• Classic, proven Z-Max VFA tread design
• All-around, front or rear World Cup caliber race tire
• One of the lightest full knobby tires available
• WCS, Pro and Comp versions
• 26x1.7, 26x1.9, 26x2.1, 26x2.35
Submitted by
Be one rider
a Cross Country Rider
from Hampshire, Great Britain Date Reviewed: July 25, 2009
Favorite Trail:
South Downs Way
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$25.00
Strengths:
very good value. Surprisingly low cost for a good alround varied terrain performance and handling. Predictable performance across dry, wet, snow, hard / loose terrain. This makes for a considerable achievement where it is not essential to spend mega bucks for a good ride out!
Weaknesses:
A bit unpredictable and hairy over wet raised roots. But thats about it really!
Similar Products Used:
Kenda, Maxis and Wolverine tyres.
Bike Setup:
Be One Rufo FS Down hill.
Bottom Line:
If you want good performance across a mudle of conditions, ths tyre cannot be ruled out as a definate contender for the more expensive rivals of other brands.
A very durable tyre for wear and tear which shows it strengths time sfter time, after time.
I am on my second set in two years of regular off roading and I have been very impressed indeed with the quality of this reasonably priced low cost off road tyre.
Top notch!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
richsto
a Cross Country Rider
from Reno, NV, USA Date Reviewed: March 17, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Any
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Mother Lode Bicycles
Strengths:
-Low Rolling Resistance
-Predictable Cornering
-Solid Traction
-Great in the Snow
-Works Tubless w/Rim Strips
-Durable
-Lightweight
Weaknesses:
-Mud
-Ice
-Wet dirt/loose traction??
-May be more prone to pinch flats
Predictable break away in the corners, always hooks up in the back. Good traction in all drier conditions. Wet dirt traction, especially in front is questionable as I broke a couple of ribs on a front tire washout. Great in the rain on pavement and in snow as well (I commute and trail ride on these tires). Low rolling resistance works well on the pavement. These tires are pretty durable as well, I've hammered on them extensively in all conditions and they haven't failed me. After getting numerous pinch flats, I switched to tubeless at about the halfway point - works well.
Bottom line - I'm buying another set today.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ball4759
a Racer
from Saratoga, NY, USA Date Reviewed: June 23, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Spier Falls
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
rbay
Strengths:
Low rolling resistance, great climber, hooks up well around turns
Weaknesses:
mud clearance could be a little better but 3 out of 4 isn't bad.
I live in Northeaster NY where the singetrack is tight and the climbing is gnarley. I have been searching for the perfect XC race tire for NE conditions and this is it. If you like Hutch pythons you will love this tire. Similar rolling resistance and climbing ability as the hutch Python but hooks up in the turns like a dream. I cant believe I don't see more racers with these tires. I ride the 1.9 Pro model, at first the seemed a little skinny but you don't notice it on the trail they hook up as good as any 2.1 tire. Granted I am a XC racer so I am rating this tire for racing. If you do not care about speed then there are other tires that are probably better. If you are looking for the best combination of speed, climbing ability, and handling the Ritchey Millenium Pro is the best tire out there.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
MO
a Cross Country Rider
from SlowCal Date Reviewed: March 31, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Anything with dirt
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Great all around tire
Weaknesses:
Mud maybe?
Similar Products Used:
A lot
Bike Setup:
5.5/XTR/Blah/Blah/Blah
Bottom Line:
Best all around tire for Socal. Climbing, descending, rocks, hardpack, and sand this tire just hooks up. I have ridden tires with more stick, but the break away points were unpredictable. This is by far the most controllable tire on the market when it does slide.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Justin Murray
a Cross Country Rider
from Canberra, ACT Date Reviewed: January 2, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Sparrow Hill
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
This is very light and has proper knobs. It rolls really quickly.
Weaknesses:
Doesn't like the sticky, clay-based mud we get in Canberra (luckily it doesn't rain too much).
Trek 4500 with Ritchey WCS, Easton, Crank Bros and Salsa upgrades.
Bottom Line:
This is the quickest rolling tyre I have ever used. It is sooooo light - I almost fell off the back of the bike when I lifted the front to go over a log - seriously light.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Phillip
a Weekend Warrior
from Meridian,Ms. Date Reviewed: September 29, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Rbikes.com
Strengths:
Good all around tire. Works pretty well in any situation I've put it in.
Weaknesses:
Not doggin these tires they just don't seem to have the braking power you would expect from such a gnarly tread and I believe that's because the knobs are so tall and soft that they just roll instead of dig. Another thing is they IMO don't handle lower pressures that well, at thirty pounds in the rear they feel like mush and I only weigh 160.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
GF Tass HT Fully equipped with XTR components
Bottom Line:
I think this tire is great for a beginner. It grips very well, it's versatile, and it's fairly light for the tread depth and volume that it has. Maybe there is nothing wrong with the braking capabilties of this tire. Maybe I should let go of the brakes and there would be no problem. You want be throwing money away buying these. Oh yeah, buy the WCS not comp or pro.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jeff free
a Cross Country Rider
from harrisburg,pa,usa Date Reviewed: September 16, 2006
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$45.00
Strengths:
very light and durable
Weaknesses:
i have not found any
Similar Products Used:
continental explorer pro, specialized extreme, bontrager jones
Bike Setup:
lightspeed pisgah hardtail singlespeed
Bottom Line:
i started riding in 1977 and rode only rigid forks until 2003. i relied on using 2.35 tires and kin for the suspension ability and rider 12 months of the year. i have gotten many years out of both the black and red rubber compounds and they have always performed as i totally paid attention to the full range of air pressure you can tailor the performance to the condition needed.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
lpdot
a Cross Country Rider
from Minsk, Belarus Date Reviewed: August 29, 2006
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$17.00
Strengths:
Cheap. Works wells as a rear tire. Good traction and cornering on dry and wet tarmac and hardpack. Durable.
Weaknesses:
The comp version is heavy - 680 gr. at 2.10. Unreliable in the front.
Similar Products Used:
Continental Explorer Pro, Tioga Factory XC, Maxxis Wormdrive, etc.
Bike Setup:
Giant Iguana Disc, RockShox Judy SL.
Bottom Line:
I've been using Z-Max Millenium Comp 2.1 on the rear wheel for almost two years in moderate urban and forest rides and felt fairly comfortable with it. The traction and cornering remained stable and confident on dry and wet tarmac, hardpack, grass, soil and sand. The rooling resistance was relatively low. Recently I've switched the tire to the front wheel (which might be wrong per se, I'm not sure) as it showed no serious wear and now the situation is quite different. The front wheel feels dangerously unpredictable in sand and wet soil. I would recommend this tire as a cheap and effective option for the rear wheel. Its usage on the front is questionable.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
robotkiller
a
from JAX, FL Date Reviewed: April 28, 2006
Favorite Trail:
blanket creek
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
Rolling resistance pretty decent, carving ability, versatility
Weaknesses:
Mud, deep sand and really gnarly trails where really only a big bulldozer tire combo like my 2.3 BG/Nevegal will do. Not as fast a Python (but not much else is either). I have the Pros, not WCS - so weight could be better.
Similar Products Used:
Pythons, Mutanoraptors, Speedmax, Fire XC Pro, Jones AC, Blue Groove, Nevegal, Mythos XC
Bike Setup:
IF deluxe/Fox 100RLT/Hope mono mini/King-DT Swiss wheelset
Bottom Line:
I'm constantly unhappy with my tires, in general. Either they are too heavy and slow or they can't hold a line. In my experience with the tires above, the Z-Max has been the best compromise of speed and cornering ability. You can feel the tires carving into the trail and they predictably break away. I have been using them for about a year now and feel comfortable using them in almost any situation, but in hardpack conditions (i.e. North Georgia/Atlanta area) these tires rule.
Extremely versatile, fast, excellent cornering and long lasting pretty much sums it up -- the best tire I have used so far. No tire is perfect, so 4/5.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
atbscott
a Cross Country Rider
from Castro Valley, CA Date Reviewed: January 4, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Can you only have one?
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
Cyclepath Hayward
Strengths:
Good, predictable traction in many different conditions, 2.1" is a comfortably fat tire for reasonable weight. Forgiving breakaway characteristics.
Weaknesses:
Makes you realize specific strengths and weaknesses in some other tires when you do ride something different! Need a bit of pressure in them or they feel squishy when running at a low psi.
Similar Products Used:
You name it: Specialized, Kenda (Kinetics, Nevegals), WTB Weirwolfs, Mutanoraptors, etc...
Bike Setup:
Spec Enduro Pro, XTR/XT, pretty much stock.
Bottom Line:
These tires work very well in most conditions that I have found in both Northern and Southern CA. There is no place that they really are weak, though to be honest, there are some tires that work better in certain conditions. As far as having a tire that I can put on a bike, and be fairly confident that it will work more than acceptably well wherever I happen to be riding, these are some of the best. Climbing National Trail in Phoenix, cleaned almost all of it. Muddy conditions at Annadel State Park, they work fine. Sand in Anza Borrego, they get you through it. Lake Tahoe area Sierra Granite and duff - ride with confidence. While these tires may not have the ultimate grip that a few other tires have, they let you know when they are starting to lose traction and do so in a manner that lets you catch it before you hit the deck. They wear acceptably well too - I get about a full season (1,500 - 2000 miles off road) on a pair (Pros - not WCS). Sidewalls are OK against cuts - pick your line carefully or get some heavier tires with lots of rubber on the sidewalls if you are gonna bull your way through! I keep trying different tires, and sometimes will put something different for specific condition riding - but for 80 - 90% of what I do (non-race semi-technical trail riding, and the odd 24-hour event) these tires are what I keep going back to. Think I may buy a case just so if they stop making them again... 5 chilis in both categories!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jorgex
a Weekend Warrior
from Almada, Portugal Date Reviewed: January 3, 2006
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
-the best all-around tire of all times -cheap
Weaknesses:
-i never tried it on SNOW
Similar Products Used:
nokian gazza/boazo, huchinsons python, maxxis, ritchey zmaxs, continentals diesel/gravity/ and so on...
Bike Setup:
Giant escaper'92 (hardtail), Manitou Axel 100mm(om),Hayes disc brake, Mavic mx 321(f) and Mavic D521(r)
Bottom Line:
I see a few bad reviews and perhaps it's because this is NOT A GOOD TIRE FOR EXPERTS OR PROS who are always demanding the maximum of their bikes.
This is a GREAR TIRE FOR ROOKIES that doesn't know what's good for their "weak" abilities on a bike. This tire usualy lasts about 5000-6000Km without a single pinch. Super! After that it's nightmare. Best used as front tire at 40psi/3bar.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gus
a Cross Country Rider
from Royal Oak, mi Date Reviewed: September 8, 2005
Favorite Trail:
potowatami
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
REI
Strengths:
Cheap, pretty good traction
Weaknesses:
Poor cornering and handling.
Similar Products Used:
WTB velociraptor, Hutchinson python
Bike Setup:
Gunnar Rockhound
Bottom Line:
I hated these tires, They handled terrible. I could not hold a line in the corners or ride a straight line on the flats without concentrating (and no I am not a rookie).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Fish
a Cross Country Rider
from Atlanta Date Reviewed: January 12, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Pisgah
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
Web retailer
Strengths:
light weight and traction, traction, traction
Weaknesses:
Hard to find in Atlanta, wear quick if ride on road or slickrock
Similar Products Used:
IRC Mythos
Bike Setup:
Elsworth Truth with all the goodies
Bottom Line:
Been riding on this rubber for years and nothing beats um. They are sticky and work great in all types of terain except really sloppy mud. Tried IRC and Hutchinson in the past and went back to the Ritchey's. All my riding buddies are stunned at the grip and carvability of these tires. I just giggle at the grip when I miss a line and expect to end up on my *%#$ and these things link up and save my hide. Get a set you will not be dissapointed.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
x
a
from x Date Reviewed: December 15, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
A Bike Shop
Strengths:
Clyde Approved
Weaknesses:
Jealous bystanders walking while I climb and decend like a monkey on crack.
Similar Products Used:
Round rubber objects with big factory advertising labels all over them from lots of different companies.
Bike Setup:
Springs on both sides, bout 4" worth front and back.
Bottom Line:
Im 220, These tires take every bit of abuse I throw at them without complaint. A bit squirrely until "broken in" (which is probably the real reason for a few of the lame reviews on here) but once the factory smell is off you would be hard pressed to find such an all around durable tire. Great brake, climb bite and cornering. Buy them if you hate worrying about your equipment and would rather be riding your bike than counting grams on your scale while admiring your closet full of spandex.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric P
a Cross Country Rider
from Lakewood, CO Date Reviewed: December 1, 2004
Had these on Gary Fisher Sugar 2+, a different custom full suspension bike, and a hardtail once upon a time.
Bottom Line:
I don't pay much attention to my tires, as long as they work. But these are the only tires that ever caused me to look down at my wheels and think, "Man these tires are great." I loved them in Sedona on the hardpack and rocks, I loved them in the seldom-used trails of random pine-forested arizona mountains, and I loved them in the dirt and gravelly trails of the west Denver area. I truely felt secure when riding these tires, as if they were going to take care of me no matter what kind of condition lay ahead. For now I'm riding Mythos XC's and I have no real complaints... maybe I'll save up and get some more Ritchey's one of these days.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pedro
a Cross Country Rider
from Matosinhos, Portugal Date Reviewed: November 15, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$12.00
Purchased At:
SportZone
Strengths:
very cheap, very soft rubber (for muddy conditions)
Weaknesses:
Very soft - on the road, they are awfull! Never used such a bad tire! I had it on the front it kept sliding off! Wears out very fast!
Similar Products Used:
Michelin Transalp and Hot S, IRC Mythos, Larsen TT,
Bike Setup:
Peliser frame; RST CAPA CL with higher springs; Shimano LX, DEORE, XT tramition; baseclly a good medium-high Setup!
Bottom Line:
Whell, they are very, very cheap.. but I shure didn't feel safe and confident ridding with them! They perform the best with som very loose (typpo?) terrain, like drying mud...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben
a Cross Country Rider
from Malaysia Date Reviewed: October 9, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At:
BIke Pro
Strengths:
They'RE dem GOod!!THe fronts are quite good..the roots and mud stuff u drift and they still stick after a nudge at the bars to straighten the line.
Weaknesses:
None SO faR
Similar Products Used:
Tioga
Bike Setup:
Giant Xtc hardtail,Xt and Xtr parts..sid XC..
Bottom Line:
These tyres are good buy,well worth your money i haven't really tried them in super muddy conditions yet but used it for almost 2 weeks and they're great tyres
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jonza Kriss
a Downhiller
from Tel Aviv Date Reviewed: September 26, 2004
rear tire slightly feels like it doesn't launch me as fast as i'd like it to, of course they are the 3.5", or maybe it's me being lazy. Would consider alternatives for long road rides and grueling uphill efforts.
Similar Products Used:
panaracer, maxxis semi-slicks
Bike Setup:
Banshee Scirocco, formula and specialized sealed hubs, sun singletrack rims, hayes 9 6\8", RS psylo SL 04', truvativ hussfelt and shimano drivetrain.
Bottom Line:
My tires are 3.5s, but because of the "sausage" shape of the tires, combined with the tread design, the contact surface is considerably reduced; the biggest knobs are at the center, so traction is maintained. This design also improves cornering so that u can slide through them instead of steering trough them like with pointy side knob tires. They absorb landings (lotsa flat) confidently, and stick to dry and hard surfaces like a mofo.Tall and chubby knobs combined with the round geometry raise the clearence a tad more, ignore the smaller thorns(I still slime my tubes) and give plenty of confidence. They baild me out of quite a few nasty slips. These tires are sweet for aggresive, allround riding, on the trail and on the way there and back. I haven't crashed yet!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
doug
a Cross Country Rider
from michigan Date Reviewed: August 8, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$60.00
Purchased At:
bikeman
Strengths:
Traction
Weaknesses:
Sidewalls are VERY flexy, no support, blew off the rim on off camber turns and landings
Similar Products Used:
tons of tires
Bike Setup:
ventana el saltamontes
Bottom Line:
Traction was great. However had some serious problems. Started from the get go when one tire was seriously out of specs and wobbled like crazy when mounted and seated. Ritchey did warranty, but it took some time and calls.
More troubling were that the tires consistently blew off my rims. (dt 4.1d's). I had the front and rear blow off 2 times each and experienced more pinch flats with these tires than any I've owned. The tires blew off on landings of no more than 3 feet, also had one blow off on a severely banked corner.
Really a bummer in that I loved the traction and feel these tires provided. However I had to replace them, just couldn't keep getting flats and blowing them off the rim. In 20 years of riding, only tires I've had these problems with. These were the Pro version.
If they would have stayed on my rims, huge ratings because otherwise I loved them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jack
a Cross Country Rider
from louisville,ky, USA Date Reviewed: July 2, 2004
Favorite Trail:
slick rock
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
beyondbikes.com
Strengths:
very little rolling resistence
Weaknesses:
traction, traction, traction
Similar Products Used:
panaracer fire xc, hutchenson mosquito, wtb velociraptor, tiago psycho, specialized
Bike Setup:
klein palomino, manitou black elite, spinergy xyclone disk, avid mech disks, pauls rear d, 2004 xtr cranks
Bottom Line:
if you life anywhere that might be wet and have to deal with roots on the trail - DON'T BUY THESE TIRES. first of all the knobbies are so close together they can't get a grip on anything that resembles a root. and i mean NO grip.
second they can't shed mud at all. you ride in the mud, they get caked - they get caked you have to let these babies dry out and then hit speeds above 15 mph to get the dirt to fly.
i'm going back to the panaracers. here in KY it's wet a lot and there are roots EVERYWHERE. i have NO idea why the magazines claim these are one of the top 5 tires of all time.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tauwolf .
a Weekend Warrior
from Toledo, OH Date Reviewed: May 25, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Heritage Park, Adrian, Michigan
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
**This review is for the 1.9** Amazing speed. Point the front tire at your mark and have confidence the tire will go there. I personally think it looks sweet, too.
Weaknesses:
Possibly too fast of a tire for me???
Several people have said it wears fast. I have not run the tire long enough to know, but if it does I will post a 2nd review.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Fire XC Pro (love this tire almost as much as my Ritchey!)
Bike Setup:
Mostly stock Giant Boulder SE. Panaracer Fire XC Pro 1.8 on the rear, Ritchey Z-Max Millennium 1.9 on the front. Other little random component upgrades like Eagle 2 Kool Stop brake pads, Oury grips, etc.
Bottom Line:
I bought a pair on ebay, and reading these reviews it sounds like it may wear fast. I decided to keep my Panaracer Fire XC on the rear and only run the Ritchey on the front so I'll have a replacement Ritchey if it wears too fast. I was a bit disappointed that I could only find a 1.9, but now that I have it I'm not sure I'm in a hurry to go back to a 2.1 on the front.
Holy crap I love this tire. Just point it and it goes, it has pinpoint precision. The rolling is smooth as silk with almost no resistance. This tire is almost too fast for my pathetic trail skills, lol.
If you can find this tire on ebay at a good price, you owe it to yourself to pick it up. It is an absolute joy to ride.
5 flaming slugs for the sweetest tire I've found.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Abraham
a Weekend Warrior
from Penang, Malaysia Date Reviewed: April 19, 2004
Favorite Trail:
anywhere
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
Cylon Cycles Industries, Malaysia
Strengths:
Very good grip and very fast on any kind of surface. The tread are excellent. Very fast climbs on tarmac and smooth surface. Excellent in muddy conditions. Grips well on sandy surface.
Weaknesses:
Slow uphill climb if surface is too hard. Didn't do much jumps, so do not know who the tyre wall might handle. Nothing bad about this tires.
Similar Products Used:
Maxxis Swampthing
Bike Setup:
Specialize FSR Expert 2002 XC bike.
Bottom Line:
Very good tyres for grips and cross-country
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
rev.rev
a Cross Country Rider
from Irmo Date Reviewed: March 20, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
This review is of the 2.35 Pro version of the Z-maz. Much lighter than the 2.4 Motoraptors they replaced. Hooks up in dirt like an Italian made Vittoria CX does on the road. (that's good) Surprisingly fast in all conditions, even on pavement on the way to the trail. Clears mud much better than I thought it would. Gives me confidence that I don't often feel on a mountain bike. Not very expensive for what you get.
Weaknesses:
Sidewall says 2.35, but the volume is noticably smaller than the WTB 2.4's. (the cush of the bigger tires was nice on my rigid single speed) Makes me ride trails too fast for my sketchy ability!
Stock Bianchi B.U.S.S. with these upgrades: Chris King headset (gold, of course), Avid 7.0 brakes and speed dial levers, Race Face taper lock steel axle BB, White Industries ENO freewheel, SRAM pc68 chain, Flite saddle and Oury grips.
Bottom Line:
I really like these tires. They are very fast and they corner so well that I am riding faster than before. They seem to work well in all conditions. If you want a big volume tire that doesn't weigh a ton, check this one out.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Phillip
a Cross Country Rider
from Fairbanks, Alaska Date Reviewed: March 20, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Birtch Hill X-country ski trails
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$26.00
Purchased At:
Schwab
Strengths:
Use both 1.7 and 1.9, the 1.7 is great for snow over hard pack - bites through the snow to grip surface (contrary to the popular lore that you need a fat tire for float - I can coast through snow with the 1.7's, try that with a 2.35). The 1.9's are great all round summer tire: low rolling resistance (very fast), light, good cornering and breaking, adequate on slippery climbs. I do about 50/50 town/trail.
Weaknesses:
Have been using some variation of Ritchey Z-Max tires since '93, the earlier Z-max's seemed to be weak in the side walls - thread seperation, tears. No problems with the Millennium series side walls, very pleased with this model.
Similar Products Used:
Z-max's are the only tire I've ever used and I've used every model they've produced - why give up a good thing?
Bike Setup:
Two Bridgestone MB1's (lugged frames baby) with Manitou 3/4 shocks, Speed Springs & 1.7's for the winter, springs and MCU's & 1.9's for the summer.
Bottom Line:
I'm not an aggressive rider - din't do jumps or bomb downhills, so, within that envelope I'm very satisfied with the Ritchey Z-Max Millennium tires.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lexa Doig
a Cross Country Rider
from Philippines Date Reviewed: February 14, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Andromeda
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$5.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Cheap, 250 philippine pesos per tire! that's 5 US$!
Tire good for showroom bikes those that aren't gonna be ridden.
Weaknesses:
Weak knobs, they're starting to crack, pretty soon they'll be gettting ripped out... and that's just under 300kms!!!
Similar Products Used:
IRC, Kenda, etc...
Bike Setup:
Hardtial
Bottom Line:
The compound is WEAK WEAK WEAK!!! Visual inspection of the tire after 300kms shows many CRACKS CRACKS CRACKS on the knobs!!! I wouldn't be surprised if WHOLE KNOBS start coming off after only 300kms more.
Overall I rate this tire POOR!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Hank Jien
a Cross Country Rider
from South Surrey, British Columbia, Canada Date Reviewed: January 18, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$2.00
Purchased At:
(a garage sale)
Strengths:
-fast excelleration considering it's a 2.1 -sticks to the ground -takes any conditions -cornering traction
These are the best tires. Picked these up at a garage sale for 2 bucks. At first, I thought it was just a crappy tire but after installing them, I found out that they are even better than my Flyweight 330's that were stock tires. They roll just as fast as the Flyweight 330 but has a better traction on rocky uphills than the Flyweight 330's.
Recommended for Cross Country racers. By the way it's also light considering it's a 2.1. I also want to try the Fire XC Pro's since it's a similar tire.
If anybody knows where you can pick up one of these for cheap in Vancouver BC, Canada, Please let me KNOW. Or if you want to sell yours, let me know.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nikolas
a Weekend Warrior
from Greece Date Reviewed: January 4, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$10.00
Strengths:
Low rolling resistance,grip,low weight,wont wear off quickly
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
michelin wildgripper but not as good
Bike Setup:
gt pantera,judySL,lx-xt
Bottom Line:
Found this tyre at the great price of 10euros from a no-name bike shop in athens.So far it ROCKS all the way.Havent fount any weak spots and i've riden it in all terrains except snow,after 6 moths of use it still remains ass new,plus its very light weight(535gr the PRO 1.9 model).Dont know why some people low-rated this tyre,maybe its because it is not intended for DH or dualslalom.Recomended to those who are looking for lowrpice-good grip tyre AND are concerned in weight savings.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
rog
a Weekend Warrior
from CA Date Reviewed: December 15, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$45.00
Purchased At:
Net
Strengths:
*Great grip on any terrain *hasn't given me any problems *Waaaaaay better than my hutchinson scorpios
Weaknesses:
*I washed out on a sketchy log jump....once so it sent me flying towards a tree
Similar Products Used:
none this good and this fat
Bike Setup:
Jamis Dakar xlt 1.0
Bottom Line:
Works perfect with my bike. It adds to the greatness of my bike too. If you want nice, and great all around tires get these, they are awesome. They grip so much better then my other tires it isn't even funny.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
CRUM
a Cross Country Rider
from Southern Maine, USA Date Reviewed: September 12, 2003
Favorite Trail:
New England
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$42.00
Purchased At:
CRUM Cycles
Strengths:
Very predictable and stable whether you are buried into a corner or have your nose over the front wheel in an upstroke. Great wet conditions tire considering it doesn't look like it would be. The sidewalls have enough beef to keep the cuts down to a minimum.
Weaknesses:
None that I have found
Similar Products Used:
I have been using and selling mtb tires for over 15 years. So I guess, think of one and I have probably tried it.
Bike Setup:
Rocky ETSX30
Bottom Line:
I took an ETSX30 off the floor with the intention of turning it into a demo bike. The rule is I get to put the first dinger in any demo bike if it is my size. Well, the first dinger came 5 minutes into the first ride when the useless OEM Python's spun out an a wet log and I went down hard. Figuring that I had to give the Python's a fair shot, I suffered a month of riding before I grabbed a couple of WCS Z Max 2.1's off the wall and slapped them on. Immediately, Life was beautiful. The Z Max tires made all the difference. Their bite, predictability, and rugged sidewalls make them my favorite tire for general XC use. A plus is their low weight to knob ratio.
I don't want to diss the Python's too much. Every rider has a perception of what they expect out of a tire. Faster and better riders than me love the Python's. But they are also skinny little mountain goats with an unearythly sense of balance. Me. well. I tip the scales on one side of 200 or the other. And I tend to flounder, so I need rubber that will bite. My dislike of the Pythons may be due to my weight overwhelming their ability to hold on.
All in all, the Z Max series is an excellent tire lineup. Reasonbly priced, durable, and they work.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ride Biker
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Cruz, California Date Reviewed: July 17, 2003
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
smooth, low rolling resistance in the dirt and on the pavement. I have tried the 2.1 Pro's and the 2.1 WCS version. WCS is worth the $$$ due to softer grippy compound. Very sticky off road. Pro's wear fine with some on-road and are very quiet and smooth, they are just a harder compound and heavier. I used them during winter, but not in an absolute slopfest. No flats in 3 sets. I am 180#, run 34-38 psi.
Weaknesses:
The Pro's wear normally, I am sure the WCS will wear faster.
I love the way these tires ride. Great all around XC tires that roll fast on the road. The WCS are even better than the Pro's. Wet, hardpack, loose, singletrack, fire road, whatever.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
B. D.
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, CA Date Reviewed: July 11, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Nate Harrison, Kahuna laguna
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$28.00
Purchased At:
Bicycle Warehouse
Strengths:
THE BEST all-condition dirt tire...period. Fantastic, reliable, predictable traction.
Weaknesses:
Was out of production for awhile...thank God it came back! Not many sources.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized, Michelin, tried the Panaracer Fire XC...for one ride...not even close...
Bike Setup:
old bike = '91 Stumpjumper comp. new ride = Jamis Dakar XC comp
Bottom Line:
...think about this: all the time, money and effort you've invested in the clothes you ride in, the machine you ride on, the trails you travel to, your body, your experience... all come down to two small contact patches, where your tires touch Earth. This is so critical, yet so many riders compromise... "these (other tires) are light and fast, but they're a bit sketchy in the corners..." Sheesh! I've got to have tires that I can completely depend on. I used to ride the old 2.35 WCS Z-max in the early days. Now that I'm finally riding again, I put the Hutchison Pythons (that came on the Jamis) on my old bike (now my commuter/beater). Tried the Panaracers. Disappointed, gave 'em away, went and got some new Z-max sneakers (2.35..."fat-tire bike", remember?) Life is good again! All I can tell you is that if you haven't actually tried them, then you really don't know what your missing.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Taso
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego Date Reviewed: April 15, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
came with bike
Strengths:
Light, fast, no flats.
Weaknesses:
A little faster wear than other tires
Similar Products Used:
Panaracers, Rockster Pro
Bike Setup:
Fuji Outland- XT cranks, XT levers, single digit 7 brakes Chris King Hubs-Valiant Rims, EC-90 Bar
Bottom Line:
A great tire overall, handles extremly well, is super fast on the trail. And on the pavement from the trailhead to my house it rolls nice. Couldn't ask for more from a tire.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
wally
a Cross Country Rider
from Australia Date Reviewed: November 15, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Had no flats with this tyre.
Weaknesses:
Wear quckly
Similar Products Used:
lots
Bike Setup:
Hardtail, xcountry, hydro disks,
Bottom Line:
An ok tyre but I wore out the rear faster than any other tyre I have had - under 1000km (600 miles). Front is still ok and I'll leave it on. Haven't had a flat with these and I ride some pretty rocky trails. Changing to a Hutchison Python and see how it goes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from SLO, CA Date Reviewed: November 6, 2002
Favorite Trail:
D.C.
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
Good, solid design. Been around forever. Rounded profile, and knobs way over on the sides.
Weaknesses:
Its hard to find them on sale...
Similar Products Used:
FireXC Pros, Mythos XCs, Velociraptors
Bottom Line:
I have not yet worn completely through my current FireXC Pros yet, but I have ridden friends bikes with the ZMAX tires, and they are awsome! I'm sure they're not for everyone, but they have big knobs for an XC tire, and a rounded profile. The round profile as opposed to the square profile of tires like the Fire XCs, lets you know when it's going to go in a hard corner, and doesn't go all at once. If you lean past the edge of the Fire XCs, you're gone real fast. With the ZMAX, you can feel the tire begin to drift, and this is at a much larger angle, and you still can push it a little further. The Ritchys hook up well, corner excelent-very predictable-, and do great in dry conditions. I haven't used them in mud, so it's hard to say how they work in wet conditions. Only use the ZMAX "WCS" for racing as the soft compound wears out fast, and they're expensive. The standard ZMAX wire-bead tire is great, though kevelar is nicer.
You know it's a great tire when it's retired, and brought back by popular demand.
Good riding.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gert
a Racer
from Estonia Date Reviewed: October 31, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Nõmme
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$13.00
Purchased At:
Nõmme Rattapood
Strengths:
Super light
Weaknesses:
Quick wearing
Similar Products Used:
IRC Mythos XC F/R, CST
Bike Setup:
Marin Nail Trail, db aluminium, XT derailleurs, Deore crankset, Ritchey Comp V2 clipless pedals, IRC Mythos XC F/R tires.
Bottom Line:
The Pro version is very light. I had it on the rear. It climbed very good and breaking wasn`t a problem. It wasn`t bad in mud either. Almost perfect tire if it didn`t wear so quick. Unfortunately I smashed it on a nasty nail and had to throw it away. Reccomend it if you`re not going to ride it on roads.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brumac
a Cross Country Rider
from Ventura, CA Date Reviewed: October 12, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$29.00
Purchased At:
bikeman.com
Strengths:
grips well, predictable, gives great feedback. Not sure what this other guy was talking about, but i haven't tried it in my engine yet.
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
wildgripper and many more
Bike Setup:
schwinn homegrown comp w/ manitou xvert air
Bottom Line:
a week after i bought my homegrown w/wildgripper, had a front end washout on an easy turn. went and got a zmax wcs front and zed rear. i'm on my second zmax front (now have innovader rear) and will buy another when this one wears out. this tire grips when pushed hard through turns. it also lets you know before it washes out. works pretty well in loose stuff as well. can't say how it handles mud, roots, etc. since i live in socal. but if you're riding hardpack, this is what you want.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Peter
a
from Cambridge, MA Date Reviewed: August 10, 2002
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Got at least 5 years use out of these things (sidewalls fell apart on one, and the knobs on the other have worn down a bit). Reliable things.
Weaknesses:
None observed.
Similar Products Used:
Not too many; my slicks, and a couple other bikes
Bike Setup:
Aging StumpJumper with a mixture of XT and LX parts
Bottom Line:
Good, reliable tire. About to buy another pair of Ritchy tires to replace these.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Hole Shot
a Weekend Warrior
from Bristol Date Reviewed: July 17, 2002
Favorite Trail:
PaKornik
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
BIKERS EDGE
Strengths:
Excellent traction, Great handling, Stiff sidewalls, Good all weather tire.
Weaknesses:
None so far.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized, Maxxis
Bike Setup:
Specialized Stumpy Pro, Platforms, and Easton Carbon Risers
Bottom Line:
This tire is definately money well spent. Bottom line you will not find a better all around, all weather tire...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Vitkor Oravec
a Cross Country Rider
from Cadca, Slovakia, Europe Date Reviewed: June 26, 2002
Favorite Trail:
mud, gravell, rain
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$17.00
Purchased At:
Wika author dealer
Strengths:
good traction control. it stay clean in bad weather condition. it is quite good for road
Weaknesses:
my version is not with kevlar (can be?)
Similar Products Used:
Ritchey INNONVADER
Bike Setup:
Author Kinetic, Shimano Alivio, Uno-Kaloy, Ritchey,AlexRims,Selle Marco
Bottom Line:
It's good for XC race, in every weather. Good quality for low price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Devlin
a Cross Country Rider
from Troy Date Reviewed: May 28, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Oubakistan, poop-loop, skidmore
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
Down Tube
Strengths:
Great Tread, turns well on front
Weaknesses:
seems a little heavy, but then again its a 2.35 width tire
Similar Products Used:
IRC XC, Velociraptor
Bike Setup:
Sugar +3, mostly stock
Bottom Line:
My New Sugar came with IRC XC's front and rear, I dont really mind it as a back tire but the front kept slipping out on me in the turns so I grapped my Z-maz off my big sur and definetly prefer it on the front. It really holds on to stuff in the turns which is where I always seem to need it. Climbing's more about position than tires (as long as you have some tread back there)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Spannerhead
a Weekend Warrior
from UK Date Reviewed: May 9, 2002
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Seems to be able to grip rooty odd surfaces. Not a bad mud climber. Cheap.
Weaknesses:
This tyre is a bag of poo. I had one on my first bike 10 years ago and thought it was a good all round tyre. Then I got some different more specific tyres. A few years ago I decided to buy my old "all rounder" when I saw them selling cheap in my bike shop.
Well, If any of you guys are still using these tyres then I say, WAKE UP! Tyre technology has come a long way since these floppy joes seemed good.
Similar Products Used:
Wildgrippers, many others
Bike Setup:
Kona stinky/ RTS LTS
Bottom Line:
Unless they are not the tyre I rode several years ago, I can see no reason for these good reviews unless some of the guys justy haven't tried many tyres out or are just cheapskates.
They are not dangerous (Tioga DH or pysychos) but are not much use except for mud. And not really serious mud at that.
Don't worry, they soon wear out and will be off your bike regularly as they punture like old condoms..
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve Waugh
a Cross Country Rider
from Nelson Bay, Australia Date Reviewed: May 9, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Big-ass climbs/downhills
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
Spocks Spokes
Strengths:
plenty of grip on wet,slippery terrain, fast!!! best performance i've found for XC inspired bike/terrain
Weaknesses:
huge grip makes 'crowd pleasing' rear lock-ups difficult
5 toasted turds for these puppies!!! no qualms about tackling technical climbs or fanging downhills at pace. You want more 'big stuff' capability, buy a friggin moto already.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
anakin sky walker
a Weekend Warrior
from philippines Date Reviewed: February 3, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$8.00
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
weight, low rolling resistance, fast and runs like a slick, very good on pave, very good for xc racing on dry condition.
Weaknesses:
pinch flats even if i only weight 130lbs i frequently pinch flat this thing. not abusable. bad idea on sharp limestones. eats mud like hog, mud will cake up on your tires. bad traction on wet soil.
Bike Setup:
mountain mix
Bottom Line:
your rim is not well protected with it, you'll literally hear the "thud" when the tire was not able to protect your rim from the ground after a drop or after you run thru a big stuffs. bottom line - strictly for xc racing only, or for pave, zmax is a true low rolling resistance tire, fast and wears moderately.
maybe i wrongly use the tire. this is very good for xc racing and nice alternative for slick. but a bad idea to abuse it, definitely not a free ride stuff. a big difference from my wtb vraptor, traptor which i currently used.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Vitor Amendoeira
a Cross Country Rider
from Sintra, Portugal Date Reviewed: November 26, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Between the Mountain of Bornes and Montesinho!...
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
Brasil bikes
Strengths:
Corners very well, especialy in hard terrains and roads.
Bottom Line:
A tire for hard terrain, this will be the perfect. In mud, and has no troubles. I think its great!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andreas Klauser
a Cross Country Rider
from Feldafing Date Reviewed: November 12, 2001
It's the best, even better than the ZED. It runs like hell on dry and hard surface, takes pebbles well. Perhaps muds sticks a bit to close on it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
CHEF-BIANCHI SHRIEBER
a Racer
from Herzelia Date Reviewed: August 20, 2001
Favorite Trail:
To yekum and natania threw raanana
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$37.00
Purchased At:
Becidan Cycles, Sokolov 92 Herzelia.
Strengths:
It's one hell of a fast tire. Corners very well, especialy in hard terrains and roads. Light. Has a good grip for such a fast tire. Gives you a smoooooth ride, unlike most full knobs tires...
Weaknesses:
I had them for 3 months, and my rear one is almost a slick, and my front one looks like I rode with it on a chinese torture board...
A new Bianchi SF940 frame with LXs, ritchey v2 pedals, selle italia gel saddle and a light bianchi crank!
Bottom Line:
I am reviewing it again cause when you get more experience with the tire, everything looks different. In my last review, I wrote that I have trouble in soft terrain, but I took care of that problem by putting the rear tire backwards. I think that It's the best full knobs-fast tire. Too bad it wears out so quick, but I like it so much, that I'm willing to buy a new one every 4 months or so. With tires like that, you don't need slicks!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
a monty
a
from yorkshire England Date Reviewed: August 3, 2001
Favorite Trail:
owt
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
discount cycles
Strengths:
Good grip in soft cost conditions effective @ £5-7 each
Weaknesses:
metal band that holds it to rim on one came through side wall shafting the innertube
Similar Products Used:
wild gripers
Bike Setup:
scott
Bottom Line:
good for the price useless on tarmac or concreat shreads tread I run two sets one with slicks one with z max
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Vernon
a Cross Country Rider
from Ok Date Reviewed: July 24, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Strengths:
Good all around. Used Z-Max's for years and would recommend them for any bike without disc brakes.
Weaknesses:
After two months of riding I have ripped off about half the lugs! These tires are to soft to survive disc brakes!
Similar Products Used:
All Z-max's types. Smoke, Jones, Specialized, Onza, etc. etc.
Bike Setup:
Cross country.
Bottom Line:
I've used Ritchey's for years and never trashed a tire in two months flat! Maybe I got a defective tire but I would not recommend these for use with disc brakes. Lugs just can't see to take teh forces involved.
For V-brakes I'd give this tire a 4.5. For disc brakes I'd give these a 1.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
CHEF-BIANCHI SHRIEBER
a Racer
from herzelia, Israel Date Reviewed: July 8, 2001
Favorite Trail:
to yekum through raanana
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$37.00
Purchased At:
Becidan cycles, sokolov 92 herzelia
Strengths:
Gives a smooth, fast ride. Corners great on hard terrain and roads.
Weaknesses:
Has trouble cornering and rolling on soft terrain (deep sand, little rocks, ect...)
Bianchi RCX 399, full LX, selle italia gel, ritchey v2 pedals....
Bottom Line:
If you’re a fast cross-country rider looking for a tire for hard pack terrain, this will be the perfect tire for you. It will do a great job on the track!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
cameron johnson
a Downhiller
from chapel hill nc Date Reviewed: June 22, 2001
Favorite Trail:
all of them
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
franklin street cycles
Strengths:
works well in the mud and has very strong braking on wet conditions and corners like no other
Weaknesses:
sucks balls on the road ,but who rides on the road with a 2.35 anyway
Similar Products Used:
ive tried every tire out there
Bike Setup:
turner after burner
Bottom Line:
its a great tire for the money and if you want a tire for mean conditions the z max is the way to go the 2.35 that is
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan
a Cross Country Rider
from Issaquah, WA Date Reviewed: June 8, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Gooseberry Mesa, St. George, UT
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$14.00
Purchased At:
Universalcycles.com
Strengths:
Durable (low pressure ok), corners well, knobbies bite deep when climbing, decent mud clearance.
Weaknesses:
Pro model is a little heavier than I would like, the WCS model is lighter.
Similar Products Used:
IRC Mythos XC F and R Ritchey Alphamax/Omegamax ('93 tires) Panaracer Smoke/Dart
Bike Setup:
Highly customized '99 Cannondale CAAD2 (no headshock!)
Bottom Line:
This is a review for the Z-Max Millenium Pro 2.1
Switched to this tire in the rear after a knob ripped off my Mythos, thought I'd try a Ritchey again. At high speeds, it corners like no other! You can really lean on it and feel secure. It sticks much better than the Mythos in everything (hardpack, sand, slickrock, mud, roots, gravel, you name it). I still have a Mythos in the front and it slips in everything now that I'm in the Northwest. I just bought a Michelin Wildgripper Lite S for the rear to help with all the mud up here and I am going to run this tire up front (better braking).
Bottom line: This tire is tough and does it all! Get 'em while there still around.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Todd Dalberg
a Racer
from Minnesota Date Reviewed: June 4, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Pink Poodle @ Mt Kato
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Grabs very well.
Weaknesses:
?
Similar Products Used:
Panarace fire xc pro (2.1) - no good Hutchinson misquito (1.85) - good on the rear WTB Racing Raptor - good for hard pack
Bike Setup:
SC Super Light
Bottom Line:
I just got this tire a couple of weeks ago, raced with it, and really like it. I have a 1.9 and use it on the front. I use the misquito 1.85 on the rear. And for the hard pack I use the WTB racing raptors.
The z max bites the trail so good. It does as well as any tire in mud, and has no troubles at all with roots, rocks and loose dirt. A couple friends recommended this tire to me. I think its great!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Todd Dalberg
a Racer
from Minnesota Date Reviewed: June 4, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Pink Poodle @ Mt Kato
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Grabs very well.
Weaknesses:
?
Similar Products Used:
Panarace fire xc pro (2.1) - no good Hutchinson misquito (1.85) - good on the rear WTB Racing Raptor - good for hard pack
Bike Setup:
SC Super Light
Bottom Line:
I just got this tire a couple of weeks ago, raced with it, and really like it. I have a 1.9 and use it on the front. I use the misquito 1.85 on the rear. And for the hard pack I use the WTB racing raptors.
The z max bites the trail so good. It does as well as any tire in mud, and has no troubles at all with roots, rocks and loose dirt. A couple friends recommended this tire to me. I think its great!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Warren
a Weekend Warrior
from London Date Reviewed: May 9, 2001
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$1.00
Strengths:
light
Weaknesses:
Weak Sidewalls - wearing after only 6 months intermittant use. I get lots of flats too, though that could just be London
Similar Products Used:
none - i like smokes and where did the onza porcupine go?
Bike Setup:
Tyre is OEM equipment on DBR XR1 2K UK
Bottom Line:
My god this tire sucks arse. Its not confidence inspiring on soft ground and on hard pack truly spooky even to the point of breaking away on wet ashphalt. Has given me one big crash when compression launching off some roots onto hardish clay
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from Boulder Date Reviewed: April 27, 2001
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$10.00
Purchased At:
Pricepoint
Strengths:
Excellent traction on a variety of terrain. Smooth cornering in loose conditons. Affordable!
This is simply my favorite tire for xc riding so far.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
steve gordon
a Weekend Warrior
from las cruzes Date Reviewed: March 27, 2001
Favorite Trail:
all
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
online
Strengths:
fat tire,2.35. have not had a flat yet.
Weaknesses:
none yet, but by the reviews, i will have some soon
Similar Products Used:
michelin,wtb,kenda, spelize
Bike Setup:
schwinn homegrown 99.
Bottom Line:
i did not expect to see all thse crappy reviews, but for the most part this tire handels very well so far. down here the terrain is dry as a bone. southern new mexico, may be that is why i have not had any problems. i had a lot more trouble with some michellins i had. this one is the kevlar and as i said it is the really fat one. all around it is a pretty nice tire for this terrain.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Liamski
a Weekend Warrior
from Czek Date Reviewed: March 10, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$14.00
Strengths:
light, it last 3months now and it did not wear off yet.
Weaknesses:
no traction at all, in any condition. i ride it in a single track slight dh trail with moist to wet soil i nearly fall in a cliff bcoz of this crappy tire. skid too much when you apply brake even in a dry pave road.
Bike Setup:
GT Zaskar frame, XT LX mix component, Judy SL
Bottom Line:
ive got the 1.9 kevlar orange sided wall, read strengths & weaknesses and judge it yourself. this is a cheap tire so maybe it does not perform well. buy this if you plan only riding around your neighboor, errands. don't buy this if traction is in your mind.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
trail dog
a Cross Country Rider
from southern, cal Date Reviewed: December 24, 2000
Favorite Trail:
no no never tell
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
bike pro
Strengths:
greatfor bikes without suspension. good on hardpack, sand, rock run front at 35 psi and rear at 40 psi lower if sandy
Weaknesses:
not good on loose downhill gravel will not be stable
Similar Products Used:
other Ritcheys Specialized
Bike Setup:
Klein no suspension(!);Full XTR;King headset;Synchros stem,seat post;Easton bar;Yeti grips;bontrager saddle;White hubs;Mavic wheels; Air-B tubes;2.35 Ritcheys;WTB pedals; what else?
Bottom Line:
Evaluation is for 2.35 WCS Z-Max on a non suspended bike. I have ridden this set up for 8 years and lucky to have one last set stored away.
The bottom line is RIDE !
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ken
a Cross Country Rider
from Portland, OR Date Reviewed: November 20, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Surveyor's Ridge
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Super Cheap, Very Grippy(soft), perfect size 1.9", Super Light (You should only buy the kevlar WCS)
For the price, best tire out there. Period. Easy to install (usually by hand unlike the freakin' Continentals).
Note: You have to buy the Kevlar WCS model, anything else is just another heavy tire. And I recommend the Severe Condition for wet Oregon/Washington riding.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
eric
a Cross Country Rider
from munich, Germany Date Reviewed: November 2, 2000
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$40.00
Strengths:
overall performance comfortable rolls good and easy
Weaknesses:
grip at muddy cond. bad grip at wet rocks and stones
Similar Products Used:
IRC Mythos XC, IRC Mud Mad, simpler ZMax
Bottom Line:
Im riding a ZMax 2.3" WCS: At all it is a good tire bud the weakness at wet rocks and stones can bring you in trouble at the singletrails in the northern alps.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
riley
a Cross Country Rider
from mi Date Reviewed: October 22, 2000
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
flotation, light weight (wcs), supple casing
Weaknesses:
can't find them anymore
Similar Products Used:
panaracer pyro, smoke magnum (showing my age), dart sc 2.2 (try to find one of these)
Bike Setup:
hardtail
Bottom Line:
this review is for the 2.35 i would think that part of the cornering issues people have had could be related to narrow rims-these tires do require a moderate to wide rim width to support their size. i have run these for years and i've finally had to dispose of my last set. the tread still had some life left, but they were several years old and the rubber finally became too brittle. lots of sand and soft soil here in michigan, and these tires were the best. my favorite combo was the z-max 2.35 wcs on the rear and the dart sc comp on the front. this was before suspension, but carried forward into my hardtail years.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jan Myburgh
a Weekend Warrior
from Pretoria Date Reviewed: October 16, 2000
This is a follow up review . I must have made a typing mistake in the previous review when it came to the rating . I intended to give it two chillies .
It doesn't grip on anything but hardpack . I ripped it apart when I went riding with my GIRLFRIEND . After one week of riding in rocky conditions , I had 8 cuts on the surface . Some were so bad that the tube actually started dpopping through .It snakebites all over the show . You will go down in off camber corners . Even a Python has more traction !
Enough said
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jan Myburgh
a Weekend Warrior
from Pretoria, South Africa Date Reviewed: October 4, 2000
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Low rolling resistance for a non semi-slick tire
Weaknesses:
It provides no confidence as far as cornering is concerned . This is not just in on loose surfaces , but on hardpack as well . It is especially scary as a front tire .
Diamond Back Vertec comp ; Judy XC 100 mm travel ; Magura Clara disks ; USE SX suspension seatpost
Bottom Line:
The only good thing about this tire is it's relatively low rolling resistance . Climbing / braking traction is ok , but traction in corners is downright dangerous . There are other tires with even less rolling resistance that provide better traction (like the Pythons) . They also snakebite very easily .
I cannot think of one single application where I would like to use this tyre .
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ronny decoo
a Cross Country Rider
from Belgium Date Reviewed: September 12, 2000
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
cheap, look good, good when dry
Weaknesses:
they hate mud
Similar Products Used:
specialized, michelin
Bike Setup:
specialized s-works '96
Bottom Line:
They suck in muddy conditions (that's Belgium) but they are god in dry and hard terrain. Go for it if you like a low rolling resistance and you ride where it is dry, but stay away from them if you like to play in the mud.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Philip
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Barbara Date Reviewed: August 19, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$28.00
Strengths:
None. A dangerous tire is a useless tire.
Weaknesses:
Very, very sketchy tread
Similar Products Used:
WTB velociraptors, Panaracer Fire, Bontrager Jones, etc.
Bike Setup:
Intense Tracer, XTR, Race Face, etc.
Bottom Line:
I bought this 2.35" tire for my front wheel to replace my 2.1" Velociraptor with the assumption that I would get some extra control on the downhills. WRONG! When I came out of the bike store and turned the first corner It slipped out from under me and I banged myself up. No tire has ever done this to me at such a low speed. I have tried it at different pressures and I just sucks (big time). At the rated minimum air pressure of 45psi it is positively dangerous. I would never trust it in any conditions. Even at 25psi, which is well below Richey's ratings it is still way sketchier than my WTB's. I experimented by leaning the bike stationary at 45° and pushing down on the bike and this tire has zero grip on any surface. Even the Panaracer Fire 1.8" tires on my hardtail have at least 100% more grip than this thing. It has no redeeming qualities as far as I can ascertain. I could go on and on but I'll just summerize by saying that anyone who takes this tire on the trail should have as much body armor on as possible. It is a horrible, horrible tire!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mark
a Weekend Warrior
from calgary alberta Date Reviewed: July 18, 2000
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
It stood the test of time - 3 years and still lots of tread. No tube failures with the tire either! Corners well.
Weaknesses:
The sidewall is delaminating.
Bike Setup:
Hardcore XC for Racing
Bottom Line:
This tire was worth the money. I wish the sidewall would last longer because the tread is still great.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Phil
a Weekend Warrior
from Leeds, UK Date Reviewed: May 10, 2000
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Big fat grippy tyre.
Weaknesses:
None I can think of.
Similar Products Used:
Tioga Psycho II, WTB Velociraptors.
Bike Setup:
A few different bikes...
Bottom Line:
Good wide tyre that corners well and holds its traction, even on bad surfaces. Nice rubber compound that doesn't wear down too quick. I'm using a Ritchey 2.1 at the mo.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Russ
a Weekend Warrior
from North Hills, CA, USA Date Reviewed: April 15, 2000
Favorite Trail:
the chute
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
rolls well, provides cushion for ridgid front fork bike, wears very well.
Weaknesses:
Thin casing. too much rollover in turns. Has washed out on me many times. Mine is a 2.35 kevlar that now has a hole in the sidewall.
I didn't like this tire. I tried more pressure and then less pressure but it always seemes to wash out on me on fast sweepers earlier than any other tire I've ridden. Because of this tire I have become much too intimate with mother earth and I was actually happy to get rid of it after the sidewall blew out during a medium radius turn on hardpack - throwing me instantly into the ground painfully chest first. It was a fitting end to our relationship. I rode a 2.35 size on the front and it did not work for me. I purchased it because of the reviews. Now I'm using Onza tires and well see if I get my high speed turning confidence back. I'm being kind with 3 flamin' washout rashes!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Urbe
a Cross Country Rider
from Ljubljana Date Reviewed: April 6, 2000
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
very good traction, cheap for the quality you get
Weaknesses:
is there any?
Similar Products Used:
michelin wildgripper, panaracer dart & smoke
Bike Setup:
giant atx 950
Bottom Line:
The best XC tire that is available. I like it because corners very well, has a lot of grip on trails and it's fast on paved roads. Currently I am riding on 2.10.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Neill
a Cross Country Rider
from Ohio Date Reviewed: April 4, 2000
Favorite Trail:
ANY
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Kevlar and World Championship Series (Options) Highly Resistant to punctures Highly Resistant to pinch flats
Weaknesses:
Unknown
Bike Setup:
GT hardtail and GT XCR 2000
Bottom Line:
I have ridden my bikes through everything. Have never had a flat due to the tires!!! I have only lost 1, and that was due to a problem with a broken spoke that popped a tube. Spend the extra money on the WCS and Kevlar versons!!! I never buy anything else!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Kohn
a Cross Country Rider
from Merced, Ca. Date Reviewed: February 27, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Orange Hood
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
The 2.35 take the biggest hits, the fastest corners and are more flat resistant than those wimpy 1.9 and 2.1 size tires.
Weaknesses:
Not for the weight conscious, or Fresnoites-They know who they are.
Similar Products Used:
WTB Velociraptor, Panaracer Smokes front and back
Bike Setup:
Rigid
Bottom Line:
Ritchey Z-Max tires are always the best, but these 2.35 tires are the most fun. Last week I hit a 8 inch boulder in a corner on a downhill with one foot clipped out and the front tire went right over it, did'nt even get a pinch flat. These tires are the coolest, and the best bang for your buck at $40 a pair.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Allen Macaulay
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, ON Date Reviewed: February 26, 2000
Favorite Trail:
uncrowded singletrack
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Lasts a long time Good traction, Rolls quite fast Pretty light and quite cheap
This is the best all-round tire I've ever owned. It has good traction, but not as much as the newer generation tires. However, they have more predictable handling characteristics so you're more confident and can ride much closer to the edge. When they do break tration, your bike goes into a "mild" slide which is easy to correct. Also, this tire will work well in mud, hardpack, road, slickrock and anything else you can think of unlike the newer tires which are "condition specific". Best part is, the bike shops in my area keep putting them in the bargain bins so I can get the kevlar bead version for 20 bucks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
KampKomfort
a Racer
from Jackson, MS Date Reviewed: December 13, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Anything that resembles dirt
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Light in the 1.9 Hooks up well in almost any condition Relatively low rolling resistance
Weaknesses:
Can't find the 1.7 size Had one sidewall blowout
Similar Products Used:
Smoke/Dart, Spec. Ground Control
Bike Setup:
DBR WCF, LX/XT, Amp fork (love it)
Bottom Line:
This is a great go-anywhere tire. I think my old Smoke climbed a little better, but the Z-Max seems to perform better overall. I like the 1.9 on the back, would love to get my hands on some 1.7's for front and rear.The only problem I have had is my front 1.9 had a blowout/ripped sidewall during a ride. Not really sure what happened there, but the tire was getting old. I am currently using a donated 2.1 Z-Max on the front which seems to work well. Unfortunately, it is the wire bead version and weighs over 700g! Oh well, it works.I'll give it 4 burning dead horses, losing one for the ripped sidewall. Overall, great tire.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
kristo
a Weekend Warrior
from Belgium Date Reviewed: October 15, 1999
The most comfortable, smooth tire, cheap, very strong (a friend ride almost two years, never had a flat tire), much grip. But if you wanna go faster try the Superb Michelin Wildgrippers Sprints ( - expensive and very weak sides)
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Papewayo
a Weekend Warrior
from Brooklyn, NY Date Reviewed: October 8, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Various
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Very soft compound is extremely grippy. In all conditions. Relatively Light. Quiet.
Weaknesses:
Yet to find some in my riding conditions.
Similar Products Used:
Tioga Farmers Johns Nephew, Bontrager Jones, Cheng Sing (sp?), Panaracer Duster II
Bike Setup:
Specialized S-Works FSR, Proflex Animal
Bottom Line:
This tire is simply excellent. The soft compund makes for a cushy, quiet ride which sticks like glue. I need to be able to ride both on pavement and trails in all types of conditions and this tire delivers. Never have I experienced the squirrely feel of the Panaracer Duster II tires with the Ritcheys. Never have I slipped off a rock with this tire. Conclusion: Well worth the money.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
SK
a Cross-Country Rider
from Australia Date Reviewed: September 20, 1999
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Great in sand and soft stuff
Weaknesses:
Hopeless on anything that is hard
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Dirt Control and Master
Bike Setup:
Avanti Hammer, LX/XT drivetrain, Jett XC shock
Bottom Line:
I use my 1.9 SC version on the back. It is definitely more superior in the sand or on anything that is soft than the Dirt Master. The knobs are widely spaced, which prevent mud or wet sand from clodding on the tire. However, it is hopeless (no grip) on the hard stuff because its side knobs are small and are too widely spaced. There also seems to be greater rolling resistance than the Dirt Master. I would only recommand it for mud/softer surface use.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Christopher
a Cross-Country Rider
from Niagara Falls, Ont Date Reviewed: September 3, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Bruce
Duration Product Used:
more than 3 years
Strengths:
Excellent cornering Excellent front tire Excellent rear tire Affordable
Weaknesses:
Wear could explain that.
Similar Products Used:
Dart, Smoke, Velociraptors, Cross Country Pros etc...
Bike Setup:
Nitro, Judy SL, Nuke Proof wheels and rest XTR
Bottom Line:
These tires are excellent, I have used these tires on my steel, aluminum and carbon frames. The aluminum frames really respond well to these tires, more so then steel. Climbing is great and front control is awe inspiring, mud well but better than the Cross Country pros in mud Roll really nice too......
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Peter St-Amour
a Cross-Country Rider
from Mold, Wales Date Reviewed: September 3, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Berwyns
Duration Product Used:
more than 3 years
Strengths:
Great grip Excellent rolling ability Lightweight Good construction
Weaknesses:
Tend to go off quickly
Similar Products Used:
Everything
Bike Setup:
Marin Mount Vision, Fox Vanilla R, XT, Pace, onZa
Bottom Line:
Having tried at one point or another most decent tyres I always come back to the Z-Max WCS (not the steel or OEM as they're not so good). The compound grips all the way round the carcuss, they're light and always feel eager. Even though they're getting harder to get hold of I don't think I'll ever use a better (rear) tyre.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Captain Black
a Weekend Warrior
from Anaheim, CA Date Reviewed: August 30, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Grand Canyon
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Good all-around grip. 2.35 is good in the rought-stuff. Light weight.
2.1 on the rear wore out evetually. 2.35 on the front never really wore, I crashed a couple of times in the loose stuff in turns untill I realised that the side knobs were partially torn and would just fold under when the bike was leaned. Put 2.35 on the back.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Moishe Lettvin
a Cross-Country Rider
from Olympia, WA Date Reviewed: July 31, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Capitol Forest
Duration Product Used:
more than 3 years
Strengths:
Cornering, predictability, ability to run at low pressure.
Weaknesses:
Mud-shedding.
Similar Products Used:
WTB Velociraptors, IRC Mythos XC, Specialized More Extreme, Continental Cross Country, Panaracer Smoke & Dart, etc.
Bike Setup:
Cannondale w/DD50 HeadShok
Bottom Line:
I love these tires. Their rounded profile makes for great cornering; they drift predictably and gradually. They don't display any of the sudden release in cornering that other more square-profile tires do. They roll fast on hardpack and grip fine in looser conditions. I weigh ~210lbs and run these tires at 25-30 psi with no problem. I've used these tires everywhere from New England to Moab to the Northwest and they rail everywhere.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Iyam Nobody
a Cross-Country Rider
from Vermont Date Reviewed: July 6, 1999
Duration Product Used:
more than 3 years
Strengths:
good all-around tire
Weaknesses:
Doesn't excel at any one area
Similar Products Used:
Smoke/Dart and a few others
Bike Setup:
LItespeed
Bottom Line:
Very good all around tire. I use the 2.35 version. Corners predictably in all conditions. Ok in severe mud. If you're going to use one tire for all your riding this is a good choice.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Over
a Cross-Country Rider
from Lodz Date Reviewed: June 23, 1999
Favorite Trail:
everything fast
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
Excellent handling on the curves Low weight Superb in mud
Weaknesses:
none noticed... Some people say it packs up with mud, but haven't experienced it...
Similar Products Used:
michelin wildgripper comp s, vee rubber, maxxis wormdrive
Bike Setup:
customized Atala Bird, RockShox Jett T2, Mavic X222 rimz
Bottom Line:
Wooo... I've just come back from a very muddy trip... These tires areFANTASTIC!!!! I have the SC version (more hardcore-style ;) ) and its handling is just EXCELLENT! very fast curves and absolute control in the mud! And they weight only 590g!!!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
lab rat
a Weekend Warrior
from albuquerque Date Reviewed: June 18, 1999
Duration Product Used:
more than 3 years
Strengths:
these tire kick ass
Similar Products Used:
all
Bottom Line:
THESE TIRES KICK ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!forget the yearly barage of new overmarketed hype BS about what tire is the new kick your butt tire of the year. these tires kick ass in hardpack/loose conditionsl. predictable, especially if you tend to run low psi.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tired dude
a Cross-Country Rider
from albuquerque Date Reviewed: June 18, 1999
Duration Product Used:
more than 3 years
Strengths:
predictabletoughcorner well
Weaknesses:
serious mud
Similar Products Used:
you name it
Bottom Line:
best allaround predictable round profile tire ever on the market. i try them all but i always retur to the WCS ZMAX
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Peter
a Cross-Country Rider
from Ukiah Date Reviewed: June 14, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Boggs Mtn.
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
One of the best all-around tires. Low rolling resistance.
I ran Z-Max tires for about two years and loved them. They were good for all conditions. True, for specific conditions some tires were better. For example, the Dirts were faster on hardpack, but the Z-Max beat them out in loose conditions and cornering. Velocoraptors were better in very loose conditions, but the Z Max tire is a faster tire on hardpack. Their only weak area is mud. I ran the Specialized Dirts for about a year and they were great for the mostly hardpack conditions in our area, A fast tire, but I missed the control and versatility of the Z-Max. My current set-up is a Z Max in front for control and a Dirt Master in back for low rolling resistance. As I said a great all around tire.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve
a Cross-Country Rider
from Tucson Date Reviewed: April 21, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Sunset
Duration Product Used:
more than 3 years
Strengths:
Very good front tire in dry conditions. Superior breaking abilities. Fast.
Weaknesses:
Not so good as a rear tire. Poor in muddy conditions.
Similar Products Used:
Smoke Dart, WTB Velocoraptor (front)
Bike Setup:
Moots YBB with a 97 Judy
Bottom Line:
I have had very good luck with this as a front tire in dry conditions. This tire breaks much better than the various directional treads that I have tried. It has a fast rounded profile and gives fair warning before washing out. This tire is also very inexpensive and wears well as a front tire. I run a WTB Velocoraptor in the rear and I have to replace 3 or 4 WTBs to every 1 Ritchey. All that said, It doesn't seem to hook up as well as other rear tires so I don't use it there. Also, I live in Tucson, it is very dry, but in the limited mud that I have encountered it seemed to pack up more that other tires. Bottom line? A very good front tire in dry conditions.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross-Country Rider
from Traverse City Date Reviewed: March 25, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Vasa-North country
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Light Weight
Weaknesses:
Not a good front tire
Similar Products Used:
All sorts of tires
Bike Setup:
Klein Attitude Hardtail
Bottom Line:
This is a great rear tire, light weight and low rolling resistance, but still has knobs to hook up in the loose. This however is not a great front tire. I just cant seem to make it work. But for rear end duties it's great. I have the 1.9WCS skinwall from the old days. Overall a great rear tire that wears a little quickly but hooks up in everthing but sand, just watch it on the front
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alacritas
a weekend warrior
from Auburn Date Reviewed: November 3, 1998
Bottom Line:
I bought four of the 2.1 Kevlar SCs from Sportslink for $9 each, just for fun and to have some emergency knobby backups. I put a pair on my commuter bike and took it out on a nearby trail too see how they measured up to the many tires I've used on my trail bike over the last four years. (My friends were using these back when I was using Psychos and Pirhana Pros, and they definitely kill the old-school tires.) They are alright--easily worth the 18 bucks--not quite as good as the DusterPros currently on my trail bike. Of course, they are better than IRC Mythos. They don't have the all-out cornering traction of any the later Panaracer offerings (FireXC, DusterPro, DusterII), but they approach their limit very predictably. They surprised me by having low rolling resistance for a knobby. They sling dirt pretty badly, actually worse than any tire I've ever used. They packed with mud really badly too. On the whole though, I discovered why it and the Dart/Smoke have stood the test of time. They aren't quite as good at anything as some of the better new tires, but they're still better than some of the new ones that cost a lot more. You should buy some if only to have fun sliding around (transitions are fun) and pretending its 1993.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dom
a weekend warrior
from Southampton, UK Date Reviewed: October 29, 1998
Bottom Line:
Overall a poor tyre. The lack of specific tread pattern for front and rear tyres, and closely spaced knobbles make it a poor performer in soft conditions. It's round carcass make it reasonably in the dry, but if you're riding on dry hardpack, you should really be using semi's....Overall one chilli (as they aren't even ultra cheap)
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steven Saville
a cross-country rider
from Wales Date Reviewed: October 23, 1998
Bottom Line:
i find the Z MAX poor. It dosen't grip in the slightest or rocky conditions. I weel spin on almost every clime on rocky surfaces (and yes i do keep my weight over the back weel). They fill up with mud pritty easy 2. They aint a bad price and corner OK. 2 stars for conering and price, 0 stars for traction and climbing.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sean
a weekend warrior
from CA Date Reviewed: September 23, 1998
Bottom Line:
I Love this tire! It came with my bike, along with the Ritchey Climmax tire in the back. It has never washed out or slipped or anything. I can ride ACROSS(as in horizontal) a 45 degree hill of semi-loose dirt and not slip at all! I think these tires are great, and the price on them is really cheap too!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Robert
a racer
from Mechanicsburg, PA Date Reviewed: September 8, 1998
Bottom Line:
I ride on the same type of terrain that Kendog below me does, and he is 100% correct! This tire won't hold! Also, the durability is suspect at best. Recently at the PA MTB Championships, the course was dry, sandy, and very knarley and the Z-Maxes spun out in the sand, never held on a grunt climb if it was remotley rocky, and were literally torn apart through the technical sections. They were light and rolled very well, and I did pay only $9/tire through Sportslink direct, so I'm not totally at a loss. I'm now running the Panaracer XC Fire Pro, so we'll see about those!1 Chili for performance + 1 for being so CHEAP (Thanks Sportslink!!)
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kendog
a cross-country rider
from Frederick, MD Date Reviewed: August 6, 1998
Bottom Line:
Well, I read the other reviews here, but I don't agree. I bought this tire from Performance. I got a 1.9 figuring the smaller footprint would help me get more traction on the rocky uphills I have around here. This tire is like my dog, it doesn't bite. I imagine it just isn't well suited for running in these rocky conditions.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Edgar Reinfeld
a cross-country rider
from Wenatchee, WA Date Reviewed: July 29, 1998
Bottom Line:
Currently riding regular Z-Max 1.7s, but have a set of WCS 1.7s to go on as these wear out. Great tires in the hardpack conditions in Eastern Washington, but a little less useful in the mud. They wear relatively quickly, but the regular ones are cheap if you can find them. If you live in a dry, hardpack area, try going narrow instead of semi-slick, you get more traction in the desperate situations and still get good speed (not to mention lower weight).
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Erik Versaen
a cross-country rider
from Belgium Date Reviewed: July 14, 1998
Bottom Line:
Easy and comfortable to ride with! one word: Excellent i love this tires !!! i am using it on the front only right now (speedmax omega on the rear, which i also love). it has NEVER washed out on me on the trails in real world conditions. i believe it is much better than a directional tire. the only prob is that i have the 2.1 STEEL bead version, it weighs a lot (approx 650+). but it is still real nice. it packs up with mud pretty easy. thats why i replaced the rear. but, even with the front packed fairly tight it still works really really well. it doesn't have the greatest turning though. i used a psyhco soft compound for a while and it worked much better (for turning). try the speedmax omega, people. it has wicked traction, and it doesn't need To MUCH finnese.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
gomer
a cross-country rider
from canada, east side Date Reviewed: July 1, 1998
Bottom Line:
i love this tires!!! i am using it on the front only right now (speedmax omega on the rear, which i also love). it has NEVER washed out on me on the trails in real world conditions. i believe it is much better than a directional tire. the only prob is that i have the 2.1 STEEL bead version, it weighs a lot (approx 650+). but it is still real nice. it packs up with mud pretty easy. thats why i replaced the rear. but, even with the front packed fairly tight it still works really really well. it doesn't have the greatest turning though. i used a psyhco soft compound for a while and it worked much better (for turning). try the speedmax omega, people. it has wicked traction, and it doesn't need To MUCH finnese.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Charlie
a cross-country rider
from Sunnyvale, CA Date Reviewed: June 5, 1998
Bottom Line:
I just put a 4-year old Zmax WCS 2.1 on my rear tire with a Bontrager Revolt SS on the front. I had used the tire for two years as a front tire and it was worn down from braking/cornering but still had sharp edges for climbing. I took a Dremel tool to the knobs to sharpen up the cornering and PRESTO - a free semi-slick tire! It is very light (540 gm on my scale), climbs very well and corners about as good as any new tire I have every used on the rear. Most of the trails around here are hard pack with a coating of dust, sand, gravel and poison oak. One trail, however, was just repaired by a bulldozer and is now deep in loose soil and rocks. But the Zmax climbed up steep pitches with no problem at all. I don't know about mud performance because things have really dried out here. I used to love this tire on the front and now love it on the back. I predict a strong revival for this old design. It just works. Sort of eerie in a sport where if it isn't brand new it's trash.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Troy
a cross-country rider
from Northern Michigan, USA Date Reviewed: April 21, 1998
Bottom Line:
I love these tires. I have a set of the brand new '98 1.9 WCS, they are good in everything and talk about low weight. I have ridden z-max's all my life 2.1,2.35,1.9 i have owned them all but my favorite combo is front and rear 1.9 wcs bluewalls. They do have a tendancey to wash out in off camber corners and they wear real fast, but overall the best thing going.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tommy2Pants
a cross-country rider
from Pittsburgh Date Reviewed: April 21, 1998
Bottom Line:
Great light-weight tire (WCS 2.1's used to weigh 550 gms) for hardpack, off-camber, etc. Not the greatest soft-terrain tire, but is acceptable. Nice ride and shock absorption and dont seem to flat often. Easily one of the best tires ever offered for off-road bikes. Don't get too caught up in 'this years best tire' as proclaimed by the magazines and new mtb riders (ex: IRC Mythos) - if your can get new WCS 2.1's for a good price, buy em ! (beware, newer WCS 2.1's have gained and ounce or so in the weight dept; also, stay away for the SC models which have larger knobs as the tire weighs more).
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Submitted by
Rok
a cross-country rider
from Slovenia Date Reviewed: April 21, 1998
Bottom Line:
I'm using a Z-Max 1.9 WCS at the front and think it is a very good alround tire in dry conditions. It worked well on asphalt, gravel and hard terrain. Recommended for use with offroad and road combined. They wear off pretty quickly, though (WCS version). Doesn't perform as well at the rear wheel.
$ 50.00
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