Tires Maxxis or PHANTOM

I’ve ridden both for many years. The DHF was designed and made when tires were 2.3 wide. As the front tire has generally moved to a 2.5 width the space between the centre and side knobs opened up quite a bit and there is now a vague area of less traction at certain lean angles before you get onto the side knobs.

Assegai is my favorite front tire but it is a little slow rolling. If you don't mind that then there aren't many better front tires.

I have ridden the DHF exclusively since getting my bike. I fell in love with the grip when cornering, literally feels like the bike is on rails. I have never lost the front tire in any conditions.

well, if your in japan my shop just recieved a 24x2.4 dhf. It’s s very high quality tire!

The only thing I’d add is I’d suggest them in Maxxspeed, but they are only available in 2.35. Rode them front/rear last season and they were excellent.

I've been really impressed recently with the Conti tires (Cross Kings or Race Kings depending on how XC you want to go with it), specifically the ProTection versions with the Black Chili compound. Coming from Maxxis stuff I've been surprised by the amount of grip they have given how fast-rolling they are, at least for my local conditions (New England, so rocks, roots, more roots, a few roots, some roots, roots, rocks, roots, some more roots, a lot of roots, and roots.)

2.4 Rekon Race Front 2.4 Aspen ST. This is the fastest combo I have ever run. Same type of trails hard pack.

I never get punctures with EXO. Problem I have is the sidewall flops when I lean into fast corners with tire pressures under 25psi and that makes the cornering feel unpredictable.

I don’t have enough experience on Spesh tires other than the Sworks Fasttrack/Renegade I bought last year on a similar sale. They weigh in at around 620g each in the 2.35 size, which is much lighter than my Rekon Race 2.4WT at 780g. Feels nice to lose that much rotational weight and the grip I found to be similar. Also similar efficiency. What I didn’t like was the flimsy sidewall. There’s a reason they are so light. Lots of tire squirm and feeling of folding over in turns unless I ran high PSI (+5PSI compared to the Rekon Race). This is on a 30mm IW rim. Also, I had to use my tire plug for the first time on the front tire (Fasttrack). I’ve gone back to a slow XC setup of Rekon/Rekon Race this year but with a race or two coming up I’m debating what to do. I’m intrigued by the Aspen/Rekon Race combo but Aspen’s weigh about the same as my Rekon Race.

Specialized control tyres and it’s not even close.

No it’s not worth the “premium” as they’re not more premium. The spesh tyres are specced on their £14000 bikes, they are also racing and winning world cups, cape epics, short track races, marathons for years with the rest of them. Spesh has led the way with a couple others with FEA and camps set up for surely testing their tyres with a refresh every few years. There is no “premium”. The stickers are fancier on the maxxis. But they’re heavier. Higher rolling resistance. Higher weight. No noticeable gain in traction to account for those either. Spesh offers sworks 120 tpi, softer and harder (T7 and T5 respectively) control tyres. All you’re choosing is 120 vs 60 tpi determining a less or more robust carcass.

A life long sworks 120 tpi snob. I went maxxis aspen and hated life. That’s a gravel tyre. Tore through the Vittoria barzo. Went ikon and they’re a great once was a race tyre now a recreational tyre— but been left for dead with rolling resistance, grip and weight by the competition. Rekon race won’t get a look in from the tyre tests and price and weight. Nah ta.