[Closed] welsh trails, wet rock, roots etc. Magic Mary's or 2.4 Ardents

2.35 High roller 2 front and rear ideal, Ardents fine for trail centre

I wasn't the biggest fan of the trailstar Mary. It's really good when it's got something to stab into, works great in loam, etc etc. But really not so good on firm stuff. Not that surprising really as it's basically a cut spike but I reckon the rubber is a little bit too hard for it to really perform on wet rocks and it's pretty abrupt when it slides, I had a couple of crashes that OK were definitely human error but that I reckon I'd have saved on a baron or hillbilly. Not terrible mind but I ended up back on my Baron, not quite as good in outright slop but ime better on everything else.

I'm still to try it properly but the maxxis shorty is a similiar deal with hopefully softer rubber. But a bit smaller which is annoying as they're both 2.3s. But they're all proper soft conditions tyres, perfect for stuff like innerleithen #enduro but not sensible for trailcentres etc.

Magic Mary is good if there is something for the spikey tread to dig into. Chunky Monkey is my favorite on roots and rocks though it doesn't quite rail corners like a DHF 2.5, the chunky monkey gets into trouble in mud it just floats on top.

Wales is a big place. Like saying I'm off to England or Outer Mongolia. A location might help answer your question.

Coed y Brenin definately and possibly Penmachno or Machyllneth..

Just as I suspected 're. the squirm of the MM on harder surfaces. I'm on a 29er so Black Chilli Baron are a no go.

XR4-29 possibly

I wouldn't take an Ardent on that type of terrain, particularly at this time of year. FWIW I've got a Conti Trail King (used to be the Robber Queen) Black Chilli Protection (rolls off the tongue) 2.4 on the front of mine. Have ridden it hard on wet, slippy, rooty, rocky terrain and it grips superbly and is yet to be breached. Rolls well too. They don't come cheap though!

Stick with the "general use" tyres for North Wales. Even in the depth of winter its the tyre compound you want to look for rather than the tyre tread as its never that muddy, just wet.

Trail king, high roller, that sort of thing.

The ardent will probably be okay as long as its a softer compound. It doesn't need to grip into loam or mud, just went rocks at Penmachno and CYB. Dyfi forest is a tad muddier! Take both!

High roller is all you need for those locations.

Run my MM at 19psi on 30mm rim, sticks to rock like Velcro, vast improvement over HD

Big fan of my Magic Mary in all conditions, but then again I really like High Rollers and most people seem to hate them these days.

My Magic Mary was great at CYB in the way and then again in the dust.

Got a Magic Mary on the front, it wasn't as magic on wet rock at 25psi but dropped it to 20psi and now grips everywhere. Sounds low but it doesn't feel close to dinging no matter how badly I smash through stuff

Ardents fine for trail centre

+1

Especially 2.4in on a 29er.

You will be glad you went for the fast-rolling tyre. Trust me.

High Roller original or High Roller-2 in super tacky compound on the front, whatever you like on the back.

I like the Ardent too but I don't run one through winter, makes a great back tyre with a HR up front though.

Travelled to where you're off to last March and ran Rubber Queen black chili front and Mountain King black chili 2.4 rear, they were awesome with a great combination of traction and speed, couldn't fault them.

Maxxis shorty 3c maxterra for the front is another option

If worried about front end grip you could run with Baron front and Rubber Queen rear as an alternative both in black chili

If you're only going to trail centres then why change from the Ardent? Especially if it's a 2.4 on a 29er. They're not short of grip. You're not going to be riding through mud, just a wet trail centre. We often get a really nice dry spell in March too.

I'd save my money and certainly wouldn't put on something draggy like a Shorty or MM (which are, incidentally, fantastic in sloppy stuff). If you're really worried, maybe keep it Maxxis and go with a Minion?

definately ardent on the back, I don't like them up front

I can imagine the Mary is draggy at 19/ 20 psi..

Maybe I'll drop a few psi out of the Ardent..it doesn't clear mud from between the tread pattern very well though. I've not been to CYB or Machyllneth before so I don't know if I can expect the sticky brown stuff or is it like Penmachno which is mostly stone/ kitty-litter?

rDog..what are you using up front? I've read the opposite of the Ardent...that's it's preferable up front. Not tried it on the rear myself..

I went to Swinley Forest today and the Ardent is quite craggy in the wet so definately gonna change it.

I can imagine the Mary is draggy at 19/ 20 psi..

No different to 25psi but even if they were they grip on everything which is what's important

Up until recently I had Ardent EXOs on HT and FS, for about 2 years.
I didn't die despite being told on the internet and by mates that I might.
Rode all them sorts of places.
Spot on. Fast rolling and as good a grip as owt else I've used.

Recently changed to Spesh Butcher controls, tubeless for a change and they seem....not wildly different......

Hi Kayak..I had a 2.3 Butcher as standard on my Enduro. It was the first thing I changed.

I'm a big fan of the butcher for the back but I reckon it's too hard rubber for the front, it's a bit abrupt.

I certainly wouldn't be spending out for one trip.

The trail centres are ok on pretty much any tyre, they are made of generally grippy stuff.

Ardents in 29er form will be fine, the fact they roll well will be a bonus going up and then they'll grip going down so long as you get them on the side knobs.

It might be worth changing if they really don't suit your local/normal riding.