Buyers Guide to the Best Mountain Bike Mud Tyres

Although we are entering autumn winter, filth is a year-round issue in the UK. With that in mind, here are the best mountain bike mud tyres.

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By ben_haworth

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Buyers Guide to the Best Mountain Bike Mud Tyres

No Hill Billy?

No Hill Billy?

I think theyve got it mixed up with the butcher, because thats rubbish in the wet. Tread is good but compound is poor

Summary says “nothing bigger than 2.4” but the best gen 1 shorty by far is the 2.5 maxxgrip.

The article definitely has a picture of the butcher, but yeah, makes more sense to test the hillbilly and throw in something minioney like the butcher for “not a mud tyre but does pretty well”. But at that point, you’d still not choose a butcher because it lacks the sticky compound for mixed-mud. DHR2 is better at literally everything ime

To the person who discontinued the Bontrager Muds…..you are a knob.

To the person who discontinued the Bontrager Muds…..you are a knob.

*nods*

There is only Wetscream.

Having ridden Butcher’s they are fair to middlin in the wet, I’m not convinced they are any better than a High Roller 2, DHF, Nobby Nic, or many other trail bike tyres designed for a mix of conditions though.

As has already been mentioned the omission of the Hill Billy is a bit weird as it’s designed for wet and or loose conditions, it’s also really good. If you can still find them the Spesh Storms are pretty good if a bit undersized (29 x 2.00) for modern trail bikes.

The Wet Scream is a beast of a wet conditions tyre but is only really for the muddiest conditions when going downhill and is too much as a general winter trail tyre.

So for general winter trail riding I would add to the list in the article Spesh Hill Billy, pretty light (about a 1KG) and can be had in the new T9 compound as well. Vittoria Mota, I rate these really highly, grippier in the wet than a Magic Mary but not heavier and not noticeably more draggy.

Agree with @zippykona! They’re awesome

I’ve not tried them, but Bontrager fans may like this review:-

https://www.singletracks.com/mtb-gear/mud-traction-bontrager-g-spike-mtb-tire-review/

I have to say I’m really impressed with the V1 (ie not the fancy new version) of the Maxxis Forekaster I have. I have it as a rear with a DHF up front. Things are still mostly/relatively dryish but for the perma-mud and general forestry trail muck that stays all year, they’re really holding up well. I got it 2nd hand online from a lad who took them off a brand new bike too for a great deal which makes them even better. Going to leave it on for as long as possible to see how it holds up in the proper muck.

Last winter I finally got to properly test my Surly Dirt Wizards, 3 inch but come up about 2.8, panicked and fitted them in November,should have waited until the filth really started as they are heavy and VERY hard work without mud or on tarmac. But when in the slop they really come into their own. Still have some control and traction when the pedals are full in the mud. Run them with 1 psi more than my fair weather maxxi chronicle, 11 in the front and 15 in the rear. One winter of dirty commuting and I think I’d burned about 1/2 off the rear. They surfaced the really filthy bit of the tow path this year so won’t be putting them on early.

Summary says “nothing bigger than 2.4” but the best gen 1 shorty by far is the 2.5 maxxgrip.

Agreed. The 2.5 maxxgrip is an entirely different beast to the so called 2.3 maxxterra. The “2.3” is more akin to an old school narrow mud tyre while the 2.5 works in a much broader range of conditions. The smaller one is lethal on wet roots while the 2.5 is brilliant.

I also mourn the old Mud X. Was much more versatile than a pure mud tyre. Was three season for me on the hardtail. That new Bonty linked above is a nothing like it.

Mud X was alright but the Beaver 2.25 was better at everything except for bottomless mud. And bottomless mud is horrible regardless of tyres. RIP 2.25 Beaver, inexplicably Maxxis has space in the range for 400 different enduro tyres but not for one superb xc mud.

Been thinking if I might benefit from a tyre swap in winter. Our local can turn into a bit of a slopfest with chalk and roots under the slop. I currently have a Wild Enduro on the front and a high roller on the back. Anyone argue with moving the WE to the back, even though it is a front tyre (michelin do front and rear specific just to mess with my head) and adding a Magic Mary up front? Mainly becuse they look really cheap in the links above