Maxxis Wetscream review: great when it’s awful

The Maxxis Wetscream was originally designed for one of the muddiest downhill race tracks in the world – Les Gets in France. Back when it was first de …

By singletrackross

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Maxxis Wetscream review: great when it’s awful

Perfect on steep local tracks over winter. Nice review.

It’s worth noting that in the dh race world these are pretty much never run at original length, knobs are always cut down to improve how they work. Generally all of them but sometimes just the centre two rows. The reduced knob height tends to work even better as it removes the flex that they have at full length.
Cut down they’re my favourite tyre ever for wet or very dry dusty conditions and nothing grips like them.

I used to have a 2.5 on the front and a 2.2 (or 2.3) on the back with cut down centre tread and they worked really well.

I also used to run Swamp Things in the winter on my trail bike as it was very soggy where we were. Not the fastest tyres but very good at what they did. They weren’t very fashionable as everyone wanted Shortys or fully cut down spikes.

Now I mainly ride trail centres (for convenience) and just stick with the DHFs all year around.

“It’s worth noting that in the dh race world these are pretty much never run at original length, knobs are always cut down to improve how they work”

Yup and basically all the really great mixed conditions tyres like shorties etc are directly descended from cut spikes. Poor old Specialized, got there first, nobody cared.

A shorty is a long way from a cut wet scream in terms of grip. The hill billy was the same idea but somehow never worked as well, even a cut storm was better.

Great on the rear cutting in new steep greasy trails!

I lived and died by wetscreams in the winter, such a great tyre.

25% off at Freewheel just now with offer code SCREAMY

https://www.freewheel.co.uk/maxxis-wetscream-dh-29-x-2-50-120-tpi-folding-3c-maxxgrip-tr-tyre-mxt00241500

I loved Wet Screams I used to have an uncut 2.5 on the front and a cut 2.2 on the rear with middle knobs trimmed to half height (it also made a great front time for trail riding in the filthiest winters).