The best enduro tire: seven combos in comparison
No matter how sick your frame is, how perfectly tuned your suspension, and how powerful the brakes – if your tires are sh*t then it’s all gone to pot before you’ve even set off. This test is the definite answer to your woes: which tires to buy, and which combinations to use.
So much more than just big, black rubber rings with some knobs, tires are the decisive contact point between the bike and the trail – and they’re often a contentious topic amongst mates while out riding. But it’s time to put those arguments to bed, so keep reading to find out the ultimate combination.
Front tire ≠ Rear tire
Those days of simply putting your worn-out front tire on the back are well gone, and virtually everyone has learned that we’re asking for different qualities from the front and the rear tires. The front has to deliver maximum grip to guarantee it’ll hold its line and give the ultimate precision and braking traction. For the rear, however, it’s all about fast rolling, high durability and sufficient puncture protection. So how do brands deal with these demands? Well, isn’t that what different tread patterns, profiles and rubber compounds are here for?
The perfect tire combination: a compromise
Pros are essentially the only real riders with the luxury of swapping their tires to suit the current conditions. For the rest of us, the pleasure comes from being out riding rather than spending a disproportionate amount of time in the shed changing tires. The ideal tire combination therefore shouldn’t just unite the optimal balance of grip, puncture resistance and minimal rolling resistance, but it should also be able to perform on a multitude of terrains and in various conditions – wet or dry, rocky or muddy.
Tubeless has never been so easy!
For years we’ve been inundated with shouts about how great tubeless is and that we should put down the inner tubes, and we’re in full agreement. In short: there’s better grip, better rollover characteristics, more comfort and they’re less likely to puncture. Critics say that going tubeless is a bit of cumbersome task, and working with the sealant isn’t easy. But the days of flooding your shed floor with the milky-white liquid and staining your clothes are behind us; all of the tires in the test field have great tubeless compatibility just using a track pump – it’s as simple as that.
Egyptian for beginners
We’ve got to admit that a cursory glance at a tire company’s website just won’t do, and it’s hard to get an overview of what’s actually out there. Tires don’t just come in a range of wheel sizes and widths, but there’s also the question of the casing and rubber compound. It’s worth taking the time to properly scour the details provided so you can be certain you’re ordering the tire you want. To make your lives easier, we’ve supplied as many of the official product numbers of the tires on test as possible.
The test field
This time around our test field consisted of models from some of the industry’s most exciting tire brands. We wanted to determine the ultimate enduro tire combo for regular use – looking for grip, versatility, durability and decent rolling resistance. Last but not least, we’ve also cast a critical eye over the weight. We haven’t agonized over the odd gram or two, but instead we’ve considered the weight in relation to how the tire actually handles. Unfortunately, at the time of testing, certain manufacturers were not in a position logistically to produce any suitable tires for us to take into consideration.
| Model | Price | Weight | Grip | Precision | Puncture resistance | Rolling resistance | Value for money |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental Baron Projekt (F & R) | € 67.90 | 931 g | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●○ | ●●●●○ | ●●●●○ |
| Hutchinson Toro Enduro (F) & Squale Enduro (R) | € 61.90 | 1,159 g / 1,048 g | ●●●●○ | ●●●○○ | ●●●●● | ●●○○○ | ●●○○○ |
| Mavic Crossmax Charge XL (F) & Crossmax Quest (R) | € 59.00 | 987 g / 921 g | ●●●●○ | ●●●○○ | ●●●●● | ●●●○○ | ●●●○○ |
| MAXXIS Shorty (F) & Minion DHF (R) | € 69.50 | 948 g / 946 g | ●●●●● | ●●●●● | ●●●●○ | ●●●●○ | ●●●●○ |
| Schwalbe Magic Mary (F) & Nobby Nic (R) | € 57.90 | 828 g / 722 g | ●●●○○ | ●●●●○ | ●●●○○ | ●●●●● | ●●●●○ |
| Specialized Butcher (F) & Slaughter (R) | € 39.90 | 903 g / 908 g | ●●●○○ | ●●●○○ | ●●●●● | ●●●●○ | ●●●●○ |
| WTB Vigilante (F) & Trail Boss (R) | € 59.90 | 908 g / 766 g | ●●●●○ | ●●●●○ | ●●●○○ | ●●●●● | ●●●●○ |
How they were tested
The tires were put through their paces across a wide spectrum of terrain by a number of experienced, critical test riders, riding everything from natural trails to manmade bike park sections. In addition to the battering they took in the elements, the tires were also tested using Continental’s Testing Facility, where the puncture resistance data was particularly interesting to view, although the rolling resistance stats were hard to discern in reality. As a result, we’ve chosen to publish the individual lab stats in context alongside the test rider’s impressions using familiar star ratings.
