The much anticipated new 29er tire from Kenda is finally here. It's fat. It's light. It's dynomite. Not recommended for slimy stuff and slippery rocks and logs, but fast as can be elsewhere, the Karma is a nice way to lighten up your 29er quick and easy.
Submitted by
Steve
a Cross Country Rider
from Oceanside CA. USA Date Reviewed: April 12, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
light rolls fast on the right terrain.
Weaknesses:
pinch flat when riding @35psi,riding 40 now. thin side wall does not hook up well on the rear of a SS, front washes out in sand wash
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Sir niner with mavic 29er wheels and the rest of the bike parts to be able to ride
Bottom Line:
I wasted my money. taking them off after only three rides I think this would be a great commuter tire or race tire on a manicured track but not in the real world of riding.
rolls really fast, pretty confident in corners...and got a sweet deal on them.
Weaknesses:
side lugs could be a bit more aggressive and would be a great all around tire
Similar Products Used:
Used Kenda Cortez on 26" Stumpy...loved them so I gave these a try
Bike Setup:
Niner Sir9, Industry Nine, Fox F29, Chris king/ Thomson, Juicy Carbon185mm
Bottom Line:
These tires roll really great and by no means are they not a great tire. I tend to like a more aggressive tire because a lot of the trails I like require it, but I have enjoyed riding these on singletrack. The conering is good, but at over 200lbs sometimes they slip in the more loose over hard conditions. I have a pair of Nevegals for the days when I know I will need them, but I am going to go pick up another pair of Kharmas while I can still get them this cheap...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Ashland, Ky Date Reviewed: December 11, 2007
Favorite Trail:
lost turkey
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$40.00
Strengths:
These tires hook up on any XC trial that has roots, rocks, and any type of lose ground.
Weaknesses:
None... until 5 million gallons of water gets dumped on the trial, turning West Virgina drit into a early form of a brown drywall compound, at this point nothing works.
Bottom Line:
I have been racing on a 29er for the past 6 years, I've tried tire after tire, the Karma's are a nice balance and great all around XC tire, but knowing the trial conditions and the correct tire pressure makes all the difference.
If you want a fast hard pack racing tire you can't beat Kenda's small block 8.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a
from PA Date Reviewed: July 21, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
This is for the 1.95 x 29".
Fast. Nice feel to the casing. Durable for it's weight. Fast. Plenty of grip considering it's size. Oh yeah, fast.
Weaknesses:
None yet. Zero. This tire grade A.
Similar Products Used:
Nano, Maxxis Ignitor, WW LT, Bonti tires.
Bike Setup:
Hard tail and SS.
Bottom Line:
This tire is used as a rear on my 29" hartail (full rigid right now, sometimes with squish fork, sometimes on a rigid SS). I'm 180# plus gear and ride some pretty rugged NE rocky single track. Unless I'm doing relatively extreme riding I find I don't need more than the Karma on the rear. With a 29er the need for fatter tires just doesn't seem to be there. It's like a 29 x 1.95" is more than a 26 x 2.3". This tire is fast, hooks up plenty well and has a "feel" to it that I really like on a HT. The casing seems super compliant without having the "squirrely" washing-out feel that some lighter weight, thin casing tires have. For such a supple, lightweight tire I rarely pinchflat. I may loose a second or two on a fast downhill but on the flats and climbs this tire simply crushes most other tires out there in terms of speed.
For a front tire I wouldn't use it on a rigid unless your trails are very buff. I've got a dually (FS) on order and am pretty sure I can get away with this tire up front as suspension does a great job with adding traction; you can get away with less rubber on a dully compared to a rigid bike. Maybe a Crow on the rear and a Karma up front?
I like to go fast up, down and all around. This is the tire for the job.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bruce Brown
a Cross Country Rider
from Des Moines Date Reviewed: March 4, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
I am reviewing the 1.9's. Great lightweight tire for racing and fast trail riding. I own 3 of these, 2 weigh around 500 grams and the 3rd weighs about 535 grams.
Weaknesses:
None that I have discovered.
Similar Products Used:
In terms of weight and racing - Crows, ACX's, Small Block 8's, Nanoraptors.
Bike Setup:
Currently have these mounted on American Classic wheels on my geared Karate Monkey. I will be trying them on my Dos and Sugar this year.
Bottom Line:
Excellent tire for certain race courses. I wouldn't say they are for every XC race course that exists, but midwest buff singletrack XC courses seem to be a sweet spot for these tires (the 1.9's). Can be run in the rear or on both the front and rear. The 1.9's are pretty much the same carcass and volume as the Crows (also a great race tire), but they have beefier knobs and more bite. I haven't tried - or even seen the larger volume Karma, but I imagine a larger volume Karma on the front with the 1.9 on the rear would be a nice combo as well.
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Submitted by
sdf sfs
a Cross Country Rider
from sfsf Date Reviewed: February 14, 2007
Favorite Trail:
sfsf
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
sdf
Strengths:
sdf
Weaknesses:
sdf
Similar Products Used:
sdf
Bike Setup:
sdf
Bottom Line:
sfsdfsdf
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Danimal
a Racer
from Seattle, WA. USA Date Reviewed: February 13, 2007
Favorite Trail:
ANY TRAIL
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
FAST, great for racing which is what I do. I was able to go from last to 3rd in my first expert race (last because I broke my chain at the start of the race). I noticed in the times I passed 26 inch Mt. Bikes they were light and easy to accelerate with.
Weaknesses:
There is some questions about front tire wash-out. On my race 2/11/07 I did notice some wash-out but that may have been caused by my faster than normal speed in the corners *but I didn't crash (close a few times).
Similar Products Used:
Kenda Nevegal, Jones Racer-x
Bike Setup:
2007 Orbea Alma Carbon 29er, Reba Race w/pop lock, X.O. group with FSA carbon Cranks, Richie WCS bar and stem, FSA seat post, Stans ZTR355 with Sapim CX Ray spokes and 2007 XTR hubs (about 1450 grams for the wheel set).
Bottom Line:
BUY BUY BUY!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mgersib
a Racer
from Lincoln, NE Date Reviewed: December 24, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Moore Fun
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Monkey Wrench Cycles
Strengths:
Light, fast, good overall traction in a wide variety of conditions, good candidate for tubeless conversion with the right rims. Good wear, especially for its weight.
Weaknesses:
Other heavier tires deliver increased traction. Due to the light 120tpi casing, I have to run at least 38psi when converted tubeless to keep the casing wiggles at bay.
Similar Products Used:
Bontrager Jones XR and ACX, Maxxis Ignitor, Kenda Nevegal, WTB's suite of tires
Bike Setup:
2006 Salsa Dos Niner; Maverick SC32 fork; Salsa Delgado X rims; WTB hubs; XTR drivetrain; Avid disc brakes
Bottom Line:
This is my summer rear tire. When paired with a Bontrager Jones XR on the front, the combo is awesome for racing. Plenty of traction, light weight and totally reliable from my experience as a tubeless conversion, the Karmas are a great option.
I typically don't run the Karma on the front. My aggressive cornering style demands a front tire with more significant side knobs.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
GlowBoy
a Cross Country Rider
from Portland OR Date Reviewed: December 20, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Lost in oregon
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Universal Cycles
Strengths:
Light. Fast. Amazingly grippy for such short knobs.
Weaknesses:
Not the grippiest. Not durable. The 1.9 (initially labeled as a larger size) is a true 1.9, which is pretty small for my taste.
Similar Products Used:
Bontrager XR, Bontrager ACX, Kenda Karma 1.9, Kenda Klaw, Kenda Khan, Maxxis Ignitor, Panaracer Rampage, Schwalbe Black Jack 1.9, WTB ExiWolf, WTB Nanoraptor, and too many smaller 700c tires to count.
Bike Setup:
- Surly Karate Monkey, currently 3sp hub commuter. - Vulture custom 29" SS EBB hardtail. - Lenz Sport Leviathan 29"x3" full suspension.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the fastest and lightest 29" tires around. My sample weighed in at a stunning 440g! It's also pretty thin in the casing, and I got 3 blackberry thorn flats in one month of riding. Admittedly these were semi-off-trail rides, but most other tires would have held up. Grip is surprisingly good in rocks, gravel and even mud. Rolls as fast as you would expect for a tire with little 3mm knobs. Yet another awesome tire (for its intended use) from Kenda.
Buy it if: you want a fast, light tire with plenty of grip. Excellent choice for a front racing tire, and some like to pair it with The Crow in back for the ultimate combination of speed and control. Skip it if: you're heavy or otherwise hard on tires, you EVER encounter thorns or sharp rocks, or you need large volume and the cush that goes with it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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