Hi lads

Soz if this has been asked before but looking for a new front tyre for rest of winter.

I’m currently running nobby nic front and back in pacestar but want something a bit better for wet and mud.

I have some HR11 tyres aswell but I don’t think they will be any better than the nics this time of year

I’m torn between a magic mary in soft or a chunky monkey .

I will be riding mixed trails can anyone whoa owned both give me their opinion please .

Cheers

Darren

I use a Chunky Monkey on the front for most riding, only use a Magic Mary for more downhill based riding. I find the Mary a bit draggy for general trail riding.

Two completely different tyres, chunky monkey pish in mud, Mary is only really poor on man made trails.

Mary would be draggy on the rear, but surely you d never put one out back?. Great all round front tyre.

As above, completely different. I never got on with CMs. They were mediocre even at the stuff they should be more suited to, but they were cheap.

Maybe a Butcher or something?

Cheers lads I will just be keeping a nic on the back  I will also be riding trail centres mostly .

Would a cm be better than a nic in mud?   Also what they like on roots etc ?

Cheers

I’m a bit of a CM fanboy, I use them on dry rocky stuff in Greece and the on the normal sloppiness in the grim north.  They’re not as grippy in really greasy conditions as something like a Shorty or Dirty Dan but for an all-round, all season, tyre I like them.

I love the CM on the back of the hardtail. Was less impressed on the front. Wtb vigilante front CM rear is a killer mixed riding/conditions combo imo (and also a killer xc combo… It’ll kill your legs!)

Definately a MM on the front in winter! I love a CM in the Alps though.

A Mary is overkill for most trail centres, I’ll agree a CM gets out of its depth in sloppy stuff but it’s an all rounder and works very well on man made stuff and local bridalways, how sloppy does a trail centre get?. Never tried a Nic but I can say I don’t like the Hans Dampth

Not pushing the CM I just wouldn’t use a Mary for all round trail use myself. There’s plenty of other options.

Dont get the MM isn’t suitable for a trail centre thing.

Soft addix compound MM is great, run an MM on my trail bike and a Maxxis DHF WT on the longer travel, couldn’t notice huge differences between them around places like Whinlatter, Llandegla etc.

Nor is the MM draggy, get fitter.

OP doesn’t mention trail centres jamesoz, mixed trails. Hence I’d say MM, as it covers way more conditions than CM.

I quite liked CM up front on Rocky stuff but wrecked a few on lakes descents, MM much tougher too.

Vigilante worth a look too.

dazzzzbo

Member
Cheers lads I will just be keeping a nic on the back I will also be riding trail centres mostly .

Would a cm be better than a nic in mud? Also what they like on roots etc ?

Cheers

I didn’t really rate the CM in 27.5 flavour, it was ”okaaaay …” and had the advantage of being cheap, but felt draggy and despite the chunky tread, not that good in the slop.

BUT. Am running a CM on the front of my rigid SS 26er (with a Smorgasbord out back) and it’s great actually. Recall someone commenting on a previous thread that they work well as a 26 tyre, not so much in other sizes … not really sure why that would be, but hey-ho.

Don’t buy them at current price (£25ea), but if you see them at £15 or under (I paid £13 each), I think it’s great value, and a pretty good all round tyre.

Personally I’d buy one of each when you see one at a decent price and make your own mind up, tyres are too personal.

Only danger is you end up with a tyre mountain like mine and I suspect a few others on here.

edit:

As above CM seems better In 26” compared to 27.5, same with the Smorgasbord. It as if the tread hasn’t grown with the carcass.

“Personally I’d buy one of each when you see one at a decent price and make your own mind up, tyres are too personal.”

I’ve done that bit for you OP. The Magic Mary is the one for the crappy Winter weather. I find it good all year round, although might stick the Chunky Monkey on if it dries out properly in the Summer.

MM on the front isn’t too draggy and is suitable for trail center’s as well 🙂

Magic Mary front, High Roller 2 back for pretty much everything from trail centre pootle to the Alps. Advantages of the Mary outweigh any drag, would take front and rear next time over any other combo, inc ardent / chunky etc…

Are the newer addix Mary’s better at holding onto their knobs? I tend to only use mine for races or uplift days.

I ran MM front and rear on my Camber in the winter, totally awesome in the wet everywhere I went.I have Vigilantes on my Mega and never really liked them but I didn’t get round to buying MM before I changed bike. Got Plus sized NN on my Powerfly, and I’m sure they’ll be fine in the summer, but they don’t work too well in the slop.

Been running a CM on the front of my Mega for 18 months and not had any issues in pretty much any condition. But then again I don’t ride flat-out all the time. As am all-round tyre I’ve found it pretty good (26″ flavour).

Interesting to hear that they don’t seem as good in the bigger sizes, have ordered 27.5″ CM and SB combo for my Scout so will see how they compare.

MM on the front for me all year round for all surfaces and all types of riding – from bone dry dusty trails in the alps to slopfest downhill runs at wharncliffe to the odd trail centre, for me its the best front tyre I’ve used

prior to the MM I used chunky monkeys, good in the dry but just don’t have the cornering grip of the MM in anything mildly damp or tread to bight in anything muddy. Also worth noting if you run them tubeless I found them a very ‘loose’ tyre on the rim and burped them more than any other tyre I’ve had, leading to having to run higher pressures than I would like. The MM I Can run at sub 20 psi with no issues

Trail centre – minion front highroller rear /

if youve been running pacestar front and rear anything will be an improvement.

If youve got a pacestar NN (you dont say what age) on the front then anything is going to feel draggy in comparison.

If your doing XC rides i would suggest a new NN or hans damph in trailstar (of whatever it is now)

If your doing woods or anything else muddy go for the mary.

I’ve run a Chunky Monkey in 26″ flavour and really liked it. I was tempted to order the Chunky Monkey / Smorgasbord combo in 27.5 when I get a new bike, but seem liked mixed feelings about them in this size?

MM on the front isn’t too draggy and is suitable for trail center’s as well

I found the same… MM stays on the front and doesn’t introduce much noticeable drag but when I stick the Hans Dampf on the back it becomes a combo I don’t want to run for the sake of not changing tyre.

CM is great trail centre tyre in 650 & 29 ime

would only bother with MM if you are riding big mud & wet roots

2.4HR2 better than CM in mud if you have it, not as good as MM for that, but wouldnt bother getting MM if your not riding mud a lot

Hi lads

Thanks for all the replies.

I ended up ordering 2Mm in addix soft from atheleteshop as they only worked out 31 each so got a spare or might sticking in sons bike.

I will still pick up a Cm and a Dhf when I see one cheap.

Would a HR11 be better than a NN in the wet and mud as might switch over for tomorrow?

Cheers.