Dry conditions call for a tire like the Geax AKA. The AKA offers quick acceleration, fast rolling, and predictable cornering on hardpack. It was also designed to tackle variable terrain like gravel, sand, and grass because, let's face it, the trail isn't always perfect. Sometimes the trail isn't even a trail.
Bought the Aka marketed as a gripy replacement for off road and ride to the trail. If you strictly ride dry concrete these tires work great. Could also see them work well on smooth trails. On rocks, roots or even wet concrete these tires leave quite a bit to be desired. Moved the tire over to the commuter with plans of burning these tires out. Tires are much to expensive for limited traction.
Submitted by
Bob
a Racer
from Tustin, CA, Orange County
Date Reviewed: March 29, 2012
Strengths: Using as back tire only, have a Specialized Fast Track LK 2.1 up front. Set up easily with Stans, very little air leak over 3 months. Very fast, grips corners well. Good on hard pack and loose over hard. Climbs suprisingly well, even while standing on pedals. Tough side walls.
Weaknesses: Braking is only so-so. Wears out quickly. A bit heavy for a 2.0
Bottom Line:
Very good and fast as a racing tire on hardpack and loose over hardpack. Need to be careful with hard braking (scrub speed a little earlier on downhill before entering a tight. loose corner) Pretty tough tire, no leaks, side cuts or damage after riding numerous rocky, technical trails. Heavier than a Small Block, but I think it corners better. Would not recommend for recreational trail riders.
Similar Products Used: Kenda Small Block, Kenda Slant Six
Bike Setup: Niner Jet 9 with all XX, 2x10 with 26x39 up front and 11/36 in back
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Submitted by
ChadP
a Cross Country Rider
from Lakewood, CO
Date Reviewed: July 31, 2011
Strengths: Fast Rolling, great grip.
Weaknesses: No for loose kitty litter
Bottom Line:
This tire is awesome if you are looking for a fast rolling hard cornering grippy tire. Works amazing on hard pack, gets the job done on loose over hard pack but if it's strictly loose kitty litter they wash out. Great tire for the price when compared to $60.00 plus tires. Not great as a rear tire, doesn't track well but will climb decent if you run it with low psi.
Similar Products Used: Saguaro
Racing Ralph
Bontrager XDX
Bike Setup: rigid ss
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Submitted by
nim388
a Cross Country Rider
from Durango, CO
Date Reviewed: August 28, 2010
Strengths: There were no problems running this tire tubeless. The tire has good uphill traction on loose terrain when it's new. The outside knobs work well for cornering.
Weaknesses: The center tread wears fast, the tire lasted 2 months of heavy riding.
Bottom Line:
The tire works well for dry riding conditions. I believe the biggest weakness is the design of the center knobs. The tire doesn't feel very fast and wears out quick. I mounted the tires on a stans converted wheelset with ease. The tires had no visible wobble and the sidewalls seemed stout. I wish the AKA tire came with Small Block 8 center knobs.
Similar Products Used: Kenda Small Block 8, Hutchison Python Air light, Botrager ASX,
Bike Setup: Turner Flux,sram x9 drive train, Fulcrum red metal 5 wheels.
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Submitted by
Mattnter
a Cross Country Rider
from Australia
Date Reviewed: August 18, 2010
Strengths: TNT seals well on tubless rims, light, fast rolling
Weaknesses: Wears fast on tarmac
Bottom Line:
I bought a 2 and a 2.2 cause i couldn't get a set of Larsens at the time, the 2.2 on the front had way too much grip for endurance racing so i got the bike paired with 2's, perfect for endurance events, fast rolling light and fast, corner well on anything but mud, pea gravel and not too bad on loose sandstone. I liked the feel of the 2.2 so set my trail wheels up with them paired and gave the ignitors the flick.
True the rear 2.0 does ware fast on the tarmac, so keep them for dirt and they will keep you happy, use them for what the Geax recommends and you wont be disappointed.
And they tend to start humming at about 28-30kph
Submitted by
Justin Tzeng
a Cross Country Rider
from Flanders in New Jersey
Date Reviewed: August 12, 2010
Strengths: Extremely quick acceleration, can be flipped around for traction or another way for speed. Has the ability to run tube or tubeless. Stuck surprisingly well on loose, rocky parts and dirt.
Weaknesses: Hung fast in the corners, but was on the edge of slipping. On turns where I had to lean in deep and hit the rear brake, the tire slid out well, but struggled to regain traction even after the brakes were released. On street, deep corners caused the tire to start humming, signaling the edge of its traction limit. Scary in the wet.
Bottom Line:
My original bike was equipped with Kenda Nevegals. After replacing only my rear with the Geax AKA tire, the bike felt quicker and climbed smoother. On the hard rocky trails that I make, the AKA is not ideal as a front tire. As a rear tire, it offers good, but not amazing, grip. This tire isn't suitable as an all-weather tire like the Nevegal, but it is very quick for the dry. A racer who rides hard and wants cornering grip should settle for a beefier tire; A racer who wants fast acceleration should consider this, but ONLY as a rear tire.
Favorite Trail: The maintenance trail near local powerlines
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$49.00
Purchased At: Marty's Reliable Cyc
Similar Products Used: Kenda Nevegal, Kenda Small Block Eight
Bike Setup: 2010 Giant Rincon with Race Face Evolve flat bar, FSA stem, Lockon Grips, and Carbon-Fiber spacers.
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Submitted by
Bioteknik
a Cross Country Rider
from Falls Church, VA
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2010
Strengths: rolls fast and light, aka seated up for tubless setup with a floor pump. I thought traction was pretty good considering it is a semi-slick.
Weaknesses: 2.0 is extremely small for a 2.0, and very little tread. Soft knobs do not last very long. Do not handle low PSI well. HORRIBLE traction in wet conditions.
Bottom Line:
I've used both the 2.0 and 2.2 for the rear, used the 2.0 for like 2 or 3 weeks before moving up to the 2.2 since there is almost no center tread on the 2.0. Center tread on my rear tire is no almost gone (I have it mounted in reverse for traction though) after about 350 miles. I have not been happy with the performance of these tires much below 30 psi, and hitting a root during a turn can get dicey, but these things really roll fast, so will save my unused one for next race season as a front tire
Bike Setup: 2007 SJ FSR, xr400 rims, hope pro 2 hubs, pg-990 cassette, x9 components, float fork.
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Submitted by
slpres02
a Cross Country Rider
from Albuquerque, NM USA
Date Reviewed: May 13, 2010
Strengths: rolls fast
Weaknesses: slides on the corners, couldn't be worse for street, feels unpredictable
Bottom Line:
I was really excited to get this tire and was very disappointed as soon as I rode it. It feels ok (but only ok) as a rear tire, but the front slides around when you corner hard. It is almost unrideable for street. It felt better at the BMX track but it was very unpredictable in the berms and really slowed me down.
Bottom line: get the kenda small block 8. this tire is not worth your time
Similar Products Used: Kenda K-Rad, IRC Kugo, Kenda Small Block 8
Bike Setup: DK Xenia dirt jumper
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Submitted by
1max2nv
a Cross Country Rider
from Sterling, VA, USA
Date Reviewed: April 28, 2010
Strengths: Low rolling resistance, similar price to the popular Kenda Small block 8.
Weaknesses: The volume isn't big enough to protect rim in rocky conditions.
Bottom Line:
I was looking to buy a XC tires that can roll a bit faster. My bike came with Kenda Nevegal on it. I was planning on buying Kenda SB8 but they were out of stock. The AKA seems to have similar tread patterns so I went with them. I got the 2.2 version. They did roll faster than the Kenda Nevegal and the Maxxis Larsen TT. They seems to be perfect for where I ride which are mostly packed dry or packed damp condition. Lot of roots and none loose rocks.
