Schwalbe Hans Dampf: Customer Review

Schwalbe has been making tires since the early 70's and is still one of the most popular brands today. Options like the Schwalbe Hans Dampf are a big reason why as this tire is built to handle just about anything and everything on the trail. In this review, our customer Mike throws a set on his Santa Cruz Tallboy. How did he like them? Read on and find out!

Overview

First, a bit of background on my choice. I bought the Hans Dampf 29x2.35 Addix soft compound tire for my Santa Cruz Tallboy 3. I've got i29 rims and have tried both the 2.3 and 2.5 Minion DHF on the front. Neither seemed to fit the i29 rims quite right. The 2.3 was too small and the knob profile was too narrow and flat. The 2.5 casing was nice, but the knob spacing was too large for me and I felt like I was losing grip in the corners.

Why Did I Choose Schwalbe?

I debated several options for a replacement and ultimately the Schwalbe Hans Dampf with the new tread pattern won out. I ended up with a 2.35 Nobby Nic on the rear in Addix SpeedGrip. After mounting, the HD casing measured almost exactly 2.35in. For what it's worth, the NN measured 2.4in. I only measured the casing, not the knobs, as I think that's the true measurement.

How Does it Compare?

So far, I have ridden this combo all over Northern California, as well as Bend, OR, in hardpack and loose over hard conditions. The Hans Dampf is lighter and snappier than my DHFs and I would say that there is no dead spot in the cornering traction. I would give the DHF a slight advantage only in the sandiest of conditions, however, I think this new tread from Schwalbe is a great choice for short and mid-travel bikes. In fact, I would likely replace the NN with a Hans Dampf on the rear, however, the 2.35 HD is not available in Addix SpeedGrip for some reason. This seems completely backward to me. It's only available in a 2.6 in the SpeedGrip compound. Why?

Final Thoughts

Lastly, durability has been great so far. I've got roughly 100 miles on these and there is only minimal wear. The old adage about Schwalbe tires falling apart may finally be done.

Check out our video on the complete Schwalbe Tires Lineup!