New high volume, lightweight, front and rear specific tire
Tubeless Ready technology optimizes the tire for use with sealant, which saves nearly 100 grams per wheel (over tubeless) and provides race proven performance
Gum-Bi dual compound (68a-62a) gives exceptional grip and durability
Weaknesses: Absolutely no grip & rear tyre wore down in 500 miles
Bottom Line:
I read a review on these tyres about someone who almost washed out on a roundabout when in the dry. The same almost happened to me with the rear sliding out. Also came off when the front wheel slid away and still wondering how (no I wasn't being daft, honestly)? The upshot is that this tyre gives me very little confidence so I've took my Continental Verticals off my Cube and put them on my Trek.
Durability wise, my rear tyre has worn down and I've only done 500 miles in them in about two and a half months. It may explain the rear sliding out but I never expected a tyre to only last less than 12 weeks. Will stick to my Conti Verticals.
Submitted by
Ken365
a Racer
from Johannesburg, South Africa
Date Reviewed: April 10, 2011
Strengths: Corners like a dream in loose gravel corners. Climbs rocky ascents with confidence. Great traction in flowing single tracks. Does really well in mud.
Weaknesses: Rolling resistance not great. Can feel sluggish at first.
Bottom Line:
Can't seem to relate to other reviews I've read. I've just completed the Cape Epic 2011, which was very rocky, lots of loose sand, large thorns, great free flowing single track. these tyres handled everything I threw at them. Tyre pressures were 30psi back, 26psi front, running tubeless on American Classic 29' rims.
Submitted by
Mike P
a Cross Country Rider
from Sicklerville, nj, US
Date Reviewed: August 1, 2010
Strengths: fast on the flats, low rolling resistance
Weaknesses: poor traction and washes out on any hard turns
Bottom Line:
these almost like having racing slicks, traction is poor on anything other than hardpack an cornering is always an adventure. It's a disgrace the Trek would put these on a high end bike. I road these tires less than 15 hours before removing them from my bike
Submitted by
Zach
a Cross Country Rider
from Germantown TN USA
Date Reviewed: May 12, 2010
Strengths: Came with bike
Low rolling resistance
good for flat, hardpacked terrain
Weaknesses: if you ride on anything other than flat hardpacked terrain these tires will wash out. I have a huge problem with the tires washing out on me. These are racing tires so sacrificing grip for speed it to be expected, but these give up way too much grip and you will lose control the second you hit loose conditions (and in some cases when you have to make a sharp turn)
Bottom Line:
I wouldn't recommend these tires unless you are a serious racer that doesn't need grip and knows how to keep the bike from washing out. I'm replacing mine with some specialized Fast Trak Controls. Another XC racing tire, but I've ridden slicks with more grip than the Jones XR
pretty average price, good for a racer, just not for normal people.
Similar Products Used: Various Bontrager and Specialized mountain tires, tubeless and otherwise
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
lifebybike
a Cross Country Rider
from Ann Arbor, MI
Date Reviewed: April 12, 2010
Strengths: Light
Weaknesses: Lacks traction and prone to flats
Bottom Line:
Racing only tire, maybe. My second ride on my brother's bike I was borrowing and I got a pinch flat off nothing fancy. Traction worse than cheap semi-slick cross tires. And Bontrager has the gall to post only one review of these tires on their site from Bicycling.com that says
"It stops leaks, and pinch flats will be a thing of the past. I almost never flat with these systems, and I can run a lower pressure for superior traction."
Bottom line: Load of refuse, but my bro's happy because I'm buying him a new and better tire.
Submitted by
Deepsand
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, CA
Date Reviewed: February 20, 2010
Strengths: Rolls Fast, Fairly light weight
Weaknesses: Horrible traction on dirt turns
Bottom Line:
Can't believe Trek would put these tires on a $7000 bike. I have now had my new bike slide out around a turn twice in two weeks of owning. I have ridden my Trek Remedy for years on the same track with multiple brands of tires never sliding out once. My front tire feels like I'm on ice at higher speeds on dirt turns. Could be ok for very conservative riders that only like to go straight. This is my first review, because of all the thorns I had to pull out of my arm yesterday. Buying new tires this week.
Similar Products Used: Other Bontrager tires (Big Earl), Kenda
Bike Setup: New Trek EX 9.9
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
bgriff01
a Cross Country Rider
from Albuquerque, NM
Date Reviewed: July 21, 2009
Strengths: Light-weight, good rolling speed
Weaknesses: VERY THIN sidewalls, poor traction with higher pressure
Bottom Line:
I got these tires on the Trek Fuel Ex 8 I bought a couple months ago. I'd been hearing a lot of great things about tubeless and how it nicely complimented the full suspension, so I figured I'd try it out.
The bike came with the Bontrager Jones XR tires, which I would describe as more of a race tire. They're light-weight and they roll fast. The problem with them is that they're Tubeless Ready" (TLR), which I've surmised is basically a comprimise between regular tires and UST tires. These "Tubeless Ready" tires are capable of being installed with sealent as UST tires, but they're also light enough to be used with tubes without a huge weight penalty. Basically what you get is a tire that's too slippery to use with tubes because you can't run a low enough pressure to get good traction without getting pinch flats, and a tire with incredibly thin and easily torn side walls when in the tubeless set up.
It's been 2 months now and I've torn both the front and rear tires, rendering them useless as UST tires. After my back tire went, I hoped it was bad luck, replaced it with a much beafier standard UST tire, and kept using the Jones XR on the front wheel. About 3 weeks later the front tires tore open while I was going over some rocks, and that was it. I have the proper set up, problem is the sidewalls are so thin they tear while going over even minor rocky patches and the tears are too big for the sealant to handle.
The bottom line is that these tires are a lousy compromise, an attempt to give the buyer two options; tubless or tubes. They fail at this and ultimately leave the buyer with a tire that doesn't really work in either set up. The side walls are just too thin, and they don't offer enough traction with tubes at higher pressures (around 40 psi and above). I'd recommend only buying standard UST tires (NOT TUBELESS READY or TLR, be careful) if you're thinking of going tubeless, and a tire like the Kenda Nevegals or the Panaracer Fire XC Pros if you're happy with tubes.
As for me, I'm having luck with the Bontrager ACX UST, tire on the back wheel. The sidewalls are much thicker and sturdier, and the tires have ridden over numerous rock outcrops without complaint. The tread design is very substantial and I'm sure I lose some rolling speed due to that fact, but I can't argue with the traction I get on long climbs of decomposed granite. Next I'm thinking of trying the Kenda Nevegal UST for the front tire, hoping to get a faster rolling tire that still has good cornering traction.
Bike Setup: Trek Fuel Ex 8 2009, Bontrager ACX on rear wheel
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
dogsloweverywhere
a Cross Country Rider
from UK, Watford
Date Reviewed: May 3, 2009
Strengths: Longevity over NNicks and if you're on reasonably hard packed trails, watch out, you'll be into corners quicker than you're used to! Would be my choice for Meridas, Sleepless, Mayhem, Clic24 etc until it gets muddy.
Weaknesses: I haven't really trusted bunging them in without caution, say, into fast berms being 1.8 tyres. Not the best choice for say Glentress!
Bottom Line:
Where I ride it's fairly non-technical & I ride the 1.8 size & they're fast.
If you aren't railing the berms at Glentress and want a fast rolling tyre then look no further.
I find them resistant to pinch flats as I ride them pumped up, they never get punctures which NNicks are dreadful with, and they're lasting far longer too.
I'm going to try the 2.1 XDX Jones too, but as it stands around somewhere like Dalby Forest or Cannock Chase's Red Routes you'll be on-fire!
As can be seen from the tread pattern, these tires aren't the best in muddy conditions, but they are excellent for their intended purpose, which is a fast rolling crosscountry/trail tyre.
Similar Products Used: On the 29er, none yet in 5 months. XDX's up next with a RRalf too.
Bike Setup: 29 and 26 HT and full sus in the 26er too
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
firedawg225
a Cross Country Rider
from Chievres, Belgium
Date Reviewed: April 2, 2009
Strengths: Stick good, sheds mud well, fast roller
Weaknesses: front slips alittle, not the greatest in deep mud
Bottom Line:
Love these tires. the negative do nothing to steer me away from the way these tires work. Note these tires are XC/race tires. these are a little weight strong tire. I also have the tubeless version. the small knob clear mud fast and effectively. great tire i'd buy these again in a heart beat!!
Weaknesses: traction, cornering, anything that you need in a tire this doesnt have.
Bottom Line:
For a low rolling resistance tire it barely accomplishes this, I have tried all possible range of psi to no avail. Not sure about durability but who cares with a tire this bad. Could be better used cut up as a chainstay protector. Shame on you trek for putting this on an otherwise great bike.
Similar Products Used: huth pythons, irc mythos, panaracer fire xc
Bike Setup: trek fuel ex8
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
mfx007
a Weekend Warrior
from Isanti, MN
Date Reviewed: December 25, 2008
Strengths: Work OK on Slickrock
Weaknesses: Worthless in any type of dirt
Bottom Line:
I rented a Trek EX7 in Moab with the stock Jones XR tires. They worked fine. Stuck well to slickrock -where it probably is good to have less aggressive knobbies. They also worked well on rocky terraine like the long Porcupine Rim trail (I had them at about 35 PSI and no pinch flats).
Don't grip for anything on dirt. My worse wipeout in Moab was the only dirt I rode on - the top of porcupine. I live in the Midwest and Trek is a midwest company, so I don't know why they put tires on bikes that don't work in midwest dirt. Supposed to run low pressure I guess, but if you try to launch the occasional rock at higher speeds, will get a pinch flat. I generally don't ride in mud, but any moist soil will clog the tread.
Panaracer XC Pros are much better for me (I have not tried that many other tires). Probably too agressive a tread for racing, but an better overall tire.
Submitted by
kendogz161
a Weekend Warrior
from Connecticut
Date Reviewed: September 14, 2008
Strengths: These babies are light,good grip in corners. Air up easy as tubeless with floor pump. Roll fast.
Weaknesses: Rear wears quick. Not the best in mud.
Bottom Line:
Tire has not been bad. Been running these tubeless with Stans from new. Mounted and aired easy. I weight 180lbs and run these at 27psi front, 33psi rear with no problem. I ride the trails two to four times a week. and few of those ride are four hours long group rides with no problems. Wish the rear would last longer may get a year from it, front still look like it could go one more round.
For anyone riding in the northeast these tires should be good. Side walls are thinner and the normal ust tire so you have to be carefully of sharp rocks.
Weaknesses: Its a racing tire so: not great in lots of mud, duh
Bottom Line:
For starters this is a lightweight racing tire. It is meant to be ridden at low pressures to maximize grip and to be used with sealant. I'm 175lbs and ride them on a hardtail at 27psi. I've done 7 races on them this year including all my training. The races have been everything from dry and fast to wet and super rocky (Michaux stuff).
Running these tires at high pressures will not work! They will slide out and the sidewalls will tear more easily LIKE ALL TIRES.
If you want a light race tire for tubeless conversions, these are a good balance of weight, grip, longevity, and toughness. If you want a super tough and high traction tire then buy something else.
4 Chili's all around since there is no perfect tire, just good ones.
Weaknesses: Steep technical downs, no grip, will skid and increase speed while doing so. Horrible corning, wash out every time. Damp and wet condition is like riding on ice.
Bottom Line:
Light smooth level trail riding, their okay, anything else, NOT!! After switching tires I found out what my bike was really capable of doing.
Thinking about one for the front, probably in TLR, unless people think the non-TLR set up tubeless well (heard they don't). I ride mostly loose over hard trails, some rocky stuff, Read More »
I'm going to be picking up a 09 Gary Fisher Piranha later in the week, and will most likely be making a few upgrades to it before I leave the shop, one of them being tires. From a Read More »
I'm sure this could of gone in the wheel/tire section but I figured I'd ask some fellow Fisher owners. What direction do you have your rear XR facing. I noticed that the small in Read More »
My [I]new favorite [/I]tire is 1/2 price now on Bontrager's website, and the 2.25 (front) and 2.2 (rear) are no longer available??
[url]http://store.trekbikes.com/jump.jsp?itemI Read More »
My tires that came on my Fuel EX 8 are bontrager jones xr. They also say aramid bead on the sidewall. My question is are they tubeless ready? The tires seem to be working well for Read More »
