My cheap mud tires failed on a wet rock slab near Flagstaff

I put on a set of budget all-terrains about 8 months ago to save cash, and they were fine on dirt and gravel. Last weekend I tried a slick rock climb up near Flagstaff and the tires just spun, no grip at all on the damp stone. I had to winch myself up the last 30 feet, which took forever and felt sketchy. Turns out the rubber compound on cheap tires is way harder, so it slides on wet surfaces where pricier ones stick. I expected them to wear out fast but I didn't think they'd lose traction that badly on a basic obstacle. I'm saving up for a proper set of MTs now, probably going with a softer 3-ply sidewall this time. Has anyone else had budget tires let them down on wet rock, or is it just me?

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andrew8549d ago

Learned that same lesson the hard way on some Moab slickrock a couple years back. Dropping to around 12 psi got me up stuff my old cheap set couldnt touch, way more than I expected it to help. Might be worth trying before you drop the cash on new rubber.

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