Submitted by
Troy
a Cross Country Rider
from Aspen, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: July 8, 2010
Strengths: Light, fast
Weaknesses: Very low volumn, deflects easily, harsh ride, no torsional stiffness, needs to be run at high psi, and very expensive.
Bottom Line:
Truly the worst 29er tire that I've ever ridden. Very weak for a rear tire and worthless in the front. Maybe they work well for 145 lb. racers on groomed courses, but for a 190 lb. all mountain/XC rider, they are truly worthless. I'm actually glad they wore out quickly.
Strengths: Tough sidewalls. Lots of knobs for great traction, yet seems to have low rolling resistance. Skinny tire that does'nt take much effort to get up to speed. Very light-weight, too.
Weaknesses: Maybe too skinny for some riders who like more volume in a tire. Might not be the best tire for very muddy climbs due to it's narrow profile. Expensive.
Bottom Line:
This tire is on both geared and single speed bikes. I use these tires year round, and they seem to hook up well in just about any condition. They're light-weight, and the narrow profile make it a great race tire for me (165 pound rider.
No issue with knobs wearing off here: I do a lot of gravel/township road riding on my mountain bikes and I'd have to say that the majority of the tread is still there after 1200 miles (each set) of riding. That said, I definately would'nt use these tires for habitual pavement riding.
Though they're somewhat expensive, I imagine I will continue to use this tire as long as they are being made.
Similar Products Used: Kenda Klaws, Bontrager Jones & ACX's.
Bike Setup: Fisher Xcaliber & Rig with upgrades.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
RiverCliff
a Cross Country Rider
from Mountain Home, AR
Date Reviewed: August 4, 2007
Strengths: Strong sidewalls - pretty good grip - easy on and off the rim
Weaknesses: Did not like the feel - knobs came off really quick - other knobs wore down quick.
Bottom Line:
Replaced the nanoraptor because I badly tore the side wall in 2 places - Did not want that to happen again, so bought the Little Albert. As I expected, the LA felt stiff - I was OK with that as the side walls are stiff and intact. I was not OK with my $50 tire losing knobs (no, I do not drag my rear brake) and the tread wearing down so quick - maybe 20 rides. I ride all rocky single track, and it is hard on tires/tread, but this was the most I have paid for a tire, and the least amount of miles put on one before needing replaced.
Similar Products Used: numerous 26" NanoRaptor and Jones ACX in 29er
Bike Setup: SS 29er
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Submitted by
xtrsmith
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Angeles, CA
Date Reviewed: April 2, 2007
Strengths: Rolls like a road tire, super fast. It's skinny, but rolls like its 2.2" wide. Very sticky. I ride it both front and rear.
Weaknesses: It might be hard to find at your local shop.
Bottom Line:
I was in Palm Springs where conditions are rocky, sharp and technical. I thought I would have problems, but the thing hooked up as well as any other time I've ridden it. This is my favorite 29er tire, as good as advertised.
Similar Products Used: Panaracer Fire, Specialized, Mythos IRC, Geax tires
Bike Setup: Ti 29er, cross country riding
Overall Rating:
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Submitted by
Ryan Fell
a Cross Country Rider
from San Carlos, CA
Date Reviewed: December 21, 2006
Strengths: Fast rolling, dry grip, "light feel"
Weaknesses: On the narrower side, but then, see strengths...
Bottom Line:
A great tire for fast rides, not so much float when compared with the most recent 2.2+ additions to the arsenal. Great grip with little extra effort (but then again, it's a 29er...)
Anyone running these tires? Never seen them before, but they look nice. Im looking for something around 2.0 to 2.1 for hard pack and sandy conditions here in Northern Michigan. Read More »
