Both the Schwalbe Rick 2.4 (I tried several sets of these) and all these so called 2.4 Continentals measure around 2.28 inches / 58 mm.
The Continentals offer no cornering feel; you go around corners, but you never really feel what the tyres are doing.
Very good so far. They really are my favourite tyres I have ever tried. Note that my trails are quite smooth mostly.
Also worth mentioning: these just recently released WTB 120 TPI provide much greater stability than the Continentals, especially at very low pressures—around 15 psi or 1.0 to 1.1 bar.
I have the same observations with the Continentals and have since moved on to something different on that bike. I have Rick 2.4’s on another bike and they at least measure 2.35" on a 29 mm internal rim.
I need to try several new XC tires efficiently and interleave the trials a bit (based on weather, logistics, etc). I’d like to make my UX of swapping them “better.” Faster, more reliable, automatic, cheaper, cleaner, etc.
Use case: My wife has a full XC race schedule planned this season for the first time. Conditions may vary between pure mud to loose over hard and everything in-between. My office is my shop. It’s 8x8’ and contains my computer, laundry room, and all bike tools & storage.
End goal: I hope to quickly develop my knowledge of which tires she likes in what conditions so I can minimize using her race-week course prep rides as tire trial-and-error, because @Andrewbn42 nailed it:
“These tires are going to be great, I promise,” ≠ trust-inspiring. 
Much better to have already ridden them before arrival and on-course in race-week conditions.
Logistics questions:
How do I save sealant quickly and reliably? Pour tire to tire very carefully? Is there a tool? A method I don’t know about? Right now, I pour tire to tire very carefully and top up by eyeballing it.
What about if you have glitter in it? Does it change your conservation method?
Is glitter actually useful? Standard and necessary practice? Lifesaver? Nice-to-have? Mostly or totally useless and rumor-mill fodder?
Does anyone have an air compressor (with tank) or other tool that’s even easier/faster than the airshot? Or a pump with an integrated tank that they love? I live in an RV and don’t have a compressor but am open to buying a small one if someone’s got a recommendation or thoughts on what to avoid!
What other question should I be asking? What else do I need to know? Open to anything I need to hear!
Tire-specific questions:
Regarding sealant - I break the bead and use a sealant syringe to suck out as much sealant as I can. Can pour into a vessel or just back into your new tire. Sealant syringe
I would not be using glitter at this day and age. If you sealant isn’t performing without additives, try another sealant. What are you using?
Turkey baster and a plastic water bottle is what I use. Cheap and easy. Break the bead on the installed tire, suck sealant, then remove tire. Install new tire almost all the way (leaving a gap to put sealant in. Dump sealant from bottle, add more fresh sealant as required, then put the rest of the bead on and inflate. Very rarely do I add sealant through the valve stem. I’m constantly swapping tires, it goes pretty quick.
Not the cheapest route, but I installed a 12v onboard compressor in/under our camper van. It’s cheaper to just get a 120v pancake compressor (if you have access to a 120v plug) and that’s what I used to do, but they take up a lot of space and are a pain to haul around. Anything high pressure with a tank will work, just need that initial shot of air. CFM’s and duty cycle doesn’t really matter. This is the compressor I installed -
A couple other tips -
Always remove valve cores before removing old tires (the air comes out quicker and prevents sealant from clogging up your cores). And always keep the valve core out when doing the initial seating. That’s not always required, but generally makes the seating go much quicker. You’ll need a little rubber end on you air nozzle to interface with the valve stem
We have an ARB twin mounted in our van with Chucks mounted to the front and rear bumpers for convenience. I always use this to seat my tires when the floor pump doesn’t do it. I was without it for a couple months as I was moving it between vehicles and I had to run to a bike shop to seat a tire. I mounted the compressor quite quickly after that inconvenience.
I have a cheap oilless compressor with a 3 gallon tank that I’ve used for at least 15 years. The tank is what provides the high volume air flow to facilitate seating tubeless tires. Harbor Freight and Walmart have similar compressors for ~$75. They include regulators so the pressure can be dialed down to not exceed the pressure rating of the tire or rim.
Hope that is helpful. Good luck
I’ve always been a big fan of Reserves - put them on all my wheel sets. I have still needed an air pressure on looser fitting tires (ahem, Schwalbe).
With that in mind, I’ve had a Reserve Valve fail a few weeks ago. Kept leaking air. I took out, cleaned with soap and water, still kept leaking. Reserve replaced for free.
Even more annoying, on a different wheel sets last weekend I filled up with sealant the night before, tire held air overnight. Topped off with air in the morning and headed out for a 4.5 hr mtb ride. Soon as I drove to the start point I pulled the bike off the rack and the tire was flat. Seemed to also be leaking from the valve. We refilled and it held for the ride, but overall was disappointed.
I’ve loved these valves and have sang their praises countless times over. Hopefully these were very one-off cases.
You all just saved me so much time. I’m so glad I asked. I wish I could give multiple likes on all. @grwoolf @Trix8806 @KonaSS @Saddlesaur @jn92 – Thank you!! 
Has anyone tried the new Maxxis Aspen AT? I am a big fan of Aspen tires. I tried others and when in doubt I go back to Aspens. By the looks of it, the AT might be better where it needs to be IMO.
I really like the looks of the new AT. I just wish Maxxis tires weren’t so heavy. Would the weight difference make a tangible difference for me? Probably not, but it’s hard not to consider it.
This was the case when I first mounted them, but after a few rides (30mm rim width) they’re measuring a true 2.4". My biggest beef is having to REALLY lean the bike over for them to bite around corners but they’ve been great in the dry and even held up well on some wet slippery rocks in a race last month.
I did see a guy after a race earlier this year with several side knobs literally ripped off his new Dubnitals, one was so bad he had to plug it just to finish the race.
Looking for tire recommendations on an upcoming “gravel” race where I plan to ride my Epic 8. I pre-rode the 80 mile course yesterday (Cascade gravel in Bend) with my mosaic on 50 RX’s. My riding buddy was on a diverge with 55 RX/RS combo.
By 30 miles in, it was really starting to look like our MTB’s are going to be faster. There were countless super rocky jagged descents where we were limited to 10ish mph to hang on with no real lines. Lots of sand, washboards, but overall just tons of hard rocky areas where the mtb will be way faster. Ther was one smoothish descent where we were still limited to 35 mph due to the softness of the gravel/sand, so I think bumping the epic to a 38 chain ring will be fine.
With all that in mind, I’m torn on tires. I still have the factory fast track/renegade. I want fast rolling but good puncture protection. Traction on front would be good but the issue is less traction but more bumpy/rocky. Considering some options like the vittoria terreno XC race on back with schwalbe rick up front. Have also considered 2.25 TB’s but unsure how that would be puncture wise.
I’m pretty new to looking at mtb tires so feedback would be great.
Funny, was talking to a friend yesterday about a similar scenario for our gravel race Saturday. I’m going to bring my epic evo just in case as the descents are really rough and it’s basically climb for 90 minus, descend for 30 mins, rollers for a little bit, climb for an hour, descend for 30 mins.
I need new xc tires anyway, so I may just re-up on my Ray/Ralph combo or go Ray/Rick. The ray while looking beefy, rolls really well. Maybe rick/rick.
Hi, I’m doing a 5 day mtb stage race in Italy (appenninica) at the end of June. The terrain looks to be hardpacked tracks, loose over hardpack, with stones and rocky sections. Any views on a balance between a fast rolling tyre but providing really good puncture protection? Cheers
Hi, I did Appenninica in 2024. Great event, you’ll have fun!
I used Maxxis Aspen 170TPI Team Spec, no issues for me, but that’s n=1. I saw some people with flats on Pirelli RC XC’s, and my friend flatted his Vittoria Mezcal rear. But overall, I didn’t see a crazy amount of flat tires, at least not more then during a typical XCM in Belgium.
I’ve since learned that Aspens are slow, so if I was going again, I’d personally do 2.4 Dubnitals. Good mix of grip, RR and puncture proof. Some other options are Vittoria Barzo-Mezcal (or Mezcal-Peyote if you are confident in handling), 2.4 Schwalbe Ricks, … the usual suspects.
From memory, it’s mosly hardpack and rocky. Not so much loose over hard.
@aradell Thanks for the response. Pleased to have found someone who has also done the appenninica. Would you go for the dub race tyre or the trail tyre for the extra protection?
re the route, how technical is the decending? I’m certainly expecting it to be long and tiring but not sure if it will also be hugely technical. I’m going with the aim of 1) completing the 5 days and 2) trying not to finish last, anything better than this will be a bonus.
