Mentioned in our article “How long do mountain bike tires last?”, it is vital for your front tire to have the most traction.
A good mountain bike tire for mud will make sure the front tire has the most traction possible. Why? Because your front tire handles all the important jobs that keep you upright.
Your front tire handles direction inputs, weight distribution and grip when you need it the most, like when you’re hitting those fast corners.
Have you ever felt your rear tire slide out on a turn? Most of the time you can catch it before you slide out and feel cool for the moment. Other times, it can catch you off guard and you wind up sliding off into the trail.
Now imagine that same slide, but with your front tire. That sounds a lot scarier.
If your front tire slides out from under you, there is no control left other than damage control. You can end up over the bars or seriously hurt. This is why you see some tire sets with different tread patterns, and why it is always recommended to have the newest tire on the front.
This is exaggerated when you’re riding in muddy conditions, as you are more prone to sliding out.
The best mtb tire for mud, will always focus on extra front tire traction.