All round tyres that are ok in mud

chrisw333

My High Rollers can't really cope with the claggy mud where I ride at this time of year.

I've previously had Mud-X tires which were ok, but this time I'm thinking of a more all round tire that sheds reasonably well and can be left on all year. I ride local xc trails (muddy & rooty n places at this time of year) and various trail centers when I get the chance.

I'm leaning towards Spec Butcher Conrol front & Purgatory Control rear
or maybe the Purgatory front & Spec Ground Control rear (prob both 2.3).

I ride a 26 "Trance.

Any thoughts / recommendations? Is a Butcher too much for my type of riding?

Ta

The Rookie

Maxxis Beaver.....

njee20

Mud Xs aren't that bad all round. Depends on your mud, if it's claggy mud then a specific mud tyre will always work far better.

Other places Rocket Rons/Racing Ralphs will be fine all year round.

bungalballs

I tried specialized storms last winter as a mud tyre, liked them so much I left them on and even race xc with them.

Nobby Nick F and Racing Ralph R is a classic combo, but they are expensive and seem very delicate and prone to rips. I've learnt my lesson with Schwalbe tyres in flinty ground.

lostboysaint

njee20 wrote:

Mud Xs aren't that bad all round. Depends on your mud, if it's claggy mud then a specific mud tyre will always work far better.

Other places Rocket Rons/Racing Ralphs will be fine all year round.

That. Mud Xs are a great all year round tyre.

russyh

Well, I was after some tyre advise last month. In the end I decided to go for a set of spesh purgatory tyres 2.3 (I think) so far they have been excellent. Worked a treat tubeless and I have had not problems what so ever in tyres of grip in the sticky stuff. Great value as well, not really used them in the dry yet mind.

chrisw333

Thanks for the input so far. I've had the Mux X before (not the XR Mud) and whilst they were ok, it's not what I'm after in an all round tyre. I felt they were a bit narrow and I was never confident on roots and rocks with them. I won't be getting Mud X this time.

What I'm really after is a good all rounder that sheds mud better than the high roller 1.

WindyG

Rocket Ron's have been fine for me all year round, I have a 2.2 on the front and 2.1 on the rear, using crossmark on the rear of the Anthem at the moment which is supposed to be bad in the wet, I raced a wet course yesterday with no trouble at all.

chrisw333

WindyG wrote:

Rocket Ron's have been fine for me all year round, I have a 2.2 on the front and 2.1 on the rear, using crossmark on the rear of the Anthem at the moment which is supposed to be bad in the wet, I raced a wet course yesterday with no trouble at all.

You're obviously a better rider than me! My Crossmark was sliding everywhere last week - the 5 mm layer of mud on it wasn't helping mind.

The Rookie

Not all mud is created equal!

plasma_man

Maxxis beaver, can't rate them high enough. Had them on yesterday for first winter ride, great in wet, don't drag much at all on hard surface, work well in mud and clear quick, maybe because the tread isn't mega deep. A great all rounder, might just leave them on when summer arrives, will see.

dtp

I've recently moved a spesh purgatory control on to the back and chucked a chunky monkey on the front.

Rode at QECP this weekend which is chalky slop and didn't have any particular problems - there were a couple of times when I got off because the rear tyre slipped and the tread was full of mud but once moving again it seemed to clear well.

Only limited experience with muddiness and tyres, so YMMV.

lostboysaint

The Purgatory is so named because of how well it rolls.

njee20

I've had the Mux X before (not the XR Mud)

Same tyre.

Spesh Captain impressed me as an all rounder, the 2.25" S-Works isn't an horrendous weight.

Levi_501

WTB VelociRaptors, F&R specific tyres are mega in the mud, but buzz on the hard!

njee20

They were big in the mid 90s, and they didn't seem particularly good then!

sofaboy73

if you like the look of the spec butcher, have a look at the On One Chunky Monkey for the front.

sheds mud well and copes pretty well, although a little 'squirmy' when the mud is that layer of inch thick greasyness (although haven't found many tyres that don't in those conditions). what really makes it stand out though is it's grip on wet rock & roots, it's exceptional and very confidence inspiring

gave one a proper testig at wharncliffe & greno woods over the weekend in somme like conditions and was very impressed, especially as its was only £15!

dhooper7

I switched from High Rollers to Specialized Butcher/Purgatory combo and was not blown away. The Butcher isn't a bad tyre but not as good as a Rubber Queen or MinionF in my opinion.
The Purgatory is good but the wall is so soft (hence the light weight).
Plenty of mud round here also but if you catch it on a nice piece of limestone it will take the wall out (as I found riding tubeless with it).

Rubber Queen up front for me and Highroller on the back

briefcasew

Running a Purgatory Control 2.2 on the front and a Ground Control 2.1 on the rear. Usually ride in the Pentlands and they were as wet as they get last weekend. Lost a bit of rear grip on some narrow single track slide slopes but other than that great (or as good as Rubber Queens BC) over roots and rock. Have found them pretty durable too though not riding tubeless.