Throws off mud but still good grip - which MTB tyre?

[walm]

I had a pretty massive fall last Sunday while heading fast downhill on a trail littered with big flints and very greasy wet chalk patches.

My front hit one of the chalky bits with horrendous adverse camber and just slipped right away from me and I went down like a sack of spuds.

I have a Maxxis Medusa 70A 2.1in on the front (old school 26er - sorry).

I am now bricking myself every time my front slips laterally at all, and given many of my regular routes involve being stuck in deep grooves with slippy sides, I am now well off the pace.
Also - we encounter a LOT of sticky mud ALL the time so my tyres need to throw that off with ease if possible.

Any suggestions for better rubber?
Much obliged.

[Vladimir]

I get on very well with Nobby Nics - I use the Double Defense 2.1 ones that seem nearly puncture proof. Fast, grippy and they wear well too.

A few shops have them on offer at the moment.

[richardxjr]

Exactly the same happened to me on the South Downs with a Chunky Monkey up front. (Which does throw off mud and has good grip) You just can't ever use the front brake on steep slippery chalk, or wet leaves on top of slippery chalk, it's like ice.

[walm]

richardxjr said:

Exactly the same happened to me on the South Downs with a Chunky Monkey up front. (Which does throw off mud and has good grip) You just can't ever use the front brake on steep slippery chalk, or wet leaves on top of slippery chalk, it's like ice.

This was indeed the South Downs Way - Salt Hill near HMS Mercury - my old nemesis on the way up and now on the way down too, dammit.
Now I think back I saw some pedestrians in the distance and knew I was going to have to slow down fairly soon - perhaps there was some user error there....

In the meantime - some discounted Nobby Nics must be investigated...

[richardxjr]

<70a whatever will be better and don't put too much air in! Love the downs as I do, I just keep off when wet.

[fredd1e]

walm said:

<SNIP>

In the meantime - some discounted Nobby Nics must be investigated...

Make sure you get the sticky compound ones and not the ones labelled Performance.
Compounds come in 3 flavours at last check
Vertstar -extra sticky maybe not available in Nobby Nic tyres and probably DH overkill/ race use only?
Trailstar -normally used for the front
Pacestar- slightly harder for the rear (tyre).
Performance are the hardest longest lasting cheapest and slipperiest of the Scwalbe tyre rubber.
Bikediscount.de seems to be one of the cheaper online retailers and usually deliver within 5 days of order ime.

[Daveyraveygravey]

A mate of mine has just started using bontrager mudx tyres, which he says are great for dealing with mud. I asked him about how they were on smoother chalk/rocky surfaces and he hadn't been over any to comment, so not sure if that is much help! This is in the South Downs too, but nearer Shoreham.

It is quite a compromise to get a tyre to work across the full range of winter delights, would be interested to know the best tyre for the South Downs.

[Uncle John]

Bontrager Mud X are the best all round trail tyre IMO.

Not draggy or rumbly at all like most mud tyres, but still fast and stable in the dry, they are almost a complete anomaly.

As I said I use these all year round as do many people I know.

As for SDW green chalk..... studded ice tyres may stand a chance.....

[richardxjr]

SD is proper fast rolling in the dry (and it drains and dries fast thankfully), so anything, we run Ardent front, Crossmark back when prolongued dry. As said though, in the wet if the ice chalk don't get you the sticky mud will, so nothing

[Gren]

Nobby Nics are great on dryish woodland trails (it's why I ride with them) but not that great if it gets really wet and aren't as good on rock. I use PaceStar compound ones myself - try a Trailstar up front.

[Mr Gearchange]

Nobby Nics are cack in the mud/wet IME

I have continental rubber queen up front and a mountain kings on the rear - initial impressions for muddy riding is that they are very good

[R.P.M]

You want grip?

2.7 wet scream.