Us off-road cyclists can be crazy sometimes. Whether it’s trekking through forestry over muddy grass, roots and rocks, or bombing it downhill in a race against time, you need the best tyres for the job. Luckily, here at Maxxis, we have plenty of off-road bicycle tyres to choose from.

The question we will cover here is as follows: Which tyres should you ride for the most extreme, muddy winter conditions?

One man’s mud trail can be another man’s everyday ride, and the same goes for women, too. So here are our most hardcore mud tyres in order of extremity:

Don’t get us wrong, the High Roller II is an aggressive downhill and MTB tyre, and will clear mud fairly well. But if you’re looking for a dedicated mud tyre to ride through the sludgiest muck you can find, you wouldn’t choose this tyre.

However, if you’re looking for something fast that has the grip to get you out of a pickle when things occasionally get a tad muddy, but can also hold its own in terms of speed and grip on hard pack, loose and rocky terrain, the High Roller II is the tyre for you. Available for Plus bikes, too.

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Contrary to popular belief, the Minion DHR II and Minion DHF were originally designed as specific front and rear tyres (DHF and DHR, get it?). But, as with all the best tyres, riders like to use these to create a setup which works for them, whether that’s flip-reversing the situation or putting the same tyre on front and rear.

Anyway, when it comes to mud, these tyres are what you’ll be looking for 99% of the time. They’re a favourite for almost every MTB and downhill rider, everywhere. Don’t believe us? Google it. Better yet, YouTube it.

Got a fat bike? Check out the Minion DHR II Plus and Minion DHF Plus.

The Assegai was developed by Greg Minaar and Maxxis together as a fast downhill tyre which offers control. Turns out, it’s a really good tyre for building confidence in iffy conditions.

It’s a tyre designed to give you full control; if you want to point, aim and land exactly where you plan to, choose the Assegai providing the mud situation isn’t too extreme.

For all but the most extreme of muddy conditions, the Shorty tyre is the tyre you need. Often opted for in Europe as a winter tyre, the Shorty is heavier than its less aggressive counterparts but is still built for speed.

Fast in a straight line and toothy around the corners, this tyre is chosen by champions for the worst conditions.

Don’t let its name put you off. The Maxxis Wetscream is the most aggressive mud tyre to get you out of the muddiest, most swampy situations. Not the fastest, certainly not the lightest, but definitely the best for when the terrain turns to sloppy treacle and you fear putting your foot down.

Trust the Wetscream for true grip for hobby riding or racing; finishing a race with a slower time is better than flying ahead of the pack and getting stuck.

*Circumstance-dependent.