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Submitted by
Darren
a Racer
from Sydney AustraliaDate Reviewed: February 5, 2007
Strengths: Great price, roll fast, corner well, climb&brake well. Runs well with Stan's No-tubes.Weaknesses: None for meBottom Line: I love these tyres!
This review is for the Pro version 2.1. I use them for both training and racing Cross Country. I don't swap tyres around as I use Stan's. I like these tyres because they seem to work really well in all conditions. Even when I raced in mud, which isn't very often where I ride, they performed well, and shed the mud quickly.
I'm always surprised at how often I am rolling past my friends while they are pedalling!
They work really well with Stan's, and I can even inflate with one hand and a floor pump. Sealing is never an issue, and they have never rolled off or burped. I weigh 84kgs and run 36 psi rear, 30 psi front. I drop the rear to 32psi for racing.
Bottom line: I love these tyres, and they are definitely worth considering.
Favorite Trail: Dirt
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Purchased At: LBS
Similar Products Used: Ritchey Z-Max Millenium, Maxxis Ignitor, Specialized Fast Track Pro
Bike Setup: Jamis 05 Exile Hardtail (steel)
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Brian
a Weekend Warrior
from Birmingham, AL USADate Reviewed: August 2, 2006
Strengths: Cornering grip as the previous reviewer said. Lightweight(even the Pro version which is what I have) Smooth rolling, quiet on the pavement, and grippy on the trail.Weaknesses: the tires need a little while to break in, they have some slick coating to start out with so give them a chance. I guess Mud is a weakness, but not many smooth rolling tires are good in mud.Bottom Line: This review is for the PRO version of the tire.. harder compound, kevlar bead, and a little heavier than WCS.
I wasn't sure they still made these, they are hard to find now. I picked up one of these initially at a LBS on closeout. It worked great on the front very precise steering and they bite when you lean the bike so you can keep more speed in the corners. I later bought 2 more from Cambria(again on closeout) and moved the original to the back. The tire has a rounded profile so it doesn't drag you down on straight sections and you can lean in the corners. The tire also has a fairly high volume as it is a little taller than some others. Pretty soft ride. Also good grp on uneven surfaces, I don't find myself being forced into ruts as much.
The Pro version is very durable I have around 500 miles on one and it has a good bit of life left. I ride about 50/50 onroad and off. the one that is currently on the rear shows some where, but still going strong. Much better than my IRC tires.
I was looking at buying some Pythons, but I found these cheap and I am glad I did. These look similar to me.
Bottom line is this is a great all around tire.
Other notes -- The tire is thin for a 2.1 my 2.0 michelin semislick is slightly wider.
Bottom line - Buy them if you can find them
Favorite Trail: atv trails
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Price Paid:
$13.00
Purchased At: Cambria
Similar Products Used: IRC mythos, Michelin Jet S simislicks, Michelin windgrippers
Bike Setup: 2004 Marin Bobcat Trail, ZED race tires, assorted other stuff
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Racer
from Thousand OaksDate Reviewed: July 16, 2006
Strengths: Corning grip...nothing in a 2.1 comes close. They also climb very good. I have never ripped a sidewall either.Weaknesses: I tried the 2.1 WCS ZED's and 1.9's...the ZED WCS 1.9's pinch flatted but the 2.1's I had no problems. Using Stan's Sealant you shouldn't worry at all. They wear about as quick as the Kenda DTC or others.Bottom Line: I was turned on to the Ritchey ZED WCS Race from the MTB Action 30 Tire Shootout. The Kenda Nevegal was #1, Specialized RollX Pro #2 and Ritchey ZED WCS 2.1 #3.
The Ritchey ZED WCS Race 2.1 scored higher in cornering in all types of soil and climbing. MTB Action said no other tire with aggressive tread like the ZED pedals this efficiently. They said it’s easy to get over your head in corning and speed exceeding braking grip. Well, I race and braking isn’t a problem. The soft rubber compound and tire proper pressure make them brake better. At the races the ZED is one of the most popular tires.
I use these tires in So California trails.
From all the tires I have tried for XC usage the 2.1 Z.E.D. WCS surprised me most. Once you dail in air pressure these tires rail So Cal trails. I run mine at ~32 psi front and ~38 psi rear. I weigh 170 lbs and never pinch flatted using ultralight tubes. I now use the ZEDs with Stan’s Olympic ZTR rims and Stan’s Sealant. They seal easy everytime.
When I race loose hardpack trails like Big Bear I opt for the ZED WCS 2.1 Race tire. I have been using the new Ritchey Zmins 1.9 which weigh about 390g. They are a pure hardpack race tire. I have only run the Zmins with Stan's Sealant so I can't comment on pinch flatting. I’m really surprised at the new Zmins grip on hardpack trails and even with a loose topcoat. Thomas Frischy uses the Zmins. They are VERY efficient to pedal. MTBR still hasn’t listed them on this site. It took them a longtime to even list the Ritchey ZEDs.
At last years Cal State Final I had a rider brake in front of me right before a 2 1/2 drop. I nosed over and hit a rock hard. Bottomed out the front fork and my 2.1 ZED Race made a loud pop and blowing air sound. Luckly the tire only lost a little air when it burped and I was off and going again. I gashed the sidewall but it never tore all the way through and I finished the race in 4th place.
To me these are 2 of the best So Cal XC tires out. I tried the Kenda Nevegal 2.1 and Specialized Roll-X Pro. The Kenda 2.1 didn’t pedal as well and they wouldn’t hold air using Stan’s Sealant. They also seemed bigger than a 2.1 tire, more like 2.2. The Specialized RollX Pro Pedals great but they can’t corner like the ZEDs. After riding the WCS Z.E.D.'s I’m sticking with them until something better comes along. Its about time they listed these tires on here.
Now how about the Zmins?
Favorite Trail: RedBox, Backbone, Kanan
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At: Cambria CBO
Similar Products Used: Panaracer Fire XC Pro 2.1, Hutchinson Python Gold 2.0,
WTB Epicwolf Race 2.1, WTB Motoraptor Race 2.14 & 2.4, Weirwolf 2.1 & 2.5, Mutanoraptor 2.1, Ritchey WCS ZMin Race 1.9, Kenda Karma DTC Stick-E 2.0, Maxxis Ranchero.
Bike Setup: 2006 Extralite F1...listed under 1998 Extralite on this webpage.
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