Thinking of a front mud tyre and rear fast roller? is this stupidity?

No,

I run a swampy front and high roller rear in intermediate conditions on my DH bike to maintain front end grip. Trade off is less grip in the muck at the rear but faster rolling generally.

Depends on your type of riding I'd say. I find a mud tyre on the back serves me far better for climbing (or just about any) traction in really sloppy conditions. Up front I tend to have something intermediate, an Ardent right now. Combination's served me well for a couple of winters now.

I've got Bontrager Mud X front and rear. Traction is great, front end tends to slide around a bit but hard to say if it would be much with a "normal" tyre. For the traction alone they're worth it for me – getting up hills where I was previously losing traction and spinning away all momentum.

glad to see warpcows answer – i had one of those "oh my god i've got it all wrong moments" not unusual though

not a tyre fanatic as not hard core but when got wet put a nobby nic on the back but left a spec' semi slick on the front – it loses it when you turn in mud but no more than i'd expect – i'd always assume rear traction the issue – steering is steering?

running mud tyres front and back – Schwalbe Dirt Dan XC 2.0's – only weighed something like 460g each so decided to fit a pair. Great on everything but tarmac where they're a bit buzzy

I've got Bontrager Mud X front and rear.

+1. Great tyres and certainly on the front I'd be happy to leave on all year. Would for the rear if I didn't think they'd wear down to quickly.

specialized storms front'n'rear for climbing and descending. Been using them all this winter, they're good on snow too.

I would say that would have been a good combination, 6 months ago…

If you are looking at running that now, what have you been using over winter?

For me, NN front and Maxxis Larsen rear since last week, after Mud X F&R.

Currently running Swampies frony and rear with a super tacky at the front. They work very well and roll well enough also.

Kenda Blue groove up front and a Mud x on the rear – been working well for me all winter 🙂

dh bike in wet conditions – wetscream on the front and HR on the rear.
proper muddy conditions – wetscream front and rear

xc bike in anything like wet – mud-x front and back.

Medusas front and rear all winter.Lots of control in the mud,a bit sketchy on everything else, but I got used to them.
Fitted an Advantage for the drier conditions….no fool,like an old fool.

Riding in the slime on the Malverns over the weekend with NNs on the rear and FastFred on the front – generally ace with just a couple of sketchy moments!!

dirtbiker100 – Member

dh bike in wet conditions – wetscream on the front and HR on the rear.
proper muddy conditions – wetscream front and rear

xc bike in anything like wet – mud-x front and back.

What he said.

I've been putting a kenda knarly on the back and leaving a blue groove up front to help with climbing.

All round/year tyre choice – Bonty ACX (like a half-arsed Mud X), put a mud X on the rear if it's really gloppy.

Really dry – go for Larsens front and rear.

Yeah bonty acxs are great tyres and are also very light. I used them in the Alps last summer and they were as good as they were in muddy woods back home.