The Vertical has everything a classic tire needs. It is at home on all trails, really showing what it can do when the terrain turns rugged. Still the top choice for tours in Alpine terrain where low weight and high puncture protection are paramount.
Submitted by
karfiol135
a Weekend Warrior
from slovakia Date Reviewed: November 16, 2009
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
was a gift
Strengths:
i use it as front , corners well, braking is also good
Weaknesses:
volume seems to me more like 2,1 not 2,3... i cant get it in ProTection version
Bike Setup:
2005 giant reign, rs domain 318 160 uturn...
Bottom Line:
great front tire cornering is realy great but i'd preffer larger volume and duraskin sidewall protection
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
opusen81
a Cross Country Rider
from Sweden Date Reviewed: August 7, 2009
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Rools like a racing ralph, gripps lika a fat albert. Wears x4 schwalbe
Weaknesses:
Little heavy
Similar Products Used:
Nobby nic fat albert, racin ralph, race king
Bike Setup:
Giant ac air 2003, reba 115mm fork
Bottom Line:
Used this tire now for 6 months and no flats. I am 225lbs and run 55 psi in it. Tried the race king eco version folding and flatted 3 tubes in two rides and it had no corner grip. Whit this tire you can rail corners lika you do on a motocross bike, lean in, be netral on the bike an look ahead. Is the Mountain King wire verion as good as vertical? I am thinking of testing Mountain King when this weares out.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Oldradioguy2
a Cross Country Rider
from Severna Park, Maryland, USA Date Reviewed: July 15, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Ridge Trail, Patapsco Valley State Park
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$23.00
Purchased At:
ebaY
Strengths:
Inexpensive, very good, maybe even fantastic traction, puncure resistant, good in every condition I've tried so far, from hardpack to stream beds. Low rolling resistance, especially for such a knobby tire.
Weaknesses:
Can slip a little when riding along the sides of steep concrete flumes, but almost any tire (except maybe a cruiser tire or slick) will do that.
2009 Gary Fisher Big Sur disc frame, Marlin Components, 11-34T Sram casette. The bike started as a 2009 Marlin Disc, then some bonehead rear-ended my car with my bike on the back and dented the frame, so his insurance had to pay for a replacement frame from Trek/Fisher. The lowest price point frame they sell for a crash replacement is the Big Sur, which is an awesome frame.
Bottom Line:
With today's 8-mile ride on the Ridge Trail, I can honestly say I've tested this tire on hardpack, gravel, baby-heads, roots, through streams, up crazy steep hills, in loose sand over hardpack, over large rocks, downhill at scary speeds, and even in urban drainage flumes. When BRAND new, they seem a little "squirmy" on asphalt, but that stops within a few miles. They humiliate the Bontrager Jones XR's they replaced, and they give the same feeling of traction and confidence that the Competition III's gave. I only had a couple slips going up steep hills over large roots, and they dug into stream beds like studded snow tires. I'm going to run with this tire for quite awhile. NO pinch flats or sidewall punctures from thorns so far. I've put about 30 miles on them, in urban areas and on singletrack mountain trails, and I love 'em!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jon_Britton
a Downhiller
from Aberystwyth Date Reviewed: May 30, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Brechfa (XC), UK Bike Park (DH)
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
Summit Cycles, Abery
Strengths:
Cheap, rolls very fast, good grip on hardpack based surfaces (even in the wet). Does OK on loose stuff (we're talking about several layers of shale here)
Weaknesses:
Hates mud. If you go over light soil it's OK, but proper mud and they just clog up in seconds and there goes that grip.
Similar Products Used:
Swampies, Spesh resolutions, minions
Bike Setup:
Specialized Hardrock, SRAM drivetrain, Shimano Deore brakes, V8 pedals, standard Spesh hubs and rims
Bottom Line:
Let's be honest, the manufacturer that creates a tyre that grips EVERY type of surface and never slips will drive everyone else to bankrupcy. These aren't those tyres, but none are.
Note: I've used these tyres primarily for XC and light DH. Aggressive DH riders should use DH specific tyres, not these.
On hardpack, wet hardpack, light soil over hardpack, dense sand and loose surfaces they are very good. They bite when they need to, and roll very quickly. They grip very well in the corners as well and I've only punctured one tube in 9 months.
They are not as good on mud, they will take small patches on trails, or a layer of thin mud but don't use these for very muddy trails or you will feel like you're riding very wide slicks, but given that's not what they're designed to do that's not a problem.
They deserve 5 chilis because for £14 a tyre that's outstanding value. If you live in Wales these are fine and will take on every descent without issue. If your trails have frequent patches of medium-deep mud with lots of hardpack then you will probably want Mountain kings instead, but when these eventually burn out I think I'll get another pair.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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