Schwalbe has been offering DH versions of its Big Betty and Muddy Mary tyres for some time, but the beefy wire-beaded treads were recalled in August 2008 due to the possibility of the beads separating. The recall is still running, and the terms are quite generous – return one tyre and get two back. Full details are at www.schwalbe.com/recall-downhill. The folding-bead Freeride versions of the tyres are not affected.

Needless to say, the DH tyres have been completely revised, although the changes are all constructional – the actual tread patterns are the same, with Muddy Mary pitched at softer conditions and Big Betty targeted at harder trails. You can distinguish the new versions of the tyres by the gold labels.

“The revised construction causes less load on the tires and adds more puncture protection. Besides which the tires are also easier to fit,” explained Schwalbe spokesbloke Michael Kull.

The new tyres are available with a choice of tread compounds, with the Triple Nano intended to balance rolling resistance, grip and wear rates and an improved Gooey Gluey compound for no-compromise grip. The Muddy Mary DH is available in 2.35in or 2.5in sizes at 1,150g and 1,270g respectively, while the Big Betty DH is 2.4in only at 1,150g.