Bike Setup: da bomb moab... marzocchi 66, Hayes 9, Double Track, Headspin......
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Submitted by
MartyL76
a Weekend Warrior
from Valdosta, Georgia
Date Reviewed: March 13, 2011
Strengths: Grips very well, Low rolling resistance for such an aggressive tread,not as heavy as I expected, looks good!
Weaknesses: Does not clean itself out easily when in muddy conditions. Although its not as heavy as I expected I wish it were a little lighter but thats like baking my own cake and eating too!
Bottom Line:
I was weary of buying this tire at first because of some of the bad posts, but I could not pass up a great deal. I had a Kenda Nev 2.5 up front that was starting to come apart all the way around on both sidewalls so I needed a fast replacement on limited funds. This tire has not let me down yet and no flats, I dont understand why some people get excessive flats, maybe too low of psi! This tire is alot faster then the Nev for sure. I would definately buy this tire again and full price. Conditions I ride in have a little of everything except rocks, but plenty of roots,leaves,and pinestraw. The only thing I see that this tire does not do too good is clean itself out when you come out of a mudhole, you really have to crank on it to get the mud to start flying off.
Submitted by
thinone
a Weekend Warrior
from lowell,MA
Date Reviewed: January 3, 2011
Strengths: Nice and supple. Reasonable grip
Weaknesses: It flats awfully. It flats so bad it should be illegal! Pinch flats,pinchflats pinchflats!!!!! I was even running HD size specific tubes at 10 bucks a pop, went through 5.
Bottom Line:
Do not ever use one of these tires unless you do not have rocks or roots or pebbles on your trails. The worst downhill ever made!! Maybe the worst mtb tire ever made!!!
Similar Products Used: Spec eskar,kenda nevagals,maxxis minions
Bike Setup: Spec pitch
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Submitted by
el bikobandito
a Cross Country Rider
from Penna
Date Reviewed: October 23, 2009
Bottom Line:
These are big pigs of a tire but they sure do grip. Rolling restance is high (duh!) but it is a great tire for the rocks logs and roots of the northeast. Compound is just sticky enough. The size is smaller than posted (but Conti is known for that) 2.5 is more like 2.3 but thats OK because I'm running them on my trailbike and I don't want anything that big on her.
Submitted by
Dirt Surfer
a Weekend Warrior
from Camarillo, CA
Date Reviewed: August 3, 2008
Strengths: Looks tough, bargin price
Weaknesses: looses traction on gravel over hardpack and hardpack
rubs on the frame when pedaling hard up hill
Bottom Line:
I have been riding the same trails for 10 years and Mt biking for 15 years. Was looking for a little more traction in the gravel over hardpack and sandy patch in So Cal. Used conti's before with good luck. could not pass up the bargin price.
One my 1st ride, crashed twice. 1st time was a slight corner with speed, the front would not hook up. I slid into the bushes on a slight off camber gravel over hardpack trail, no damage done, must be operator error, I thought. The 2nd time I was slammed to the ground with out warning on a hardpack/rocky with a rut section that has never been a problem, rode it 2 weeks prior (weirwolf lites) with out a thought. Broke a new pair of sunglass and damaged my bike computer and ego. Lucky no damage to my bike, rode rash and bruises will heal. Tires went in to the trash right after I cleaned up and bandaged by cut up knee.
This might be a good tire else where but for So Cal hardpack it ranks up there with the Mythos as the worse tire I have very ridden.
Bike Setup: 08 5.5 EVP, Juicy 5s, XT, Pike 426 140mm with Maxle360
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Submitted by
b4dboy
a Weekend Warrior
from Devon, England
Date Reviewed: July 25, 2008
Strengths: confidence inspiring, suprisingly light, roll very very well for this width, so much grip!!!
Weaknesses: can clog easily in sticky mud
Bottom Line:
the absolute nuts! i ride this tyre on short blasts on local trails, epic days across the moors, and at trail centres. it is lasting very well, grips and hooks up on anything, rolls very well for a 2.5" freeride tyre and generally will add confidence and improve your riding. i have the folding pro versions which save weight and add pinch protection but i have never punctured with them on, even on dartmoor running 25psi!
I cannot recommend this tyre enough. it is simply brilliant.
Submitted by
Rextipher
a Cross Country Rider
from Salt Lake City
Date Reviewed: June 25, 2008
Strengths: Light for 2.5, more like a 2.4, Grippy-I lower the PSI a little(Ok on wider tires), confidence enspiring traction, I run it up front on a 2004 Specialized Enduro Pro(like a long travel XC bike) and the extra grip is great for those banked turns that we all want charge.
Weaknesses: The kevlar bead isn't a bargain, but lighter, about 50%lighter than the wirebead version which is a bargain, 50%less at LBS, I would use the wirebead on a dedicated downhiler, reinforced sidewalls n all
Bottom Line:
I see a lot of uses for beefing up non downhill bikes, Pure downhillers might like it, its says 2.5 but its slightly less, would make great dusty trail downhill tire. I love the lightness,fast roll and wideness that help beef up the front after I've climbed. This with just a little weight penalty.
Similar Products Used: Maxxis Highroller, Specialized Pin'it
Bike Setup: 2004 Specialized Enduro Pro, Fox Talus(front),Fox itch-switch float rl(rear), some other good stuff and the Conti-Diesel doing good work up front
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Submitted by
Anders Cook
a Downhiller
from Lake Oswego Oregon USA
Date Reviewed: May 17, 2008
Strengths: Rocks, wet roots, mud (i dont know why people are saying there not godd in mud..) looser dirt, and snow!
Weaknesses: WET ROADS!! be careful, you'll kill yourself
Bottom Line:
great tire for the downhiller.. or even a trail rider with the smaller sizes, its a bit on the pricey side but isn't everything in MTB'ing?
Favorite Trail: Blackrock Freeride Area, Falls City
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Price Paid:
$54.00
Purchased At: Fat Tire Farm, Portland OR
Similar Products Used: Nevagal, panaracer dart, WTB something, highrollers
Bike Setup: Kona, boxxer front end, full SRAM, HAYES
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Submitted by
John Thompson
a Cross Country Rider
from Plymouth UK
Date Reviewed: April 18, 2008
Strengths: Big volume, astonishingly fast roller for the size, plenty of grip.
Weaknesses: Not the sensible choice for mud.
Bottom Line:
Simply the best all round tyre for mixed rocky (Dartmoor) conditions I have ever used. Lovely big volume (more like 2.4 than 2.5 - only just fits a stumpy rear end) means you can run em with tubes at 30 psi with no pinch flat problems. I am amazed at the grip - taller and wider spaced knobs than on the vapor / gravity make all the difference. How a tyre this big and grippy rolls so well I have no idea, but it really does make epic rides with big rubber possible.
These tyres (plus a 75mm stem) turn my 120mm stumpy into a genuine all mountain machine for a fraction of the cost of a new bike!
Submitted by
Chris
a Weekend Warrior
from Pittsburgh, PA
Date Reviewed: January 19, 2008
Strengths: Wicked tranction and a nice fat footprint
Weaknesses: Heavy. I got the steel bead.
Bottom Line:
IF you are looking for traction out the pooper, and don't mind dragging around some extra weight, these tires are for you. With the exception of deep muck, these tires haven't had traction issues at all. That includes slick roots and wet rocks.
Similar Products Used: Tioga, Maxxis...hell, too many tires to mention
Bike Setup: Banshee Chaparral, Mavic 729 on hadley hubs, Fox DHX and Sherman DC,
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Submitted by
Konstantin Kühn
a Downhiller
from mallorca, spain
Date Reviewed: May 21, 2007
Strengths: this tire has great grip on hardpacked soil. good cornering. gives a real good safe feeling going at a good speed.
Weaknesses: The tire seems to always deflate a little. dont kno if its just me. but cant really think anything. didnt have the tire long enough to really see the weaknesses.
Bottom Line:
this tire is great! i recommend it to anyone i got it on both front and rear and it is great. cant really say anything bad about this tire. although it seems a little slow. it is very large. there is lots of riding comfort when i ride. love these tires. it seems like i can do anything. really like this tire. i recommend it!
Similar Products Used: continental edge, wtb timberwolf, Prowler MX
Bike Setup: rock shox domain, lapierre x-160 frame, fox rp23
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Submitted by
Igor
a Weekend Warrior
from Banska Bystrica, Slovakia
Date Reviewed: April 18, 2007
Strengths: Good traction, looks great, good value for money.
Weaknesses: Bad traction on rainy road.
Bottom Line:
If you look for fat tire with good traction buy it. It's quite comfortable as well but expect that your bike's weight will increased. I recommend it as front tire.