I think I’ve spotted a tyre dilemma, we need wide spacing to clear the mud but too wide and the tyre will be sh*t on roots. I ride on quite rooty/chalky trails with occasional sticky clay.

Mud X have been recommended time and time again as have trailrakers (which for some reason I don’t quite like the look of). Medusas look alright and the Dirty Dan appeals due to the low weight and extra side lugs.

I’d quite like a light tyre, I think it would balance out the drag a little.

What are you running?

Not sure if its any use but I’ve found my triple compound Fat Albert’s are better in the current conditions than my Swampthings.

I like Medusas. I’d use them all year round in NW conditions, but they’re fairly low volume so prone to pinching on hard dry rocky conditions.

Lovely and light though and brilliant in mud. A proper fugedaboutit tyre.
Not too squirmy on tarmac either.

Have found Nevegals to be pretty good in all but the worst mud and they are fine with roots, likewise I have found the swampthings cope well in really muddy conditions and grip well on roots and rocks, not a light tyre though

Conti Baron 2.3 black chillis if money permits. Not a specific mud tyre but a great winter trail tyre.

I’ve got Dirty Dan 2.0s and they are great in the mud and their light weight compensated for their drag on harder surfaces. They are ok on wet roots but not brilliant but not many tyres are really.

I’m hoping to get a pair of Panaracer Cedric Gracia Soft Conditions tyres as they look faster rolling and should be better across a wider range of surfaces. Look a bit like MX tyres.

never found mud x too slippy on roots. south coast chalk/ mud/ clay roots etc.

Mud X’s are fine, but run them with low-pressures – they are TLR

I ran Mud-Xs one winter, Bontrager XR4 the next. I’ve just ordered a Super Tacky Swampthing 2.35 for the front. I’m relatively new to this modern MTBing lark so each year I’m riding harder and faster than the year before. The other tyres I considered were the Muddy Mary and the Hillbilly. If my supposition is right you need wide spaced big but soft knobs to handle mud AND roots – a mud spike will slip on roots. A XC winter tyre like the Mud-X is a bit too small and the side knobs aren’t big enough if you want to ride aggressively – on the front that is, it’s fine on the back.

I’d rather struggle a bit uphill than mince round corners because I don’t trust my tyres (especially the front one)!

Another reason for my view is that I’d rather drift round every muddy corner than rail the muddy bends but get spat off into the trees when I hit a badly placed root!

Trailrakers are lethal on roots, Mud-X’s seem decent on them though. The new Conti Mud King looks interesting to especially as it use black chilli http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/components/tyres/mountain/product/review-continental-mud-king-18-11-45436 not sure I’d want to be the first to try them out though at £45 a pop

I ride on quite rooty/chalky trails

Mud X should fit the bill nicely.

Medusa also good, might roll a bit faster and be even lighter – but Mud X is light enough and has a grippier compound (useful for those roots).

I’m currently on a Blue Groove front and Nevegal rear. There’s a chap doing Medusas for a good price and then On-One selling Dirty Dan’s at £20 a pop.

I was thinking there might be something in the lug pattern. Parallel (Medusa/Dirty) looks good and open but may be more root slippery. Staggered (Mud X) should hook up on the roots better and are known to clear well.

Last winter I had a low volume High Roller on the back with a Hutchinson Barracuda front. The High Roller cleared ok but wasn’t the best in the slop and the Barracuda’s on Mrs Shake’s bike. I think I favour the Nevegal on the back to the HR…hence looking for a pair.

Rocks aren’t an issue at all sadly, none here 🙁

Super Tacky Maxxis Swampthing 2.35 works for me on the front, Mud-X on the rear.

Another vote for Conti Baron 2.3 black chillis

Just about to try a 2.3 minion dhf super tacky on the front and a 60a swamp thing on the rear bit of an odd mix but a mate reckons it works for him!

If my supposition is right you need wide spaced big but soft knobs to handle mud AND roots – a mud spike will slip on roots. A XC winter tyre like the Mud-X is a bit too small and the side knobs aren’t big enough if you want to ride aggressively – on the front that is, it’s fine on the back

What he said…

Mud X’s are brilliant for digging through the mud and finding traction, and they’re more useable elsewhere than a Trailraker, but they’re not very good on roots cos they’re too narrow. You could run then softer as someone suggested, but if I ran a Mud X at less than 45psi I’d ding the rim constantly and I’m only 12 stone. They’re not a big tyre!

Grip over roots is pretty much dependant on having a large volume tyre combined with a soft compound, and knobbles that aren’t too tall or spiky. Something like a Rubber Queen, or even (dare I say it cos I think they’re rubbish elsewhere) a Nevegal, or Minions and High Rollers.

I’m going to be trying a Bontrager XR4 up front and Conti Rubber Queen on the back for a bit, see how I get on, though I expect when the trails turn properly nasty and just getting some drive through the slop is the most important thing, I’ll be reaching for my Mud X’s.

roots are (in my opinion) more about tyre pressure than tread pattern. 15psi and you can still grip the ground either side 😀

I checked my pressures after a Surrey Hills outing last weekend and I’d let my tyres down from my summer 32/35psi F/R to 18/22psi. A bit squirrelly on the quick dry bits but at least I didn’t end up on my face on the rooty descents. The Swampthing just turned up – Super Tacky rubber feels nice!

Trailrakers seem great for me on South Downs, QECP and Lordswood, plenty of wet chalk, roots and clay but minimal slippage on any. I used to love 1.5 Conti XCs for the winter, Trailrakers seem similar so I guess it’s what I’m used to…

“Trailrakers seem great for me on South Downs, QECP and Lordswood, plenty of wet chalk, roots and clay but minimal slippage on any”

😯

Trailrakers are dreadful on roots and wet stones IME. I much prefer using a Blue Groove/ Nevegal, and accepting slightly worse traction in deep mud.

I’m going to let a bit of air out of my front tyre after reading this 🙂