Our new ultra fast rolling, treaded tire. Medium tread height, tightly spaced knobs, provide super low rolling resistance in a treaded tire. Sipes on Tread tops provide extra grip on hard wet surfaces. Tread pattern designed for front or rear use.
26" X 2.0" / 47mm casing diameter / 52mm maximum tread width / Also available in 49mm casing diameter w/54mm maximum tread width. 127TPI Blackwall. 590-610-grams.
Submitted by
jbx tacos
a Cross Country Rider
from Eagle, Idaho Date Reviewed: November 17, 2009
Favorite Trail:
The secret one
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
came on bike
Strengths:
Fast rolling, durable
Weaknesses:
heavy, stiff, poor traction on anything off road
Similar Products Used:
Fire XC, Weirwolf, Velociraptor, Kenda Komodo
Bike Setup:
KHS Softtail
Rigid SS 26er
Bottom Line:
They are ok for cruising the streets and paved trails but are lacking in traction on any kind of dirt. I took them off my mountain bike and have been using them for cruising and they are very durable and roll fairly fast. Don't buy if you are planning to go off road.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
frogchokerb
a Weekend Warrior
from VA Date Reviewed: September 11, 2009
Favorite Trail:
ELizabeth Furnace
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Buy the tires and a they come with a a Fisher SuperCaliber!
Weaknesses:
Tread comes off, easily punctured, slippery, narrow.
Bottom Line:
The tires are the worst of the bike and easily replaceable. It didn't take me long to realize these are bottom notch tires- a shame considering the bike they came on. Recommend replacing them with nearly anything else...just not a new set of these unless you need something in a pinch. Even then, get these on sale if at all possible.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
sbirdasn
a Weekend Warrior
from Salt Lake City, UT Date Reviewed: August 14, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Little Cottonwood Canyon
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$33.00
Purchased At:
Speedgoat, LBS
Strengths:
They came with bike, not super expensive, long wearing.
Weaknesses:
Feel squirmy on descents, in soft sand or gravel. Poor traction even when pressure low. When riding on road, they're quite slippery when pavement is wet. Lots of punctures, even some w/tuffy liners. Rubber at base of knobs crack when tire is folded up, which makes me nervous. However, I've not seen any failures due to this.
Should have read the reviews a long time ago, I'd have been enjoying my rides much more. Now using WTB Weirwolf 2.1's, and won't be coming back to these again. I've gone through some three to four sets, probably 16K+ street miles in my commutes that I use as base training for my endurance rides- so they are usable, just nothing to brag about. Do yourself a favor and check some reviews/ask questions. There are better tires out there for any kind of riding you'll do, and the price doesn't have to be higher to be better.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
lssyac
a Cross Country Rider
from rugby Date Reviewed: July 14, 2009
Favorite Trail:
cotswolds
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Purchased At:
came with bike
Strengths:
you can go cycling if you are careful
Weaknesses:
not really suitable for off road, or road ??
Similar Products Used:
kenda claw
Bike Setup:
hardtail
Bottom Line:
borrowed these from the wifes bike when i was skint. tok a quick spin around the block, came back took them off the wheels and went and spent some money!! not really very good, too big, round and nobbly to be of any use. No wonder my wife was hating life, i bought her a set of Richtley. she is happy and now likes to go out.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
wickerman1
a Weekend Warrior
from Vancouver BC, Canada Date Reviewed: June 29, 2009
Favorite Trail:
all
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Seem durable, strong and dissipate mud well due to the big gaps between knobs
Weaknesses:
not wide enough
Similar Products Used:
Hutchinson Python, Maxxis, Kenda Nevegal
Bike Setup:
06 Kona Coiler
Bottom Line:
I have these tires on two bikes. First bike was a Trek 4300 totally upgraded, and now the Coiler.
I put these on to keep the bike a bit lighter and tried to do some extreme xc and light DH with them. Apart from them not being wide enough, these have surprisingly a lot of traction... more then expected after reading others' reviews.
I figure if I can ride Burnaby mtn with them and not slide everywhere, then they will be ok .
Price is also awesome a 18.00 a tire.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
bob52
a Weekend Warrior
from grand forks nd Date Reviewed: March 10, 2009
Favorite Trail:
maah daah hey
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
scheels all sports
Strengths:
they come free with your bike
Weaknesses:
Everything. I used these tires as they came on my Trek 4500. They don't grip well in anything. Hill climbs are something of a joke with these tires, the slip at their earliest convinience. After a while they start to shed their tred. Working at a bike shop the first thing I recommend to a customer is to replace the tires that come stock on most Trek and Gary Fisher bikes.
Similar Products Used:
Big Earls, panaracer XC fire pros,etc.
Bottom Line:
Don't decide against a bike just because it comes stock with these tires. I would recommend replacing them before you hit the trail. If you are looking to replace a current set of tires with these look else where.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
AngaryJack
a Weekend Warrior
from Oakland County Michigan Date Reviewed: January 16, 2009
These tires suck. They came stock on my bike. I had trouble keeping these underneath me in a winding single track or off camber turn. I would try to swap them out before I left the bike shop. I would recommend Kenda Nevegals.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
hachaduryan
a Cross Country Rider
from San Francisco, CA Date Reviewed: October 20, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Braille, Soquel Demo Forest
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Well, I've had these tires for over a year and I have never had a flat. I guess that is a strength for me.
Weaknesses:
Grip does suck, rear wears out kinda quickly, especially if you also commute, they make me nervous on corners.
Bike Setup:
Trek 4500 hardtail, pretty much stock.
Bottom Line:
These tires came with the bike and they were not bad at first, but as soon as the tread started wearing down the grip dramatically diminished, I really slow down on corners because I took a couple of spills already. Never had a flat, I am really surprised by the other reviews. Tire is very noisy, suck on mud (doesn't shed a bit!), slippery when used on wet surfaces, slips while climbing on dirt (especially if you hit a wet root or some loose rocks). I am really excited to get my IRC Mythos XC that I already ordered.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dorcrycrystal
a Downhiller
from las vegas , nv Date Reviewed: October 3, 2008
Favorite Trail:
the one im on at the time
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
The Bike Shop
Strengths:
The strength of these tires are if you ride them for about 3 months , every other tire you are going to buy will appear to be great
Weaknesses:
everything, no grip, loosey goosey on turns, these tires are what they call stock crap tires
Similar Products Used:
no product similar, but i have used, panaracer fire, wtb velociraptor, maxxis, kenda kinetics
Bike Setup:
Trek fuel , w/toura 311 front forks, rockshox mc 3.3 rear
Bottom Line:
these tires are what they put on bikes to keep the price of the bike down another 50 bucks, they are not very good they puncture way to easy no grip, turning is unpredictable. great for a beginner.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
All_Banged_Up
a Weekend Warrior
from Ringwood, NJ USA Date Reviewed: July 23, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Ramapo or Ringwood
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
Local LBS
Strengths:
Work well when they are not rolling.
Weaknesses:
No traction on rear, front end feels out of control and they love to slide out no matter how low you go on the psi.
Similar Products Used:
Non- this is my first pair of MTB tires. I'm buying Panaracer Fire XC's.
Bike Setup:
Stock Trek 4500
Bottom Line:
Pure garbage, I would get more traction and control if I had used my wheels alone without any tires. The stock tires on my 4500 were better than these. The rear slips when climbing and the front end wants to go all over the place. The only time them seem to work well is when the bike isn't rolling. Stay away from these tires. I e-mailed Bontrager about this and they never responded.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
branman
a Weekend Warrior
from calgary, alberta, canada Date Reviewed: July 19, 2008
Favorite Trail:
canada olympic park
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
ridleys cycle
Strengths:
good grip
Weaknesses:
waresout extremely fast
Similar Products Used:
zip
Bottom Line:
tire suck ass on asphault
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Woody
a Weekend Warrior
from Hagerstown, MD, USA Date Reviewed: July 10, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Any trail in Gambrill or Michaux
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
LBS-OEM on Fisher Hi
Strengths:
Low rolling resistance on dry hardpack.
Weaknesses:
Virtually no traction in wet conditions or steep, technical climbs...can be downright dangerous for unskilled riders or if you don't pay attention to the trail and the feel of your bike. Also, they flat really easy.
Similar Products Used:
Kenda Nevegal, Klein Deathgrip, Panaracer Fire XC Pro
Bike Setup:
Fisher HiFi Pro, close to stock.
Bottom Line:
If you live and ride in technical areas that are wet much of the time, avoid this tire like the plague. If you're a XC geek who flies over dry hardpack most of the time, these may work for you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mudnguts
a Weekend Warrior
from Reading, UK Date Reviewed: June 13, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1200.00
Strengths:
Rolls ok on 100% smooth tarmac
Weaknesses:
Soft, lack of traction on the rear. Unstable front.
Similar Products Used:
Pana Fire, Specialized team control
Bike Setup:
Trek6500 (new from stock)
Bottom Line:
These tyres are pants. Thanks to all reviewers on this forum - Based on your comments I have no qualms about replacing them after my first and only ride on them.
Rear lost traction on a pretty mundane rocky climb I have done hundreds of times on my ancient 820, then punctured on the downhill.
As for the front - the combination of that and hydraulic disc is deadly ... no control under braking at all ...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Antonio
a Weekend Warrior
from Pittsburgh Date Reviewed: April 11, 2008
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Stock on Trek bike
Strengths:
I could say something funny here. But these tires depress me so much that I can't figure out anything to say.
Wait, they wear fast, that's their only strength
Weaknesses:
Terrible grip in the dry, in the wet they are down right dangerous and in the pavement they make every part of my bike vibrate.
Similar Products Used:
As bad as this, nothing. Fortunately. Now I ride WTB Motoraptors, but it would be a disservice to WTB to call it similar to these tires.
Bike Setup:
Trek 8000
Bottom Line:
The fact that they wear fast is actually a good thing, because even if you're lazy, you'll have to swap these thing for some real tires before you get hurt.
As a front tire these can't hold a line. I have zero trust on these. Curiously I wiped out only once. That's how slow I was riding.
As a rear tire unless I ride it at 25-30 PSI there is next to no grip on the climbs. There is a technical climb I usually do. With these tires I could clear it 1 out of 4 times. With the Motoraptors it's more like 4 out of 5.
In the wet, be afraid. I was never so scared on a bike like on my first wet ride with these. Any root or rock and the foot had to go down.
Take this out and put some decent tires, and you'll see that (i) you skills are much better than you thought (if you're doubting) and (ii) you're bike is way better than you thought. I don't know why Trek insists in fitting this crap on their bikes. Their just spoiling them. Maybe this tire is good on some terrain. I just don't know what that may be.
Bottom of the bottom line: don't buy these tires. It's enough to have to swallow them it new Trek bikes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Oli
a Cross Country Rider
from London Date Reviewed: December 19, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Sky Line Afan Forest South Wales
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
With bike
Strengths:
Not bad in the mud, but it does like to slip away at any given moment (provides fun all the same) great in the dry havent got a problem there. Small rolling resistance great for speed.
Weaknesses:
Thick mud is the biggest weakness, but it still does well to overcome it. Losing grip for no apparent reason is another but nothing that cant be dealt with.
Bottom Line:
Not a bad tyre for everyday use, great for speed as it has a nice low rolling resistance. Takes abuse up to a certain level. Overall a very good tyre
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Yuri
a Weekend Warrior
from Pretoria, South Africa Date Reviewed: November 6, 2007
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
Light weight, Sheds mud well, works in dry and wet.
Weaknesses:
Gets punctures like all tires
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer XC Pro, Maxxis Minion DH & Crossmarks
Bike Setup:
2001 Trek 4900 standard 2003 Trek Fuel 90 standard
Bottom Line:
These Bonty tires came fitted on my Fuel 90 and I have used them for a year in the rain forests in Singapore. It's wet and muddy and they handled the conditions pretty well. At aroud 35Psi I found the grip to be the best. Sure the Minions have loads more grip and deliver a more comfy ride but the added traction makes the rolling resistance noticable in the mud. Before I bought the Fuel 90 I rode the Trek 4900 fitted with Panaracers. Also great tires for grip, but within six moths I ripped them to pieces on the rocky sections of the track so much so that the tube was showing thru the holes.
Now I live back in sunny SA. The tracks here are rocky and littred with thorns and I'm still on the Bontys. So my experience is that these tires perform well across a broad spectrum of conditions and they have lasted for three years so far and that is not bad since I clock in at 230lb.
Bottom line is that if these tires were as bad as some make it out to be then I would have ripped them to pieces so leave them on the bike until they are slicks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Deme Moore
a Cross Country Rider
from NY, NY Date Reviewed: August 6, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
came on bike
Strengths:
Easily foldable. Nothing else.
Weaknesses:
Everything. The tiniest of thorns go right through them like candy. But most important.. they have terrible traction. Like land you in the hospital.
Similar Products Used:
Various Kenda and Panaracers.
Bike Setup:
Trek OCLV and AM rig.
Bottom Line:
Use this tire if you enjoy medical bills. Seriously and without warning this tire just lets go in the front especially. It's easy to see why... the treadblocks are small and perfectly arranged in grid. From the side you can see rows of blocks which make it easy for the tire to slide sideways on any kind of turn.
They're great as OEM rim protectors. Or if you just got into MTB and are cautiously using your bike on roads and gentle dirt trails. For anything else forget it. On hardpack especially you might as well substitute them with teflon tape wrapped around your tubes. Why Bontrager sells them is beyond me. Keeping their lawyers busy?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Big Matt
a Weekend Warrior
from Pacific, MO Date Reviewed: July 6, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Chubb
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$15.00
Strengths:
I think the tire has good traction on all surfaces. It is lighter than a lot of similar tires. Plus on it is more than aggressive on the tail and still fairs well on the street. I have been using this same tire for a few years now and just having to replace it. Thus I was looking for them on the web and found the reviews here. Sorry that others haven't had the same good luck and I with this tire. However, it's been all good for me.
Weaknesses:
I can't get it at a local bike shop.
Similar Products Used:
Maxxis tires
Bike Setup:
Trek Fuel 90 w/ Rock Shox Psylo SL Fork.
Bottom Line:
I have it and will getting more of them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ANTHONY
a Cross Country Rider
from UK Date Reviewed: July 2, 2007
Favorite Trail:
black route pinchinthorpe
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
stock on trek 8000
Strengths:
look good flat and in box
Weaknesses:
ripped apart on the center of the tread after first outing on bike what was mostly flat or gravel track
I would not give these tyres the light of day! I certainly would not like to turn a corner fast as the back end kept kicking out and I nearly had several nasty accidents in damp conditions and had to reduce speed BIG TIME.I have ony been out on bike a few times due to local flooding and they look a year old or more on the tread.You can pick the blocks off the tyre with your fingers.KEEP WELL AWAY FROM THIS TYRE.I have just purchaced the new KENDA DRED TREAD TINKER JURES Tyre and 100% IMPROVEMENT brilliant on conering and excellent on fast flat rolling and used twice on very hard technical route and they still look brand new and have also kept me on my bike.Ps came off 3 times with other tyres.THese tyres would however be good for anyone training at home with the bike on a front and back roller and I would not recomend buying them for any cross country riding in damp conditions or for a long lasting tyre.Wear a helmet if these tyres came on your bike as standard.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
bennie
a Cross Country Rider
from oregon Date Reviewed: May 20, 2007
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
handles and performs well on dry road. will work as a front tire only.
Weaknesses:
does not grip on hills, cornering is dangerous with this. while trying to go up hills and cornering, this tire slips frequently.
Bike Setup:
trek fuel 90, hayes disc brakes
Bottom Line:
use this as a front tire only. as a back tire i would concider staying home and not getting hurt. On road okay, think again if your going off road.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tony
a Cross Country Rider
from SJ PR Date Reviewed: May 13, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
This Review is for the 2007 Jones ACX 26 x 2.1 120tpi aramid clincher. Light weight, 495gr., Hooks up great in Sand, Rocks, Roots etc. Brakes extremely well and cornes nicely. Inspires confidence, surefooted. Very easy to put on, take off, a plus out in the field.
Weaknesses:
isnt very low resistance but not bad.
Similar Products Used:
Maxxis High roller XC, Michelin Comp S light, older Jones tires.
Bike Setup:
Stock Top Fuel 8
Bottom Line:
Nice tire that is lightweight but has a lot of grip in all conditions i have tried them in. They inspire confidence. Not very fast rolling but not bad. I am going to keep them, OEM on my bike. The Bontrager stuff has improved greatly over the years.
The Michelin Comp S lights are faster rolling and might be a tad lighter but are downright hairy in some conditions.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew
a Weekend Warrior
from Tustin, CA, USA Date Reviewed: April 20, 2007
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Weaknesses:
Off Road grip
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Smoke/Dart
Bike Setup:
Trek 4900
Bottom Line:
These came stock on my Trek 4900. They were probably OK for pavement and very light off road riding. As I got more into trail riding, I noticed my rear tire was slipping often when climbing. When the rear tire wore out, I replaced it with a Panaracer Smoke and suddenly I was able to climb hills that were previously unrideable. My front tire lasted much longer, but I eventually replaced it with a Panaracer Dart, and again I was suddenly going downhill much faster.
Overall I got a lot of mileage out of the tires, but they just weren't suited to the type of offroad riding I was doing. The local trails are hardpacked, sometimes sandy, rocky. Mud is rarely an issue.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Toronto, Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: February 10, 2007
Similar tread design/pattern to that of Panaracer Fire XC Pro, All black sidewalls to blend into all black bicycle.
Weaknesses:
Tread pattern wears much faster then Panaracer Fire XC Pros, Whistles when cycling on asphalt or cement.
Similar Products Used:
WTB Velociraptor 2.1", Specialized (Ground Control ?) 2.1", Ritchey Z-Max Classic 2.1", Panaracer Fire XC Pro 2.1"
Bike Setup:
2001 Trek Fuel 90 SLR Disk
Bottom Line:
These came stock on my brand new 2001 Trek Fuel 90 Disk that I got on July 02,01. I only used them for 1-3 months (500-550kms) until I replaced them with slicks (Michelin Wild Gripper City 26"x1.5"/2001-2006) and now IRC Metro Duro's 26"x1.5" for 2007. Bottom Line: Similar to Panaracers but wear much faster.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alan Rodriguez
a Racer
from Monterrey, N.L. Mexico Date Reviewed: December 23, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Carrizalejo
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$26.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
The look, very nice finished.
Weaknesses:
Almost all. Very unstable cornering, very vulnerable against flats, seems to be very thin in its "skin", yet not very ligth tire.
Similar Products Used:
Dart and smoke from panaracer, IRC mythos
Bike Setup:
Mavic 117 old model rims, selle italia seat
Bottom Line:
These tires are very unpredictable when riding fast. They came with mi new Trek 8000 and i always thought it was me whi was wrong and spooky whe going downhill fast, the problem is when hiting the brakes, it seems you wont stop. Even though they are 2.2 my past 2.1 irc mythos were more predictable and stable. Also they are very delicate, when riding in a national race after a few meters a bubble of tube came out from the tire having a stupid flat without even hiting any rock or thorn. The thorns also became good friends of them. Is frustrating that every time i take a ride there is a huge probability i will have a flat. a rider should be more concentrated in riding his bike, no thinking on getting a flat or hurting his knees from a fall. Every curve i take i get kind of nervous. I am going to change them for a pair of IRC Mibros.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben
a Cross Country Rider
from Columbia, MD Date Reviewed: October 17, 2006
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
One of the best traction and handling knobby tires i'm ever used on a road. I'm not sure when all the traction was gone, but i put a little under 3000 miles on them. Just replaces the rear because i wore it so thin tubes were popping almost as soon as i pumped them up. but at around 3000 miles i'm still on the original front tire
Weaknesses:
found it very lacking on fast dry trails
Bottom Line:
I wouldn't run it on the trail long term, but for the money, i think it is a great tire for someone who spends a lot of time on the street and only occasionally on the trail
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ryan Besteck
a
from Kamloops,B.C.,Canada Date Reviewed: July 17, 2006
Favorite Trail:
klahanee
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Fun Stuff.Came with my bike.
Strengths:
Handle well for turning.
Weaknesses:
Weak Threads, Really bad grip i can like do a burnout on the road by trying to climb up a hill they blew after like 2 1/5 months and the threads were coming out after like only the first month of riding. The pattern wore out real fast
Similar Products Used:
nothing this bad, u could go and buy a 99$ bike from Walmart and take the tire off of them and it would be better.
Bike Setup:
Norco 125 Alivio package and bontrager rim bontrager ac 26X49/54 tire.
Bottom Line:
These suck.They do not hold up very long I ride my bike lost like 27 days a month and the thread was falling apart aswell as the tire it blew and it wore out within 2 1/2 months. and i would like to know of a good tire for dirt jumpingand street riding. e-mail me at Janemba_Torans@Hotmail.com
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Blake Cooper
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas Texas USA Date Reviewed: June 27, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Erwin Park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Richardson Bike Mart
Strengths:
They haven't shredded yet after about 3 and a half weeks
Weaknesses:
The tred pattern has completly left after about 250 miles
Similar Products Used:
Specilived S Works
Bike Setup:
Trek 4900
Bottom Line:
I personally think the are good for people who only ride there bikes once or twice a month
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Blake Cooper
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas Texas USA Date Reviewed: June 27, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Erwin Park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Richardson Bike Mart
Strengths:
They haven't shredded yet after about 3 and a half weeks
Weaknesses:
The tred pattern has completly left after about 250 miles
Similar Products Used:
Specilived S Works
Bike Setup:
Trek 4900
Bottom Line:
I personally think the are good for people who only ride there bikes once or twice a month
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rascal
a Weekend Warrior
from Jerusalem, Israel Date Reviewed: May 10, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Jerusalem mountains
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$1.00
Purchased At:
Modiin shop
Strengths:
None
Weaknesses:
Paper thin
Similar Products Used:
Panaracers XC, Hutchinson, Instense
Bike Setup:
Trek 6500 standard
Bottom Line:
I bought my bike a couple of days ago and these s"@*t tires are ruining my pleasure: I had over 5 punctures due to small thorns that I was able to pull away with 2 fingers. These tires are paper-thin. I don't know how they grip yet cause I spend my time on my ass fixing them !
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from TN Date Reviewed: March 21, 2006
Favorite Trail:
anywhere outdoors
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
came with my bike
Strengths:
umm, the sound they make on pavement scares dogs?
Weaknesses:
They pop like soapbubbles.
Similar Products Used:
Other bontragers (they were ok, actually), WTB, michelin
Bike Setup:
Trek Fuel 80. I've only had it a week, so I've only upgraded the seat post and the brick, I mean saddle.
Bottom Line:
Let's not beat around the bush. These tires blow. I can't tell you how they handle on loose gravel, or sand, or how they corner, or grip because I never got that far. I bought my bike a week ago, and haven't actually taken it out on the trail yet. I rode it home from the bike shop, and then today, I got on it for the second time to ride it school. The front tire popped. Actually, it split. Right down the middle, an inch long split down the seam. Now, i wasn't doing anything crazy. I was just riding on the sidewalk. I live 700 yards away from campus. I didn't run over anything sharp, the PSI was correct. It just split. Thats horrible. As another rider said a couple posts down, they're just capitilizing on the otherwise good jones name.
The bottom line: don't use these tires. They might strand you somewhere desolate. Or maybe just 500 yards down the road from your house.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tig
a
from Clear Lake, TX Date Reviewed: November 7, 2005
Favorite Trail:
The one I'm on.
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Came with bike.
Strengths:
Decent but not fast rolling resistance. I never got any flats.
Weaknesses:
This review is for the 29" x 2.2", not the 26" version.
I never got very comfortable with the ACX's cornering. They washed out on loose over packed corners that even my old 26" bike carved through. I crashed hard several times due to them. They might be better on rocky surfaces, but not packed dirt/clay/sand. I never put them through any real mud.
Bike Setup:
'05 Fisher Rig 29'er single speed
Bottom Line:
I can't say much good about these tires. Usually, a 29'er hooks up better than a 26" wheeled bike, but with these tires, I had no such luck. I replaced them with some Kenda Klaws and all the problems disappeared.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Glenn
a Cross Country Rider
from Corvallis Date Reviewed: October 10, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Mary's Peak
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Light (? !)
Weaknesses:
traction, capitalizing on the good Jones name.
Similar Products Used:
Jones, Fire XC, Z-Max, Enduro
Bike Setup:
Truth, Hope, Marz, XT
Bottom Line:
AC tires simply means it sucks in all conditions. Gravel roads, wet or dry single track, roots, rocks, everything.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Juice Smith
a Downhiller
from Silverthorne, CO Date Reviewed: August 2, 2005
Favorite Trail:
anything fast
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
came with bike
Strengths:
Free, came with bike. Can be used to beat people. Makes a funny christmas tree ornament. Help you develop cool scars.
Weaknesses:
Cant grip, concrete, gravel, sand, mud, dirt, rocks, roots, wet, dry. Crack easily. People will kick your ass if they see you riding with them. You will never get laid.
Similar Products Used:
Nothing this terrible ever.
Bike Setup:
Trek, with a few basic upgrades
Bottom Line:
I have had a few bikes, many different tires ect. Long story short these tires at many different psi COULD NOT EVEN GRIP AT SLICKROCK. For the uneducated the slickrock trail at Moab, Utah is not slick. The surface is like sandpaper there. Why was my bike tire spinning when everone I know says "man at slickrock you can just ride straight up, its unbelievable"? These tires suck.
When I upgraded my tires to weirwolves I almost had an attack of paranoia because the grip was so good. Then I became extremely excited because mtn biking became so much more fun when you get rid of these tires. Try any other tire on your bike, take the tires off your kid brothers tricycle! Throw these away.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Juice Smith
a Downhiller
from Silverthorne, CO Date Reviewed: August 2, 2005
Favorite Trail:
anything fast
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
came with bike
Strengths:
Free, came with bike. Can be used to beat people. Makes a funny christmas tree ornament. Help you develop cool scars.
Weaknesses:
Cant grip, concrete, gravel, sand, mud, dirt, rocks, roots, wet, dry. Crack easily. People will kick your ass if they see you riding with them. You will never get laid.
Similar Products Used:
Nothing this terrible ever.
Bike Setup:
Trek, with a few basic upgrades
Bottom Line:
I have had a few bikes, many different tires ect. Long story short these tires at many different psi COULD NOT EVEN GRIP AT SLICKROCK. For the uneducated the slickrock trail at Moab, Utah is not slick. The surface is like sandpaper there. Why was my bike tire spinning when everone I know says "man at slickrock you can just ride straight up, its unbelievable"? These tires suck.
When I upgraded my tires to weirwolves I almost had an attack of paranoia because the grip was so good. Then I became extremely excited because mtn biking became so much more fun when you get rid of these tires. Try any other tire on your bike, take the tires off your kid brothers tricycle! Throw these away.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Russ White
a Cross Country Rider
from York, Maine, USA Date Reviewed: July 19, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Anywhere rideable
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Came on the bike at time of purchase
Strengths:
hmm, strengths, strengths, there has to be something they do well.... nope, sorry, can't think of anythi...wait, they prevent the rim from getting wrecked from riding on a bare rim....
Weaknesses:
where to start? everyone else has covered the weak points here...rapid treadwear on pavement due to soft rubber compound, squirrely handling, bogs up easily, heck, i get better off road grip on my WTB Slickasaurus *SLICKS*
Similar Products Used:
WTB Slickasaurus, Serfas Vermin
Bike Setup:
mostly stock Trek 4500
Bottom Line:
As they say, ignorance is bliss....
these tires came stock on the 4500, and for a while, they seemed fine, of course, i had nothing to compare them with, as i started riding more often, i noticed the bike had a wierd "floaty" feel to it both on pavement and on dirt, just thought it was the way the bike rode, thought nothing of it
after 6 months or so of riding both paved roads and off road, the tread was showing visible signs of wear, had them replaced with Serfas Vermin semi-slicks, as i ride primarily on road and dirt roads/fire roads/rail-trails, suddenly, the bike's handling became sharper and more precise, and as an adde benefit, my hands stopped geting numb after 10 minutes on road, the Bontys were transmitting a lot of road buzz to my hands, the Vermins far less (25-30 minutes before numbness started) *and* they had more grip than the squirrely Bontys
switched from the Vermins to WTB Slickasaurus for road riding, and what a difference, the 4500 feels almost like a roadie now, now i just need to get another set of wheels built to mount the Vermins on so i don't have to keep mounting/unmounting tires for off roading versus road riding
the Jones AC gets the lowest rating i can give it, 1, i wish i could rate them zero, or even negative numbers, they're not worth even keeping for backup tires in case something goes wrong with the Vermins or Slickasauruii ;)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jonathon hartman
a Weekend Warrior
from San Antonio, Tx, USA Date Reviewed: March 30, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Anything With Dirt
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Bike World
Strengths:
Seems to handle better when Soil conditions are not to dry and not too wet if that makes sense. Never had a flat with this tire and trust me I RIDE my MTB to it's limits.
Weaknesses:
Knobbies on this tire have either riped off or wore down to the point I absolutely had to change it out after six months. When trail conditions are too dry this tire will slip out from under you, not to mention don't even think of wet conditons. Tread pattern just seems too weak when it's needed most
Similar Products Used:
Switched to Hutch Elite Py's
Bike Setup:
Gary Fisher Hardtail
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is this. If you buy a bike and this is the original equipment your going to be changing it out soon. This tire is not for people who go out every weekend and put 50-150 miles on there bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Pawn
a Cross Country Rider
from Bellevue, NE Date Reviewed: November 22, 2004
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$25.00
Strengths:
These tires are great if you ride predominantly on dry, hard-packed soil conditions. Low resistance and great speed. These tires also have a good lifespan and the tread will really hold up well when used on dry hard-pack. Can't beat the price.
Weaknesses:
As many others have noted, these tires do not perform very well in wet conditions. The tread will become gummed up very fast and all traction will be lost.
Bike Setup:
2001 Trek 6700 with various upgrades
Bottom Line:
These tires were on my bike when I first bought it three years ago. When they wore out I bought them again because I liked them so much.
I don't ride my bike when the trails are wet, so these tires work very well for my needs. If you ride on trails that are routinely wet, or don't mind riding in mud (I don't ride my local trails when it is muddy) then these tires are going to suck big time.
But where they will truly shine is on the hard-pack.
The bottom line is that this is a great, economical tire for the casual mountain biker.
My ratings are based on DRY PACK conditions
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from Houston, TX Date Reviewed: August 20, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Mardone
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
ACME
Strengths:
Not bad on pavement. They have a fairly long life.
Weaknesses:
They seem to have a bit of trouble actually sticking to anything except the pavement. They gum up horribly in anything that is slightly wet.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Trek hardtail
Bottom Line:
An ok tire for beginners who tool around on nice paths and the street. Not a good tire for much of anything else.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Johnny Pockets
a Racer
from Palos HIlls, IL, USA Date Reviewed: August 20, 2004
Favorite Trail:
3 ravines
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Spokes in Wheaton (don't go there)
Strengths:
ummmm
Weaknesses:
Heavy, not a good trade off of rolling restistance. In all out honesty, my schwinn had a much better tire for technical trails. I have next to no confidence on fast switchbacks with the poor design, and have the scars to back it up. The front and rear tires slide out much like the plastic "big-wheel" tires that we used as kids. Further more, for the price - you should do your homework and get something much better for the same price. Don't let these tires ruin your rig!
Similar Products Used:
Phythons, Armadillos
Bike Setup:
Giant XTC II / SD7 / SID SL / Mavic Max SL / Phythons / Time ATAC MTB / XTR-F / XT - R / RaceFace Prodigy
Bottom Line:
Do some due-dilligance! I think bike stores like to put these on because they get them for about $10. Spdnd the money up front - and avoid the dispair!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
geddes geddes
a Cross Country Rider
from Atlanta, Ga Date Reviewed: July 6, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Tsail
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
OK tire for stock bike set up, fast on hard pack / hard single track. Over all good performance in dry conditions.
Weaknesses:
poor handling over wet roots, wet rocks, wet drt, wet air.
Similar Products Used:
Dart, Smoke, IRC
Bike Setup:
Trek Fuel 90, Dart / Smoke (40psi)
Bottom Line:
What can I say, they came on the bike so I thought they were good, at first they were good on dry conditions , also then we were going through some what of a drought. But now that the rains have come these tires are not cutt'in the mustard. They get caked up really fast and become heavy slicks. They also cant grip roots worth a crap and have lead to more then one slip out. Dont wait for these to wear out, go ahead and trade out for some new ones.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Janne Ranta
a Cross Country Rider
from Oulu Date Reviewed: June 29, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Rolls well on asphalt, resists quite well pinch flats and so on.
Weaknesses:
Traction in every condition is horrible. Whether its wet, dry, roots, stones...this tyre doesn`t grip at all. It dont even last for a summer, but wears out.
Similar Products Used:
Nokian Boazobeana F & R, Nokian NBX lite 2.2, different Maxis tyres...
Good tyre for people who dont know anything better. After you find out that these tires suck, you dont want hear about them. Traction sucks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Robert Wendel
a Weekend Warrior
from Lake Jackson, Tx """USA""" Date Reviewed: June 8, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Roustabout Trails of West Coulumbia
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
This tyre is great in the mud! haven't had on dry ground yet but I will let you Know how it goes.
Bike Setup:
2005 TREK 4600
Bottom Line:
Give me time and I will give you the Bottom line but as for now had a realy good experience with them in the Mud. If your ever around WC just look me up and Ill show you what we call the Rim BENDER. Up hill and down hill great for mud slinging and alittle technical action.l
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Corey Clouse
a Weekend Warrior
from Colbert, OK Date Reviewed: June 7, 2004
Favorite Trail:
north texas
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
stock on trek 4500
Strengths:
Been on them about 18 months since they came on the bike. Not bad on dry hardpack and a little gravel. They corner pretty well and are not horribly loud on pavement. However I have recently ridden a few trails that were tacky and slick, but not muddy, and oh crap. No grip whatever on the tacky stuff in corners or uphill. The tread also seemed to fill up and not clean themselves well. Well I have a few miles on them and the wear is not bad, but going with Fire XC's soon.
Weaknesses:
No grip in tacky conditions.
Similar Products Used:
Basic stock stuff on other bikes.
Bike Setup:
Trek 4500 with upgrades.
Bottom Line:
If the tire comes on the bike, ride it, wear it out/ tear it up, and then buy a better tire.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick
a Weekend Warrior
from Tiffin, OH Date Reviewed: June 1, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Slaty Fork, WV
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Excellent in wet conditions. Superior grip on wet rocks and roots. Never had a pinch flat. Nobs did not wear out fast. even though used these tires for commuting and many road rides. Durability, Durability Durability!!
Weaknesses:
Rolling resistance. Pack with mud(most tires do).
Similar Products Used:
Just put on some maxxis ignitors
Bike Setup:
Trek 4900, TruVativ Fire XC, maxxis ignitors, LX Derailer, Crane Creek Ergo Bar Ends, Egg Beaters
Bottom Line:
Altough most people bash these tires, I had no reason to replace them unitl they were worn from regular use. These tires performed well in most conditions especially the conditions they are suited for. I gave them a four on the value side because they came stock on my entry level bike and a four overall because of their,you got it, durability.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve M
a Cross Country Rider
from Houston, TX Date Reviewed: May 18, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Ho-Chi-Minh Memorila Park
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
They wear and roll fairly well. Fairly light and durable.
Weaknesses:
They're not very good in sand and they don't shed mud well at all. .
Similar Products Used:
Fire Pro XC, Dart/Smoke combo
Bike Setup:
Y2K Trek 7000, Manitou MARS 1 Fork, Full XT, Titec low risers, Rock Shox suspension seat post, Max Flight Trans Am Saddle
Bottom Line:
These tires came stock on my bike, but after wearing the first set out, I replaced them with another set. I really don't have a problem with them at all. They good off road tires. They're soft when new so be careful on pavement as they can roll over on the nobs when cornering like most knobby tires. They're great for climbing and cornering, they hook up on tight singletrack, they're fast rolling and they roll pretty true for a knobby tire. The only thing is they're not good in the sand or in the mud as they don't shed mud very well. They do everything pretty well in dry conditions.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Carol Stream, Il, USA Date Reviewed: March 29, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Stock on Trek 6700
Strengths:
Low rolling resistance Good for bikes that don't turn. Tires slipped out from under me, my new injuries took my mind off of my sore butt from the Bontrager seat. Feel better about buying new tires for a brand new bike (I ordered them before I rode the bike, thanks for the reviews)
Weaknesses:
They are actually sold without a bike. Trek puts them on bikes. Turning on wet pavement? Unclip your feet first, because you WILL go down.
Similar Products Used:
Cheapos on my 97 Trek 820... They are better.
Bike Setup:
02 Trek 6700 stock, but not for long...
Bottom Line:
Read the Product Desciption at the top of the page. Does Bontrager really believe this? I didn't make it to the trail, so I can't say how they are on gravel or in mud.. and I don't really care! I won't ride until the Fire XC's get here.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Shawn
a Cross Country Rider
from Chula Vista CA Date Reviewed: March 17, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Performance
Strengths:
Light, work well on wet hardpack.
Weaknesses:
Mud riding, after about 25 feet my tires looked like they belonged on Fred Flintstone's bike while my ride buddies cruised on. Climbing
Similar Products Used:
None in this decade
Bike Setup:
2003 stock Trek Fuel 80
Bottom Line:
If you are on gravel or hard packed single track these tires move you along nicely However, these tires leave much to be desired when climing or on anything loose. My tires are almost certain to spin on more challenging climbs no matter how I balance my weight. These came with my bike but I wouldn't pay MSRP for them. I am going to at least replace the back tire soon.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a Cross Country Rider
from Dillsburg, PA Date Reviewed: February 6, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Singletrack
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Came stock on 2003 Trek Fuel 90
Strengths:
They are light but...
Weaknesses:
they are paper this so even though they have a kevlar bead they are the most flat prone tire out there!!! Also, they have NO traction whatsoever. I rode this tire in every weather condition and they have no traction-NONE!!!
Similar Products Used:
IRC Mythos XC 2.1 kevlar (current tires), some Kenda stuff
Bike Setup:
2003 Trek Fuel 90 with IRC Mythos XC 2.1 kevlar tires and Kool Stop MTB (salmon and black) brake pads.
Bottom Line:
These tires are JUNK!!! If I could give a "0" rating I would!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dominic Zaninovich
a Cross Country Rider
from San Luis Obispo, Ca Date Reviewed: January 17, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Lemon Grove Loop,
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
came on bike
Strengths:
They roll...
Weaknesses:
No traction. I was on my fav trail, and on not even a difficult downhill section the front end slipped out leaving picking out gravel and twigs from my legs and arms. They make your wheels look out of true.
Similar Products Used:
Michelins
Bike Setup:
Trek 6700 avid mechs, some xt upgrade
Bottom Line:
I wouldn't buy these tires. There fine for on stock bikes, and riding on easy trails/fireroadsand such. I guess it wouldn't be so bad if they were cheap.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Craig
a Cross Country Rider
from Lancaster, PA USA Date Reviewed: September 5, 2003
Favorite Trail:
michaux's trails
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$45.00
Purchased At:
Bike Line
Strengths:
light, easy to take off, put on, decent traction
Weaknesses:
tears and rips like paper.
Similar Products Used:
irc mythos xc's were durable, but hard as balls to put on. i could spend 30 min just trying to get the freakin thing back on.
Bike Setup:
stock klein attitude
Bottom Line:
i am first off rating the JONES AC X tire, im not sure why it isnt listed, but its different from the AC. this tire sucks nuts. i hate it, i hate my bike since i got them. they were 45 bucks a piece, and i got big gashes in two rear tires after two rides each. they arent even repairable. i was riding the same trails and same intensity as i did with my irc mythos XCs, which i rode on for more than a year without a problem. it basically cost me 100 bucks to go on four rides. all i can say is never buy this tire, cuz it will tear like a champ. this only gets two chilis for lightness and easy to put on.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
themaninthewoods
a Cross Country Rider
from Warminster, PA, USA Date Reviewed: August 11, 2003
Favorite Trail:
haven't found it yet
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
stock on bike
Strengths:
like people said before, I haven't had problems on packed dirt.
Weaknesses:
they slip really bad on anything but dirt--like rocks, roots, and logs. They slip on off-camber surfaces. The back tire won't dig in on tough climbs, unless on hardpack. Expect more pinch flats thhan normal, even at high psi if you ride rock gardens.
Similar Products Used:
WTB Tyrannorapters.
Bike Setup:
2003 Trek Fuel 80 stock setup.
Bottom Line:
These tires are ok. But they contiually frustrate me in certain conditions. They slip horribly when climbing on roots, rocks and anything off-camber. The Tyrannoraptors that were on my old Gary Fisher Level Betty were so much better at this kind of stuff. The Jones AC slips without fail. In wet conditions (not muddy, just wet) I am nervous as hell about these tires. They are very fast on hard pack dirt. In mud they are very messy, but work ok. I get a lot of pinch flats with them and high tire pressure doesn't help much. Maybe I have my suspension dialed to stiff.
They were on my bike stock so a 4 for value. 2=fair for overall because they piss me off on every ride. I should switch them, but don't have $$.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Zac
a Cross Country Rider
from Minneapolis Date Reviewed: August 7, 2003
Favorite Trail:
anything in CB
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
came on bike
Strengths:
This tire is fast on pavement, hardpack, and gravel but...
Weaknesses:
it has no traction whatsoever once you get it onto singletrack. Climbing traction is horrible. As is cornering traction. Forget about wet roots or loose sand and gravel.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Fire XCs
Bike Setup:
Trek 6700, Marzocchi X-Fly 80, Avid mechanicals and SD7s, Velocity VXCs with WTB Lazer Lite Disk hubs
Bottom Line:
These tires came on my bike, I learned to ride on them, and I had no idea how much they were holding me back until I replaced them a couple weeks ago. I put on a pair of Fire XCs and suddenly I was able to climb right up stuff that always had me spinning my back wheel and off the bike. Same goes for cornering. I never understood what people meant by "carving" through a switchback until I took these tires off. My first switchback with the new tires was smooth and I flew through the second like I was on rails.
Bottom Line: if you're relatively new to riding and you're on these tires because they came on your Trek GET RID OF THEM! If you use them to commute to work on pavement or fire roads or something then you might as well keep them. They do roll pretty fast and they're rather lightweight. However, I see no reason to ever buy them. If you commute, buy city tires. If you ride singletrack or fire roads, there are MUCH better tires out there.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gautam Bose
a Weekend Warrior
from Charlotte, NC Date Reviewed: August 3, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Francis Beatty, Anne Springs
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
LBS (came installed on my bike)
Strengths:
Actually very good for recreational riding. Fast on pavement and other hard surfaces. Just fine on gravel trails, hard-packed mud. etc. I was v. pleased by how fast I could go, compared to the tires I was using previously (Kenda -- Smokes, I think)
Weaknesses:
Very disappointing on any real singletrack-type trail. Not good in wet weather, poor traction on roots, wet rock, etc. Incredibly bad in mud; my riding buddies -- some of whom are using generic department-store tires -- are amazed by the huge clumps of mud that accumulate on my tires. When I come off a muddy trail, for the next 10 minutes, I'm just spraying mud off my tires and over myself and anyone near me... traction is terrible.
Mine haven't worn out the way other riders have described --which is a pity, as I'd feel more justified in replacing them.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized varioues types, Kenda (Smokes, I think -- v. good tires)
Bike Setup:
Trek 6500 stock.
Bottom Line:
Use them if they came free with your bike, as did mine -- (amazingly, even high-end Treks come with these...) particularly if you're into recreational riding; ie pavement, gravel paths, very mild trails.
If you're going onto serious single-track, grit your teeth and pay up to replace them.
Don't even think of buying them, unless they came installed -- I can't believe they're listed at $40 each! I'm starting to lose confidence in my LBS, after seeing them there at $34.99.. If you need tires for light recreational use, there's any number of others at half the price or less.
1 Chili for value -- I'd NEVER buy them. 2 Chilis overall, as they do work well on pavement or hard-pack. And I'd still never buy them
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick Anderson
a Weekend Warrior
from Green Bay, Wi Date Reviewed: July 18, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Baird Creek Park
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
Scheel's All Sport
Strengths:
Climbing, cornering
Weaknesses:
speed, holding on left to right or right to left slants
Bike Setup:
Trek 4500 straight of the dealer floor.
Bottom Line:
As a beginner I find these tires very nice. They have held the trail while I see others slip. However, as noted, I find myself off the pedals on horizontal slants. Overall, for the beginner, ok.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Peter None
a
from N.Y.C. Date Reviewed: July 14, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
came on T 4500
Strengths:
i really don't understand all the complaints about these tires.they are fairly light,have exelent gripp on wet and muddy sufaces,exellent for gravel and more dusty trails.
Weaknesses:
ok,they are a little slow on the asphalt,they are also a bit soft,therefore they wear little bit faster,BUT once they are broken in,they roll great.just make shure they are really well pumped/5.0 psi and up/
good tire,if not into too extreme riding,not very good for city due to softnes...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Winchester, MA Date Reviewed: July 8, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Middlesex Fells, EFTA race venues
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Strengths:
Came on a pretty nice bike
Weaknesses:
Miserable grip, especially laterally.
Didn't keep 'em on long enough to find out any other strengths or weaknesses.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Fire XC Pro
Bike Setup:
2002 Trek Fuel 90 Disk, stock bike on 3-day demo from Cycle Loft.
Bottom Line:
I'm usually willing to give new things a try, fancy name brand or not, but these treads were so slippery over the roots, rocks and loose soil on my usual trail ride that I went home, took 'em off immediately, and slipped into something a little more comfortable (Panaracer Fire XC Pros for me please), just to get a decent sense of what the demo bike could do. Love the bike, would have hated it if I could only ride it with the Bontragers installed.
Not suitable for any but the most casual riding.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Fran
a Weekend Warrior
from Abington Date Reviewed: July 7, 2003
Favorite Trail:
anywhere
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
came with bike
Weaknesses:
can't climb, weak sidewalls
Bike Setup:
Trek 4900
Bottom Line:
I have used these for around 1 month and the side wall already blew out. Also, forget about climbing anything other then pavement in these tires.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
matt
a Downhiller
from new york Date Reviewed: July 4, 2003
Favorite Trail:
any i can find
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
came with bike
Strengths:
its light thats about it
Weaknesses:
doesnt grip at high speed braking and no grip on soft surfaces
Similar Products Used:
none this bad, or mabye the kenda tires on a wal-mart bike
Bike Setup:
trek 4900 psylo xc, vuelta downhill disk rims, avid disk xt hubs cane creek c2 headset
Bottom Line:
i strongly recomend THAT YOU DONT BUY THESE TIRES OR IF THEY COME WITH YOUR TREK HAVE THEM CHANGED! the tires are light but you will not be able to keep up with yuor friend riding some fast trail and wont be able to stop for sh!t. DON'T BUY! DON'T BUY! DON'T BUY! DON'T BUY! DON'T BUY! DON'T BUY! DON'T BUY! DON'T BUY! DON'T BUY! DON'T BUY!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eddie
a Weekend Warrior
from Montreal, Quebec Date Reviewed: July 2, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Any trails
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Came with bike
Strengths:
Relatively good tire for road riding. Low rolling resistance. A good beginner's tire for MTBs.
Weaknesses:
Dangerous for cornering!! Do not attempt that with these tires!! I bottomed out a couple of times already, both on and off-road. Cornering on trails was pretty scary!!
Poor graveling handling. Couldn't grip properly when climbing uphill.
Similar Products Used:
None yet
Bike Setup:
Trek 6700
Bottom Line:
I've had it with these tires! Poor off-road traction for the trails I'm riding (muddy, loose gravel, sand). I've used it for only a couple of months and the tires are already wearing out. Gonna get me a pair of Panaracer Fire XC Pros when these tires are completely (not very long from now) trashed.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ellen
a Cross Country Rider
from Peabody, MA Date Reviewed: June 21, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Lynn Woods
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Weight, Low roll resistance
Weaknesses:
No grip, Bad cornering, Bad contact on climbing, Not good in mud or on loose conditions. Switched them as soon as I could because they were scary!!
Similar Products Used:
Came with my Fuel 90
Bike Setup:
Fuel 90 with Marzocchi MX pro and Fox Float R. Tires are IRC Kujo DH (too heavy (knee problems) but best tire I've tried for grip) Stock otherwise
Bottom Line:
There must be someone out there that likes these tires. The sense of relief I got when I switched these out for the Kujo's is unbelievable. The Kujo's are too heavy for me but I was in such a rush to get the AC's off I took them. The Kujo's are probably the best tires I will ever try. They are fantastic. They brought my confidence up quite a bit. I need to find a new tire because of the Kujo's weight and my knee problems. Anyone out there familiar with a lightweight grippy tire? I felt like putting no chilis but I put 2 for each of the strenghs I listed above. Please don't buy them except for maybe riding on the road.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Otto
a Cross Country Rider
from Frisco, Colorado Date Reviewed: June 18, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Colorado Trail
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
came with my bike
Strengths:
umm, they are tires.....
Weaknesses:
they dont corner, climb, shed mud, or work for that matter so dont spend money on these because they should be free!
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Fire XC Pro 2.1
Bike Setup:
'02 Trek Fuel 90 (Somewhat stock)
Bottom Line:
Dont buy these tires unless you want to be a moron! One flamming chilli because there should be a huge bonfire of these f'in tires! GET PANARACERS!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Todd
a Cross Country Rider
from PA Date Reviewed: June 17, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Wisahickon, French Creek, Jim Thorpe
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Bike Line
Strengths:
Great tire on harder faster trails.
Weaknesses:
Not so good in the mud, but i don't think they were really designed to be a mudder.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Fire XC
Bike Setup:
Stock Trek 8000, atleast for now!
Bottom Line:
Great tire on hard pack i rode them the other day in the mud and found out quickly that they are not ment for muddy days, i was on my ass before i knew it. But if you ride them in the right conditions(hard pack) they are great! So i plan to keep them for those conditions and am now in the market for something with more grip in the mud.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Garrett
a Racer
from Orange County, California Date Reviewed: March 19, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Excellent traction on dry and even loose uphills. Also, they corner decently on the downhills, I think due to the rounded tread. They actually kind of suprised me. The tight pattern rolls well over hard pack which can be good for races. I've read the comments about these not gripping in muddy conditions, I can't vouch for that, but then again it doesn't rain much in Southern California.
Weaknesses:
They wear out kind of quickly, similar to Panaracer Fire XCs, but I think these tires grip better while braking and acending than Fire XCs.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Team Panaracer Smoke Tioga Psyco Panaracer Fire XC
Bottom Line:
These came on my bike, but I'll buy them again if I can.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Knobby Rider
a Cross Country Rider
from South Texas Date Reviewed: March 18, 2003
Favorite Trail:
anywhere I can pedal a bike.
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Came with the bike
Strengths:
low rolling resistance
Weaknesses:
weak sidewalls
Similar Products Used:
Kenda
Bike Setup:
Trek 4900
Bottom Line:
Decent tire for all around riding on pavement and dirt. Grips well on most trails and while climbing. Not so hot in rock gardens. I have had numerous pinch flats even with tires at max inflation when riding through rocks. I think the sidewall is flexing too much, but then I'm a 6' 3", 220 pound rider. Overall a decent tire if you like to bomb the streets and jeep trails.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from Pittsburgh, PA Date Reviewed: March 17, 2003
Favorite Trail:
North Park
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
Bike Line
Strengths:
This tire works really well on anything from slightly loose dirt to hardpacked. It grabs roots and rocks well. Low rolling resistance and weight too. I was amazed at the grip I got from such a small tire.
Weaknesses:
As everyone says this is a dry weather tire. It is not intended for mud or for slime over hard pack. The soft rubber compound does wear out quicker than the harder tires, especially when used as a rear tire. That said, quit complaining and use the tire for what it is intended for.
Similar Products Used:
Fire XC pro, Mythos XC, and many other tires over the years.
Bike Setup:
Cross country
Bottom Line:
I'm tired of hearing all the weekend warriors bashing this tire. I've worn out 2 sets of these tires and I love them, for their intended purpose.
Forget about the misleading words "all purpose" and take a look at this tire. The compound is very soft, the knobs are short and closely spaced, and the top of each knob has ridges for added bite on hard surfaces. If you can't look at this tire and tell what it is intended for you shouldn't be riding!
But one thing is not so obvious. These tires need more air pressure than you think. They work best with 45 -50 psi. If you run them with say 30-35 psi the side knobs will roll under rather than bite. Maybe some of you are doing this.
Another issue is wear. Once the edges & ridges start to wear out the traction fades quickly. Sharp edges are critical for soft compounds. Knobs dig, edges bite. If you can't dig (like on hardpacked) you must bite. Ridges = Edges = Bite.
In Pittsburgh we have mud in the spring, so I bolt on my Velociraptors. Take a look at the Vraptor. It's intended for mud and loose stuff, not fast rolling hardpack. Would I bolt on Vraptors for hardpack conditions. NOT!
In the summer the conditions range from slightly loose to hardpacked, depending on how much the particular trail is used and so forth. So in the summer I bolt on the AC's and they kick but. And being so light you just throw them around. And at 50 psi they roll like a slick.
Of course some trails are always loose. So use your head. If you are riding in loose stuff today, bolt on the big knob tires today.
And one last thing. Whoever said these tires work well on the street needs their head examined. NO knobby tire will ever work well on the street. This tire will wear out in a couple of hours on the street, as will any knobby. Get a set of slicks if you want to street ride.
Doesn't anybody own a second set of tires out there!
No single set of tires can work equally well in all conditions. So bolt on the tires that are intended for the conditions you are about to ride in.
It only takes 10 minutes to swap tires!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Russell Ruggiero
a Weekend Warrior
from West Windsor, NJ, USA Date Reviewed: February 20, 2003
Favorite Trail:
R&D
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
Jay's Cycle
Strengths:
Great in snow and mud.
Weaknesses:
None.
Similar Products Used:
Revolt
Bike Setup:
Trek 4900 and Trek 4500
Bottom Line:
Dear Reader
Bontrager has done a fine job with the Jones AC offering. It is a great tire in mud and snow. I ride all year-round in the North East, and this is an excellent off-road tire.
My Revolt's are faster on blacktop, but not as good off-road. In a nutshell, Bontrager Jones AC tires a good low priced tire.
Thank You Russ
PS: I have a Trek 4500 and Trek 4900 with Jones AC tires. As you can see, all of these products fall into the low-end to moderate-end of the off-road world. If you need high-end gear, look outside Bontrager offerings.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
George
a Weekend Warrior
from Lufkin, TX -- USA Date Reviewed: January 14, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Tyler State Park; C&D loops
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
Simpson's Adventure Sports - Tyler, TX
Strengths:
Personally, I like the all-knobby look. Decent tire for beginners. Other than that, really nothing positive to say about them, in comparision with other products available.
Weaknesses:
These tires are totally disappointing performers. Don't hook up well in most conditions except dry and moderately hard-packed conditions. This is MOUNTAIN BIKING - who rides in hard dry conditions all the time? The treads are not self-cleaning, so they get clogged with mud and then you're riding on SLICKS, which is no help. Also, very thin sidewalls on steel beaded tires (designed to be lighweight) but the only thing lightweight about these is the performance.
Similar Products Used:
Hutchinson; Panaracer; Velociraptor.
Bike Setup:
Trek hardtail with lots of tweaks.
Bottom Line:
These Bonty tires came stock on my bike when I bought it, and I rode it 2x with these tires B4 swapping out. Every now and then, I'll put the Bonty's back on and try them out just to see if I've changed my mind, but all that does is to confirm that Bontrager makes crappy tires. If you are looking for an all-knobby tire that is is a serious performer in a variety of terrain, go get a set of Panaracer Fire XC Pro's [Kevlar bead, heavier sidewalls - they come in an XC verson ($30/tire online), and in a much heavier downhill verson for about $45+/tire]. If you want good mud grips, get Velociraptors, but those are very rough ride on hardpack. Bottom line is: Stay away from Bonty tires, these things may look good but they are very weak performers, and not worth a sh*t.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego Date Reviewed: January 6, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
LBS
Weaknesses:
The knobs on these tires are too tight. This prevents the tire from gripping roots or rocks.
Bottom Line:
Use them for the parking lot or that fire road. After that, get some decent tires at your LBS.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew Cohen
a Weekend Warrior
from Richmond, VA USA Date Reviewed: December 30, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Pocohonta's Park
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Stock on Bike
Strengths:
Decent beginner tire and all around
Weaknesses:
Washes out bad in mud, gets no traction what so ever in loose dirt. If the tires have mud in them stay away from roots and rocks.
Bike Setup:
Trek 6700 stock
Bottom Line:
Decent beginner tire but after 6 rides on them I'm ready to ditch and get some panaracer tires.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alejo
a Weekend Warrior
from South Glastonbury, CT Date Reviewed: December 23, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Came stock on Trek 6700
Strengths:
Good for an all-condition (AC) tire
Weaknesses:
not really good at anything
Similar Products Used:
Bontrager Jones
Bike Setup:
Trek 6700
Bottom Line:
You have to understand, this is a good tire for what it is. An all condition tire will never get a really good average rating, because it will never be really good at any one thing. So it is a good tire for everything, but it does not do good in mud or snow because the closely spaced knobs that make it AC hold mud and snow and then make the tires worthless on rocks and roots. good on hardpack, but easily washes out. it happened to me at a race.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chad Anderson
a Cross Country Rider
from Nashville, Tennessee, USA Date Reviewed: November 23, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Hamilton Creek, Any rocks around!
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
Sun and Ski Outdoors
Strengths:
Killer grip on wet or dry rocks. This tire excells in dry dusty conditions. Great traction on hardpack if you ride them hard. Excellent durability if used off-road only. I probably got 500mi. on my first set of AC's.
Weaknesses:
Packs up in mud but what tire doesn't. Gravel and sand are no fun on any bicycle tire. Price is a little steep compared to the Panaracer Fire XC.
Similar Products Used:
Bontrager Jones AC, Panaracer Fire XC, Intense System 2.
Bike Setup:
Trek 8000, XTR/XT drivetrain,Rockshox Duke SL80, Gore ride-on cable set, Rolf wheelset,SRAM hollow-pin chain...etc.
Bottom Line:
In my opinion, one of the best XC tires for dry rocky conditions. If you ride in muddy or sandy areas you will need a tire with much wider voids than the AC's can provide.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom
a Weekend Warrior
from Wilkesbarre PA Date Reviewed: November 23, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Great on pavement and hard surfaces
Weaknesses:
Not so good on the rough stuff
Similar Products Used:
Ritchey
Bike Setup:
Tires came stock on Trek 6700
Bottom Line:
These tires are great for any type of trail riding. Very quick on hardtrail surfaces and they run smooth on pavement. I have had some trouble with grip on rough surfaces. Lots of rear wheel slippage on climbs, and a lack of front wheel bite on downhills especially in corners. They seem to have good durability, no flats after 3 months. These tires seems to be best suited for light-medium duty riding. I actually like the tires but would not put them on my suspension bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jin Man
a Weekend Warrior
from Guadalajara, Mexico Date Reviewed: November 19, 2002
Favorite Trail:
All Mexico
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Came with bike
Strengths:
Came with bike, so I didn't have to pay for them.
Weaknesses:
No confidence at high speed and slip in gravel corners. Flats everywhere.
Similar Products Used:
Michelin, Panaracer, IRC, etc.
Bike Setup:
Trek 6700, all XT drivetrain, Thomson seatpost & stem, other stock and "PANARACER FIRE XC PRO".
Bottom Line:
Actually these tires worked fine for me, well I used them for 1 year. My compalint is that these tires never grip on sandy or gravel road, and never gave me confidence at high speed cornering. Don't work for Mexico's trails. Other compaint is regarding the climbing efficiency, these tires sometimes lose tractions in most terrain, so I don't think that these tires are all conditions, they perform well for pavement but not for trails...
In conclusion... Very bad tires... Don't use them...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kris
a Weekend Warrior
from Lawrenceville Gerogia, USA Date Reviewed: November 4, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Chicopee Woods
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Bike Town USA
Strengths:
Lots of grip on roots, even wet ones I had to smash into a curb at 25 + miles an hour to destory the sidewall. Very effective tread pattern Soft rubber tire Cornering at high speeds, even on asphalt
Weaknesses:
Asphalt wears'em down like nothing else Hold mud, but what tire doesnt?
Similar Products Used:
to many to count
Bike Setup:
02 Fisher Paragon, XT across the board, XT disc hubs mated to Mavic 223 rims. Hayes disc brakes
Bottom Line:
Good tire. It came stock on my bike but I've been riding them on asphalt a good bit so they're starting to wear down. I'm guessing at least two hundred trail miles at Chicopee Woods and another 100 at the Ag center (somebody out there knows what I'm talking about). I really didn't notice wear until I I started road riding (yeah, yeah, but in downtown atlanta their ain't to much dirt left), so I don't know how long they would actually last on just trail. I've gone over some pretty sharp rocks and never had a puncture. I've had a number of pinch flats due to low tire pressure, sub 40 psi, but so long as the pressure is kept above that there really isn't a problem. I'm happy with the tire and am seriously consider buying another set when this set I have now really wears out. Oh well, we'll see what happens. Like I said, good tire.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ellison Smith
a Weekend Warrior
from Greenville, SC Date Reviewed: October 24, 2002
Favorite Trail:
still searching
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
great escape
Strengths:
Wonderful grip on just about any surface!
Weaknesses:
Does nothing on wet rocks. Sucks on the road.
Similar Products Used:
IRC Mythos XC
Bike Setup:
'00 Fisher Paragon
Bottom Line:
I do a mostly singletrack riding and a bit of light downhill riding. These tires really work for me, I get wonderful grip on hard-packed and muddy trails. So, I would definitely recommend them for those types of trails. On the other hand, if you get onto some wet rocks, you better be ready to fall. There's no grip at all. But other than that, almost flawless.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt Fulks
a Cross Country Rider
from Oklahoma City, OK Date Reviewed: October 12, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Clear Bay
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Came with bike. Trek 8000
Strengths:
Hmmm. Okay for riding around the neighborhood with my wife and kid. Low rolling resistance on pavement or hardpack.
Weaknesses:
Traction sucks. Washes out easily, hates sand, will hurt you.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Fire XC Pro
Bike Setup:
2002 Trek 8000. '00 Trek 6000
Bottom Line:
These tires came stock with my '02 Trek 8000. The day I bought the bike, I went ahead and ordered some Panaracer Fire XC Pro tires because I remembered how bad these Jones tires sucked on my Trek 6000. I went ahead and rode the bike with the Bontrager tires hoping they had been improved. The front tire washed out from under me twice going around a couple corners that my Panaracers handle easily. Another time I was going pretty slow around a corner and I couldn't believe how easily the front tire went out from under me. I hit my FACE on a tree and looked like I had been in a bad fight. Had I been going faster, I could have done some serious damage. You can forget about climbing any hills with rocks, wet roots, and if you try to climb a wet rock, you're going to get hurt. Why anybody would buy these tires aftermarket I have no idea. Get some Panaracers. They look better, handle anything, and are an all around good tire. You can get two of em from Supergo for $33.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
RedDevil
a Weekend Warrior
from Netherlands Date Reviewed: October 1, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$18.00
Strengths:
Good grip on dry,and sandy areas.
Weaknesses:
No grip on rocky areas or muddy underground
Similar Products Used:
Ritchey Zmax, Michelin Comp
Bike Setup:
Giant ATX 840, Magura HS 33, XT,STX-RC
Bottom Line:
I think this tire is specially made for one goal and that is dry sandy conditions. Your better of with buying a tire for wet conditions.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
DONNOR
a
from TRUCKEE, CA. Date Reviewed: September 8, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Great ride and climbing ability on pavement and hardpack. Fair traction in sandy conditions. Will signal you when losing adhesion in loose surface cornering.
Weaknesses:
Will easily slide in loose surface cornering.
Bike Setup:
TREK 2003 4500
Bottom Line:
Will have to wait for winter wet weather to fairly rate all condition label.(26x2.1..49/54)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Zach
a Cross Country Rider
from Highlands Ranch Date Reviewed: August 26, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
came with bike
Strengths:
good all around tire, product excells in rocky, dry, dusty, brushy, bushy areas
Weaknesses:
sandy, loose conditions, mud, river beds, that sort of thing
Similar Products Used:
various
Bike Setup:
Fuel 90, upgraded to xrt, crank bros egg beeters
Bottom Line:
these tires are not that bad. Granted they say "all conditions." we know that is not true, there is no tire out there, that I have ridden that is all conditions. But these work well for the type of conditions we have in colorado. I have slid out of them several times in sandy conditions and tested them out in the mud. Though they do clog up in mud they are ride able. This tire is not designed for loose conditions. they will work well in most conditions. If you are going to be in loose conditions look at something else, but as a stock tire they are not that bad and work well 90% of the time.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Novi, MI, USA Date Reviewed: August 17, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Maybury, Island Lake (the sh!t)
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Came with bike. Good on straight fast hardpack. Rides considerably well on paved surfaces given all the knobbies.
Weaknesses:
Slides out when going 10 mph or over in sharp back and forth turns, fell a few times because of it.
Similar Products Used:
WTB Velociraptor 2.1 Pro Front and Rear (the baddest a$$ trail tires out there, haha)
Bike Setup:
2003 Trek 8000 15.5" Stock
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Zack
a Cross Country Rider
from Rapid City, SD Date Reviewed: August 3, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Mickelson Trail
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Scheel's
Strengths:
Other reviews have nailed what the tire does already - AC stands for "all conditions". I rode these tires for nearly 1 year and recently had to replace them due to an unfortunate encounter with a huge pile of broken glass on the road. Only problem was the shop did not have any in stock at the time I needed them, so I settled for another "all conditions" tire from Panaracer.
Weaknesses:
No weaknesses.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Fire Pro's and Specialized
Bike Setup:
Trek 8000 and a Specialized A1
Bottom Line:
I would buy them again if the local shop had them in stock. Great tires for any condition a XC rider faces.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bruce Brown
a Weekend Warrior
from Vienna, Austria Date Reviewed: July 6, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Mountainbiker.at
Strengths:
Good all around knobby tire that at least handles the majority of terrain I have been able to throw at it in the past 6 months since I bought my Trek 8000 (I posted a review of my Trek 8000 back in March). Normal weekly encounters for me in the Vienna Woods include dry hardpack, wet conditions with mud, rocks, roots, gravel, dirt, pavement, curbs, jagged rocks, switchbacks, creeks, logs, fast descents and outside of the woods I even take an occasional 3 hour ride along the Danube on the paved bike trail to work on endurance and spinning where I have no trouble with anything related to rolling resistance.
Due to how the tire has performed day in and day out for me (I ride about 5 or 6 times per week as part of a fitness routine which I began in February), I can honestly say that this all around tire has helped instill confidence in my riding and has helped me improve my riding skills.
Weaknesses:
The knobs provide excellent traction in the conditions I face. However, since it rains a lot here in Austria, I thought in all fairness I need to point out one thing. When riding in very muddy conditions where you return home a different color than when you left the house, the tires can pack up with mud because it gets stuck between those knobs due to their closeness of proximity to each other.
Now that's not too bad of a trade off in terms of being a weakness since the knobs are traction masters in other conditions. Besides, on the next descent or a good flat speed section the mud quickly sheds itself from the tires - which makes a good case for wearing some sort of protective eye gear when that mud comes flying off the tires. Since I maybe only experience riding in conditions that have enough mud to pack the tires and change the color of my bike and my clothing about once a month - it is not a major weakness for my purposes. The trails that I ride on in the Vienna Woods are able to soak up a lot of the rain that is dumped every week here in Austria, so the mud packing between the knobs issue has not been a major weakness for me in terms of performance on my rides. And even on those rides where mud packing did occur - it did not hamper the ride or my enjoyment of the ride at all. Nevertheless, if one was digging to point out something as a weakness - that was it.
Similar Products Used:
None. Hey, I still have the original Trek Connection tires that came with my Trek 820 back in 1989/1990. I guess they are sort of an all around tire. Outside of that, I am only up to speed on slicks which I switched to for my 820 to handle commute riding.
Bike Setup:
2002 Trek 8000
Bottom Line:
These tires may or may not be the tire of choice for riders looking for specific conditions type of tires, but for a good all around XC tire that satisfies the target of "do all tire" masses - these tires perform quite well. As I mentioned above, the tire has given me confidence in my riding skills and handles all the conditions I face on my daily rides. I guess that is what an all around tire should be designed to do - leave the rider feeling confident in the terrain they face. For that, my hat is off to Trek/Bontrager for a well designed product that performs.
The link above under the "professional reviews" is worth the read as well. Here is the direct link to that professional review:
Submitted by
Ruzich Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from Hillside,Il Date Reviewed: July 5, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Hills and dirt
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Stock with Bike American Bicycle and Fitness
Strengths:
As I have ridden MTB's for only one year, and this is the only tire I have ridden with, I feel the more I ride with them, the more confidences I have with what they can and can't do. They were fine in the WORS Cup at Wasau, in which the course was fairly muddy. I'm somewhat reluctant to try another tire with the season ~1/3 over.
Weaknesses:
They really did seem to clunk up with mud-in extreme muddy conditions. However in a race last September, in quagmire conditions I stayed in the saddle while others were going down all aound
Similar Products Used:
None so far
Bike Setup:
Trek 8000 stock accept for Avid SD 7 brakes
Bottom Line:
I hate to use the phrase good enough for who they are for but... I have gone down on the bike but not because of the tires. they really clogged fast in extreme mud conditions which also affected braking. Once the change to Avid SD-7 brakes, that changed for the better. Until I try other tires, they are the best I have ridden so far. So 4 chiles because they have worked, and hold one back for the tires that might be better, just as there is always a rider better than you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Billy Bob
a
from Hicksville, PA Date Reviewed: June 29, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Wissahickon Park
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$45.00
Purchased At:
Necon
Strengths:
The AC is all good!
Weaknesses:
None!
Similar Products Used:
WTB's, Specialized
Bike Setup:
Does it really matter?
Bottom Line:
Ok....these are the best tires I've ever ridden (I'm sure you have all heard that one before, and I don't blam you if you don't believe me LOL) Ok..let me get serious. THE GOOD, Someone below posted that "At Least These Tires Are Round" My man hit the nail right on the head. I can name several tires that don't even seat on a rim right! The BAD, ok they suck in mud.....but what tire doesn't? Blah, Blah, Blah....this tire suck in mud....that tire sucks in mud.....Get over it PEOPLE....ALL TIRES SUCK IN MUD! It's Mud! and There is Nothing You Can Do About It! So...for my conclusion......Really these tires are great and remind me of the old "SPECIALIZED, UMMA GUMMA's" But they are holding up way better...you would be lucky to get 6 rides out of the old umma gummas. Are they Pricy...ya...but what MTB product that's worth a SH!T isn't?
What Are These? > ( @ ) ( @ ) Hallajullya!!!!!!!
Sinbeerly, Mountain Cicle Sam
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a Cross Country Rider
from Portland, OR Date Reviewed: June 13, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Came with girl friends Trek
Strengths:
Ok on pavement or hard surfaces.
Weaknesses:
They turn into a slick when used in the mud. Absolutely NO mud clearing ability.
Bottom Line:
Not for off road riding unless it is very dry. Any mud sticks to the tire like glue. Gave them to my mom for bike path riding.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Adirondack Blues
a Cross Country Rider
from Albany, NY Date Reviewed: June 10, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Many!
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Clifton Park Sports
Strengths:
More durable than the Panaracer Fire XC Pro- works well in a variety of conditions as long as your technique is good. Wider than most 2.1 tires and looks cool too.
Weaknesses:
Doesn't shed mud- packs up easily.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Fire XC Pro
Bike Setup:
Trek 4900- a few mods.
Bottom Line:
I happen to like these tires- I'm not sure why they get such lousy reviews. They are fairly light, seem durable, and work well under a variety of conditions. In general, I like to think that the folks with Bontrager know what they are doing when they design an AC tire that ends up on ALL of the Trek bikes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Shane
a Weekend Warrior
from Marietta, GA Date Reviewed: June 10, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Yellow River when I can
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Came with the bike
Strengths:
At least they are round.
Weaknesses:
I have ridden these tires in multiple conditions (hardpack, mud, loose sandy gravel) and they have a tendency to wash out in even the slightest turns. (Wanna see my scabs to prove it?) No grip in climbing either.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Fire XC Pro
Bike Setup:
Jones AC on my still stock'02 Fuel 90.
Bottom Line:
Jones AC is the tire Trek is using on some new bikes. Obviously one of their cost cutting measures. These tires are not suitible for higher end bikes that will be ridden aggressively. My '00 6000 has the Panaracer Fire XC Pro (F+R) and soon the Fuel will too. These Jones tires will be the first thing to change on the Fuel.
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Submitted by
mark
a Cross Country Rider
from nj Date Reviewed: June 7, 2002
Favorite Trail:
round valley
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$26.00
Purchased At:
bike king
Strengths:
very light, pretty good in all conditions. best in hard pack.
Weaknesses:
not that good for climbing.
Similar Products Used:
panaracer fire xc
Bike Setup:
trek 8500 xt components
Bottom Line:
i used these tires in a really muddly race and they seemed to work pretty good. i might get these tires again. and they are one of the lightest tires i have ever had.
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Submitted by
Tara Starr
a Racer
from Colorado Springs Date Reviewed: June 4, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
they came with the bike
Strengths:
These have been a good training tire for my daily training rides. In the past 6 months I have been riding with these tires, they held up well under trail conditions that included dry, loose, snow, wet, pebbles, sharp rocks, pine needles, leaves, roots, mud, water and even animal droppings.
Weaknesses:
I did not find anyhing that I would consider to be a terrible weakness. Not the best racing tire for my needs would be about all I could say.
Similar Products Used:
The only other tires I use for this bike are specific for racing - green Jet S tires and Comp S Lights from Michelin.
Bike Setup:
Trek Fuel 90 WSD size 14" with a Manitou Black Elite Diva fork and a pair of custom built, ultra light weight racing wheelsets.
Bottom Line:
I got the women's Trek Fuel 90 to use for racing cross country this year. God willing, I will race in 20 more races this season on this bike. The bike came with the Jones AC folding tires which I do not use for weekend races. I do use them 4-5 days a week on my daily training rides as they remain on the Bontrager Select wheelsets that came with my bike. As happy as I have been with my bike and the custom racing wheelsets I had built, these tires have been a nice set to have for my daily training rides.
Stable, sturdy with no surprises. Now, if my legs would just be like that!
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Submitted by
Luke
a Cross Country Rider
from Northport, Al Date Reviewed: May 31, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Sokal Park
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Cycle Path
Strengths:
Fast rolling and nice looks
Weaknesses:
weak. Problems with numerous flats. Not very aggressive for mud and stuff.
Similar Products Used:
WTB velociraptors
Bike Setup:
These came stock on my Trek 4500. The only mods I made are Panaracer Fire XC Pro 2.1" and deore fnt/rear derailleurs
Bottom Line:
These tires are O.K. for very dry hardpack conditions but if you are considering any REAL offroading you better try a different tire.
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Submitted by
Sprocketeer
a Cross Country Rider
from Narashino, Chiba, Japan (native of New York) Date Reviewed: May 29, 2002
Favorite Trail:
I like it rough and dirty, baby!
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Seo Cycle at LalaPort Tokyo Bay shopping mall, Minami-Funabashi, Chiba, Japan
Strengths:
Not as bad as I originally thought.
They're very good on anything dry, even over loose stones, as long as it's not too fine a material because these tires have very little ability to grab, say, mud and then leave it behind. I don't know what kind of downhill tire they would make--I'm not a downhiller.
They're very light.
Weaknesses:
Absolutely useless in mud and other soft conditions, such as sand or loose, soft soil.
Similar Products Used:
Hutchinson Alligator Golds are usually my weapon of choice. The Bontragers came stock on my new bike, so I'm using them for now.
Bike Setup:
2002 Trek 8000 stock except for Shimano 959 pedals and things like lights, bar-ends and such.
Bottom Line:
After hearing these tires get roasted in reviews here so often, I was pretty well determined to replace them as soon as I got my new bike. I have Hutchinson Alligator Golds on my other bike, and I could switch them for free, but decided to give the Bontragers a chance.
The first ride was just after a two day rain storm had stopped--this is in the Far East. I was extremely anxious to get First Mud out there on my brand new, never been ridden bike. These tires were the only disappointing thing about my ride. But the next day I was out there again--for a two day total off-road distance of 120 kilometers--when it wasn't as sloppy out and the Bontragers did fine.
I've been happy with them ever since, except in real sloppy mud which even my beloved Hutchinsons probably wouldn't perform to satisfaction in (though I'm sure they would perform as well as any could). Besides which, they're about 200 grams lighter than the Hutchinsons, which is a major point in favor of the Bontrager Jones AC.
I would not recommend these for serious street riding because they only go to 60 or 64 pounds. If consider yourself a real street riding person--I'm talking someone like a bike messenger or just a very hardcore bike commuter--you need something harder and preferably kevlar lined, with a much better tread which gives good traction on the flat hard road while displacing water in the rain, no doubt about it. Besides which I wouldn't trust these things, weaving through rush hour traffic at high speed during a rainstorm--off road, you'd just fall down; on the street you'd slip under the wheels of a delivery truck.
Anyway, like I said, not as bad as I thought, and lighter to boot. I think some riders will really like them, but anyone who tends to blame their equiptment too much will completely hate them.
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Submitted by
Mike Hall
a Cross Country Rider
from Cleveland, TN Date Reviewed: May 1, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Clear Creek, Chohowee
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Scott's Bike Shop
Strengths:
Good on hardpack. Good on highway.
Weaknesses:
The really suck at keeping tubes, not good for rocks, really bad at cornering, don't grip well at all.
Bike Setup:
Trek fuel 98, Trek 4500
Bottom Line:
I was coming down a hill about 20 mph in some loose dirt. I turned the bike just a bit and the sucker shot out from under me. It did not bit the ground a bit and nearly caused me to break my foot. Take my advice keep em on your campus bike and take them off when you hit the mountains.
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Submitted by
Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from San Clemente, CA Date Reviewed: April 29, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Aliso Woods
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
This tire is only good for two riding conditions. Asphalt or hard packed. They ride almost like slicks.
Weaknesses:
These tires are not what they claim to be! By no means are they "All Conditions". Their ability to hold on to the stuff you're riding on is flat out inferior. They slip while climbing, cornering, on rocks, on roots, etc... It's a shame that they come stock on the fuel 90! Trek could've chosen a better tire for this bike. These tires are simply dangerous on rocks!
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer fire xc pro 2.1 front and rear
Bike Setup:
Trek fuel 90 '02, lx crankset, panaracer fire xc pro 2.1 f/r
Bottom Line:
Like the majority of the other reviewers here, I can attest that these tires are only good for the road and real hard packed stuff. If you ride a mix of conditions, this tire may cause you some serious wipe-outs. They absolutely suck at climbing compared to other tires. For the false claim denoted in the AC designation I give this tire I'll surrender 1 flamin' chili... only for consolation for us poor guys who can still make use of these tires delivering the neighborhood newspaper!
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Submitted by
Dr. Cody Garner
a Cross Country Rider
from Denton, Texas Date Reviewed: April 27, 2002
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
That link to the professional review provided above says it better than I can say it - "a do-it all tire". I'll go along with other's opinions on the mud build up in some of this North Texas clay we get. For everything else, this tire performs fine.
Weaknesses:
MUD! Get a good rear mud tire for those days.
Similar Products Used:
Kenda Kharisma LIte, Continental Vertical Pro
Bike Setup:
Simplon Dual (carbon frame)
Bottom Line:
I have two sets of back tires I switch to when needed. One is for downhill and the other is for MUD (Kenda Kharisma Lite). The other 90% of the time the Jones stays on my bike and "does it all" as the review link above states.
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Submitted by
Louis
a
from The Ham, AL Date Reviewed: April 18, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Well, they're rubber, they roll, and they're round.
Weaknesses:
These tires couldn't cut warm butter. No matter what psi you run, the ACs never hook up...hardpack, softpack, and definitely not mud!
Similar Products Used:
Kenda, Panaracer, WTB
Bike Setup:
'02 Trek 6700, upgraded XTR components
Bottom Line:
If you buy a new Trek with these sh*tholes on it, don't even leave the store without changing them out. If you ever consider riding hardcore offroad and stick with the ACs, you've got one major death wish. You'll be asking yourself why you didn't heed this advice...in the middle of pulling yourself out of a 100 foot ravine. Do yourself a favor and lose these tires. Get a pair of Kendas or Panaracers. Then you'll be set.
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Submitted by
Dan
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, CA, 92107 Date Reviewed: April 14, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Sweetwater Reservior
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
used from a friend
Strengths:
Made for hardpack. Sticky, predictable push, I just raced the 02 Sagebrush even though I didn't do all that well I can't blame my tires. I didn't crash
Weaknesses:
Not for dry river beds, deep sand, or mud
Similar Products Used:
WTB Motoraptor
Bike Setup:
XC
Bottom Line:
I ride many miles and I can tell these tires won't last as long as I want, but they stick. Great front tire(2.1).
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Submitted by
Jude
a Cross Country Rider
from Seattle, WA USA Date Reviewed: April 7, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Victor Falls, Tapeworm
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Rebound Cycles, Canmore Alberta
Strengths:
I like the yellow logo.
Weaknesses:
The mud clearance on these tires really blows. The tires clog in inclement conditions.
Bike Setup:
Trek Fuel 90
Bottom Line:
Likely more for economics than good sense, Trek chose these as standard on the Fuel in 2001. I don't ride a lot of mud so as to avoid bike abuse and trail damage, but when I hit some I reallul started to notice the limitations of these tires.
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Submitted by
steven
a Weekend Warrior
from aliso veijo Date Reviewed: April 2, 2002
Favorite Trail:
aliso/ wood canyon
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
NONE
Weaknesses:
These tires do not corner, brake or climb well under loose conditions. Under even hard packed conditions they seem to do below average.
If you haven't bought these tire "DON'T." If you have these tires get rid of them. There are better tires out there for a lot less money
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Submitted by
Aaron Hudacky
a Cross Country Rider
from Tucson Arizona Date Reviewed: March 14, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Fantasy Island
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Full Cycle Broadway/Country Club
Strengths:
Can be efficient on pavement if you run high tire pressure.
Weaknesses:
No cornering ability in loose dirt, do not climb or brake well in any condition, no puncture resistance. The most dangerous thing about these tires is their tendency to slide suddenly; they are either gripping in a turn or they aren't. They do not slide progressively in correspondance with the force your turn exerts on them.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Team Master and Team Control Armadillo
Bike Setup:
Stock 2002 Trek 6500 except for Time ATAC pedals.
Bottom Line:
These tires were disappointing. They came stock on my bike and went flat from thorns the first day I had it. I replaced them within the first week of buying the bike with the Specialized tires mentioned above. Those tires lasted about 1500 miles before a sidewall split, so I had to put the original Bontragers back on. I reinstalled them with Mr. Tuffy tire liners and they haven't gone flat, but they don't perform well and I'm replacing them as soon as I can afford to.
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Submitted by
jeff
a
from massachusetts Date Reviewed: February 4, 2002
Favorite Trail:
lynn woods
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
I guees they're ok on the street and on hard, dry, flat trails.
Weaknesses:
no grip whatsoever on anything wet or loose. they are dangerous in real off road conditions
Similar Products Used:
Tioga Psycho TT, Ritchey Megabite
Bike Setup:
stock Trek 4900
Bottom Line:
I took a long hiatus from riding and recently bought a new Trek 4900. The Jones AC's came with the bike. I thought I had forgotten how to ride (couldn't climb anything)until I switched the rear tire to an old Tioga Psycho TT I had lying around and my riding immediately improved. In their defense, I guess they're not designed for the wet, muddy, leafy, rocky, and root-covered trails I ride. They are definitely not an all condition tire though.
$ 40.00
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