Riding in bright sunshine in the Alps is easily my favourite of riding conditions, but the conditions yesterday were or are some of my favourite.
When it is as wet and rainy as it was yesterday, the mud doesn't tend to cling to the bike or tyre, as it is constantly washed off, so making riding pretty easy.
I also love riding stream beds, and with the tracks being washed out, it gives a similar riding experience.
In the Surrey hills, there is a mile or so long old stream bed that once again floods at this time of year, and it is brilliant fun to ride. Sadly I don't know the area at all well, so have only come across it, when taking part, in organised rides.
There was slight one bugbear yesterday, and that was that three lads on quads were also out in the woodland, tearing about. One plus point with it was that they were cutting ruts that made riding easier when climbing, but also these same ruts caused issue when riding down hill, as they were impossible not to follow, and made things unpredictable, which is where your comment about tyre choice comes in. The front Nobby Nic as fitted to this bike, doesn't have enough lugs on the side, so the ride becomes rather interesting!
The pedal bike has a Magic Mary on the front, so not so much of an issue or concern.
I used to make a big thing about using tyres dedicated for mud use, such the WTB Vigilante, and Hutchinson DZO, but both are heavy and both drag. In the case of the WTB, it was also near on impossible to remove.
I have since learnt that I don't need tyres with excessive grip, and adjusting tyre pressure can deal with most things. One of the pedal bikes still runs a Rocket Ron on the rear and summer type Racing Ralph on the front. I actually really enjoy the ride that I get from this bike when things are very muddy, as it tests and massively improves my skills. You have to be so much more aware of what you are doing and where you are going, and I get a weird satisfaction from it. I enjoy speed, but prefer slow and technical terrain, trials riding fashion, so again, having a loose feeling bike beneath me, works very well for me. I guess that I enjoy testing and challenging myself.
Poorly inadequate tyres, but brilliant fun.
Compare those to that of the Giant. On this bike the tyre choice was made on the basis of a different requirement from the bike.
