FMB Super Mud first ride review

FMB Super Mud first ride review

Exceptionally agile cotton mud tire with latex sidewall treatment

Our rating

4.5

115.00
FMB's Super Mud lives up to its name

Jason Sumner/BikeRadar

Ben Delaney

Published: November 8, 2012 at 3:57 pm
Our review
Exceptionally agile cotton tubular sheds mud well with a forgiving ride
FMB's Super Mud lives up to its name Jason Sumner/BikeRadar
The Super Mud tubulars dig into the mud for traction, but also clear the mud quickly when you're back on drier ground Jason Sumner/BikeRadar
The Z-shaped knobs are widely spaced except for down the center, where their closer proximity seems to help with smoother rolling on pavement Ben Delaney/BikeRadar
François Marie and his four-person staff coat the tires' sidewalls with latex to prevent degradation of the cotton casing Ben Delaney/BikeRadar
The FMB Super Mud Ben Delaney/BikeRadar
The 32c Super Mud offers and exceptionally agile ride, thanks to the malleable cotton casing Ben Delaney/BikeRadar

FMB's handmade Super Mud tubular is wonderfully malleable, thanks to the pliable cotton casing it rides on. With a latex sidewall treatment protecting the cotton, the Super Mud is also relatively low maintenance, once you get over the hurdle of gluing it on.

In a muddy cyclocross race, I found the Super Mud tubulars to be a big help, not only in the mud, but throughout the course. As a hopeless roadie with poor off-road technical skills, I loved how the supple rubber gripped the ground.

With widely spaced, 3mm-high, Z-shaped knobs, the tread isn't quite as aggressive as something like the Clément PDX. But the knobs do hook up well in the mud. Just as importantly, the tire clears the mud packed onto the tire when you roll back onto drier ground. Some tires retain mud between the knobs, making them slippery when back on hardpack.

The z-shaped knobs are widely spaced except for down the center, where their closer proximity seem to help with smoother rolling on pavement: the z-shaped knobs are widely spaced except for down the center, where their closer proximity seem to help with smoother rolling on pavement Ben Delaney/BikeRadar

The Super Mud tread is glued by hand to a cotton casing woven from a single thread by FMB

FMB stands for François Marie Boyaux; boyaux being French for tubulars, and François Marie being the founder of the four-person operation that BikeRadar recently profiled. FMB casings are made in France and stitched together around latex tubes. Treads are purchased from outside vendors in Thailand and France and glued on in FMB's shop.

The romance of a handmade tubular — made by a Frenchman, no less — certainly holds some cache, but the fact is that FMB's cotton casing, made from a single thread, are more lithe than a polyester casing. Before gluing, an unmounted tire can easily be twisted in any direction. The end result, when matched with good rubber, is a great-riding tire.

Keep in mind, this is a specialty tire. Although the knobs in the center are configured into a line for faster rolling on hardpack, it's not the absolute fastest ’cross tire on pavement. And the soft rubber, though grippy, won't last forever. But when the course turns mucky, the Super Mud tubulars offer sure footing and a luxury ride.

To comply with UCI regulations for elite-level racing, the tire comes in a 32c width.

François marie and his four-person staff coat the tires' sidewalls with latex to prevent degradation of the cotton casing: françois marie and his four-person staff coat the tires' sidewalls with latex to prevent degradation of the cotton casing Ben Delaney/BikeRadar

Latex treatment protects the cotton sidewalls from nicks and moisture

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Ben Delaney

Contributor

Ben Delaney is a journalist with more than two decades of experience writing for and editing some of the biggest publications in cycling. Having studied journalism at the University of New Mexico, Ben has worked for Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, VeloNews and BikeRadar. He has also previously worked as Global Brand Communications Manager for Specialized. Ben covers all things road and gravel, and can be found logging big miles in the Rocky Mountains that nestle alongside his home in Boulder, Colorado. He has covered the most important bike races in the sport, from the Tour de France and Tour of Flanders, to the Unbound gravel race, and specialises in tech content, showcasing what the pros are riding and putting everyday equipment through its paces.
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