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Submitted by
"Rod"
a Cross Country Rider
from Kentucky, USADate Reviewed: August 14, 2010
Strengths: Extremely fast, light, and grippy tire on hard and loose over hardpack.Weaknesses: Doesn't have a large volume so I have to run higher pressure to avoid pinch flats, which can cause me back pain on very rough trails. I ride a hardtail bike.Bottom Line: I would not have a problem purchasing this tire again if I could find a place. This tire is very fast, grips great on the rear, and it's a blast riding this tire.
This is not a product for a weekend warrior or rookie. This tire is awesome, but I would not recommend it to someone that doesn't have good bike handling skills. It could easily cause them to crash due to it being very fast and if you make a mistake going fast you'll go down using this tire. A nevegal or fire xc pro you could probably stay up, but not the mosquito. This is why this tire is getting such low reviews. For a racing tire you cannot go wrong.
Favorite Trail: any singletrack
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Purchased At: friend
Similar Products Used: Nevegal, Blue Groove, Fire XC pro, IRC mibro, mythos, dart, smoke, bulldog, etc.
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Keith Walker
a Cross Country Rider
from WilmingtonDate Reviewed: November 25, 2007
Strengths: Fast as hell.Weaknesses: Not that strong a climber. But you can make up for it by getting a lot of speed in the down hill. Don't ride it on the road it has a soft compound.Bottom Line: It grips well in hard stuff. It slides out in soft sand turns but learn to drift. It is very fast and can corner well in hard pack. Doesn't hook up on the logs that well. If you are riding in an area that is primarily flat and hard pack this tire is great because you can make up for the slow boring sections by pedaling fast. You have to have some balls to ride this tire though because you will probably go down. And they will get you going fast enough in moderate conditions that you will have to commit yourself to what ever you are trying to do. You don't need to grip on the roots if you can skip over them. Also you can run them at 80 psi everyone thinks you are a psycho because you fly over the stuff that everyone else with the wider grippier tires gets worn out going over.
Favorite Trail: Power Lines Cape Cod
Duration Product Used: 2 Years
Price Paid:
$40.00
Bike Setup: Old School.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
nrdbomber
a Cross Country Rider
from east bay, san francisco, caDate Reviewed: September 6, 2006
Strengths: umm...can't come up with anything...oh yeah, they're light.Weaknesses: doesn't hook up anywhere, doesn't inspire confidence, doesn't have enough knobs to be called a mountain bike tireBottom Line: the only thing that i can think of to like about these tires is that they are pretty light. i don't understand why hutchinson makes this tire, and i really don't understand why cannondale was putting it on their top of the line all mountain bike in 2000! the knobs are so small and widely spaced, that i thought i had been sold a demo bike with 300 or so miles on it. these are not mountian biking tires, they may be well suited for road use, but i don't ride the bike on the street, so i don't know. please, please, please do not buy these tires. i took mine off after two rides and threw them in the garbage. i would have given them away for free, but i didn't want to do that to some poor soul who might actually want to produce traction enough to ride a trail made of dirt.
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Purchased At: came on cannondale jekyll
Similar Products Used: panaracer dart and smoke...rollin like it's 1996, various specialized, various tioga, various wtb, various maxxis...etc.
Bike Setup: 2000 cannondale jekyll 900sl, everything upgraded properly
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
J Rock
a Racer
from WisconsinDate Reviewed: June 24, 2006
Strengths: rolls way fast and clears mud like you couldn't imagine. Comes in my favorite size the 1.85.Weaknesses: pricey if not on sale and they do wear fast but hey if your racing you're usually changing out tires on a regular basis anywaysBottom Line: Great all around tire. I was nervous about using them in a mud bath race situation but performed great in the greased atv trail leadout. I love the lack of rolling resistance and would buy another pair if I can find more 1.85's. THIS BY NO MEANS IS THIS A ROOKIE WEEKEND WARRIOR TIRE.
Favorite Trail: 9 mile wausau
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At: performance
Similar Products Used: Schwalbe racing ralphs and jimmy lights. Bontrager Jones Mud X.
Bike Setup: 2004 Rockhopper comp with Bontrager race lite gxp crank, thomson elite post, rhyno lite rims, avid bb7 disc. answer carbon handle bar. Specialized stem. avid speed dial brake levers xt hubs and cassette, sram pc991 hollow pin chain.
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Sam
a Cross Country Rider
from Raleigh, NCDate Reviewed: January 19, 2006
Strengths: Looks cool, fast on hardpack\gravelWeaknesses: Too narrow for mud or rooted trails. If it's the least bit wet you will have troubleBottom Line: I bought this tire b\c I needed a replacement for my Michelin slick that blew out and this was really cheap and I figured I couldn't go wrong for $15. Man was I wrong. Stay away from this tire.
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At: Performance Bike @ Chapel Hill
Similar Products Used: WTB slicks, Michelin slicks
Bike Setup: Trek 8500, All XT, Psylo,
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Roger
a
from Boise, Idaho, USADate Reviewed: November 11, 2005
Strengths: They have some yellow on the tread and that's a happy color. Oh, and they seem to roll pretty well and are light wt. I got the 1.85'sWeaknesses: very poor corning grip with only acceptable climbing grip, they pinch flat very easily, supposedly they wear out fast (I am not going to find out because I took them off the bike after three rides)Bottom Line: Got these tires because they where on sale for half off in one of the mail order catalouges (I don't recall which one it was and I won't guess to avoid impuning a company that didn't sell these subpar skins to me)
I tried to like these tires but they wouldn't let me. I got two or three pinch flats in rocky sections that I never had problems with before - the mosquitos I got are 1.85's but they feel much more flimsy than the 0.1 smaller size I was and am again riding - that and they don't roll any better than my epicwolf 1.95's as far as I can tell. They are apt to slip without warning; the nobs are dinky and spaced far apart so pebbles can fit inbetween and lift the tire off the ground. Although they are poor grippers when new, I can only imagine how bad they'd be when worn to any degree - no thanks
Bottom line: expensive tire that has negatives far outwieghing any positives. There is no need to make this many compromises -I guess buy these if they are on sale and you are going to ride them on a hardpack trail that goes straight and has no sharp edges.
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Price Paid:
$25.00
Similar Products Used: WTB NanoRaptor (love these), WTB Epic Wolf (great tire) and numerous others by specialized, ritchey, panaracer, conti on and on .....back to those original ground controls and farmer johns of the late jurassic period
Bike Setup: Ionic Steelhead 853 w/ xtr and SID shock
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Sam
a Weekend Warrior
from CanadaDate Reviewed: June 27, 2005
Strengths: LightweightWeaknesses: Thin and flimsyBottom Line: These tires are not for me. If you ride anything rocky they will blow out sidewalls. Having said that, they are a good tire on hard pack and dirt. They are light weight and it is noticeable when climbing and accelerating. A decent tire but a poor choice for the ridnig in the area I live.
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Purchased At: Came with my Rocky Mt Slayer
Similar Products Used: Lots of other tires
Bike Setup: Stock slayer
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Dennis
a Cross Country Rider
from San FranciscoDate Reviewed: April 23, 2005
Strengths: Lightweight and super-fast.... great racing tiresWeaknesses: the riderBottom Line: These tires (Mosquito Gold) are not for the rookie weekend warriors writing a lot of the negative reviews. Giant should have never put mosquitoes on an entry mtn bike. These tires do wear out fast... they are racing tires, what d'ya want? Excellent in hardpack (many Nor Cal race courses) and freakin' fast! I will buy them again and have some velociraptors and fireXCpros on hand for the loose stuff. The only tire combo I've ridden worth the full 5 chili's is the Dart 2.2 with a Velociraptor.. I'll give these 4 chili's all around
Favorite Trail: Serpentine
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Purchased At: roadragebicycles.com
Similar Products Used: There are a few tires that I have not tried
Bike Setup: Fisher Paragon with lots-o-neat stuff
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Frank
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas, TXDate Reviewed: April 10, 2005
Strengths: Light weightWeaknesses: way to soft and thin for anything other than typical hard packed flat track.Bottom Line: These tires came on the bike I bought. I took the bike out to the breaks bar h ranch and the tires are now bald! 1 freaking ride! The down hill scree out there ate the tire up. Three flats, no tread, slipping and sliding on every corner and took dirt samples three times and that was before I got to the fun stuff. Worst tires I've ever used.
Favorite Trail: Cameron Park
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Purchased At: Ebay
Similar Products Used: panaracer, Continentals, Kenda, IRC
Bike Setup: blur, xtr, fox F100
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Rob
a Weekend Warrior
from Tucson, AZDate Reviewed: February 12, 2005
Strengths: Light wieghtWeaknesses: Low cornering tractionBottom Line: no confidence from day one in the corners, these tire suck in thin loose over hard pack conditions.(If you live in the SW don't buy these) They seemed to do a little better in loose soil and Rocky conditions. The knobs on the rear started to breakdown early. They are advertised to do well in mud but mine have seen very little of it so I cannot say. The value rating is based on current price $28.
Favorite Trail: Fantasy Island
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Purchased At: Came stock on my bike
Similar Products Used: IRC Piryna Pro's
Bike Setup: Jamis Dakar, with float shock, manitou elite fork
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Gabi
a Weekend Warrior
from Tel Aviv, IsraelDate Reviewed: December 8, 2004
Strengths: Light tires (if you care of)Weaknesses: Almost no grip for singletrack. Scaring to use.Bottom Line: If you ride on hardpack, or if you are a milligram compulsive rider - they are ok. I do not know if they wear fast because I get ride of them as fast as I could, changed for Panaracer's Fire XC Pro Kevlar - make a difference of day and night in grip.
Favorite Trail: Mt Carmel Singletracks
Duration Product Used: 3 months
Purchased At: Come with the bike (Giant NRS)
Similar Products Used: Panaracer Fire XC Pro, WTB Weirwolf
Bike Setup: Giant NRS (changed later for an Intense 5.5)
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Isbell
a Cross Country Rider
from Mt. ViewDate Reviewed: November 27, 2004
Strengths: Damn Fast Tire!!Weaknesses: Treadwear, Damn Fast!!Bottom Line: I can roll faster on these Mosquitos, than my 15 year old son, a XC Race'er can pedal his giant iguana with the WTB Weirwolfs. Yeah they wear, but what do you want your tire to do. Ride to grandmas house or bring home a trophy?
Favorite Trail: any
Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At: Veloswap
Similar Products Used: WTB Weirwolf, Velociraptor.
Bike Setup: Specialized S-works Stunpjumper Stock
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Clint Welden
a
from Austin, TX USADate Reviewed: November 27, 2004
Strengths: Good on hardpack, light.Weaknesses: Wore out quickly, knobs break off easilyBottom Line: Good for specific terrain (hardpack) but not great for anything else. Slippery in turns and they don't shed mud well.
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Purchased At: Stock on bike
Bike Setup: RM ETSX 30
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
alister
a Weekend Warrior
from tasmania, AustraliaDate Reviewed: October 12, 2004
Strengths: extremely light, grippy on hardpack and also mudWeaknesses: wore out in less than 6 months due to the spacing of the knobs (very far apart). You can actually hear the knobs buzzing and wearing off as you ride. maybe thats why they call them mosquitos...Bottom Line: don't buy these unless your a cross country whippet with a "weight weenie" complex. they are only for racing.
full stop.
Favorite Trail: trevallyn
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Purchased At: came with bike
Similar Products Used: IRC trail bear, rocks the pants off the mosquitos, even for the weight - have lasted 1 and a half years.. skids and all.
Bike Setup: giant yukon (awsome entry level)
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Michael Muller
a
from Innsburck, AustriaDate Reviewed: September 14, 2004
Strengths: Good on hardpack and trailridingWeaknesses: Fastest wear-rate ever. Barely last me the whole year. Suggestion, use them only when you are racing and they suit the terrain.Bottom Line: Pitiful, unless used striclt for occasional races
Favorite Trail: All over Sweden
Duration Product Used: 1 Year
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At: The Bicycle Cellar
Similar Products Used: Maxxis Hookworm,
Bike Setup: Giant Rainier
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