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Specialized Nimbus EX

MSRP $ 19.99
# of Reviews 55
Average Rating 4.47/5
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Submitted by Duster59 a Weekend Warrior from midwest
Date Reviewed: September 6, 2008
Favorite Trail:mopac
Duration Product Used:More than 3 years
Price Paid: $25.00
Purchased At:blues
Strengths:Very fast with no roll resistance. Excellent for city and trail riding. Best tire I have ever road on pavement. Has enough volume to ride off road on crushed limestone trail and gravel. I stated, very fast, even off road. Specialized made a big mistake when they discontinued making them.
Weaknesses:Specialized quit selling them.
Similar Products Used:Continental travel contact
Bike Setup:Specialized Rockhopper with XTR M960 components, Rhyno Lite rims.
Bottom Line:Excellent tire. The best you can ride. Specialized made a big mistake when they discontinued making them.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Jon M a from Phoenix, AZ, USA
Date Reviewed: June 27, 2006
Favorite Trail:Streets
Duration Product Used:More than 3 years
Price Paid: $25.00
Purchased At:Two-Wheeler Dealer
Strengths:Strong, little rolling resistance, and long lasting.
Weaknesses:Tires are hard so the grip is not the best on the road and off road or loose gravel/sand you will have problems.
Similar Products Used:None
Bike Setup:Mt bike set up for commuting and touring.
Bottom Line:I'm been running these tires for about 3 years with over 2000 miles on them and have never had a puncture. I run over glass, through thorns, you name it and nothing has gotten through. I've put about 500 miles on 'rail-to-trails' paths through Western South Dakota (Black Hills) with no problems except sinking in on loose ground.

If you want to commute without worring about punctures, this tire is for you.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Paul Williamson a Cross Country Rider from Melbourne, Australia
Date Reviewed: March 22, 2006
Duration Product Used:6 months
Price Paid: $15.00
Purchased At:GoldCross
Strengths:Puncture Proof!! Just make sure you have the right size tube in there with about 70-80psi. Very little rolling resistance, a good tyre for track and road!
Weaknesses:Not good on sand/gravel, you get very sideways very fast. I havent tried pushing these to the limit in the wet, but I just don't feel comfortable doing it on these, it feels like they will suddenly just reach a point and break loose in a corner. Take it easy!
Bottom Line:Very nice tyres. A mate of mine has been riding on concreted bike tracks and roads for 5000 km and never had a puncture (yes 5 thousand km). Since I got mine about 1000km ago I have not had a puncture. (we ride with additional loads of up to 30kg on the back of our bikes as well). Still no punctures or problems :D Fantastic! Yearly we do a big 7 day/~700km ride and so far the nimbus ex have proven invincible.

Just remember if you are going offroad that these tyres will not be all that confidence inspiring!
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by al a Weekend Warrior from dallas, tx, us of a
Date Reviewed: October 25, 2005
Duration Product Used:6 months
Price Paid: $30.00
Purchased At:lbs
Strengths:Armadillo is tough
good long-wearing, sticky compound
well-aligned mold
hi pressure
easy on and off
Weaknesses:very round profile (wekaness imho) tries to ride over debris instead of popping it off to the side.
only available in 1.5" for 26" rims
heavy
fairly harsh ride
Similar Products Used:various combos of armored tire/sealed innertube etc
Bike Setup:barracuda hardtail set up for 3500 miles of commuting/yr
Bottom Line:i don't like punctures. in fact i hate em. they usually happen when i'm under time pressure to get to work, and they usually happen about 1 mile left to get to work, so it's either quick change the tube or run the last mile; either way it sucks!

i had been riding nashbar 1.2 inch slicks with sealed tubes for a long time, and got a flat maybe every 3-5 weeks on average. usually just a piece of glass finally worked through, the usual. but i reasearched and finally tried these Nimbus EX Armadillo, spending about 3x as much as usual.

They are HEAVY for a slick 1.5" mtb tire, and since all that extra weight is rotational, it hurts the most. that said, i run 100+ psi (up to 120) with no issues and can average 17mph on my cross-town commute including slowing for signs, traffic, etc. So not too bad. but i throw on the n-bar slicks for events, and those make the bike feel like it's flying by comparison.

The compound is very good, securely and predictably sticky and yet after maybe 1500miles, lots of tread left. The tire rides rather harsh, likely due to the tread protection.

The width and profile is just perfect to make the tire skittery over debris. The tire ends up picking up a lOT of garbage in the tread, but the Armadillo handles most of it.

2 of the 3 punctures have been due to catastrophic punctures; a key (as in a FRIGGIN HOUSE KEY) punching right into the tire, and chewing up the rim strip and inside of the rim) and a screw (as in a FRIGGIN 3" ROOFING SCREW) punching right into the tire and similarly munching the rim strip and rim. I have never ever had issues like THAT before, with any other tire setup! I blame this on the w-i-d-e profile, the garbage gets bounced around by the front tire and WHACKS! into the rear.

the final puncture was frustrating: a slow leak kept popping up every week or so, i kept examining the tire, and finally found one of the steel cords of the tire, FROM THE FACTORY, sticking into the inside of the tire and slowly working it's way through the tube, causing an infuriatingly slow leak. garrr....

but hey, that's 3 flats in 6 months, not too bad, considering the abuse i put it through. About 2 miles of my 15 mile commute are in the 2ft wide shoulder of a major road, and is compelety strewn with roadkill, shrapnell from accidents, glass, random car parts, etc etc. I've pulled some nasty-looking crap out of the tread that didn't manage to make it through to the tube. So the principle is good, but the huge profile (and in my case, steel cord in the tube) doesn't help on the execution.

Impressively enough, the tread is so tough that the hole made by the key (about 1/4 inch long) is barely visible as a small bump on the tread with 100 psi in the tube. Now that's a tough, rigid tread!

I have to only give it 3 chilis, for the above issues. If Specialized made it narrower and lighter (should come with narrower) it would be a 5-chili ride and 'd be happy to pay the $30. As it is, i just hunted down some $30 Panaracer Paselas and will give them a go.
Cheers
Value Rating:3Overall Rating:3

Submitted by TK a Weekend Warrior from SF Bay Area
Date Reviewed: August 18, 2005
Favorite Trail:Anywhere away from people and cars.
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $20.00
Purchased At:Garners
Strengths:Quality construction
East to install, didn't even need tires irons
High pressure rating
Weaknesses:Weight: Heavy
Appearance: Clunky
Ride: Hard
Similar Products Used:Performance City ST Road
Bike Setup:Rockhopper Comp (1st generation, no shock)
Bottom Line:Took them on a ride this morning to work.
Mixture of street, sidewalks, and hardpack trials.
Mostly dry with some wet spots.

First thing I noticed was they have a sticky compound
on the top of the tire that tends to pick up stuff.
Good for traction, but bad for pointy objects.

Seem to have a good roll rate, and are fairly
predictable on dry surfaces at the point of breaking
loose. Braking is normal.

I'm a little skeptical on the puncture resistance.
If you ride on hard surfaces and want something
to make it easiesr to pedal, then check these out.



Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Stuart Anderson a from Sussex (UK)
Date Reviewed: March 28, 2005
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Strengths:Puncture resistant!!! Good compromise between speed, safety, and comfort.
Weaknesses:These tyres are difficult to get on and off the rim. Like all other slick tyres, they have limited traction on gravel, grass and mud.
Similar Products Used:Continental Avenue Semi-slicks
Bike Setup:Road-specced MTB (Marin)
Bottom Line:Excellent value for money. I've just completed a 1032 mile ride using these tyres and they were subject to some fairly punishing conditions including lots of glass and sharp stones. I also didn't have to add any air during the 17 days that it took me to complete the distance. Highly recommended for the commuter or tourist.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Jason a Cross Country Rider from Ocoee, FL
Date Reviewed: February 13, 2005
Favorite Trail:Potowatami (in Michigan)
Duration Product Used:6 months
Price Paid: $20.00
Purchased At:Orange Cycle
Strengths:durability or tread (compared to knobbies)
durability against glass, rocks, road obstacles
Weaknesses:prone to metal slivers, but what isn't?
Only 4 chili's because my speed never increased using these
Similar Products Used:first set of slick
Bike Setup:Kona Kula Deluxe with SRAM X.0 drivetrain and Avid mechs.
Bottom Line:These tires haven't really increased or decreased my speed from my old knobbies. Keep in mind though that I ran the 1.9 size Fire XC Pro. Not a full 2.3 aggresive tread knobbie. Handling in wet or dry conditions is predictable. Just watch for the painted road lines or metal sewer covers in the wet (as with any tire though). The tires are showing little wear since I bought them. I burned through the tread on my mountain tires in three months (but they are intended for dirt, not the road). I haven't regretted my descision once. The only problems I've had is lots of flats. However I work at Home Depot and I think thats where most of the tiny, thin slivers of metal have come from. I've only had one flat that I can be sure was from debris from the road and that was a screw. No tire will stand up to that. I've ridden over pieces of metal, broken wood pieces, sharp looking thingies =), and I've never had a flat. I ride 22.5 miles one way to work and have about 3000 miles on these tires averaging 20 mph. Best rating I can give them is to say I would definitely purchase again.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Sandra a Weekend Warrior from Denver, CO USA
Date Reviewed: August 20, 2004
Favorite Trail:Highline Canal/Cherry Creek Trail
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $19.00
Purchased At:Bicycle Village/Specialized Dealer
Strengths:I am impressed with this tire. It is so quiet and rolls easy. I have cut my commute time down to 18 minutes in 3 miles from 22 minutes from fat knobby noisy tires. I like the flak jacket protection along with self sealing tubes. I ride in an urban area with assortment of broken glass/thorns/nails etc and have never had a flat so far.
Weaknesses:I wish they would offer different side-wall colors.
Similar Products Used:Chin Shen stock tires. Had a flat first time I rode to work.
Bike Setup:Iron Horse Adventurer Hybrid 700x38c
Bottom Line:I commute to work approx. 6 miles daily and ride about 60 miles on the bike paths on the weekends and I feel that I can be self-assured that I don't have to worry about flats. I run 60lbs pressure in the tires and have Rock Shox in the front and a suspension seat post so I don't worry too much about the roughness of the tire. I feel that I have made a smart purchase in these tires. I have Armadillo's on my Specialized Expedition and have 2000 miles on those and have NEVER had a flat. I slow down on slick pavement anyway so I have no idea if Nimbus EX slip and slide as I am a conservative bike rider. I would recommend them to anyone who needs tires for their bike.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Tom F. a Weekend Warrior from Washington DC
Date Reviewed: July 13, 2004
Favorite Trail:C&O Canal
Duration Product Used:6 months
Price Paid: $20.00
Purchased At:College Park Bikes
Strengths:Tough, fast, good control. Used for 360 trail miles in mixed gravel, stone dust, loose dirt and sand, utp to railroad ballast sized crushed rock.
Weaknesses:Squirley in claymud- not a surprise, though. Still, never dropped the bike in it...
Bike Setup:Rivendell Quickbeam fixie, tire size is 700x35 nominal, 700x34 installed.
Bottom Line:Great tire for mixed trail, just take it easy in mud.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Steve a Cross Country Rider from Oregon
Date Reviewed: June 29, 2004
Favorite Trail:Hagg Lake
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $20.00
Purchased At:Bike Gallery - Beaverton, Oregon
Strengths:Low rolling resistance.
Handles road debris without a care.
Weaknesses:None found.
Bike Setup:Trek 4900 (hardtail mountain bike).
Bottom Line:Great option for commuting.

When I started commuting to work (8 miles each way) the stock knobby tires had to go (bumpy and slow). But I didn't want to buy new rims, so I looked and found the Nimbus EX.

As soon as I put them on, my commute time went from 40 minutes to just over 30. Not bad for merely changing tires.

In 300 miles of riding on them I have had no flats and no slips on corners. I'm very satisfied with the tires.

If you commute on a mountain bike and are tired of riding on your offroad tires, try these.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Sean Gordon a Weekend Warrior from Rochester, NY
Date Reviewed: May 29, 2004
Favorite Trail:Paved, with nice shoulders
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $20.00
Purchased At:Park Ave Bike - Henrietta
Strengths:The flat resistance on these tires is great. I use them on my rain and commuting bike and they catch the road at it's worst, with all the crap on it and when it is wet. They hold up superbley. Wet weather traction is the same as any other durable tire I have ridden. I pull glass and small stones out of the tires weekly when I commute 60 miles daily 2-3 days a week. Not a single blowout, and I am 205lbs carrying a 15-20lb load of clothes and an Apple laptop in panniers. Can't ask for much more.
Weaknesses:They are heavier than other tires, but not any more so than tires in it's durability range. They handle grass like any other slick tire. They don't have power assist on hills :)
Similar Products Used:Specialized Armadillos, Specialized All Condition Armadillos, MTB knobbies.
Bike Setup:Specialized Sirrus. Came stock with the bike, and will buy the for the bike's next set of tires as well.
Bottom Line:These are the best tire I have for the buck. Great touring and all purpose street tire. They have held up for 1500+ miles w/o any problems.

This isn't the tire to win the TdF or 24 Hours of Whatever with, but it will get you to point b from point a efficently and without flats unless you aim for roofing nails.

The 700x28 size may be too big for some bikes, but it fits perfectly on mine. Only other piece of advice is don't purchase road fenders to go with this tire, use the hybrid size.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by John Collins a Weekend Warrior from Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: May 25, 2004
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $20.00
Strengths:Low rolling restance, quite, look pritty cool too, oh ya the price!
Weaknesses:none yet.
Similar Products Used:Hutchinson Mosquito
Bike Setup:2003 Giant Yukon.
Bottom Line:If you do more than 50% of your rideing on pavement than stop killing yourself with those off road tires. these tires have made my bike a slick machine on the street. I don't belive there is a perfect tire for no/off road use, bye these for on road and switch to your nobs for the trail. This is the only way you can have your cake and eat it to!
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Maximus Decimus Meridius a from Southampton, UK
Date Reviewed: May 19, 2004
Duration Product Used:2 Years
Purchased At:Hargroves Cycles
Strengths:puncture proof, low rolling resistance at high pressure, durable
Weaknesses:pain in the arse to get on, no grip on wet grass
Bike Setup:hardrock
Bottom Line:great road tyre, I've pulled out all sorts of crap from them (glass, thorns etc) and wondered how the hell they havn#'t punctured. Run at 60psi, sound as a bell
However, zero traction on wet grass - back wheel spinning stuff. Also there is a crack running around the circumference of the sidewall/tread interface, after approx 4000 miles on road, I'll get another set all right
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Troy a Cross Country Rider from Fayetteville
Date Reviewed: April 1, 2004
Duration Product Used:6 months
Price Paid: $20.00
Purchased At:local Bike Shop (Highroller)
Strengths:Great ride compared to nobbies that came original on the bike. Have not had a flat since i have owned them.
Weaknesses:Extremely slick on wet surfaces.
Similar Products Used:None so far.
Bike Setup:Can. F400 HT
Bottom Line:Do not be fooled by some of these reviews that say these are grippy on both wet and dry pavement. These cats must have a different version from mine. First day I rode with these on my bike, I fell and fell hard. If you buy these tires and it rains, I would recomend walking. But, I have even slid out with nobbies in the rain. Come to think about it, I may just be a bad rider. Do not get me wrong though, I love this tire. If you are like me and are a daily comuter, this tire would work great for you.
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Alan User a Cross Country Rider from London
Date Reviewed: February 27, 2003
Favorite Trail:City street riding
Duration Product Used:More than 3 years
Price Paid: $22.00
Purchased At:Evans Bicycles in London, England
Strengths:Did not get very many flats at first. Low rolling resistance.
Weaknesses:Loads of flats after the tire wore--the Kevlar doesn't protect you. It's not the Kevlar that prevents the flats, it's the rubber
Similar Products Used:Michelin Transworld City
Bike Setup:Raleigh large frame city bicycle
Bottom Line:Kevlar is a scam, in my opinion. I didn't get very any punctures if any at all when I first got the tire. But as it wore, I got loads of flats. Sometimes two in one week (all I use the bike for is to commute to work each morning in central London, 5 miles each way). I got rid of it because I was disgusted with the flats. All it takes is a tiny piece of rock or glass and it just goes straight through the Kevlar. My bike shop told me that the best-rated tires for puncture resistance don't use Kevlar, but use strong thick rubber. Kevlar, apparently, is great for stopping bullets, but is impotent against a small piece of rock/glass that slowly rocks back and forth and penetrates the Kevlar like butter. Kevlar is great for a wide impact (bullet), but defenceless against a sharp attack, particularly one that slowly works its way through the Kevlar fabric.
Value Rating:1Overall Rating:2

Submitted by Carl a Cross Country Rider from Portland
Date Reviewed: January 23, 2003
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $20.00
Purchased At:Specialized
Strengths:Skinny, Sticky, Quick, Durable, Flat resistant
Weaknesses:Can be a pain to get on the rims, looks funny on a full suspension bike. Oh well.
Similar Products Used:they're my first slicks
Bike Setup:26X1.5s on a Trek Y
Bottom Line:My wife and I used these for a 1600 mile tour of New Zealand, and neither of us had a flat the entire time. They roll and grip well too. They're exactly what I wanted. Mine probably have 2000 miles on them now and as far as I'm concerenced they're still in great shape.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Tony a from Earth
Date Reviewed: October 17, 2002
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $20.00
Strengths:Great resistance to flats.
Weaknesses:Takes forever to put them on.
Kinda heavy.
Bike Setup:Tommasini Sintesi. Yeti ARC
Bottom Line:Used these on tours in Canada and Spain. Never had a flat (knock on wood). BUT, they are heavy. And if do have a flat, good luck trying to re-install them.
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:3

Submitted by Willy Lim a Weekend Warrior from New Zealand
Date Reviewed: August 19, 2002
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $30.00
Purchased At:Wiggle UK
Strengths:Puncture proof, grippy even in the wet and strong enough for a little off roading aswell.
Weaknesses:Unable to get hold of kevlar bead version.
Similar Products Used:None, first pair of slicks.
Bike Setup:XC MTB with slicks.
Bottom Line:Great touring tyre. Rolls well on all types of road chip but you can notice the resistance on the really coarse tarmac. Covered 1200 miles and looks like theres enough tread to do 3000 more.
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Todd a Weekend Warrior from New York City
Date Reviewed: August 16, 2002
Favorite Trail:Hudson River Bike Path
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $20.00
Purchased At:Gotham Bikes
Strengths:Great tread pattern, low rolling resistance.
Weaknesses:none observed so far
Bike Setup:'94 Claud Butler Exon MTB
'00 Co-Motion MTB Tandem
Bottom Line:After years of riding knobby tires on asphalt, I finally got off my lazy a** and bought these street-friendly tires.

I bought the Nimbus EX for the half-bike first, to dip my toes in the water. Loved the ride and experienced no disasters, so I just picked up the Armadillo flavor ($30 instead of $20) for our Co-Motion tandem to replace the Specialized Mountain Baldy tires it came with (not bad on the straight, but squirrely on sharp turns on asphalt). I'm willing to pay the premium for extra security on the tandem, since a blowout would be quite a bit more disastrous! Goin' for a ride around Staten Island this weekend to feel the difference.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by brave_sir_throbbin a Weekend Warrior from Scotland
Date Reviewed: May 10, 2002
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $35.00
Strengths:Amazingly grippy, FAST!!, able to withstand anything found on the roads (except landmines for all the eastern block folk)
Weaknesses:a bit fiddly ot get on and off the rim especially with narrow rims, a bit on the weighty side
Bottom Line:An awesome street tyre for those who spend more time in the human jungle than in the woods. These last pretty well too and are excellent value for your hard earned cash!! go and buy some NOW!
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Matt a Cross Country Rider from England
Date Reviewed: November 1, 2001
Duration Product Used:6 months
Price Paid: $30.00
Purchased At:Various
Strengths:Note this is for the Nimbus Armadillo.
Puncture proof (even tried sticking a drawing pin through one and couldn't), fast rolling, very grippy and don't wear.
Excellent for commuting or touring, although I wouldn't suggest them for training because of the weight (actually, that might be a good reason to train on them!)
Weaknesses:A bit heavy for 26x1.5 slicks (about 600g!), the first one I bought split along the sidewall after 600 miles touring through France - returned it and it was found to be defective (one of a small batch I was told). Was replaced free of charge + a free tube.
Similar Products Used:Tioga city slickers, variety of off-road tyres
Bike Setup:a bike
Bottom Line:Great tyres, not bad for the money and I expect them to last as long as (if not longer) than my old city slickers which did 4 years and 4000 miles. Sidewall problem was due to a missing flakjacket - according to SBC Uk the tyre was one which escaped a dealer recall (fair enough). In response to complaints about grip over shiny bumps in the wet - don't ride over shiny bumps in the wet! You'll fall off whatever tyres you are using - it's a bit like saying the tyres aren't grippy because you keep falling off when cranked over on ice!
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Eugene a Cross Country Rider from Singapore
Date Reviewed: August 10, 2001
Duration Product Used:More than 3 years
Strengths:Fast, puncture-proof(well, tried riding over thorns, broken glass, etc), very durable!
Weaknesses:Extremely difficult to remove and fit or vice versa..
Similar Products Used:Hutchinson Pythons, Airlights, Panaracers, Vredestein, IRCs...
Bottom Line:These tires are fast and simply don't wear out even after locking the wheel to a halt on tarmac!.... and it's been rolling since '95(Mine is the much older model with the dark brown sidewalls). Furthermore, they sure are tough.... don't look at them as slicks... they have the rubber compound 3 times thicker than most off-road tires made these days!.... have not had a puncture when using these and now they have gone over to my tandem coz these tires could be trusted.... and guess what? With all the added weight, the tires still hold...with all the grooves still freshly embedded on the surface without any wear....
Get these and u won't need another set of tires for a preeeeeeeeeeety long time!
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Adam a Weekend Warrior from San Francisco
Date Reviewed: May 21, 2001
Favorite Trail:Ones w/no mtbs on 'em(sorry! I only walk trails...)
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $20.00
Purchased At:Bike Hut at South Beach(yay!!!)
Strengths:Fast, relatively flat free
Weaknesses:Difficult to put on, slippery on wet plastic bumps(ouch!!)
Similar Products Used:cheap(er)non-kevlar no-name variety
Bike Setup:Diamond Back Ascent,(I guess it's called? -has worn off & I got it used)upgrade x-ray shifters, bg sport saddle, slightly ripped up,(thanks little plastic bumps!)Shimano 515 pedals, Niterider digi-headtrip & taillite, Also Kona Hahanna w/similar acoutrements(sp?)
Bottom Line:What can I say?(that hasn't been said)

Not much.

Have to have 50 words, tho', so I'll say DON'T TRY TO RIDE OVER THOSE WEE PLASTIC BUMPY THINGS AFTER A RAIN WHILE TRYING TO PASS A STOPPED BUS EVEN IF YOU ARE LATE FOR YOUR FERRY TO YOUR DENTIST APP'T!!!!

I truly regret doing that...

Victor at the Bike Hut used to call me 'Mr. Flat' I had 'em so often...not any more.

Even those guys were sweating trying to get this tire onto the DB. I just couldn't do it.(w/out tools & I'm pretty strong)

I keep 'em pumped up to top recommended 85 psi or so 'cause I like the speed, however they have a pretty rough ride on the mean streets of sf at that pressure.

I've seen these tires(the knobby variety--why???)on rental bikes--they are good for what ails you...

They have punctured & ripped up a bit over time but for the price...can't be beat.

only reason I gave less than top marks is conservative rating style.

Btw: 'weekend warrior' was the closest, however I ride for exercise & groceries as close to daily as I can. (with the occasional 30m? trip over the bridge to Marin to visit my brother)

I'm not quite back to opimal shape yet (195lbs)& can be spaced out when I ride; if someone were more careful & lighter they'd have no flats at all.Also got some pinch flats from using a stupid old tire liner I got on ebay.(tho' I believe it, too saved me from some punctures
-I work in convention centers & there are tacks & such around during setup & teardown)
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Alex a from Boston
Date Reviewed: April 27, 2001
Favorite Trail:100 miles of soliture
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Price Paid: $30.00
Purchased At:International Bike, Brighton, MA
Strengths:Specialized Nimbus Armadillo 26x1.5, front and rear.
fast on pavement, had travelled 600m so far on these, enjoying them over fat winter rubber
Weaknesses:slippery on even small amount of sand - watch out when braking!
Fill slow uphill, but can actually accelerate uphill if you push it.
Also - less shock absorbtion and a bit heavy for their size.
Oh, yeah - allow yourself enough time and patience to put them on first time!!!
Bike Setup:your basic Diamondback outlook chipo
Bottom Line:great for city with less potholes than Boston/Camrbridge and better roads overall
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Jordan a Weekend Warrior from New York, NY, US
Date Reviewed: April 18, 2001
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $19.00
Strengths:Fast, quiet, and smooth ride on flat pavement.
Weaknesses:Harsher ride on bumps than nobbies (to be expected).
Similar Products Used:None
Bike Setup:Mongoose Sycamore, all stock
Bottom Line:The stock tires on my Sycamore were so nobby they buzzed on pavement. I moved to the city and decided to get slicks, choosing these because a lot of messengers use them.

Of course, they absorb surface bumps worse than nobbies, but it's well worth it. Both acceleration and top-speed are much better now...feels like a new bike!
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Chris Thurrott a Cross Country Rider from Malden, MA, USA
Date Reviewed: April 1, 2001
Favorite Trail:Middlesex Fells
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $17.00
Purchased At:Cycle Loft
Strengths:Wears like iron
Fast rolling
Highly puncture resistant
Weaknesses:None to speak of.
Similar Products Used:First set o slicks
Bike Setup:2000 Fisher Aquila w/ Bontrager rims
Bottom Line:These are the slicks everyone should ride. Only one flat in 2600 miles of potholes, glass, nails, and other road accoutrements. These tires still look like they have another 2600 miles in them!

They were even competent on hardpack dirt trails and climbing rocks.

And they were cheap, too!
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Thad a Racer from Woodbury, MN, USA
Date Reviewed: March 13, 2001
Favorite Trail:Battle Creek Park
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Price Paid: $20.00
Purchased At:Erik's
Strengths:Really good on the road, low rolling resistance, puncture resistant.
Weaknesses:Loss of traction on grass and most non-road surfaces.
Bike Setup:Schwinn Moab A2
Bottom Line:Really smooth ride, good for touring and training. Great over-all value.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by joe a Weekend Warrior from uk
Date Reviewed: September 21, 2000
Duration Product Used:6 months
Strengths:grippy, roll well, hardwearing, seem pretty puncture proof, cheapish
Weaknesses:a little tricky to get on and off without levers, look a bit daft on a bike with disc brakes. Obviously rubbish in mud.
Similar Products Used:no other MTB road tyres
Bike Setup:Orange Evo2, Manitou SXLT, XT, middleburn, Hope hubs and C2 discs
Bottom Line:I have a 13 mile ride to and from work, largely on road with some gravel paths and these things are just perfect. They're even ok on dry grass trails. If you put 50+psi into them they swish along really nicely on the road and you can spin along a gear or so higher than you would with knobblies on. Bit of a harsh ride on the rear combined with a stiff hardtail but what do you expect? Great grip in the dry, add with disc brakes you can stop pretty flipping quickly, useful in the London traffic! Come the weekend, whip them off, stick on the 2.1s and find mud. 4 points because they're a bit heavy and they don't grip on wet manhole covers (8^]
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Anthony Lovatt a Weekend Warrior from Tokyo,Japan
Date Reviewed: September 20, 2000
Favorite Trail:Edogawa river trail
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $30.00
Purchased At:Japan
Strengths:Excelllent.Puncture proof.Narrow,extra speed,safe in the wet, good looking.
Weaknesses:None.
Similar Products Used:Metro,Slick and City Slicker
Bike Setup:Cannondale:xt,xtr and Lx.Avid brakes.
Bottom Line:Great.Maybe for on-road use only.I have the EX version.
They feel so safe in the wet compared to all the other slicks that I have tried!
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by RaverRave a from San Francisco
Date Reviewed: September 19, 2000
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Strengths:One flat in one year, including 6 months messengering.
Bike Setup:'99 Airborne Lucky Strike frame
Manitou '97 SX Ti fork
Sun Rhyno Lite rims w/White Industries hubs
Avid Arch Supreme brakes & levers
Selle Italia Flite Gel saddle
Dean ti seatpost
Etc., etc., etc.
Bottom Line:I have the Numbus EX's. Great slicks. Can't recommend them enough. I have two wheelsets -- one of road use with these tires, one for off-road use with some nobbies on them. These tires turn my ATB into a road bike. You will not be disappointed.
Value Rating:4Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Made in Taiwan a Weekend Warrior from so cal
Date Reviewed: August 16, 2000
Duration Product Used:3 months
Price Paid: $30.00
Strengths:virtually un-flattable (is that a word?)
Weaknesses:not as light as i thought it would be
Bike Setup:Specialized HardRock FS
Bottom Line:gotta get these tires for pavement. you gotta!!! i got Nimbus ex for the front and Nimbus Amardillo for the rear. they climb well, grip well. no complaints. you gotta try it. get the nimbus ex first (20 bucks) and if you really like it you can upgrade to the nimbus amardillo (30 bucks)

when you're off the dirt and riding in the city, gotta get these babies. worth every penny
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Chuck a Weekend Warrior from Clio, MI USA
Date Reviewed: July 5, 2000
Favorite Trail:All of em
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Strengths:You can fly on roads paved or gravel. For touring they can't be beat.
Weaknesses:Gonna bust your ass on cross country.
Bike Setup:Haro Vector3 with specialized mtb body geometry saddle.
Bottom Line:I'm a loafer. I'm into comfort and ease of travel. These tires are excellent when you know you're going to be on the road most of the time. I expect to use them on my first 100 mile ride. They rate 4 to 5 chilis for what they are made for (distance on a ATB)
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by George a Weekend Warrior from Bayside,New York
Date Reviewed: June 13, 2000
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Strengths:I have the Nimbus EX,100psi.flakjaket.A very durable tire,works best for me at about 95psi.It is a little large for a 700x38c tire.The same size NimbusIII had a smaller sidewall profile.Higher psi. better for riders over 230lbs.
Weaknesses:Tall sidewall may be a problem for some bikes.
Similar Products Used:NimbusIII,only got about 1200 miles out of them
Bike Setup:Crossroads Elite,strictly road.
Bottom Line:The NimbusEX seems indestructable,glass(lots on N.Y.bikepaths)does'nt affect them.They are very secure feeling wet or dry,a great hybrid road tire.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Mike a Racer from Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Date Reviewed: April 27, 2000
Duration Product Used:Less than 1 month
Strengths:Fast, good commuter
Similar Products Used:Tioga City Slicker, IRC Mythos, Specialized Dirt Control/Dirt Master
Bike Setup:Stumpjumper M2 Pro
Bottom Line:For the guy who replied below, I am running the Nimbus Armadillo, which dosen't have a category on this site. It is virtually flat proof. They ran a whole bunch of tires over a pile of glass and while the average tire flatted 40-60%, these flatted only 8% of the time. Pretty nice, super fast for your commutes too. A little tough to put on, but spend some time stretching them first and it isn't bad. Got 'em for $15(work at a shop).
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by squishy lamano a Cross Country Rider from the Valley of the Sun
Date Reviewed: April 8, 2000
Favorite Trail:The loneliest, most desolate trail would be my fave.
Duration Product Used:3 months
Strengths:Lack of rolling resistance is good for
road/hardpack kind of riders.

They reduced my rotational weight.
Weaknesses:Forget about sand and gravel -- you'll
go South!

Seem a little harsh to me. A larger
size tire is sounding good right now.

Not completely thorn-proof.
Similar Products Used:IRC metro cross (700 x 38)
Bike Setup:6500, mostly stock.
Bottom Line:Initially, these tires were a sweaty
b1tch to put on! In the process, I've
broken a Sampson tire lever and
chipped a Pedro's Milk lever -- the
Parks held up fine. The IRC slicks on
my other companion were much easier to
put on, yet never rotated on or came
off the rim. After 20 million flats
(this is the goathead's land), the
tires are now a little looser and
easier to put on.

A hard rubber inner layer beneath the
tread would be good. Whatever the
case, it's keeping the tube
manufacturers in business. Is there a
perfect thorn-proof tire out there
that I don't know about?


Value Rating:3Overall Rating:2

Submitted by Paul a from Plymouth UK
Date Reviewed: February 27, 2000
Duration Product Used:6 months
Strengths:Bought the tyres from wiggle - good value at £25 including two panaracer tubes. Grip appears OK even on slippery pavements / cycle paths. Wear so far is good, and no sodding punctures. I have pulled various bits of glass out of the tread with no hisssssssssssssss.
Weaknesses:NOT as flexible as the old Nimbus II's, the tread thickness although marketed as more is in fact less - Ive measured it with a vernier (I know what a sad git!). Ride is hasher than the II's
Similar Products Used:Nimbus II's, Conti semi slicks
Bike Setup:Rigid Trek LX equipped
Bottom Line:I commute 50 miles a week over glass and thorns. Not that happy with the harsher ride, but I was getting pi@@ed off with the punctures from thorns. Overall a good tyre - the best semi slick I've used. Don't even think about wet mud, you will be on your arse in no time. Oh by the way you can run them at slightly lower pressures because the tread doesn't give as much as non Kevlar tyres - more tyre and hence more grip on the slimey roads
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:4

Submitted by ScottW a Cross Country Rider from SF Bay Area
Date Reviewed: February 4, 2000
Duration Product Used:6 months
Bike Setup:Bontrager rigid single speed for road riding/commuting
Bottom Line:For those few reviewing this tire who seem to miss their knobbies, get a CLUE: slick = fast on the road. You don't drive with snow tires on the highway in summer, do you? Similarly, if you're on pavement or hardpack, even semi-slicks will be dogging it next to these babies. These are road/commute specific, and do a fine job for that purpose. I like that they're comfortable enough to bounce over curbs and light trails, but as fast as I ever need for commuting with the four-wheeled steel beasts. I've tried a lot of slicks and semi-slicks, but I found I prefer these to any others. BTW, I'm 200lbs riding a fully rigid bike about 60-80 commute miles a week, so comfort and performance are paramount.
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Nick Arran a Weekend Warrior from Derby. UK
Date Reviewed: January 23, 2000
Duration Product Used:1 Year
Strengths:Great commuting tyre. Ie fit it to an MTB and you have an instant road bike. You can pump them up to 90psi for next to no rolling resistance, they still have enough squashy rubber in the tread to take out the bumps.
Weaknesses:I wouldn't dare try them off road
Similar Products Used:none
Bike Setup:Marin Eldrige - Rigid
Bottom Line:Excellent road tyres
Value Rating:5Overall Rating:5

Submitted by MaggotBrain a Cross-Country Rider from North Branford, CT USA
Date Reviewed: December 17, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Westwoods, Branford supply ponds
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Quiet, low rolling resistance, not bad in wet conditions, durable
Weaknesses:
none so far.....
Similar Products Used:
Balloon tires on my old coaster bike back in the mid 1970's
Bike Setup:
98 FSR comp-stock, Preparation H
Bottom Line:Bought a set of Nimbus EX ($20 each) and slapped them and an 8 gear XT cogset on a set of Araya RM 200s I had laying around. Too cheep to buy a road bike so i switch them with my MTB tires/wheels when I do road tours. Great ride...I have them filled to 90-95 lbs and have yet to get a puncture. The Kevlar FLAK JACKET(TM) seems to make these next to bulletproof...I have ridden them off road (sort of) with no problems.
Overall Rating:5

Submitted by simon a Weekend Warrior from London
Date Reviewed: December 14, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Epping forest
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Tough,
fast,
cheap
Weaknesses:
not invincible
Similar Products Used:
first semi-slicks
Bike Setup:
Giant Coldrock
Bottom Line:I read really good things about these tyres here, and I know a lot of the couriers in London use them. As my Wildgrippers were flatting up to three times a week in London (I do over 100 commuting miles a week) I went for it.
Once you get over how small they make your wheels look, they are kinda cool - they look mean.
But how do they go?
First impressions were bad - 2 flats in 2 weeks. But haven't had any more in over 1000 miles, so can't be bad. They are great in the wet, grip in the dust, and are very fast - 30mph on a straight flat is easy.
But they do flat, so keep those irons and inner tubes handy in case!
Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Pak a Weekend Warrior from NY
Date Reviewed: September 24, 1999
Favorite Trail:
local
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
little rolling resistence, decent ride quality (not to firm, not too soft), price
Weaknesses:
Skinny look, make my mountian bike look a BMX, (big bike, small wheels)
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
Y2K trek 6000
Bottom Line:I have rode around 50 miles on these tires in the last 2 days. Used to have a pair of cheapo DURU cross tires from Walmart for bike path adventure. Those DURU weared out FAST. Got the specialized tires from supergo for @20 each last week and what a different did it make. No sign of wear at all even after couple of real panic stops. The sidewalls are relatively soft and it makes a decent ride. And they are fast. One down side of this kind of skinny tires: It is so skinny that makes your bike looks funny. I think I will try fatter tires next time. But they deserve five chilis just for the price and ride quality.
Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Nick a Cross-Country Rider from Miami, FL
Date Reviewed: May 21, 1999
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Bottom Line:I've put about a thousand miles on thees tires and they still look like new... They wear great and they handle even better. They are tough too. All those miles and not a single flat. If you are looking for a great all purpose road tire for your MB this is it.
Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Chuck a Cross-Country Rider from Hayes
Date Reviewed: April 20, 1999
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Good cornering on the street.
Bulletproof.
Weaknesses:
Much harder to pedal compared to my Dirt Masters - even on the street.
Absolutely terrible in sandy patches of road.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Stumpjumper M2
Judy T2
Bottom Line:I really don't understand how this tire is rating so high. I bought a set of Nimbus EX based on the reviews I've read here and have used them daily for commuting to work. Compared to the Dirt Master tires I had before, these tires take more effort to pedal and have cut my top end speed. Go figure! Overinflating to 80 psi seems to help, but I do not enjoy my ride to work as much as I use to.
I will most likely switch back to knobbies soon, even though I hate to wear them out on the road. I will reluctantly give these tires a '3', only because so many people seem to love them.
Overall Rating:2

Submitted by S.Ganesh a weekend warrior from Singapore
Date Reviewed: February 22, 1999
Bottom Line:

This is a great tyre for use on the road. I just replaced my mtb threaded tyres with the nimbus III and I could easily hit 30km/h + on my TREK. I will be using this tyre for touring/commuting, around 150km - 200km a week.. I own a TREK 800 and the Specialized Nimbus III is a good combination although my bike looks more like a hybird now.... kinda weird looking but still it is reasonably fast.
Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Chad Okinaka a weekend warrior from Honolulu
Date Reviewed: January 15, 1999
Bottom Line:

Had these tires on my bike now for a bout a year. I commute to work and go on 20-30 mile rides two times a week. These tires are really great for roadwork.
Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Dave I. a cross-country rider from California
Date Reviewed: December 21, 1998
Bottom Line:

These are great commuting tires. Smooth, quiet, and very durable. I've got over 2000 miles on mine and no flats at all. I commute to work, and this time of year, both directions are in the dark so I run over all sorts of road crap. I've used Ritchey Tom Slicks also and they feel much less secure in the rain (the Nimbus IIIs stick like glue) and don't wear nearly as well. At $15 a tire these are a terrific bargain. I've ridden them offroad a couple of times too and they perform just as you would expect a road slick to perform... in other words, they don't. But that's not what they were designed for, they were designed for the road and on the road they're grand.
Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Matty C a cross-country rider from City, State or Country...is that right?
Date Reviewed: August 16, 1998
Bottom Line:

I got these tires in order to do some endruance training on pavement. My knobbies were already kinda bald so I didn't think I would notice that much of a difference between them and the new slicks. Boy was I wrong! The moment my bike started moving I was impressed. These things are FAST! You know that low humming noise the knobbies make when they are cruising along pavement? These things are SILENT. They're good for those late night rides when you and your friends can't have anybody hearing you or your bike...cause you're doing something...illegal. Buy these! NOW!
Overall Rating:5

Submitted by MIKEY a weekend warrior from NYC
Date Reviewed: August 12, 1998
Bottom Line:

Great tires. Bought them for my Mongoose Hilltopper for daily 25 mile round-trip commute to work. No problems. Two flats, (one even with a Mr.Tuffy liner), but they held up well. The puncture tears didn't spread even at high pressure. (I run them at about 72-76psi.) Only problem: just this morning I checked the front tire and found a sidewall bulge. A tumor! An embolism! Oh, the suffering! I had to strip the tire, and replace it with an old no-name off-roader from the bottom of the closet. I looked funny riding to work with a Nimbus on the back, and a 2 inch wide knobbly tire on the front, but I made it, (with considerably more rolling resistance), and have just re-ordered a new Nimbus 3 from Nashbar. I do not know if the sidewall bulge was caused by age, abuse or a latent manufacturing defect, but I've put over 1,200 miles on that tire in under six months over some of the nastiest city terrain, and I think another one might be well worth it.
So, I give these tires four smooth-rolling, puncture-proof, skin-walled little chilis.
Overall Rating:4

Submitted by Lawrence P. a from San Diego
Date Reviewed: May 30, 1998
Bottom Line:

Inexpensive, durable, straight, smooth rolling, reasonably light and easy
to mount. What could be better for urban commuting? Nimbii are better than
my previous favourite commuter tires -- Conti Town and Countries, and Goliaths -- for everything except occasional forays into the woods. Like someone
below said, a foldable Nimbus would make a great tire even better.
Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Jon a cross-country rider from Seattle WA
Date Reviewed: May 30, 1998
Bottom Line:

Bought these tires for city riding on my Rockhopper. They are fast and quiet. Also, Seattle has been known to rain a bit, but the Nimbi' throw the water off to the side when riding through puddles. A great plus when riding with no fenders. Don't let the $15 price fool you; these are great tires for paved riding.
Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Steve a weekend warrior from USA
Date Reviewed: May 25, 1998
Bottom Line:

I put these on my new Airborne frame the other day for a road ride of 54 miles with a large group. As I only ran 60-65 pounds pressure in the tires and I weigh 185, I was not sure how the tires or bike would ride. Well, it was no problem. These tires are excellent and have very little rolling resistance even though 1.5 wide. The ride was extremely smooth through some rough and hilly roads. Matter of fact, I got so inspired that I chased down a paceline and one of the riders said, Man, you are hauling ass on that mountainbike! If I was hauling, it was the tires and the bike,not my motor that did it. Years ago I had the original Nimbus tires and I didn't like them, these tires are excellent and inexpensive. Buy them. Good luck.
Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Tom a cross-country rider from Florida
Date Reviewed: May 25, 1998
Bottom Line:

Purchased only ONE (26 x 1.5), at only $15.00 from a local shop and placed it on the rear of our 47 lb. tandem recumbent (with both of us and the tandem we have a combined weight of 350 lbs.! Tandems are VERY hard on tires.). At 996 miles there have been NO flats and we rarely have to reinflate to pressure (running it over its rating of 80 psi, at 100 psi for less rolling resistance). There are very little signs of wear. I expect this one to last another 1,000 miles. Do NOT get the Specialized TURBO S at 1.00 x 26 for your tandem as they don't seem to hold up to the weight or wider tandem rims. Also, had a lot of flats with TURBO S.The only thing Specailized can improve on the Nimbus III is to come out with a folding version so we can carry a spare while touring. Excellent product.
Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Bob a cross-country rider from Hong Kong
Date Reviewed: April 17, 1998
Bottom Line:

Awesome slick tire for those twisty paved roads!!! I wasn't expecting such great performance for the price I paid. It has excellent grip in both pouring and dry conditions. Rolling resistance is minimal. Be ready to experience g-force when leaning into turns low and fast! Five star rating for yet another Specialized product.
Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Dana Porter a weekend warrior from Halifax, Nova Scotia
Date Reviewed: February 9, 1998
Bottom Line:

I purchased a set of these tires last week as I use my bike for commuting to school. I am very pleased with them so far. They ride smooth and grip the road fairly well in even snowy/wet conditions. Definate increase in speed compared to off-road tires. Road noise is cut to a minimum, overall, a great tire from a great company.
Overall Rating:5

Submitted by Rob S. a cross-country rider from San Bruno, CA
Date Reviewed: January 24, 1998
Bottom Line:

If u want road tires for your MTB in all sorts of weather, this is it for you.
They are great in the wet or dry and also off-pavement. You get the speed
on pavement that you don't get with your MTB tires. Highly recomended !I
give it the high-five stars !!!
Overall Rating:5






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