Last weekend I went on an epic Epping Forest adventure. The weather was biblical, the ground was boggy, the rain was hitting my rain jacket so hard it was hurting my arms, but it was some of the most fun I’ve had on a bike in ages.
I was definitely not in control of where I was going most of the time, the real sloppy stuff we were riding in was what I would usually avoid at all costs. I did some research on tyres when I got back, there’s a rabbit hole if ever I saw one, the options are endless, XC, TR, TLS, TP, Terra, EXO, KC, 3C, WT, SP, DHF, DHR. The acronyms used are endless and going from one online shop to another it’s impossible to find what you think you should be looking for using the same terminology, because they all have slightly different acronyms.
Luckily I found going to the Maxxis website direct to be super simple.
1) Select what type of riding you do, in this case - Mountain Bike
2) Select the terrain you’re riding on - Wet
3) There are the options for you, it’s that simple
I went for the Maxxis Shorty which covers Loose / Mud / Wet conditions as I figured the British weather for riding never seems to let up.
I installed the Shorty’s on my Specialized Epic Hardtail which is capable of housing the 2.3 inch tyres. Not the biggest clearance but more than enough. I run my tyres tubeless now and actually find it easier than messing around with a tube for the install.
At first when I left the flat I felt like I was riding a vibrator as I trundled along the tarmac at 50psi. Riding out of London towards epping I couldn’t wait to find some mud to try them out in. Leyton flats was the first point, I hit some slop and the handling was awful. Then I realised I was still at 50psi so I waited until I got to Epping before I made any assumptions.
The time was upon me, mud mud and more mud awaited as I entered Epping forest. I let the pressure down so they were nice and soft. I couldn’t believe the difference in grip and ability to keep moving forward. My confidence grew and grew as the day went on, I rode through things that based off of last weekends riding just wouldn’t have been possible. It rolled on through absolute bogs with ease, I looked back to find my riding partner for the day slipping and sliding like I found myself the weekend before, an overwhelming feeling of smugness.
As cyclists we all talk about tyres, everyone has their favourites and opinions on what to run, I think as long as you get the terrain selection right you can’t go far wrong. I’m super happy with the Maxxis Shorty tyres. I’m now looking forward to riding in some more slop and pushing them even further. It’s amazing what’s possible when you have the right tools for the job! These Maxxis Shortys have put the smile back on my face!
I'll just add that this blog post is not sponsored in any way. I purchased the tyres myself, although I would be happy to review any other Maxxis tyres for them! If you are after a set then please use the links on this page.
Feel free to reach out: Here if you have any questions or want me to write about anything specifically
