Home | Reviews | Tire | Panaracer

Panaracer Mach SS Tire

4/5 (45 Reviews)

Write a review

Weight : 550 grams <br>(26 x 1.95) MSRP : $30.00


  • Store Price

Product Description

Suitable for high speed, dry, cross-country riding and racing.


Review Options:  Sorted by Latest Review | Sort by Best Rating

Reviews 1 - 15 (45 Reviews Total) | Next 15

User Reviews

Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:4
Submitted by FishMan a Cross Country Rider from Champaign, IL

Date Reviewed: April 14, 2003

Strengths:    low rolling resistance, solid cornering

Weaknesses:    obviously, they are intended for XC racing, and only work well for that

Bottom Line:   
First of all, seems like many other reviewers were using these tires out of context. If you want to commute, get full slicks with the nice round profile (I like my town and country). If you're in the mud, get something narrow and knobbie. If you're just riding, get something more agressives.

Now, if you're racing and the trail isn't a swamp or really rocky and loose, these tires are excelent. They corner very well for a semi slick, almost as well as my Tioga Factory DH/WTB Weirwolf tires, and infact, better on leaf covered trails. And of course they roll faster. But really, being able to carry speed through the corners is how races are won here in the midwest, and these tires do it pretty well.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Anything in Sedona, AZ

Duration Product Used:   2 Years

Similar Products Used:   Continental semi slicks, Mythos, and other tires ad infinatum

Bike Setup:   Salsa, XTR, King hubs/headset
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Kevin Martin a Cross Country Rider from Onatrio, Canada

Date Reviewed: March 24, 2003

Strengths:    This tire is fast! light! and strong!

Weaknesses:    This tire may be too sexy for your bike.

Bottom Line:   
I commute every morning on a teck that takes me through pavement, gravel, and dirt, and let me tell you, these tires do it all. I have been looking for the perfect tires for commuting but can be for hard-core XC as well and when I found the SS and SK my search was over. These tires are great in the gravel, road and dirt, and they are increadibly fast, almost as fast as some other semi-slicks I have tried. I use these tires for XC races and well, hell, I use them for almost everything, except mud. They are not meant for thick mud. Other than that, they are impressivly durable, quite light, look good (<- they have a red side wall)and they are affordable (if you buy them at MEC).

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   6 months

Price Paid:    $17.00

Purchased At:   Mountain Equipmenat Co-op ($26 CDN)

Similar Products Used:   Continental Town & Country, Panaracher Smoke & Dart Classic etc.

Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:4
Submitted by Rob a Weekend Warrior from Limerick, Ireland

Date Reviewed: January 11, 2003

Strengths:    Super fast, light

Weaknesses:    Mud

Bottom Line:   
Really fast on hardpack, dry dirt, on the road. Over wet logs or uphill on mud you get wheelspin. They corner better than expected once you lean enough for the side lugs to bite. No need to change tyres for commuting. Pump 'em up to 50 psi and you'll fly.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Galtee mountains - Muskry lake trail

Duration Product Used:   6 months

Price Paid:    $24.00

Purchased At:   evanscycles.com

Bike Setup:   Trek 8000, Duke XC fork
Overall Rating:1
Value Rating:1
Submitted by karl emmerich a Racer from sterling hts mi usa

Date Reviewed: January 23, 2001

Strengths:    fast and light

Weaknesses:    better on the road than the trail

Bottom Line:   
Get tire for fire roads and road riding. It seemed to me that the ss was not a great handling tire. I had one too many wash outs with this tire compared to other slicks.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   fast signletrack

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Price Paid:    $25.00

Purchased At:   bike shop

Similar Products Used:   specialized mt baldy

Bike Setup:   FSR, Manitou, Race Face, Rolf
Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Doug a Cross Country Rider from Tacoma, WA USA

Date Reviewed: January 5, 2001

Strengths:    Fast! Light weight. Seem to be pinch-flat resistant.

Weaknesses:    They need to be inflated to a pretty high pressure to roll on the smooth (fast) part of the tire. Maybe not the most durable tire in the world.

Bottom Line:   
I ran these tires for 2 years as my city tires. I rode them off road on real singletrack once, and they seemed to work ok- not nearly as well as Fire XC's though. I wouldn't reccomend them for serious off-road riding unless you want to be very careful, or are a racer. They rule for tearing around in the city since they are fast and I never got a pinch flat with them (even though I am 200 lbs and hit curbs regularly). Today I seem to have blown a hole in the sidewall resulting in a flat and a long walk home :( The hole appeared after only a 2 foot drop so the tires must have been worn out. The tread was still in pretty good shape though. I think I got them pretty cheap and would have got them again if my LBS still carried them. I had to get Ritchey Speedmax K's. I hope they work as well as the Mach SS's.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Stuff at Victor Falls

Duration Product Used:   2 Years

Price Paid:    $25.00

Purchased At:   Performance Bike

Similar Products Used:   Ritchey Speed Max (just replaced the Mach's with them) Tioga Psycho, Panaracer Fire XC

Bike Setup:   GT Ricochet with 99 long travel Judy XC, 00 LX hubs and brakes, 00 XT cranks, derailers, shifters, brake levers. Easton EA50 riser bar and seatpost. Sun Rhyno Lite rims (the best rims avialable for heavier guys and folks that ride hard).
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:4
Submitted by Karl from Canada, Ontario

Date Reviewed: October 6, 2000

Strengths:    Very fast on dry land, very low resistance, good braking, very strong, no flats so far. Very fast on Pavement. They grip well on hard pack, use these for dry weather.

Weaknesses:    Very bad on wet weather. Do not use on Gravel whatever you do. Intend to wear out faster then usual tires. Semi-slicks are not for wet weather anyways.

Bottom Line:   
These are awesome for dry land. If you are going in a XC race, and the weather is dry, use these. These are super fast, light weight and grip well uphill and downhill. But be VERY careful on gravel. My front tire slipped doing a very very small turn and almost wiped out. These are good tires. I wasn't dissapointed.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Similar Products Used:   none

Bike Setup:   Specialized Stumpjumper Comp (98)
Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:4
Submitted by B H a Weekend Warrior from Indiana

Date Reviewed: September 19, 2000

Strengths:    Low rolling resistance, seems to wear pretty well

Weaknesses:    Front is super sketch on corners. Do NOT make a hard turn on wet pavement with these things!

Bottom Line:   
Okay these are pretty lightweight and offer low rolling resistance. However, a word to the wise, DO NOT TURN HARD ON WET PAVEMENT OR YOU WILL WIPEOUT! It never fails me that when I forget this and take a turn too fast on a rainy day I totally wash out and end up with road rash all along the side of my body. I've wiped out about 4 times this way and luckily never been seriously injured but have the scars to prove it. I think that running the SS on the rear and a knobby for better cornering traction on the front would be a better combo than two SS's.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   2 Years

Price Paid:    $30.00

Bike Setup:   XT/LX Z2 BAM, XTR/517 wheels
Overall Rating:4
Value Rating:4
Submitted by SailorU from Edmonton

Date Reviewed: August 7, 2000

Bottom Line:   
For riding on pavement, I hate rolling resistance, and the SS are very good on the rear. Since I am a hotdog rider, I found the SS on trails with exposed roots and loose dirt to slip alot. Maybe it is just me. Where I found these tires to work really well is in the snow covered streets. Whether hard packed snow, slush, loose snow, even dirty ice, the SS on the rear grips really well. Snow in Edmonton lasts for about 4-5 months and I have found that the SS works better than knobbies sush as Specialized team controls, Tioga hound dwags, and Ritchy team force on the rear in the snow. The knobbies bit into the snow and break traction when pedaling hard through the snow but the SS tread is like a file and just pushes aside the loose snow and grips the hard stuff. I guess the contact patch is continuous so traction does not break.

anyway, these are really good rear snow tires for the streets.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Overall Rating:2
Value Rating:2
Submitted by Pat Mc Nulty a Cross Country Rider from Glen Ellyn, IL USA

Date Reviewed: July 21, 2000

Strengths:    Low rolling resistance.

Weaknesses:    Quick tread wear. Skittish on Northern Illinois hardpack. Almost no control in front when muddy.

Bottom Line:   
Great if going straight. Scary on moderate to tight turns. Poor control during muddy season. Used Mach SK on rear. Really preferred Panaracer Fire XC.......

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Waterfall Glen, Darien, IL

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Similar Products Used:   Maxxi worm drive

Bike Setup:   Trek 930 SHX with Judy XC with Clydesdale category rider (riding weight about 210).
Overall Rating:3
Value Rating:2
Submitted by SGT ROCK a Racer from Drumheller, AB

Date Reviewed: May 23, 2000

Strengths:    Price
Low rolling resistance
Corner well

Weaknesses:    Weak sidewalls

Bottom Line:   
Ran this tire with a Mach SK in the rear. This tire corners much better than you'd expect, although it's sketchy on off camber stuff and hard braking. Durability wasn't there - this tire showed the same sidewall abrasions that did in the SK (see review). I have a pair of Bontrager SS's that I've been riding occasionally for two years, even used them for the '99 Leadville 100, and they still look like new, so it ain't my riding. Can't recommend this tire at all.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   Less than 1 month

Similar Products Used:   Bontrager SS

Bike Setup:   Giant ATX 890
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by Mike Dea a Racer from Calgary

Date Reviewed: May 14, 2000

Strengths:    they roll super fast. corner well. brake well. they're a realy good dependable tread for a semi slick

Weaknesses:    mud

Bottom Line:   
you have to be a good agile rider to use slicks. you can't push them into corners you can't hammer furriously and you can't open them up on downhills. but if you keep that in mind and watch the way you weight yourself on the bike when your riding you shouldn't have any problems. with that in mind these tires are super fast corner realy good and brake good too. I use it on the front and it lacks hardcore on fast loose windy descents. still that's not what it's meant for. the price is realy fair too.

Expand full review >>

Favorite Trail:   Milstream

Duration Product Used:   3 months

Similar Products Used:   michelin sprints

Bike Setup:   99 Specialized M2-Pro with all race-face components. mach ss on the front and michelin sprint on the rear
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by John a Cross Country Rider from Granada Hills

Date Reviewed: April 1, 2000

Strengths:    VERY fast and durable

Weaknesses:    NONE

Bottom Line:   
Excellent tire for hardpack. I have about 700 miles on this tire (front only) with just a little wear.

I use this tire for all around riding. Everything from high speed street use to maniac single track downhill stuff. Almost all hard pack though.

People that say they have problems with this tire "washing out" obviosly don't know how to ride! Yes, a big knobby will help if you don't have good bike handling skills.... but if you know HOW to ride use the tire that will bring out the best!
JohnG

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   6 months

Similar Products Used:   Velococraptors (Cr@p tire!!!)

Bike Setup:   Ti HT
Overall Rating:5
Value Rating:5
Submitted by John a Weekend Warrior from Ithaca, NY, USA

Date Reviewed: March 12, 2000

Strengths:    Fast!


Weaknesses:    Loose dirt and mud.

Bottom Line:   
These tires are really fast. They hook up well after a light rain when the hard pack is 'sticky'. Pinch flat resistant! I am going to buy another pair of these for my '00 Klein. Get a more aggressive tread for any loose dirt or wet conditions because these babies pack up real fast.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Similar Products Used:   no other semi-slicks yet.

Bike Setup:   Gt Aggressor. LX.
Overall Rating:3
Value Rating:3
Submitted by Mike a Weekend Warrior from Massachusetts

Date Reviewed: March 4, 2000

Strengths:    Rolls good,lite.

Weaknesses:    Don't use these in mud or loose stuff.

Bottom Line:   
If you ride on hard packed surfaces these tires will do fine. Don't try these in mud, they're horrible.

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   6 months

Similar Products Used:   Velociraptors, hutchenson pro

Bike Setup:   Nuke Proof Stealth with lx and xt, sun rhino lite with wtb hubs, z-5 flylite 00'.
Overall Rating:2
Value Rating:4
Submitted by Colin a Racer from Aurora, CO

Date Reviewed: February 10, 2000

Strengths:    Fast
They have an alligator type look
Light
Front and Rear specific

Weaknesses:    Don't ride these off road
They need to be pumped up to ~55psi

Bottom Line:   
I loved these tires on the road, they definitely made me go faster. I have had two horrible crashes because of the stupid front tire. That tire refuses to hook up in loose stuff when you need to turn tight. Not to mention they are too narrow for hooking up. I am still scabbed up 4 months after my last crash with these ***holes. I get them cheap but it is not worth taking them offroad

Expand full review >>

Duration Product Used:   1 Year

Similar Products Used:   Specialized, Bontrager, Michelen, etc

Bike Setup:   Which bike?
Reviews 1 - 15 (45 Reviews Total) | Next 15

Review Options:  Sorted by Latest Review | Sort by Best Rating

Panaracer Mach SS XC

Anyone know if these are still available? I see them on Panaracers website, but can't seem to locat ...
Read More »

SS ride at Waterdog Saturday (Mach 29)

Anyone wants to ride local tomorrow? Me and a buddy will be riding SS at Waterdog. Anyone else wan ...
Read More »

Panaracer Mach SS VS Michelin Jet S

For 80% road riding and 20% light off-road riding, which one do you suggest?
Read More »

Read More »



 

Contests





 

Videos



 

MTBR on Facebook