Rolling resistance - Is it all that?

[StevieG]

So i'm running Maxxis DHR 2's front and rear. Ride tons of XC trails when i'm training, but my XC buddies drop me all the time on the climbs, and it's a constant slog trying to keep up with them. My fitness level is good, but my bike is around 15.5kgs. Tallboy V4, 200mm rotors front and back, and heavy tyres. My love is Enduro riding, but most of my training is done at Holla Trails, so very light duty stuff.  If I change my rear tyre to say an Ardent 2.4, will the difference in rolling resistance be noticeable? Then when I get to the gnarlier stuff I can just change back to my DHR. Seems like a mission, and training on a heavier bike is only helping my cause I guess, but at the risk of having to find a new set of guys to ride with lol.

[Chadvdw67]

Tyres can make a huge difference, when I got my bike it had Hutchinson Griffus tyres on, changed to Maxxis Dissector front and rear, it made a massive difference to how the bike felt on the climbs and flats, I can only imagine that lighter and faster rolling tyres would make an even bigger difference, personally, I wouldn't use an Ardent again, I didnt like it very much, but maybe something like a Rekon front and rear, or Rekon front Rekon Race rear could be a decent "XC" setup

[Nico van Loggerenberg]

The short answer is yes, the tyres are making you slower. 

[Josh Metcalf]

I also train at holla and the trails there are unfortunately not that technical😒. I definitely think lighter tyres would help. The rolling resistance would be playing a big part in the slowness of the bike. The dhr 2 is definitely not suited to holla style gravel roads. I think the recon or even the ikon will be good.

[StevieG]

Im only keen to change the rear tyre, so will have a look at the recons. Just love the grip on the front, so the DHR will stay there for now.

[Trashy]

A new rear tire won't cut it. It's quite clear that you will have to buy a second bike.

[thebob]

Dissector up front and a Rekon out back. Best "downcountry" tyre combo out there! You could also swap the DHR up front to a DHF, which rolls a lot faster and go with the Rekon out back

[StevieG]

36 minutes ago, Trashy said:

A new rear tire won't cut it. It's quite clear that you will have to buy a second bike.

Sound advice. A quiver of bikes is definitely the way to go lol

[Headshot]

DHR2's are notoriously slow rolling in my experience, especially out back. I'm running a WTB Tough 2.4 Trailboss out back and an Aasegai exo+2.6 up front.  Nice strong fast rolling rear tyre and grippy front. You don't need DHR2 type grip out back unless its very slithery - then again Jhb is just that right now isn't it?

*Yes, the difference in rolling resistance to a slicker rear tyre will be very noticeable. An Ardent is better than a DHR but still not the fastest you could go.

Edited January 20, 2022 by Headshot

[StevieG]

40 minutes ago, thebob said:

Dissector up front and a Rekon out back. Best "downcountry" tyre combo out there! You could also swap the DHR up front to a DHF, which rolls a lot faster and go with the Rekon out back

Loving this idea, thanks man!

[The Hanger Bike Co. Online]

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Edited January 20, 2022 by The Hanger Bike Co. Online
Posted with wrong account.

[Grease_Monkey]

DHR2 rolls slow. An Ardent isn't much better on the rear, but has significantly less grip. 

I recently (or I guess not so recently) sold all my bikes for a do it all that I guess can compare to what you are riding. 

Also sat with the issue of needing / wanting heavy tyres for the gravity trails and lighter tyres with less rolling resistance for XC trails. I went from Aggressor/Assegai to a Forekaster on the rear, Dissector on the front recently and I am extremely happy. The combo rolls fast, not too heavy, and still decent grip. 

 

But at the end of the day you have to make peace with the fact that a middle of the road combo is not going to offer the grip of gravity tyres, and are not gonna roll like XC tyres. You are going to compromise somewhere, just decide where you are happy compromising. 

 

I see someone else suggested Dissector in front, Rekon in the rear. That's what I initially wanted but couldn't get my hands on a Rekon in the size I wanted. I think that would be as good, maybe better than the Forekaster I have on the back right now. If you look at the Rekon it kinda looks like DHR2 that's been cut down to roll faster. Looks like a winner to me. 

[StevieG]

7 minutes ago, Grease_Monkey said:

DHR2 rolls slow. An Ardent isn't much better on the rear, but has significantly less grip. 

I recently (or I guess not so recently) sold all my bikes for a do it all that I guess can compare to what you are riding. 

Also sat with the issue of needing / wanting heavy tyres for the gravity trails and lighter tyres with less rolling resistance for XC trails. I went from Aggressor/Assegai to a Forekaster on the rear, Dissector on the front recently and I am extremely happy. The combo rolls fast, not too heavy, and still decent grip. 

 

But at the end of the day you have to make peace with the fact that a middle of the road combo is not going to offer the grip of gravity tyres, and are not gonna roll like XC tyres. You are going to compromise somewhere, just decide where you are happy compromising. 

 

I see someone else suggested Dissector in front, Rekon in the rear. That's what I initially wanted but couldn't get my hands on a Rekon in the size I wanted. I think that would be as good, maybe better than the Forekaster I have on the back right now. If you look at the Rekon it kinda looks like DHR2 that's been cut down to roll faster. Looks like a winner to me. 

For the majority of riding I do, faster rolling tyres will be the compromise i'll have to make for the sake of less grip, but it's not like i'm shredding on the downhills now anyway. Will give the Dissector and Rekon a try. Thanks for all the advice guys, much appreciated!

[Jono]

Rekon race on the rear works well for me. Very fast and low rolling resistance. Those little side knobs offer a surprising amount of grip for their size. Braking grip is obviously nothing near a dhr 2. They come in 2.4 so you still get decent volume.

[Jehosefat]

About 2 years ago, when I just started dating my fiance and she'd just started riding, we went on a road ride around the cradle. Her on her road bike and me on my enduro bike because she said she wasn't very fit yet. My enduro bike has DHR IIs front and back. We averaged 23km/h and my heart rate averaged 161. Two weeks later I took my other bike which had Ikons front and back. Same route, averaged 22km/h but my average HR was only 127. Now granted the other bike is a bit lighter but it's not that much lighter so the vast majority of that difference must be the tyres.

To add a bit of context, my enduro bike is a Canyon Strive so it has on-the-fly adjustable geometry that makes the geometry very similar to the Scott Spark that is my other bike (when in the Climb position) as well as firming up the rear shock and reducing the travel at the back to 130mm. So it's doubtful that the geometry or suspension played much of a role either.

[StevieG]

I see there's a Rekon race, and regular Rekon. The Rekon race might be a bit too on the XC spectrum for my needs, but is it much different to the other version?