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Schwalbe Hans Dampf - One year review
NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.
Just a quick review on the Schwalbe Hans Dampf for those interested . I bought a set about a year ago and have done about 900 kms on them.
I run them at about 26 psi and found the front tire really good on our loose soil, lots of grip. As a rear tire, I didn't like it that much. it felt a bit vague on the way down, very often loosing grip in corners, and from the picture you can see that it is completely shot after only 900 kms. At over $70 a piece, it's a bit disappointing. I was using the 'TrailStar' version but there is also a 'Pacestar' version with a harder compound that may be more suited for the rear.
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Your lucky to get 900k out of them.
My side nobs front and rear started tearing off after only 5 rides!!
I don't rate them at all!
Good review, I have had similar experiences with the racing ralphs.
They are a great tyre when new but the soft rubber in the side nobs tears easily. Giving them that vague slidey feeling in the corners when they fold over.
Quite a few members who are more aggressive in the corners have had similar experiences.
I must be a sucker for punishment. The reason being is that I only got 4 months of regular riding use out of a 29 x 2.25 Racing Ralph on the rear, but I've just purchased another one except 29 x 2.1 this time. I had the same issue with the side knobs deteriorating from the inside out as well. I've upped the pressure on the new tire from 22psi to 28psi, that's tubeless pressure, hopefully that will give a bit more life to the tire. Fingers crossed. It's a bit pricey buying tires every 4 months.
You chaps with the poor lifetime wear - what sort of terrain are you riding?
Is it in Perth?
I'm wondering if riding on a lot of bitumen roads may be causing issues.
All my riding is done in Sydney on dirt, no roads at all!!!
When you start getting aggressive with these tyres the side nobs tear really quickly!!
I am running a High Roller II at the minute and it is wearing much much better but is a heavier tyre.
Even new the Hans Damf velt vague in corners. I had no confidence in them at all. The side nobs are to soft and to long. They tend to squirm under hard cornering.
There are much better tyres out there!
They behave much differently in Perth conditions, I only run one on the front and it has a couple hundred k's with no visible wear. When our gravel is dry you don't get enough traction to feel any squirm and you need those long side knobs to get through to the dirt underneath.
The way I see it is as the side nobs open up they are effectively get bigger, creating more grip. I think mine where ripping apart after the first ride, and they are still like it if a little battered maybe 500km later(time for replacement).
I am a missive fan for two wheel drift through pea gravel, which work perfectly with these tires.
I have one on my rigid single speed xc gazelle
And one on my dually made for jumps and fun stuff
Not well suited on the back tho, too slow...
Over here in the west we are riding on Laterite which is a sort of granite that breaks down to form Pea gravel. This stuff is rough, sharp & hard in its rock form then breaks down into small round ball bearing sized lumps in it's gravel form. It's tough on tyres, especially the sidewalls.
When it's really dry the trails get very dusty & loose, when things dampen down a bit the trails become awesome & fast, & occasionally, when it rains we get puddles & some slippery roots. We in Perth NEVER as far as I know get gloopy, wheel clogging mud although further down South in Margaret river they do.
Very little loamy, soft mud here!
Bwahahahaha
Do these things grip on wet rock at all?
I rode my first pair of Schwalbe tyres today(Fat Altberts) and they had no grip at all on wet rock. I have ridden tyres 'til they are essentially a slick but never had suck little traction on wet rock it was crazy.
Hi guys.
I was after new fatter rubber for my Flow rimmed 150mm AM bike after finding a High roller 2 F & DHR Minion 2.3R too heavy & draggy.
After a bit of research I ordered a pair of Hans Trailstars, they turn up just about the time you posted your findings.
I have now been out in the hills several times & agree with you, the tyre is nice & predictable & grippy but already shows wear. It is also a bit sluggish when used on the rear.
I'm now wondering what I could stick on the rear to speed things up a bit without compromising the sidewall grip or tough nature. Schwalbe don't do an obvious option though as the Nic, Ron & Ralph are all a bit too XC orientated.
Maybe the Pacestar version?
Any thoughts?
Try the rock razor on rear. If you want a tough tyre try the super gravity version
... is quite abrasive and chews up soft compound tyres pretty quickly.
I must corner like a wuss as I got 970km out of my RaRa 29x2.1 TLRs.
Well, actually I definitely do on that tyre, as it wasn't the most confidence inspiring compared to a Nobby Nic mounted in reverse.
It was the sidewalls on the TLRs that wore out before the tread on the rear. The front was starting to get undercut on the shoulder knobs.