Weaknesses: skids fairly easily, but so do all slick tires.
Bottom Line:
I run these tires on my DJ bike and i just love them. they roll just as fast as any dirt tire, but have cornering knobs so you don't slide out. If you ask me, all companies should make a tire like this. The cornering isn't quite as good as a lot of other knobbies, but it's way better than most dirt tires.
Strengths: great all round tyre,,never fails to save my arse anyway,i use this tyre on some serious downhill sections and i getplenty of arse end action from it but nothing to crazy,only thing is the grip climbing hills
Submitted by
TreeFarmer
a Weekend Warrior
from Novi,MI, USA
Date Reviewed: July 9, 2010
Strengths: Low Rolling resistance, acceleration, commuting with your mountain steed
Weaknesses: Any type of trail other than hard pack (sand, mud, loose), climbing if you get out of the saddle
Bottom Line:
I picked these up for $20/pair when Jenson was clearing their stock back in '07. I used them primarily for commuting at about 65-70 psi which is higher than recommended. They work really well for that.
I wore out my kenda kinetics and ordered a new set of knobbies but while I'm waiting I thought I'd take these guys out on my local trail. Well, they blew me away. My local trail had everything from a little bit of mud, a touch of sand, and a ton of good hard pack. The first thing I noticed is that they accelerate like nobody's business thanks to the low rolling resistance. I also discovered that they corner extremely well. Here is the the impressive part though. Simply by throwing these tires on my bike, I increased my average speed from 8 mph to 10.5. And that's with some stops to adjust my break pads.
I weigh 210 geared up and run em at 40/45 psi in the front/rear. I highly recommend these tires for anyone who mostly rides dry hardpack. The only thing that keeps 'em from 5 chilies is that I had my back end slide out a couple times unexpectedly. It was predictable, but still a little scary.
Similar Products Used: Kenda Kinetics (not exactly similar but they're my other tires)
Bike Setup: Trek 4900, fairly equivalent to stock except everything has been worn out or broken at least once
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Submitted by
envylouis
a Weekend Warrior
from Singapore
Date Reviewed: November 29, 2009
Strengths: very low resistance , nice looking . Brakes well .
Weaknesses: Only one size 2.36 .
Bottom Line:
I like this tires , works well on dry and wet road , i can even jump on this from a curb or bunny hop to a curb . The only thing is there 's only in size 2.36 . Its almost touching my seat stay . I fact when i corner there is slight scratching to the seatstay as my rear rim is slightly out of true , it would be nice if they are more sizes to choose from . Really like the traction and everything .
Similar Products Used: this is my first semi slick
Bike Setup: Raleigh Canyon ( Stock )
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Submitted by
Victor
a Cross Country Rider
from Taipei, Taiwan
Date Reviewed: February 3, 2008
Strengths: Surprising grip on the front - its basically a slick but it never slid out in the mud or wet soil. I can recall only two times that I lost traction and slid out, all of 5 cm, on a wet rock during rain. It digs into the ruts and allows you to place the front wheel up the side of the rut to allow the rear tire to follow you down the middle. Can run very low pressure, and with the lack of the center knobs it presents a VERY wide square profile to the surface. The tire measures 2.25" wide on 25mm internal rims, but on the ground its more like 2.5" due to the flat profile. You do not need a tread to travel across rocks, roots and other hard and usually the most challenging riding surfaces. Less tread = more rubber and less air on that slippery rock.
On pavement it has stupid amount of grip, even in the wet. I did an emergency (and accidental) stoppie and the front did not slide whatsoever. That, combined with also surprisingly effective (and stiff) fork made it look like I was pulling a stunt rather than almost totaling myself.
When pumped up hard, it also rolls very very fast for travel to the trail head.
Weaknesses: In the wet, I would not mind trying a 42a version on the front - but its not available. The main weakness is that my riding buddies think I am a fool or a department store bike buyer as everyone still equates grip with giant tread patterns. This instills a degree of doubt in my equipment, but that is quickly dispelled as soon as I start riding.
On the rear, it just does not work very well on my current bike. I cannot climb well when its wet, I also cannot stop as the tire has almost no grip when there is limited weight on it. It is also very nervous when used on the rear. I think that the transition from slick to knobby does not work very well as a rear tire in technical conditions. It is like having two different tires - on the front its awesome, on the rear its scary (when wet and off-road).
Bottom Line:
Very good grip up front, adheres to mud ruts, fast rolling when pumped up hard. Depending on your bike geometry, not recommended as an all-round rear tire.
Bike Setup: raleigh m80 disc many mods & ironhorse yakuza ojiki
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Submitted by
Brian
a Weekend Warrior
from Davis, CA
Date Reviewed: June 2, 2007
Strengths: Light, Very stiff sidewalls, Look good.
Weaknesses: Forget about climbing a steep hill
Bottom Line:
Not much traction for climbing or braking. Pretty decent on hardpack. The stiff sidewalls allows you to run very low air pressure without getting a pinch flat.
I pretty much only put these on when I want to fool around and ride like a hooligan around town.
Bike Setup: Santa Cruz Bullit, Monster T, Vanilla RC
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Submitted by
Dan
a Cross Country Rider
from Lancaster, PA
Date Reviewed: March 25, 2007
Strengths: Stiff sidewall, lettering
Weaknesses: ROLLING RESISTANCE OFF ROAD! Wet condition tracktion.
Bottom Line:
I purchased these tires, being a big fan of the off road slick. I had some initial reservation after hearing of a friend who had a knobbed version of the tire, road months with it. He eventually figured out that it was not being out of shape that was slowing him down , but some unexplainablely huge rolling resistance that his knobby tire generates. I chanced it with the semi-slick version thinking his knobbies were the cause. No such luck. Any of my knobby tires roll faster, no exaggerating. Traction is great and on-road performance may be good as other reveiews say, but don't expect to go fast off-road.
Similar Products Used: Panaracer Mach series, Ritchey semi-slicks
Bike Setup: Rocky Mountain ETSX
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Submitted by
Zach
a Downhiller
from Naperville, IL
Date Reviewed: July 1, 2006
Strengths: Best of both worlds Dirt and Street
Weaknesses: haven't found on yet
Bottom Line:
if you can't decide and you ride both dirt and street equally or more street and a little dirt highly recommended check them out at JensonUSA.com best price on the web
Favorite Trail: What's ever in my way I make it fun
Duration Product Used: 6 months
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At: JensonUSA.com
Similar Products Used: Bontrager Earl, Tioga
Bike Setup: Big Earl Crank, Primo meat tenderizer pedals, Maxxis High Roller Semi Slick tires for urban and Earls for the trails, and late night riding I have front and rear lights and of course Lizard Skins Chain Stay protector and aluminum bar ends
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Submitted by
skylar mellby
a Downhiller
from san diego, CA , U.S.A.
Date Reviewed: March 8, 2006
Strengths: excelent traction allways. looks bad because not enough tread but really is great at Down Hilling
Submitted by
Jason McKinney
a Weekend Warrior
from Olympia, WA
Date Reviewed: March 26, 2005
Strengths: Strong sidewall, low rolling resistance in urban situations, hooks up when you need traction off road
Weaknesses: could be wider
Bottom Line:
I have a course at home in my yard that consists of DJ's, Ramps, Skinnies, and Ladders. This tire is great at all of it. If you are an urban rider who needs some traction occasionally this tire works great.
