Submitted by
Duster59
a Weekend Warrior
from midwest
Date Reviewed: September 6, 2008
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.
Bottom Line:
Excellent tire. The best you can ride. Specialized made a big mistake when they discontinued making them.
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.
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.
Bike Setup: Mt bike set up for commuting and touring.
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Submitted by
Paul Williamson
a Cross Country Rider
from Melbourne, Australia
Date Reviewed: March 22, 2006
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!
Submitted by
al
a Weekend Warrior
from dallas, tx, us of a
Date Reviewed: October 25, 2005
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
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
Similar Products Used: various combos of armored tire/sealed innertube etc
Bike Setup: barracuda hardtail set up for 3500 miles of commuting/yr
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Submitted by
TK
a Weekend Warrior
from SF Bay Area
Date Reviewed: August 18, 2005
Strengths: Quality construction East to install, didn't even need tires irons High pressure rating
Weaknesses: Weight: Heavy Appearance: Clunky Ride: Hard
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.
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.
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.
Similar Products Used: Continental Avenue Semi-slicks
Bike Setup: Road-specced MTB (Marin)
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Submitted by
Jason
a Cross Country Rider
from Ocoee, FL
Date Reviewed: February 13, 2005
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
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.
Bike Setup: Kona Kula Deluxe with SRAM X.0 drivetrain and Avid mechs.
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Submitted by
Sandra
a Weekend Warrior
from Denver, CO USA
Date Reviewed: August 20, 2004
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.
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.
Similar Products Used: Chin Shen stock tires. Had a flat first time I rode to work.
Bike Setup: Iron Horse Adventurer Hybrid 700x38c
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Submitted by
Tom F.
a Weekend Warrior
from Washington DC
Date Reviewed: July 13, 2004
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...
Bottom Line:
Great tire for mixed trail, just take it easy in mud.
Bike Setup: Rivendell Quickbeam fixie, tire size is 700x35 nominal, 700x34 installed.
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Submitted by
Steve
a Cross Country Rider
from Oregon
Date Reviewed: June 29, 2004
Strengths: Low rolling resistance. Handles road debris without a care.
Weaknesses: None found.
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.
Submitted by
Sean Gordon
a Weekend Warrior
from Rochester, NY
Date Reviewed: May 29, 2004
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 :)
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.
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.
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Submitted by
John Collins
a Weekend Warrior
from Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: May 25, 2004
Strengths: Low rolling restance, quite, look pritty cool too, oh ya the price!
Weaknesses: none yet.
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!
Strengths: puncture proof, low rolling resistance at high pressure, durable
Weaknesses: pain in the arse to get on, no grip on wet grass
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
Submitted by
Troy
a Cross Country Rider
from Fayetteville
Date Reviewed: April 1, 2004
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.
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.
Submitted by
Alan User
a Cross Country Rider
from London
Date Reviewed: February 27, 2003
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
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.
