Submitted by
turf
a Weekend Warrior
from Marietta, GA Date Reviewed: August 2, 2008
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$20.00
Strengths:
Fastest tire I have ridden that's still acceptable on easy trails
Weaknesses:
Not as good as a slick on the road and not suitable for anything other than beginner trails on a regular basis
Bike Setup:
First generation DBR setup as an errand bike
Bottom Line:
I had these on an old DBR with blown forks that I gave away years ago. The bike was recently given back to me and since I now have a couple of decent mountain bikes, I turned the dbr into an errand bike - a rear rack with bag, a big basket up front, rigid forks, platform pedals, a mirror, riser handlebars, etc - everything but a bell and I am thinking about getting one of those.
I ride it around town but there are a few places to go off road including a park that has a pretty decent but short trail in it where I sometimes take one of the other two mountain bikes.
I noticed an odd thing - this jalopy of a bike went much faster than either of the other two, flying down trails with little effort. It did not take me long to figure out it was the tires. True, I do have to get off and push it up a steep rocky rooty section for about 50 feet since the Connection just does not connect that well in difficult steep terrain and especially if it is the least bit damp, but more than makes up for it by going a couple mph faster on the rest of the trail.
I would not use this tire on a trail with any but minimal technical sections, but this is an excellent tire for my purposes of having a tire that is good on the road and is at least much better than a road tire on the trail.
The revelation of how much faster this type of tread was than the knobbies on my other bikes has led me to look into a close tread pattern for one my other bikes - well not this tire of course, but one like the Kenda small block. I am so impressed by how much faster I could go that I am willing to trade some loss of traction for greatly increased speed on the trail. Sounds like a dangerous combination but then I have not had any mtb injuries of note in over a year....
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Submitted by
brian T
a Cross Country Rider
from Norwich,CT Date Reviewed: June 3, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Urban Assualt
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
Rose City Cycle
Strengths:
Multi Use Tire,Great roll resitance.Great Price
Weaknesses:
Loose trails,or mud may cause some sliping
Similar Products Used:
Panaracers
Bike Setup:
Kona,XT,Race Face,Thomson,WTB,All Fox Susp.
Bottom Line:
I moved from the Trail to Urban assault due to High Gas Prices,They Work on both, Better on the road and Good on the Trail.$20 is a bargain!I would Buy these again.I ride aprox.5 Days a week.Great tire.
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Submitted by
Parker Evans
a Weekend Warrior
from Hartford, CT, US Date Reviewed: April 17, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Penwood
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
They were free with the bike. They slide really easily, if that's what you're looking for. Alright on pavement.
Also like someone above, I was surprised by their performance in mud, considering their performance in everything else.
Weaknesses:
cornering, leaves, anything wet, loose rocks (bigger than gravel), unsteady going downhill at speed, feels treacherous on uneven downhills.
Similar Products Used:
CST Caballero
Bike Setup:
Stock
Bottom Line:
Like a reviewer above, a fairly small thorn killed my Bontrangers. Which was alright by me.
If they come on your bike? If you don't notice a performance problem or you're cheap (like I am), keep them until they blow. If you ride trails they will.
If they don't? Don't bother.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
adrian valella
a Weekend Warrior
from miami, FL, USA Date Reviewed: April 11, 2007
Favorite Trail:
oleta
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At:
coral way bike shop
Strengths:
great tire for the price,good on road and off,great grip on dirt
Weaknesses:
not so good in mud but better than i thought
Bike Setup:
rigid Fuji single-speed
Bottom Line:
cant ask for a better tire for the price
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ryan Wiitala
a Weekend Warrior
from Morrisville Date Reviewed: August 11, 2006
Favorite Trail:
New Light in Raleigh NC
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Stock Tire
Strengths:
Good road tire and moderate performance on the easier trails.
Weaknesses:
NOT A GOOD TIRE FOR EXTREME TRAIL RIDING!!!
Tread tears off with a little abusive riding but considering what the tire is made for I'm not surprised.
Similar Products Used:
NONE
Bike Setup:
Trek 4300
Bottom Line:
A good tire if you don't plan on riding any advanced trail systems or plan on a lot of road riding. Probably a good tire for most weekend warriors but I wouldn't recommend you like to really shred the rough stuff. I have had these on my bike for less than 1 month and already need to replace.
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Submitted by
keith
a
from quincy Date Reviewed: December 11, 2005
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$10.00
Purchased At:
Madison Davis
Strengths:
Low rolling restiance, decent trail tire on dirt, good road tire(not as good as slicks though), not to mention hold up long on the road
Weaknesses:
low traction in mud, snow, ice, wet rocks, and almost anything to do with water
Similar Products Used:
stock trek 6500 tires, too many others
Bike Setup:
these tires, trek 6500, avid BB5 discs, Speed Dial Ti levers, shimano M545 pedals, all else stock.
Bottom Line:
When I bought these tires, I knew I would be getting a trade-off of road and mtb tires, so I can't say it's bad that it didn't have good traction on wet stuff. These ride on the road really nice. I've got about 300 miles on them already with little sign of wear. But this tire if ride the road a lot and don't ride 60 miles down a muddy rocky mountain.
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Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Madison, WI Date Reviewed: November 17, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$5.00
Strengths:
Excellent traction in loose terrain climbs, cheap, durable
Weaknesses:
For the price i paid, there is no weaknesses to complain about
Similar Products Used:
Alot of tires
Bike Setup:
My commuter, 1999 Giant EB Comp
Bottom Line:
This tire rocks. So cheap, yet good. This tire is rear tire on my commuter and it has way better traction then the tires on my Fuel 98, Bonty Super-X. I blasted these tires down stairs, drops from 2-3 feet to flat concrete. I've taken these out to pretty techincal trails and they have stood up. I can stand up and pedal in sketchy climbs and still have traction. What more can u ask for?
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Submitted by
Marc
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, Ontario Canada Date Reviewed: September 3, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Skiis and Bikes
Strengths:
Fat tire, good traction, decent speed
Weaknesses:
slow on pavement, hold sup guck and mud in muddy trails and loses traction
Bike Setup:
STock Trek 3700
Bottom Line:
If you want a decent, all round tire that will perform well in rain, snow, ice, and dry conditions, this is pretty good. It is weak on harder trails and mud will build up in the tires, causing you to lose a significant amount of traction. Bad in sand, but I have yet to find a tire that performs well in sand. Great for the begginer in mountainbiking
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Submitted by
Mike Gomez
a Weekend Warrior
from Norwalk,CA, USA Date Reviewed: August 22, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Unal Trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
great traction, not too heavy, inexpensive
Weaknesses:
none yet
Bike Setup:
trek 4300
Bottom Line:
Great tires for the price. They get the job done. Have had no problems with them. However, if average doesn't satisfy you and if you have the cash, you might want to spend more money on better tires. Otherwise, these tires are great
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
L.K. Simons
a Weekend Warrior
from Toronto, Canada Date Reviewed: August 18, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Gardner Beltway Ravine/Brickyard Trails
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
Duke's Cycle, Toronto
Strengths:
Well, compared to the three year old balding Specialized Rockster tires which came on my Hardrock, in a word, everything. They grip pretty well in all but the loosest gravel trails.
They're also quite inexpensive which is good for 34 year grad students without a lot of cash!
Weaknesses:
My specialized tires were bigger and fatter and looked a lot better on my bike. These look like little girl tires! But I'm quite effeminate and kinda ride my Hardrock like a girl so no worries.
Similar Products Used:
stock rockster's. I had no idea how bad they really were.
Bike Setup:
2002 Specialized Hardrock stock, except for some crappy cheap peddles the bike shop put on it after mine broke during the first week. This was my first foray into biking since a got my first car 16 years ago! Will upgrade to something better in a year or so. The sr suntour xcc ain't so plush, if you know what I mean.
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is that these tires are way better than my balding rocksters and that they make me feel girly when tearing down the Don Valley. My priority for a set of tires was to ensure that they had a really low rolling resistence, since most of my biking takes place on the hardtop of downtown toronto. They've accomplished this; it's a pretty quick tire with the added bonus of providing decent if not great trail traction.
Seacrest out!
Simon.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff Fleischmann
a Weekend Warrior
from Nor-Cal Date Reviewed: March 3, 2005
Favorite Trail:
The one with dirt on it.
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$12.00
Purchased At:
The Bike Peddler
Strengths:
Great road ride, rolls fast. Good ride off road, for a tire with such small knobs.
Weaknesses:
Not a good choice for really loose or muddy trails.
Similar Products Used:
N/A
Bike Setup:
'85 Ritchey singlespeed
Bottom Line:
I bought these tires for my newly converted singlespeed Ritchey in a 1.6 width. I thought it would make a great road tire for the beer runs and light trail riding with my kids. I've hit some muddy trails with them and find the traction better then I expected for such a skinny, small knobbed tire. I would use these if you only plan to run light, dry, smooth trails.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nigel Redding
a Cross Country Rider
from Ottawa, Ontario, canada Date Reviewed: November 27, 2004
Favorite Trail:
biopace {15}
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
came on bike
Strengths:
not bad grip on surfaces
Weaknesses:
not great on muddy surfaces and wet hills
Similar Products Used:
bontrager revolt
Bike Setup:
trek 4300 with mx comps
Bottom Line:
its not bad but i look for somthing better
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Submitted by
Dan Caruso
a Weekend Warrior
from Reno, NV Date Reviewed: January 13, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
OEM
Strengths:
good on pavement at high pressure, decent on hardpack (lower the pressure for the dirt, then reinflate for the long pavement ride home).
Weaknesses:
gets loose in loose stuff and steeper inclines.
Bike Setup:
Trek 4300
Bottom Line:
Good all-around tire. I've since put on some serious dig-in tires but I keep these for the family rides through the neighborhood and fire roads. If I ever wear these out I'd buy another set for easy ridin', but I don't wanna easy ride.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason
a Cross Country Rider
from Kansas Date Reviewed: October 25, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Great for X-Country. Nice on pavement. Cool looking sidewalls.
Weaknesses:
None really for what I do. I just ride gravel trails and a little pavement.
Bike Setup:
2004 Trek 4300
Bottom Line:
The thing i like about this tire is that it takes to gravel as well as it takes to pavement. I probably will upgrade to something else (based on what i have read only) when the time comes but their is nothing wrong with this tire if you want a good XC tire.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rick Onanian
a Cross Country Rider
from East Greenwich, RI, USA Date Reviewed: August 7, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Big River Management Area, West Greenwich, RI
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Came with 1997 GT Outpost
Strengths:
Long life. Good ride on dirt and pavement. 40-65psi reccommended pressure is good range.
Weaknesses:
Not a hardcore muddy hill climber.
Similar Products Used:
Trek Big Kahuna (gets up any hill, wears out quick), Continental Traction (okay tire), Bontrager Invert 2 (Great road tire)
Bike Setup:
1997 GT Outpost, 7000 series alum frame, Weinman 519 rims
Bottom Line:
These tires are possibly the best knobbies you'll ever ride on pavement (though you should use slicks or inverts).
These tires are very good cross-country tires, except when you need to get up a steep, loose or muddy hill. Then, you'll want something ballsier on the rear. I always ran them at 65psi, so with less pressure, they might get up the hill better.
Nothing flatted through them, no wear was visible after maybe 500 miles on them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
SOG Recondo
a
from Michigan Date Reviewed: June 30, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Good grip on many different surfaces. Cheap price.
Weaknesses:
A teeny tiny thorn pierced an underside area between the knobs letting out all tire pressure in a matter of seconds (from 50 psi).
Similar Products Used:
None.
Bike Setup:
Stock tire on Trek 4300.
Bottom Line:
The rubber pierced by the thorn was less than 1/16th inch. It was still stuck in the tire and I pulled it out and broke it easily between my thumb and index finger. I'm surprised sharp gravel didn't pop this tire sooner.
The tires are entry level. Don't leave ever leave a well-manicured grandma trail!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Buddha
a Cross Country Rider
from New York City Date Reviewed: August 9, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Verrazano Bike Shop
Strengths:
Inexpensive
Weaknesses:
Weak side walls gave in on first long ride 60 miles after only 400 miles of overall use mostly on bike paths and New York City streets.
Similar Products Used:
Bontrager Jones AC
Bike Setup:
Trek 4300, Nothing Stock
Bottom Line:
Ok if you just want to ride around the Block a few times or if you are as light as a rail, but if you are substantial and plan to tear up the trails upgrade to the JONES AC
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
T. Hendrick
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto Date Reviewed: May 28, 2002
Favorite Trail:
dirt, off road
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Great allround tire, if you plan on doing a mix of raod and offroad these tires are for you.
Weaknesses:
Lose traction off road easily, kind of narrow.
Bike Setup:
gary fisher, lx, hayes disc
Bottom Line:
Great all round tire, not great for lots of off road. If you have just started off road biking but still doing a fare bit of road i recomend these tires for you, great value and great stock tire.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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