For dry weather John have a look at the Minion, also comes in as many flavours. Designed for big fast US dusty tracks but works great on hardpack and rock, a nice tightly spaced tread that rolls fast but doesn't shed thick mud as well as the High Roller will.

That's not marketing speak, I'm just a bit of a Maxxis fan I should really try their XC tyres but I know where I stand with the DH tread patterns and the single plys aint too heavy.

I'm a bit of a Maxxis fan too but I'm not convinced about the strength of their sidewalls on their single play tyres. I've had big tears in both an Ardent and a Medusa. The only other sidewall tear I've had was on a Panaracer FireXC and it was a much smaller cut.

Anyone else had an unusual amount of sidewall tears on Maxxis tyres or have I just been unlucky?

Same tyre but with some bits cut out of the paddles.

Cross country great rear tyre, but shite on the front cornering on slight off cambers as the front wil wash out.

So does interrupting the paddle stop that ?

Only now JG as they use to do the Cross Country in all sizes 2.1 and 2.3  I use to run 2.1's. They were extremeley fast rolling tyres

cross marks are great on a regular XC bike ime - current fave tyre.

used advantages on my slightly bigger bike in the alps and was again very impressed, however i did tear the sidewall (never done that before), and got 2 punctures - all in the space of 2 days (was running them tubeless prior to that).

was pretty underwhelmed by NNs tbh.

Jimmy Jazz; do you get away with the single ply High Roller for DH use?  I run mine at sensible pressures but still pinch on even XC rides (as well as 3 times at Molfre)..

I wonder if I'm just doing something idiotic with them (I weigh 14  and 3/4 stone and use em on the Reign, for info  )

Only for XC Dan. I've never tried single ply for DH but I can imagine you would pinch a lot. You could try a DH tube in the back but TBH it would still happen now and then.

D'ya want some old dual plys to try out? I've got some I'm just about to take off and swap for fresh tyres. They're a bit chewed up from From Bill but not by any means bald.

OOh, if they don't cost a f£ck load to post then yeah I'd be interested Jimmy..cheers very much! Where do you live btw..?  PM me if you like..

/sorry to post owner for slight hijack/

Any of you guys had any experience of these?

£40 for a pair?

yeah, I was getting a lot of snakebites with me Cinders recently, and they're supposed to have ASB protection,although they were better when new. The sidewalls have gone pretty shabby and are starting to perish a bit, which probably aint helping!! What are the sidewalls like on S ply maxxis? i weigh 14st and ride an Inbred 456 hardtail.

Not sure Crossmarks will be aggro enough on the woodsy rooty terrain that is my local playground, maybe on the back for 'summer'!!??

Was thinking about maybe trying a 'ghetto tubeless' conversion too, anyone tried it? Also can you use folding bead tyres effectively tubeless or would steel bead be better due to tighter fit on rim? Sorry to change tact on my own post!!!