in Buy/Sell and Lost/Found

Details:

2 tires
26" X 2.35"
Schwalbe Hans Dampf
Evolution Line
Trailstar compound (dual compound)
Folding bead
Tubeless Ready

I got these for Christmas.  They are awesome meaty tires, but unfortunately they are too big for my bike (rear tire rubs on chainstay).  I am super bummed.   

I literally mounted them with tubes, rode them 1.5 miles around the neighborhood and have hung the bike up trying to decide where to go from here.  No skidding or anything crazy like that.

Note that I am also seeing if the seller will accept an exchange, so if you contact me unless I have replied with "they are yours" I might have gotten rid of them.  Just wanted you in the interests of being up front that I have other options I am pursuing.  So if you want them, let me know ASAP.

FYI, if you search for prices of these tires online be sure that you are looking for the Evolution Line (what I am selling here) and not the Performance Line (which are less expensive).

Thanks and happy trails.

Corey
EDIT 2/19/15 -- no longer for sale, seller was willing to take the return.
 

Keep one of them for the front...

Are they that good just in the front?  And if so what do I put in the rear?

I want both the front and rear to have similar feel and predictability, though they do not need to be the same tire.   I use to run Velociraptors (different front and rear) but they were built to be used together.

I would save both for the front. Use the second one after the first one wears out in a year or two, depending on how much and where you ride. Or sell it if you don't like it in front. You can get something thinner and better rolling for the rear if you want. I can't think of a situation where you'd want the front to wash out before or at the same time as the rear, or at all really.

I run a Pacestar in back but it's gotten pretty chewed up. Part of that is where I ride but the tradeoff with softer rubber is superior grip vs. long life.

So what rear tire would you guys suggest for the rear that would compliment the HD in the front?

I've already resigned myself to a 2.20" in the back because of clearance issues.  The current EX8 comes with Bontrager XR4's, a 2.35 up front and 2.20 in the rear.

Every single pinch flat that I've ever gotten has been in the rear, though I have never ran a high volume tubeless tire before.  So my thought was to give up some speed for rim protection.

If I decide to keep the HD's, what should I put on the rear?

I should add that I appreciate your advice and am seriously considering following it.

Thanks,

Corey

Hard to say really, depends on a lot of things (and in general for tire selection, not just the rear).  You could get a 2.25 HD or Nobby Nick, a Maxxis Ardent or High Roller II.  Conti Trail Kings also very decent if a bit heavier (tradeoff here is better protection than the others). The smaller (width) tires are often shorter too so you're going to have less air volume than you think.

The HD only comes in 2.25" for the 27.5.

No one has contacted me to buy these, so I am suspending the sale while I ponder this.

Thanks guys.

My preference is two of the same tire, so I might still be willing to sell.  Just need time to consider the options.

Would a Bontrager XR4 2.20" be a good compliment in the rear?

The HD only comes in 2.25" for the 27.5.

My bad. I think William (imwjl) uses Bontrager tires but not sure what type, but I got the impression he likes them.

Yeah I was probably just going to switch to XR4's.

Too bad I was really geeked about the HD's.  Any suggestion for rear tire to run with a HD front?

The HD only comes in 2.25" for the 27.5.

My bad. I think William (imwjl) uses Bontrager tires but not sure what type, but I got the impression he likes them.

I have the Hans Dampf on my 26r, and mix Bontrager XR4 and 3 on my 29r.

Hans Dampf are super tires for Blue Mound but like all soft rubber tires will cut. Dumb a$$es often criticize a tire for shredding but the sticky rubber tires I've had from 4 different makers all wore or cut more than others.

I had XR3 front and back loving the speedy feel but the XR4 can be leaned over farther in loose stuff more like classic Maxxis models.

One way to look at Hans Dampf is faster feeling than sticky Nevegals but not the fastest feeling tires. Really good at picking your way through nasty stuff or general go forward traction but they don't just slide out from under you like a racy tire.

Bontragers seem to be designed for going fast but the XR4 have something to catch you when you lean over far more like classic Maxxis models. The Bontragers are not super sticky, but not bad. The advantages seem to be tread life and not packing up to much.

Confession: We might obsess about this stuff too much. In two seasons of teaching kids at Blackhawk I see they ride heavy bikes. Some of the kids are winners of the birth lottery and junior versions of their $10,000 on the hoof dads. Others are poor kids there via outreach programs. If I fill their tires so they have some flex and they have good attitude they ride well. I've found dumb a$$ dads setting up their wives and kids 50 - 65 PSI to go fast. If they show up without the dumb f's trying to do triathlon on dirt and I drop their tires 30 - 35 PSI they get traction and have fun.

One more observation. Some tires have to be leaned over more to hold you. It took a while for me to have the guts to do that. If you get used to that you can also wash out if the tire's too round.

Don't confuse old Bontrager tires with newer ones! I won some old XR3 that can't be compared to the current ones. The old ones have crappy almost non-existent side lugs and more of a cross bar pattern.

Also don't put the wide tires on narrow racing style rims.

To be honest, tubeless and running low air pressure have probably done more for me than the brand or model.

Thanks for the info guys.  I think I am going to wait until spring and then buy Bontrager XR4's (2.35 up front and 2.20 in the rear which is OEM on the new EX8's).  I am going to wait til the spring so I can take advantage of Bontrager's 30 day "if you don't like it return it" policy.

Now somebody buy these tires!

 8)

And speaking of Blackhawk, we were members years ago.  I think I have to join again because my son loves mountain biking and he needs to meet some kids that are as into it as he is.
 
EDITED 2/19/15 -- a little bit late but Amazon is great, the seller took the return.