Hi guys, I’m using conti barons just now and I know they’re intermediates but they’re lethal on wet roots. Are there any mud(ish)tyres that have a semblance of grip on tree feet?

Is that a plastic Baron or a Black Chili?

Probably a plastic baron as it was 12 quid.

Not Maxxis Advantages. They’re worse than the SB8s they replaced on wet roots/rocks but much better in the mud. In the few hours ridden on the Advantages i’ve had more crashes, moments & punctures than the last 18mths with the SB8s.

Proper Barons, or Magic Mary.

ignore me misread rocks instead of roots

Ill keep away from them then! The baron’s are great in the mud til they hit wood and then it’s like hitting ice. Do the black chilli version grip that much better fit the price difference?

Technique? I use 2.25 Maxxis Beaver. Previously ran Swamptings in winter.

Going from Schwalbe pacestar to trailstar compound, the difference in grip on wet rocks/roots is massive, so I’d assume it’ll be similar for black chilli.

My technique is usually pretty awesome;-) no they really just skite of them on first touch. I’ll try and search for the beavers online and see what I can find

does anything really grip wet roots? wet rock yes, but slimy wet roots?

You’re not going to find this magical tyre.
Wet roots are the nemesis of every tyre, it doesn’t matter what tread pattern, compound or PSi they’re inflated to, a wet root hit at anything other than dead straight has the potential to spit you off your bike.

Work on your technique.

If you can’t hit the root straight on then approach it traveling up the root so to speak, hitting roots off camber and traveling down the direction of said root is terrifying…. try lifting the front over with a wheelie or manual.

I was a bit obtuse with my initial reply, obviously soft compound tyres do help but they’re not the magic bullet, even pro DH-ers have problems with wet roots and they have the finest tyres available to them.

Watch ‘corner carnage’ on YouTube, you may need to put Gravity Enduro in the search bar also, maybe Innerleithen too…either way it’s footage from the inaugural year of Steve Parr’s UKGE and the video is at a corner with a horrible wet root in the way, much hilarity ensues as virtually everybody has problems with it and there are bikes and tyres of all kinds being ridden over that section… its not the tyre in wet roots, its technique (and luck).

Its nearly 50 bucks for a black chilli baron, that’s a bit much… The trailstar on the schwalbes that’s the softercompound version? How long do they last?

nothing grips to wet roots.
Alter your approach to hit them at 90 degrees if you can or jump/float them if possible.
My favorite approach is to anticipate the crash and stick a leg out to save myself as the wheel slips away- then carry on as if nothing happened.

anticipation is key

Slow down your rebound and reduce the tyre pressures a lot, all of which delays the slip.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdOsxXpw1H0[/video]

The rest is just skilz and baws. I’m astonished sometimes by the speed that really good riders manage on slippery trails that have me backing off.

hora

Technique?

deviant

You’re not going to find this magical tyre.

bigjim

does anything really grip wet roots? wet rock yes, but slimy wet roots?

Technique is important but in fairness to the OP those tyres are shocking. Awful, terrible pieces of cheap nasty shite. I tried them briefly on a friends bike, he insisted just so I could see how bad they were as he was complaining about them all day, and narrowly avoiding crashing.

For context, this guy has multiple race wins and a few national titles under his belt in XC and DH has podium’ed at several Enduros.

You more or less get what you pay for with tyres. The £12 will look the part but be made from very different materials and construction than a quality tyre. I’m not saying you need to spend £50 and end, but the likes of the On One tyres or Bontrager / Specialised seem to offer really well made quality tyres around the £30 an end mark.

I was hoping someone had found a magic tyre for much cheapness that was awesome on roots or at least had experience of the baron vs an other tyre in those conditions. Our trails are criss crossed with roots at lovely angles all over the place and mainly corners, there ain’t much chance of hitting them square on sadly. I agree that technique is also an issue but I do most of the things suggested, ist just any added “mechanical” advantage would be lovely.

Although that video is great advice, I can’t help but laugh at the “hottest UK summer ever” style conditions.

(yep I do know it’s really Oz)

Lower pressure in Specialized Purgatories for me.

thursdayshirts
I was hoping someone had found a magic tyre for much cheapness that was awesome on roots or at least had experience of the baron vs an other tyre in those conditions

Try and pick up a super tacky maxxis. They aren’t far off Black Chilli despite what the price tag says.

Chunky monkey for the front in super tacky flavour (or whatever on one calls it) on the front is great on wet roots, and a steal at £20, but I do find it clags up a bit in the worst of mud. Hans Dampf Trail or Pacestar on rear, can be had cheap from germany and I get on well with them.

Plus what everyone else said about madskillz

Think I’m just a tight git, Looks like I’m going to have to shell out for some decent compound tyres. I just struggle with the price of them these days compared to even five years ago.and examine my mad skilz for weaknesses.

nothing grips to wet roots.

Apart from a studded ice tyre.

But yes, to mirror the above – those £12 tyres will be horrible.

i bought a 27.5 trail king with black chilli and it’s b#llocks . No that is slightly harsh, it’s not the killer sticky tyre it hought it would be.

I’ve just found that it helps , just like in snowboarding when you hit ice, to relax. The moment you tense up you are doomed. Oh and speed is your friend. the slip is over quicker if you see what I mean. Unless you slip and stack into a tree.

Uphill off camber roots just walk

The OEM Baron like all OEM Contis is pish. The real thing’s one of the better tyres for slippy roots- good big fat tread and clever rubber. Nothing really grips on roots but some are better than others.

(I took out a demo bike that had OEM rubber queens on it, and ended up crashing on dry tarmac. Not amused)

thursdayshirts

Think I’m just a tight git, Looks like I’m going to have to shell out for some decent compound tyres

Super Tacky HR

Is £20 really that much to spend on a tyre? I mean, you’ve wasted your money by buying those Contis. Buy cheap, buy twice as they say. Considering it’s the only part of your bike that touches the ground it’s probably worth spending a tiny bit more on.

cheers for the views guys – im thinking about the magic mary – snake skin in trailstar, maybe 30 bucks a tyre depending on where you get them, just cant seem to find anywhere thats got them in stock… anyone used them?

Trailstar Magic Mary up front on my bike, love it, and does tubeless perfectly unlike Conti

i bought a 27.5 trail king with black chilli and it’s b#llocks . No that is slightly harsh, it’s not the killer sticky tyre it hought it would be.

Black Chilli is a funny one. Apparently it was developed by the haulage side of the business where low rolling resistance saves £s on fuel costs, but obviously bringing mass-tonnage to an emergency stop is a serious undertaking.

I’ve not found it quite a sticky as – say – Maxxis ST 42a tyres, but I have been pleasantly surprised by how tacky they are when compared to how well they roll (a lot better than a Maxxis 42a tyre). They also seem to last pretty well.

Everything is a compromise though. I’d like to try a Trailstar Magic Mary on the front at some point because various downhilling mates swear by them, but I’ve also been advised that they wear exceptionally fast. For a £50 tyre you could argue this isn’t great, but then you’re also paying for a brilliant, focused performance product.

Trailstar Mary is a good tyre- spikier than the Baron so less good on drier and harder stuff but better with real mud.

Pimpmaster Jazz – Member

For a £50 tyre you could argue this isn’t great, but then you’re also paying for a brilliant, focused performance product.

Schwalbe at £50 each probably don’t make sense, but for 30-37 Euro from German sites, they’re the best value out there.

Well I may have gone a bit over the top but On one had dirty dans at half price in vertstar compound. I reckon they’ll be draggy as hell but apprently thy’re rather grippy. I’ll see how they get on pedally wise but at worst they’ll get put on the downhill bike.. Got the Fair City Enduro on sunday and the way the weathers going they might be whats required.

dirty dans

Schwalbe at £50 each probably don’t make sense, but for 30-37 Euro from German sites, they’re the best value out there.

It’s where I was looking too. 😉

Serious question – do you find it very draggy? I realise on the front that’s a bit of a misnomer, but it’s the main complaint another friend had (he races enduro at expert level).

For what it is, I didn’t think it was draggy – went from Hans Dampf Trailstar/Pacestar combo to Trailstar Mary front, Trailstar HD rear for winter, and have found it just fine on the trail – rolling down the road back to the carpark after a ride I was noticeably slower though, so there’s certainly more drag, but I’m not riding hardpack or tarmac on them, so for forest roots and mud I’m more than happy.

As mentioned technique is key.

Tyre wise you want large volume, soft pressure and soft compound to increase your chances of finding some grip.

Tyre wise you want large volume, soft pressure and soft compound to increase your chances of finding some grip.

Totally the opposite to what you want if riding winter slop. 😉

Yeah, but he wants something for roots so…

Roots and slop;)

I have Trail Kings in Blackchilli and found them great yesterday at GT even on the roots, but that was trail centre riding, take them off to natural trails and I agree they’re pish in anything wet as a front tyre, but they’re predictable as a rear so you know when they’re about to go so can get the foot out in time.

I used to swear by High Roller 2’s until last year when they just went on a damp trail and ended up with me being spat off OTBs and breaking my arm in 2 places.

Will be trying out the Magic Mary upfront when the German sites have them back in stock, but as a lot of people have said there’s no magic tyre for wet roots it’s more to do with technique but a good tyre will certainly help.

Chunky monkey super tacky. 25 psi or lower.

Nothing to think about. Challenge you to say these aren’t fab on routes.

20 quid to transform winter riding. It’s actually hard to fall off