Suggestions for some tyres that are good all rounders, for mud and roots in winter to harder pack in summer. Can't be arsed with the faff of changing UST tyres that often....
Anything fit the bill?
Bontrager Mud X 2.0 - I used to always swap from trailrakers to summer tyres but after being caught with the Mud Xs for a couple of rides in the dry a couple of years ago I realised that they work amazingly well for a mud tyre. Now run them tubeless because I know they work all year round.
That's good to know, thanks - I have them on one set of wheels. Looking for something to put on the other set!
as above - Mud-X are a good year round tyre.
I've had reasonable year round success with Intense CC/System 5's which although not strictly tubeless seem to be ok with a Joe's rim strip and some gunk.
Bontrager XR4. I used Mud-X last winter but am happy enough with the XR4 in the mud that I've given the Mud-X's to a friend. With the XR4 performing so well tubeless I have no intention of changing them until they wear out (and then I'll just swap the front to the back and put a new one on the front).
Yeah, I guess it will depend on your mud - here in Brizzol we do get some really goopy clay type stuff that makes mud tyres much more enjoyable to ride in the winter.
what about nobby nics?
NN's never gave me confidence on wet roots - seems to be quite a hard compound.
It's weird mud here. When it's shallow it's clayey (is that a word) but when it's deeper in the woods it's less sticky stuff. I suppose it's the norm for downland (clay on chalk) and then woodland on some of the hills (thus humus on top). Down in the Weald it's all clay.
I didn't run the Mud-X tubeless but I liked how they performed on wet roots - the XR4s are similarly good, the extra volume and thus lower pressure making up for the less sticky rubber. Mud-X would be perfect for me if they made a 2.2" variant to suit rockier places, but I guess it would be rather heavy going in the mud at that size.
wwaswas - MemberNN's never gave me confidence on wet roots - seems to be quite a hard compound.
+1 ...shocking on wet roots, and i mean shocking, they werent that great in any type of mud either running tubeless even at low pressures
so running mud x since october and they have been a revelation! i think they are actually quite fast rolling too, and seem great in sandy/gritstone and mud in general, and alot more confidence down rooty tech descents with these!
if we have a bone dry summer, with scorchio temps i may consider some RR's UST, if it ends up being a wash out the mudx's all the way! certainly will be getting at least 8 months use out of the mud x's from october through to may.
I use Rubber Queens 2.2 UST all year round. Should be even better now you can get 2.2 UST's in Black Chilli.
TBH a single tyre all year round is a huge compromise... Best bet if you don't do really bad mud, then something like a highroller or similiar is sensible, they can do a bit of everything... They'll drag in summer and give less grip in winter than a mud tyre but they'll never be awful.
But getting a couple of sets and changing a couple of times a year will really pay off. I'd far rather do a little (and it is just a little) faffing in the garage from time to time, than ride everywhere on my Mud Xs or Swampthings... Or my Smallblocks for that matter.
Ok, so if I have Mud X on one set of wheels that it seems I can use all year round (according to some) and obviously in bad mud...what should I put on the other set?
Mud X 2.0 will be giving the xr4,s a try as i do like the xr2 in the dry!
Ok, so if I have Mud X on one set of wheels that it seems I can use all year round (according to some) and obviously in bad mud...what should I put on the other set?
So the other set of wheels could be shod with something for the dry and/or rocky days.
ST Minnion (F) and ADvantage (R) works for me.
I use Rubber Queens 2.2 UST all year round. Should be even better now you can get 2.2 UST's in Black Chilli.
+1, exactly what I do.
+1 for Rubber Queens
Maxxis Aspen - seriously... I have no idea how such an un-knobbly looking tyre can actually be so grippy, and come the dry trails of summer they are mental fast.
Loses out in the total filth but what tyre doesn't?
TBH a single tyre all year round is a huge compromise.
Not around here it isn't. Whatever the time of year, there will be a mixture of firm/rocky and muddy trails.
btw, I like the Specialized Eskar 2bliss 2.3 as an all year round tubeless tyre. You can choose from 3 levels of sidewall toughness/weight to suit.
How about a spesh Eskar2.3 front and 2.2 Purgatry rear, thats what ive gone for, they go no and inflate v well imo, havent ridden them yet tho as only picked the wheels up on monday, so i cant comment on how good or bad they may be, i got them as i thought they looked right.
Had Eskars 2.3 2bliss while I can't fault the all round grip they puncture or I should say the side-wall split after several rides, got a mountain king on the front 2.4 and a Eskar 2.3 on the rear, although I should swap them around as the Eskars are wider than the mountain kings.
I'm loving the eskar as a rear tyre but it's not so good in mud I reckon.
I've found that running tubeless in mud you can drop the pressues so low that there's such a large contact patch and so much carcass flexure that you get much more grip than you'd expect and the tyres don't clog up as much as you'd think. Purgatory 2.2 is nice - I'd like to try an Eskar too.
Bontrager jones acx if you can find any. Like a fatter mud x. I use them for most of the year until the ground gets clay claggy and i need the extra clearance from the mud x. i would think the new xr4 would be as good.
Maxxis Ignitor and Nobby Nics on my bikes,all year round