Mud tires

[redefined_cycles]

I don't think I've seen so much mud. But maybe I've forgotten as its been a while. Even that year when all of North Yorkshire was closed for camping for months (2018 I think), I still don't recall it being so bad on every trail you looked at.

Has got me thinking, maybe I need some muddy tires. Dedicated ones I mean. I'm on 2.5 and 2.6 (actual measured widths) on the 650b/semi fat rims. So could easily go for some thinner ones but surely there must be a better way without going puny-sized.

Anyway, what's your go-to mud tires. Please. Double post probably cos I'm sure I've asked or others have. But... sorry, thanks.

[lune ranger]

Conti Mud King:

They’re narrow though, only 1.8 for the XC 29er version. They do a wider one as well, labelled DH. 2.3 x 650b available. I like the narrow one a lot, it kind of digs down to find some firmer ground under the loose stuff.
Very good on Dartmoor slop.I rode the Wessex Ridgeway with them in Feb this year and they handled the claggy clay of Wiltshire and Dorset pretty well too.

At the other end of the scale:

Surly Dirt Wizzard.
I have the 120tpi 29x3 as my standard winter tyre on the Krampus. If your bike could take them (650b available) they are really good. I run them at around 12psi front and 14psi rear and get very good grip.
In the snow that paralysed the SW a few years ago I let them down to 8psi front and rear and managed to ride some deep snow fairy efficiently - especially where there was a bit of crust

[Piemonster]

I’ve gone with narrow on the gravel bike

On the MTB I’ve given up and ended up with summer XC tyres. Because frankly, nothing works anyway locally, mud tyres just slick up and stay that way, but the Ardent Race I’ve got on the back clears pretty instantly and works better on the farm tracks/road links. This is also doing wonders for my sense of balance too

Local conditions may vary your choice.

[FLV]

I don't generally bother with proper mud tyres, just fit the most open spaced pattern I have laying around. At the moment, that's a specialized purgatory 2.3
Still clogs up in claggy mud but fairly grippy.

[Lazarus]

I am not sure any tyre really works in proper deep mud and I have skinny old school 26 er which "cut throught the mud" - certainly an interesting ride and not that grippy but adds to the fun.

TBh Only my 650B + give me any sort of confidence and the pursuit of grip in mud is largely futile without going to wide tyres.

[voodoo_simon]

Used to run my old 26’’ singlespeed in mud tyres and thought they were amazing. I thought they made a huge difference but only in mud (and straight lines on the road), any other conditions, especially wet rock, they were useless.

Never bothered since moving to my 29er 7 years ago and just keep the same tyres on all year and put up with the conditions thrown at me.