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FrankTuna on
I’m thinking about signing up for Natchaug Epic in CT at the end of March. Like lots of gravel around me in New England, these rides have a decent amount of pavement but likely lots of mud in spots from rain/snow melt.
I have a Salsa Cutthroat and ran Conti Race Kings last year, but they slid everywhere in mud like you see in the pic. I was thinking of trying Tufo Thunderos this year to gain some speed on the hard pack/pavement parts of such rides, but wonder if they’ll be even worse in this kind of mud.
Any tips are appreciated!
lefrang on
Too much over-thinking. Any gravel tyre will do.
aaaayyyy_lmao on
I dunno man. Have dry season tires and mud season tires. All the tire makers have their version of each.
forkbeard on
Anything besides slicks and semi-slicks?
I currently run Schwalbe G-One R and they work fine in the mud.
Isaid_biiiiitch on
I just did a race that was about half mud half pavement. I rode maxxis ramblers and I felt they had pretty good traction on the mud and weren’t sluggish on pavement.
bgymr on
Soma cazadero
widowhanzo on
Cinturato gravel M, as wide as possible
thishasntbeeneasy on
I use Thunder Burts. I had 2.25″ but seemed a bit much for pavement so I swapped for 2.1 and that was better. I only use them during muddy/slushy rides though otherwise I go down to 42-53mm slicks.
chunt75 on
Cinturato M’s, at least 45 width
NobodyOwnsSealions on
Cinturato Ms have yet to let me down I’m snow or mud. That said, tires help a lot but bike handling and keeping good momentum help when things get thick or slushy
thegopherloafer on
Thinking outside the box a little here, but I would run the Rene Herse Snoqualmie pass tires. If it is muddy and sticking to your tires after about 15 feet all of the knobby tires are slicks. If you are running slick 44’s with low (ish) pressure you’ll also get better traction than most knobby tires with the added benefit of being able to scrape the tires off very easily.
Look at many of the people who have podiumed at mid-south, a lot of them run slicks for this reason. If you haven’t run fat slick tires, you need to try it. It is so, so nice.
two-wheel-sutra on
I’m using the Tufo Swamperos in 40mm this time of year. Great in the mud, the narrower tire getting down to some actual traction without just floating on the slick grease. Still pretty quick on the road too. I switch to the Thunderos 44mm as it starts to dry up.
_MountainFit on
You honestly gotta be prepared for the mud. The race will be won and lost on that.
I once was in the lead in a MTB race in Texas. Probably by several minutes. Started raining and my semi slicks were too high in pressure and too little tread. I was on the ground constantly. Ended up finishing like 4th.
Bottom line, you aren’t losing the race on the pavement. It’s going to be determined on the mud. Go aggressive and win the mud segments and live with the rolling resistance on the tarmac.
DNAthrowaway1234 on
Pirelli Cinturato Gravel-M has low rolling resistance and lots of mud gripping knobs
w2ge on
Vitoria mezcal 44m
That-Following-7158 on
I am riding the Naugatuck Epic for the first time this year.
Not sure if it matters, but the road sections are not timed. Only certain gravel sections.
I am personally waiting to see how much rain/snow we get before I decide which tires to go with.
Professional_Ebb_482 on
Maxxis Rambler work fine for me
stevejnineteensevent on
I ran Cinturato M 45 at Natchaug last year.
Will again this year.
SlickMiller on
Gravelking 29×2.1
kewladria on
WTB Raddler
lonefrontranger on
I just did a very muddy race that was 60/40 pavement/toothpaste mud. I was using 38mm Tracers and never felt like they were insufficient
22 Comments
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I’m thinking about signing up for Natchaug Epic in CT at the end of March. Like lots of gravel around me in New England, these rides have a decent amount of pavement but likely lots of mud in spots from rain/snow melt.
I have a Salsa Cutthroat and ran Conti Race Kings last year, but they slid everywhere in mud like you see in the pic. I was thinking of trying Tufo Thunderos this year to gain some speed on the hard pack/pavement parts of such rides, but wonder if they’ll be even worse in this kind of mud.
Any tips are appreciated!
Too much over-thinking. Any gravel tyre will do.
I dunno man. Have dry season tires and mud season tires. All the tire makers have their version of each.
Anything besides slicks and semi-slicks?
I currently run Schwalbe G-One R and they work fine in the mud.
I just did a race that was about half mud half pavement. I rode maxxis ramblers and I felt they had pretty good traction on the mud and weren’t sluggish on pavement.
Soma cazadero
Cinturato gravel M, as wide as possible
I use Thunder Burts. I had 2.25″ but seemed a bit much for pavement so I swapped for 2.1 and that was better. I only use them during muddy/slushy rides though otherwise I go down to 42-53mm slicks.
Cinturato M’s, at least 45 width
Cinturato Ms have yet to let me down I’m snow or mud. That said, tires help a lot but bike handling and keeping good momentum help when things get thick or slushy
Thinking outside the box a little here, but I would run the Rene Herse Snoqualmie pass tires. If it is muddy and sticking to your tires after about 15 feet all of the knobby tires are slicks. If you are running slick 44’s with low (ish) pressure you’ll also get better traction than most knobby tires with the added benefit of being able to scrape the tires off very easily.
Look at many of the people who have podiumed at mid-south, a lot of them run slicks for this reason. If you haven’t run fat slick tires, you need to try it. It is so, so nice.
I’m using the Tufo Swamperos in 40mm this time of year. Great in the mud, the narrower tire getting down to some actual traction without just floating on the slick grease. Still pretty quick on the road too. I switch to the Thunderos 44mm as it starts to dry up.
You honestly gotta be prepared for the mud. The race will be won and lost on that.
I once was in the lead in a MTB race in Texas. Probably by several minutes. Started raining and my semi slicks were too high in pressure and too little tread. I was on the ground constantly. Ended up finishing like 4th.
Bottom line, you aren’t losing the race on the pavement. It’s going to be determined on the mud. Go aggressive and win the mud segments and live with the rolling resistance on the tarmac.
Pirelli Cinturato Gravel-M has low rolling resistance and lots of mud gripping knobs
Vitoria mezcal 44m
I am riding the Naugatuck Epic for the first time this year.
Not sure if it matters, but the road sections are not timed. Only certain gravel sections.
I am personally waiting to see how much rain/snow we get before I decide which tires to go with.
Maxxis Rambler work fine for me
I ran Cinturato M 45 at Natchaug last year.
Will again this year.
Gravelking 29×2.1
WTB Raddler
I just did a very muddy race that was 60/40 pavement/toothpaste mud. I was using 38mm Tracers and never felt like they were insufficient