeSkin sidewall. Easy to fit Tubeless Ready. Enjoy the Flow.

Yup, it’s an inner tube. If you’re still running tubes, it’s the most important component on your bike

The torus-shaped Butyl rubber hoop has been in use for over a 100 years and, despite improvements to tubeless technology over the past few years (wider choice of tubeless tyres and rims) many people still prefer the simplicity of the humble inner tube. There’s no faffing with getting tyres to seal, no spilt tubeless sealant over the garden patio: just pop an inner tube in the tyre, inflate and ride. Easy.

The Maxxis Welter Weight tubes are made from 0.9mm Butyl rubber to give a good balance of weight and puncture resistance. Maxxis market the inner tube at ‘aggressive riders’ and while lightweight isn’t high on the agenda, at 200g they’re a fair chunk lighter than a regular tube at 250g. But importantly they’re noticeably thicker than the cheap-and-nasty inner tubes that are very often fr toitted to brand new bikes. So you could save 100g on both wheels with a pair of these inner tubes. If you’re concerned about weight though, you’re probably tubeless already.

At 205g the Maxxis Welter Weight inner tube strikes a good middle-ground.

Assessing an inner tube isn’t the easiest task in the world. There are so many variables that can influence your risk of a puncture. A lot can come down to riding style, terrain, tyre pressure and, sometimes, pure luck. No inner tube (except a downhill tube) is immune to pinch flats and thorns, but the Welter Weight’s have impressed.

I’ve been using the Welter Weight tubes, paired with Schwalbe Hans Dampf tyres, for a good couple of months now, and I’ve not had a puncture in that time. If you need some good quality inner tubes for your 29er, these are worth consideration.

Verdict

As good as inner tubes get.

Pros

High quality

No punctures…so far

Cons

A bit pricey

Price: £5.99

More information: Maxxis Welter Weight 

What Maxxis says:

Maxxis Welter Weight tubes are engineered for aggressive riders who require durability in their inner tubes. The middle-weight tubes in our line are targeted to all disciplines of riding.

What tyres for deepest mud? Image: Jason Rogers via Flickr

Tyres make a huge difference to how a bike rides. At this time of year, when the trails are permanently covered in a thick layer of gloop, tyre choice becomes even more crucial. To help out, here’s our pick of a baker’s dozen of the best tyres for mud.

As the wet weather takes a firm grip of the country, now is the time to remove those fast summer tyres, pack them away in the back of the shed for the winter months and invest in a set of new winter-specific treads.

Fortunately, there’s plenty of choice with nearly every manufacturer offering at least one tyre designed for use in the mud. What we’re looking at here are tyres designed specially to excel in the most extreme of conditions, with the sole purpose of finding traction where regular tyres will struggle and fail.

Mud tyres typically have tall pointy spikes that push through the top soft layer of mud to find something harder beneath to bite into. Lots of space between the blocks ensures they clear easily and don’t clag up, turning your previously knobbly tyre into a slick.

They style of the knobs, their shape, size, layout and spacing on the tyre’s carcass varies from brand to brand. Not all mud tyres are created equal, but they are pretty similar.

The nature of your local trails has an influence on the type of tyre you choose. Wet, loose, sloppy conditions might suit a slightly wider tyre run at a lower pressure, while claggyclay trails will suit a narrower pointer tyre run at a higher pressure.

Most tyres are offered in 26in and 29in sizes so whatever side of the fence you sit on, you’re well catered for. And if you’re riding 650b, your choices are limited, you trend-setter, you. The only one we know of is the Pacenti Cycles Quasi-Moto 650B. There’s rumours of Michelin 650b mud tyres, and we’ve heard other tyre brands are quickly developing new moulds.

Schwalbe Dirty Dan

Shwalbe Dirty Dan is a classic deep-block mud tyre

The Dirty Dan has two weapons in its armoury to help it deal with the mud: tall blocks and a soft, tacky compound. Those angular knobs chew through the mud and the soft compound sticks to rocks and roots giving good grip. Generous spacing between the blocks ensures good clearance when it gets claggy. The only downside is the high 920g weight.

More information: Schwalbe Dirty Dan

Maxxis Beaver 2.0 x 29 £35.99

Maxxis Beaver. Titter ye not.

The Maxxis Beaver uses a tread pattern with well-spaced square knobs that has made it a hit with 29er riders seeking a good winter tyre. It’s one of the best 29er mud tyres out there at the moment, and their weight of around 470g each keeps the rolling weight to a minimum. A dual compound rubber improves grip and helps them deal with changeable terrain and conditions. Originally designed for 29ers, it’s no available in 26in size too.

More information: Maxxis Beaver

Bontrager XR-Mud £32.99

Bontrager XR Mud

Available for both 26in and 29in wheels (as the 29-Mud TLR for £36.99), with the former coming in either 1.8in or 2in widths, the Mud uses a classic and simple square shaped knob tread pattern. Generous spacing between the knobs encourages mud to shed easily, while the central section gives reasonable rolling performance with little drag.

Bontrager use a proprietary tread compound that’s mud-specific, so it’s a little softer than usual. Downhill World Cup racers are fans of customising their mud tyres with a sharp knife, and Bontrager even go as far as saying “trimmable knobs for custom performance” so there’s scope for personalizing the tread pattern for your particular style of riding or terrain.

More information: Bontrager XR-Mud

Geax Gato 29 x 2.3 £30.99

Geax Gato 29er

The Gato has been updated this year with a new 29er carcass and huge 2.3in width – the choice of wide 29er tyres is currently limited and this is one of the few. It’s described as being suitable for wet and loose conditions and has tall wide siped knobs with a paddle orientation along the central section. They’re well spaced out to do that tricky job of finding grip and not clogging all at the same time. A folding bead gives an all-up weight of 690g. A heavier (850g) non-folding version costs £18.99.

More information: Geax Gato 29 x 2.3

Michelin Country Mud £13.99

Michelin Country Mud: a grippy mud bargain, but quite surface-specific

Michelin simplified its range last year and the Country Mud is its sole mud-specific tyre. It’s more of an all-rounder tyre than many of the others here, with wide paddle central knobs surrounded by smaller angled blocks.

It’s a 2in width tyre and weighs a reasonable 590g for this wire bead tyre, which does keep the price down if the weight is a little higher than Kevlar beaded tyres.

More information: Michelin Country Mud

Specialized Storm Control 2Bliss Ready £29.99

Specialized Storm Control

Specialized’s offering uses a soft rubber compound do that it doesn’t come unstuck on wet roots and rocks, terrain on which mud tyres can traditionally prove hazardous unless treated with absolute caution.

The square knobs are well spaced to ensure mud clears quickly with a tighter packed outer edge knob pattern. The centre compound is 65a rubber while the shoulder section uses 55a compound for better corning grip. Tubeless ready, the tyre can be used with or without an inner tube.

More information: Specialized Storm Control 2Bliss Ready

Continental Mud King 1.8 £48.95

King of Mud, they say.

The Mud King has a lot going for it. It was developed by the Athertons, so it’s available in a 2.3in 1100g downhill version or a lighter 570g 1.8in option. It’s the latter we’re more interested in, but both share the same spiky tread pattern.

The 1.8in ProTection version uses Continental’s Black Chilli tread compound, which helps it stick to slippery obstacles like a limpet. The layout of the angular knobs give good traction in all conditions. The shoulder blocks are siped to allow them to flex a little and find more traction when cornering over slippery rocks and roots.

More information: Continental Mud King

Geax Gato Mud £30.99

Geax Gato Mud

Geax’s Gato Mud uses a tread pattern that features L-shaped blocks interspersed with rectangular blocks across the tyre, producing a design that’s distinct from all the other mud tyres available. Reinforcements at the base of the central ridge reduce rolling resistance while similar reinforcements on the side knobs ensure stiffness when cornering.

It’s one of the narrowest here too at just 1.7in, so it’s best served for very extreme conditions or racing when absolute grip is right at the top of the list. The TNT casing means it can be used tubeless or with tubes, and weighs 490g.

More information: Geax Gato Mud

Panaracer TrailRaker £24.99-£34.99

Panaracer TrailRaker

It’s been around for a while but Panaracer’s TrailRaker is a solid performer when the conditions of your favourite trails dictate a change to an aggressive mud tyre.

Tall knobs dig through mud giving high levels of grip even in the wettest trail conditions. Angled shoulder knobs give good drive traction and cornering grip. A UST version is available, and in 1.95in or 2.1in widths.

More information: Panaracer TrailRaker

Maxxis Medusa £29.99

Maxxis Medusa

Using a very open profile tread pattern with sparsely placed knobs, the Medusa is a tyre for the mankiest of conditions when clogging is a real possibility. For trails formed of clay soil, the Medusa’s are a good option.

It’s available in loads of versions. The 2.1in Lust is our pick, weighing 675g. A lighter (640g) 1.8in Lust tyre is also available. We’d consider pairing the wider tyre on the front with a narrower rear for the best performance.

More information: Maxxis Medusa

Schwalbe Black Shark £33.94

Schwalbe Black Shark

It’s been around for a long time, and the Black Shark continues to prove it’s one of the best mud tyres. An aggressive tread pattern with extremely tall spiked knobs ensures that it finds traction in even the gloopiest and stickiest conditions.

It can be picked up in 2.1in or 2.25in widths and both feature Schwalbe’s own Puncture Protection design.

More information: Schwalbe Black Shark

Onza Greina £36.99

Onza Greina

Onza is a name from the past. The original Californian company made some lusted-over tyres like Porcupine and the mythical Octopus, but folded back in the 90s when the founders fell out. But now the name is back, and the Swiss owners are turning out some good tyre designs once more.

The Greina is pinned as a freeride/downhill tyre but at 2.25in we feel its still worthy for inclusion for those who want a bit more meat on their wheels. It uses an aggressive block tread pattern, with four rows of blocks and the sizes varying across the carcass. The outer knobs are siped for flexibility when banked over. At 670g, the 120tpi folding version is a decent weight for a tyre this meaty.

More information: Onza Greina

WTB VelociRaptor front and rear specific mud tyres £17.99

WTB Velociraptors

WTB’s VelociRaptors are a legendary name from the early days of mountain biking, and this front and rear pairing are the only direction-specific tyres in this list.

That’s a good thing. The rear tyre features a generous paddle design for hoofing you up the slippery trails, while the fronts forward pointing long knobs can focus on steering duties.

Available in 2.1in with a DNA rubber compound, it’s a proprietary 60a durometer rubber, gives good grip on loose trails. Weight is between 700g and 760g.

More information: WTB VelociRaptor

A big volume 2.2 tyre

This is the second generation Rubber Queen and Continental have hit the nail on the head even if they have persisted with the rather, er, interesting name. The tread pattern comprises reasonably well spaced angular and siped blocks that find high levels of traction through the full range of wheel angles. From good straight line speed to planted cornering, it constantly delivers.

Perhaps its best trait is how well it copes in a variety of trail conditions. And in the UK at this time of year, that’s a good thing. From dry to gloopy and everything in between, it hooks up up securely all the time. The side paddle central knobs make the tyre particularly good under heavy braking making it easy to quickly scrub off speed.

This tread pattern works well everywhere

We tested the 2.2in UST version, which weighs a claimed 800g; our scales showed it to be over a couple of grams over that, but that’s not unusual for tyres. That’s a comparable weight to other tyres in this category like the Specialized Purgatory and Schwalbe Hans Dampf.

There’s a similarity of handling with the Mountain King tyre , with a clear sharing of tread design. The Mountain King is a good fast cross-country/trail tyre but if you’re looking for a tyre with a bit more volume that will stand up to more aggressive riding, the Rubber Queen is a natural choice.

We tested the UST tubeless version

The Rubber Queen is available with a wire bead at £16.95 and with a claimed weight of 805g is a great choice if you’re on a budget. It would be our pick of the range. There are also Black Chilli and UST versions, both costing £50, and a a 29in version with a weight of 950g.

Verdict

A great all-round big volume tyre that just works all of the time in a variety of conditions. A good fit-and-forget tyre, and a good choice for enduro racing.

Pros

Great tread pattern
Works in many conditions
Good all-round versatility

Cons

Expensive

Weight: 790g
Price: £49.99

www.madison.co.uk
www.conti-tyres.co.uk

Continental Rubber Queen 2.2 UST tyre

What Continental says about the Rubber Queen

Soft compound freerider
Apex reinforced sidewall protects and stabilizes at heavy lean angles
2.2 version for demanding trail riders

Geax’s very fast (in the right conditions) Aka tyre. Now in 29er size

Now available in a 29in size, Geax’s Aka tyre is vying for the crown of fastest 29er tyre. Based on our time on several rides recently, it stands a very good chance. It’s seriously rapid in the right conditions. And that’s right now; we came back from our last ride covered in dust.

It is these dry conditions that the Aka is designed for. Anything comprising hardpack, loose dirt, sand and dust is where the tyre is really good. Over roots as as well the tyre performs impressively.

The Geax Aka boasts a rounded profile tyre with a proper 2.2in width and shoulder knobs that give a nice and smooth progression over onto the edge of the tyre. When the grip does run out, does so in a smooth and predictable manner.

Fast in dry and drying conditions, the closely-packed tread pattern gives incredible speed.

The closely-packed tread consists of small angular blocks repeated in neat rows across the carcass, giving very good rolling speed in a straight line. Hit the power out of the corner and the acceleration is fantastic. Braking performance is good too, with the multitude of blocks giving good traction.

With the current dry conditions the Geax Aka is a good tyre for front and rear use. As the trails start to get a little mushier we would still consider the Aka a good choice for a rear tyre, paired with something with a bit more bite up front.

Oodles of small blocks make for a tyre that’s grippy under braking too.

It’s not the lightest tyre at 690g on our scales though, which might put off serious weight weenie racers. Trail riders wanting a fast-rolling and grippy tyre will benefit from the tougher sidewalls and increased durability. We’d probably take the extra weight of the TNT tubeless-ready version and reap all the benefits of a tubeless set-up.

Verdict

The UK might not be blessed with dry trails as often as we’d like, but then the conditions are right, the Geax Aka tyre is one of the fastest.

Pros

Fast, very fast
Good price
Durable

Cons

Slightly heavy for cross-country racers
Limited window of opportunity

More information: Geax Aka

UK supplier: Chicken Cycles

Price: £30.99

Sizes: 26 x 2.0, 26 x 2.2, 27.5 x 2.2, 29 x 2.0, 29 x 2.2

What Geax says about the Aka tyre

The AKA was designed to dominate in situations where the knob must penetrate the ground without digging, and offer exceptional grip without slowing the wheel down. Even adverse terrains like gravel, sand, and grass aren’t a match for this directional, well spaced, small blocked pattern. Gato-derived side knobs round out the profile, providing predictable cornering even when conditions get moist. It’s the choice of pro slopestyle rider Cam Zink, not because it’s a do-it-all tyre… because it’s a DOMINATE-it-all tyre.

[There's even a video:]

The latest incarnation of the Racing Ralph 29er boasts amazingly low weight and a redesigned tread pattern

Racers will find it great for short cross-country races or 24-hour epics, but trail riders who want a fast and light tyre will find it still works well when the trail gets less predictable. It rolls easily and finds good levels of grip on all manner of trail conditions.

It’s not easily intimidated when it gets rocky and sketchy either; the tread may be low profile but there’s plenty of predictable and confidence-inspiring traction to be found.

When Schwalbe were scaling up the Racing Ralph, they took the opportunity to tweak the design. By making better use of the increased real estate a 29er tyre offers (a marginal but significant difference), Schwalbe has managed to improve on the previous, all ready very good, tyre.

Schwalbe’s designers remodelled the shape and layout of the knobs. Key to the change is to add a second row of lugs – a transition row – to provide a smoother transfer from straight up to banked over. In line with this, the shoulder knobs are now straighter, to produce more predictable behaviour when the tyre is leaned over.

The tread of the Racing Ralph 29er now has an extra fore-aft row of knobs for transition between upright and banked over

Underneath the visible changes is a 127tpi casing which helps keep the weight of the 2.25in version down. Both our samples were within a couple of grams of the claimed 535g.

For a 29er tyre that is very impressive, and you feel it on the trail as instant acceleration, couipled with the low drag of the supple casing and shallow tread pattern. We’ve raced them several times, choosing them for a 12-hour solo race, and their speed was satisfying, backed up with plentiful grip.

Compound is important to grip and the Racing Ralph’s PaceStar triple compound places softer rubber where you want it, at the edges. Lean into corners and there’s decent grip over a range of trail conditions from dry and dusty to wet and loose. The harder central compound contributes to their high rolling speed.

Our only concern is how durable the thin sidewalls will be over an extended period. However, after a couple of months into testing that has involved a 12-hour solo race, shorter races, and all-day trail rides, they’ve not presented any problems.

Verdict

One of the fastest 29er tyres we’ve tested this summer, and they’re not just suited to racers; trail riders seeking a fast rolling tyre with stacks of grip will revel in them. Not cheap mind…

Pros

Super fast
Great traction in all-conditions
Light
Low rolling resistance

Cons

Pricey
Wear reasonably fast

Weight:535g

Price: £49.99
More information: Schwalbe UK Racing Ralph page

What Schwalbe says about the Racing Ralph 29er:

Real racers always want to improve by getting better and faster. Result: We radically revised Racing Ralph for the second time – with PaceStar Compound and a completely modified profile.

Also the hard numbers show how ambitious we were: RACING.

In addition the modified profile and PaceStar compound provide even better control.

29ers have a much larger contact area. For the first time the arrangement and proximity of lugs on the new Racing Ralph have been specially adapted to this greater contact area. It emphasizes even better the advantages of a 29″ – rolling resistance and grip.

With a revised tread and two-ply sidewall the Maxxis’ Minion DHR II is astoundingly grippy and tough too. It’s definitely a worthy tyre choice for your shredding activities.

The new Minion DHR2 ticks those boxes. When Maxxis redesigned this tyre they sought to improve it in every way, so we’re looking at better performance under braking, cornering ability and better grip. Lots of people preferred to run the Minion DHF on the rear so one step in the process was to borrow the side knobs from that tyre.

The Maxxis Minion DHR II’s heavily revised tread pattern is a big improvement

Maxxis combined new shoulder knobs with a new central tread section. Alternating large single blocks and pairs of smaller knobs, placed closer to the centre than the previous tyre, gives the tyre much improved braking and acceleration performance. There’s much siping in evidence across the knobs to allow them to conform to the trail.

I tested the 2.4-inch, wire bead, two-ply 60a durometer version of the tyre, paired with a current Minion DHF up front. The new tread provides loads of grip, with a noticeable improvement in straight line braking. It feels like there’s a lot more traction on offer. You really have to wring this tyre hard to get it to feel squirrelly under braking into corners. It’s pretty damn good.

The Maxxis Minion DHR II rolls fast too, for a tyre of this size and weight. It picks up grip out of corners well, allowing you to get on the power and pile on the speed. Finding traction over all manner of terrain, from loose rocks to slippery mud and tangled roots, the Minion lets you push hard.

With its dual-ply casing it’s no lightweight, but choose a single-ply Kevlar-beaded version (when it’s available) and you should have a great all-mountain tyre for the rider wholikes to hammer the trails and doesn’t want to compromise.

If you don’t mind the little extra weight, it’s a great tyre for riders who hammer the hell out of their bikes and kit and want the best possible performing tyre.

The Minion DHR II is now a worthy rear tyre to match the awesome Minion DHF. Good work Maxxis.

Verdict

Maxxis deliver on their promise with the all-new Minion DHR II, grip, braking, acceleration and all-round hammering potential are greatly improved.

Price: £47.99
Weight: 1,265g
UK supplier: ONE Industries Europe
More information: Maxxis’ Minion DHR II page

Maxxis High Roller II takes a classic tyre and improves its braking and cornering performance

After a week spent riding in Alpe d’Huez racing the insane Megavalanche mass-start downhill endurance race, one thing became very clear: everyone, and I mean everyone, rides Maxxis tyres.

The company has become the default choice for all-mountain/gravity/downhill riders and one tyre in particular stands out above all others. It’s a modern classic, such is its ubiquity. The High Roller is the choice for any mountain biker riding steep, technical trails as found in the French Alps.

For the High Roller II, Maxxis set about making a series of small and subtle changes that improve crucial cornering and braking performance.

Revised tread pattern to find small performance gains

New sipes in the tread blocks help keep the High Roller II hooked up under hard cornering and braking

From a distance the High Roller II  looks very similar to the original version, but the pattern has been reshaped and refined.

The central knobs now have a sipe (shallow groove) that allows them to flex under load rather than break loose from the surface,  and so provide more braking traction.

Between these central knobs are two wider-spaced knobs that, with a new sipe running front-to-back. This improves the transition from straight up to banked over in corner, giving more feel as you push the tyre over on to the shoulder knobs.

The final change is the improved shoulder knobs, which give the new tyre even greater cornering ability than the previously very good original. They’ve been angled slightly differently and every other knob has a slim cutaway in the centre, giving the knob added flexibility.

Underneath the revised tread is the exact same casing as the previous tyre so their durability is proven.

Currently the new tyre is only available in 2.4in two-ply casing with a choice of 60a rubber or Maxxis’ softer 3C triple compound number.

So how do they ride?

After a week of riding in the Alps, the High Roller IIs are showing signs of wear, but have performed brilliantly.

I rode them for a week in the Alps, and came away highly impressed that Maxxis had managed to improve on the great performance of the original High Roller

Mounted on Easton Haven wheels (a little narrow for ideal performance) the tyres do come up a little small, but then Maxxis tyres always look smaller than other 2.4in tyres. The tall shoulder knobs gives them extra width. With the tape measure out we counted  2.32in across. Wider rims would push them out a bit.

A week in Alpe d’Huez culminating in the Megavalanche downhill race is surely a good test for any new tyre. This is the sort of riding these tyres are intended for, particularly in this two-ply version.

After a steady first day to get familiar with the trails, the bike and the tyres, I soon found my confidence rocketing as I got to know the High Roller II’s capabilities.

Their performance is startlingly impressive. Maxxis say they wanted to improve cornering performance with this design update, and that they managed. It’s not a massive difference, but it’s noticeable when you roll the tyres over. Many found the previous High Roller lacked progression when transitioning to the shoulder knobs, which resulted in a slight loss of control in corners. This has been well addressed with the updated design.

I quickly found I could push the tyres as hard as I wanted into corners and be confident that I knew exactly how they would handle. Cornering on the High Roller IIs is tidy and precise. They give incredible traction and hook up smoothly all the way through. Push them over and there’s a very good feeling of exactly what the tyre is doing as it leans onto the shoulder knobs.

There is a huge level of traction on offer but you can get them to break loose, if you choose. Before you know it you’re controlling perfect two wheel drifts out of every corner. But it’s their control that makes them such an engaging tyre to ride.

I ran the tyres at between 25 and 29psi front/rear, with small adjustments throughout the week depending on trail conditions, with a Maxxis downhill tube in the rear wheel and lighter freeride tube in the front.

And after a week, there’s some serious wear to the tyres. These are high performance tyres so it shouldn’t come as a surprise. You don’t get traction like this without some sort of trade-off, and here it’s the high wear rate.

The central section that has weathered the worst of the wear, with the shoulder knobs still in good condition. As the tyres have worn there hasn’t been the dramatic drop off in performance that I might have expected, though they definitely don’t quite have the same sharpness they exhibited on the first couple of days.

On occasions, where the trail is harder packed and there’s lots of underlying rocks, it’s possible to detect the tyre squirming. This feels like a punctured tyre, and had me looking down to check a couple of times.  On closer inspection it’s clear the base of the knobs are under a lot of stress, with plenty of cracks and tears showing the use they’ve copped.

Maxxis High Roller II tread pattern

Verdict

Impressive improvements on one of the most popular tyres in recent history, with stellar braking and cornering performance. If you want the best performance tyres with incredible traction, control and cornering performance, stick the new High Roller II at the top of your list.

In this guise they’re heavy for UK trail riding, though, so unless you’re heading for the Alps, wait until Maxxis bring out the lighter LUST and EXO versions.

Price: £58.99
Weight: 1260g
Supplier: One Industries Europe 0844 692 8111
For more details: www.maxxis.com and www.oneindustrieseurope.co.uk

One of our favourite tyres from the current Continental range, redesigned just a couple of years ago, was the Mountain King, so we were keen to get our hands on the new 29er rubber.

The Mountain King is a good all-round tyre for most of the typical conditions you’re likely to find in the UK through the seasons (even though it looks like we’re stuck in winter at the moment). It’s also good at dealing with the many varieties of trails, from the loamy singletrack of Surrey to the rocks and grit of the Peak District, and everything in between.

In making the 29in version of the Mountain King, the same tread pattern was carried over. A series of closely-packed ramped side lugs pick up good traction when leaning over in the corners or negotiating tricky, slippery, off-camber tracks. The central section comprises two closely aligned knobs, off-centre and siped, with two wider spaced knobs.

It’s a layout that works well in many conditions. We found them really good on those trails where you get copious amounts of mud, where they found acres of traction, and dryer sections where they roll along with rapid pace. The Black Chilli compound (added carbon nano particles to the mix offers longer life and better grip) boosts confidence as they tyres feel very grippy, noticeable on rocks and roots where they fell sure-footed.

Yet the compound is impressively durable, despite several hundred miles our test pair look in great condition. Which will go some way to putting your mind at rest if the high price unsettles you.

We tested the 2.2 Race Sport version of the tyre which costs £44.95 and weighs 640g. ProTection (740g, £49.95) and standard (740g, £29.95) versions are also available. The ProTection tyre gets an extra layer of casing material compared to the Race Sport, so it should be a little tougher. If you’re hard on tyres we’d pay the extra fiver and go for that one. A 2.4in Mountain King also sits in the range, weighing 800g and costing £29.95.

Verdict

It’s one of the best 29er tyres we’ve tested, with a fantastic balance of weight, and grip and durability is impressive. Trail tyres don’t get much better than the Mountain King.

www.conti-tyres.co.uk

Firstly it’s a two person challenge to put the tyres on. Fitting them to the Sun Ringle Charger tubeless rims required a second pair of hands and an obscene amount of grunting, but several broken tyre levers later, they were on. They also did get easier on subsequent changes.

Once attached and running tubes as opposed to tubeless, we found them to be fast rolling, particularly in dry conditions. Our first blast on them was a long day in Afan, a real mix of forest climbs, open dirt road stretches and tight technical rocky downs, with a nice chunk of flow fun thrown in.

They rolled well on the climbs helping to keep me on top of the gears and maintain pace without the feel of too much drag that fatter tyres can sometimes give, and additionally spinning out well on the longer fire road drags.

Throw them into some tight singletrack and they behave predictably allowing you to push hard through tight twisty terrain. The front occasionally feels like it may wash out due to the high traction from the back wheel pushing the front through turns, this is a habit of the 29er (perhaps a result of the increased traction surface area of the back wheel) a minor change in your approach to a turn (come in higher and smoother) will see that extra traction pushing you out of the turn rather than over it and/or washing the front out.

The tread pattern consists of openly spaced knobs which clear well in moist conditions. When the going gets very wet they start to slide on an increasing scale however. Durability thus far has been good along with good puncture resistance.

Verdict

Onza’s new tyres are an impressive relaunch for the brand, and they definitely rate high on the fun scale, particularly on tight manicured bike park trails but equally hold their own on rougher ‘real’ mountain bike terrain.

£39.99 from www.evanscycles.com