Bontrager Jones XR Tire

2.08/5

(50 Reviews)

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Product Description

Front 26 x 2.25 (52/52) 650g Wire

Rear 26 x 2.2 (52/50) 640g Wire

High volume and lightweight

Front and rear specific

Durable 68a hardness tread compound

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Reviews 1 - 15 (50 Reviews Total)

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Submitted by bozeorbust

Date Reviewed: May 27, 2012

Strengths:    Roll pretty fast for the block and spacing pattern. Relatively light weight for the size/tread design. Great cornering in loose stuff. Plush ride. Best MTB tires I've used.

Weaknesses:    Only gripe I have is the quick wear of the rear center blocks.

Bottom Line:

Comfortable ride with good grip and cornering. Reliable grip in loose dry stuff. Light for its size. Back tire wears fast.

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Submitted by steveecrane a Cross Country Rider from near Wolverhampton

Date Reviewed: March 30, 2012

Strengths:    It's light.
Rolls well on a Tarmac road.

Weaknesses:    No grip in corners.
No grip over roots.
No grip on gravel / shale / shingle.
No grip climbing.
No grip on rocks.
No strength.
Punctures easily at moderate to low pressures.
And did I mention no grip!?

Bottom Line:

The Maxxis High Roller I had on the rear of my bike was a bit bald, so I thought I'd move the front one to the rear and put the all-but-new Bontrager Jones XR back on the bike up-front as we'd been having a bit of sun (OK, a LOT of sun for the UK in March) and the trails were drying out. Mistake! BIG mistake. H U G E mistake!!!

This is, by a huge margin, simply the worst XC / single-track tyre I have EVER used bar none. I'd rather go out on bare rims, it's that bad! ;-)

Whether on the front or the rear, the bike handles like a dog, skitting, slipping and sliding all over the show. It inspires no confidence at all. In fact, my triceps and lower back are aching from all the tensing up, jolts and over-correcting during a recent 3-hour bash.

Run it at low pressure and it punctures. Run it at high pressures and it has so little grip, you might as well go ice-skating.

Even having it just standing by my bike makes me feel nervous!!!

I guess Trek had a job-lot of cheapies which is why they factory-fitted these circular bits of rubber (I cannot refer to them as tyres - note the correct spelling when using the English language, my American friends!) to Trek Fuel EX8's in 2009 destined for the UK.

The problem for Bontrager is that there is just no way I will ever buy one of their tyres ever again and, when I acquire my next bike, I will ensure the shop changes any Bontrager tyres for anything else. Literally, anything!!!

And the only reason the value is a 2 and not a 1 is because they were free - I want to be fair and balanced ... and this is the only way!

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Favorite Trail:   Cannock Chase

Duration Product Used:   Less than 1 month

Purchased At:   Came With Trek Fuel

Similar Products Used:   Nothing I've ever used is this bad.

Bike Setup:   Standard Trek Fuel EX8 (2009) with Pure Racing KS Technology i950 adjustable seat-post, Maxxis 2.35x26" High Roller 42a Super-Tackies and a Truvativ Holzfeller downhill stem.

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Submitted by chuyler1 a Cross Country Rider from Londonderry, NH, USA

Date Reviewed: November 28, 2011

Strengths:    Hardpack and dry granite

Weaknesses:    Mud and wet terrain

Bottom Line:

Most reviews jump right to the negative. I will say these tires do have some positives. I have put over 200 miles of New England XC single track on them since I bought my GF Wahoo disc. I run 40 psi and haven't had a single flat. I consider myself an average rider. I do it more for the excercise than the thrill but I'll push the limits of the bike on terrain I know well.

When it comes to traction, these tires excel with hardpack and course New Hampshire granite rock. I have tons of climbing grip when the trails are dry. One might think every tire excels in hardpack but it isn't true. Tires with more aggressive treads tend to wash out under slow climbing conditions when you are putting massive amounts of torque into your pedals. These tires put lots of sticky rubber to the ground and will stay connected even under steep climbing conditions.

However, as many have already cited, these tires do not handle wet conditions at all. They will quickly pack up with mud rendering the tread useless. They will not shed the mud unless you get up to blistering speeds on double track. They will slip off damp wood bridges and logs. They can become downright dangerous over wet roots.

The tire is fun on open double track and great for dry rocky single track. However, after a rain storm, find another tire to ride if you want to push the limits of grip.

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Favorite Trail:   Musquash

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Bike Setup:   Gary Fisher Wahoo Disc

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Submitted by DJ Feelgood Phil a Cross Country Rider from Sherbrooke, QC

Date Reviewed: August 7, 2011

Strengths:    Did'nt wear too much

Weaknesses:    Grip as much as having some waxed paper around your rims, does not shed mud well, fear roots, rocks, humidity, having to roll.

Bottom Line:

Awful tires. They came stock on my Fuel EX8 and I have been riding them for 2 years. At first, I tought I was responsible of my numerous falling off the bike, but then I realized that those tires did not help me, in any ways.

First, they have a fear of humidity. At any level. Do NOT wear these tires if you ride elsewhere than in a very dry hardpack trail with no root or rock. They just can't stand facing a pack of roots or a garden of rocks without slipping.

Last piece of advice if these came stock on your bike and if you live in a temperate or humid climate : Throw this set of tires to the garbage and get something else, it will only help you.

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Duration Product Used:   2 Years

Purchased At:   Came with Trek Fuel

Similar Products Used:   WTBs, Specialized.

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Submitted by dramsay1996 a Cross Country Rider from Maine

Date Reviewed: June 17, 2011

Strengths:    fast on smooth terrain

Weaknesses:    CONSTANT FLATS, wear out quick

Bottom Line:

These tires are very fast on the road and easy, smooth trail terrain. But take them on a trail and you'll get a flat in no time. Over a period of three months, I went through 6, honestly, SIX tubes because of these tires. I am not happy when I need to make weekly trips to the bike shop to pick up next weeks tube. They also wear out quick, I've been riding them for 3 months and I can see obvious wear on the tread. Don't buy these tires.

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Duration Product Used:   6 months

Purchased At:   Bar Harbor Bike Shop

Bike Setup:   stock on a 2009 Gary Fisher Piranha

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Submitted by photodog a Racer from SLO, CA

Date Reviewed: March 9, 2011

Strengths:    Light

Weaknesses:    Grip

Bottom Line:

This is for the rear Jones XR.
Work well on smooth trails with tacky soils...but what doesn't? Put them in rocks and you'll tear through them in a single ride so you have to run high pressures. Running tubeless, anything over 30psi and they are terrible but going under that tears out the sidewalls as the casing is wider than the tread and very thin. The casing is 2.2 but the tread is only 1.95 thus the issue. The tread pattern isn't bad, just needs to be wider and have a heavier sidewall. They are terrible in mud, I don't think I've ever seen a tire pack up quicker. But for summer conditions on hardpack they would be a fine choice. I prefer a more durable tire with a bit more volume so I'll stick with the Geax Saguaro or something more along those lines. These would be fine for racing or if you live somewhere with no mud and no rocks.

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Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month

Bike Setup: 2011 HiFi

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Submitted by alonexenola420 a Weekend Warrior from Bridgewater nj united states

Date Reviewed: November 9, 2010

Strengths:    Light?... good for super dry hardpack if you have no thorns or sharp rocks around.. and like riding at 35 lbs of pressure.. (I'm 125 lbs) so you'd probably need 45

Weaknesses:    everything, first these tires are paper thin and thorns go through em like a hot knife in butter. they don't do well with low pressures.. the clog up with dirt when its barley wet on the trails and If you ride them on the road they'll turn to slicks in 200 miles.

Bottom Line:

don't buy these..

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Duration Product Used:   3 months

Purchased At:   Marty's reliable in

Similar Products Used:   loads of tires from bontrager, specialized, maxis, kenda, wtb..

Bike Setup:   2011, trek 4500 disk with kenda nevegal's. manly stock exempt a new rear derailer.. I can't remember what model haha but its shimano.

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Submitted by matty a Cross Country Rider from Vigo, Spain

Date Reviewed: July 22, 2010

Strengths:    Light, fast

Weaknesses:    Puncture ALL the time,thorns go through them like a bad curry
Wipe-out on hardpack, tarmac

Bottom Line:

Wish I'd visited this site before I visited the hospital. Took a roundabout at average speed, in the dry and the front end just went leaving me badly bruised. Also on hard trails the front end just slides away, even with as much weight over the bars as possible - scary!

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Favorite Trail:   Monte de Coruxo

Duration Product Used:   6 months

Price Paid:    $900.00

Purchased At:   Trek,Vigo

Bike Setup:   Gary Fisher Piranha

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Submitted by mtrenegade a Weekend Warrior from Colorado

Date Reviewed: June 4, 2010

Strengths:    Came with bike. fast.

Weaknesses:    horrible mud traction, stupid thin.

Bottom Line:

Might as well remove the tires and just ride on the tubes. Just about anything will penetrate these tires and the mud traction just plain sucks. The only good thing about them is they roll fast on asphalt, but thats not typically what I look for in a mountain bike tire.

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Duration Product Used: 6 months

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Submitted by aburkhardt04 a Weekend Warrior from dayton oh

Date Reviewed: May 21, 2010

Strengths:    free with bike

Weaknesses:    destroyed tire 2nd ride

Bottom Line:

Not happy that I have to replace a brand new tire after my second ride. It has a 1/2 inch gash in the center of the tread

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Favorite Trail:   5 river metro parks

Duration Product Used:   Less than 1 month

Purchased At:   kettering bike shop

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Submitted by p_farino a Cross Country Rider from So Cal USA

Date Reviewed: February 14, 2010

Strengths:    Free with Bike

Weaknesses:    Everything else. Lots of pinch flats even at higher pressures. Rear loses traction easily. Wearing very quickly.

Bottom Line:

Had flats all the time with this tire until I went tubless. Corners well. Smoothe ride. Everything else is a bust.

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Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Purchased At:   Incycle

Similar Products Used:   Kenda Kharisma Lite. Specialized The Captain. Kenda Nevegal.

Bike Setup:   Trek Fuel

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Submitted by edilpena a Weekend Warrior from Puerto Rico

Date Reviewed: October 18, 2009

Strengths:    Good grip on all conditions, runs well over roots and mud, very good on dry terrain or gravell.

Weaknesses:    Got two flats on my first twoo rides. Filled them with slime and never had a flat again.

Bottom Line:

I'm pleased with these tires, they are cheap looks goos and do their job fine. Good all round with nice grip and performance. I've seen a lot of bad reviews, I think they had their tires over inflated. I run mine at 28 to 30 psi on the trails and they grip like claws. If I going to run on asphalt, they go up to 50 psi, and run fast. The bottom line dont inflate them over 30 psi for trail riding.

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Favorite Trail:   Monagas Park

Duration Product Used:   6 months

Price Paid:    $30.00

Similar Products Used:   Kenda

Bike Setup:   Heavily modified hard tail, GT Agressor 3.0

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Submitted by Craig a Cross Country Rider from Juanita, wa

Date Reviewed: August 20, 2009

Strengths:    Fast rolling, good cornering, quality. Use at low pressure 30lbs, only a goof or a heavy weight runs at 40-50lbs.
650 Grams

Weaknesses:    Not a mud tire. A mud tire roll's like a tractor tire on dry or hard pack. The folding is very hard to seat on rim, I use wire bead for better seating on rim and truer spin.

Bottom Line:

Good quality tire in most conditions execpt wet mud. Rolls fast.

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Favorite Trail:   chickamin

Duration Product Used:   More than 3 years

Price Paid:    $25.00

Purchased At:   Trek.com

Similar Products Used:   Smoke, dart, IRC Myoths.

Bike Setup:   Trek ex8w/up graded xtr shifters,Thomson post and stem Chris king HS, etc..

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Submitted by Paint3all a Cross Country Rider from Lynchburg

Date Reviewed: August 14, 2009

Strengths:    Good Traction

Weaknesses:    None to speak of (knock on wood)

Bottom Line:

I cant see why everybody hates on these tires, Ive had great luck with them (again knock on wood) i love them!

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Favorite Trail:   Steve's Bowlorama

Duration Product Used:   2 Years

Purchased At:   Bikes Unlimited

Similar Products Used:   Bontroger Jones, Bontroger mtb tires (random ones)

Bike Setup:   Gary Fisher Marlin w/ disk

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Submitted by cooktenstein a Cross Country Rider from Greensboro, NC, US

Date Reviewed: August 9, 2009

Strengths:    Fast

Weaknesses:    Thin

Bottom Line:

I bought the bike yesterday and rode for 6 or so miles on mostly pavement. Woke up this morning and rode on some old tractor roads beside some tobacco fields and when i went back a few hours later i had a flat. I checked for objects in the tire and found the most minuscule thorn in the middle of the tread. I want to stress how small this brier was. I can't believe that a "mtb" tire is being sold that is so flimsy. I read the reviews about a week before i got the bike and thought that some of you were just being over dramatic. Not the case. Less than 15 miles and i had a flat.

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Favorite Trail:   Wild Turkey

Duration Product Used:   Less than 1 month

Purchased At:   Paceline

Bike Setup:   09' GF Marlin Disc

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Bontrager Jones XR Tire

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