OK, been running Big Betty’s on my DH bike for the last while, and they’ve come to the end of their useful life. On the whole, awesome tire in most conditions, except anything that involves water. In particular, I really like the large volume. Have also got a set of Minions (DHF/DHR) in 2.5 flavour, but they seem skinny by comparison.

Any one out there been using a wider DH tyre for UK conditions (light mud, some wet, rocks etc.) and what are they?

I’m not after a winter mud tyre for DH, just something with a bit more general usability than the BB’s.

2.35 Muddy Marys FTW (imo). Schwalbe 2.5s are stupidly big, more at home on a tractor than a bike, their 2.35 is more than big enough and slightly bigger than a Maxxis 2.5

Also worth pointing out that if you’re a skidder you’ll destroy a rear MM in no time.

That’s partly Maxxis’s rubber ruler, the 2.7 Minion measures 2.5 across, the 2.5 measures almost bang on 2.35. Maxxis do make a 2.7 Minion and Highroller, though (or did- not sure you can still buy ’em) Though o’course a big tyre doesn’t always work in mud, sometimes cut is better than float.

My 2.5 Rain King comes up pretty close to 2.5, and is a pretty nice bit of kit for intermediate and wet (but not spike wet) conditions.

I’ve got a 2.5″ Muddy Mary on the front and a 2.35 Wicked Will on the back, I had intended to only have the Mary on for winter and fit a 2.35 Will for summer but I’ve not really bothered to change, that said I’ve not ridden the bike much lately either, but there’s bags of front end grip and enough on the rear from that combo in pretty much all conditions…

As above if you like Bettys you’ll love Marys. Identical high-volume carcass but with a tread pattern more suited to general-purpose dirt. Vertstar front, Trailstar rear.

Cheers guys, off to search www for suitable bargains

Verstars @ bike-discount.de @ £30 each – amazing

I’m still baffled by this forums apparent “need” of tractor tyres

Verstars @ bike-discount.de @ £30 each – amazing

Would be wary of fitting Vertstars front and rear they are amazingly grippy like SloW Reazy but also incredibly draggy on anything that isn’t pure gravity. If your descents have any pedally bits I would recommend a Trailstar on the rear.

I’m still baffled by this forums apparent “need” of tractor tyres

It’s true that if you can hit all your lines and don’t brake much you don’t need a big tyre. But if you make mistakes and clip rocks or roots a big tyre will be deflected less than a narrow tyre

Quite right, but the cons are significant too: slower rolling, heavier, slower turning, worse in proper mud. Smaller tyre (not that you call call a Schwalbe 2.35 small) + a tad more pressure if its somewhere particularly rough and fast works for me.

It’s even hitting Enduro races. Last years winter series at Inners was hilarious for the confused looks from people trying to understand why their wheels no longer turned 🙂

this

OK, been running Big Betty’s on my DH bike

– clues in the DH bit….thanks for asking rather than simply giving an opinion

Don’t get you. Everything bar my last paragraph has been DH related

I use Specialized Clutch SX: They are great tyres for most conditions and come in around 300g lighter than your average DH tyre.

Evans had them on sale for £25 each a few weeks ago.

Butcher SX is better at just about everything incidentally 😉 Not as good in the dusty dry though. Buuut, not sure either is what the OP wants, they’re still big being genuine 2.3s rather than fakey 2.5s mind.