[Closed] Definitive winter tyre thread

What are you running this winter?

That's just cheating though isn't it?

Depends what you're calling winter 🙂

Either 3C EXO TR 2.4" DHR2 or Shorty front, EXO TR 60a? 2.3" DHR2 rear.

That was what I had on last year, and will be going on the HT this year, new big bike is 27.5 though so will need new rubber. It's on Minion SS and Chunky Monkey at the moment so the rear will need changing out very soon, front will be ok till it gets proper sloppy though

Purgatory was crap last year as a rear tyre in Kent Mud

cheers leegee, the Butcher seems a bit draggy for the rear so that may be me out of Spesh then, If I end up with a DHRII I may as well buy a Shorty rather than the Hillbilly

Erm, XKings and Trailblazers 😯

Hardpack is still hardpack even when wet!

I did like Xkings but they rip to pieces a bit easily round here on the flint. Also no hardpack round here in the winter!

got chains for the car, tried socks last time it snowed and still got stuck
ice spikers for the bike.

My LBS said that there was a non-DH Hillbilly and a 2.3 Storm Grid in the pipeline. I had some 2.0 Storm Controls but they didn't stay on the rim well at low pressures, so I took them back and swapped them for a Shorty, which will be paired with a somewhat worn and raggedy Minion DHR2 at the back. Bit I'll try the Spesh ones if they do appear.

Hilbilly grid is available online, just Spesh don't seem to do a viable winter rear tyre

Last winter I was on Shorty 2.3 3C front, DHR2 2.3 3C rear on the hardtail and DHR2 3C front, DHR2 dual rear on the full-sus (though the wheels swap back and forth depending on which is getting ridden in the filth).

Just ordered a Shorty 2.5 3C and High Roller 2 2.4 3C, so planning to run Shorty 2.5/2.3 F/R for the filth set and HR2 2.4 / DHR2 2.3 dual F/R when not quite knee deep in it...

Ice spikers.......

Shorty front and rear?

DHF backwards on the rear and Geax Datura front. But there again I'm still on 26" wheels.

Conti Baron projekts front and rear.
Been running them since spring 😆
NE England, Hamsterley mainly doesn't really ever dry out properly bar a couple of weeks.
Great grip, okayish rolling resistance and seem to cope with most surfaces /conditions

Chiefgrooveguru has it

In most of the UK, 'winter' is just a slightly cooler and wetter version of 'summer', so I'm struggling with the idea that you would need different tyres.

It's not F1, it's mucking about on bikes...

Can't see me changing from shorty/dhr2, some other stuff I like doesn't seem to work so well for 29er. And a pair of minions on the fatbike. TBH my riding doesn't really require a lot of pedalling-through-slop so I can get away with a less muddy rear. (I do plenty of mud, it's just mostly got gradient)

chrishc777 - Member

Hilbilly grid is available online, just Spesh don't seem to do a viable winter rear tyre

Depends what you want but I always loved the Butcher as a rear, in 26- rolls respectably if not exactly fast, good grip and slides better than anything else I've used when it goes, made me look like a better rider. It lacks big deep pedalling power though.

Specialized All Condition Armadillo Elite

Baron Front, Der Kaiser rear.

My E13’s will be staying on.

Minion DHF 3C front and rear, but tempted by a Shorty for the front.

In most of the UK, 'winter' is just a slightly cooler and wetter version of 'summer', so I'm struggling with the idea that you would need different tyres.

lacks big deep pedalling power though.

That's you that is.

Change tyres. Na, just bring out the winter bikes instead.

HR2 front rear, tried Hans Damf rear last year wasnt as good.

Big bike, shorty front, minion rear (with a shorty for the back if its proper shitty)

Trail bike (also used for midweek xc rides). Forekaster/ardent race

Will be ordering a third pair of wheels to go between the two bikes, with Minions fitted (or some combination)

HR2 front rear, tried Hans Damf rear last year wasnt as good.

Is that HR2 2.4 or 2.3? Seems Maxxis's drastically change the tread depth / knob size when they change the tyre widths on some models, so HR2 and Ardent have much lower knobs in the smaller versions.

Err It's still summer!

Just got Goodyear all season M+S on the car though (seemed daft putting slick summer tyres on to pass the test and change again in a few more weeks ready for ski season).

HR2's on the bike and NN on the spare wheels. I don't see any need to change that for winter.

stevenmenmuir - Member

That's you that is.

Yes. Yes it is.

E13 sound great but 60 quid a tyre !!!! 😯

Shorty f/ vigilante r for lots of mud

Onza ibex / hr2 if it's just crap

I'd have to say the only definitive answer is 2. The flavour depends on a lot of things.

thegreatape - Member
My LBS said that there was a non-DH Hillbilly and a 2.3 Storm Grid in the pipeline

OooO - I do hope so!!! Hope it's 650b & a 2.3", not a 2.6".

chrishc777 - Member
Hilbilly grid is available online

Not in 650b it's not. But I'd be rather pleased if you can prove me wrong.

It was once pointed out to me by Northwind that Schwalbe tyres, especially Hands Dampf are particularly shite in scottish muck. I refused to believe him until i moved to Maxxis Minion front and Aggressor for the dry and Shorty for the front DHR2 rear for winter. What a combination. Grip galore and sheds clag / mud so no cloggy daft tyres.

To be fair, it doesn't take a genius to see that Hans Dampf isn't going to be good in mud.

Yea, i can be a bit slow fifeandy 😆

Ran with Der Barons last winter in the Surrey Hills and they withstood everything I threw at them, bit of an overkill really. Only weakness would be on hardpack but managed to stay on the bike.

Suggestions?

Where do you ride and what are you riding?

I've run Spesh Storm Controls, Bontie Mud Xs, Maxxis Beavers and Panaracer Trailrakers. All are good mud tyres with the Trailrakers being the best for pure winter IMHO, but none are as aggro as any of the tyres you're describing.

Sounds like Shorty/Minion is a safe bet then. How is 3C Max Terra on the rear? Too draggy? Or a bit draggy and much grippier?

PMJ you know me, I'm just aggro

How is 3C Max Terra on the rear?

PMJ you know me, I'm just aggro

😆

Seriously, Spesh Storm Controls were great last year (what little I rode). Gripped like shit to a blanket at Grammars too. A little thin compared to your preferred tyres, but it's a winter tyre. But then I guess that's why you have a cross bike now. 😉

Trailrakers worked well for B-Stone, but draggier than a draggy thing on anything vaguely hardpack.

Otherwise Spesh Purg / Butcher in Grid would put up with your aggroness and the Butcher shrugs off all but the filthiest conditions.

Thing is those narrow spikey things are good until you have a couple miles of road or fireroad tonlink trails up..

Anyone used an HRII on the rear?

Thing is those narrow spikey things are good until you have a couple miles of road or fireroad tonlink trails up..

Anyone used an HRII on the rear?

Thing is those HRII things are good until you have a couple of miles of road or fireroad to ling trails up..... 😛

Ah, draggy then? Thing is they look alot like a DHR II

What are good tyres for winter xc, on mixed terrain, bridleways,and single track,a lot of heavy clay here , so clogging can be an issue but I don't want anything too draggy for the road sections. It's for a 29er.

Thing is those narrow spikey things are good until you have a couple miles of road or fireroad tonlink trails up..

That'll be the Trailraker 🙂 The softer tyres, like the Maxxis, Spesh or Bontie, roll a lot better. You pay for it in the outright filth, but that's the compromise. They're lighter too - I notice the difference popping the wider summer tyres back on, and I've got a lo-pro Slaughter on the back of the Bird at the moment. I ran the Storm Controls until about May this year before tempting fate and switching to something wider with shallower tread.

Unless you're gapping big stuff and hitting fair size drops I'd go down the full winter route, personally.

I may get some narrow mud tyres to try out on the SS, but the big bike needs big tyres for riding big stuff!

Noticed the Maxxis Tomahawk is available now, anyone got one yet?

Bontrager SE5 on the rear anyone? Looks like a minion to me, if they come up cheaper may go with one of those

I've got a pair of se5 that I used for a couple of rides and haven't used since
Keen to shift em on at a bargain price if anyone's keen
Most people like them I just prefer Mary / nic / razor combos

So which tough carcass (Schwalbe SuperGravity/WTB Tough level, not EXO or Grid) rear 650b tyre for the muckier months?

I'm looking to swap out my Shorty as i tend to ride my local hills in wet muddy conditions but its brutal with no shelter from rain and wind so try to stick to the more forest areas and trail centres and with that brings the rocks n roots in abundance and the shorty just doesn't cut it on that stuff,

was actually thinking of swapping my DHR2 onto the front for stuff like the rooty sections,leave the shorty,or even better still the wetscream for the hill which is just a mud chute most winters,

really interested in the der Baron though,would it be a better compromise in the areas where its more rock,roots than mud??

Tough carcass tyres I'd go with WTB or maybe the new Maxxis DD ones. I use Schwalbe SG which are OK but I have put a few holes in a Rock Razor whilst mates on WTBs have not had a single puncture. I think the issue is the lack of under tread protection on the SGs whilst the WTBs are a full on dual ply, nightmare to get on rims though!

No love for the Bontys then? The Trek site says they have a full under tread and sidewall protection, which is pretty good for 100g more than an EXO tyre

better still the wetscream for the hill which is just a mud chute most winters,

Defo this. Ive got a set of Wet Screams in my shed. Bought them in Morzine last year having taken DHR and DHF thinking they'd be fine. Nope. The Wet Screams are amazing in the slop but bloody scary anywhere you dont sink up to your rims.

Haha aye the "screams are mega in muddy stuff,not so on rooty stuff,would love to find a "do it all" Im swaying to the Conti Der Baron projekt

My Shorty 2.5 and High Roller 2 2.4 arrived just in time for the hottest September day in fifty years. 😉 The HR2 looks nice - bigger side knobs with closer spacing than the DHR2 but more widely spaced and more open and ramped centre knobs and a bit wider overall. Should be good - hope it goes up ok without the tubeless ready bead...

The Shorty 2.5 looks an absolute monster - compared to the 2.3 version it has much bigger knobs, much wider spacing and a much larger carcass. Like a Magic Mary crossed with a Shorty and then some. If it isn't the best tyre I've ever used in mud and wet roots I'll be amazed - just hope it isn't too much of a beast to pedal!

[quote=Jolly Green Giant ]What are good tyres for winter xc, on mixed terrain, bridleways,and single track,a lot of heavy clay here , so clogging can be an issue but I don't want anything too draggy for the road sections. It's for a 29er.

Maxxis Beaver? I run an Ikon most of the year but it reaches its limit in the gloop when I swap to the Beaver on the 29er. Thing is, for racing (MTB orienteering) I would rather run the Ikon and accept a bit of sliding/pushing in deep mud, for the speed on easier stuff & roads. I have had the same Ikon now for 2 years (tubeless) and never so much as a burp, puncture, or anything in 30+ races in the Peaks, Dales, Exmoor and all over the Beacons. Getting a bit low now, but that just makes it roll quicker 🙂

For me, 2.5 Minion DHF front, Rock Razor rear, just like summer and spring and autumn, which are all pretty much the same these days anwyay. That said I mostly ride Dark Peak which tends towards gritty slurry even when really wet rather than proper gloop.

Ice Spiker Pro 2.35s - buy in summer when no-one wants them - if it gets snowy and icy...

Beavers if someone tricks me into riding mountain bikes in less pleasant places... 😉

Beavers for the clag, they do a couple of widths now

Anyone use the Maxxis Forekaster? Hows it like roots?

Also trying to decide on an 'all-round' front tyre for South Wales & trail centre use....
Want something high volume & good on rooty, rocky woodland trails. Less bothered by the bite on hard pack but don't want anything to wash-out.

Short list seems to be:
Spec Butcher
WTB Vigilante
Schwalbe Magic Mary
Conti Der Baron
Maxxis Minion DHF / Aggressor
Onza Ibex

Anything better out there than these or any on there that are not suitable for what I want?
I'm probably just going to pick the cheapest one I can find on the list if there's not much in it between them.

Are OO Chunky Monkeys any good all-round? Tread seems a bit lower profile than most of those above.

@kamikazie
I'm thinking about the Der baron Projekt
Or the 2.5 Vertstar Magic Mary.im running a chunky on the rear but forgot to run it the wrong way round

Michelin wild Muds with the Enduro construction. A bit heavy but very grippy and sidewalls stood up to Sussex flints.

Reviews do look good hainman but they are probably at the pricier end due to deals on most of the others.
I like the comments regarding wear rates of the Black Chilli rubber though so that's also a consideration.