DH Tyre Help please

Slow1

I have decent set of dry weather tyres but need some all-surface winter/wet weather tyres.

Does anyone have any recommendations?
Maxxis Swampthing?
Schwalbe Muddy Mary?
Another?

Also would you buy buy narrower width (say 2.35 instead of 2.5) for this use or stick to full width? I am quite heavy so may be a consideration.

Cheers for any help!

nicklouse

Swapys/Marys/Screams yes all of them but each is slightly better or worse on certain conditions.

what are your trails like? mud or wet or.....

Slow1

Everything really, hence why I want an all-rounder rather than something as specific as a Wet Scream. Am thinking Mary probably most suitable...have you used?

.blitz

No probs last winter with 2.4 Big Bettys. Trailstar rear, Vertstar front, wire bead. Over 1kg each but fabulously strong and reliable even at low pressures and mind-bogglingly grippy just ride over wet off camber rocks/roots etc because you can.

Marys also most excellent in looser conditions

Slow1

Cheers
Trailstar rear because needs to be tougher or needs to be firmer for grip? I was thinking of Veristar both ends

Any thoughts on width? Was going to use 2.5 unless better to go narrower? I am heavy!

Cheers again

.blitz

Trailstar is a compound it's similar to Maxxis 60a - hardish and (relatively) fast rolling compared to Vertstar which is mentally soft and grippy but draggier than a boat anchor everywhere except down hill. I think Vertstar Bettys/Marys f & r would be too draggy it would be hard work to maintain any sort of momentum if there are any pedally bits where you ride.

A Trailstar on the back is grippy enough (imo) while a Vertstar on the front keeps it firmly attached to the ground, although it still has the feeling of riding through wet tar below a certain speed. On the other hand it takes some serious provocation to make it let go, and even then it's more of a nervous shimmy through the bars followed by a predictable-ish drift before it eventually washes out.

2.4 Bettys/Mary are generous tyres, considerably bigger than 2.5 Minions for example.

Have also used a folding 60a 2.5 Minion DHF on the back quite a bit lighter and faster rolling than a wire bead Betty/Mary with no discernible lack of grip. Works well with a 3C Minion on the front.

Slow1

Would the Maxxis combo be as suitable for the wet/winter as the Mary's?

Cheers again

Slow1

I should probably also say I'm trying to avoid buying two more sets of tyres...Mary's or Maxxis as well as a set of wet screams

If that's not realistic then so be it

peter413

Continental Der Baron, make sure it's the black chili variety. 2.5 if it's for DH.

It's a very good all rounder, I find myself switching to it from the Der Kaiser even when it's just damp a lot of the time just because it digs in so well. Honestly I would rather run a Der Baron than a Wetscream for most conditions, especially if the track is a mix of everything. In fact if I could only have the one tyre I think it would probably be a Der Baron and not a Der Kaiser but luckily I can have more than one. I've used High Roller's, Minion's, Wetscream's, Swampthing's and Ardent's and I would take the Der Baron's over any of these for mixed conditions, unfortunately not used any Schwalbe's so can't compare them.

I'm a big fan of it at Innerleithen where you get a real mix of hardpack, roots, rocks, mud, soft stuff, flat corners, off cambers, steep stuff, pretty much everything that can test a tyre. It's very stiff as well so good for us larger riders and they're slightly lighter than Maxxis tyres.

I switched from Maxxis tyres to Continental a while ago and for most stuff I won't go back, DH tyres definitely not. The Der Baron and Der Kaiser cover nearly everything and I only use Wetscream's because I can't justify spending the extra money on Mud King's to replace them, when they need replaced though it will be with Mud King's. The black chili and tread designs are very very good and they last forever.

Slow1

Thanks, getting some quality comments guys

rockmonkeysc

I have tried Muddy Mary's, they aren't a good wet weather tyre.
For damp conditions Specialized Hillbillies are great, they are similar to the old swamp things.
For proper wet conditions I'm liking Bontrager G-Mud. They are only 2.2" so they cut through the mud nicely and have a nice open spike pattern which clears well.

Northwind

Swampthing's obsolete now tbh, it's totally beaten by Der Barons. Well, except for price!

Hillbilly's superb at sloppy mud and loam but a bit less good at slimy rocks, so there's a tradeoff there.

Slow1

Thanks for comments. Really great.

Gone for Spec Hillbilly front and Spec Clutch rear (HB said to be too soft for rear).

Now for the good bit....testing em out!

dhooper7

How are the tyres?
I'm shopping at the moment and very interested in this thread

Slow1

I wish I could tell you, but I haven't had to put em on yet.

Might find out Sunday!

rockmonkeysc

dhooper7 wrote:

How are the tyres?
I'm shopping at the moment and very interested in this thread

If you want a DH mud tyre I definitely recommend Bontrager G-Mud. Amazing levels of grip in sloppy conditions, reasonably light and narrow profile helps them cut through the mud with minimal resistance. Fastest DH mud tyre I have used but in wet but in mixed conditions I still prefer Swamp Things.