[drastic.]

w/ the rainy season on its way, the riding conditions at the place i ride at dramatically
changes.
rode yesterday, a day after it rained...and the conditions ranged as such...
-one trail was slick w/ 1-2" of muck in areas w/ poor drainage. it was sticky stuff that didnt want to shed off the wheels.
-the other trail was rocky shale, w/ excellent water drainage.
-and the other trail was super slick. its under eucalyptis (sp?) trees, so when the leaves drop and get wet, the eucalyptis oil mixes with the dirt and makes it like an ice rink. it gets sloshy and muddy, but the mud sheds well.

other places i ride are typically hardpacked with loose dirt on top that when wet, have good traction.

muddy mary orc 2.5 front/ big betty 2.4 rear.

the BB has to go forsure. the MM is going in the rear or will be replaced. i need something thatll work primarily work for the first set of conditions but still ok for the last set of conditions...

thinking:
a) muddy mary vertstar 2.5. sticky, great intermediate all around tire.
b) dirty dans. the side angular knobs intrigue me (good for rocks and sketchy corners?). cut them down ? larger shoulder knobs (atleast in pictures) means more stability cornering versus the hillbilly's?
c) specy hillbilly's. precut spikes seem like possibly a good medium between really bad conditions and typical wet conditions

never used a spike/mud tire before, so im not sure if those type of conditions warrant utilizing a spike (cut or not) tire, or to stick w/ a MM vert.

 

[daisycutter]

Maxxis Minion DHF Mountain Bike Tire 3c for the rear 2.5

Maxxis Minion DHF Mountain Bike Tire super tacky for the front 2.5

 

[banrider]

what about High Rollers? they are supposed to work better in wet conditions?

 

[gemini2k]

HR's were designed specifically for Santa Barbara trails, I doubt they work very well in the rain.

 

[Optimax150]

I say hillbilly's or cut wetscreams. I might get flamed but I'm liking my cut minions in a lot of conditions.

 

[Ringer]

Please do not ride the trail's in pleasanton on spikes.

 

[drastic.]

Please do not ride the trail's in pleasanton on spikes.

lol@needing a spike/mud tire in pleasanton..there is nothing dh worthy in pleasanton. they are all cow trails neways. big bettys and wicked wills work well there.


for the person suggesting minions...they gunk up and arent the best for muck. i need a tire with alot of open channels and good at shedding. not sure if a full on spike is warranted, but curious if a cut spike like the hb will help out for the mucky situations

 

[ustemuf]

swampthings 42a

i have 2.5 hillbillys i'm going to try this winter. i cut the rear one, i'm leaving the front one intact.

 

[Optimax150]

Cut minions clear mud better, advantage of them being cut. But sounds like cut wetscreams or hillbillies will be better.

 

[kidwoo]

HR's were designed specifically for Santa Barbara trails, I doubt they work very well in the rain.

Huh



wut?

 

[gemini2k]

Am I wrong on that? I thought they were specifically designed by Kirkaldie for Tunnel. I could be wrong. Alls I know for sure is that DHF's are better in any amount of moisture in my experience.

 

[drastic.]

swampthings 42a

i have 2.5 hillbillys i'm going to try this winter. i cut the rear one, i'm leaving the front one intact.

hmm swampthings seem more fitting than a dirty dan (too extreme, unless cut). you use the swampthings before? where at, and how'd they hook?


and where'd you score the hillbilly's? specy doesnt allow online sales, and my LBS has crazy markup, so im not even going to bother going into one to check pricing. $65 through specs website beats 75-80$ for a schwalbe (no hookups, ftl) though.

 

[ustemuf]

hmm swampthings seem more fitting than a dirty dan (too extreme, unless cut). you use the swampthings before? where at, and how'd they hook?


and where'd you score the hillbilly's? specy doesnt allow online sales, and my LBS has crazy markup, so im not even going to bother going into one to check pricing. $65 through specs website beats 75-80$ for a schwalbe (no hookups, ftl) though.

The swampthings are awesome. I've used them at Carlmont when its been muddy and also when it's been mostly hardpack after the rain dries, Pacifica (Crack/Boyscout), Plunge (leafy on hardpack), and JMP.. I even had a cut down swampthing on the rear for a NorthStar season. The knobs are spaced well, but are firm so they can penetrate into the top surface to grip. I never had any wash outs on them. If you are going to ride on damp rocky surfaces do NOT mess with the 60a compound - even on the rear. Traction is **** without supertacky. I ate **** one time because I threw a 60a on the rear and rode down The Crack. Rear just had zero grip on the damp rocks.

If I didn't hear so many good things about the hillbilly I would be hesitant to switch away from the swampthings. Especially because I got them for $20/each on sale.

You can get the hillbillys direct from specializeds site:
Specialized Bicycle Components : Hillbilly DH

I ordered my 2.5's online they came in about 3-4 days, super excited to try them out because of my curiosity. I ran a Wetscream before in the front and hated it because how square-edge'd it felt. I'm hoping the HillBillys will be the happy medium of traction/feel I'm looking for. If this post is jumbled it's because I'm drunk, hahaha.

 

[Kanye West]

True fact. Designed by John Kirkaldie for riding Tunnel trail way back in the day. Turned to become a pretty sweet race tire too.

 

[kidwoo]

Am I wrong on that? I thought they were specifically designed by Kirkaldie for Tunnel. I could be wrong. Alls I know for sure is that DHF's are better in any amount of moisture in my experience.

Oh I have no idea where the design came from. I was just more commenting on the fact that just because a tire was laid out for one application doesn't mean it isn't suitable for another. The wide channel on those tires actually make it really suitable for slop. The only thing that sucks about it is the pointed braking edge......but that sucks for dryer loose conditions too, where it was supposedly 'taylored'. You have to look at the tread, not a zip code map.

 

[Pegboy]

True fact. Designed by John Kirkaldie for riding Tunnel trail way back in the day. Turned to become a pretty sweet race tire too.

What tire would he use when he rode Cold Springs?

 

[djjohnr]

hmm swampthings seem more fitting than a dirty dan (too extreme, unless cut). you use the swampthings before? where at, and how'd they hook?


and where'd you score the hillbilly's? specy doesnt allow online sales, and my LBS has crazy markup, so im not even going to bother going into one to check pricing. $65 through specs website beats 75-80$ for a schwalbe (no hookups, ftl) though.

I run Swampthings in the winter around the North Bay - JM, Pacifica, Berkeley. They hook up MUCH better in the mud then HRs and Minions, but are looser on rock (Crack). I wouldn't mind trying some Hillbillys as well.

 

[gemini2k]

The only thing that sucks about it is the pointed braking edge......but that sucks for dryer loose conditions too, where it was supposedly 'taylored'. You have to look at the tread, not a zip code map.

Negative, zip code is sufficient. But I have also used it in the wet (ish). It's definitely inferior to the dhf.

 

[drastic.]

I run Swampthings in the winter around the North Bay - JM, Pacifica, Berkeley. They hook up MUCH better in the mud then HRs and Minions, but are looser on rock (Crack). I wouldn't mind trying some Hillbillys as well.

you ride same stuff i do. where ya from? muddy mary sheds well and works great for all those places. its xxx and boyscout that are hell when its remotely wet..sticky muck that feels like ice..seems like the swampthngs are a good choice. im going to be ordering a 2.5 hillbilly today and surf around for the cheapest place to acquire a ST swampthing. worth trying both out it sounds like.

 

[drastic.]

The swampthings are awesome. I've used them at Carlmont when its been muddy and also when it's been mostly hardpack after the rain dries, Pacifica (Crack/Boyscout), Plunge (leafy on hardpack), and JMP.. I even had a cut down swampthing on the rear for a NorthStar season. The knobs are spaced well, but are firm so they can penetrate into the top surface to grip. I never had any wash outs on them. If you are going to ride on damp rocky surfaces do NOT mess with the 60a compound - even on the rear. Traction is **** without supertacky. I ate **** one time because I threw a 60a on the rear and rode down The Crack. Rear just had zero grip on the damp rocks.

If I didn't hear so many good things about the hillbilly I would be hesitant to switch away from the swampthings. Especially because I got them for $20/each on sale.

You can get the hillbillys direct from specializeds site:
Specialized Bicycle Components : Hillbilly DH

I ordered my 2.5's online they came in about 3-4 days, super excited to try them out because of my curiosity. I ran a Wetscream before in the front and hated it because how square-edge'd it felt. I'm hoping the HillBillys will be the happy medium of traction/feel I'm looking for. If this post is jumbled it's because I'm drunk, hahaha.

excellent review, drunk or not..ahah. especially considering i ride at most of those places. repped.

where'd you score the swampthings at?

Hillbilly ordered. guna order a swampthing too, to try out.

 

[kidwoo]

Negative, zip code is sufficient. But I have also used it in the wet (ish). It's definitely inferior to the dhf.

I've ridden both of those tires for like 10 years straight. And not just in wet ISH mud.

Stick one on next time your ride some really sloppy stuff and lean your bike over. They hold way better than minions. Just don't stab your brakes too hard

 

[Jeremy R]

Oh I have no idea where the design came from.

Nico and Michelin.
Nico was winning world cups on that "design" before anybody knew Kirkaldie's name.

 

[Orangesicle]

Butchers are great in SB.
Esp Cold Springs. And San Y. And Tunnel. And the fire roads.

And you obviously don't have the new MTB tire/zip code app yet.
Search for ShredCode®
So yesterday you guys are.

 

[kidwoo]

Nico and Michelin.
Nico was winning world cups on that "design" before anybody knew Kirkaldie's name.

heh..... Considering how much tire companies rip each other off rather than copy the CONCEPTS of what makes a good tire, that doesn't surprise me.

 

[Kanye West]

The channel and stiff knobs on the HR is what lets it both a) slide around on Socal loose-over-hardpack type of stuff and still bite on the side and b) get good surface area grip on sandstone while still having really low rolling resistance for super flat stuff like Tunnel/CS. I doubt it was the first of that general tread arrangement, but I do know that it was fine tuned using the SB trails.

 

[kidwoo]

Dry rocky dirt is dry rocky dirt. Doesn't matter if it was socal, australia, kamloops or montana.

Hack, you get those cleats I sent you?

 

[marshalolson]

no way dude. my dry rocky dirt is way more dry, rocky and dirty than your dry rocky dirt is.

 

[Kanye West]

Yes I did, thank you. Unfortunately my DH bike got stolen before I had the chance to use them. Oh well. Gonna build up one of my other bikes into a mini-DH rig probably, so I'll use the Time pedals on that.

 

[kidwoo]

WHAT!!??

Somebody stole your fvcking bike?

That sucks man.

I swear to god, the day I can't ride anymore I'm just going to setup expensive bicycles without locks and watch them with roman candles, paintball guns and tazers while hiding in the bushes.

 

[-BB-]

Dry rocky dirt is dry rocky dirt. Doesn't matter if it was socal, australia, kamloops or montana.

Hack, you get those cleats I sent you?

Actually, in Australia you have to turn them the opposite direction. You see, bc they are south of the equator the Coriolis Effect means that they would need to spin the opposite direction of what they would spin up here in the northern hemisphere (the most ROCKIN hemisphere of them all btw!!). For this same reason Ausies and Kiwi's also tend to run DHR's front and back instead of DHF's front and back like us "normal" people do.

 

[drastic.]

my 2.5 hillbilly just arrived.

weighed in at 1210g...pretty considering the claimed weight for the 2.5 is 1300g.

 

[drastic.]

other notes.

2.5 muddy mary width from edge of knobby to edge is 65.5mm

width for the HB is 60.5mm

 

[drastic.]

rode today. the area was drier than i anticipated unfortunately, so i didnt get to test them out in the grease/mud.

they grip like velcro, and let me hit corners at higher speeds than ever before. never once felt washy. it was on hardish, high clay content dirt. i sipe/angled every 5th single knob in the center (easier to understand after looking at the tire).. i will probably angle every 3rd single knob now after riding and feeling how crappy the rolling resistance is.

 

[drastic.]

siped every other middle knob. def helped w/ rolling resistance. from mucky, to tacky, to grassy, to shaley rock, this tire is pure awesome. hooks and goes. no rolling over of the knobs going over rocks.

so far, this tire gets a 4.8/5. .2 deduction just for the slower rolling resistance compared to the tires i came from, but i was fully aware that would happen.