Kenda Small Block 8 Folding Tyre DTC

Advantages: Grip well in all conditions, durable, roll well
Disadvantages: None I can think of

...I live and ride in South Wales. The man made trais around Afan Argoed and Glyncorrwg, plus all the natural stuff in between, is where you'll most likely find me on my bike. It's wet down here in Wales, but thankfully, there's not much clay, so that really sticky mud you get in some parts of the country isn't too much of a problem down here. I'd experimented with many different types of tyre, before stumbling across these. I'd been riding Tioga 1.9's and going to the Panaracer 2.1's was a breath of fresh air. The increased grip, especially on the front, was amazing, and the rear tyre gripped like a mountain goat. Just make sure you put them on the right way around (follow the arrows on the side wall). As a tyre that can be used all year round, these are hard to beat. They grip well on the rocky bits, dig in on muddy climbs, and cope... Read review

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Advantages: Comfortable, confidence building tyre, best in medium to soft terrain,
Disadvantages: Roling resistance penalty on hardpack and gravel

...The Cinders so far are my favourite all-purpose trail tyre. I like them better than the Fire XC Pros, they're slower rolling, but inspire more confidence. I have the cinders in 2.1. And it is a full 2.1 carcass, unlike many manufacturers whose 2.1 carcasses look somewhat skinny. The tyre is best suited to medium to soft terrain, where it excels, hooking up really nicely finding plenty of traction in the soft stuff. I run them between 35-40 psi, which gives decent comfort, and grip, and reasonable mud shedding ability . In very thick/deep mud, they tend to spin rather than grip, and they don't clear quite as quickly as a mud-specific tyre, but otherwise as long as you keep the tyre pressures down, the gear low and go for it, they'll get you through most muddy sections. On hardpack and gravel, the high knobs makes... Read review

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Advantages: Outstanding performance in mud
Disadvantages: performance on other surfaces is middle to poor

...All tyres are a compromise. The mud Pro is a mud specific tyre, and at this it excels. However it's excellent mud performance is at the expense of it's performance on other terrains. On MUD: There are 2 thoughts for riding through mud 1) fat tyres run at low pressures to float over the surface. 2) thin tyres at high pressures to cut through the muck and find grip below. These are firmly in option 2. And in mud they are outstanding. I have personally ridden through 3/4 mile of constant mud, some if it up to 18 inches deep, and while my mates were left carrying their bikes, I just ploughed on through. Seems to work best at around 50 psi. The narrow profile and tall knobs really do cut through the surface, and where other tyres will just spin these will find grip. As long as you have the power to keep the rear wheel turning... Read review

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