Last few rears have been 2.25 UST Fat Alberts, which have been excellent, so inclined to go with them again. Best price I’ve found so far is £40 from Bike24.

Any other options out there?

Need to be proper UST, to go on a burly BFe. Halo used to do a cheap one, which wasn’t as grippy as the FA but half the price but they seem to have stopped them (CRC stock).

Maxxis Crossmark, not cheap but then few UST tyres are. I’ve got a Kenda Nevegal on the back at the moment, was a bit cheaper and seems OK.

Ardent.

All about £40 then…

Crossmark looks quite quick/summer/hardpack in terms of its block pattern. Is this the case?

Racing Ralph 2.25 ust. On one currently selling at £22.99. DONE !!!

Fat Alberts are pretty awful tyres IMO, in any conditions. Had a 2.25″ all singing all dancing mega expensive one on the back of my bike and it was horrid. Replaced it with a 2.2″ Rubber Queen which is night and day better.

Though have been running a 2.25″ Crossmark on the back of my other bike, and I have to say except for deep mud it’s about the best rear tyre out there IMO. Not cheap but very good!

There’s also the bargain tastic 2.3″ Michelin Dry2’s from On One. Ok they don’t work in the slop at all, but as the trails dry out they’re fantastic! Sooooo much grip, and sooo fast. They also seal tubeless very well with only a small amount of sealant despite not being UST!

Crossmark looks quite quick/summer/hardpack in terms of its block pattern. Is this the case?

Yup.

Ralph is a good deal but I need something tougher on the Bfe. Hardtail so the rear tyre gets a hard time.

Interesting you don’t rate the FA mboy. I’ve always been a big fan. Not very good in the wet/mud but I’ve always liked them in drier conditions. Maybe I should try something else just to get some perspective! I’ll perhaps give the Crossmark a go…

Crossmark just grips and grips, where the FA let’s go… I any conditions I found.

With the FA I found it was just really sketchy, didn’t find anywhere except real hardpack dirt that it gripped acceptably, and the Schwalbe rubber compound being as it is, the knobbles just started to lift and tear off in no time!

The 2.25″ Crossmark really is miles better in every way, it’s grippier in the softer stuff too, though to be fair it can clog quickly and doesn’t provide much drive compared to a mud tyre, but it’s predictable. Get one, if you don’t like it, I’ll buy it off you… 😉

You’ve persuaded me 😉

Mboy +1 re Michelin dry 2’s

Never seen anyone else review them before but have been brilliant summer tyre for me in the last 2 years. Really fast and grippy despite minimal tread. No bother running them tubeless either. Specialised 2bliss tyres also are a cheaper way of doing it compared to the very expensive ust tyres.

Yeah the Michelin Dry2’s really are a bit of a find. I’ve even run one up front for a few months in the summer and the grip levels are really quite surprising. They’re not the best under hard braking, but they’re really quick and they’re very predictable. Not quite as good as a 2.25″ Crossmark overall, but they’re a fraction of the price, and they’re probably slightly quicker and definitely have tougher sidewalls.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-2x-maxxis-crossmark-225-26-folding-lust-tubeless-tyres

+1 Ardent