Mud Tyres

Hi,

Probably done before, but search isn’t very forthcoming….

I was out and about between Bristol and Bath last night with Maxxis Minion/High Roller front/rear, and the mud was so claggy my wheels would not spin (partly due to poor wheel clearance)

I’m not a particularly confident rider, so to make me feel safer I’m looking for a set of tyres that will provide reasonable grip on wet roots and rocks, be quite quick and shed mud easily?

Any recommendations?

TIA

Andrew

Bonty Mud-X.

….try the tags instead then

Bontrager Mud-X ftw btw.

Panaracer Trailraker 2.1″

Mud X – not a full-on mud tyre like a swampthing, but great for variable wet conditions with some bog, some firm bits, wet roots etc. Top tip – Evans will price match JE James @ 19.99 (or whoever you can find cheaper) and their mail order service is pretty good.

I’ve been running swampthings (2.35 40/60a combo) for about 3 months and have been very impressed. Not the quickest tyre but grip is superb.

ive got swamp things, love em, although the soft ones are like adding 50% gradient to your climbing..

Swampthings

Last night’s ride was the muddiest I can remember, but the Swampthings just powered through everything with no problems.

Mud X is great at what it does but they’re a bit random on anything but mud. Likewise Medusas.

I know some people hate swampthings but I really rate them, they’re a bit abrupt when they stop gripping and yes they’re slow but they work. The supertacky’s more able to deal with stuff that isn’t mud than any other mud tyre I’ve used.

I find Mud-X’s great on roots and stuff (as well as ‘just mud’).

They’re virtually year round tyres around Brighton, tbh.

Presumably over Bristol/Bath way it’s mostly woodland riding?

I’d go for Mud X or Medusas if so. Both are v good, the latter marginally wider and perhaps a little more stable. Also both fine for normal riding too IME.

Swampthings give amazing grip but they feel a bit tall and wobbly to me – even though they can be quite difficult to actually fall off on in the mud. Plus they are slow! It’s like riding a two-wheeled tractor.

another Bonty Mudx user here. Excellent all round winter tyre. I run 2.0 on the Ti456 and 1.8 on the 853 rock Lobster.

Kev

Mud X is great at what it does but they’re a bit random on anything but mud

I don’t think they are. I think they’re one of the best all round XC tyres ever made, that just happen to be very good in the wet: I’ve not found anything that works anywhere near as well on wet roots, I did the Transwales on them (It was wet) and the only sketchy bit was a rocky chute, but I’d pumped them right up and they are pretty skinny.
I use one on the rear of my 18 year old Cindercone all year round (Not much chainstay room) I think it’s a mark as to how good they are then when Bontrager updated their entire tyre range recently, pretty much the only tyre left unchanged was the Mud X.

A Trailraker will be better in deep clag, but how many times is a whole ride in deep clag? Not often! 🙂

Another for Mud X they are in my opinion a very good alround tyre, the only down fall is as PP said they are not great on rocky terrain but if your going to do lots of rocks then you would use a suitable tyre anyhow. Nuff Said 😀

mud x + 1,000,000,000.

and rubbish about them being not much kop on anything else other than mud…

they are pretty fast rolling, so decentish on road, superb on singletrack, hardpack, mud, roots (about the only tyre ive ever had confidence on wet roots)…

and also not really true about the rocks, i ride up the peaks 3 times a week and these have been on since october running tubeless and ive not once had a problem (touches wood quickly), ok im only light 10.5stone, and dont ride hard i suppose, but i go down every rocky descent there is available and they have always done me proud….they are an absolute superb tyre, i shall be running them for most of the year until we hit dusty trail territory (so never).

great all round tyre!

a whole ride in deep clag

HTN a few weeks ago!!

Mud X and I’d totally disagree with the comment that they’re random off mud – I’ve tubeless’d mine because they’re such a good all year round tyre. As stated though they are relatively narrow so not the best choice if you’re doing lots of rocky riding but otherwise (and for Bristol type riding), they’re great.

Mud X on back Swampthing 2.35 front.Tried loads,settled on this.brilliant for I.

Panaracer Trailraker 2.1″

Based in Bristol. I know what you mean……………

29er Mud X are awesome, roll surprisingly well on hardpack and tarmac too, i’d always poo-pooed mud tyres as a gimmick until i tried them

Run Swamps and Mud-X; love the Mud-X but can’t make my mind up on the Swamps as out of the mud they do a great job of sucking you into the centre of the earth.

Thanks for all the replies.

A quick count has Mud X well ahead with Swampthing second.

As Mud X are also cheaper I’ll try those first. I post an update next week.

Andrew

I’m also a fan of the Medusas. They are a good compromise for traction/rolling resistance but by the sound of it the Bontys are similar.

I have a set of wire bead trailraker 2.1 which i could sell you for £20? I don’t ride 26″ bikes anymore so these are surplus to requirement. Good nick as they don’t wear much in the mud.

I had Mud X but ripped the sidewall on about the first ride so lost faith in them. Having said that, i have the 29er version and they seem fine although a little narrow for my taste.

My sister is in Thornbury and i’ll be seeing her on the weekend if they are of any interest to you and you can pick up?

Also have a mint Specialized storm tyre going spare as well.

A Trailraker will be better in deep clag, but how many times is a whole ride in deep clag?

Nail – Head

Used to run trailrakers, but Mud X are capable enough everywhere to be truely all round which is probably what you want.

I only take them off in spring as they are a bit draggy and to save them for next winter, gives that little lift for the warmer months and longer days.

Used to run trailrakers, but Mud X are capable enough everywhere to be truely all round which is probably what you want.

+1, what advantage the TR’s give you in the mud is compromised by their extra drag everywhere else.

Also run Swampthing 2.35 40a front & Mud X on rear. Used to run a mud x up front, the swampthing beats it hands down for grip in mud, cornering, camber and roots tbh on the front doesn’t feel much/any slower than the mud x, confidence in the mud gone up 100% since fitting.

Mud X +1,000,000,001

Sexy tyres!!! All that rubber – phwoar!!

A Trailraker will be better in deep clag, but how many times is a whole ride in deep clag?

Done Mountain Mayhem recently? 😆

I’ve used Trailrakers and Mud-X and they’re both pretty good. Trailrakers are a bit scary on tarmac or rock as the knobs can be a bit bendy. I prefer Mud-X of the two.

If you want mud performance with light-weight and low rolling resistance, then you want a 1.8in Maxxis Medusa. Awesome tyres.

Done Mountain Mayhem recently?

Not for a couple of years, too muddy last time I went. TRs would be good at MM, yes! 🙂

I bought a bike that came with swampthings fitted. Had to take them off after one ride as it felt like I was tearing the tarmac off the road on the ride up to the forest!
Fitted Mud-X after that and they’re still great (3 years on).

Tried Mud X this winter and find them great and roll pretty well. In fact will try and use them whenever its wet all year round. Lots of grip on wet roots and solid rock, although a bit twitchy on loose rock – i presume something a bit wider on the front would help here as they only go up to 2.0. Perhaps a wider swampthing in winter.

Scamper – good point that I was just about to make. I run Jones ACX in the summer (2.2/2.3), and would swap to the Mud X for an all round tyre if they had something like 2.1.

How chubby does the 2.0 come up?

They look as chubby as some 2.1 nics and ralphs i’ve got, although the sidewalls say 30psi min.

although the sidewalls say 30psi min.

Tubeless ready though, 30 psi like that is pretty squishy – I don’t feel any need to go much below 40 grip wise. Except when I forget to top them up for a few weeks ofc 🙂

I managed to get the Mud X’s on at the weekend. Here is a size comparison between the Maxxis High-Roller 2.35 and the Mud X 2.0

High-Rollers 2.35 v Mud X 2.0