There are no tech support vans in the wilderness. No factory mechanics with Park™ stands waiting trailside, holding a cone wrench in one hand and delivering a thumbs up with the other. There is only the simple truth that you’re on your own. Unless you’re equipped with IRC Backcountry dual sport specific tires. High volume, big knobbed tires with small knobs creatively placed between to prevent flats. The ultimate tire for truly epic rides. Click on the image to the left for an enlarged photo showing tread detail and related product specifications.
Submitted by
MArtin GC
a Cross Country Rider
from Mexico Date Reviewed: August 31, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Nevado Vulcano
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
Riders ajusco
Strengths:
good tracking, better in wet and mud conditions
Weaknesses:
heavy for a long climbs
Similar Products Used:
Specialized
Bike Setup:
Specialized M4 XC, Marzocchi 44, deore, Lx & xt
Bottom Line:
great track in downhill, I used frecuently in the rain season, meabe a little heavy than my specialized 2.0, but I like how it handle in rocks and a lot of mud, I recomend it but not for dry conditions, they goes fast..! more in paviment
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Submitted by
VooDooGuy
a Cross Country Rider
from Scottsdale, AZ Date Reviewed: September 3, 2007
Favorite Trail:
That a way
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
gift
Strengths:
They have rubber on them- well almost everywhere.
Weaknesses:
Chunks of rubber gone. Kevlar is exposed; now I understand why I've been bailing, been using it on the front; terrible on the corners, especially fast turns and baby head laden downhills.
Similar Products Used:
what ever was stock on the VooDoo; IRC Piranha Pro on the rear (chunks missing)
Bike Setup:
Bizango XT,
Bottom Line:
Tires are dry and very unpredictable on the trail. I thought shortening my stem would help, and it did, but still poor around the turns. Don't even think of sand with these... Looking for something that can inch up my confidence by grabbing when they should and meeting the needs around the turns. Would not get them again regardless of how good the deal might be.
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Submitted by
Dave
a Weekend Warrior
from Rolla, MO, USA Date Reviewed: August 30, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Chub
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
Nashbar
Strengths:
Cheap, wide, foldable.
Weaknesses:
I've gotten many pinch flats with these, that is until I amped up my PSI quite a bit, problem solved. Worst of all is that they corner TERRIBLY! They are very sloppy on hard packed dirt, not good on catwalks either.
Bike Setup:
Diamodback Apex coverted to SS, Kona Project 2 fork.
Bottom Line:
Not the best tire i've ever used. I would probably not recomend.
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Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Murfreesboro, TN Date Reviewed: September 30, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Snook's Nose (Black Mountain)
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
30.00
Strengths:
Decent all-around rear tire, nothing catastrophically wrong with it. Fairly light for its size.
Weaknesses:
It's only decent....nothing more.
Similar Products Used:
IRC Mythos (not so good), IRC EL Gato (great traction, heavy), Fire XC (great so far!)
Bike Setup:
2003 Jamis Dakar Expert
Bottom Line:
This is a decent all-around tire for an all-mountain setup. Tire compound is very hard and dry, so it doesn't grip as well as stickier tires. I would recommend getting an IRC Trailbear, it is supposedly a newer version of this tire, although slightly heavier.
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Submitted by
Jay
a Weekend Warrior
from Broomfield, Colorado, USA Date Reviewed: August 7, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Apex Park/Enchanted Forest
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
Joe's Bike Shop
Strengths:
None
Weaknesses:
Grip, durability
Similar Products Used:
Bontrager, Continental Vertical Pro, Michelin
Bike Setup:
Trek Fuel 90
Bottom Line:
I couldn't run these tires below 50 psi or I would get a pinch flat, I'm 165 lbs!? I tried a variety of different air pressures and it just wouldn't grip the dry trail on uphill climbs. After the first ride, all of the knobs had huge chunks out of them where it tried to grip but the rubber just came off. Yesterday was my 7th ride on them and a knob ripped all the way off leaving a big hole. I'm glad I finally get to replace it. I think anything would be an upgrade, but I'm going back to the Continental Vertical Pro. It may cost an extra $20, but instead of lasting 3 weeks it will last over a year and won't spin out when I try to climb over obstacles.
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Submitted by
Big Daddy
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado Springs, CO, USA Date Reviewed: November 3, 2004
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At:
Performance?
Strengths:
Cheap, light, dependable
Weaknesses:
None
Bike Setup:
4" travel full suspension
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is: This tire does everything well...but nothing exceptionally. Kind of the same way my bike climbs better than a downhill bike, and downhills better than a hard tail.
This has been a perfect tire for the kind of riding I do (3-6 hour epics in far from civilization on every kind of terrain) and it has never failed me in thousands of miles of use. Mud, snow, ice, dry, hardpack, loose, whatever. It works well on all of them.
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Submitted by
Chad
a Weekend Warrior
from Overland Park, Kansas, US Date Reviewed: June 14, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Anything dry enough to ride.
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$24.00
Purchased At:
Price Point
Strengths:
Cheap!!!! Works as an excellent back tire. Hooks up great on roots and rocky climbs and good braking traction on the way down.
Weaknesses:
Brakes loose into turns without warning. Dangerous as a front tire on hard pack.
Similar Products Used:
IRC Mythos
Bike Setup:
Azonic DS1, Rock Shox Psylo, Raceface, XT, Hayes, and Sun Rynolite
Bottom Line:
This is a great tire when used as a rear tire. The tread seems to wear well and sheds mud well. I'm sure it would wear quickly on pavement due to the large tread blocks. Have found them to run best around 35 psi. for hard pack and loose rocky situations. Does not inspire confidense to go hard into a turn. A Trail Bear would run better for a front tire than these. A fine rear tire for the price.
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Submitted by
iain
a Weekend Warrior
from melbourne, Australia Date Reviewed: June 7, 2004
Favorite Trail:
anything with hills and dirt
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At:
bicycle recyclers
Strengths:
I bought the 2.25 version of these and I like this tyre no matter what else anyone says about it it grips good on anything but wet rocks and its light, oh and cheap.
Weaknesses:
I suppose the sidewalls could be a bit thicker and it could be a bit wider.
Similar Products Used:
maxxis high roller( didnt like much), Tioga Factory DH (awesome!!!!), lots more
Bike Setup:
Haro V0 it is mostly stock but im going to change al the parts to make it better
Bottom Line:
the bottom line is that i like these tyres, they grip good in all dirt even when screamin down hills and they brake good so I say these tires are great!!!
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Submitted by
Luc
a Cross Country Rider
from Austin, TX Date Reviewed: May 16, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Mt. Norris, Vermont
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Came with bike
Strengths:
Relatively lightweight.
Weaknesses:
Everything. Slips on the smallest of rocks.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer XC Fire 2.1
Bike Setup:
2003 Fisher Suger 2+
Bottom Line:
This tire is garbage. I'm just getting back into the sport after a few years off and I recently made a move from the soil, peat moss covered trails of beautiful vermont to the mostly limestone laden trails of central texas. I purchased my fisher with these tires stock and lost all confidence. These things slip on even tiny rocks no matter what the pressure is (although running them at 30psi is a must).
I switched them out with panaracer XC 2.1 Fire's and the bike is like a different bike.
Dump these if you have them. They might be suitable if you're doing a morning commute to work, but that is about it!
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Submitted by
Randog
a Cross Country Rider
from Little Italian island Date Reviewed: May 5, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$13.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Cheap! Picked two of them up with a set of wheels on Ebay.
Weaknesses:
Knobs chew easily on blacktop to and from trailhead.
Similar Products Used:
WTB Velociraptors, Motoraptors
Bike Setup:
XT, Race Face, WTB, RhinoLites
Bottom Line:
Not a bad tire for the price. Picked them up as spares since I have no local shop. Put over 300 miles with tire on the rear and it has performed ok. Paired up with Velociraptor on front, it is reasonably predictable in the hardpack and sand in my area. Holds well on rock and climbs well with pressure around 36-38 psi. Doesn't seem like it will last much longer as the blacktop to the trailhead is consuming it, so new Motoraptors 2.4's are next. If you need a tire just to putt around on, they are a great choice. If you like to defy gravity on a regular basis and like speed, look elsewhere.
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Submitted by
dirtdober
a Cross Country Rider
from thomaston,tx Date Reviewed: January 17, 2004
Favorite Trail:
rocky hill(tx),three sisters(co)
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
discovery cycles(austin)
Strengths:
they hold air
Weaknesses:
wash out on every turn
Similar Products Used:
irc mythos
Bike Setup:
'03 sugar 3+ irc mythos,time atac, wtb laser v
Bottom Line:
these tires are dangerous. the knobs are too small and too far apart to hook up on anything. they wash out on every sandy corner. i know all tires have their weakness but these made me scared to take any corner with speed. i began to think i had bought the wrong bike until i switched them out with my old mythos. i didn't go to the emergency room but i did walk with a limp for a few days.
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Submitted by
Rob P.
a Weekend Warrior
from Greenland, NH, USA Date Reviewed: September 8, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Single track down Garison hill
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At:
Performance
Strengths:
Wide enough, rust sidewall, Grippy(as BAck tire)
Weaknesses:
None as a backtire, i wouldnt reccomend it as a front.. wears fast
Similar Products Used:
Mythos XC
Bike Setup:
CHris king Hub, Mawri Titanium spokes, Mavic 3.1 Tubeless disc specific rim
Bottom Line:
Kick ass BAck tire, not front. Grips aweosme, looks good, not strong or wide enough for downhill, to havey for XC, perfect for us folks who do a little of everything.
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Submitted by
Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from S. Cal Date Reviewed: September 3, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
come with bike
Strengths:
Looks beefy
Weaknesses:
very poor handling
Similar Products Used:
IRC Methos XC, Wtb
Bike Setup:
Sugar 3+
Bottom Line:
Totally agree with the previous review. the difference is: I DID go into the emergency room! Front tire "slip" over a babyhead rock and cost me a dislocated elbow.
I didn't feel confident at all since the first day, but I tried to adjust the handle bar and cockpit instead, now I relized how much the tire can affect your ride and safety.
really loose on single track, rocky section, and sand. Even the cheapest Mathos can do way better than that. Dangerous tire!!!
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Submitted by
Jeb
a Cross Country Rider
from Montana Date Reviewed: August 26, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Size, cushy ride.
Weaknesses:
Creepy handling as front tire.
Similar Products Used:
IRC Mythos, Panaracer Fire XC Pro
Bike Setup:
stock Fisher 3+
Bottom Line:
These were OEM on my Sugar...and I never did get comfortable with them. It always seemed like I was one rock away from the emergency room. At first, I thought I just needed to get used to my new bike. I tweaked the pressure, to no avail...the front always seemed like it could wash out at any moment.
As a rear tire they seem okay...and actually on hardpack they might work out. Also, they seem to offer good rim protection. But I just had too many spooky moments with these tires in the switchbacks and loose stuff etc...
Replaced them with P-racer Fire XC's and my confidence is back.
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Submitted by
Steve
a Cross Country Rider
from Dublin Date Reviewed: August 11, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Tires look nice and ride well on hard pack.
Weaknesses:
These tires slip laterally on sand and moon rock surfaces, more than other tires I've used. I was warned about this by the sales person when I bought my Sugar, and he was right.
Similar Products Used:
Velociraptors. Panaracer Fire XC Pro
Bike Setup:
'03 Sugar 3+ Disk
Bottom Line:
I'm very disappointed in the cornering of this tire on soft terrain. The edge knobs seem spaced too far apart and the tire seems to roll up on the smooth area, even with the minimum 40 lbs. suggested by the side wall markings. They might do better in muddy conditions, where I suspect they won't accumlate gunk.
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Submitted by
jon
a
from OK Date Reviewed: August 11, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Greenleaf SP
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
15
Strengths:
Price... Grippy rubber (soft), Sheds light mud fairly well, hooks up ok.
Weaknesses:
Wearing out very fast in my home terrain which is pretty rocky. Doesn't seem to be nearly as wide as most 2.25-2.3 tires.
Im using this as a rear tire for the dry season, I have it paired up with an IRC Trail Bear 2.25 which is turning ut to be a very nice tire.
Seems to be a solid tire... Knobs are looking a little ragged after only about a months worth of use. The rubber is soft and hooks up pretty well. Could be better in loose rock (compared to conti survival pro). Should be a little wider (compared to Trail Bear 2.25 which is much beefier).
I probably will not be buying a 2nd one of these, there are far better tires out there but, for now, this one is working fine, especially for $15.
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Submitted by
kenstar23
a Cross Country Rider
from Mill Creek, WA USA Date Reviewed: June 18, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Relatively inexpensive
Weaknesses:
These things do not work well in wet conditions. Every time I hit a wet root or rock I became Ricochet Rabbit. Very disconcerting to say the least when going downhill on technical terrain with a little speed going. Not the best for NW Washington conditions!
Similar Products Used:
WTB Velociraptor, WTB Motoraptor
Bike Setup:
These came with my bike --- Sugar 2+ Disk. Probably OK for SoCal riding.
Bottom Line:
I thought the handling of my bike was very sketchy in wet conditions, but it was these tires. I swapped to a Motoraptor on the front and a Vittorio Kudu on the back which should be an improvement. However, I haven't tried them on this bike under typical NW Washington conditions. I had Velociraptors on my previous bike and they worked well in the wet.
I probably could have gotten by by just replacing the front tire, but now I've got two rear spares!
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Submitted by
SkAb
a
from Hell Date Reviewed: April 24, 2003
Favorite Trail:
National trail, pheonix
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$29.00
Purchased At:
bike shop
Strengths:
Wide, cheap, flexible, strong, relativly light and good on hardpack.
Weaknesses:
lateral knobbies dont got bite.
Similar Products Used:
Michiline, wtb, geax
Bike Setup:
2002 tomax six shooter, stock.
Bottom Line:
This tire is good for hardpack and climbing, but has a tendancy to slide out from under me in sharp turns. the outer knobs just dont grip. It does ok on the rear if your like me and like your rear end to slide a little around sharp turns. Also, it isnt that great in the really soft stuff.
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Submitted by
Derek
a Downhiller
from Fresno Date Reviewed: July 15, 2002
-Narrow for 2.25 -Knobs squirm a bit -weak sidewalls
Similar Products Used:
IRC kujo, Nokian gazzi dual, tioga factory 66
Bike Setup:
Old Trek Carbon
Bottom Line:
Above average tire. I have tried better but since it is light and will do everything I need it works. It is pretty small for a 2.25 which hurts pinch flat protection. If you want an inexpensive tire you don't have to worry about and don't want too much weight, these are great. If you really push it is corners it might not do the job though. Needs fairly high pressure to not flat if you ride aggressive.
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Submitted by
Mike Peacock
a Racer
from Edinburgh Date Reviewed: July 8, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Glentress black
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$20.00
Strengths:
Grip in a straight line
Weaknesses:
Heavy, no break away warning.
Bottom Line:
If your gonna be riding a muddy and not to technical route then these tyres are fine. But, if you want to chuck your bike around and slide around corners, these tyres a'int the best.
The main problem is their weight, my bike felt like a tank when I popped them on. Plus, I was hanging it around a corner expecting the tyres to gradually slid, the next thing I was on my arse - no warning - these tyre break away very suddenly.
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Submitted by
bart
a Cross Country Rider
from gent Date Reviewed: May 21, 2002
Favorite Trail:
jura / france
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
allows me to do a standing steep climb, whereas with my favorite semislicks i had to remain seated to keep the traction at the back tire.
Weaknesses:
heavy, lot of rolling resistance (expectable offcourse). braking in my disk brakes (30 stops/brake from 30km/h; as magura states in manual) already shows some damage at the knobs. that was probably also expectable
Similar Products Used:
none, normally only ride semislicks. these irc's came with the bike
Bike Setup:
scott strike cfx-200 / stock
Bottom Line:
i have never known anything else than semislicks, except from the geax blades i keep for mud conditions. if u want a tire where u want a standing climb on even the steapest of slopes, this one is for u. for me i can live with the fact that with a semislick i can do the same slopes, but have to remain seated. to get the whole picture, i'd rather have a semi that inspires a little bit less confidence on climbs and descents (keep your eyes open and u'll be ok), and from the moment it comes down to pedalling hard on +/- flat, i'll catch up with the knobbies in no time and kick their arse 3x. (mud is another story offcourse, one doesn't survive for 5 mins against a good knobby with a semi). for the fact that a lot of ppl love seriously profiled tires i won't flame them, just they are not my sort of tire. i get discouraged riding on flat hardpack for the xtreme rolling resistance they give (purely mental). i checked with a HR monitor, and i just can't seem to get over 130 bpm;-) my legs aren't used to getting that much resistance on flat conditions. i thk that light weight ppl (<150lb) haven't got much advantage by using this tractor tire. get some semi's for dry and knobbies for wet. they are cheap so i will not flame them (don't expect lightweight/durability from a cheap tire. u can replace these 3 x times for the price of a more expensive model)
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Submitted by
Duncan McCallum
a Weekend Warrior
from Edinbugrh Date Reviewed: May 21, 2002
Favorite Trail:
red/black glen tress
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
alpine bike
Strengths:
They look great and climb in the soft stuff very well, seem tough for rocky down hills as well, inspire confidence on drop offs
Weaknesses:
scary and unpredictable understeer on tight down hill switch backs, a bit of a bummer for my local trails as a screw up on these trail hurts, seem to be slow to respond ,and wander alarmingly on tree line single track
Similar Products Used:
Tioga, but just bought Panaracer xc pro in an effort to avoid hitting something at speed
Bike Setup:
Suger 2+
Bottom Line:
They came with the bike, so initailly i thought the handleing was a bit off, but now i realise the wander on the fast single track is due to very soft side knobbles on the tread giving way under presure, which while travelling fast on semi steep track is a predictable but not a very comfortable experiance. However on downhill switch backs they are dire, they feel like your stirring porridge, sludgy and they wander, then break away from under you without warning. I will keep them for winter riding as they do climb in crud well and the extra rubber will provide some insulation
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Submitted by
Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from Mountain View, CA, USA Date Reviewed: April 9, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Came stock on Sugar 3+
Strengths:
Resistance to pinch flats seems to be good. MSRP is ver reasianable. Average wear life (at least to this point)
After the first couple of rides, I gave up on using the backcountry as a front tire. However, it makes an awesome back tire! Really one of the best climbers I've ever used. I've kep it on the back of my ride, and hung on to the spare as a reaplcement for when this one is done. Does well climbing in a variety of conditions. The terrain in Northern California ranges from dry / sandy to muddy, loamy black soil, rocks, and roots. All within a few miles of each other. I replaced the front with a Mutanoraptor, which is just o.k. I think I'll have to put a Python or FireXC Pro back up front. 3 chilis becaus its a horrible front, but a rippin back.
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Submitted by
Brian Buell
a Racer
from Ft. Worth, Tx. Date Reviewed: December 17, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Any Trail
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Bike Shop Employee
Strengths:
Very Very wide, can run at lower pressure with no fear of pinch flat for the extra width, awesome in all conditions.
Weaknesses:
none that i have found so far
Similar Products Used:
You name it... I've probably tried it
Bike Setup:
Stock '02 Gary Fisher Sugar 3+ Disc
Bottom Line:
These tires ROCK! I thought the wider tires would be really slow and bulky in everything, funny thing is even gaining 6 lbs going to a Sugar 3+ from a 23lb. Sugar 1, I have been able to eliminate 3 minutes off my average time on my normal trails, Thanks to these tires I have no fear of loosing traction when I really need it to stick. Mud, Sand, Hard Tight corner, Tight Singletrack, This tire is all over these conditions like "Stink on S#%@". Until I wear these tires way down I won't change them, even when i do I'll probably throw on the same ones.
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Submitted by
shawn gagne
a Downhiller
from can Date Reviewed: December 3, 2001
Favorite Trail:
what kin find (stairs in this scenario)
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
used given to me (marin quake 5,0)
Strengths:
kick butt man seem sticky light nice feel all speeds didnt notice much noiz too busy ridin maybe (they were freefor me!)i freerode these xc light little babies not huge drops or racing but i wasnt nice to them and theyre retired for winter to be used again next season the sidewalls arent as weak as one might think i ran them with obscenely low amounts of air pressure like 30 at best NO PINCHY!!!! they are real good for cement type steff (benches stairs rocks ledges) but not constant on road riding
Weaknesses:
none that are major they probubly wear kinda fast dont know yet no complaint about the sidewalls but if i could get my words in the door of irc ID say make the sidewalls like tiogas fat66 you can see threads coming off mine oh i actually havea complaint these tires are not wide ive got the 2.25's and they dont seem that big
Similar Products Used:
gazz jr tioga dh lots of pana's older tioga other irc lots althogh my riding style changed tremendoulsy last year
Bike Setup:
98SPECIALIZEDfsrPRO jr.t,xtdiscfront,onx317mavic syncros xlt rear rim no rear disc(no fffffn mount!) xtr/xt the good stuff alivio crank for the steel rings lol
Bottom Line:
i weigh less than 120 so that dont contribute to killin tires butwhat i did this summer ....... i was determined to climb staircases (only made it 9 stair this season) obvoisly involved some learning curve thats why i ran them so low because they actually act like tubeless or so I think theyd fold around the stair and grip like MAD they only they woudlnt do this was when the suspension was reacting ,if youve ever done this you could imagine, i remember the sound my rims would make when id hit too hard and the tire would collapse to rim made this cool BONG sound then ehcoed through the spokes neat like said these tires took it and took it like they were meant to I LOVE EM cant wait till summer again to go stair bombin worth it for lots of people i guess they are real cheap if your not over 180pds they should tackle anything for ya as long as yer somewhat sensible im NOT saying this i good dh tire but........ freeride in abnormal conditions tials possibly,BACKWOODS riding lol(these should be on the bear/deluxe) wicked man pick em up!!!!! sorry irc you get only 4 chili cuz these tires will obviously wear out faster than im gonna be willin to toss them the sidewalls are scary thin but not weak AND.... the fact that thay arent tubelss already
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Submitted by
James Howery
a Downhiller
from prescott, AZ Date Reviewed: September 9, 2001
Favorite Trail:
12moh/Northstar
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$34.00
Purchased At:
bikesmith, Prescott, AZ
Strengths:
fairly hard(compared to racing tires that were on my hardtail), big knobs, good sidwall(again, comparing to my racing tires)
Weaknesses:
doesn't seem to grip very well, and it is not very big either. I am comparing with a set of 2.0 Hutchinson Mosquitos that were on the bike before, they are a minimalist tire with real thin sidewalls and small knobs, however maybe it was the tread compound or the fact that the hutchinson had more "surface area" in contact with th trail, because it seemed to climb much better and not break away nearly as much. The Backcountry is also just barely as big as the 2.0 hutchinson, which has smaller knobs. This means that it has a slightly smaller "volume" or casing-width than the hutchinson as well. Preformance in loose sand is ok, not better than the Hutch either(there are a few good places with sand around here).
Similar Products Used:
V-raptors, tioga psychos, tioga DH, ritchey zmax, bonty superx, hutch mosquitos, conti vert pros, irc kujos, kenda kolossal, specialized umma gumma, and others from way back when.
Bike Setup:
Mongoose NX hardtail.
Bottom Line:
Overall I am semi-dissapointed, I bought it because I needed something that would stand up to abuse and the rocks better than my racing tires. The tire will do this, but its handling charactoristics don't blow me away, and the traction is lacking for some reason. The width is not super impressive either.
Possibly a good tire, but nothing that will blow you away.
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Submitted by
madcat
a Cross Country Rider
from sitborice, Czech Republic Date Reviewed: March 6, 2001
Favorite Trail:
kloboucky les
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$17.00
Purchased At:
hobby sport, Brno
Strengths:
low price, great look, perfect performance in sand, mud and other soft conditions....also quite lightweight
Weaknesses:
wears pretty quickly, not as fat as 2,25" should be, it's a hell riding them od roads......huuuuuge rolling resistance and very noisy.....people are looking into the skies, searching for some aircraft flying by......no! that's me riding by!!! :o)
btw: who would ride tires like these on roads anyway???
Similar Products Used:
bontrager jones
Bike Setup:
schwinn mesa gs, shimano stx, rst 261
Bottom Line:
very good for the money you spend, but there are many better tires, for more bucks, of course....
if you ride on wood trails with lots of technical stuff, get them
if you are a racer or xc rider, avoid them, they won't satisfy you!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sketchy
a Weekend Warrior
from Seattle Date Reviewed: February 11, 2001
Wallet lite and in desparate need of tires? Buy these. They are the best $15 tires in the world. Expect performance, grip, wear? Pass these buy.
In the wet or when the trail is tacky, these perform acceptably. In the dry and loose, I give these things a one word review: TEFLON. At speed, turn hard-over and you'll discover all sorts of flora and fauna on the outside of the corner you just blew out of.
Folks, this is a bargain tire, not a performance tire.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick Sparks
a Weekend Warrior
from Gloucestershire, England Date Reviewed: January 29, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
Noah's Ark, Chalford
Strengths:
well spaced chunky tread on a wide body
Similar Products Used:
Mythos, Velociraptor
Bike Setup:
'99 Attack Trail - mostly stock
Bottom Line:
A good all round tyre for the muddy tracks around here. Clears much better than the velociraptor I used to have, and seems to have more grip especialliy on climbs (I used to get problems spinning out when the Velociraptor got clogged). So far tried this on snow & ice (nothing works on ice!) as well as wet mud and loose conditions. Great on leaf covered tracks, where the spread out tread lumps seem to dig through and grip much better than other tyres. I was thinking about a pure mud tyre, but these looked better for more varied trails, and so far they've been great. I got the steels - the weight saving of kevlar would be more than balanced by an extra couple of pints the night before.
Ideal for UK winter with lots of mud and leaves on the trails, and fairly cheap for the UK - £25 a pair for steel. Don't know yet how they'll last, but no sign of wear after about 70 miles
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Luke Hyslop
a Racer
from New Zealand Date Reviewed: January 25, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
Local shop
Strengths:
Extremely good in mud, soft clay and sand - anything it can dig itself into. Light for its size (2.25)
Weaknesses:
A shocker on pavement or anything hard - not enough surface area. Seems to be wearing fairly fast.
Similar Products Used:
Tioga Psychos, Panaracer fire XC 1.8, Verdistein S-LICKS.
Bike Setup:
Got the 2.25 model on the front.
Bottom Line:
Great for most terrain. Not ideal for hard surfaces. Is a good general purpose tyre.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Flip Z-Bird
a Weekend Warrior
from Tempe, Az. Date Reviewed: January 25, 2001
Favorite Trail:
What ever one I pick to ride.
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
Local "Aventure" Bike shop
Strengths:
This is a great front tire I got the 2.1 Kev. Backcountry tire it is light and sticks to the sand and rocky trails GREAT! Much better then my old Continental 2.3 Virtical Pro that I was riding?
Weaknesses:
I did not find out about the IRC Backcountry before I paid $50 for the Conti's.
Similar Products Used:
You name it?
Bike Setup:
Two wheels on a F/S bike that really goes fast down the wild trails. Yee Ha!
Bottom Line:
For riding in Arizonia the IRC Backcountry 2.1 Kev. in the front and a IRC Mythosxc 2,1 Kev. Rear tire is the best set up that I have found for do it all (out of bounds) riding. They hooked up so much better in the sand and rocks then my old tires ever did? Try them and you will give them the "5" little flamin' hot Chilies too!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stephen
a
from New Zealand Date Reviewed: January 10, 2001
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At:
locally
Strengths:
amazing in the mud, rolling resistance seems very good compared to my old Specialised 1.95 tyres
Weaknesses:
fast wear on the back tyre
Similar Products Used:
Specialised stock tyres with bike
Bike Setup:
Specialised HT, Manitou SXR forks
Bottom Line:
For the price I don't think these can be beaten. I have ridden them on road, mud, sand, gravel (loose rock), roots - almost everywhere and I have no complaints.
The tyre walls looked weak and bulgy when installed but they have stood up well with no cuts yet.
When the rear wears out I will replace it with the same.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jim K
a Weekend Warrior
from Boston, MA Date Reviewed: September 20, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Any trail
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$16.00
Purchased At:
Super Go
Strengths:
Price Light weight for their size
Weaknesses:
Orange sidewalls
Similar Products Used:
IRC Mythos 2.1
Bike Setup:
Cannondale SuperVee 1000 FR w/Mavic CrossLink wheels and Hayes hydraulic disc brakes
Bottom Line:
After wearing out the original IRC Mythos tires on my Cannondale, I wanted something a little bit bigger, but still light in weight. These tires seem to fit the bill, though I do feel a difference in acceleration between the Mythos and BackCountry (slower). Cost was cheap, when bought on sale at Super Go. Here in New England, I ride a lot of root covered and rocky trails. I've run these tires through our "mud season", in freshly fallen snow (about 4") covering the trails, and paved bike paths. Under all of these conditions, the tires have performed well. I flipped the back tire around for better traction. After 1 year of use, there is some noticeable wear, more so, on the back tire. If the back tire wears out before the front, then perhaps the best setup maybe a BackCountry on the front and a Mythos on the rear.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
el-dino
a Racer
from New Mexico&Arizona Date Reviewed: September 5, 2000
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Low weight for a 2.25" tire
Weaknesses:
Weak (scary) front traction; weak rear traction over losely packed and rocky trails
Similar Products Used:
many
Bike Setup:
X/C FS
Bottom Line:
Due to my 6'4", 230 lbs. I prefer tire sizes around 2.3" The IRC Back Country was initially appealing to me due to its low weight. But it turned out to be not a good choice in my case, riding in sandy and rocky terrain most of the time. A great tire for riding on the front lawn, maybe.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
john
a
from costa mesa, calif Date Reviewed: July 28, 2000
Favorite Trail:
no one in particular
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
radial profile, spacing of knobss, cohesion on most surfaces, high threshold when rolled over, can take a good hit.
Weaknesses:
Weight....
Similar Products Used:
pana XC Pro, Specialized Team Control, IRC Mythos & Notos.
Bike Setup:
using a Backcountry in the front and a pana XC Pro in the rear.
Bottom Line:
nice tire for most all conditions.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan DaPhilosopherSlave
a Cross Country Rider
from Coquitlam, B.C. Canada Date Reviewed: May 19, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Dentist
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
-Excellent in mud, rocky, sandy -Super Light with 2.25 -Cheap
Weaknesses:
-Weak sidewall, scary 2 use 4 rear
Similar Products Used:
Hutchinson Mosquito, Alligator, Python Nokian Gazzut Panaracer Fire XC Pro
Bike Setup:
Cannondale V800, XT/LX
Bottom Line:
With this price, this is the best tire ive ever tried. its good in everywhere, except fast turning. super light, nice color 2. but if u can pay $10 more, go panaracer xc pro 2.1
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
taylor burnette
a Downhiller
from Kennesaw ga us Date Reviewed: May 3, 2000
Favorite Trail:
nut grabber
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
wide i question 2.25 but still decent enought pretty fast wear pretty slow pretty light cheap cheap cheap
Weaknesses:
not wide enough for extreme dh no sidewall protection it is like xc and dh had a bay and it takes after its mother
Similar Products Used:
factory dh, hot s, kujo
Bike Setup:
gt lts hi-5 ,mrp, ryhno lite ,tioga dh now hs 33
Bottom Line:
pretty decent tire for the cash very decent for the cash 16 each can't beat that with a stick
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Flea Bag
a Weekend Warrior
from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Date Reviewed: February 5, 2000
Favorite Trail:
Anything on Mt. Cootha
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Good all round grippy buggers. Will bite onto anything and give great control.... etc. etc.
Weaknesses:
High rolling resistance (particulary on the road)
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Dirt Master Comp Kevlar
Bike Setup:
Avanti Aggressor
Bottom Line:
A well priced, rugged tire that loves a thrashing! They may slide out a little at high speed but always correct nicely under breaks. It will literally bite onto anything!!!
Get some and then get more 'cause they're sooooo cheap!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rob
a Cross Country Rider
from Mesa, AZ, USA Date Reviewed: January 17, 2000
Favorite Trail:
National
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Traction, weight.
Weaknesses:
No bad weaknesses that I've found
Similar Products Used:
Mythos XC, Velociraptor, Enduroraptor, Tioga DH.
Bike Setup:
K2 OZ M Carbon Fiber--XTR Marzocchi Z1 Bomber CR.
Bottom Line:
These tires seemed to be great. I haven't used them as long as I have some, but they seem to hold up and are a lot lighter than the Tioga DH.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Vader
a Cross-Country Rider
from McMinnville,Oregon Date Reviewed: October 16, 1999
Favorite Trail:
classified
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
light weight, widely spaced knobs shed mud and punch through leaves and other trail irregularities to find traction
Weaknesses:
not 2.2's, more like 2.0's, Whatever happened to blackwalls?
Similar Products Used:
just about every tire since 86 ('cept slicks)
Bike Setup:
Rocky Mountain Element Race, Fox Vanilla R with MountainSpeed rear spring. Marzocchi Z1`
Bottom Line:
So far, so good. A little sqirmy at first but once they bed in the feeling dissapears. I run these on the front and back with the rear flipped around. I perfer a round profile instead of the square profile of most rear specific treads. I find the round profile fits in the twisty singletrack better. The knobs are widly spaced and it looks like these could be the most awesome mud tire around. The perfect tire for the terrain here in Oregon. Five stars if they were true 2.2's
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ben
a Racer
from Hanover, NH Date Reviewed: October 7, 1999
Favorite Trail:
Closed section of the AT
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
They are big.
Weaknesses:
For how big they are, they suck.
Similar Products Used:
Tioga factory DH
Bike Setup:
GT Avalanche LE Marzocchi A-bomb Bonty Crow
Bottom Line:
They should be called the BackDoor because that's where IRC can go shove them. Seriously, get a pair of Tioga Factory DH's. They kick the bejesus out of those IRC backdoor pieces of trash. Better yet, buy Michelin HOT-S. 2 flamers for the backdoor tires because they are 2.3 so you can't go totally wrong.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jeff Dudka
a Racer
from K-Town, Ontario Date Reviewed: July 21, 1999
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
biulds confidence!!!! WIDE...VERY WIDE!!!! good turning...amazing braking.. good in every terrain!!! chunky look!!! available in steel or kevlar bead.
Weaknesses:
wear on the road quite quickly. your friends want them after they see them!! what other weaknesses
you have to ride these tires to believe them!!! you'll take turns faster, ride rough DH's faster, climb with more traction and feel cool..
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
shiggy
a Cross-Country Rider
from veneta oregon Date Reviewed: May 11, 1999
Favorite Trail:
mad river
Duration Product Used:
less than 1 month
Strengths:
fairly light sheds mud well so far good overall traction
Weaknesses:
not as wide as claimed rear tire slides out under hard braking (but not too bad)
Similar Products Used:
WTB Tyranoraptor IRC Missle too many others to list (Ihave about 20 pairs of tires)
Bike Setup:
VooDoo single speed, full rigid
Bottom Line:
I bought these tires as a lighter weight, wide tire alternative to the Tyranorapters. They are lighter but are also narrower (2.0 for the IRC vs 2.125 for the WTB.) Traction is good even in mud and they have cleared better than most general XC tires I have tried and much better than the WTBs in the mud in all regards. Outright traction is not as good as the WTBs though. I haveyet to use them in total dry conditions yet. Overall a good tire. A keeper.
Overall Rating:
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