"Fast" rear tires

I've been running fairly meaty tires as my everyday, but I also tend to do a lot of longer rides, so I pulled the trigger on a 2nd wheelset instead of buying a 2nd bike. What are your suggestions for fast rolling rear tires that can handle aggressive xc/trail riding in the high country? I'll still have my normal/burly wheels and tires.

My everyday setup is a DHR or Aggressor (dry only) with Tannus in rear, and either a DHF MaxxGrip EXO or Mary SuperG UltraSoft up front. Hey Schwalbe, please make UltraSoft in SuperTrail!

This will be on 27.5 Patrol with (harsh AF) 31.6mm carbon rims. Looking for 2.3 - 2.5 tires. Seattle area, this wheelset will be for rides in places like Angels Staircase Winthrop, xc rides in the Gifford Pinchot like Goat Mtn, and all the stuff on the east slope of the Cascades. Plus really long local rides where I'm willing to sacrifice some traction.

Goal here is fast rolling that still can handle some wet roots. Doesn't need to be as good as a DHR 3CT, but I don't want a death trap xc tire.

Aggressor (Dual Compound only) is on option that I'm familiar with. Rolls a lot faster than DHR. Not great on wet roots since it only comes in Dual Compound.

Rekon 3C looks really interesting. I'd probably run Tannus on this most of the time since it's so light and probably prone to flatting.

Nobby Nic Addix Soft. Is this still a fast rolling tire in this flavor?

Specialized Ground Control Grid based on Pete's BCBR article.

Nice topic!

Not familiar with the particular riding in Seattle, but IME weight should probably be given equal consideration to rolling resistance. Weight seems to make more difference to my fatigue level at the end of a single track climb.

That Rekon has outsized grip for what it is, rolls fast and is light. Expensive choice though as the small knobs just disintegrate. I used up 3 of them, and I run tires to bald.

Aggresor is a really fast roller and has a long life span, but not the lightest or all-out grippiest. I went through 2 of them before switching it up.

DHR in a 2.3 is actually really damn light, though draggier than say a Rekon, at least till the knobs wear out some.

I think for my next rear tire I might try a Specialized Eliminator. Not the fastest looking tire though, but I've got a very grippy Mazza up front and I want something that will hopefully keep up.

Actually, my buddy is giving me a Ground Control for now, but I expect it to evaporate in a month just like a Rekon. That is if the casing is strong enough to hold together till the knobs wear down, we'll see.

Could also check out the Purgatory, Bontrager SE4 and Schwalbe Wicked Will?

I'm enjoying the Rekon on the rear too, or a semi-slick? Minion SS? Schwalbe Rock Razor? It's nice to have trustworthy side knobs.

Interesting that the Rekon wore out so fast. Was it the 3C version you were running? Would you say it was faster than the Aggressor? The Aggressor is my benchmark since I've worn through a few of them in summers and quite like them in the dry.

I hear you on the weight thing, but need to stay in the reliable zone. The high country rides I love have pointy rocks and pretty good speeds. I'll shave 500g off my wheels vs what I'm running now just with EXO on both ends, so even 900 gram tires will feel sporty.

If I recall, I ran two 3C's and one Dual.

It's just the little knob design though I think? So grippy and fast but they just eat it. Ran an SE4 which is small knobs too, which was also grippy-wonderful but wore quickly, and I ripped the whole side out of it a couple weeks in.

Rekon is faster than an Aggressor for sure imo. Can feel the weight difference. Tires are designed from opposite ends of the durability spectrum though.

Tried a Minion SS, a Riddler, and a Rock Razor before buying an Aggressor. Honestly to me the difference in rolling speed was negligible, but with the Aggressor you can still brake, which was a big deal.

If they're available a Schwalbe Wicked Will in Super Ground compound is sub 900g.

Rekon is available in Exo+, not sure if Dual is available though.

Posted by: Hepcat

If I recall, I ran two 3C's and one Dual.

It's just the little knob design though I think? So grippy and fast but they just eat it. Ran an SE4 which is small knobs too, which was also grippy-wonderful but wore quickly, and I ripped the whole side out of it a couple weeks in.

Rekon is faster than an Aggressor for sure imo. Can feel the weight difference. Tires are designed from opposite ends of the durability spectrum though.

Tried a Minion SS, a Riddler, and a Rock Razor before buying an Aggressor. Honestly to me the difference in rolling speed was no big deal, but with the Aggressor you can still brake, which was a big deal.

If they're available a Schwalbe Wicked Will in Super Ground compound is sub 900g. 

Rekon is available in Exo+, not sure if Dual is available though.

I feel like your description of the SE4 is accurate, and that's really the trade off for a lot of similar tires.

I like the se4 for this use, for sure. Another possibility is Dissector. Slightly more aggressive (but certainlymfaster than a dhr), potentially suffers from similar durability issues. 

If you want to creep even further into xc territory there's rocket Ron's. 

I ran 2.8 rocket Ron's on my hardtail here on the shore. They certainly required full attention on greasy days but otherwise pretty good.

Posted by: JVP

What are your suggestions for fast rolling rear tires that can handle aggressive xc/trail riding in the high country? 

For perspective I've done a fair bit of riding from home to the trails the last few years [say ~25-40kms of non-technical riding to get to the shred] and I love long rides on singletrack. I've done Angel's Staircase a few times and can't wait to go back.

For a fast rolling tire I think the casing is the most important thing to look at. A stiff casing will roll slow relative to a supple casing everything else being equal.

The 4 not-Plus tires I've ridden a lot on my long rides are:

• 29 x 2.5" Aggressor no insert.
• 29 x 2.6" Rekon no insert
• 29 x 2.6" DHRII with insert
• 27.5 x 2.4" [Maxxis 2.5"] Continental Trail King no insert

The Rekon was probably the best for speed on long rides. I've done a 170km day on that tire with camping gear. That said I'd tackle an all day ride on any of these tires without a second thought. When I did my first ride from home on the DHRII was pretty sure I would hate it, but it was fine and I stopped thinking about it pretty quickly. I've used 3C Maxxterra and DC from Maxxis both in EXO casing. I didn't notice a difference on my long rides between one and the other for rolling resistance. Not saying there is no difference, but my saddle feel and ride times were close enough it didn't matter to me.

I tried the Nobby Nic in one of the middle compounds and hated it. I lost grip on climbs that I had never had issues with my Maxxis or Conti tires. I gave them away. I'm using a Magic Mary/Hans Damf option now. The HD is a much better tire for grip than the NN. I don't notice it to be slower, but again that's just a feeling I didn't ride the NN long enough to be sure.

Posted by: Kenny

Another possibility is Dissector

Tried the Dissector when they first came out. The internet was raving about them! I undercut all the side knobs within a dozen rides, so in the bin it went. Reminded me of the original Hans Dampf with the hype and suicidal knobs. Rims were these wider 31.6i (wide = bad for side knobs) and I tend to kill all side knobs faster than my friends who are same speed as me, so.... maybe I need to learn to corner smoother?

Heard good things about the SE4. Schwalbe really seems to have upped their rubber game with Addix, so I wish the Wicked Will wasn't 29er only.

Pick up a short travel pedally 29er to match the rear tire.

Goodyear Newtons are the best rolling tire IMO. I have pretty much tried all the different tire brands. Maxxis best for S2S jank, but slow as shit...the Newtons are quick and have pretty good grip.

Posted by: Hepcat

Pick up a short travel pedally 29er to match the rear tire.

A ripper pedally 29er would be super fun! I probably would have bought a Following if they had any. Maybe next year, but nothing that I like and fits my reach numbers (490-505) is available until late summer. I think I'll be pretty happy with faster round things, I've got a theory that a good chunk of the pedaling benefit of short bikes is wheels and rubber. We'll see.

If you go Maxxis Minion SS, make sure you pick up the 2.5 Wide Trail version, the 2.3 doesn't like rims over 25mm internal, it gets too flat and side knobs get all vertical. Annoyingly Maxxis don't make a the WT version in 29 currently according to their website, but you want 27.5 so that's fine.

I have a Specialized Eliminator on the back of my Banshee Prime. It's OK, straight line grips OK, brakes OK, corners OK and rolls OK.  It rolls faster than a Butcher or DHRII.  Probably rolls as quick as a DHF or thereabouts.  It's completely average at everything, which is probably a strength!

My mates bike that's currently in my garage has a Rekon and that looks FAST but possibly a bit of a liability in the wet.

Don't know if they are available over there but Onza Ibex roll really nicely and can be run front and rear but something a bit grippier in the front might be a good idea.

WTB Trail Boss isn't bad (and you can get them in tough casings) but a Riddler would be quicker (if you can get them).

I had a 29x2.3 Minion SS on for a few rides last year until I slashed a side wall.  I've patched it and it may go back on this year but I will definitely be more careful with lines.

As at least one other poster has noted the Rekon punches above its weight when it comes to traction even in the wet. I rode a 29 x2.6" Rekon through a lot of a PNWet winter and kept expecting to hate it and move to a more aggressive tire, but it did just fine. No issues with the side knobs having a shorter than desired lifespan.

My long haul hardtail [geared and multi-water bottle] currently has a 29 x 2.6" Schwalbe Hans Damf on it. If it wore out in the dry season I'd replace it with a Rekon in the same size and EXO casing. As it stands I'll just keep running with the HD and making it a Minion SS type tire by wearing down the centre knobs until at some point cook the side knobs. That's more a sign of my laziness than any cunning strategic plan.