Advanced tread design:
A World Cup-proven tread pattern that rolls fast, yet maximizes traction and control.
Low rolling resistance. Silicium tread compound and intelligent tread design make this a fast tire on hardpacked terrain, yet it holds its own in loose conditions.
High-density 127 tpi casing
with lightweight foldable beads
Silicium Inside
Silicium is a natural elastomer modified and reinforced with silica, which combines low rolling resistance and impressive mud-shedding capability with remarkable durability. Silicium is used in both green and black tread compounds.
Submitted by
Matej
a Weekend Warrior
from Kranjska Gora, Slovenia
Date Reviewed: August 5, 2006
Strengths: Very fast tyres, tarmac, all sorts of single tracks, but usefull more or less in dry conditions
Weaknesses: No very good in wet conditions, you get a flat easily unless you fill it over 3 bars (up to 4) on a fully!, but then they only bounce around and you get no good grip at all. In 8 months they started to look like an old rubber starting to get more and more small cracks until I finally rip the rear one appart.
Bottom Line:
It's a very nice tyre for dry cross country riding, but if you like to drive crazy down the hill especially on the rocks keep away, you'll walk most of the time and spend time changing and patching tyres!
Strengths: fast,great for reduced pinch flats even with low psi,sticky on dry pact and rock.
Weaknesses: very squiraly on loose stuff, exremely short life span.
Bottom Line:
Race it and only race it a few times and do your preride b4 you decide. When they work, they rox as for the short time that they last. Not for train or rec rides at all.
Similar Products Used: Lol, lets just say Im a tire junky!
Bike Setup: sugar 1
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Submitted by
Andrew
a Weekend Warrior
from Boulder, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: September 12, 2005
Strengths: Good traction, climbs well
Weaknesses: Squirly on roads
Bottom Line:
For the price, this tire isnt too bad. I've had it for about 2 years now and have had no major complaints. I ride to work on pavement with it and at high speeds it tends to be a little unstable. On the trail, though, this tire does its job.
Strengths: Light weight and low rolling resistance.
Weaknesses: Not great in muddy or wet conditions.
Bottom Line:
I used these tyres all year with the eclipse tubeless system and found them okay. They rolled quick and I never got a flat (until I had a blow out yesterday). They struggled in wet conditions, espeically in mud (had a very close testicle stem incident last week on a steep uphill wheel spin).
I have now got a set of Panaracer Trailrakers because I have got tired of coming off as my mates ride on in the mud and rain (we get a lot of that here).
Similar Products Used: Michelan XLS, Conti Escape/Explorer
Bike Setup: Giant NRS, Psylo SL, Hope Mono Minis, Hope/Mavic Wheels, SRAM XO shifters, X9 Rear Mech, XT Front Mech, Race Face Turbine cranks, Profile bars, stem. Race Face Pin, Flight Saddle, Time Pedals.
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Submitted by
Bob Stickers
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, Ontario
Date Reviewed: November 28, 2004
Strengths: Basically these are my (used on rear only) pythons for low-mid mud, fall leaves and such on trails that generally the pythons work very well on. They fit the bill well. Good grip on top layer 1/2 inch muck with somewhat firm soil underneath even when climbing tough stuff. On rear 1.95 version does well even with lower speed high torque and turning climbs. Everything else generally found on XC type trails not a problem. Very happy with mud clearing ability. The tire also seems to stab through and didn't pack up with wet partially decomposed leaves. Traction also good on rocks and wet wood.
Weaknesses: Wished it was a little higher volume tire so that slightly lower PSI could be run. For a 150 lbs rider I'm using 33 lbs. No problems yet but I have yet to really slam into anything hard yet. I usually run python air lights at frt 26/rear 28 which some would consider low and have never had a low PSI type flat in their 2+ year life.
Bottom Line:
Good tire! Fast, light, good when your light XC race tire needs a little more grip although you could easily run them all the time so good fall/mucky tire.
Similar Products Used: Jones rear - POS. Hutchinson Pythons great all around tire except for mud, fantastic on hard pack. Very fast. and light Michelin Hot S - used as fall/spring mucky front tire. Fairly good, little heavy but will cut through the crap and bite down especially when run in rear mode on front. Nokian Extreme 296 - winter/ice, excellent. Recommend looking at the newer lighter version with kevlar beads and lower weight. Tires weigh nearly 1000g a piece. But nothing like studded tires when you need them.
Bike Setup: NRS Air 2001 frame with CK hubs, ceramic 517, Sid Team fork and dis and dat and what naught.
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Submitted by
adam
a Cross Country Rider
from kokomo
Date Reviewed: May 10, 2004
Strengths: fabulous tires! this is a follow-up to my initial review. i ride a couple of miles on pavement to get to a local park that i train at, so something that provides low-friction and wear resistence on asphalt is a plus. this tire does everythng right!
Weaknesses: none, little hard to find, but otherwise performanc is top notch
Similar Products Used: none, these tires exclusively now
Bike Setup: 2004 giant NRS air frame, crossmax wheels, XT/XTR derailleurs, easton components, crank bros. pedals, skareb fork, race face crank
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Submitted by
Robert
a Weekend Warrior
from Philippines
Date Reviewed: September 26, 2003
Strengths: Light weight, very low rolling resistance
Weaknesses: Not too grippy of wet surfaces
Bottom Line:
These tires start out perfect especially of dry trail conditions even on loose gravel fireroads. They also roll great on the road so this makes them perfect for the on-road stretch going to the trailhead. They start loosing traction after a few months of use when the knobbies start to give especially of wet surfaces. They would have the perfect all around tires except the they do slip unexpectedly and I have started doubting it and makes my riding sketchy and too cautious. Hey I need better tires!
Submitted by
adam
a Cross Country Rider
from Kokomo, IN
Date Reviewed: September 3, 2003
Strengths: i have only ridden on these tires a couple of times. i needed something light, UST, fast and durable on pavement and serious on off-road conditions all for a good price. these tires seem to work well.
Weaknesses: none as of yet, i just hope they don't wear out so fast like my old Tioga red pheonix tires
Bottom Line:
good tires so far, fast on the street, corners well, light, good in grass and off road stuff. looking foward to how they handle
Bike Setup: EPX Terrashark frame, mostly XT drivetrain, easton bar and stem and marzoochi MX Pro fork, crossmax ust disk
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Submitted by
Saietor Blackgreen
a Cross Country Rider
from Moscow, Russia.
Date Reviewed: July 3, 2003
Strengths: Low rolling resistance, good on asphalt, great on trails, sandy and dirty roads, in wet sh#t also. Good puncture resistance.
Weaknesses: Unstable in turns on hardpack - difficult to keep high speed in the city.
Bottom Line:
Got the last pair very cheap. Almost 1500 km passed - weared out just to note the wear, they gonna roll for many more thousands. Got 2 flats using "ultra thin" tyres. Went to "thin" ones - passed almost 800 km without any flats.
Tried CAAD3-based bike with Michelin Jet - despite the longer base it allows much sharper turns. Gonna go to Crimea - asphalt mountain roads with high-speed turns, so I buy Michelin Jet or other semislicks with small side knobs.
But Comp S will stay for trails and forests - they are awesome! 4 for price, 5 for perfomance - there are no ideal things, but good things deserve to be called "perfect".
Strengths: great wear, tire is still holding up great after a season that included many terain types
Weaknesses: squirrely handling needs some getting used to
Bottom Line:
Got mine on closeout. These are an all around great tire, they work in all sorts of conditions. A little more aggresive grip would be good in climbs to give that extra umph and the handling was squirrely which took a little while to get used to. The green ones shed the mud great.
Bike Setup: '98 CDale f500 with various upgraded components, headshok fatty
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Submitted by
Johnny Cash
a Cross Country Rider
from Madision, USA
Date Reviewed: February 22, 2003
Strengths: Great grip, Longlasting, reliable, Light, Great in terrain
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
Theses tires manage all type of terrain. Great traction in any condition. Very long lasting, no signs of wear-out. Are a bit slow on asfalt but perfect for woods and rocky terrain. A reliable tire
Submitted by
Lee Kline
a Cross Country Rider
from Tampa
Date Reviewed: January 24, 2003
Strengths: light weight
Weaknesses: very unpredictable
Bottom Line:
Liked the green look to the tire but that is about where the love affair ended. Only bought 1 tire and orginally used on the front. 1st thing I noticed was that it had pretty good traction (almost to much compared to my phythons) but w/ the traction came a high tendency to wash out in the turns if leand hard causing me eat it especially in soft sand. The tire never tells you when it is going to give just does it very quickly so you can't react. Swapped to the back and things got better but feels a little to fishtaily when ridding agggressive. The lackof side knobs is the reason for this. If you want a good set of michelins try the hot-s they are very aggressive and the rolling resistance isn't the best but they hook up real well and are very predictable. Bottom line this tire sucks for the front ok for the rear.
Similar Products Used: pythons hot-s cont. vert pro
Bike Setup: specialized fsr manitou, xtr, tru-vativ, thomson etc...
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Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Seattle
Date Reviewed: January 6, 2003
Strengths: Cool color, great traction in hardpack and wet soil.
Weaknesses: Weak sidewall. Floats in mud
Bottom Line:
I would not recommend these. The sidewalls are too weak. The sidewall blew out mid-ride forcing me to boot the tire with energy bar wrappers (I got another hour this way).
Submitted by
Rex
a Cross Country Rider
from Palo Alto, CA
Date Reviewed: December 9, 2002
Strengths: Good Traction, cool green color.
Weaknesses: Sidewall tear
Bottom Line:
Overall pretty good traction for the rear and good directional guidance for the front. Did not differ much from the Ritchey Z Max tires. I suffered tears on the rear tire sidewall and suffered flats from the casing eroding throught the inner tubes. Did not last as long as the Ritcheys. Will be trying Continental Explorers and Escape for the next set.
Submitted by
Glenn Vernes
a Cross Country Rider
from Middletown CT
Date Reviewed: November 28, 2002
Strengths: None really
Weaknesses: Wear way too fast, lose traction quickly, poor compared to other tires I've tried
Bottom Line:
I can't recommend them. They wear out way too fast (appreciable wear on the rear after 3 rides!) and they lose traction quickly with no warning. This last fact caused a serious crash that put me out for three months. They work alright on dry hardpack, but so do other tires without the drawbacks. Ride through mud and you just churn the tire, no traction at all. If you're looking for a fast rolling tire the Conti Explorer Pro is a better bet.
