Good tyres are half the battle. Or half the defeat. Or just rubber and black. We currently see the Maxxis "Minion DHF II" and the Schwalbe "Magic Mary" as the top tyres for enduro and freeriding. According to Michelin, it took them 3 years to develop their new "Wild Rock'R2" tyre and they brought Fabien Barel on board to make life difficult for the top dogs. The tyre is available in "Gum-X" and "Magi-X" compounds. "Gum-X" is harder and intended for the rear wheel.
"Magi-X" with 50a shore should provide maximum damping and ideal grip on the front wheel. We have ridden this version and are still riding it. The foldable tyre with double-reinforced sidewall weighs just over a kilo. Striking: the massive, very high side lugs. And the slightly ribbed material between the knobs is something no one else does. Large, multi-slotted tread blocks sit on the tread. The rolling resistance is noticeable, but bearable. Similar to the "Magic Mary" in "Trail Star" compound or a Maxxis with "3C" rubber.
The grip is excellent on rocky terrain. In bends, the lugs bite in nicely and do not tip over. The limit is clearly signalled and the drift starts softly. The rubber also adheres well to wet stones. In deep, sticky soils, the centre tread clogs up quickly, but the side lugs remain free and still provide good grip. We have been riding tubeless for about 3 months without any defects. The wear is low, the quality seems high. A top product that can really hold a candle to the competition from Schwalbe and Maxxis.
CONCLUSIONGreat all-round front tyre with good damping, plenty of grip on rocky surfaces and still good performance in wet and muddy conditions. Not exactly light.
PLUS Grip / all-round, low wear
MINUS nothing
Test time: 3 months
Weight: 1056 gram
Price: from 52 Euro
Info: www.paul-lange.de
Dimitri Lehner
Editor
