If your rides take you into messy, unpredictable trails, consider a pair of Hutchinson’s Mosquito Gold ultra light tires. Using a combination of silica and carbon rubber, Hutchinson is able to improve both dry and wet traction by over 7% when compared with non-Gold tires. Well-spaced knobs dig down deep to provide excellent traction, but continue to throw mud when most other tires would bog down. The distinctive side compound ensures your tires stay stuck to the trail, giving your bike confident carving power! 490 grams
Casing TFD 127
2.0 width
Yellow/Black
Submitted by
Keith Walker
a Cross Country Rider
from Wilmington Date Reviewed: November 25, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Power Lines Cape Cod
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$40.00
Strengths:
Fast as hell.
Weaknesses:
Not that strong a climber. But you can make up for it by getting a lot of speed in the down hill. Don't ride it on the road it has a soft compound.
Bike Setup:
Old School.
Bottom Line:
It grips well in hard stuff. It slides out in soft sand turns but learn to drift. It is very fast and can corner well in hard pack. Doesn't hook up on the logs that well. If you are riding in an area that is primarily flat and hard pack this tire is great because you can make up for the slow boring sections by pedaling fast. You have to have some balls to ride this tire though because you will probably go down. And they will get you going fast enough in moderate conditions that you will have to commit yourself to what ever you are trying to do. You don't need to grip on the roots if you can skip over them. Also you can run them at 80 psi everyone thinks you are a psycho because you fly over the stuff that everyone else with the wider grippier tires gets worn out going over.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
nrdbomber
a Cross Country Rider
from east bay, san francisco, ca Date Reviewed: September 6, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
came on cannondale jekyll
Strengths:
umm...can't come up with anything...oh yeah, they're light.
Weaknesses:
doesn't hook up anywhere, doesn't inspire confidence, doesn't have enough knobs to be called a mountain bike tire
Similar Products Used:
panaracer dart and smoke...rollin like it's 1996, various specialized, various tioga, various wtb, various maxxis...etc.
the only thing that i can think of to like about these tires is that they are pretty light. i don't understand why hutchinson makes this tire, and i really don't understand why cannondale was putting it on their top of the line all mountain bike in 2000! the knobs are so small and widely spaced, that i thought i had been sold a demo bike with 300 or so miles on it. these are not mountian biking tires, they may be well suited for road use, but i don't ride the bike on the street, so i don't know. please, please, please do not buy these tires. i took mine off after two rides and threw them in the garbage. i would have given them away for free, but i didn't want to do that to some poor soul who might actually want to produce traction enough to ride a trail made of dirt.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
J Rock
a Racer
from Wisconsin Date Reviewed: June 24, 2006
Favorite Trail:
9 mile wausau
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
performance
Strengths:
rolls way fast and clears mud like you couldn't imagine. Comes in my favorite size the 1.85.
Weaknesses:
pricey if not on sale and they do wear fast but hey if your racing you're usually changing out tires on a regular basis anyways
Similar Products Used:
Schwalbe racing ralphs and jimmy lights. Bontrager Jones Mud X.
Bike Setup:
2004 Rockhopper comp with Bontrager race lite gxp crank, thomson elite post, rhyno lite rims, avid bb7 disc. answer carbon handle bar. Specialized stem. avid speed dial brake levers xt hubs and cassette, sram pc991 hollow pin chain.
Bottom Line:
Great all around tire. I was nervous about using them in a mud bath race situation but performed great in the greased atv trail leadout. I love the lack of rolling resistance and would buy another pair if I can find more 1.85's. THIS BY NO MEANS IS THIS A ROOKIE WEEKEND WARRIOR TIRE.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sam
a Cross Country Rider
from Raleigh, NC Date Reviewed: January 19, 2006
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At:
Performance Bike @ Chapel Hill
Strengths:
Looks cool, fast on hardpack\gravel
Weaknesses:
Too narrow for mud or rooted trails. If it's the least bit wet you will have trouble
Similar Products Used:
WTB slicks, Michelin slicks
Bike Setup:
Trek 8500, All XT, Psylo,
Bottom Line:
I bought this tire b\c I needed a replacement for my Michelin slick that blew out and this was really cheap and I figured I couldn't go wrong for $15. Man was I wrong. Stay away from this tire.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Roger
a
from Boise, Idaho, USA Date Reviewed: November 11, 2005
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$25.00
Strengths:
They have some yellow on the tread and that's a happy color. Oh, and they seem to roll pretty well and are light wt. I got the 1.85's
Weaknesses:
very poor corning grip with only acceptable climbing grip, they pinch flat very easily, supposedly they wear out fast (I am not going to find out because I took them off the bike after three rides)
Similar Products Used:
WTB NanoRaptor (love these), WTB Epic Wolf (great tire) and numerous others by specialized, ritchey, panaracer, conti on and on .....back to those original ground controls and farmer johns of the late jurassic period
Bike Setup:
Ionic Steelhead 853 w/ xtr and SID shock
Bottom Line:
Got these tires because they where on sale for half off in one of the mail order catalouges (I don't recall which one it was and I won't guess to avoid impuning a company that didn't sell these subpar skins to me)
I tried to like these tires but they wouldn't let me. I got two or three pinch flats in rocky sections that I never had problems with before - the mosquitos I got are 1.85's but they feel much more flimsy than the 0.1 smaller size I was and am again riding - that and they don't roll any better than my epicwolf 1.95's as far as I can tell. They are apt to slip without warning; the nobs are dinky and spaced far apart so pebbles can fit inbetween and lift the tire off the ground. Although they are poor grippers when new, I can only imagine how bad they'd be when worn to any degree - no thanks
Bottom line: expensive tire that has negatives far outwieghing any positives. There is no need to make this many compromises -I guess buy these if they are on sale and you are going to ride them on a hardpack trail that goes straight and has no sharp edges.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sam
a Weekend Warrior
from Canada Date Reviewed: June 27, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Came with my Rocky Mt Slayer
Strengths:
Lightweight
Weaknesses:
Thin and flimsy
Similar Products Used:
Lots of other tires
Bike Setup:
Stock slayer
Bottom Line:
These tires are not for me. If you ride anything rocky they will blow out sidewalls. Having said that, they are a good tire on hard pack and dirt. They are light weight and it is noticeable when climbing and accelerating. A decent tire but a poor choice for the ridnig in the area I live.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dennis
a Cross Country Rider
from San Francisco Date Reviewed: April 23, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Serpentine
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
roadragebicycles.com
Strengths:
Lightweight and super-fast.... great racing tires
Weaknesses:
the rider
Similar Products Used:
There are a few tires that I have not tried
Bike Setup:
Fisher Paragon with lots-o-neat stuff
Bottom Line:
These tires (Mosquito Gold) are not for the rookie weekend warriors writing a lot of the negative reviews. Giant should have never put mosquitoes on an entry mtn bike. These tires do wear out fast... they are racing tires, what d'ya want? Excellent in hardpack (many Nor Cal race courses) and freakin' fast! I will buy them again and have some velociraptors and fireXCpros on hand for the loose stuff. The only tire combo I've ridden worth the full 5 chili's is the Dart 2.2 with a Velociraptor.. I'll give these 4 chili's all around
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Frank
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas, TX Date Reviewed: April 10, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Cameron Park
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Light weight
Weaknesses:
way to soft and thin for anything other than typical hard packed flat track.
Similar Products Used:
panaracer, Continentals, Kenda, IRC
Bike Setup:
blur, xtr, fox F100
Bottom Line:
These tires came on the bike I bought. I took the bike out to the breaks bar h ranch and the tires are now bald! 1 freaking ride! The down hill scree out there ate the tire up. Three flats, no tread, slipping and sliding on every corner and took dirt samples three times and that was before I got to the fun stuff. Worst tires I've ever used.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rob
a Weekend Warrior
from Tucson, AZ Date Reviewed: February 12, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Fantasy Island
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Came stock on my bike
Strengths:
Light wieght
Weaknesses:
Low cornering traction
Similar Products Used:
IRC Piryna Pro's
Bike Setup:
Jamis Dakar, with float shock, manitou elite fork
Bottom Line:
no confidence from day one in the corners, these tire suck in thin loose over hard pack conditions.(If you live in the SW don't buy these) They seemed to do a little better in loose soil and Rocky conditions. The knobs on the rear started to breakdown early. They are advertised to do well in mud but mine have seen very little of it so I cannot say. The value rating is based on current price $28.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gabi
a Weekend Warrior
from Tel Aviv, Israel Date Reviewed: December 8, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Mt Carmel Singletracks
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Come with the bike (Giant NRS)
Strengths:
Light tires (if you care of)
Weaknesses:
Almost no grip for singletrack. Scaring to use.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Fire XC Pro, WTB Weirwolf
Bike Setup:
Giant NRS (changed later for an Intense 5.5)
Bottom Line:
If you ride on hardpack, or if you are a milligram compulsive rider - they are ok. I do not know if they wear fast because I get ride of them as fast as I could, changed for Panaracer's Fire XC Pro Kevlar - make a difference of day and night in grip.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Isbell
a Cross Country Rider
from Mt. View Date Reviewed: November 27, 2004
Favorite Trail:
any
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
Veloswap
Strengths:
Damn Fast Tire!!
Weaknesses:
Treadwear, Damn Fast!!
Similar Products Used:
WTB Weirwolf, Velociraptor.
Bike Setup:
Specialized S-works Stunpjumper Stock
Bottom Line:
I can roll faster on these Mosquitos, than my 15 year old son, a XC Race'er can pedal his giant iguana with the WTB Weirwolfs. Yeah they wear, but what do you want your tire to do. Ride to grandmas house or bring home a trophy?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Clint Welden
a
from Austin, TX USA Date Reviewed: November 27, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Stock on bike
Strengths:
Good on hardpack, light.
Weaknesses:
Wore out quickly, knobs break off easily
Bike Setup:
RM ETSX 30
Bottom Line:
Good for specific terrain (hardpack) but not great for anything else. Slippery in turns and they don't shed mud well.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
alister
a Weekend Warrior
from tasmania, Australia Date Reviewed: October 12, 2004
Favorite Trail:
trevallyn
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
came with bike
Strengths:
extremely light, grippy on hardpack and also mud
Weaknesses:
wore out in less than 6 months due to the spacing of the knobs (very far apart). You can actually hear the knobs buzzing and wearing off as you ride. maybe thats why they call them mosquitos...
Similar Products Used:
IRC trail bear, rocks the pants off the mosquitos, even for the weight - have lasted 1 and a half years.. skids and all.
Bike Setup:
giant yukon (awsome entry level)
Bottom Line:
don't buy these unless your a cross country whippet with a "weight weenie" complex. they are only for racing. full stop.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael Muller
a
from Innsburck, Austria Date Reviewed: September 14, 2004
Favorite Trail:
All over Sweden
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
The Bicycle Cellar
Strengths:
Good on hardpack and trailriding
Weaknesses:
Fastest wear-rate ever. Barely last me the whole year. Suggestion, use them only when you are racing and they suit the terrain.
Similar Products Used:
Maxxis Hookworm,
Bike Setup:
Giant Rainier
Bottom Line:
Pitiful, unless used striclt for occasional races
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Meg Cooke
a Cross Country Rider
from Reno, Nevada, USA Date Reviewed: April 19, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Stock on bike
Strengths:
fast, light, smooth ride
Weaknesses:
wear quickly, don't hold well on side hills
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
Canondale f1000, mostly stock
Bottom Line:
I am runing the 1.85's on my bike. They are fast and climb surprisingly well, probably because they move so easily, you can really get the momentum going. On really steep climbs, they tend to slip out, as they also do on sidehills, especially with sand over hardpack. They're a blast downhill and amazingly smooth for a narrow tire. I am a lightweight so haven't had any problems with pinch flats even when hitting the downhills at top speed. They are amazingly good over rock, which I hadn't expected. When my first pair of these wore out, I tried the WTB Weirwolf's (2.1) wanting to see how a more agressive tire would work on the Nevada desert terrain. It's true that the weirwolf's will wear better and are better in deep sand, but they aren't nearly as fun to ride. Compared to the mosquitos they are sluggish. Rocks that the mosquito flew over nearly bring the wolf's to a standstill. Climbing is not noticeably improved. Neither is cornering. In fact, the mosquitos corner better. The only advantage I see in the weirwolfs is better hold on sidehills and in really loose conditions. The wolfs are sketchier in rock than the mosquitos and shake you to pieces on steep fast descents. I fell in love with mountain biking on the mosquitos, and if I were stuck with the wolfs for the rest of my riding career, I'd probably quit. The wolfs are not made for the terrain here. The mosquitos seem to be. I haven't yet found anything better than the mosquitos for flying over hardpack with fixed and loose rock. Now if only they would wear better and hold on the sidehills.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ken Mott
a Weekend Warrior
from Seattle Date Reviewed: March 18, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
came on 2003 Rainier
Strengths:
Light
Weaknesses:
You cannot ride these on any pavement. Do not last long at all.
Bike Setup:
2003 Rainier
Bottom Line:
These came stock on my bike and now im looking for some new tires. I got probably 25 miles out of them before the center treads were shot.
Get a lot of pinch flats and have them maxed out, granted im a big guy, i still do my darndest to avoid them, but occasionally i get those lovely snake bites.
Looking for a new replacement, anything that will give me longer wear. I took my bike in like 2 weeks after i bought and the guy was like been doing some riding, and i was like not really, 3 or 4 rides thats it. Got an "ohh" in response.
So all in all if you want a long lasting tire look elsewhere, but if you can afford to drop $40 on a rear tire every two weeks go for it. Works fine as a front tire.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
greg d
a Cross Country Rider
from Richmond Date Reviewed: February 29, 2004
Favorite Trail:
douthat state park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
It was on sale. My mistake
Weaknesses:
This tire was a real disappointment. The second I rolled off packed trailed my brand new tires would wash out and I would end up taking an earth sample. No siewalls grip to speak of. I am a conservative XC rider and can directly attribute 3 randone wrecks to these tires.
They may be great dry weather race day tire for tight packed torrain, but thats it. They are by no means an everyday, low maintenance, pump it up an go tire.
Similar Products Used:
IRC MYthos.. several others
Bike Setup:
Titus Racer X, Atom Racer fork, Cane Creek wheels, Time pedals, King HS, XT
Bottom Line:
Keep looking.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bruce
a Racer
from Florida Date Reviewed: February 26, 2004
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$25.00
Strengths:
Very light & shed wet mud
Weaknesses:
Wear out after 5 or 6 races The 1.9 version gives a punishingly hard ride (not enough air volume).
Bike Setup:
C-dale HT. Full XTR
Bottom Line:
These are the best RACE tires I have ever used. I have raced in State Championship events in MA, CA & FL...They perform well in a wide range of conditions.
Two seasons ago I started using them in the FL State Championship Series... by the end of that season 50% of the riders in my class had changed to them because worked better.
Note that the 1.95 width is MUCH narrower than the 2.0 and gives a MUCH harder ride. I tried the 1.95s in a race in Gainsville and took first in my division (but the ride was pounding)... I've gone back to the 2.0s, they are a bit heavier, but the smoother ride (larger air volume) more than offsets the weight difference.
These are racing tires... just like high performance car tires - they wear out fast. I have light weight wheelsets with these tires for racing.
I have several other wheel sets with heavier training tires (Mythos IRC) that I use to train on.
If you are a serious racer you probably already have a favorite tire that works for you in your conditions. But if you are looking to try something new, don't let the negative writeups on these tires keep you from trying them.
Performance/Supergo... periodically have sales on these tires.. when they do I pick up a set of 3 for each race wheelset... that way I can replace the rear wheel when it wears out.
4 chilis for value (they do wear out fast) 5 chilis for performance.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jack b nimbe
a Cross Country Rider
from alabama Date Reviewed: December 23, 2003
Favorite Trail:
florencia (guatemala)
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
bicimania
Strengths:
good grip at dry and wet surfaces, very good grip at dry asphalt. mud slight weakeness. dirt is the best tire i've used
Weaknesses:
wear quickly, that's the only weakeness i found
Similar Products Used:
diamond tires
Bike Setup:
giant iguana '03
Bottom Line:
good all around tires that mix wet and dry traction, with not too big studs nor too small, that help on asphalt and dirt, equally on mud, they help you to get a good overall speed
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jake
a Cross Country Rider
from West Chester, PA, USA Date Reviewed: November 10, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Westtown School XC running trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
West Chester Bicycle Center
Strengths:
Decent Grip in mud/wet conditions, other than that, not much else. The first time I used them It was muddy so...
Weaknesses:
These baby's wear very quickly. A little too quickly, they also have little grip on drier surfaces. Very prone to puncture by thorns etc...
Similar Products Used:
Lots of tires
Bike Setup:
Giant Iguana disc, Specialized saddle, Specialized Team Master/Ground control tires, Rockwerks pedals
Bottom Line:
These tires are OK... if they come with your bike, get rid of them at the first oppertunity (when they start to wear). You'll notice a definate decrease in traction.
My back tire went first, all the tread went flat. Then my front got decimated by a thorn bush while riging through a field, even w/ a thorn resistant tube in it. Big gap in the tread. Got the specialized tires, and they work much better for where I ride (Eastern PA)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Anton Fomenko
a Cross Country Rider
from Waterdown, Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: October 10, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Waterdown Trails
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
It came with my Giant
Strengths:
None that I could think of...
Weaknesses:
It wears down VERY VERY EXTREMELY FAST!!! Replace them with something better with bigger treads
Similar Products Used:
I just bought a JEAX tire but haven't ridden it yet
Bike Setup:
Giant Rainier 2003
Bottom Line:
If they come with your bike, then I guess just use them till they wear down (3-4 months) and then buy something better (Jeax, Michelin, etc..)
If youre buying tires separately DONT GET THESE
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nate
a Weekend Warrior
from Atlanta, GA Date Reviewed: October 3, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Blankets creek
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Cycleworks
Strengths:
Light-weight, low rolling resistance, Shed mud like crazy
Weaknesses:
Nubs wear down extremely fast, Slides around corners, especially in sand or gravel. Slides on a few roots and almost all rock.
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
Jamis Dakar Sport, Stock plus shimano clipless pedals
Bottom Line:
A good all around tire, especially for riding slightly muddy trails. Dangerous on sand and dust.
A good price for a light-weight tire, but you will have to replace them very soon - so you probably won't save much money.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
harkins mike
a Weekend Warrior
from yuma, az Date Reviewed: October 1, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Tsali NC
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
Mr. B's
Strengths:
hard packed dirt
Weaknesses:
loose dirt, weak knobbies, knobbies tear up easy
Bike Setup:
Giant Iguana
Bottom Line:
not worth the money to lose
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
john Bragdon
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, On, Canada Date Reviewed: September 29, 2003
Favorite Trail:
coffee run/Hardwood hills
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
Skiis and Bikes
Strengths:
Looks cool, light, and low rolling resistance
Weaknesses:
can you say front end washout
Similar Products Used:
panaracer smoke
Bike Setup:
Rocky mt fusion....used and abused. Not going to waste my time with description.....Deore stuff and RST fork.
Bottom Line:
I would like to rave about this tire, however I am sitting here at work with a left thumb swollen like a baboons red a** resulting from a slowwwww right hand corner washout. Yeah, yeah....it was not from lack o skill........the tire failed me and if I didn't pay ~ 100 bucks for them they'd be off the rims in no time flat.
I'll report back when I get some more time on them. Trails trialed were Dagmar, ON. Nice change of pace from Albion and Hardwood. Good ups and downs.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bill McMillan
a Cross Country Rider
from BC Date Reviewed: September 26, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$50.00
Strengths:
Air light model review. great traction on rocky surfaces, light weight. climbs pretty well when its new.
Weaknesses:
knobs are fairly shallow - not good on super loose deep stuff. durablility: the first few rides were awesome, and then the rear was finished. Literally 3-4 rides. The centre knobs were worn down, and half of the side knobs had torn away from the casing, exposing the threads. Front tire still looks fresh
Similar Products Used:
all kinds (but mostly heavier)
Bike Setup:
titanium hardtail, marathon sl fork, 160lb rider, disk front, v brake rear
Bottom Line:
Don't go this light - its not worth it. There is something wrong with the design or manufacture when half of the knobs are ripping from the casing
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Lasch
a Cross Country Rider
from Friendswood TX Date Reviewed: September 23, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Rocky Hill Ranch
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$39.00
Purchased At:
Webster
Strengths:
This is a fantastic tire if you know why you are buying it. This tire is used for low rolling resistance, light weight, and good traction in a lot of different conditions.
Weaknesses:
This tire is not the one for you if you are looking for a tire that will last a long, long time, or if you like to ride a lot on the road, or if you are not willing to accept that an extreemly light tire is going to be made of materials that are light and will wear quickly. This is a tire that you can use to race or for a MTB weekend, or short duration trips...it is not the tire to put on your bike and forget it. You will be disappointed if you use this as your every day tire.
Similar Products Used:
Allegator Gold, IRC Mythos K...
Bike Setup:
Cannondale SV 900, XT, XTR, & Race Face
Bottom Line:
This is a fantastic tire if you buy it and use it for the right reasons...Know why you want it (because you want a very light, low rolling resistance, good hook up tire for a special event)and use it for those puroposes...don't put it on your bike for your every day ride...you will only get about 100-150 mls. of good use. But its a fantastic 100 mls.!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Empanada
a Weekend Warrior
from SoCal Date Reviewed: September 16, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
NONE whatsoever
Weaknesses:
EVERYTHING, and that's being kind.
Similar Products Used:
I have never used a tire that has been simmilarly this bad.
Bike Setup:
Aggressive XC dualie.
Bottom Line:
Craptastic. That's the best way to describe this tire. They came stock on my bike. I used to ride 2.4 tires and thought that I should be opened minded to the 2.0 size and smaller knobs. So I gave it a try and must say that they are terrible tires.
Where should I start?
The knobs wear quickly. After my fist ride, a noticeable amount of knobs had begun to break off and wear to the amount that it would take other tires (i.e. Panaracer Fire XC) about 6 months to wear.
These tires are prone to pinch flatting, so check tire pressure levels before every ride and max them out. Anything below the max rating may result in a pinch flat.
Lack of traction. Unless you ride on just hardpack fireroads, these tires have bad traction. I ride here in Socal where it's dry and trails have many loose gravel sections. There tire performed terribly in such conditions. On dry hard fireroads they are good I must admit.
Poor cornering. I washed out on several ocassions with these pupsters on section that my Motoraptors or Fire XC handled confidently.
Thin thickness of overall tire led to 3 punctures on one ride.
Avoid these tires like the plague. I know they come stock on many bikes. Do yourselfs a favor and change them out right away to avoid on trail unhappiness.
Don't throw them into the trash though, just take them to your local recycling center and don't make the environment pay for a bad tire design.
These tires deserve a 0 rating, but that option isn't available, so I am grudgingly give this an undeserved 1.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben
a Weekend Warrior
from Wisconsin Date Reviewed: September 13, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
None that i have found yet
Weaknesses:
Hardpack, knobby design doesn't hold dry dirt turns at all. Im looking for a thrill while biking, but losing it in the turns isn't what im looking for. On really rough terrain, they are OK, but when i need to ride a few miles on roads to get to the closest trail, the sound and rough ride tend to get annoying. I heard that these tires wear out quickly, I believe it. The soft rubber really seems like it will go fast. Maybe they will so I can get some more capable tires.
Similar Products Used:
WTB
Bike Setup:
Came on 2003 Giant Iguana Disc.
Bottom Line:
If you buy a bike with them on it like I did, you really have no choice, but if you are looking for some replacements, you could find better. I sugges WTB tires, they seem more durable and hug the hardpack better.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Craig
a Weekend Warrior
from Mississauga Date Reviewed: August 31, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Hardwood Hills
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
LBS came with the bike
Strengths:
hmmm I am still waiting, but now that they are off the bike, I guess I will never really know.
Weaknesses:
You'd think the open tread design would clear mud well, but instead, they tended to cake up and behave like muddy slicks. Result:poor in the mud. As expected with a knobby tire, they did not roll too smooth on hard pack or paved trails. Result:poor on hardpack. Because the compound is soft, hard surfaces (paved trails)tended to wear them out at a very fast pace. Result:short life. In dry semi loose dirt they were ok, but I felt very uneasy in tight corners. To get reasonable traction, I had to deflate them significantly. Result: Poor cornering performance.
Bike Setup:
Jamis Dakar, Avid CPS disks, Deore LX front and rear
Bottom Line:
A knobby tire that only works average in specific conditions, and wears very fast. If you're looking for new tires, you may want to skip these.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Johnathan
a Cross Country Rider
from Knoxville, TN Date Reviewed: August 18, 2003
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
Price Point
Strengths:
Light and fast. One of the fastest 2.0 tires I've ever ridden.
Weaknesses:
They wear quickly, especially if you ride them anywhere but the trail.
Similar Products Used:
Hutchinson, IRC, Panaracer, many more
Bike Setup:
Giant XTC SE2, Mosquito on the front and Panaracer Fire XC Pro on the back.
Bottom Line:
Some tires compensate for the rider. For others, the rider must compensate for the tire. The mosquito falls somewhere between these extremes.
The mosquito should be viewed as an ultra-light tire and ridden accordingly. If you find your "niche" with this tire, you will be rewarded with speed and efficiency. Some people (like many of the reviewers) will try it once and hate it. Either way, you would be hard-pressed to find a faster 2.0 tire.
Another thing worth mentioning is that the mosquito has a surprisingly short life span. You need to put at least 10 or so miles on this tire before it softens up to achieve the best grip. Then once the center knobs are worn almost smooth (which doesn't take long) you need to replace it. And heaven forbid you ride them on the road - they'll be dead in a week.
That being said, here's my actual review. The mosquito has very different properties as a front or rear tire:
As front tire: This is where this tire really excels. It's fast and has very low rolling resistance. Feels like a 1.8 only grips much better. Run low pressure and you've got a fast, efficient tire that sticks to almost anything. If it performed this well on the back, I would give this tire a 4/5 value and 5/5 overall.
As back tire: Here's where you'll see some problems. The mosquito is still fast as a back tire, but at a price. First of all, a mosquito on the back will wear twice as fast as one on the front. Also, because there is a lot of space between knobs, wet roots and rocks will often float your back end. Worst of all, however, is the mosquito's poor traction on a steep, out-of-the-saddle climb. You will waste some energy keeping the rear down.
Summary: I love these tires, especially as a front tire. I would give them a 5/5 up front. But consider choosing another tire for the rear. For their so-so performance in the back, I am forced to give this tire a lower score than I want to.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rick Krinitt
a Cross Country Rider
from Pacifica Date Reviewed: July 30, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Anything by the sea
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
Performance
Strengths:
Haa! Good street tire... I say again these tires are not safe for off road. See my other review below. They are so bad... I had to write about them again.
Weaknesses:
TOO MANY TO LIST HERE! PLEASE do yourself a big favor by NOT buying this tire.
The picture above are the "golds"... the second set of tires I purchased for my new bike. I could smack myself now, but the bike gods took care of that for me. I dropped the air pressure substantially in order to get more miles and better grip from this tire. The bottom line.. I've gotten more miles... that's it! I sure as hell didn't get any increase in performance or grip. I say again... If these tires haven't scared you, then you haven't ridden them to their extremely LOW limits. After a complete front tire wash out on a nothing downhill berm... I am throwing these babies away for good. Worst crash I've ever had... I was off my bike and on the couch for a week recovering. Don't find out how bad these tires really are the hard way!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
reinaldo
a Racer
from san ysidro, ca usa Date Reviewed: July 13, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$49.00
Purchased At:
pricepoint.com
Strengths:
Hooks up awesome in loose dirt like(talc 2 inches deep) rolls good, very predictable push, brakes work great. I switched to them after prerunning with other tire and getting scared, this tires changed all that. Ready for the race comming up.
Weaknesses:
I dont see any, I been told it wears quick, I dont care I want performance, that matches all my trainning, so they are worth the money.
Similar Products Used:
nothing really like them, but I used michelins s, fast freds, phyton, scorpions and panaracer.
Bike Setup:
F1000SL all stock, tubeless,
Bottom Line:
I will continue to buy this tires, I already order some for my son. I think that they arent a newbie tire, if you race in loose dirt, hard pack and similar stuff you will like them. I see another podium comming up.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
R M
a Cross Country Rider
from albuquerque, NM, USA Date Reviewed: July 10, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
The weight of this tire is light.
Weaknesses:
I felt that this tire does not have good grid when cornering. I felt it when my front slid out. I have new tires and they corner much better. No more feeling it.
Similar Products Used:
WTB MotoRaptor 2.4 is what I use now.
Bottom Line:
I would say get another tire.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Logan
a Racer
from Concord, Ca, USA Date Reviewed: July 8, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Rubicon Jeep Trail, Desolation Wilderness, Tahoe, Ca
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Lightweight. Much more grippy than you'd expect. Handles 9/10ths terrain very well.
Weaknesses:
Must get used to give in fast turns/cornering; steep, deep mud = no, no.
Similar Products Used:
nothing really similar to the Mosquito
Bike Setup:
Kona Pahoehoe, hardtail; Marzoch. Z3; Rhynolites with XT hubs; XT drivetrain and "railers"
Bottom Line:
It might take a little getting used to, and a little unnerving, but if you "go with it" around the corners, the Mosquitos drift for a second, but will always take you around the turn quite nicely! Sand --- air down (i'm 125 lbs.) -- light sand = 30-40 psi, deeper sand = 19-25psi, and you're literally dusting everyone else in the pack! Snow = fine, just not downhill at high speeds (but what would be good?) Clay mud, and day of rain, gooy mud (Sea Otter, Monterey, Ca) = clears mid-tread fine, and keeps rolling. Steep, deep mud and fairly quick treadlife are the only negatives to this tire. Use it on Front, with Panaracer Fire XC Pro on back and the setup is fantastic -- 1st place beginner cat. Sea Otter this year, 2nd. place Shasta Lemurian race this year with this setup. With Stan's no Tubes, high pressure grips surprisingly well, but when doing technical, bouldery and river-rock strewn Tahoe-esque trails, airing down is So comfy and confidence bldg. They work well in Tahoe on the back too ; hardpack and gravel, on the rear, though, is a little less sure.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Loren
a Cross Country Rider
from Bozeman, MT, USA Date Reviewed: July 7, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Sypes Canyon
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Came with bike
Strengths:
Light, that's about it
Weaknesses:
These tires suck!!!! No traction or anything going anywhere. I took it on one of my normal rides and the back tires had no grip or anything. I thought I was going to die on the ride. Instead of braking because I was skidding everywhere, I had to go downhill recklessly basically out of control and wait for another uphill part or flat and straight spot to slow down. I was so freaked out. THESE TIRES SUCK!!!!! I have been on this same trail with my panaracer fire xc pro and have had no trouble riding. Well you make your choice I guess
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer fire xc pro, Panaracer rules!!!!
Bike Setup:
01 Cannondale F4000SL, xtr, lefty carbon fork, hydralic disk brakes
Bottom Line:
Don't go down anything steep with these tires because you will have trouble staying in control... Oh yeah, like everyone else says, they wear out easily....Get some Panaracers or anything else I guess...just not a mosquito.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ryan
a
from Cullowhee Date Reviewed: July 6, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
Treds do not clog with mud. Does well on gravel.
Weaknesses:
Too thin of tire. Constant flats even with slime tubes. Not recomended for trails with any thorny brush.And traction on very select surfaces. Side to side traction very poor.
Bottom Line:
I would not have another set of these tires for any thing.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Paul Andresen
a Racer
from gurnee,il. Date Reviewed: June 25, 2003
Favorite Trail:
emma
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
performance
Strengths:
great hardpack tight single track, xc race tire.
Weaknesses:
wears fast!
Similar Products Used:
bont. ss. st. cont. double fighter. ect.
Bike Setup:
cannondale cad 5
Bottom Line:
I would not recomend this tire for "putzing around" it is a race only tire that will need rear tire replacement every 3 to 6 races. its soft rubber compound makes it stick but not last.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Date Reviewed: June 18, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Yarra River singletrack
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
oem
Strengths:
Um, Climbs well on dirt, nice in mud ie. good in slow stuff.
Weaknesses:
Scary tyre. Punctures easily. Wears ridiculously fast. Corners badly. Don't use them on asphalt. Takes f o r e v e r to stop. Slow. Zero confidence at speed in any conditions. The knobs wriggle around a lot!
Standard equipment,I would never buy them. These tyres blow! Pythons would have been significantly better. If you ALWAYS ride in very slow conditions these might be ideal otherwise they're dangerous...or at least very slow, annoying and short lived. I think they would appeal to a very small cross-section of riders, considering their narrow area of expertise.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff Jackson
a Cross Country Rider
from Milwaukee Date Reviewed: June 18, 2003
Favorite Trail:
John Muir
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
Stock on NRS Air
Strengths:
Fast at low tire pressure, low weight
Weaknesses:
Poor traction on any surface, washes out way too easy on anything loose or wet. Other reviewers: any tire is good on dry hardpack so who cares? I washed out and dumped on a corner I have taken 100 times at a faster speed. This tire is very unpredictable. Hutch should rename them Pitbulls, because they look cool, but will bite you in the ass.
Similar Products Used:
Michies
Bike Setup:
NRS AIR, full XTR, crossmax tubeless
Bottom Line:
You will ride fearing a washout on every tight, loose corner. These tires basically suck ass. Don't buy or relace.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike DeNudt
a Cross Country Rider
from Long Beach, Ca Date Reviewed: June 16, 2003
Favorite Trail:
today it's SART
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Jones Bikes
Strengths:
Good traction on tacky/clay (read as damp so.cal soil) sheads mud pretty well.
Weaknesses:
Not good on soft/sandy (read as summer in so.cal) Tends to pick up thorns Wears INCREADABLY fast if you ride on pavement.
Similar Products Used:
Hutchi - most of the stuff OEM'ed on Giant's bikes Panaracer - Fire XC pro 2.1
Bike Setup:
Giant NRS, nothing stock :)
Bottom Line:
I ride everywhere, I use the NRS as my main transportation for work, which means I ride the bike on pavement 3days a week, but only about 10mile each of those days. Then the other 4 days I ride XC about 35miles each day... In one week the "mosquitos" knobbies were almost gone. I was very satisfied with the performance of the tires, but I noticed the wear on the tires happened mostly in the little ashpalt ride in to work. Good tire, but only for XC dirt riding!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matt
a Weekend Warrior
from Orleans, Canada Date Reviewed: June 15, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
low rolling resistance, predictable
Weaknesses:
wears very fast, HORRIBLE traction on damp surfaces (wood, rocks,roots etc. seems to "chunk" when it wears.
Bike Setup:
03' Giant Yukon (stock for now)
Bottom Line:
It's an alright tire to use if you don't do much trail riding either hard or soft pack. Be very careful riding on damp wood as my back end slid out a couple times biking slowly on a flat surface. If you tend to spin your tires occasionally (like me) they will wear real fast and even if you don't, they will wear pretty fast anyways. I liked how predictable the front tire was for cornering. The price is not worth it and should be cheaper. Try getting another tire that is better "all - around" if at all possible.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
z
a
from Vancouver Date Reviewed: June 8, 2003
Favorite Trail:
espresso
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Weaknesses:
DURABILITY! These tires wore out after less than two months.
Bike Setup:
Rocky Mountain ETSX-70 (XC dual suspension). These tires came with the bike.
Bottom Line:
although I do quite a bit of riding, I have never had a set of tires wear out so fast! i would not recommend them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
frankachino
a Weekend Warrior
from Bowmanville, Ont, Canada oh ya Date Reviewed: May 25, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
came on bike
Strengths:
light
Weaknesses:
traction starts to wear after your first ride.
Similar Products Used:
Bontrager jones ac
Bike Setup:
giant yukon
Bottom Line:
the tire wears before you get your moneys worth out of them. i wouldn't buy these tires if i you
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
charlie
a
from athens, ga Date Reviewed: May 23, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$25.00
Strengths:
Speed, weight, grip
Weaknesses:
Wear quickly
Similar Products Used:
Hutchison Python, Specialized Pro, Panaracer Fire XC, IRC Mythos
Bike Setup:
Cannondale Scalpel and Super V
Bottom Line:
Specifically reviewing the Mosquito Gold here:
Best tires I've ever run. They are light, responsive, and grip well in the 2.0 version. The only time I ever have trouble with them is when it is really wet, but as an all-conditions tire, they rock. I can't stand the way WTB Velociraptors and similar tires pick up 8 pounds of mud and carry it with you, like pulling a dump truck around. The mosquitos shed mud very very well, hook up reasonably well in mud, perfectly in dry conditions. Definitely an off-road tire, they're soft and wear easily, but they're light as a feather and roll super-fast.
The best XC racing tire there is.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Casey
a Cross Country Rider
from St.Louis MO, USA Date Reviewed: May 18, 2003
Favorite Trail:
ranger station climb! hell ya
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
the touring cyclist
Strengths:
kinda a cool looking tread just literally to look at and not think about the design, pretty good response on rolling , hardpack singletrack. Low rolling resistance
Weaknesses:
Forget it if it rain 1 day ago on your fav. trail cause these will slide on anything somewhat damp like rocks hard mud, roots. wear is very quik and breif on-road. not predictable turning
Similar Products Used:
Bontrager Revolt superX, IRC mythos
Bike Setup:
came stock on my giant iguana, both front and rear(same tread design for both)
Bottom Line:
Good if you dont want to feel slow from tall tread, on hardpack, dont go on too technical or wet trails cause you'll spin-out on every-climb
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
matt
a Cross Country Rider
from philadelphia Date Reviewed: May 15, 2003
Favorite Trail:
belmont
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
pricepoint
Strengths:
none
Weaknesses:
DURABILITY, traction, cornering
Similar Products Used:
ritchey, irc, panaracer, wtb, michelin, geax
Bike Setup:
phil wood ss
Bottom Line:
I rode these once. After an hour of poor traction in nearly every surface, soft pack, hard pack, gravel, asphalt, these tires kicked. A cigar sized blunt stick stuck completely through the tire between the treads. After pulling it out there was a 3/4 inch hole/tear left in the tire. The casing on these tires is stupid thin, and the tires are stupid light. Stupid light is when the manufacturer does anyhing to lower the sale weight without any consideration of it's impact on performance. Case in point: The knobs have 1/16" hollows in the center that immediately pack with dirt. This lowers the sale weight but the weight in use is much higher as the dirt is permanent once packed in such a small space. The only good thing about these tires having a 1 hour burn out is that I wont feel as bad replacing them right away.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
XC Guru
a Cross Country Rider
from NJ, USA Date Reviewed: May 12, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
OEM on bike
Strengths:
I guess lightweight.....
Weaknesses:
1. Wear unbelievibly fast even offroad. 2. Horrible cornering; don't even think about trying 45 degree turns that your used to on your old tires. 3. No traction anywhere. Not even on hardpack. 4. Makes rider lose confidence in what he is doing. 5. Most people hear say that this tire sheds mud easy. That is true for regular mud. Don't even try to ride through swampy bog mud; I had so much of that mud stuck once that my wheel locked up without me even touching the brakes.
Similar Products Used:
Diamond Duros(cheap Taiwan crap), Panaracer Fire XC Pro(very good), WTB Velociraptors(very good, but collects too much mud)
Bike Setup:
Cdale F500 XT stuff, MArtas, Mavic, etc.
Bottom Line:
Don't buy. Period. Use you $20 on something like Panaracers or Velociraptors.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
The Fool
a Cross Country Rider
from NY Date Reviewed: May 8, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$200.00
Purchased At:
No comment
Strengths:
Its fast, its light.
Weaknesses:
Flats if you look at them wrong. Cannot slow you down. Tread comes of if it's too windy out. No traction on any suface. Bead set issues.
On the way to an epic ride I was robbed. When I asked for a replacement Hutchinson Scorpion(which is a nice tire by the way) at my LBS, they gave me a Mosquito with out knowing. When I went to mount the thing I was suprised, but I had no choice but to use it! I can't tell you how much I dislike this tire with friendly words. I'm lucky I have friends that will wait (and provide extra tubes) while fixing flats. It was so bad I tried to take it back. Which I have never done before!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Derek Mattice
a
from Michigan Date Reviewed: April 17, 2003
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$20.00
Strengths:
Lightweight, good grip (on front), somewhat cushy.
Weaknesses:
Tire in the rear will wear fast.
Similar Products Used:
All kinds
Bike Setup:
Cannondale Scalpel w/ full XTR
Bottom Line:
These tires work in loam (Michigan in the spring). I like it as a front tire, but use a Python for the rear or the 1.85 for light pedaling. The bottom line is look at the Bike Setup of all of the idiots that have issues with thi tire. Notice the Giant Rainier (this tire was OE spec on them). These are clowns riding a $700 piece of junk on the pavement and then complaining about the wet pavement usability. Get a road bike for that, and then treat yourself to a better mountain bike. Then maybe you could ride!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
IV-Play
a
from nowhere Date Reviewed: April 14, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$20.00
Strengths:
brake clearance, sheds mud, thin
Weaknesses:
wears out quickly, small knobs pick up leaves.
Similar Products Used:
volociraptor
Bike Setup:
850 w/ LX/Alivio
Bottom Line:
I'll go back to the velociraptors
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Michael
a Racer
from Hope Valley RI Date Reviewed: March 31, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Arcadia Yellow trail, Big River, Mt Snow race course
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
Mail Order
Strengths:
Light, works better than the magzines would lead you to belive, surprisingly good traction on wet, wet rooty and dry conditions.
Merlin FAT TI XL: FSA cranks/Ultimax Isis Pro BB, SRAM XO, King/Bontrager with Stans No-tubes, Pauls brakes/levers, CT2 post/hbar, Titec bar ends, Selle Italia SLR--the 19.8lbs racer
Bottom Line:
These tires hook up really well, better than I thought. I believed them to be a strictly dry weather hard pack tire. They provided me with traction I thought I would not have especially in the wet and slippery of Mt Snow's XC race course. Stans No-Tubes provide me with a lower psi and greater traction than before. The thing with tires--you've got to learn how to use them: you adapt to them, readjust you riding skills if necessary instead the tire making you a better rider. With these tires, I've captured the feeling of flight. Its actually the Air Lights I use, the Golds are on a set LX/Mavic training wheels.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick
a Cross Country Rider
from Australia Date Reviewed: March 26, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
light, easy to fit
Weaknesses:
very hard to seat properly, scary when cornering on loose stuff, punctures, fairly quick wear
Similar Products Used:
WTB, Continental Explorers
Bike Setup:
'02 Giant Rainier
Bottom Line:
the Mosquitos came standard on my Rainier. I could never get these things to seat properly on my rims unless I ran at least 60psi and although they handle fine in a straight line my confidence dropped a lot when cornering at speed on gravel. I seemed to get a lot more punctures with these tyres although this may have just been a result of switching to a hardtail.
Anyway - I just bought a pair of Continental Explorers and they are a big improvement - excellent traction!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JT
a Weekend Warrior
from Milwaukee, WI, USA Date Reviewed: March 11, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
Shop
Strengths:
Grip & volume. A 2.3 that weighs @ 700g. Hook up well most everywhere, consistent traction from edge-to-edge. Predictable
Weaknesses:
Sloppy mud, loose surfaces. Could use knobs @2mm taller when new
The tire's done well by me, from skinnies, planks, dirt, loam, & especially hard pack they've been very predictable. It'd be great for about 90% of us out there.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James Stockstill
a Weekend Warrior
from Fayetnam, North Carolina Date Reviewed: February 21, 2003
Favorite Trail:
any in europe
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$12.00
Purchased At:
stadtlers
Strengths:
Good traction pretty good durability.
Weaknesses:
loose gravel, wet cobblestones.
Similar Products Used:
lots of tires, from conti. hutchinson, michelin, Irc, tioga, panaracer
Bike Setup:
singlespeed basher bike. or yeti xc race bike
Bottom Line:
repeat after me lower the tire pressure... I ran these tires with the pressure to high and they really sucked no traction at all. I let the pressure down to 28 front and 30 in the back ( I weigh 195lbs) and these tire rock. I used them for about a year in everything from urban rides to nasty muddy trips in the dolomites.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Weekend Warrior
from Barberton,Ohio Date Reviewed: February 19, 2003
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$22.00
Purchased At:
Pitiful, but I can't remember
Strengths:
Weight, mud shedding, decent rollers, yellow sidewalls matched my bike
Weaknesses:
hard braking traction, not the best cornering(but not bad)
Similar Products Used:
none similar, but bike came with velociraptors. Those will build up about 23lbs of mud in seconds flat
Bike Setup:
full suspension rig. not much else matters
Bottom Line:
These were much more pleasing to ride than my old velociraptors in that there was much less rolling resistance. Cornering left a little to be desired on hardpack, but did ok on other surfaces. Not much mud traction, but did'nt cake up either. Biggest gripe was on hard braking, not alot of stopping traction, but this is'nt an aggressive tread either. I hate when people expect a tire to do everything well, it is'nt gonna happen kids.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dylan
a Weekend Warrior
from Winterport, Maine Date Reviewed: February 17, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Mt. Waldo Loop
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
Came with Bike
Strengths:
-Great Traction When Brand New -Light Weight -Good Road Manners
Weaknesses:
-Wear Rather Quickly -Tires Have Hard Time Finding Traction On Wet, Technical Trails -Not An Agressive Tread Pattern
Bike Setup:
2001 Cannondale Super V 500
Bottom Line:
Tires work great when brand new but after some mileage accumulates on them, traction becomes a luxury on technical trails. These tires are good on paved roads but wear quickly if you spend a lot of time on the pavement.
If I were doing nothing but dirt trail riding, I would keep them but I will change them this spring due to that I need a tire that works well on the technical trails and dirt paths.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dweeze
a Weekend Warrior
from Melbourne, Australia Date Reviewed: February 6, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Spring Gully, Castlemaine
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Came with Bike
Strengths:
When new - grips well in mud. If you run them soft (30-35 psi) they do well on roots & rocks. Not too bad on loose pack, dusty surfaces. Lightweight & roll well.
Weaknesses:
Wear very quickly, especially on the road. When worn down they are very washy on loose pack.
Similar Products Used:
IRC MythosXC
Bike Setup:
2003 Mongoose Rockadile LTD
Bottom Line:
When new, these tyres rocked in the conditions that they were designed for. On wet roads they are disastrous, but they are not intended for this purpose (I now ride on Continental Town & Country's for road commutes - great tyre on road, not too bad off-road for a semi-slick). My main gripe is the lack of durability - use these off road only & replace regularly if you do a lot of miles. Also, only had one pinch-flat in nearly 800 km, and that was because I was doing 45kmh DH over large, sharp rocks @ 30psi - most tyres would flat under these conditions.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Robert
a Racer
from Jax, FL...U.S. of A Date Reviewed: February 6, 2003
Favorite Trail:
All of 'em
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
One of those internet retailers
Strengths:
light weight, good ride characteristics, kind of inexpensive, hooks up very well in wet conditions.
Weaknesses:
Only good in certain conditions...uh...like they they were designed for!
Similar Products Used:
Fire XC, Kenda Climax lite, Bonti's, Ritchey's, IRC's....
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz SL with a bunch of cool light weight stuff.
Bottom Line:
This review is for the air lites. Just like Will from Talsa says these tires work great in the right conditions. The tire excels on moist, loamy trails with lots of roots and rocks. Of course that is the conditions that the tire was designed to work in. I’ve used these tires to race with in Florida and as long as the trail isn’t bone dry and loose these tires rail! When the trail is dry and/or loose I usually switch tires. Because the conditions were wet, I even used them for a weeklong MTB trip to Pisgah, NC and they worked great and still show very little wear. I was amazed at their performance on one particular trail because it was very wet, muddy with lots of roots and off camber…and they stuck to the trail like glue!
It makes me sick when individuals expect a product to perform outside of it’s intended purpose, then give it a bad review because it didn’t perform well. For example, since when do we rate specific condition MTB tires by how well they perform on wet pavement?
Five flame’n turds for value because they only cost $20 and overall 5 flame’n turds because they rail when used in their intended environment.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Arthur Tong
a Weekend Warrior
from Singapore Date Reviewed: January 22, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Pulau Ubun
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Song Seng Chan
Strengths:
It has the speed of a race tire
Weaknesses:
Goes naked after a good 3 months ride
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Giant Iguana
Bottom Line:
Its good at first but when it gets old, it gets OLD.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
GORDON
a Cross Country Rider
from FLOWERY BRANCH Date Reviewed: January 21, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
PRICEPOINT
Strengths:
GOOD TRACTION WHEN NEW
Weaknesses:
TREAD WEARS SO FAST EACH TIME YOU PUT IN THE TRUCK YOU KICK YOURSELF FOR BUYING THEM.
Similar Products Used:
MICHELIN, PANARACER,
Bike Setup:
SCHWINN MOAB 1 W/DISC
Bottom Line:
GREAT TIRE AT FIRST, MIGHT BE GREAT FOR ,ONE TIME, RACE TIRES. FOR THE REST OF US TRYING TO SAVE MONEY. BEWARE, DONT GET STUCK WITH THIS TIRE WITH MELTING KNOBIES.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
brian
a Cross Country Rider
from marquette, mi Date Reviewed: January 9, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At:
performance
Strengths:
none
Weaknesses:
no traction
Bottom Line:
Hit the trail the very first time with these tires and hit the dirt (literally) within 10 yards, believe me that does not normally happen unless I'm really pushing it! Hit a little loose dirt and the whole bike went out from under me, very unexpected. This was not a new trail, I've rode it 100 times, I was looking for a lighter tire, but stay away from this one....
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Patrick
a Cross Country Rider
from Atlanta GA USA Date Reviewed: January 8, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Chicopee
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Roswell Bike
Strengths:
Decent traction on hard trails
Weaknesses:
Slip on every root I've ridden over. Don't corner good at all. Are not made for any serious biker.
Similar Products Used:
Michellin Hot S
Bike Setup:
Giant Iguana disk, Nashbar Clipless, Cane Creek Tudbuster
Bottom Line:
These tires aren't made to corner, wet conditions, or roots. Have had two flats in three rides.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Russ
a Racer
from Fresno, CA Date Reviewed: January 7, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$20.00
Strengths:
Superlight and correspondingly very fast.
Weaknesses:
Traction is a bit less. You can't be mindless when riding these tires.
Similar Products Used:
Kozmic Lites, Python Air Lights
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz SL, SID 100, XTR Build, CrossMAX tube wheels.
Bottom Line:
I jumped at the chance to lose another 70 grams of rotating weight versus the pythons that I had been using. These are primarily a race tire. Lightweight and low rolling resistance. If you are looking for an all around tire get something else.
I tire of all these comments about lack of traction and quick wear. You know what? If you had some handling skills you would be fine with these. Also, with the low price you can afford to buy a new set every year.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Juan
a Weekend Warrior
from Anaheim, CA USA Date Reviewed: January 5, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Fullerton Loop
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Came on bike
Strengths:
Lightweight, sheads mud easily, fast rolling, and look good.
Weaknesses:
Washes out on loose dirt, sand and gravel. Cornering is not the best. Not good when wet. Wear out fast!
Bike Setup:
Mongoose Pro Sommet '02 XT Drive Train
Bottom Line:
The tire is fast rolling, but be careful it washe out pretty easily. Now that I have found the weaknet of the tire I am a bit more careful and I don't push it to the limits but I can still ride fast. It is light but I wouldn't buy a new set.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
tyler
a
from savannah, ga Date Reviewed: December 25, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
ummm.... none, oh wait... only one pinch flat.
Weaknesses:
are terrible in mud, do not corner well, and wear quickly. if you ride anywhere where there may be roots (everywhere) don't buy this tire.... slip and slide. they came on my bike, so i'm not too pissed because i didn't really waste money.
Bike Setup:
completely unstock giant ranier
Bottom Line:
save your money, continental explorer pro is the way to go.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Will
a
from Tulsa Date Reviewed: December 22, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Haven't found one I don't like
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$19.00
Purchased At:
Performance
Strengths:
Light, inexpensive, high volume, fast-rolling, and performs well in wet conditions.
Weaknesses:
Fast-wearing tread; poor performance in dry, loose conditions.
Similar Products Used:
Various Specialized tires, Velocoraptors, Continental Escape Pros, and Bontrager
Bike Setup:
Irrelevant
Bottom Line:
This is a good tire in the right conditions. More specifically, it performs well in muddy and wet conditions and in normal conditions on trails that do not have a lot of deep silt, sand, or loose materials. The tire excels on moist, loamy trails with lots of roots and rocks. Mosquitos hold a surprising high volume of air and are wide for their weight. They also roll with little resistance and I haven't had any problems with splits in the casing despite hard use on sharp rocks. (Note that I'm also only 130 lbs and I can get away with low pressures). I'm also smitten with the height of the tire (between the rim and ground) because it gives me a little more clearance on technical trails.
Yes, they do wear quickly, but one can also purchase them at a reasonable price. Especially don't use these tires on trails that have a course base (e.g., a lot of the trails in the Southwest), such as decomposed granite; the tread will dissappear in two rides and the performance will be poor anyway.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Misha
a Cross Country Rider
from Malaysia Date Reviewed: December 19, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Only good for off road.
Weaknesses:
Never ride these on wet pavement, they're really dangerous.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer railblaster
Bike Setup:
Giant XTCse3
Bottom Line:
These tires came with my bike and I've only use them for 2 weeks and I nearly fell so many times on wet pavement they've absolutely no grip. My advise stay 10 feet away from them dont even think of getting close!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Shawn
a Weekend Warrior
from VA Date Reviewed: December 15, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
came w/bike, Performance Bike Shop, Charlottesville, VA
Strengths:
None to speak of
Weaknesses:
Very poor quality, came stock on my Jamis Dakar, rear tire was warped, no wet traction whatsoever, what else, oh yeah, they suck!
Similar Products Used:
Nothing quite as bad...
Bike Setup:
Dakar w/motoraptors (now that's a tire!) Avid mech disc, XT...
Bottom Line:
These tires are not worth 2 cents. I checked w/ some LBS' and this was the consensus.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jameson Hinkle
a Racer
from Roanoke, VA, United States Date Reviewed: December 11, 2002
Favorite Trail:
carvons cove
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
Cardinal Bicycle
Strengths:
good corning tire; cuts throught loose dirt well, wears pretty slowly if you don't ride on road often
Weaknesses:
it's not the greatest in mud, nor on we rocks or roots, good dry race day tire, strickly for dirt
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
stock giant rainier '03
Bottom Line:
the bottom line is, if your going to be riding in loose granular dirt such as the dirt in southwest virginia this bike is for you, but be careful on rainy days on the road and on dirt, it tends to loose a little grip in the wet, overall good tire, better than my old wtb's
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
BruceF
a Cross Country Rider
from Seattle, WA Date Reviewed: November 14, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Now, you know that's a secret
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
stock on Giant Rainier
Strengths:
Very fast tire, very light weight
Weaknesses:
Positively dangerous on wet pavement, fast wearing...will be useless for trail riding in 300 miles...in adequate for steep trails with loose soil and rock
Similar Products Used:
Hutchinson Python (not much better), WTB Motoraptor 2.4's (tire nirvana)
Bike Setup:
Stock Giant Rainier (except for tires)
Bottom Line:
Race day only !!!
Like other reviewers I found out the hard way that these tires have No...,as in None, Zip, Nada traction on wet pavement!! Crashed on a spot I've traveled hundreds of time in the rain on my roadbike. I was on the ground hurting before I knew I was falling... nearly concussed and seven stitches in my forehead later, plus a new helmet...I've harbored thoughts of sueing Giant bicycle for putting these race-only tires on what is billed as a "recreational mountain bike"
I bought the bike for both trail riding and to use as a "rain" bike here in Seattle, where for 6 months a year we have no dry pavement. I switched to WTB Motoraptors which are like night and day compared with the Mosquitos
I see more and more manufacturers using these as OEM tires...Sure, they're cheap and they roll really easy for those test rides...but wait till the unexpecting hit the first patch of wet pavement...there's going to be suits...(see Ford/Firestone)
I'm sure that for racing these tires have good application...
For general and rec riding they suck...at 80 psi they are too squirelly for even dry pavement
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Pleasanton Date Reviewed: November 10, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
REI
Strengths:
Sheds mud relatively well, light weight.
Weaknesses:
Brutally dangerous on wet pavement. Washes out on hard pack trails and fire roads. Short lifespan. Sidewall weakness.
Similar Products Used:
IRC Mythos (much better), Panaracer Fire XC Pro 1.85" (even better)
Bike Setup:
Cannondale F600 XTR
Bottom Line:
Riding back to my car on a short wet pavement road, I almost killed myself making a very easy turn. These tires are extremely dangerous on wet pavement. The rear tire split on the sidewall and my tube busted out after 20 miles. Front tire washes out on everything. Once I upgraded this tire to the IRC Mythos, my confidence and enjoyment, not to mention performance rocketed! Don’t buy this tire. To my surprise, I was just recommended this tire by a Performance Bike sales rep in the Bay area for mud ridding. I can’t believe that stores still stock this piece of junk. This tire came stock on my Cannondale and was the first item to be replaced.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
AGENT GRAPE
a Weekend Warrior
from R.I. Date Reviewed: November 4, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
STEDMAN
Strengths:
LIGHTWEGHT FOR A BIG TIRE,GOOD RIDE, QUIET WORK WELL ON DRY HARD ROCKY TRAILS
Weaknesses:
NOT AWESOME IN WET CONDITIONS NOT ALOT OF KNOBS FOR TRACTION
THESE ARE THE MOSQUITO LITE 2.3 OVER 325 MILES MINIMAL WEAR STILL SOME LIFE LEFT IN THEM ITS BEEN A REAL HOT DRY YEAR THEY HAVE WORKED VERY WELL, THEY SLIP ON WET ROOTS BUT DONT THEY ALL. A LITTLE EXPENSIVE I NEVER HAD THE KNOBS FALLING OFF AND WE RIDE ROCK AND ROOT TRAILS OVERALL VERY HAPPY WITH THESE
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve
a Cross Country Rider
from Dallas, TX Date Reviewed: October 23, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
Jenson USA
Strengths:
(air)light, high volume, rear traction
Weaknesses:
May wear out quicker than some tires, we'll see.
Similar Products Used:
Python, Conti Explorer/Escape, Fire XC Pro
Bike Setup:
Spec FSR XC: Mavic 221 rims w/Stan's NoTubes, Mosquito in rear, Explorer up front
Bottom Line:
Originally bought these (Mosquito AirLight 2.0) as a backup to Pythons for mud/loose conditions. Once I put them on I couldn't go back to the Pythons. Mosquitos performed better in everything but hardpack, were just as light, and got fewer thorn punctures. I tried the Conti Explorer/Escape (f/r), got a little better front traction with the Explorer, so I'll stick with that, in spite of the weight penalty. The Mosquito had better rear traction than the (rear-specific) Escape, so it's back on the bike. The Mosquito also works great with the NoTubes setup, it sealed up with a minimum of effort on a floor pump, and hasn't lost a bit of pressure.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kristi
a Racer
from Austin Date Reviewed: October 16, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Rocky Hill
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$22.00
Purchased At:
Jenson
Strengths:
Absolutely none.
Weaknesses:
This tire split down the middle of the tread after about 150 miles of riding. Conditions were not that bad, just average trail. I will never spend $ on this product again. This was the yellow side wall tire.
Similar Products Used:
Python.
Bike Setup:
S-Works
Bottom Line:
Do not waste the $$$.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom
a Weekend Warrior
from santa barbara,CA,United States Date Reviewed: October 15, 2002
Favorite Trail:
ellwood bluffs in Goleta
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Copeland outdoors with my bike
Strengths:
it grips really well, I love it all my friends say it is a really great tire. It came with my bike when i bought it.
Weaknesses:
nothing!!!!
Similar Products Used:
panaracer.
Bike Setup:
Jamis dakar
Bottom Line:
the tires are great they seam like they are going to last I love them. You shouldn't buy it if only ride only ride on the gravel.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joey
a
from N.S. Canada Date Reviewed: September 24, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$17.00
Purchased At:
Nashbar
Strengths:
light, looks?, sheds mud well, kinda cheap
Weaknesses:
wears FAST. traction in loose gravel, sand, mud. Attracts wasps (really, I'm not joking!)
Similar Products Used:
maxxis, specialized
Bike Setup:
01 rockhopper comp disc
Bottom Line:
After somewhere between 150-200 miles, the rear tire is almost a slick. The front tire is still in decent shape, though. Whenever I stop moving for more than 2 minutes, I notice a wasp or two buzzing around my tires, seriously. I don't know if wasps are colorblind or not, but they're attracted to this tire. But on the upside, they are nice and light, cool looking, and I've never flatted either of them (after riding over lots of broken glass). I'd recommend them maybe if you race (which I don't), and need a light tire. For me, however, the strengths do not outweigh the fact that they're basically useless after less than 200 miles, so I will not be buying another pair.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a
from Portland, OR Date Reviewed: September 24, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Bottom Line:
Light, nice rolling tire. Wears quickly. Not a great choice for the front as it tends to wash out on loose surfaces cornering hard at speed, but it's predictable enough to be manageable. Not a great choice for everyday riding, but a good bike-handler looking for a light race tire could do a lot worse. Available for cheap.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a
from WI Date Reviewed: September 14, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Bottom Line:
This review is for the Mosquito Golds utilizing Stan's No Tubes.
I've tried an awful lot of tires out there over the past few years and these are my favorites for lightweight trailriding and XC racing tires.
The 2.0s are rather high (ie distance forma rimtop to tread top) and provide great cusion and resistance to pinchflats despite the exceptionally low weight (490 gm).
Traction with low air pressure (utilizing No Tubes)is excellent. These tires are no Panracer Smokes when it coms to grip but more than get the job done, and at a very low weight. They also do not fill with mud like other heavy 'big knobbied' tires.
The only drawback is that they do wear fast. But you can get them pretty cheap now on sale at various web retailers. Hey, nothings perfect.
Overall these have become my favorite all purpose tires for everything from racing to technical trailriding.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Richard Lee
a Weekend Warrior
from Superior, Co. USA Date Reviewed: August 27, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Westside Cycle
Strengths:
Light weight, fast rolling
Weaknesses:
Very low mileage, knobs tear off on rough trails, no grip in loose corners, washes out on wet rock, not much grip when braking.
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
NSR3 Stock
Bottom Line:
The tires only lasted for 163.5 miles, they do not inspire you to charge into corners. They work well on hard,non sandy,dry trails. The knobs were completely gone on the center and some side wall. They shed mud well,probably because the have no tread left after a technical trail. Got caught in a rain storm on a descent, the tire has no grip when it's wet out, washed out on my butt to many times.Stick to dry roads with these, better yet don't buy them. What was Giant thinking making these their stock tire on the NSR3. ????? Bought Continental Vertical Protectors to replace them, stay tuned.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rick Krinitt
a Cross Country Rider
from Pacifica, Ca, USA Date Reviewed: August 24, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Anything off-road by the sea
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
OEM on bike at purchase
Strengths:
Never got a flat, just lucky I guess. Uh, if you keep these tires, plan on riding on the street. NSFOR= NOT SAFE FOR OFF ROAD.
Weaknesses:
Poor tread wear/traction. Stability is marginal or non-exsistent during aggressive riding.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer, IRC
Bike Setup:
'02 Rainier, stock except for carbon bar ends, easton stem and shimano 545 clipless pedals.
Bottom Line:
These tires wear out way too fast. I only got about 170 (good) miles out of them. They have put me in harm's way more than once and like someone else said, "are not a good confidence booster". I ride single-track, fireroads and XC trails. If these tires haven't scared you, then you haven't ridden them to their extremely LOW limits! I replaced them with golds. STUPID ME! What was I thinking.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ben
a Racer
from Grand Marais, MN Date Reviewed: August 23, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Shuniah Mines in Thunder Bay, OT.
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
Superior North Outdoor Center
Strengths:
Great Grip! Rubber is soft and supple. Offers awesome traction in a variety of conditions but still rolls well.
Weaknesses:
None yet.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Enduro,Team Master,and Rockster Pro
Bottom Line:
good tires. I got these for a replacement when I tore a hole in the sidewall of my Specialized Rockster. They perform great in all conditions despite being labeled as a mud tire. It really seems like a lot of people don't like these tires, but for what I ride (tech singletrack, wet rocks , wet roots, fire roads, pavement, grassy trails etc.,etc.) these are the cats pajamas. Five Flamin Turds!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mike tan
a Cross Country Rider
from singapore Date Reviewed: August 21, 2002
Favorite Trail:
bukit timah
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$65.00
Purchased At:
hup leong company
Strengths:
Lesser knobs for more speed if you have the ability to control steer the bike.
Weaknesses:
wears out quickly
Similar Products Used:
panaracer fire xc pro
Bike Setup:
full xt
Bottom Line:
great for cross country racers.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Sisters, Oregon USA Date Reviewed: August 21, 2002
Giant NRS, Sid Sl, Cane Creek Cloud 9 shock, Dave's wheels, WTB pedals, Race Face crank, tires noted above.
Bottom Line:
Awful tires unless all your riding is straight ahead on firm soil. What sort of perverse arrangement has Giant loading these as stock equipment on an otherwise great bike? My confidence went up 100% as soon as I got rid of these. Wicked light, low rolling resistance, that was all I liked. If that's all you care about, this is your dream tire. If you are looking for performance, get something else.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jm mcmillion
a Weekend Warrior
from johnson city, tn, usa Date Reviewed: August 20, 2002
Favorite Trail:
singletracks
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
stock setup
Strengths:
looks
Weaknesses:
durability, traction, overall feel
Similar Products Used:
firepro xc 2.1
Bike Setup:
stock giant rainier, w/upgrade to hollow-tech cranks, and a better saddle
Bottom Line:
One of the weakest links in an otherwise great bike. Thank God that I didn't crash very hard before they wore out and were replaced. If you value your time on the trail bypass these tires for a better product. Ask your bike dealer to upgrade the tires before you buy the bike. It will be well worth your time and money to avoid this tire!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jimmy
a Cross Country Rider
from Philadelphia, Pa Date Reviewed: August 18, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Light weight, looks good
Weaknesses:
Wears quickly
Bike Setup:
Stock Giant nrs3
Bottom Line:
These tires suck really bad! I am very dissapointed with the performance of these tires. The tread wears out really quick, its practically bald after 150 miles. They totaly suck on steep hills, and they wash out way too easily. Snake bites are common with these puppies, so make sure you bring a spare tube along! These tires will bring down your confidence on sketchy downhills, and climbing. Don't get them!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben Jones
a
from Grand Rapids, MI USA Date Reviewed: August 18, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Super light, and durable (in preventing flats anyway). Running with decreased pressure and I haven't yet had any snake bites or pinch flats.
Weaknesses:
Loose sand, gravel, rocks, mud, and fast cornering will either kill, or scare the crap out of you.
Rear tire likes to spin when going uphill instead of actually climbing.
Knobs wear down pretty fast.
Bike Setup:
2002 Giant Iguana (red/white), above average components.
Bottom Line:
I really gave these tires (that came with my bike) a chance, but now after using them for awhile, I can't say enough bad things about them.
They are light, which is great, but that's about as good as it gets.
If you are looking for a tire to get you through some straight and flat hardpack, these will work for you.
If you like average to advanced XC, I'd look for something else...unless you like being forced to a stop in sand, sliding around on loose rocks, and watching the rear tire spin on uphills.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Robert
a Weekend Warrior
from Quezon City, Philippines Date Reviewed: August 15, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Joven Bikes
Strengths:
light and looks good
Weaknesses:
Very slick ... too slick, it slips during turns. Can't seem to be confident using them.
Similar Products Used:
Kenda Klaw, Continental Travelmaster
Bike Setup:
Giant NRS3, Shimano Deore components
Bottom Line:
They look good, their very light but they are too dangerous in loose or wet conditions.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben Jones
a Cross Country Rider
from Grand Rapids, MI, USA Date Reviewed: August 12, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Village Bike Shop
Strengths:
Very light for a 26 X 2.00 tire, climbs great, and stands up to a good deal of impact.
Weaknesses:
Wears out fast...and I mean FAST! I've only used these tires on 4 or 5 rides, many of the nobs are already gone, and many more are on their way.
Turns sand into a deathtrap.
You really don't want to try sharp turns with these, trust me.
Bottom Line:
These tires are great for climbing, but cornering (even on hard-pack) is extremely spooky.
Did I mention that they try to kill you when you hit sand? Well, they do. I know a lot of you out there are saying, "Every tire has poor performance in sand", which is true, but these things are downright dangerous on it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Col Chilvers
a Cross Country Rider
from UK Date Reviewed: August 12, 2002
Favorite Trail:
lookout
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Look very nice, not bad in mud.
Weaknesses:
Increased heartrate and nervous sweat when faced with anything loose or slippery. Are these a semi-slick?? Look like semi-slick, ride like I would expect semis to ride like.
Similar Products Used:
Various
Bike Setup:
Cannondale scalpel 2000
Bottom Line:
These things came with the scalpel. Fantastic bike, poor rubber. Make the bike look good from everywhere but the saddle, where I'm too scared trying to get through the next loose corner to care. Steep downhills on these things at any speed is at your own risk.
Had to checkout the reviews to see if I was alone. Bizarre mix of reviews from "I love these things" through to "utter crap".
My summing up would be :
* They wear quicker, but this is fine if they give more grip (which they don't) * They are ok in sand and mud * seem bloody dangerous on anything loose or uneven, not had any major spills yet, but I always feel one is looming
Although only 10 hours of riding on them, they are soon to be consigned to the garbage. This appears to be Cannondales single remaining attempt for looks over function (all other standard bits now excellent). Fortunately the easiest (and cheapest) one to experiment with.
My low mark is based on these as a serious off-road tyre and my newly increased pulse-rate, my mark may be higher if I was into semi's and riding around the local park.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew
a Cross Country Rider
from Edmonton, Alberta Date Reviewed: August 9, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Awesome off-road. Pretty light. Relatively low rolling resistance.
Weaknesses:
Sucks on road. Wears quickly ESPECIALLY on road.
Bike Setup:
Giant Ranier
Bottom Line:
Good if you rarely ride your bike on road. Great off-road versatility.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Patrick Johnson
a Cross Country Rider
from Springdale Date Reviewed: August 8, 2002
Favorite Trail:
lake fayettville
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Lewis and Clark Outfitters
Strengths:
none
Weaknesses:
wears down fast within 1 month
Bike Setup:
giant rainier
Bottom Line:
these tires should only be used for light trail rides not verry durable
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eduardo Avelar
a Cross Country Rider
from Davis,CA,USA Date Reviewed: July 29, 2002
Favorite Trail:
The sat. morning ride with the boyz
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Freewheeler
Strengths:
none
Weaknesses:
I have only had my bike for a weekend and some of the knobs have fallen off. I have logged 45 miles on the tires and they have less tread than my old tires did. On loose climbs you can feel the back wheel spin (even if you are sitting on your butt).
Similar Products Used:
None, does anyone know of a good replacement tire. I was thinking of going to my old set-up Dart, Smoke.
Bike Setup:
Giant iguana
Bottom Line:
These tires suck (but again what do you expect for stock tires). The only tires i can think of replacing them with are a Dart and a Smoke. If anyone else has a good tire set-up let me know.
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Submitted by
Lucius
a Cross Country Rider
from Vallejo, Ca. Date Reviewed: July 26, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Bicycle Madness
Strengths:
Grips rocks well. Lightweight.
Weaknesses:
The rear tire has worn out in less than a month. It can be a bit hairy coming around a loose corner with these things on the bike because it constantly feels like the bike's about to slip out from underneath you. Maybe it's the terrain that I ride, but these things really seem to induce flat tires.
Bike Setup:
stock Giant Iguana
Bottom Line:
I'm really disappointed that Giant went with these tires in the stock setup of their bikes. I'd hope to get more than a month out of the tires of a new bike. Since I bought them in the summer, I've never tried them in wet conditions, but they are NOT good tires to invest for someone who's going to be riding on hardpack most of the time, especially if there are climbs and drops that are ridden often.
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Submitted by
gwego
a Weekend Warrior
from Laval Qc Canada Date Reviewed: July 22, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Bromont
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
come with the bike
Strengths:
What? strengh? Oh! lightweight
Weaknesses:
All, first, they wear very fast, they sucks, they don't have much traction for the soft compound...
Similar Products Used:
mofo DH, Panaracer fire xc pro
Bike Setup:
2002 stock Rocky Mtn Slayer with mofo dh
Bottom Line:
these tires are crap, the front tire tear by the inside when I was rolling on tarmac... think before you bought these tires because they are lightweight for cross-country but they are supposed to last only one race of light cross-country... So they suck
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Submitted by
William Syx-Spears
a Weekend Warrior
from Downey California Date Reviewed: July 15, 2002
Favorite Trail:
anything without autos
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$12.00
Purchased At:
nashbar.com
Strengths:
light weight, high traction, in my case low,low cost
Weaknesses:
Eh what?
Similar Products Used:
Specialiuzed, WTB, Panaracer, etc, etc,
Bike Setup:
Gary Fisher Paragon mostly stock
Bottom Line:
I fist reviewed these tires 6 months ago when I first bought them the held the road/trail as if glued down, they still do thought the center section of the tread now almost looks like a slik tire. In a few days I will be replacing my Mosquito air light with Mosquiot Gold tires. I am very satisfied with these tires they hgave never failed me or dissaponited me. I pravcticaly stole them at $6.00 each on sale at Nashbar with some christmass money. I,m looking forward to trying out the Golds. By the way it may be the luck of the draw or coincedince but I've not had a single flat in six months!!!!!!!!! I love these tires
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Submitted by
Taras
a Cross Country Rider
from Kyiv, Ukraine Date Reviewed: July 11, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Any
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$30.00
Strengths:
Light, excellent traction, wide (I own 26x2,3 - it weigh only 590 gr.), excellent resistance to pinch flats (snake bites), predictive.
Weaknesses:
Thin sidewalls???
Similar Products Used:
Michelin WG HOT, HOT S, WG Comp S, IRC Mythos XC, Slick
Bike Setup:
XT XTR mixed drive train with Marzocchi Z1 FR 2002 and Avid Arch Rivals
Bottom Line:
Best tire I've ever used. To clarify - I owe the 26x2,3 airlight version. It's superior. Way better then michelin hot s. I feel more confident in my bike since I've started using this tire. I can't understand the negative attitude of other reviewers - am I using a different tire? Anyway, I'd recommend this tire for everyone, who's doing extreme cross-country and freeride. It feels great on corners and slick rock. Get the 2,3 version - it's great!
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Submitted by
Steven
a Racer
from Camp Hill, PA USA Date Reviewed: July 9, 2002
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
mud clearance, grip in wet/mud/greasy conditions
Weaknesses:
Durability
Similar Products Used:
Tried them all
Bike Setup:
Fisher Sugar 1
Bottom Line:
This is the best mud race tire. After 6 years of racing the 24 hrs of Canaan and Snowshoe in WV (one of the muddiest, rooted races in the country) this is the best tire for those conditions (9th place for our team). Not a tire for everyday use. When time is important and the conditions are slick this is the ONLY tire to use (in the 1.85). If you ride like a spud and hit everything in your path you will cut this tire. Ride with some finess and don't bomb the rocks and they will pull you through everything without packing up.
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Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from CA Date Reviewed: July 5, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
came w/ bike
Strengths:
grippy rubber, light, fast-rolling
Weaknesses:
sketchy when not on hardpack, poor durability
Similar Products Used:
fire xp pro, fire dh pro, pana smokes
Bottom Line:
this tire has pretty good grip on hardpack and asphalt. prob is, once the tire gets into medium to loose stuff, it starts wandering. i was sprinting through this kinda sandy section, and the front wheel slipped a bit as i cranked down. This was never a prob w/ any of the other tires i tried. also, the treads tend to wear out really quickly. overall, i think this tire is focused for hardpack racing.
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Submitted by
DOOKIE B
a Cross Country Rider
from RIVERSIDE CA, USA Date Reviewed: July 2, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$10.00
Purchased At:
LBC
Strengths:
GRIPPY, FAST AND CHEAP I ONLY PAID 10 DOLLARS FOR THE PAIR.
Weaknesses:
DURABILITY
Similar Products Used:
TOO MANY
Bike Setup:
SCHWINN MOAB 2
Bottom Line:
I REALLY LIKE THIS TIRE. IT ROLLS VERY FAST AND THE TRACTION IS PRETTY GOOD FOR A LOW PROFILE TIRE. MY ONLY GRIPE IS DURABILITY. AFTER ONLY 4 RIDES I HAVE WORN ABOUT HALF THE TREAD OFF. I WOULD RECOMEND THIS TIRE FOR RACE DAY USE ONLY, UNLESS YOU HAVE THE CASH TO BUY NEW ONES EVERY MONTH.
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Submitted by
Garry
a Cross Country Rider
from Ohio Date Reviewed: July 2, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Buckhorn
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At:
Performance
Strengths:
Weight, Color,
Weaknesses:
Color
Similar Products Used:
You name it: Bontrager Super Revolt is the latest I have used. The Mosquito are much better than the Bontrager's
Bike Setup:
Klein Adept with XTR group and Mavic Crossride's, Manitou MARS Elite.
Bottom Line:
I really like these tires. Everyone has said they wear fast I do not see this. I have put about 8 hours on the tires and see minimal wear. They work well in soft (not soupy mud) to hardpack. Stiff sidewalls. Nice tire. This tire is a cross country race tire, use it as such and they are great!!
$ 40.00
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