Guys - a quick update. There wasn't much available in the shops here at this time of year for good 29er tires, so I settled for the Slant Six. Actually they were a great deal (half price), so even if I don't like them in the long run, I won't cry about the cost.
My initial impressions of their performance, after a couple of hours in the fall woods:
Pros: fast rolling (WAY faster than the Bontragers...nice!); great cornering grip; very good climbing grip, even on loose gravel, surprisingly; excellent handling on tight trails, switchbacks, narrow trees; very predictable steering; seem to stick well on slippery clay (but didn't find much of that on my last rides). They seem well-suited to the smooth hard packed clay of the trails around here.
Cons: grip on off-camber roots is so-so (this may be pressure-related); harsher ride (ditto)...the rubber compound seems harder (maybe because of the cold temps?), but they do ride a lot less plush than the soft big knobs on the Bontragers; I will play with the pressure to try to get a softer ride.
I'll get more time on them this week and see how I like them. So far they are a big improvement in many ways over the Bontragers, but not sure if they're ideal yet. The faster rolling will be bonus for the long cardio workout rides on the rail trails. But....the harsher ride is a big turn off for me, being on a hardtail bike. I may look for a fat Nevegal or Nobby Nic for the front, or perhaps go with some mid-width Ignitors or Gato/Saguaro front and back next season. But these will do for now.
My feeling is that these would be excellent tires for a full-suspension XC bike on smooth trails, without sharp rocks (Jim, Lynn, are you taking note?). Time will tell how they are with lots of roots, and in mud or slick wet clay.
BTW, these were a bear to get on the rims. Needed a lot of muscle and metal tire irons to pop the last few inches on. I may not get them off again without destroying them.
Thanks for all the advice, guys.
Cheers!
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