The low tread profile of the Nano gives it minimal rolling resistance while providing good grip when the road becomes trail. Use this 2.1 high volume tire on the front or rear. Features WTB's DNA Rubber Compound
29 x 2.1"
For use with inner tube only. Do not use with tubeless tire applications.
Submitted by
OSnap
a Cross Country Rider
from Virginia Date Reviewed: March 11, 2009
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
the store
Strengths:
Fast rolling tire - light - longlasting
Weaknesses:
well in mudd and wet roots they are lame...but so is everything else
Similar Products Used:
Specialized fast track, maxxis crossmarks and ignitor
Bike Setup:
SS29
Bottom Line:
I like this tire more than the fasttracks and crossmarks - for me it I seemed to get a little better traction out of these and they seem just as fast. However I wouldn't use any of these tires for a front tire.
Also the treads on these tires have lasted a lot longer than I would have ever thought - I've been running these off and on for 2+ years (I ride about 3-4 times a week) and they don't show much wear at all. That's why I gave the good Value rating
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tbaier
a Weekend Warrior
from Baltimore, MD Date Reviewed: February 16, 2009
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Loves the hard stuff.
Weaknesses:
Runs screaming at even the mention of mud.
Bottom Line:
I like this tire a lot, but you just have to be careful of the conditions you use it in. Running one on the back of my Salsa El Mariachi and its great for road and HARDPACK. I was very impressed with the traction while climbing even compared to much knobbier tires like the Rampage and Ignitor. I don't feel like I lose anything (except weight and rolling resistance!) when I sub it for a Rampage when the conditions permit.
Unfortunately the trial I most often ride borders water so there are small sections where streams cross and its ALWAYS muddy - even when the rest of the trail is a dustbowl. I can usually make it through these sections with the Nano but the problem is when I continue to ride down the trail, they have a hard time shedding the mud. They'll stay gummed up even at a decent speed. The tight knob spacing really hangs on to it. I don't expect a tire like this to have much traction in the mud, so it doesn't lose points for that.
If you have the right conditions, these are great light, fast tires that can be had for pretty cheap.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
abosch
a Cross Country Rider
from San Rafael, CA, USA Date Reviewed: June 18, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Tamarancho
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
Mike's Bikes
Strengths:
Fast & light
Weaknesses:
traction & hard cornering
Similar Products Used:
Small Block 8
Bike Setup:
Orbea Lanza 29er
Bottom Line:
Great deal for a good tire. If you are looking for a 'meatier' tire, go elsewhere. If you are looking for a fast and light cross country tire, this is it. In dry conditions of sunny California, it's great.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nate
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego Date Reviewed: May 28, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Noble
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
online
Strengths:
Fast and lightweight
Weaknesses:
Front does not inspire confidence in loose corners. Rear tire developed a clicking noise in the bead or sidewall....not sure. Who know that tires could do this? Replace tire and sound is gone. Lower air pressure increases sound...hmm.
Similar Products Used:
Rampage. Nice, but rolling resistance and weight are killers. I ride mostly hardpack out here in SD
Bike Setup:
Niner Jet 9 full XTR, C. King etc...all the goodies
Bottom Line:
Fast race tire for hardpack conditions that may develop an odd clicking sound on rotation. Took me forever to discover that it was actually the tire making the odd sound..
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Derek
a Cross Country Rider
from Chadds Ford, PA Date Reviewed: January 13, 2008
Favorite Trail:
White Clay Creek
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1.00
Purchased At:
came with bike
Strengths:
Fast
Weaknesses:
Weak Traction Harsh Horrible in Wet Not that light
Similar Products Used:
SB8, Dry X, a lot
Bike Setup:
Haro Mary SS
Bottom Line:
These tires are okay for pavement. On the trail they have little to no traction or volume. They are even worse then small block eights when the trail is wet. I don't think this tire is very good at all. Save your money.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
d
a Racer
from ny Date Reviewed: October 20, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
none really... looks cool
Weaknesses:
for the street
Similar Products Used:
all 29er tires
Bike Setup:
niner and fisher
Bottom Line:
total garbage ... thank god they were the first ... honestly ... okay for the front on dry only ... rear is total crap ... kenda small blocks and bontrager dry x are so much better ... kenda is just as fast ... i compare the nanos to crows ... similar traction ... both crapolla.
=)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tobias
a Cross Country Rider
from tijeras,nm Date Reviewed: August 9, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
stock on On One Inbred 29er
Strengths:
Fast, durable, tracks well
Weaknesses:
skinny, low volume, small knobs
Similar Products Used:
exiwolf, rampage
Bike Setup:
On One inbred 29er, rigid singlespeed
Bottom Line:
This tire came stock on the rear of my bike and at first I thought it would be too low volume and not enough traction, but... it turned out to impress me with its fast predictable handeling, relativly good grip in the loose rocky trails I ride, and great durability and pinch resistance at high enough tire preasures. I just switched to the rampage and noticed a dramatic reduction in rolling speed. Overall a great tire for southwest trail riding.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bruce Brown
a Cross Country Rider
from Des Moines Date Reviewed: March 4, 2007
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
Speedgoat.com
Strengths:
This is the starting point for all 29"er tires. It is a must own tire for those in the midwest who ride/race on our clay packed singletrack. In fact, I think it is the favorite tire in Iowa for mountain bikers - be it 26" or 29". I own the folding bead version and consider them my "go to" tire. They work very well on the pavement on the way to the trail as well.
Weaknesses:
Claimed weight is much lighter than actual weight. My two tires weigh 606 and 666 grams respectively. I'd love to get my hands on a sub 600 gram pair. Wink, wink...
Similar Products Used:
As for racing and buff singletrack riding - Kenda Small Block 8's, Crows, Karma 1.9's, ACX's, XR 1.8's, XR 2.25's, Exiwolfs, Notos.
Bike Setup:
Mounted on American Classic wheels on my Sugar 293.
Bottom Line:
I've raced them in mud, in dry, in rain and have ridden these tires in the rocky terrain of the Black Hills and have ridden them on trails all over Iowa on a Dos, a Karate Monkey and a Sugar 293. Great tire that has never failed me. Again - it is the first "go to" tire that I reach for when choosing. Plenty of tire choices out there and not all tires are perfect for everything, but these are gold standard in my book. Volume/weight/price added together make these well worth the investment and performance. Highest rating in both categories as far as I am concerned.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
slim pickens
a Cross Country Rider
from washington dc Date Reviewed: December 21, 2006
Favorite Trail:
GW Forest
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$25.00
Strengths:
FAST rolling, reasonably tough, fair volume, short stiff knobs for good traction on rock, wood, pavement, dirt.
Weaknesses:
packs mud, bad traction in loose stuff - especially pea gravel
Similar Products Used:
exiwolf, motoraptor, acx, klaw, nevegal
Bike Setup:
hardtail
Bottom Line:
Great race tire, very smooth rolling, perfect for rides with long pavement sections or off camber rocks. The short knobs won't fold, but they pack mud and aren't deep enough for loose conditions.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stefan Griebel
a Cross Country Rider
from Boulder, CO, 80303 Date Reviewed: December 21, 2006
Favorite Trail:
The Colorado Trail
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
everywhere
Strengths:
*Fast*. Awesome in dry conditions. Great in wet conditions if it is not muddy. Surprisingly great traction on wet and dry rocks. Also surprisingly large volume for such a fast tire.
Weaknesses:
Terrible in sticky mud. Sidewalls not as durable as Exiwolves
These have become my all-time favorite 29er tires. I used to just put them on for races and TT's but after riding with a buddy who could still clean all the gnarliest technical lines with these tires, I started riding them all the time too.
I have always felt the 26" version was too slick and did terrible on roots and loose dirt. However, the 29" version is completely different. It's fatter, and the tiny knobs on the sides seem slightly bigger. The 2.1" width adds a bit of volume for pinch flat protection, and these tires corner better than the Exiwolves or the Motoraptors. IMO, for XC riding and racing these tires are at the top of the pile.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from Prescott, AZ Date Reviewed: December 20, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$38.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Fast, tough.
Weaknesses:
Not so good cornering ability.
Similar Products Used:
n/a
Bike Setup:
Rigid SS monkey.
Bottom Line:
An excellent tire for what they are. Not a good choice for aggressive or technical riding, but a great choice for mixed terrain or gravel/fire roading. They do very well on pavement for their size.
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:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
Bike Gallery (lbs)
Strengths:
Very fast rolling on hardpack. Awesome grip in deep sand.
Weaknesses:
Scary lack of grip in loose over hardpack. Worst wet conditions tire I've ever ridden.
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:
Well, whaddaya know, another tire from WTB that sucks in wet northwest conditions. Actually, to those who know 29" history this was THE tire that made it all possible. So kudos to these guys for backing 29" for so long, but they still don't understand the wet conditions that predominate around here. This was the only tire I've ever tried that fully packed up with mud in a single wheel revolution -- and this was wet Forest Park mud that isn't very sticky and rarely packs up on tires. I also found it ridiculously sketchy on loose gravel over hardpack. At Grey Butte (high desert conditions) I found it tricky to ascend without spinning, and just plain scary to descend when the underlying surface was hardpacked. I traded bikes with a buddy and he found the same to be true. In the patches of deep, loose sand it rocked.
I hold my opinion fiercely, but I recognize that am very much in the minority. Most people who ride in dry conditions rave about this tire. It rolls very fast, and some people think it grips great in the dry.
Buy it if: you ride in dry conditions and want a fast rolling tire that has more grip than a semislick -- and you're not me. Skip it if: you ride in wet conditions, or you are me.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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