Submitted by
spkell
a Cross Country Rider
from Macon, Ga
Date Reviewed: June 7, 2011
Strengths: roll fast, midweight, rear tire
Weaknesses: cut loose during moderate braking (F/R) and in turns (F/R)
Bottom Line:
I've found it to be a pretty good rear tire at low pressures. Up front, I hate it. In dust-over-crust, scree, and hardpack, it oversteers or washes. If you touch the brakes at all in turns, it's hard to keep on the trail. I don't mind a little drift, but this is too much. I raced other low-knob racy tires for two seasons, and this tire is just substandard as a front tire.
as a rear, i'd give it 4 chilis, as a front, 2.
Similar Products Used: for low-knob tires, Maxxis Monorail 26
Bike Setup: GF Rig 2010 stock. It's worth noting the 27mm rims and Bontrager tubeless setup.
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Submitted by
Tonuck
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto On
Date Reviewed: October 10, 2010
Strengths: Good grip, low rolling resistance, easy to use tubeless
Weaknesses: Haven't found any yet, but I'll see if they last.
Bottom Line:
I was pleasantly surprised after a few rides on my new bike to realize that I wasn't going to have to bother replacing the stock tires. As all around tires, the XDXes just worked without having to change my riding and inspired confidence on the trail. They also don't have that much rolling resistance, which is good. I've only washed out once on these (going too fast over a real tight gravel turn) but that was completely my fault and would have probably happened on any tire.
They aren't the best in mud or sand, but they're far from the worst and are billed as all rounders begin with.
I more recently went tubeless with these and ran a lower psi. What a difference! On a hardpack trail with rocks, roots and a little loose stuff on top, these just gripped and never let go! I don't know why these tires have such a bad rep on here, but I'm super satisfied with these tires and will keep using them until they wear out, and then probably get new ones. Schweet!
Similar Products Used: Bontrager Mud X 29, Panaracer FireXCs 26, Vredestein Black panthers 26, Bontrager Jones XR 26
Bike Setup: Fisher Hi Fi
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Submitted by
supercal20077
a Cross Country Rider
from Rochester Hills, Mi
Date Reviewed: September 6, 2010
Strengths: Good rolling resistance, good grip in loose trail, holding up well
Weaknesses: weight. price
Bottom Line:
These tires came stock and I am 100% satisfied with them! I have not had any cornering issues and have not washed out or had any problems climbing in loose trail. I just adjust the air pressure as needed, 24-28 psi!
Similar Products Used: Cont twistersupersonic, mountain king,speed king, kenda nevegal, few diff Bontragers.
Bike Setup: 2009 Hi-Fi-Pro 29'er, truvativ world cup carbon flat bar, sram 990 cassette, bontrager true carbon seat post, WTB pure V race, ergon GX1 grips, bontrager RXL cage, XT pedals, tubeless(bontager superjuice)
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Submitted by
Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix
Date Reviewed: January 19, 2010
Strengths: Rolls fast, corners great, good ari volume for 2.1
Weaknesses: cut easily, wore out cuickly, not so great traction as rear tire - especially on sand over hardpack
Bottom Line:
okay fast rolling front tire
skip it as a rear tire.
Similar Products Used: WTB, specialized, michilin, geax, IRC, Maxxis, etc
Bike Setup: Ventana El Capitan
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Submitted by
jamesarr
a Weekend Warrior
from Louisville, KY
Date Reviewed: October 3, 2009
Strengths: Rolls well on the road on the way to the trail head. No flats yet.
Weaknesses: Clogs very quickly in wet, muddy conditions and remains slick thereafter. Refuses to shed mud, slop appears to ionic bond to tire surface. No "side grip", slips off roots if not perfectly perpendicular to tread.
Bottom Line:
I'll be wanting a new set of tires for Christmas, or as soon as I can say these are worn out. We've been having a wet fall, and the trails are tacky at best. Even when trails were completely dry, these tires still seem only fair-to -middling, with a penchant for rear tire slip as soon as you get out of the saddle for short uphill bursts.
Similar Products Used: Tioga Psycho-K/S on my fully stock '95 Trek 950.
Bike Setup: Stock from shop.
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Submitted by
grtbuster13
a Racer
from Franklin,Wi,USA
Date Reviewed: September 24, 2009
Strengths: low rolling resistance
Weaknesses: no grip in corners no matter what the surface.
Bottom Line:
I've had 3 different people ride these tires besides myself and none of us could get these wheels to stick in the corners no matter the surface. If there's anything loose on top of the surface these tires get down right scary.
Similar Products Used: Racing Ralph, Ardent, Rampage, Bontrager EXP
Bike Setup: Gary Fisher Ferrous 29er, 1x9, Mustang Rim with Hope Hub.
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Submitted by
ctbarron
a Weekend Warrior
from Annandale, VA
Date Reviewed: August 28, 2009
Strengths: Good wear, not bad in dry, straight conditions
Weaknesses: Wet ground, any corner
Bottom Line:
Tires came stock, so I used them until the tread wore down. They are mediocre - I would not buy a set as a replacement. They roll ok and work well on hardpack or on trails that are only a little tacky. The cornering is weak in almost any condition other than a nice dry berm.
They are poor on loose ground as well. I would definitely not use them as a back tire. Running them in any kind a wet/muddy condition is scary - it is like putting the bike on ice skates.
Note I only ran them with a tube. Their performance was oddly the same at both lower PSI and higher PSI. At best a good rolling tire for straight, dry conditions. Also pricy.
