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Submitted by
T_woot
a Cross Country Rider
from Auburn, CA
Date Reviewed: January 26, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Annadel S.P. | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Cambria Bicycle Outf | | Strengths: | it rolls | | Weaknesses: | Tire sucks, doesn't grip in the mud, or of rocks, not impressed with climbing ability wet and dry. Doesn't corner worth crap at high speeds and washes out easily, skidding is unpredictable and stopping power lacks | | Similar Products Used: | WTB stuff, Kenda Nevegals | | Bike Setup: | 07 stumpjumper fsr set up for all mountain, ridden on everything, in every environment | | Bottom Line: | Get something else and invest your 20 on a different tire | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
orange030
a Cross Country Rider
from Argyll
Date Reviewed: October 5, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Highland Wildcat | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$23.00 | | Purchased At: | with bike | | Strengths: | Decent grip and rolls pretty well. Ridden for 600 miles and not much tread wear. Okay if you want a cheap tyre you are happy replacing before tread wears out. | | Weaknesses: | Just blew out the side wall on rear tyre with no warning. On closer inspection much of tyre wall is perished on seam connecting it to steel bead. Would not trust another gravity tyre to be reliable.. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized pro and maxxis high roller | | Bike Setup: | Cove Stiffee with fox vanilla rlc forks | | Bottom Line: | Decent performance when tyre worked but not long lasting enough and there seems to be quality/reliability problem. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mmartinez15
a Weekend Warrior
from san antonio, texas, usa
Date Reviewed: July 16, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | flat rock ranch, comfort tx | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$750.00 | | Purchased At: | came on bike from eb | | Strengths: | durable, tank like, excellent for rocky applications | | Weaknesses: | son of a u-no-what to take tire off rim, heavy as hell, not so great cornering on hardpack | | Similar Products Used: | kenda blue groove, hutchison python, maxxis crossmark | | Bike Setup: | fuji thrill w rkshox rvlation 351 dual air fork, xt cass, crnb fsa seatpost, aliante gamma seat, vuelta team sl wheels, juicy 3, x9 der... | | Bottom Line: | very heavy tire, took them off after only 2 mos, good tire for very rocky terrain but thats not what i ride, changed to crossmax | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tuanscott
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Angeles, CA
Date Reviewed: July 15, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Anything with lots of climbing | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$12.00 | | Purchased At: | jensonusa | | Strengths: | Good grip, good cornering, relatively light, durable | | Weaknesses: | Doesn't shed mud, relatively heavy, not actually a true 2.3" | | Similar Products Used: | Kenda, IRC, Panaracer | | Bottom Line: | I have the wire bead version. I saw them on sale and they were just two cheap to pass up. A year later, I'm still running them and they've got plenty of life left. I have yet to get a flat of any kind, despite running them at 30psi.
These work very well in dry conditions; they corner well, they grip on a variety of terrain whether climbing or descending. In the wet they do not shed mud, so be warned. As long as you stick to dry conditions they ride well. I run them at about 30psi and they're nice and cushy. I'm something of a lightweight (150lbs), though, so they may not work for you.
They're light for their size, but still fairly heavy if you're going to be racing XC (which I do, albeit not very well). They're not a true 2.3"; more like a 2.15-2.2". That works for and against them, in my opinion.
Five chili's for value since I got them for dirt cheap; five chili's overall because they're very good. If they shed 150g they'd be amazing, but then they probably wouldn't be so durable. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matthew
a Weekend Warrior
from California
Date Reviewed: March 10, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | Daley Ranch | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$28.00 | | Purchased At: | REI | | Strengths: | This tire provides great climbing grip. I have almost 500 miles on it and grips almost as well as it did when it was new. This tire also has performed well on sandy and loose trails. It also delivers good control under heavy breaking conditions. | | Weaknesses: | I haven't found any. | | Similar Products Used: | Lots of others. | | Bike Setup: | '05 GF Cake 2 | | Bottom Line: | I do all of my riding in SOCAL which is some rocks, lots of loose dirt, sand and an occasional section of hard pack. This tire has really hung in. I expected to get 300 miles out of it and now I am at 500 and I think I can squeeze a few more hundred out it. It still delivers consistent grip when climbing. For a cheap tire this one can't be beat. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jon BonJovie
a Racer
from Marin, California
Date Reviewed: January 29, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | windy ridge, eldridge, old springs | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | Hmmm. Christmas present | | Strengths: | Well, not a lot of strengths. It climbs ok, does like to slip out when you don't want it to. Gets clogged really easily with mud so it will want to dump you in the muddy turns going down twisty singletracks. | | Weaknesses: | Flats out if i drop it under 40psi. Side walls seem kinda iffy, doesn't like to corner at all. Wants to drift all over the place. Lots and lots of flats at 35 psi, even with dh latex tubes. | | Similar Products Used: | Wtb, kenda, Panaracer, | | Bike Setup: | Trance 2 with Raceface evolve cranks, thomson 70mm stem, answer protaper bars, Reba Sl, Fox Rp3, Hayes 9xc with 7inch rotors and hope stainless steel lines. Time Carbon rxs atac pedals, xt front deraileur and rear cassette. mavic hand made rims with dt swiss hubs. Rampage front tire, nobby nic rear tire. | | Bottom Line: | Dont buy this tire. It really sucks. Flats out all the time, wants to drift every where. When you hit the brakes hard it just slides out. Don't buy it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
drew
a Weekend Warrior
from camp lejeune nc
Date Reviewed: December 12, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | grips like majic.
seals up fine w/ stans for tubeless use..don't know what others were complaining about.
Fairly light all in all for a general trail bike. | | Weaknesses: | Not even Close to 2.3- , more like a 2.1 if that.
I have a 2.3 IRC Mibro UST on the front and it dwarfs the Gravity. | | Similar Products Used: | a whole bunch fellas...these work out well as any, and should at least retard my search for a perfect tire for a while. | | Bike Setup: | AM Heckler | | Bottom Line: | Good tire that grips in like none other I have used. The size was a disappointment as it is much smaller than it's claimed size but it does what a tire should.
I wanted to get a tire w/ some volume because I weigh over 240, this is not that tire- but at 35-40psi it grips like a claw on all the surfaces I have run it on so far. I am really happy with it using the Stan's conversion- it sealed right up and is holding perfectly. I have not been off any drops yet, so I don't know if it will burp or the lack of volume will allow me to smack rim...we will see!
three turds for the misleading advertising on size--- | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
X-1
a Cross Country Rider
from East Bay, CA
Date Reviewed: November 29, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | anything I'm riding | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Awesome, predictable, consistent GRIP on almost any surface; hardpack, rocks, powder, loam, gravel, name it. On pavement they don't get sketchy or squirmy either.
Treadwear!
Durability! | | Weaknesses: | Weight (USTs are anchors)
All the traction confidence on 95% of surfaces will get you into trouble the first time you hit clay mud. | | Similar Products Used: | Not much recently as these things just won't wear out! | | Bike Setup: | Yeti 575/Mav DUC | | Bottom Line: | I've beat on these tires for nearly 2yrs with no flats, burps, tears, nada. The only time they spooked me was on peanut-butter-clay mud (does anything grip in that?). Otherwise they've been phenomenal. Next tires will be Vertical or Gravity non USTs with Stans to save some redundant weight. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
DH
a Downhiller
from England
Date Reviewed: November 26, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Good in most dry Conditions,Dry grass Mud etc, | | Weaknesses: | sucks in the wet,the last week ive been using it in the woods with loads of tree stumps and also on some wobbly rocky terrain in dry and wet conditions,the tread is getting ripped of like its being ground against metal sand paper.
pics here: http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=248275 | | Similar Products Used: | Swampthings,Highrollers,Nokian Gazza's,Michelin DH Comp 32. | | Bike Setup: | Imperial. | | Bottom Line: | Well ive only been using a Continental Gravity on the front cause i got it for free new,its nice in dry mud dry grass etc,and yes i knew before i used it,it sucks in the wet,but the last week ive been using it in the woods with loads of tree stumps and also on some wobbly rocky terrain in dry and wet conditions,the tread is getting ripped of like its being ground against metal sand paper.
For a so called FR tyre im not impressed.
Do not buy if your going to be riding on rocky terrain or in the woods with lots of tree stumps and defanitly not in th wet. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adam Hunter
a Weekend Warrior
from Liverpool
Date Reviewed: August 29, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Huge amount of grip over 99% of surfaces, wear rate is fantastic-I've done over a years riding on this tyre now both on and off trails and its not really worn that much compared to others I've used. | | Weaknesses: | Clogs up with thick mud easily | | Bike Setup: | Spesh hardrock pro, egg beaters, hope hydolic discs, easton monkey bars EA70, rockshox, mavic rims | | Bottom Line: | Great tyre, sticks to almost everything and gives lots of confidence when cornering fast and braking. Definatly worth the money I paid for it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim
a Racer
from Rio Rancho, NM USA
Date Reviewed: June 29, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | King of the Mountain | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | REI | | Strengths: | Good traction strong knobs | | Weaknesses: | Gravity's do not clear mud very well | | Similar Products Used: | WTB Velociraptors, Michelin Wild grippers | | Bike Setup: | GT Avalanche Marzochi Fork | | Bottom Line: | Great tire ran them this weekend at the Watermelon classic MTB race and they performed flawlessly. Have used Conti Vertical's and these tires are just as good. The Gravity has stronger knobs. All in all Conti makes some of the best tires around. The price of $20 for the wire beads is a real steal. You will really like these tires for the desert southwest conditions dry dusty hardpack and rocks. If you live where there is mud then you might look for another tire. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jorgex
a Weekend Warrior
from Almada, Portugal
Date Reviewed: April 16, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | -a SUPERB REAR TIRE design for enduro (Gravity protec)
-Diesel is a light tire for 2.5 (772 g)
-no squirl lives when you drive-by | | Weaknesses: | -expensive (€35 each one, Diesel and Gravity)
-Diesel it's not 2.5, more like 2.3 (62-559)
-Gravity, not 2.3 but 2.1 (57-559)
-total disaster on thick mud | | Similar Products Used: | Nokian, Maxxis, Ritchey, Huchinson, Continental... | | Bike Setup: | Giant escaper'92 (hardtail), Manitou Axel 100mm(om),Hayes disc brake, Mavic mx 321(f) and Mavic D521(r) | | Bottom Line: | This review is for Diesel Protection and Gravity Protection.
A big surprise from Continental!!! Finally, a versatile round tire for heavy XC and enduro.
-Gravity, front:
It does the job.
It's confortable, normal roller, good braking power. Not very stable on fast/aggressive corners.
Nothing special really. I give it 3 chilis.
-Diesel, front:
This one excels grav. in everything.
Light (for a 2.5) and extremely confortable. Cuts throu corners and gives a great brake control. Great on sand. Good price and it fits on small forks like Manitou Axel.
5 chilis.
-Gravity, rear:
This is where the tire shines.
Fits well on the rims (goodbye tire levers).
Normal rolling ability, great on downhill but too much grip during uphill sections, perhaps Vapor is better for this job.
About the corner ability, lets just say that i'm shocked how fast i go through corners.
In case of skidding don't worry, it is predictable as any other Continental tire like Escape/CrossCountry or Ritchey Z-Max.
If for some reason you to go through medium/thick mud, think twice. This is a fat tire so make a new trail in the middle of trees and rocks. Not a cheap tire.
This is an amazing rear tire. 5 chilis.
-Both:
Best used with FR/DH tubes.
My weight is over 100Kg and i use Diesel @30psi or less and Grav. @40psi.
If you want to prepare your bike for an unknown trail with unknown weather conditions, look no further.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jason
a Cross Country Rider
from dallas
Date Reviewed: March 8, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | Rolls well, corners predictably in most conditions due to the rounded nature of the tread, wears well, reasonably light even for the wire version. | | Weaknesses: | a little small for 2.3 | | Similar Products Used: | mutano raptors, mythos, smoke, dart, etc... | | Bike Setup: | single speed | | Bottom Line: | I have the wire versions on my single speed, which is my ratted commuter bike that gets no love and only old parts. However I love these tires and are looking to switch to the kevlar version for my other bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matthew
a Weekend Warrior
from Westminster, CO USA
Date Reviewed: February 3, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | North Beaver Mesa to Onion Creek | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$45.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Long-wearing tire that tracks great in dry conditions. | | Weaknesses: | Narrow for a 2.3 tire. | | Similar Products Used: | WTB, Ritchey, IRC, etc. | | Bike Setup: | 2003 Giant AC2 w/Cloud Nine rear/Z1 FR3 front shocks. | | Bottom Line: | These are great tires for both front and rear use in dry conditions. I've had a lot of problems with premature tire damage (knobs ripping off) in the rocky conditions here in CO and UT. But these tires have been the welcome exception and, although expensive, have been a great investment. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alec Pym
a Weekend Warrior
from Axminster
Date Reviewed: January 21, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Pudletown | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Wiggle | | Strengths: | Great hardpack,loom ,good on roots, hooks up and corners well.
Light.
Great down the hill but also digs in and climbs well. | | Weaknesses: | Mud.
a little thin for a 2.3 | | Similar Products Used: | Loads.
| | Bike Setup: | Koona Dawg Delux, stock | | Bottom Line: | Great year round tire as long as you dont ride clay type mud as they pack out in these conditions..
I have loads of tires but these ones are on the bike and stay on the bike,
run em at 35/40 psi no pinch flats no trouble, and they give me confidence in the narley rooty down hill bits when my ass is to a point.
All in all over 4 years of trying loads of rubber these are my favourite all montain tyre. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Raul Hevia
a Cross Country Rider
from St. George, Utah
Date Reviewed: December 8, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | raulh7814@msn.com | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$29.00 | | Purchased At: | Beyond bikes.com | | Strengths: | Great Traction on slickrock/hardpack dirt condtions | | Weaknesses: | Not strong enough, tears on the base of the knob leaving a gaping hole. Percolates Stans NoTubes liquid through the pores of the tire if you can beleive it. | | Similar Products Used: | Mythos IRC, Continental Survival, Panaracer Fire, Specialized Enduro Pros, Maxxis High Roller... | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Enduro S Works w/oury lock on grips, xtr brakes and derailleurs, xt shifters, Sun Rims, specialized hubs, pretty stock... | | Bottom Line: | Great traction. Ok tire if using tubes. Stans NoTubes fan? Not if you are going to use this tires. It percolates like a coffe maker. The liquid oozes out of the tire through the sidewall and pinholes throughout and in between the knobs. Tears on the base of the knobs can appear leaving gaping holes as wide as the knob making you rely on the tubes.
I tried hard, I loved the brutal traction, but, the tire fell short in reliability.
I finally decided to try WTB Weirwolf 2.3 | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean Riley
a Cross Country Rider
from Cork. Ireland.
Date Reviewed: October 14, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | My next challenge | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$80.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | This is for a pair of Pro's Kevlar.
They grip great in the dry. The supported lugs dig in well on corners without squirming. Very good balanced control on hard braking on steep stuff. | | Weaknesses: | They get caked in mud and become like slick tyres, and they don't shrug-off the mud quickly so the back spins out. The front could do with being more front specific. Expensive | | Similar Products Used: | Panaracer Fire XC, Smoke & Dart, Conti Explorer, Traction Pro, Vertical and Survival, IRC Notos | | Bike Setup: | Spec Enduro | | Bottom Line: | Good tyres in the dry with exceptional grip when you brake on steep descents. The lugs are well supported and tend to not squirm about. They corner well.
In the wet the tyre on the front will slide out on corners as it needs to be more front specific. And they collect mud like a magnet and wont get rid of it. The back can spin out easily too. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben
a Weekend Warrior
from Ithaca, NY
Date Reviewed: September 16, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Shindagin | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | online | | Strengths: | Low weight for a tire this size, high air volume. | | Weaknesses: | Mud traction is not very good | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized, Panaracer, Bontrager | | Bike Setup: | Trek 7000, Noleen fork | | Bottom Line: | I'm a heavy rider (225) and I was getting tired of pinch flats on 1.95" tires. The best way to avoid them without running 55psi is to get tires with more air volume. I can run these at 35-40 psi with no problems. These tires are fairly light for a 2.3". They have great traction in medium to soft conditions, pretty good on hard pack. I was a little dissapointed in mud traction though. Upstate NY mud is usually slick and slimy, and these tires don't have good cornering or drive traction in it. The tread is pretty soft, so they do fairly well on wet roots/logs. Overall,this is a great tire for heavy XC guys. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
shawn malloy
a Downhiller
from Lynn MA USA
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | bow ridge | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | local shop | | Strengths: | Excellent grip in all conditions from rock faces to mud bogs, loose gravel to hard pack. Almost no knob deflection. Good sidewalls with the pro tection versio | | Weaknesses: | none yet. good overall tire for front or rear. | | Similar Products Used: | Maxxis- hans venture, minion, high roller, mobster. Nokian- gazzaloddi, nbx. Panaracer- fire series. Hutchinson- spider UST. Michelin- wild gripper, Hot s. Continental- vertical, vertical UST, gravity, gravity UST. | | Bike Setup: | Intense Uzzi SLX, Fox 36, mavic 823's to hadley's and 721's to king. Standard shimano / race face mix. Thomson post and stem and easton monkeylite's. | | Bottom Line: | I have tried just about every tire that is worth trying and NO company offers better tires than continental. The only catch is that I am light (135lbs) and have never needed a super beefy tire under me. If you are a big'un try the gazzaloddi's. Nokian's rank second in my book. Most european tire companies use REAL rubber not synthetic (maxxis). This provides the best grip to durability ratio available. I get better grip with any of my continentals than any of the maxxis Super tacky's.
I run two sets of rims and thus two sets of tires. For freeriding I run my 721's with a survival on the rear and a vertical on the front. For DH I run 823's with gravity UST for rear and vertical UST for front. The continental's are predictable, stable and grip any surface you are going to ride. Continental has been making tires for nearly 100 years and it shows. If you are a serious rider you owe it to yourself to at least try these. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jason
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Angeles
Date Reviewed: August 21, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Hummingbird/suicide | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$39.00 | | Purchased At: | westlake cycle | | Strengths: | Strong tire....recently returned from mammoth mountain and the tire performed exceptional. Excelled in both the upper loose sand/rock terrian and in the hard packed dirt. | | Similar Products Used: | specialized pro, wtb wierwolf, kenda | | Bike Setup: | Enduro Pro | | Bottom Line: | By far the best tire I have tried thus far. I was amazed how much faster i could take corners...felt like i was glued to the ground, super glued. highly recommended. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brahm Pimentel
a Weekend Warrior
from cambridge, UK/ Makati, Philippines
Date Reviewed: August 18, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | halfords | | Strengths: | nice thread design, feels light for 2.3's | | Weaknesses: | So darn expensive. | | Similar Products Used: | WTB motoraptor, Kenda Kinetics, Maxxis High Roller | | Bike Setup: | Hard tail with alot of crappy stuff. | | Bottom Line: | These tires did not come cheap! But I was looking for a good pair of tires for 2 months before I bought these which would handle unpredictable weather conditions. I'm talking about from dry, dusty to wet and muddy. And the wait was worth it! These tires are good all arounders, they corner well and sheds mud fairly even well. You get good value for your money. I like these tires so much I gonna bring them back home with me to the Philippines and see how much punishment it can take. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Archie Duncannon
a Weekend Warrior
from Scotland
Date Reviewed: July 1, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Glentress | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Well made and well designed. I have the Pro's and they are pretty light with a nice flefable casing but good strong reinforced lugs. Cornering is good and traction is good as well. | | Weaknesses: | Could be cheaper but then I'm a Scotsman. | | Similar Products Used: | Continental Vertical, Panaracer Fire XC, Smoke Dart, Trailblaster, Geax Blade & Sedona, IRC Mythos. | | Bike Setup: | Marin Mount Vision as stock. | | Bottom Line: | Great tyres front and back. They steer well, corner well in rough stuff, at speed and the braking stability is exceptional. Plenty of traction in wet or dry conditions but they do clog up in thick mud and take a minute to release that mud. Good for hard crosscountry or light to medium Freeriding as they are light for a 2.3" tyre...if a litle narrow. I will buy them again! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Deacon
a Weekend Warrior
from Seattle
Date Reviewed: June 27, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Really good grip on these tires in wet or dry.
Solid braking performance that gives confidence.
Good traction and good steering at speed. | | Weaknesses: | Maybe a bit expensive. | | Bottom Line: | I like the Gravity Pro which is what I've got front and back. I got no real complaints they just do the job very well in just about any conditions. It's always kind of difficult to describe something that works well it's just easier to explain when something does not work and these tires work darn well. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jon Peel
a Weekend Warrior
from B.C
Date Reviewed: May 23, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Good treas and well fixed to the tire so no squirming on hard pack cornering. Very good braking control. Low rolling resistance for a pretty wide tire. Good in the wet and dry. Good in all conditions except thick mud when only O.K | | Weaknesses: | Thick mud takes them from very good to just O.K | | Similar Products Used: | Vertical Proand Traction Pro, Panaracer Fire XC & Smoke & Dart, WTB Velo's, IRC Mythos. | | Bike Setup: | Klien Palomino as stock. | | Bottom Line: | I like these tires ....they do what they are expected to do and find grip in most any situation. Mine are wearing well and I like the way they corner and brake, even in the wet and rocky trails they give good results.
I would buy them again. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Hu-man
a Weekend Warrior
from Vancouver Canada
Date Reviewed: May 22, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | the fun ones | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | This review is for the Diesel 2.5" wire bead. Good all round fat tire for general use. Reliable. Don't have to think about it. Good value for the money. | | Weaknesses: | Not 2.5 inches. Is barely 2.4 Inches. Why can't tire manufacturers just tell the truth about dimentions? | | Similar Products Used: | Maxxis Mobster 2.7" (really 2.5") | | Bike Setup: | Steel hardtail singlespeed with Surly 1x1 rigid fork | | Bottom Line: | I need a fat tire up front with the rigid fork. The Maxxis is great but, like all DH tires, heavy at 1350gms. The Diesel is around 900 gm. so I drop a pound off the front. I just want my tires to work reliably in a wide variety of conditions and the Diesel does just that. If you are a weekend warrior into lightduty allmountain/freeride then try this tire. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Shackleton
a
from Bristol, UK
Date Reviewed: May 13, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | any with more down than up | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$18.00 | | Purchased At: | Psyclewerx in Bristol | | Strengths: | Fast rolling, cheap (steel version) at £13 - no need to buy an expensive tyre ever, just buy conti steel tyres. Excellent braking and traction. Good rounded profile. Never had a pinch flat with conti tyres, even when run at low pressures or doing stupid things (can't say the same of my old panaracers....). Good in the dry and damp conditions. Better than the Diesel (2.5) for trail riding, but the Diesel is also good (same design but fatter) if you want to hit things hard. Stick to the trail like glue and any breakout is reliably predictable. Rubber lasts well and wears evenly. | | Weaknesses: | Can clog up in sticky mud but at this price you can afford to buy a conti vertical or explorer for the front and a survival for the rear for wet/claggy weather. Can be slippy on wet roots but as no tyre that I've ever ridden will stick to a UK mud covered tree root I think I'm clutching at straws. | | Similar Products Used: | Panaracer Cinder
Panaracer Fire XC pro | | Bike Setup: | Stiffee 2002, Vanilla RLC, XT, Hope stoppers, and only Conti rubber. | | Bottom Line: | The best value all round trail tyre for damp and dry conditions. So cheap that you can keep a pile of tyres for each condition. Run two when it is dry, swap the back for a survival when the weather turns wet. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pertti M
a
from Finland
Date Reviewed: May 3, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | still looking | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Grips well on dry ground
good price (steel version) | | Weaknesses: | The steel version is a bit heavy (but I can lose a lot more weight by going out and riding) | | Bike Setup: | Banshee Scirocco with mainly XC/trail oriented build | | Bottom Line: | The guy at the shop suggested Gravity (2.3) rear and Diesel (2.5) front. It seems to work for me.
I have ridden hard pack, gravel, soft dirt, some roots'n rocks; and when I have a problem, it is not the tyres that cause it... The steel version has a very reasonable price too.
People say that Nokian NBX is much better on wet roots and rocks but I do not like to go out when it is wet anyway. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ron Hunter
a Weekend Warrior
from Canada
Date Reviewed: April 14, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Effective tread design even if it is kind of wacky it works well... good in wet and dry and all kinds of surfaces. Its O.K in most mud except the heavy loam. Light tire with good casing fast at cornering and very good traction... gives confidence when braking hard...tread is soft for grip but it does not wear out too fast. | | Weaknesses: | They do what they say they do. | | Similar Products Used: | More Conti. Panaracer. Nokian. Tioga. WTB etc...and more | | Bike Setup: | Specialized M4 from 2000. Marzocchi MX Pro forks, mostly Raceface and shimano, Magura Louise discs. | | Bottom Line: | I like the way these tires roll fast on hardpack but give plenty of control and feedback. They perform as good as any in the wet and soft ground and grip and dig well into corners inspiring confidence. Not heavy either and the carcass has been beefed up a bit from some of Conti's earlier offerings, not cheap but I guess you get what you pay for. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dean Arnold
a Cross Country Rider
from U.K
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Glentress | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Good rear tyre and I think I might get one for the front.
Low resistance on tarmac and light weight. It grips well on most surfaces. | | Weaknesses: | A bit expensive. | | Bottom Line: | I think this is a very good rear tyre that is big enough to cushion your ride but not too heavy. It rolls well on hard surfaces and grips well on loose ground. I've used it through the winter as well as the summer and it has worked well for me. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill Catchpole
a Cross Country Rider
from York
Date Reviewed: April 7, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Afan Goed | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Very good grip on hardpack, stone and rock in the dry and good grip on these surfaces in the wet too. Exceptional braking stability on both front and rear. The rear has a tendancy to step out slightly under hard braking but in a totally consistent and predictable way. Very good fast cornering grip and traction. The tread digs in well on corners, surprisingly better than the Vertical Pro in fact. As a general purposes tyre it works very well indeed. | | Weaknesses: | Not as large as some 2.3" tyres but not bad and they can be slippery in thick mud, but then everything that I have tried except totally mud specific tyres are slippery in thck mud. | | Similar Products Used: | Continental Vertical Pro, Cross-country, Explorer, Navigator Pro, Traction Pro, Panaracer Fire XC, Dart & Smoke, WTB Velociraptor, IRC Mythos & Notos, Tioga Psychos, Cross-country and DH 2.1s, Michelin Wildgrippers, Hutchinson Mosquitos, Geax Blade & Sedonas and Maxxis. | | Bike Setup: | Giant Bikes 04 XTC NRS 2 stock | | Bottom Line: | This is for the Gravity Pro.
I am quite pleased with these tyres and I am particular about the tyres that I use. I had my misgivings about the tread pattern but I am bound to say that the performance for what they are designed for is pretty flawless. And Continental have made the side walls a bit stronger as well as supporting the tread with a pyramid infrastructure which is what I think makes them so stable. Wear rate is good and as general purposes tyres they work very well in all but extreme mud and that is fine for me as I find that mud specific tyres are too slow and grip poorly on wet rock. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chas Gimbert
a Weekend Warrior
from North Wales
Date Reviewed: April 3, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Gwydyr Forest | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$80.00 | | Purchased At: | www.cycle1st.com | | Strengths: | Low rolling resistance for a good sized tyre. Plenty of grip going up and coming down. They don't role around the rim at lower pressures like some do, and the tread is reinforced for hard cornering. Good in all conditions except thick mud. They wear slowly. | | Weaknesses: | A bit expensive and like others have said loamy soil gets these all packed up but wet mud and wet conditions are coped with well. | | Bottom Line: | I will but these tyres again when this pair are worn but they last well. I bought them for summer but I've run them all through winter with no problems. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric Dill
a Weekend Warrior
from Seattle
Date Reviewed: April 3, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | They steer well in any terrain but thick gooey mud.
Fast and light and give confidence. Good traction and good solid response to braking. | | Weaknesses: | Weird tire tread pattern. These are a bit more of a 2.3 than Continental usually produce. | | Similar Products Used: | Endless | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Enduro, Full XT, Hope Hubs, Hope Mini Hydraulic Discs, Mavic 317's | | Bottom Line: | This is one weird pattern of tire. It does work well though and you can have faith in its performance. I don't know how they do it but the steering is very good, braking is great and the grip at the back surprises me in soft conditions. Descent on wet roots too. On hardpack and rock they hold well with almost none of the squishyness that some tires have and that means you can throw them into corners with confidence. I think they are well recommendable. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Noel Fairfax
a Weekend Warrior
from Scotland
Date Reviewed: March 31, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Glentress | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$90.00 | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | Light for a big tyre and really low rolling resistance. Very good traction and steering. Good rate of wear for what I use them for (mixed conditions riding) | | Weaknesses: | A bit expensive. | | Similar Products Used: | Continental Vertisal Pro, Survival Pro, Panaracer Fire XC, Geax Blade & Sedona, Tioga XC | | Bike Setup: | Marin East Peak with Cane creek shock. Mavic Disc X717 rims, Hope MONO brakes. | | Bottom Line: | I've got the kevlar bead version of these tyres front and rear and I have to say they have performad extremely in all sorts of terrain except claggy mud. They are fine in loose wet mud it's just the claggy stuff that they don't like but then what tyre does?
Good steering stability on the front even in tight corners and under breaking. The rear giver great purchase for drive and braking. I agree it's a strange tread pattern but it works! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric W.
a Cross Country Rider
from Henderson Nevada.
Date Reviewed: March 29, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Bootleg Canyon | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$39.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Company | | Strengths: | Great all around traction.
Light enough to use for extreem xc.
Easy to mount on Rhyno Lite rims. | | Weaknesses: | It's losing some chunks of knob on the one thats on the rear. The tips of the triangles get ripped off, however this is not a problem on the front and so far hasn't become serious on the rear. | | Similar Products Used: | Maxxis 2.35s and Geax sturdys, both of wich are also good tires. | | Bottom Line: | I like this tire a lot.
The only improvment I would like to see; is a version offered in a harder 70 compound, for use here, in the rock infested desert where I ride.
In the event the rear takes to much abuse in my local riding conditions, I'll just run the Gravity Pro up front and a Survival Pro in the back.
As far as traction is concerned; these things work well every where I've tried them and that includes sand, hardpack, off-camber rock and even some light mud that we've had here in the desert, during a freaky wet winter.
I decided to do an experiment by measuring my old set of Maxxis 2.35s before I took them off the rims and then measured the Gravity Pros after they were mounted and inflated to the same pressure. The results are interesting. The Gravity Pros started out 2-3mm narrower, but after a week of riding they are now about 3mm wider than the Maxxis 2.35s.
They have a much more supple casing that expands alot. It also meant, I had to add a lot of air, because of the increasing volume as they wore in. They are now broke-in and don't need to be checked for air pressure very often. Just don't think " these things don't hold air well " when you first mount them. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rick Bigalow
a Weekend Warrior
from Oldham, Lancs
Date Reviewed: March 28, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Glentress | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | Very good traction and corners well.
This is for the Gravity Pro. Both front and back. Rolls well and is fast. Good wear rate and the lugs are supported so that hard cornering and hard braking are handled superbly. | | Weaknesses: | Not that wide.
Not good in thick mud on the front | | Similar Products Used: | Continental Traction Pro, Explorer, Crosscountry, Navigator, Panaracer Fire XC, Dart and smoke magic and WTB VelociRaptor fr & B.
| | Bike Setup: | 2001 Specialized Stumpjumper FSR xc pro, with Deore and XT. | | Bottom Line: | Both front and rear work very well in everything but thick mud. The tread on these is supported like a pyramid and so when I corner hard the lugs stay in place...no squirming on fast hardpack and that is unusual for a tyre that is this low in weight. Steep rocky descents are handled well even when I brake hard. They roll with not much resistance so they are good and fast and the wear has been good too. All told I'm impressed. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Martin Jameson
a Weekend Warrior
from U.K
Date Reviewed: March 27, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | The Marin. N.Wales | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$90.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Fast and light for a big tyre, although not as wide as you might think for a 2.3. Very good carcass construction and the rolling resistance on hardpack is minimal giving very good speed with exceptional grip. Good wet stone grip and quite astonishing braking grip. They are a really strange shape of tread but the steering is spot on! and rear grip, again in anything but really thick mud, ...is great. | | Weaknesses: | Not quite a 2.3
A little expensive but I do regard the pair as good value for money.
Not as great in thick mud as they are in every other condition. | | Similar Products Used: | Just too many to go through because I am so fussy about my tyres....brakes, steering and tyres are the only control on a bike. | | Bike Setup: | Marin Mount Vision with the usual apendages except for Marzocchi Marathon 120mm forks. | | Bottom Line: | These tyres have the strangest tread shape that I have seen and the bottom line is that they have to work well because they look like they wont.
In anything but the worst of thick mud these tyres excell. Steering, braking, traction, fast leaned-over corners are a breeze and they are light too. I think they are the best combination X-country and Freeride tyre that I have used. Better grip than the Panaracer XC Pro and more stable than the Conti Traction Pro in almost every situation. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeru tha Damaja
a Cross Country Rider
from Apex, NC
Date Reviewed: March 25, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | Colorado Cyclist | | Bottom Line: | I bought a pair from Colorado Cyclist. $60 for the pair. Trails conditions here include pretty much everything except sand. I have been very happy with the Gravity Pro's as an all around tire. They replaced the enduro pro 2.2s on my enduro. The Gravity 2.3 is slightly narrower than the enduro 2.2, but seem like a better tire in every aspect. They roll well, grip well, decent in mud. I have not had a pinch flats or tears in the sidewalls, even without the ProTection. I would not hesitate to buy another set when these wear out. Hope Conti keeps making them. I dont think they have sold too well. Probably because of the unusual tread pattern. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
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