Dirty Deals: wet tyres, mud tyres and filth tyres!

Benjamin Haworth

Attack the splat!

Here’s a quick ‘n’ very dirty round-up of nearly a dozen great mud tyres that are currently on sale at various online retailers.

>>> The best mountain bike mud tyres

Michelin Wild Mud Advanced – £56.99 – £39.99

Overkill for 90 per cent of UK riding then, but an awesome tool if you want to embarrass your mates on an uplift day in the rain, or ride the gnarliest tracks in your area.

Maxxis Minion DHR II – £55.99 – £27.49

If you’ve still not sampled the multiple delights of the DHR II then now is the time to hop on board. Ignore the rear-specific nomenclature – this tyre rocks on the front  – and get set for tractor traction and rail-cornering abilities.

Hutchinson DZO – £54.99 – £22.49

It can take liberties when leant over hard whatever the conditions underneath the wheels, however, as a solid, long lasting, pure mud downhill tyre, the Hutchinson DZO Enduro is a good choice.

Mavic Crossmax Quest XL – £47.00 – £25.05

Okay, so this isn’t a mud mud tyre BUT it is for wet and slippery firmer conditions where it’s super sticky soft compound comes into its own and keeps you upright when other tyres have washed out and you’ve hit the desck.

Maxxis Shorty – £59.99 – £41.99

Maxxis Shorty 3C EXO is a highly capable tyre for aggressive descending and natural riding, it may be overkill for your local trail centre though.

Maxxis Minion DHF – £38.99 – £26.95

Maxxis’ sticky rubber feels trustworthy to lean, even on rocks and roots, but its wear life and durability isn’t class leading. The tyres do scrub off out at a steady, uniform rate though, rather than falling to pieces.

Schwalbe Dirty Dan Evo – £64.99 – £40.96

Dirty Dan is the enduro racer’s tyre of choice when the tracks are muddy. Tall blocks bite into soft and loose terrain. The sturdy carcass withstands a beating and holds up loads of support when riding hard. The large gaps provide the necessary self-cleaning and braking traction. A modern classic.

Bontrager XR3 Team Issue – £39.99 – £27.99

Another less outright filth bathing tyre and more of a damp friendly all rounder. Probably still a bit optimistic for use as front tyre but as a reliable and predictable rear tyre the Bonty XR3 is a sound choice.

Maxxis High Roller II – £51.99 – £33.74

Light enough to pedal up, capable year round in most areas, and totally assured downhilling, the High Roller II is a pricy product that doesn’t last forever, but is hard to fault in terms of sheer performance.

Maxxis Beaver – £36.99 – £25.49

The Maxxis Beaver EXO is a winter tyre that doubles as a trail centre warrior – fast and grippy and suitable for everything except rocky conditions.

Schwalbe Hans Dampf – £58.99 – £31.96

Let’s finish with a wet weather all-rounder rear tyre option that is also used up front by some riders whose terrain isn’t quite so loose and mucky as some.