My ride last night reminded me winter is around the corner *sigh*

Only discovered the joy of a mud specific tyre last year for the first time (spec storm control I think on my 29r).

Any recommendations for something in 650b flavour or should I just get the same?

Its quite dependent on your type of mud and how/where you ride. Given that, Id stick to what you currently like.

Personally I’ve given up on mud tyres, for me they are so slow in soft stuff and sketchy on non soft stuff.

I love beavers

Shorty is brilliant on the front in the gloop.

Halfords did have the Michelin Wild Mud reinforced tyre on cheap a couple of months back, maybe they still have. They got good reviews last year, so I bought a couple for the extremes when racing away. Locally (south coast) mud tyres arent really needed.

I swear by bonty muds all year round.

+1 on the Wild Muds – good value winter tyre. Bontrager mud-X also decent [if they’re still around, not used one in a bit].

I’d stick with the Storms. Beavers are good at shedding (no better though) but nowhere near as agressive, Shortys are grippy but not as good as cutting through in really muddy conditions

I love beavers

😀

I’ve just put Storm Controls on, and while they look a bit narrow they seem to work well. Wish there was a Grid version though, and that they were a bit less leaky.

Shorty is brilliant on the front in the gloop.

Indeed.

There’s basically 3 jobs… One is “Cut through horrendous mud if you’re riding XC in swamps” and for that, something like a storm- narrow, cuts through, finds grip but really not much good at anything apart from that one job. Very specific, very compromised and tbh, what I’d do is, I’d ride somewhere else because the situations where an XC mud tyre is the best option, generally means the riding is rubbish anyway ime.

The other is “Work in mud and other stuff”. And for that, Shorty is outrageously good, it’s like cheating. It doesn’t have the sheer outright cut of a Storm- wider and less spiked- but it works far, far better at stuff that isn’t just mud. And that’s where the personal choice/situation comes in.

Inbetween, the wide Beaver is actually really cool but

Pimpmaster Jazz – Member

I love beavers
😀

Never gets old 😆

Inbetween, the wide Beaver is actually really cool.

Beaver is the best compromise for me.
The narrow one is good for the “Cut through horrendous mud if you’re riding XC in swamps”. It clears easily and grips nicely, but it’s compromised.

The wide Beaver Exo is actually a really good at “Work in mud and other stuff”, especially as a rear. It clears well and runs very well in mud. It doesn’t cut through as effectivley, but then it’s more durable and can take a battering.

I’d go Beaver 2.25 Exo rear and a Shorty on the front.

Great, thanks everyone, much appreciated.

Northwind – Member

There’s basically 3 jobs… One is “Cut through horrendous mud if you’re riding XC in swamps” and for that, something like a storm- narrow, cuts through, finds grip but really not much good at anything apart from that one job. Very specific, very compromised and tbh, what I’d do is, I’d ride somewhere else because the situations where an XC mud tyre is the best option, generally means the riding is rubbish anyway ime.

What you missed there though is that the likes of Storms are actually very good at the Golfy and such. Loads of grip and help things stay responsive when bigger tyres are feeling cumbersome on top of the mud

Speaking from personal experience, the best mud tyre I’ve ridden is a Panaracer Trailraker. However, it is a pure mud tyre – Spesh Storms, Bontie Mud Xs and Maxxis Beavers are all far better crossover tyres.

I’ll be running 650b Spesh Storms and 29er Beavers over the winter for XC work.

legend – Member

What you missed there though is that the likes of Storms are actually very good at the Golfy and such.

XC storm? Couldn’t disagree more tbh, you couldn’t pay me to use one of those over a shorty up there.

pfft, they were even in the Dirt 100! 😉