29" tyre advice, please.

[Cavalol]

I've got a Trek X-Caliber 8, currently fitted with the original Bontrager XR1 29.220 tyres. I mostly do a mixture of road riding, canal towpaths, bridleways (thick with mud) and the odd field and forest stuff.
I like the Bontragers as regards drag (don't seem bad on the road) and from past experience they last quite a while, BUT....I have found the sidewalls are going quite thin, the grip in the dirt could be better and they're a pain to align properly when re-fitting.

So, what would people recommend for decent grip in the mud and have reasonably substantial sidewalls? I tried Continentals on my last mountain bike and found the sidewalls hopelessly thin/weedy after a very short space of time, so not overly keen on them.
I reckon it'll be hard to find my exact wants, as decent tread will probably equate to more drag when riding, but if they have good grip and can shed the mud easily, then that will be a massive bonus.
The other problem with the Bontragers fitted now are that they seem to hold the mud, which in turn traps the mud between the front and the bridge between the forks, so I'm finding I have to keep stopping and clearing the mud off!

To sum up I'd like:

Good grip in the mud
Not to draggy on the road
Strong/thick sidewalls
Easy to align
Reasonably long lasting.

Any advice/suggestions gratefully received, thanks in advance.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

I've got a Trek X-Caliber 8, currently fitted with the original Bontrager XR1 29.220 tyres. I mostly do a mixture of road riding, canal towpaths, bridleways (thick with mud) and the odd field and forest stuff.
I like the Bontragers as regards drag (don't seem bad on the road) and from past experience they last quite a while, BUT....I have found the sidewalls are going quite thin, the grip in the dirt could be better and they're a pain to align properly when re-fitting.

So, what would people recommend for decent grip in the mud and have reasonably substantial sidewalls? I tried Continentals on my last mountain bike and found the sidewalls hopelessly thin/weedy after a very short space of time, so not overly keen on them.
I reckon it'll be hard to find my exact wants, as decent tread will probably equate to more drag when riding, but if they have good grip and can shed the mud easily, then that will be a massive bonus.
The other problem with the Bontragers fitted now are that they seem to hold the mud, which in turn traps the mud between the front and the bridge between the forks, so I'm finding I have to keep stopping and clearing the mud off!

To sum up I'd like:

Good grip in the mud
Not to draggy on the road
Strong/thick sidewalls
Easy to align
Reasonably long lasting.

Any advice/suggestions gratefully received, thanks in advance.

You are asking too much. Thick sidewalls equates to rolling resistance as much as thicker, squirmier tread. I'm unsure what you mean by aligning a tyre.

However, if you choose a UST tyre you will get thicker sidewalls because the UST specification calls for thick sidewalls amongst other things.

Thus, look only at UST and from within that, choose your desired tread shape.

 

[ScotiaLass]

I've just changed my tyres from the stock Specialised Fast Traks (20 x 2.2) that came with it, to Schwable Rapid Robs (29 x 2.3).
I must say that so far I'm very impressed!
They roll MUCH better than the Fast Traks and grip really well. I use a mixture of shared paths, towpaths and often ride single track type pathways.
I got them as they also have puncture protection. Fitting them was a dawdle!

They seem to be good in the wet, I can't vouch for mud as I've not really ridden in that yet!

 

[Crackle]

Most modern tyres are less draggy on the roads than something like Velociraptors but if you want, good in mud and less draggy on roads together you are going to be compromising somewhere. Likewise thick sidewalls are not common but something like Schwalbes snakeskin gets good reviews and I ride Nobby Nics which are reasonable in mud and not too draggy on the road, though in truth I'm not so bothered about their performance on the road, they do them in Snakeskins.

 

[Cavalol]

Many thanks for the replies, sorry for being dim but what does 'UST' mean? The Schwable Rapid Robs or Nobby Nics sound like they're worth seeking out, thanks.

*What I mean about 'aligning' the tyres is getting them sitting perfectly flush all the way round: as an ex-tyre fitter I should really be much better at it, but when re-fitting a tyre after a puncture or tube change, I'm finding the XR1s are incredibly difficult to fit perfectly flush, i.e sitting perfectly symmetrical. Hope that makes sense!

 

[Yellow Saddle]

UST is French for Universal System for Tubeless Tyres (or something to that effect). It is a standard proposed by Mavic, Hutchinson and Ican'trememernow, all French tyre companies. The system specifies what is required to make a bicycle tyre and rim tubeless. If you want to use the UST logo on your tyres, you pay a fee to the UST consortium and they will inspect your design and approve it if it conforms to certain standards. These standards call for a non-porous tyre with a juicy bead that will seat on a rim and not leak air, without the use of sealant.
I understand what you mean by aligning. It will help if you smear the bead with soapy water or even dry soap, before fitting, just like in other industries. This way the tyre will seat better, but not necessarily perfect. Expect some tyres to just not be perfect and have run-out up to 5mm in fatter MTB tyres and 2 or 3mm on road tyres.

 

[dawn72]

Schwalbe rapid robs get my vote too

 

[Crackle]

The Rapid Robs have much less of a profile than the Nobby Nics, I have them on one bike and briefly used them on another. Good tyres but no good in mud in my experience.