no Dicky jokes

I realized that I was a plusser before plussing was really a thing.

Back in 2006, I bought a Nokian Gazzaloddi 3.0.  It weighed 1,800 grams.  It was stupid.  Stupid awesome.  Part of my reluctance with going to 29" wheels in 2007 was the fact that there were no 3.0 options.

Stupid.  I know.  It was never going to happen.  Ever.  I might as well wish for an electric assist mountain bike.

My go-to race tire back then was a Continental 2.5 UST Diesel.  It weighed 1,100 grams.  I wasn't tempted to make the leap to bigger wheels until the Panaracer Rampage finally existed... flashback to all the craziness when Mike C cornered the market on the first shipment and MTBR became a war zone.

Anyways, in my current 29'er world, I've become good friends with the Ardent 2.4 up front.  Less than 900 grams in whatever configuration I choose making it lighter than my 26" wheel set up from '06... even molar lighter considering the fact that I was running the portly Mavic 819 UST rims.

I had a prototype 2.5 Minion DHF in my hands at one point.  When mounted on a rigid fork, I was feeling little advantage over my Ardent 2.4.  My excite quickly went away.

When the 3.0 Chronicle came out, I was excite.  Until I tried it.  Not enough knob for what I was looking to do with it.  It's fine for other purposes, just not mine own.

But then Maxxis dropped the Minion DHF+ and the DHR II+.

Hmmmm...

Feverish emails were sent.  Fresh meats on the way.

I was only really interested in the DHF+, the "F" meaning front... or at least I think.  I had no need for an "R.."

But my "guy" at Maxxis said that some people prefer the R+ up front, so why not give both a try before locking into a choice.

Okay.

I've been running the DHF+ for more than almost two months now.  I really haven't been on a load of trail lately, but here's the weird thing.  I haven't really minded the extra weight and lower pressures riding 40+ miles of mixed terrain, every day, three days in a row (sometimes).  Add to that the fact that these are not production models, and the weights are slightly higher than those listed on the Maxxis site.

This tire has come to get down.  So grippy.  I'm having a ton of fun riding it, but it's time to try the DHR II+ up front in the name of science.

What's silly is that looking down with my butt in the saddle, this looks more like a front tire to me.

My only real concern here?  I get addicted to running 3.0 tires up front.  Knowing that it's a half pound more rotating weight inflames the weight weenie lobe of my brain.

But if I'm having more fun?

I got a few months to sort this out, but when I look down at a 2.4 tire... it's just so... tiny.

Speaking of which, this post was going to have way more phallic references, but I finished it at work.. and I'd like to keep my job.