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Submitted by
Steve5083
a Racer
from Colorado Springs, Colorado
Date Reviewed: April 14, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Ute Valley Park | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$15.00 | | Purchased At: | price point | | Strengths: | Strong bite in loose conditions in the turns. Pretty good in muddy conditions. Durable and confidence inspiring, compared to lighter tires. Excellent for slower courses with lot's of turns and a need for extra traction. | | Weaknesses: | Tire needs at least 38psi to avoid pinching and for tire stability. Much over that the tire is not very smooth, especially at high speeds. Light, but no longer competitive in weight with newer tubeless options. Tire is poor for running tubeless since the beads stretch out. | | Similar Products Used: | omg.. tons of tires. Recently I run Pythons on hard pack and courses without a lot of turns. Past year have run Maxxis CrossMax, Spesh Fasttrak and Captains. | | Bike Setup: | 08 S-Works Epic. Run either tubes or tubeless, depending on tire choice. | | Bottom Line: | I've come back to these and have found that they still are pretty darn good. Compared to newer higher volume tires, the Mythos feel a bit harsh on fast sections. But on slower sections with lots of turns they are fast and have outstanding bite with very progressive traction loss. I run the front version of front and rear wheels. Or i'll run a python on the rear and a Mythos on the front if the course has a lot of fast hardpack. They are obviously a great value at $15 and last about twice as long as new soft compound tires. Only improvements would be a non-stretch bead for tubeless setup and a bit lighter. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Als Query
a Cross Country Rider
from Québec
Date Reviewed: October 5, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | neron sport | | Strengths: | Nice and light Tire, | | Weaknesses: | After only 150 Miles , a knob teared off. Very cheap. | | Similar Products Used: | Maxxis Kraken | | Bike Setup: | Oryx 250 | | Bottom Line: | After only 150 Miles , a knob teared off. Very cheap. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gary
a Cross Country Rider
from Texassssss
Date Reviewed: June 24, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Rocky Hill,Three Sistersin Evergreen | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$13.00 | | Purchased At: | nashbar | | Strengths: | Light, fast, good gradual side grips, very cheap, lasted at least 1000 miles. | | Weaknesses: | Well...I did hurt myself on a wet root once, but I was running 1.95. With that small of a tire you have to expect it to slip some to the time. | | Similar Products Used: | panracer smoke, specialized roll-x, irc backcountry | | Bike Setup: | Sugar+, XT.... | | Bottom Line: | I am on my second set. The first was a 1.95, now I'm running 2.1 and they are still the lightest, fastest tire I ever run. With a price between 12 and 20 dollors I can't see myself looking for anything else until they quit making them. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike Reding
a Cross Country Rider
from Albuquerque, NM, USA
Date Reviewed: March 5, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Foothills | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Nashbar | | Strengths: | There are 3 versions of the same tire! This review is about the Japanese made Mythos (red sidewalls), not the Korean or Taiwanese versions that use different rubber compounds. Mythos tires are directional and have different tread designs for the front and rear. They offer great value for riding in loose soil and on rock and are far above average in sand. | | Weaknesses: | They suck up mud and hold onto it. | | Bike Setup: | Plain vanilla Specialized Epic Comp. | | Bottom Line: | Mountain bike tires should be directional and have different tread designs front and rear. Steering, braking, cornering and providing motive force are too different to use one design for both.
Stick with the red sidewall version that is made in Japan! You can get them from Nashbar for $20 a piece. For that price you get a light tire that you can replace before they are completely worn out and enjoy a really great ride that hooks up nicely in the corners, descends like it is on rails, climbs well, and digs through sand with the paddle shaped nobs on the rear. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brambo
a Weekend Warrior
from Assen, The Netherlands
Date Reviewed: April 4, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Front tire has got lots of grip, especially when cornering. I've had not many flats. Compared to the WTB Nanoraptor (which I use in the summer) you can will feel more confident | | Weaknesses: | Had some pinch flats on the rear tire (front 2.1, rear 1.95) | | Similar Products Used: | Ritchie Z-Max, Ritchie Speed Max, WTB Nanoraptor | | Bike Setup: | GF Sugar 1 (2001, L, Cane Creek AD 12), XTR (952SGS)RD, XT FD, Magura Martha, Magura O24U, Hügi 240, Mavic 317, Bontrager Crank with BBB chainrings, Selle Italia Flite Trans Am, some other Bontrager stuff, SRAM PC69 chain, XT cassette, XTR shifters, IRC Mythos XC 2.1 (F) and 1.95 (R) | | Bottom Line: | These tires are ok. They're light! This also means you cannot drive them with low pressure, this is not a big problem since the Sugar offers lots of traction. I would like to try the new Schwalbe Racing Ralph. They're a big hit here in Europe. Everyone is using them for all conditions! They look cool to. I'm afraid the 2.1 rear tire won't fit in the rear triangle of the Sugar because of its construction. The IRC's are good and look nice. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tino
a Weekend Warrior
from Granada Hills, Ca.
Date Reviewed: December 22, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | Cycle World - Reseda, Ca. | | Weaknesses: | The tire knobs tear off very easily. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Tires which came stock on the 03' Specialized Epic. | | Bike Setup: | 03 Epic w/XTR upgrades and disc brakes. Using Stan's no tubes. <~~~~~~~GREAT PRODUCT! | | Bottom Line: | Good tire but I'm going to try something else. There are only about 300 miles on these tires. Both the front and rears have big patches of missing rubber.
The grip I can't quite comment on since I'm a rookie and can't get near using these to their full potential but fwiw, I saw a huge improvement on the bike by just switching from the stock tires to these.
Yes, they are light. Yes, they are cheap. Will I buy them again? Nope.
I'll give them 3 chilis for the value since they wear out quickly. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dirk Diggler
a Cross Country Rider
from Middle of, California
Date Reviewed: October 6, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | local stuff | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$5.00 | | Purchased At: | Pro Service Cyclery, Manteca | | Strengths: | a good roller on hardpack and the street. lightweight. | | Weaknesses: | lugs tear off and erode EASILY...
not alot of rear traction in general, front seems to slide out quite a bit as well. | | Similar Products Used: | other tires | | Bike Setup: | 2003 K2 Razorback, XTR blah blah | | Bottom Line: | this tire is fairly picky about pressure. i've found the sweet spot for versatility to be just under 50psi.
i'm currently running the gamet on various tires now after a fairly long absence from the trail. from the last time i really paid attention to tires the panracer smoke and dart were the bees knees, still are in my book actually. anyway, i've rolled about 250 miles on these tires MAX and i am seeing lugs break off (and even a large patch of skin RIP off), NOT a good sign.
aside from my main concern (losing lugs) performance wise these tires rate slightly below , if not substantially below, average for all condition types (let's not get ridiculous for suggesting super slush and snow here).
tight singletrack- fast and fair, rear accelerates quickly but the front connection is sketchy, beware slideout.
downhill- good on the straight-a-ways, but doesn't leave me at all confident if there are any tight turns or dropoffs.
sand and loose singtrack- well, it cuts through, front can drive a decent line through loose stuff.
uphill- tight and technical , again, doesn't leave me with much, if any, confidence. left me dismounting and walking in hairy patches that other tires DO NOT.
overall - this tire isn't anything special, and at the price, they are decent. aside from quality and durability issues there is better out there to be had, and sometimes that's worth the extra money. on a walmart bike, these would be a asset, but blow a few grand on your ride and i see them as a liability. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim
a
from Castle Rock, CO
Date Reviewed: August 19, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Dakota Ridge | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$10.00 | | Purchased At: | Nashbar | | Strengths: | Protects the rim | | Weaknesses: | Very poor traction on the trails I ride. They don't hook up in anything loose, steep, on rocks, or waterbars. | | Similar Products Used: | Panaracer, Michelin, Specialized, etc | | Bike Setup: | Rocky Mountain Instinct | | Bottom Line: | The Mythos does not work for climbing. It just spins everywhere - hardpack, rocks, roots (wet or dry), anything loose. I rode with it a few times, became very discouraged and started thinking my skills had evaporated, then took it off and put on a Michelin XL. Wow! Suddenly I'm climbing everything again!
It wasn't worn very much and I hate to waste money, so I put it on the front. Kind of heavy for a front tire, though.
The best thing I did for my bike was remove this tire from the back and replace it. I have had really good experiences with Panaracer Smokes, but new favorite is the Michelin XL. $16 at Nashbar and they work great! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
trog
a Cross Country Rider
from san carlos
Date Reviewed: February 21, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$14.00 | | Strengths: | CHEAP, good performance | | Weaknesses: | wear sort of fast | | Bike Setup: | C'dale F600, all XTR, with a Spin rear wheel about to take a crap | | Bottom Line: | I don't get why these tires are so cheap. I ride damp hard back and light mud, and these suckers stick in the corners, warn you when you are about to break loose, and climb just fine. I'm on my third set of 2.1 Kevlars, and feel no need to go looking for anything else, especially if it costs more than the $14 a tire I can get these for. Does anyone know why these tire are always on sale? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Manuel Garcia
a Weekend Warrior
from Sintra
Date Reviewed: November 3, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Cheap, durability, rear tire | | Weaknesses: | Front tire grip | | Similar Products Used: | Hutchinson, Michelin, Continental | | Bike Setup: | Marin XC, Psylo SL, Hutchinson Pytons (great!) | | Bottom Line: | It's a cheap product that came stock on my Marin...
The front tire sucks...
If you already own them, put a Hutchinson Python or a Continental on front and keep the front Mythos at home, when the rear mythos wears out, put the front mythos on the back, it holds on just fine!
If you are planning on buying some, don't!
Go for Hutchinson Pythons!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
fattirewilly
a Cross Country Rider
from GA
Date Reviewed: October 7, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Price/great all round grip | | Weaknesses: | Durability Blows!!! Are you reading this IRC!!!!!! | | Bike Setup: | Kevlar bead, front & rear specific | | Bottom Line: | Used these tires for 2 years. Loved the performance, however the duribility has become suspect. I bought a new pair and used them for 2 months. Busted side walls and missing knobbies front and back, which expose quarter size patches of thread, are not what I consider durable qualities.
Supposedly the black wall (cheap) version is made in Korea or something, and the red skin wall (durable) version is made in Japan. Buyer beware, I'm through with these.
3 chilis for good performance, -2 because there are better choices. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben
a Cross Country Rider
from Hanover, NH
Date Reviewed: June 12, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | The Blue Ribbon | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Strengths: | Low Rolling Resistance, great traction on corners and in loose stuff | | Weaknesses: | Side Walls fray and fall apart very quickly. | | Similar Products Used: | Panaracer Smoke and Darts | | Bottom Line: | I don't know what the deal is with the discrepancy between the MSRP and the actual price of these tires but I've never seen them anywhere for more than $20. This is strange to me. But, they do make my wheels feel fast, and they dig in and hook up in everything. The only problem is that you sort of have to replace them a lot (like twice a year). But because they're so cheap it's mainly just a drain on the environment and not on your wallet. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Louie Midnight
a Weekend Warrior
from Canada
Date Reviewed: June 2, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | These are the best tires I have eever used. | | Similar Products Used: | Conti, Panaracer, Michelin, Maxxis | | Bottom Line: | I can get these tires for $12.00 Canadian. Cross Country only tire. Dont use them for downhill then whine okay?They are cheap, and excellent. Really good all round tire. I have never had a problem with the quality of these tires. great side lugs really dig. If you see them for cheap (almost everywhere) grab them and give em a try. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Slerpy
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Monica
Date Reviewed: January 15, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | 20.00 | | Strengths: | price | | Weaknesses: | quick wear | | Similar Products Used: | WTB enduroraptor, velociraptor, Continental, etc | | Bike Setup: | Superlight with Rolf rims | | Bottom Line: | I've yet to see anyone asking for full price on these tires. I can find them everywhere for under $25. If you want just one set up for most conditions (it doesn't rain much in Southern Cal, very little mud), it's hard to find a better performing tire. The lugs are perfect for xc usage. My only problem with theses tires are the quick wear. The rubber wears quick but the lugs tear off prematurely as well. I gave it 3 chilis in value due to how many of these I've had to buy to satisfy my dirt addiction. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul Pinella
a Cross Country Rider
from Winchester, MA, USA
Date Reviewed: September 15, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Bear Brook | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$45.00 | | Purchased At: | Hammehead Bikes | | Strengths: | Nice looking sidewall, different treads on front and rear | | Weaknesses: | Rear tire wears faster and knobs come off | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | Titus Racer X, nicely equipped | | Bottom Line: | Front tire good, rear tire bad.
I typically ride over sharp, rocky terrain, so if your conditions differ, the tire may be better for you. But I've found the rear tire to be not up to the job. I've frequently had knobs tear off, which I've compensated for with Shoe Goo (not sure if anyone else does this, but beats buying a new tire all the time). The front tire has been much more reliable with no broken knobs.
I don't think these tires work great in the loose gravel, either. They seem fine on hard pack. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tatonka
a Cross Country Rider
from Huntsville,AL
Date Reviewed: August 22, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | fell mountain, carbondale, PA | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | web | | Strengths: | fast rolling | | Weaknesses: | knobs are easly ripped on rocks & roots | | Similar Products Used: | wtb, special, mich | | Bike Setup: | stumpy | | Bottom Line: | OK on hard-pack and sand, but they get ripped up on rocks and roots | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael
a Racer
from UK, Germany or Taiwan
Date Reviewed: November 11, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | anything around the Garda Lake | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Rad sport (Goethe) | | Strengths: | Very quick due to low rolling resistance. | | Weaknesses: | Can wash out pretty quickly on the corners | | Similar Products Used: | Michellin, Ritchey,Specialized, Bontrager blah blah blah... | | Bike Setup: | Giant XCX DS with Sram/XTR/RaceFace, SIDs, Mavic, Titec. | | Bottom Line: | A reasonable tire for a good price. A lot of care has to be taken when cornering as the tires never seem to feel as if they're in contact with the trail. I haven't actually washed out seriously enough to actually hit the deck but it's more of a general feeling. I've been using Wildgrippers for a long time for racing and in the wet the Mythos performs better. They climb well too. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Neville Le Roux
a Cross Country Rider
from Gauteng South Africa
Date Reviewed: September 20, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Like the feel on hard stuff. Feels quick. Low resistance on hard stuff.
The balance is good on dirt, they slide at almost the same moment. Now that is fun.
The front is a lot better than the rear. Very good for the not too technical stuff. | | Weaknesses: | It "cuts" into anything loose like sand and mud instead off "floating" on it. This
breaks the momentum and it is difficult to keep going straight. Washes out in corners, and it does not feel like there is grip. It actually makes me slow down in high
speed corners on tar. Rear wears way too fast (500 miles) and it looks like the central knobs are too soft. And it does not climb well, no traction. Have noticed this under
breaking as well. | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | Schwinn Moab3 | | Bottom Line: | I like them most of the time. They are fast! Great handling and light. Close to the limit it limits me on certain types of terrain. There are tyres better suited to loose terrain, but they probably wont work as well the rest of the time. Very nice, would like the rear to be better and both of them to wear less. That would make them great. Maybe slightly bigger/longer knobs will do the trick. Harder compound? On some very technical rides they have let me down slightly. Lose grip on a steep climb and you better jump quickly. Same when they cut into the very loose stuff. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
x-man
a Weekend Warrior
from Vancouver
Date Reviewed: May 30, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Acadamy | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | 1. Price
2. Traction in loose pack
3. cool orange sidewalls | | Weaknesses: | 1. front tire washes out over wet tree stumps
2. 2.1 is more like a 1.95 | | Similar Products Used: | specialized rock comps? | | Bike Setup: | Hardtail | | Bottom Line: | for $14 canadian at MEC, you can not go wrong. Very nice traction through loose, dry conditions, not bad in mud. SCARY over wet tree roots, but what isn't? (other than studded)
I WILL buy another set. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David
a Racer
from Colorado
Date Reviewed: March 2, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | -INEXPENSIVE
-Light
-Fast
-Grippy
-Durable
-No flats | | Weaknesses: | -Tread pattern offset | | Similar Products Used: | -Bontrager Jones
-Panaracer Smoke/Dart, Magic
-Specialized Ground Control | | Bike Setup: | Reynolds 853 Hardtail; Manitou FS | | Bottom Line: | I think I paid like $12 for these at Performance last year. I got the 2.1, which is actually more like 1.95. I wasn't expecting much for $12, but these are by far the best tires I've ever used. I trained and raced on them all last season, and they will probably still last half of this season. I have had absolutely no problems with these tires in any conditions. I had to carefully pick out two good ones at the store, however, because I noticed many of them had mismatched casing halves (tread pattern offset). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Greg
a Cross Country Rider
from Oz
Date Reviewed: February 2, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Very pretty aethetics (love the retro red sidewall). I'm certain this contributes to its tractability in most scenario's - Ha! | | Weaknesses: | Use this weekend and by a new set the following week or come on consumer we love your money | | Similar Products Used: | Michelin stuff | | Bike Setup: | cannondale F1000 '99 | | Bottom Line: | A good tyre in most situations BUT buy a few spare ones as the wear rate on them was useless as 'tits on a bull'! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Howard
a Weekend Warrior
from Arvada, CO
Date Reviewed: October 31, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Alderfer Three Sisters | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
Excellent climbing capabilites. Strong in the corners. | | Weaknesses: |
Rear tire wore out fairly quickly (1.95). | | Similar Products Used: |
Kenda, Specialized | | Bike Setup: |
'99 K2 ZedX (hard tail) with Smart Fork. | | Bottom Line: | These tires are really good on all surfaces. I really enjoy climbing, and that's probably why I wore out the rears so quickly (4 rides). | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Fireman
a Cross-Country Rider
from Englewood,Tn
Date Reviewed: September 28, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Azalea | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Excellant Traction, Corners Well, Climbs Well in Rocky Terrain | | Weaknesses: |
Small cuts with sharp rocks. | | Similar Products Used: |
Continentals, Panaracer Smokes | | Bike Setup: |
Cannondale F600, Head shock | | Bottom Line: | I really like this tire. I plan on getting another pair after this set. I used to swear by Smokes, but I've found a new frontline tire for my riding. Suggest people to at least give these tires a try for the price. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Okie
a Cross-Country Rider
from Blanchard, Oklahoma
Date Reviewed: September 26, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Chicken Barn Road | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
decent gripping ability, good traction on loose gravel and sand | | Weaknesses: |
Not to fast on hard pack or pavement (not that it is supposed too). | | Similar Products Used: |
Ritchey Speedmax | | Bike Setup: |
Raleigh M80 Stock, Ritchey Speedmax Tires | | Bottom Line: | The IRC Mythos tires came stock on my Raleigh M80, bought some Ritchey Speedmax tires because I do alot of riding on hard pack surface. My experience with the Mythos was good on loose terrain. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben
a Cross-Country Rider
from Illinois
Date Reviewed: September 22, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
so many, but i like Burro Pass alot in moab | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
Grips like a stoner to his bong
looks good.
Dampening ride | | Weaknesses: |
Tread is slightly out of true, while my wheel is perfectly in true. | | Similar Products Used: |
Continental, Maxxis | | Bike Setup: |
Cannondale F1000, w/ headshok DD60 | | Bottom Line: | I like these tires alot, but i liked it even better once i wore out the rear tire and replaced it with a Maxxis Incisor front tire. most of the climbing i do is out of the saddle steep, loose and dusty stuff, and the Maxxis gives a great bite with excellent cornering, complimenting the Irc'c bizatchin' (damn censorship) grip and medium rolling resistance. My only beef is that the tread is a little bit off true, but that doesnt affect the performance of it at all.
5 flaming chicken chimichangas for the irc front. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
G.I.
a Cross-Country Rider
from Diamond Bar, Ca.
Date Reviewed: September 10, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Arroyo / El Prieto | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Light, cool looking and handles great on rough terrain. | | Weaknesses: |
haven't found any yet.... | | Similar Products Used: |
Michelin Wild Gripper
Panaracer Smoke Dart | | Bike Setup: |
KHS Alite 4000 XT parts | | Bottom Line: | These tires are the best combination tire you can buy. For everyday or once in a while type rides - you can't beat them. They grab and hold you down on the trail.... Definitely good tires..... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Derek Jensen
a Cross-Country Rider
from Edmonds, WA
Date Reviewed: August 24, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Picking a favorite trail is like picking your favorite child | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Lasted over 1000 miles on one pair, slides very smoothly and gradually, nice red sidewalls, great grip on pavement (I'm 15, so I can't drive to trails :-( ) | | Weaknesses: |
Needs a little more grip overall | | Similar Products Used: |
WTB Velociraptor (front),
Specialized stuff,
others | | Bike Setup: |
'98 Trek 7000 | | Bottom Line: | A long-lasting, good-looking tire that works well in all conditions and is very predictable at the limit of grip. The problem is, that limit is often explored at lower cornering speeds than I'd like. A little more agressive tread, and I'd buy another pair, but for now I'm getting a pair of Panaracer Fire's. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tom
a Weekend Warrior
from SC
Date Reviewed: August 24, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Pisgah | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Minimal Rolling Resistance, Looks good, rear hooks up well for fast tire. | | Weaknesses: |
Front tire (in the 1.95 version) washes out quick on roots, rocks, sand, 2.1 is better | | Similar Products Used: |
Specialized team, Moab XC's Kendas, Panaracer | | Bike Setup: |
SC Superlight w/ Z-2 bam, Bont. Mustangs, Vanilla Air Float and Scwhinn Moab 2 w/atom bomb | | Bottom Line: | When I went to the Myhtos on the hardtail (moab), I went with the 2.1 front. I expected a lot of washout. The tires were great. Noticibly faster. When I got the Superlight, it came with the 1.95 front. Look out. That front was all over the place, and kind of still is although I learned to expect it. Going to ride these out and switch back to the 2.1 on the front. The rear hooks up awesome thanks to the vanilla. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ERic A
a Cross-Country Rider
from Sioux Falls SD
Date Reviewed: August 14, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Old baldy . Black Hills SD | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Great for all conditions
wear very well .
predictable | | Weaknesses: |
Sidewalls Cut to easy on rocky terain | | Similar Products Used: |
conti navagators .
panaracer duster
yeti Fro | | Bike Setup: |
cannondale F700 Fatty Air cart. time atac / Coda / Shimano | | Bottom Line: | have had good sucess with these tyres as for as durablity and wear . however after a few rocky trails on a vaction both the front and rear had nice cuts in the sidewall . Was able to fix them . however . Other than the weak sidewalls , One heck of a good tyre | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Malcolm
a Cross-Country Rider
from san diego
Date Reviewed: August 13, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Inexpensive
wear well
light
roll fast on hard-pack
they're red | | Weaknesses: |
sand and mud
a little narrow | | Similar Products Used: |
Conti Navigator/Cross-country | | Bike Setup: |
Trek Y-22 | | Bottom Line: | These tires are awesome for the dry So. Cal conditions. They roll fast and corner well. They get sketchy in deep sand or any mud. They run a little narrow (I use 2.1). Overall they are excellent when used in drier conditions. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rich
a Weekend Warrior
from Phoenix
Date Reviewed: August 9, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Mormon to National | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Easy on
Easy off
pretty lite
Neat looking red side wall | | Weaknesses: |
Too thin
Weak side wall
Weak treads | | Similar Products Used: |
WTB Velociraptor
Kenda ?? | | Bike Setup: |
Fuji Thrill
judy xc
Rhyno lite rims
LX all around | | Bottom Line: | This was a good tire to start. Great handling. The front tire has been holding up really well. The rear is not so good. Riding in rocky areas, I probably should have expect this to happen, some of the treads tore off and I got one annoying tear in the side wall. 4 for front. 3 for rear. But the lesser of the two can only describe these tires. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Weekend Warrior
from Wilmington, DE
Date Reviewed: July 18, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Fast
Holds up on road (I ride 2-4 miles to the trails)
Climbs well | | Weaknesses: |
Slips on roots
Terrible on wet roots
Doesn't like loosed pack soil | | Bike Setup: |
Cannondale Super V-900, Mavic 222 rims | | Bottom Line: | I'm going to try either the Geax Blade or the Continental Explorer Pro, but I wouldn't hesistate to buy this tire again. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Samuel Yang
a Racer
from SG
Date Reviewed: July 10, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
tested or demo'ed only | | Bottom Line: | Cheap and average tyre, just the right tyre for XC riding only. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Cross-Country Rider
from Aliso Viejo, CA
Date Reviewed: July 5, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Rockit | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Light weight | | Weaknesses: |
Washout on turns
Does not grip on off camber hard pack
Bloodshed | | Similar Products Used: |
Velocoraptors | | Bike Setup: |
Fisher Joshua | | Bottom Line: | Great tire if you do not go downhill through turns at any sort of speed, otherwise, be prepared to eat dirt and get bloody | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
xxxx
a Weekend Warrior
from xxxxx
Date Reviewed: June 25, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
xxxxxx | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Great handeling
corner very well
Light | | Weaknesses: |
Pinch flats | | Similar Products Used: |
Specilized cactus
Bontrager st2
Tioga | | Bike Setup: |
DBR V8 Judy sl | | Bottom Line: | I used a 2.1 on the front and a 1.95 on the rear. I guess the rear was a little narrow for me because I pinched flatted all the time. I even used max pressure at about 60psi. I only weigh about 165. Only pinch flatted once on the front tire. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Cdale
a Weekend Warrior
from Stockton, CA
Date Reviewed: June 22, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Darrington trail | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Long lasting, good handling (in back), fairly inexpensive. | | Weaknesses: |
A little narrow. | | Similar Products Used: |
Specialized Cactus Control | | Bike Setup: |
Cannondale w/ Headshok | | Bottom Line: | These are the longest-lasting tires EVER! I commute and ride trails on these. They are only now starting to wear out, and it's not the tread that's going, some of the knobs are ripping off- but this is waaaayyyyy after 6 months. It's almost a challenge now to see how long they will last. I can see casing in a couple of spots! What a great tire- I only wish it was a little wider to cushion my geriatric butt. But then, they wouldn't be as light as they are, now would they? These can be found for a little less $ than most other tires and well worth it! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean ONeil
a Cross-Country Rider
from Missoula MT
Date Reviewed: May 28, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Blue Mtn/Pattee Canyon | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
light, fast, predictable traction break points. | | Weaknesses: |
don't see any yet | | Similar Products Used: |
Panaracer Mach SS/SK. Bontrager Jones. WTB Velociraptor. Tioga Psycho. | | Bike Setup: |
Airborne Lucky Strike, Marzocchi Z2BAM, Bontrager Mustang/Maverick | | Bottom Line: | I am a huge monster of a guy who hucks big air and busts frames and cranksets... no, wait a minute, that's someone else in here. Really, I don't know what everyone is complaining about with these tires. They are extremely fast for a 2.1 tire, and I find they track well at high speed cornering, climbing, tree-weaving singletrack, and any other riding I encounter here in western MT. Since they are round-shouldered, their traction break point in corners is much more gradual, so if you don't like that, try a squarer tire (i.e., V-raptors). I think all the people who dislike these tires either don't think when choosing (why run an obviously hardpack-designed tread in the MUD?), or are used to another type of tire (i.e., round-shoulder vs square-shoulder). Tire tread design tells you a lot about how a tire will perform. Those who say these aren't good in loose descents need a chunky tire up front, like the Dart or the V-raptor, or they need to learn how to handle their bike differently. I like these tires, but I may change my mind if I pinch-flat (not too likely, I'm only 153 lbs and ride smoothly) or wear them out too quickly. I give them 5 chilies! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brad
a Weekend Warrior
from States town
Date Reviewed: May 27, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
damn good tire | | Weaknesses: |
still thinking | | Bike Setup: |
plastic Trek bicycle | | Bottom Line: | these tires are good, you should but them, I'm on my 3rd set, go with the 2.1's, real good in any terrain and any weather, shutup and buy these tires | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tall Guy
a Weekend Warrior
from San Diego
Date Reviewed: April 27, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
Light weight, good price (on sale) | | Weaknesses: |
Really skinny cross section | | Similar Products Used: |
Jones, Control/Master | | Bike Setup: |
Klein Mantra Race | | Bottom Line: | I couldn't believe how skinny the tires were when I got them mounted up. On a 23 mm rim the 2.1 front actually measured just under 1.9 and the 1.9 rear was 1.6. I am a big guy and these tires didn't handle well in the loose rocks and creek bottoms that are prevalent on the trails I ride. Traction seemed to be OK but it would dart around in the cobblestone and larger rocks. I will probably take these off and put them on my daughter's bike and go back to the Control/Master combo. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
bradon
a Cross-Country Rider
from Reno
Date Reviewed: April 27, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Peavine | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
dry surfaces | | Weaknesses: |
loose stuff | | Similar Products Used: |
I've had tires on my mtn. bike before | | Bike Setup: |
titianium hardtail | | Bottom Line: | Seems like you either hate these tires or love 'em. I happen to like 'em. It's hardly ever muddy here and there's lots of rocks so they seem to do pretty good on our dry trails. I will say that if it's sandy or loose they will wash out. I haven't experienced any odd wear patterns. On a side note I have a real hard time telling the difference between tires, really the only time I notice that one set is grippier than another is right after I get them and they still have those little spikes on the knobs. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Neil
a Weekend Warrior
from Calabaas
Date Reviewed: April 24, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Malibu Creek | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Fairly Light | | Weaknesses: |
Excessive Wear
Front tire does not corner well at speed on any kind of non-hardpack surface | | Similar Products Used: |
Fire Pro XC
Michelin | | Bike Setup: |
Mtn Cycle San Andreas 4.5Stratos/4 Z1 BAM | | Bottom Line: | Less than impressive performance, and very poor wear. Knobs are wearing off on the rear tire and simply put neither of the tires grab well on any surface, front or rear. Definitely time for either a semi slick (Lighter & faster and probably better hold) or my Fire Pro XC's. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Racer X
a Racer
from College Park, MD
Date Reviewed: April 20, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Light, produces more traction than a semi-slick at a negligible increase in rolling resistance. | | Weaknesses: |
Weak sidewalls. Produces slightly more traction than a semi-slick. | | Similar Products Used: |
IRC Mythos Slick | | Bike Setup: |
Aluminum Hardtail | | Bottom Line: | From the previous reviews I have read, you either love these tires, or you hate them. I DESPISE these tires. They perform fine on hardpack dirt. But even on hardpack, the front has a tendency to wash-out without warning when aggressively turned. On rocky surfaces, the tires cannot hold a straight line. On technical climbs, the rear tire looses traction too soon with no hope of recovery. You have to pump these things to 50 psi so you don't pinch flat (I only weigh 150 lbs.). Good tire for racing on hardpack. Bad tire for anything else. Do not buty these tires if you plan to ride technical trails/descents. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Craig
a Cross-Country Rider
from Orange, CA
Date Reviewed: April 12, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Light wieght | | Weaknesses: |
Pinch flats, wash-outs, soft compound | | Bike Setup: |
Seven Ti, SX Carbon | | Bottom Line: | The bottom line is: If you ride a rocky trail you get a flat. If you descend on hard fireroad you wash-out. If you climb a big gear you shred side wall. Unfortunalty, I put these tires on both my hard tail and full suspension. $120.00 wasted! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rob Jordan
a Weekend Warrior
from Silver Spring, MD
Date Reviewed: March 31, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
exellent in hardpack or rocky conditions, front tire has great resistance against washing out | | Weaknesses: |
rear tire not that great in mud or loose gravel | | Similar Products Used: |
Panaracer Smokes, Continental Cross Country | | Bike Setup: |
Performance Ti with Judy XC | | Bottom Line: | These tires are light and fast....great in hard pack and rocky conditions....not that great in mud or loose gravel. However, I like them alot and definitely recommend them. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gote
a Cross-Country Rider
from Klagenfurt,Austria
Date Reviewed: March 27, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Bottom Line: | The ultimate tires for Austrian Mud Trails. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ray
a weekend warrior
from PA
Date Reviewed: March 11, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
this tire got me through a very slick race course. others where spining out, but i got good traction. they also weigh less then most. that does come at the cost of the sidewalls being prone to tears. even with this problem i still give this tire high marks. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a cross-country rider
from USA
Date Reviewed: March 8, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
HI THERE. I WAS SURE WHICH NEW TIRES TO GET THIS SEASON. IT WAS BETWEEN THE FIRE XC OR IRC MYTHOS 2.1 TIRES. I USED THE MYTHOS LAST SEASON. MAN THESE TIRE GRAB AND CORNER LIKE A HOT BMW ON THE ROAD. BUT ON THE TRAILS. THESE TIRES ARE SO AWESOME. THEY DON'T SPEND ON THE CLIMBS LIKE MY OLD TIRES DID. CONTI!! HEHEHE THEY GRAB AND GIVE YOU A NICE TIGHT RIDE. AND REALLY MOVE ON THESE TIRES TOO. MY ADVISE IS FOR YOU TO GET THIS ON YOUR BIKES. BUT GET THE 2.1'S IF YOU DO FOR FRONT AND REAR. AND YOU WON'T LOOK BACK. HAVE THIS SUMMER ON TIRES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE. SEE YA ON THE TRAILS. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a cross-country rider
from NY
Date Reviewed: February 26, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
Hey IRC, when you sell a 1.95 tire it should at least measure close to 1.9 inches! I bought the 1.95's and put them on my rims. They looked wimpy so I got the calipers out to measure - not even 1.7. Guy's, if you're gonna ride only hardpack XC maybe these are ok. I swapped them for the 2.1's. Don't make my mistake. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Travis
a cross-country rider
from Auburn, CA
Date Reviewed: February 21, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I love these light, traction happy speed demons. They work great for fast and technical singletrack and fire roads. Conering is great, as well as wet conditions. Be careful in mud though. Braking and speed is better if you turn the rear tire around backwards, but you lose a little cornering. Great tire, but suck in mud. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
derek
a cross-country rider
from Minnesota
Date Reviewed: February 15, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I replaced a set of Tioga Psycho-Ks with these tires and aside from the 1/3 pound-per wheel weight loss (equals I accelerate way quicker with these), they also corner great on anything except mud. Mud + corner = you eat the mud in the corner. They do have a great tread life as well. I've got 2500 miles on mine and they look maybe halfway to becoming slicks. A good investment for anyone wanting to eek out just a little more speed. Oh yeah..the weight spec on this page is a bit off. I'm running 2.1s and they about 540 in front and about 560 in back. Not a big deal, but 50 grams in tire can make a big difference. I'd give it 4.5 burning thingies, but I can't do that on the chili-meter. So, I'll give it 5 since I don't ride in mud much with these on. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
JAY HEMPHILL
a racer
from DESOTO KANSAS USA
Date Reviewed: February 10, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
These tires are simply one of the best tires on the market. The are light and role fast. The front tire has awsome cornering ability. The rear tire climbs well except when it gets to loose. They are very predictable under braking and have a decent tread life. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
BJN
a cross-country rider
from Salt Lake City
Date Reviewed: February 8, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I don't get the rave reviews posted here for the Mythos tires, I'd put them in the mediocre category. The front tire squims on hard surfaces and feels like it wants to break loose in quick turns. The rear tire is okay, no standout but not terrible, either. They're sorta reasonably priced... is anyone but me tired of paying automobile tire prices for bike tires? | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben
a racer
from Canada
Date Reviewed: February 8, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I have been riding the mythos for about 6 months now. I thought that nothing was better than the mythos. They are a good tire they roll fast they grip realy well and they are cheap. I found not too many complaints with my mythos. I also tried the panaracer fire xc pros and that is the only reason for not giving the mythos a 5-star. Panaracer fire xc pros just slightly edge out the mythos. Mythos are still a great tire. They work a lot better on hardpack courses but they still will work on loose or slightly wet courses. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lanceer
a weekend warrior
from Northridge, CA
Date Reviewed: February 8, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I am running the 2.1 Mythos on the front of my Cannondale with a 1.95 Duster Pro for the rear. Stability is great with the Mythos,the rubber compound is soft, good for a soft ride and adhesion. I rate this tire way above the Specialized Team Masters (red stripe) which I took off both front and rear in less than 50 miles. The Specialized Tead Editions are in the garage. However, I would rate the Mythos just behind the Conti Navigator Pro which I consider as the #1 front tire. The Navigator is currently on another bike I have. The Mythos/Duster Pro is a very good combination, the Duster Pro is a vey fast tire and a good rear for me which I would describe as cross-country riding. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Benji
a cross-country rider
from Arizona
Date Reviewed: February 2, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
Wow! Either I got much faster since I put on these tires, or they are the best I have ever ridden on. 'Nuff said! Nothing better for Southern Arizona terrain, light too! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nate Clark
a cross-country rider
from Raleigh, NC
Date Reviewed: January 27, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
Great tires, most of the time. I love the front. Only been using the rear for a while now and hae found out that it sucks in the mud, especially if you have to unweight it by standing on the pedals. Am going t try turning it around to see if that helps. Can't wait for the summer to get here though and for all this shit to dry up. I'm sure the rear tire will kick ass in dry conditions. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sky
a cross-country rider
from SF NY USA
Date Reviewed: January 23, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
These are pretty cool tires. Somehow I got them with my C'dale F400, and they really work great. I have plenty of traction on leaves, snow, rocks (well gravel) everything. No complaints here! They just do what they are supposed to, that's all I want in a tire. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a cross-country rider
from
Date Reviewed: January 21, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I've had these tires for about three months now. Great traction in most conditions and a good price, too. These are also very light tires. Need
more? The Volvo-Cannondale team has been using them for some now. The best
racing team in the world can't be wrong | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tim bugbee
a weekend warrior
from usa
Date Reviewed: January 19, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
i agree w/ most of the lukewarm praises i've seen. i've only run the rear
tire, and it seemed to hook up pretty well but slid out on occasion and didn't
shed mud too well either. but it rolled well, and was light. depends on what
you want your tire to do, and what kind of riding you are doing. fwiw, i've
switched to tioga factories front and rear, and run missiles on my other bike.one poor aspect is that the sidewall seems very vulnerable to tears. have seen
two tires w/ less than 3 months of riding get these. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Phil
a cross-country rider
from Santa Barbara, CA
Date Reviewed: January 18, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
These tires (knobby) came stock on my Heckler- got about 10 rides on them before I decided they didn't work at all. The rear tire works fairly well: I ride trails that are mostly loose dirt with angular rocks sticking up. The rear tire climbs fairly well, but didn't have enough traction to ride some of the more technical sections that I've had no problem riding with a Panaracer Smoke. The rear also descends fairly well, but not great in the terrain I ride.The front tire, on the other hand is a waste of rubber (at least they're light so its not wasting too much). Going up technical uphills the front is strange and unpredictable. If you keep it at 40 PSI it feels like riding a road tire over rocks, randomly twisting your wheel and sliding off rocks (I used to think your fornt tire didn't matter going uphill). However, this tire really gets scary coming downhill. It's impossible to go around a loose rocky turn at speed since the front tire breaks loose and never grips again. the only way I could find to make turns was to lock up and slide the rear wheel so the front wouldn't wash out.I finally replaced these tires with a set of boat anchor steel bead Panaracers (smoke $ dart). I figure until I can get some new kevlars I'm saving the weight in scar tissue since I'm spending alot more time riding and less time laying on the ground thinking I should have made that.so, I give the rear tire a 2 and the front a 0 for an average of 1. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
GProv
a cross-country rider
from Scottsdale AZ
Date Reviewed: January 17, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I've put about 400 miles on my 2.1's and I really like them. I ride a lot of very rough rocky terrain and so far they show almost no wear. At 150 lbs I'm probably considered a light weight and my riding style is light. I tend to be easy on equipment. The first time I took these tires out on the trail I noticed a difference immediately. Best word I can think of to describe them is bouyant. The soft rubber (or kevlar) gave my bike a springy responsive feel and smoothed out a lot of the small hits. No durability problems to date. Typically, I'll do some long downhill stretches at speed (22 - 25mph) over extremely sharp and rocky terrain and these tires just bounce over the tops - I love it!!! I've found 35 - 40 lbs of pressure works best for me. These tires do take a little more finesse than my previous tires. I find I need to make sure I weight the front end sufficeintly when turning at speed in loose stuff and the rear tire will slip a little on steep loose climbs if I don't weight it properly. This is a minor inconvenience considering how light, fast, and economical these tires are. I got mine for $22.00 each. These tires have definetly enhanced my riding pleasure and I give them 5 chilies. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
KLAM
a cross-country rider
from Toronto
Date Reviewed: January 17, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
Admittingly, the IRC Mythos XC kevlar tires are perhaps one of the most widely available and cheapest -- for a kevlar beaded tire. Most place sell the knobby for $25 and the semi-slick for $30. I have recently ordered an SS version for my bike wheel, but I am running the knobby on both front and rear currently.Cheap, reliable, and fast. The IRC Mythos XC kevlar wear-down relatively slow, but even if they didn't they'd be cheap enough to replace often. Branded as an all-condition cross-country tire, I would say they fit the description quite well except with an emphasis on hardpack/dry conditions where the particularly excel. In other conditions, they are decent if the rider is unable to have multiple wheelsets/condition-specific tire sets. They kevlar and wire beaded versions are light compared to their respective competition, offer good traction in all but the most demanding situations, and have low rolling resistance, especially for a knobby tire of this type.On the downside, the tires do not grip the best in some conditions. Afterall an all-condition tire cannot excel in all situations, compromises must be made, and IRC has decided to give up some mud, wet, loose environment traction for a low rolling resistance and faster rolling tire.In summary, the IRC Mythos XC has all the qualities of a great product: cheap, reliable, and of good design. They are fast dry/hardpack tires, but are only satisfactory on less favorable conditions. They are light and fast rolling.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
darrin
a cross-country rider
from northern VA
Date Reviewed: January 14, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
After a season of riding the 1.95 Mythos XCs I can some-up feelings about them in one word...mixed. Simply put, there are certain things these tires do better than any other tire I have ridden on; speed sections, dry traction, shedding mud (much better than the deep block WTB Velociraptors I have ridden for years). However, no one tire can do it all in wet and loose conditions ie. rain covered leaves these tires WILL break away. Tight cornering where rider weight must be used can cause them to slide. Overall, I have been happy with their performance. I do recommend turning the rear tire around for improved traction. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ed A.
a weekend warrior
from Washington, D.C.
Date Reviewed: January 8, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
The Mythos XC 1.9's came stock on my Marin Mt. Vision. So far so good. Basically I don't even think about the tires while I'm riding, which means they're doing well. The only terrain that I've noticed sub-par performance on is wet tree roots. The tires tend to slide a little, then hook-up. It's not bad enough to loose the bike, but you have to adjust and keep pedaling. Other than wet roots, they're pretty good for cross country. Climbing steep hills with wet leaves or mud has not been a problem for me. Braking is good all-around. Other terrain, including rocks in streams and pools of water or steep trail angles has been good too. They're very good all around tires - lightweight, quick, good traction in most conditions, reasonably priced and good-looking. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Phil...
a cross-country rider
from Alaska
Date Reviewed: January 6, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I thought I would post an updated review since I have put another season on my tires since my initial review. Over the last season I put many hard off-road miles on these tires, and they still hook up as good as ever. Wear has been minimal... but then I have avoided pavement, and I have always been good at feathering my brakes so that I don't skid. I find that poor braking practices, and town riding on pavement wreaks havoc on MTB tires regardless of brand (this includes my friends WTB Velociraptors->he rides in the city mostly, and his WTB are toast after one season!). So far I havn't even had a pinch flat even though a hard landing on a rock resulted in a flat spot on my rim (I spent alot of time trueing that rim afterwards...). They have less rolling resistance than a number of other knobbies I have tried, but get almost as much traction (is this possible given the laws of physics?), I find that I can corner with confidence, and climb most anything I could with my other tires (such as Panaracer Dusters, and Specialized ground controls). They falter in mud as the spaces between the lugs pack up, and then don't shed well. Still they shed better than the Panaracer Smoke and Dart set I had. For wet mucky trails I still stick with Panaracer Dusters... In some situations such as loose, deep, dry sand, or wet root-covered rutted single track, or over large wet rocks they, like most other tires, don't get me around any better than my skills enable me...
They are light, and they have a low rolling resistance, features that contribute greatly to my enjoyment of their use. Given their service so far, and the fact that they run around $50.00 - 60.00 (US) a pair, I would happily go out and buy a new set if the ones I have were to walk away.
5 stars for all uses but thick heavy mud. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Neil
a weekend warrior
from So California
Date Reviewed: January 3, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I spec'd them on My San Addreas as a good all round tire and fairly light. After 6 months and 400+ miles I am surprised at how quickly the rear is wearing. This should not be happening so soon. Also I have had trouble with the rear tire spinning out on steep climbs, and on loose surfaces. This happens whether I'm standing or sitting with or without the rear locked out. I'll take 50% of the blame for possible poor technique but 50% stays on the tire. I'm switching to the Panaracer Fire XC with the new rubber compound which is supposed to climb exceptionally and rolls well. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
johnjohnblazed
a cross-country rider
from marina cali
Date Reviewed: December 30, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
to all you cry baby sissy's,
these tires are probably the best that i have ridden on. i have had these tires on my bike for about a year and a half now. i have ridden everywhere you can imagine (MOab, Mammoth, norcal). they grip well on every surface that i have ridden on (mud, sand, fireroads, wet pavement) and i have no complaints. you girlie riders who have to walk up hills and push your your shit along don't even need to be riding a bike. try power walking!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Vince
a
from cross-country rider
Date Reviewed: December 30, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
The IRC Mythos XC 1.9's kick ass. I don't know what all these whiners are complaining about. This is simply the best tire I've ever ridden in any trail condition. I will say that I was told you must get the ones that are Made in Japan (says so on the sidewall). The ones Made in Korea are apparently crappy. So be warry of those bargain blowouts on this tire. Get the Japanese version and you'll be happy. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mitch Graham
a racer
from Cincinnati
Date Reviewed: December 26, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I was anxious to ride a pair of Mythos since I had seen them spec'd as original equipment on a truckload of bikes. So I spent 1 1/2 hours on some tame singletrack checking them out and WOW!!! - they really stink. They gave me very little confidence taking corners at speed. I wound up lowering the pressure in the front to the point of pinch flat danger zone before it would stick a corner. And then the rear. The minute a climb got loose, I could kiss it goodbye. I hate walking my bike up a hill - it's embarrassing! Put some more meat in the center section please. It astounds me that so many pro's race these. What's up? | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan
a racer
from Canada
Date Reviewed: December 24, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
These things suck so much ass I wish I'd never bought them they're aweful. Don't waste your money, they aren't very good. 2 stars only because they are cheap and nothing else and they were hard to wear down. Very long lasting
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mat
a downhiller
from italy
Date Reviewed: December 21, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
they are faboulous!i have been using them from one year in every condition and i never get a puncture.for cross contry are perfect.lights and strongs!they are also very fast on the street.only too thin the rear tire for agressive riding. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul
a weekend warrior
from New Zealand
Date Reviewed: December 20, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
These tyres rule they get so much more traction than my ol'e Hardrock'rs. I would recommend these for any XC rider or racer. They can cost a bit but what you get out of them is suffficiant for the money paid. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Clara
a cross-country rider
from Kalamazoo, Michigan
Date Reviewed: December 16, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
These tires SUCK. The slip all over the place on climbs and can't do sh.t in mud or water. They're common retail on several bikes from Cannondale and Trek, which is a pity because they're horrible. Go buy some Specialized Dirt Control Comps or Ritchey Speed Max Alphas. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Frank
a weekend warrior
from CT
Date Reviewed: December 15, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
These tires came stock on my Trek. I enjoyed them until the sidewall on my rear tire blew out. It seems like this is a common problem. I wish that guy from IRC would track me down and replace my rear tire too. PLEASE! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
j
a weekend warrior
from san diego
Date Reviewed: December 10, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
i have had these tires on three bikes now and would have to say that they are my overall favorite. they are very predictable on the terrain, dry and hard, that you will encounter in this area. they are not super wide, but still meaty and supple. they ride fine on pavement as well. i have had good longevity with both the kevlar and steel versions. they are cheap which is a huge bonus to a student on a budget. you don't notice them in most situations, which is the highest compiment. if you actually can notice your tires, there is something wrong with them. i used to ride ritcheys exclusively, omega, alpha, z max. these tires wore much faster and were squirrely at speed. also, no tools are neccesary for mounting and removal. great issue out in the sticks. later | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Freerider
a weekend warrior
from
Date Reviewed: December 5, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
These tires suck, plain and simple. They slip all over the place on steep climbs, suck in mud and sand, and flat easily. If you want a real tire, get Specialized Teams. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
john
a cross-country rider
from mn
Date Reviewed: December 4, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
They came on my f1000. About 250-300 miles the front tire sidewall blew out. Not to happy with this since it left me stranded to walk about 9 miles. Performance was good when they worked. Not to good in the mud though since they pack up easily. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a cross-country rider
from Maine
Date Reviewed: November 29, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This is an update to a previous review. I gave the tire a bad review because the sidewall blew out (that opinion still stands) and IRC a bad review for not responding to me when I sent them the tire.Joe Starton from IRC tracked me down through my review on this web site and sent me a new tire. I admire and appreciate the effort he went to in order to satisfy an unhappy customer. My low rating for the tire still stands due to it's failure, but I give IRC a full 5 for tracking me down and sending me a replacement tire. That raises them to 3 chillies. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian
a cross-country rider
from Tennessee
Date Reviewed: November 26, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I had these on my Cannondale Super V-700. I put about 500 miles on them before I knocked my rear wheel out of true and the brake pad tore into the sidewall. They were pretty good tires except when riding in the rain. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Juergen
a cross-country rider
from Germany
Date Reviewed: November 22, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
These are good tires. They came with my Cannondale Bike - but I use them ever since. I think they are good for about 1000 Miles - give and take a few. Even in snow - what we have here this time of the year - they are perfomring great - highly recommended. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
john
a weekend warrior
from so cal
Date Reviewed: November 21, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
this is an update to a previous review. although i think these tires are great for most conditions, i have concerns about their sidewalls. i just bought a new pair because i liked my last pair so much, but after the first really rocky trail that i rode through, there is a noticeable tear in the sidewall. this occurred on the 4th ride on these tires. it isnt all the way through yet, but i'd expect it to give away fairly soon so i am going to replace it. this may be a problem with the newer tires, because i never had any problems with the set that i have been running for over a year now. i have also noticed that the sidewall question has come up in the later reviews. i still like the tire, but i don't think IRC is making these as durable as they used to. probably because they are making so many of them for all the oem's. sad end to a once great tire. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul
a cross-country rider
from New Zealand
Date Reviewed: November 21, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
So far they have been great, they are way better than my old tires (Specialized Hardrock'r). But they weigh a bit more which can be a disadvantage doing jumps and stuff. But overall it is a great improvement and cornering is a lot easier. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Emmanuel
a weekend warrior
from SLC, UT
Date Reviewed: November 13, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Those are among the best tires I put on my bike. They grip fine while rolling well (I use the 2.1). However the durability is an issue: DO NOT EXPECT to put anywhere close to 2000miles like Chris suggest. I got both rear and front pretty much worn out after less than 600/800 miles. In addition I ripped the side of a rear one on a sharp rock. Still I love them . I might want to go bigger so. (missles?) If anyone has some imput Do not hesitate to write me. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris Hartzell
a racer
from Lebanon, New Hampshire
Date Reviewed: November 10, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Best tire I've ever put on my bike. Light, fairly cheap, and indestructable. I crashed two years ago and put a 3 inch slit in the sidewall of my front tire. A year and a half and 2000 miles later the tire still held up and I only got a couple flats (not due to the slit) Traction wise they rule. The only place they aren't that great is on tar, but, hey, it's tar, you're riding a mountain bike. Put two and two together here......... They shed mud so fast that the mud goes on the tire and then my face. They seem to wear fast but keep into consideration milage. They wore out in 2,000 miles of riding. That's a half year to me. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
peter sellers
a cross-country rider
from wales
Date Reviewed: November 3, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This a review for the rear. It excels in dry, hard pack for climbing ability, but most tires do!
It is an excellent alternative to slicks when there is just so much unpredicatable trail conditions ahead, so something with some grip on it is needed. It does not inspire confidence in its ability to climb up anything and because of this it is not the best tire going, however it does do its job as a good alrounder well, and performs exceptionally in most weather except for muddy climbs where there is little traction andd you are looking for one very special tire that would be a real pain to use for the rest of the rie which could be a real long time. Usable, lightweight fast spinning but not exceptional and most of all highly expensive really in the days when specialized fear master and control are £40 the pair folders and these are £70 the pair, from a good shop. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan
a cross-country rider
from Oakville. Ont.
Date Reviewed: November 2, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have had these tires for about six monthes and I am pretty happy with them because They grip well in in mud and in very dusty conditiions. I do a lot of trials and I am often on pavement but the grip has not gotten that worn eventhough I spend about 6 hours a week on pavement and about 4 hours a week on the trails. Generally I think these tires are very good they even grip very well when the pavement is wet. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rich
a racer
from St. Louis
Date Reviewed: October 31, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've used these tires the last half of the season, after trying slicks (pinch flats in almost every race) and Michelin Wildgrippers (tore off lugs on rear, scary handling in front). These tires have been extremely reliable- no flats, excellent handling in technical terrain at speed. They are absolutely predictable with my riding style. Not as fast as some tires, but they have not let me down at all. To date, they are the best all-around tire for use on dry to semi-dry technical trails with a combination of surfaces- hardpack, loose sharp rock, embedded rock, bedrock, creek crossings, sandy sections, pea gravel. I use old Specialized Storm Control for the muddy stuff, so don't need these to handle muddy trails. No tire is perfect for all conditions, and these are meant to be all-around, so can't give them or any other all-around tire a 5. But if I had to choose one tire to ride and race under a variety of conditions, the Mythos suit me fine. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
CHRIS
a cross-country rider
from VA
Date Reviewed: October 27, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have tried numerous pairs of mythos hoping that the sidewall problems would hopefully be isolated incidents because I truly believe that these tires rule, but after my sidewall shredded itself and caused my rear tire to blow out during this weekends race I am going to finally switch tires because that is the 3rd time that has happened. 5 chilis for performance, -3 for crappy sidewalls(rear tire only). | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a cross-country rider
from Stow, Maine
Date Reviewed: October 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Bought a pair this spring and have about 1500 miles on them. I ride some tar, dirt, old double track and rocky, muddy single track. Many hard hits-no flats. There is nothing but hills here. They climb very well. This area has many places with that special black primal forest mud that will stick to anything. The mythos cannot escape the special quality of that mud and do fillup. I must say they have not left me midmud and seem to make it through some godawfull messes. A good all-around tire and light. Got ot go with 5!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
chris
a cross-country rider
from CT
Date Reviewed: October 18, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Man these tires SUCK, i hate that rear tire... it sucks in Mud, it sucks in WET!!! (really). and i have gotten 3 flats in the rear, in my last 2 rides! (kevlar MY A**) kevlar is a bunch of BS... dont think it works! this thing does not grip at all when it is the SLIGHTEST bit wet... the treds have worn down quick!... all i have to say is that tis tire blows, dont buy it!
I am giving it 2 chilies because, it is pretty quick. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Richard
a
from cross-country rider
Date Reviewed: October 14, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I read here a month back about sidewall blow out problems with the tires. Well, my 2 and a half month old front tire had to be replaced. The sidewall had a slight tear in it and was gonna go soon. After exmaining my tire I also noticed a few tears in it too, but nothing as bad as the front. I don't consider myself that much of a wreckless mountain biker, so the problems surprised me. The tires perform well for what I do, but the life expectancy does not impress me. I replaced the front tire with a new IRC Mythos, so let's see if this one does better. I also checked out the IRC web site and saw they have developed a new Kevlar based sidewall that will hopefully lessen this problem. I'll be looking for that tire in the spring. Overall I do like the tires because of the weight and how they perform on a variety of surfaces. I ride everything from roads, to tight technical rocky trails and the tires perform well. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tomas Rendl
a cross-country rider
from Czech Republic
Date Reviewed: October 7, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
These tires do work fine on dry terrain, but don't ride them when it's wet. I made this mistake today. Not a bad crash though. No material damage, just a few more scars and bruises. This was not the first time these tires failed me on wet rocks or roots. So, beware! It's not an all-round tire. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
B. van Leuven
a cross-country rider
from San Clemente, Ca
Date Reviewed: October 6, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
These tires have worked out real well for me out on the trails of So. Cal. They are predictable and build confidence on all types of terrain except for mud, but if you live in Cali your not too concerned about that anyway. If you live in Southern California, I highly recommend them. Read through the other reviews from people who live in the same region; you'll see that they too have very good things to say about them. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a weekend warrior
from Colorado
Date Reviewed: September 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I absolutely hated these tires. The rear was better than front but still no where near the quality of Continental. The handling of my new bike improved greatly when I removed the Mythos and went back to Conti. I don't know about longevity because the IRC's were still mostly new when they were removed. My specific complaint is that it felt as if the sidewall was rolling over during hard cornering. I tried adjusting air pressure but could not alleviate problem. Quality control was also a problem as front tire had a kink in it which led to a wobble. So maybe the tires would handle better if the tire was built correctly - but it wasn't. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tomas Rendl
a cross-country rider
from Czech Republic
Date Reviewed: September 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
These tires are great for dry conditions, even in mud they do a pretty good job. The best thing about them though is that in 1200 km I have never had a pinch flat. Well, until today when I hit the curb with my rear wheel so hard that I ruined the rim. I guess no tire is supposed to withstand that. Five chillies because they are bullet-proof. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
TAZMAN
a weekend warrior
from CHARLESTON, SC
Date Reviewed: September 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
These tires came stock on my Super V500 and I have put over 1200 miles of hard riding on them inluding three cross country races, very harsh rocky single track in Connecticutt and all the dirt riding here in SC. I never had a pinch flat or other structural failure. The only flat I had was due to a piece of glass. I am very impressed by the way the tires stick to the trails, many time I thought I was going down and suddenly I was right back up. I am going to stick with these babies. 5 red hot ones!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Johnny MMX
a cross-country rider
from Sacramento
Date Reviewed: September 17, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
How does Allison Sydor race with these tires? I don't know. I bought the kevlar 2.1. The tires work great when you want to create a sliding turn on a very tight downhill switchback (Napa World Cup course). The tires don't seem to track very well. But, it's great for concrete, that is, low rolling resistance. It's not very inspiring for technical descents with thousands of sharp jaggedy rocks, loose gravel, and ruts. I've quit racing with those tires. So, I've switched back to my velocityraptors. Don't get me wrong here. The tires do work for your typical world cup race courses, however, they suck in very technical riding areas. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Buti Luca
a racer
from Italy
Date Reviewed: September 7, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Mythos 1.95 F.
Great tire with affordable price. It allow yourself to stay on the bike where the other will fail in a large variety of terrains.
Only disavantage is the compund too soft for a big durability personally I recommend to replace it after 8/10 serious races.
Rolling resistence is not too hight for a soft, knobby tire. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a cross-country rider
from Denver, CO
Date Reviewed: September 1, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I was pretty excited when I first got these tires from the weight/price standpoint(CO Cyclist is selling these for $22 a tire, and Performance honors that price). I had been riding a semi-slick in the back (Ritchey mud max) for sometime that I picked up for cheap. That had convinced me that you really don't need a whole lot of meat to climb even the loosest trails it is really all about body weight placement and torque ratios.
With that in mind I picked up a set of the IRCs and have been very pleased with their performance up until last week when I noticed I had a tear in the sidewall of the front, not good. If you are wondering, yes these did have the higher thread count.Might have been a fluke, not sure. At $22 for a Kevlar bead I will give them another chance after I burn up the new tire I just put on.Overall - 4 mister hankies on napalm - , minus two for the sidewall but plus one for the price.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Frank
a cross-country rider
from Tucson, AZ
Date Reviewed: August 19, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This review for the foldable IRC Mythos XC is divided into two parts: the front tire and the rear tire. Overall the front tire is a fairly decent performer in desert conditions, which includes terrain from loose rocks, sand, hardpack and slickrock. It has predictable tracking and excellent shock absorbing characteristics for a narrow tire. Furthermore, it is light and the beads are easy to seat making flats easy to repair on the trail. Even though the width says 2.1, it appears to be more similar to a 1.95. Prior to this incident I would have given it five chilies, but I can now only give it two since I split the sidewall on my last ride. The sidewall had a quarter inch gash in which the inner tube was slightly protruding. Although this singletrack trail was technical and extremely rocky, I have never had a split sidewall with any of the other numerous tires I have tried. I replaced the front with another Mythos to see if this was just an isolated incident. The tire that split its sidewall still had a lot of tread left so, from what I could tell, it seemed to wear better than Specialized tires, but not as well as Continentals. I'll probably keep the Mythos in the front if the sidewall holds up. Looking at the previous review, however, I have my doubts. I have also heard from other local riders that they have split the sidewalls also. So it appears that the Mythos gain their lightness by sacrificing sidewall strength. Not a good idea for screaming descents.
The rear tire's strong suit is that, like the front tire, it is light, has low rolling resistance, and great shock absorbing characteristics. However, traction in sand and on steep climbs is not as good as my former Continental Traction Pro. Next time I'm going back to the Traction Pro in the rear as it is just as light and it wears better also. The Traction Pro's only drawback in desert conditions is that the bead is harder to seat than the Mythos's - an important attribute where thorny vegetation makes punctures a constant threat. Like the front tire, I give the rear Mythos two chilies.
All things considered, the Mythos front and rear tire set are lightweight and fairly decent performers in desert conditions. Their durability is questionable, however. I also rode them this summer in high elevation, technical Colorado singletrack. They did fine except when the going got extremely muddy. Then they seemed to suffer somewhat as they failed to shed mud very well.
| | Overall Rating: |
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