The IRC Mythos XC II has helped countless riders scramble to the top of their favorite single-track...and their local podium. Speed with predictability.
Submitted by
Taocat
a Cross Country Rider
from Papillion, NE Date Reviewed: September 30, 2009
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
Price Point
Strengths:
These tires are fast - I've had my most successful season yet racing on these tires. Shed mud well and haven't had any trouble getting traction on loose gravel.
I've raced a full season (9 XC races) plus training (on and off pavement) on these tires. They've worn well and and I've only had 1 flat (and not during a race). I haven't experienced any real traction problems (other than I would expect given the conditions) or flats. Overall I found this to be a good value on fast tires!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mtbbiker@heart
a Cross Country Rider
from Corona Date Reviewed: September 10, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Hurkey Creek
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At:
Various LBS
Strengths:
Great price, light tire, holds up very well
Weaknesses:
Not a good tire for wet/muddy conditions
Bike Setup:
Trek Fuel 95, XT component set
Bottom Line:
I ride in So Cal where the conditions are dry 90%+ of the year. I find this tire set great for the rocky, and loose conditions. I have been using these tires for 8 years now. They hold up extremely well, but you will lose knobs as the tire ages (time to replace), but at their price point it won't break the bank. Overall, I would recommend these tires if you are planning to ride mostly in dry rocky (or loose rocky) conditions.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
muzza
a Cross Country Rider
from Date Reviewed: August 4, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Tranqulity Base
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$38.00
Purchased At:
Price Point
Strengths:
That price is was a pair. I got a 1.9 rear specific and a 2.1 front specific. Superb cornering. Deep treads for smallervolume tires. Relatively light rolling resistance, given deep tread.
My first try with rear & front specific tires. Very pleased. Not as fast as my skinny Ritcheys, but almost... and they grip hella better in the corners. I forget they are there, which means they're perfect so far. Will wait & see on mud performance.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
debusama
a Cross Country Rider
from Spokane, Wa Date Reviewed: July 12, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Riverside state park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$13.00
Purchased At:
Pricepoint
Strengths:
relativly light and fast, predictability, control, climbing & stopping ability,price.
Weaknesses:
slick when wet.
Similar Products Used:
Kenda Karma
Bike Setup:
Jamis Dakar
Bottom Line:
I had been riding on Karma DTC tires for a while before I decided to change them out. Since both are XC race tires, the karmas are the best thing I have to which to compare them:
The Mythos II, although not as light and the tread is obviously much deeper, only feel slightly heavier/slower, if at all. The climbing and breaking traction in loose dirt is noticeably better. Neither tire hooks up well while cornering or at high speeds in sand and gravel, and if you hit a loose patch you quickly get a squirrelly floating feeling. This, I’m afraid, is just the way it goes when riding a light/fast XC tire. The difference, and where I think having deeper tread and a front/back specific tire is useful, is that despite the fact that you feel as though you are floating on the sand, you don’t loose all control, and if you don’t try to make too evasive a turn, changes in direction are possible while sliding. On the Karmas, the only option was to point the wheel forward and hope to hit some solid ground before a change in direction becomes imperative. On rocks, the Karmas stick like Velcro whether wet or dry, the Mythos II gets a little slick when wet.
If you live in an area where thorns aren’t too big a problem, and you want a good, cheap general-purpose XC tire, this is it.
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Submitted by
FSRXC COMP
a Cross Country Rider
from Connecticut Date Reviewed: May 11, 2009
Favorite Trail:
West Hart Reservoir
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At:
blueskycycling.com
Strengths:
Fast Rolling, Lightweight
Weaknesses:
Mud, Wet
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Resolution, Specialized Captain, Specialized Roll X
Bike Setup:
Specialized XC Comp/Avatar Race Saddle/IRC mythos xcII/Big AL 130mm stem/Stumpy Seatpost/semi pads/RS Tora Air Fork 100mm with XFusion rear shock(stock)
Bottom Line:
These tires are great for fast cross country if your main goal is light and FAST pedaling. The ride is not supple compared to large volume casings, but noteably fast due to lightweight (less than 500g).
If the trails get moist or wet, caution is needed in order to not wash out. If you have a measure of skill and experience you will be fine though.
Climbing ok, slips at times, requires the lowering of body center of gravity to maintain on steep climbs, but CAN BE DONE. OK on rocks, not the best, but fair.
All in All perfect for price and dry XC trails, FAST. Thats about it.
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Submitted by
grantheppes
a Cross Country Rider
from Richmond, Virginia, USA Date Reviewed: November 23, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Michael Faraday Trail
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
www.pedalshop.com
Strengths:
It's a cheap tire.
Weaknesses:
It's a cheap tire.
Bottom Line:
So many small punctures, the knobs on the tread are getting ripped off. Horrible traction, tend to slip on most steep uphills.
I would only use them to resell a bike/if your gonna use it on the street. Any trail use is pointless. Save your money and get something nicer for about 15-20 dollars more.
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Submitted by
JasonPuett
a Cross Country Rider
from Meriden, Kansas, USA Date Reviewed: October 14, 2008
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At:
Pricepoint
Strengths:
Cheap Kevlar beaded tire, folding, decent rolling resistance.
Weaknesses:
No cornering capability
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Fire, Panaracer Smoke, Panaracer Dart
Bottom Line:
Save your money for a better set of tires unless you are replacing your good tires when you are selling a bike. I have had to many times that my bikes have skidded due to these tires. They are great for light ridding in dry conditions, but if you are looking for a tire for serious riding, look somewhere else.
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Submitted by
nrohluap
a Cross Country Rider
from Walnut, CA Date Reviewed: September 5, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Anything fast & fun
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
Price Point
Strengths:
Light for a high volume / big knob tire. Seems to be wearing well.
Weaknesses:
Skittish cornering. Rear tire "rotation direction" is backward.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Fire XC Pro (2.1 and 1.8), Michelin XCR Dry2
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz superlight. Used on both XTR / Bontrager Valiant and XT/Mavic 717 wheelsets.
Bottom Line:
This is the first "front/rear" specific set I've used in a while. Not overly impressed. Maybe the Panaracers spoiled me for cornering, but these just don't inspire confidence.
The front tire likes to drift and wash out more than the Panaracers and even the Michelins. Takes its own line on occasion. Braking is pretty good, and control on rocky trails / downhills is decent as long as the trail is straight :-O
The rear tire also will drift in corners. Using it with the "rotation direction" indicated on the sidewall results in spinning and digging in on any climb with loose material (soil, sand, gravel, rocks ....). Turning the tire around was like night & day - it grips far better and I haven't had it just spin & stop the climb like it does the other way. Cornering seems slightly affected, but I'd rather have the rear drift a little more than the front anyway.
Overall, with the rear tire reversed, they're OK. Going back to Panaracers next time.
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Submitted by
Luke
a Cross Country Rider
from Texas Date Reviewed: August 20, 2008
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$12.00
Purchased At:
Online
Strengths:
Very fast on dry surface and low rolling resistance on that ground. Strong against flats. Rubber is very durable.
Weaknesses:
Very (!!!) bad on loose stones/rocks. If the surface is wet oder muddy this tire is one of the badest tyres I ever had.
Bike Setup:
Scott Scale 70
Bottom Line:
I used the tire just for 3 month and after the first ride on them I experienced that I missed already my Michelin A.T. that I used before.
Now I use the Michelin MUD Country - cheaper and much (!!!) better on wet conditions and loose stones.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
buddh0
a Cross Country Rider
from Chapel Hill, NC Date Reviewed: August 19, 2008
Favorite Trail:
CHHS, Shindagin Hollow
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At:
Performance
Strengths:
Light, good traction, good feel
Weaknesses:
Thin - some issues with punctures
Similar Products Used:
Velociraptors, whatever came on my old mongoose walmart bike
Bike Setup:
Schwinn mesa gs, xt front and rear derailleurs, minute 2 fork
Bottom Line:
I can't understand why Velociraptors have a higher score than the mythos xc II's. These blow the raptors out of the water as far as I'm concerned - they are lighter, handle better in everything but heavy mud, corner better, and just overall feel better. I ride harder and feel more confident on the trails with these. Granted, I'm not an expert rider, and I'm sure there are better tires out there, but for my purposes (and the price) these are fantastic tires.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Philip
a Cross Country Rider
from Houston, Texas Date Reviewed: August 8, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Barton Creek
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$10.00
Purchased At:
Performance
Strengths:
Light. Rear tread designs provides sufficient traction on climbing.
Weaknesses:
Could be a litte wider.
Similar Products Used:
Bontrager XC, WTB Velociraptor
Bike Setup:
Trek 6000
Bottom Line:
Good tires for the money ($10). Noticed a significant improvement in rear climbing traction over my Bontragers. Front tire also gives me more confidence on turns.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
lewdvig
a Cross Country Rider
from Calgary, AB, Canada Date Reviewed: July 2, 2008
Favorite Trail:
All of them
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
Came on bike
Strengths:
Light - perfect for weight weenies that ride on bike paths. Low rolling resistance.
Weaknesses:
When trails were wet, these things were scary to ride. Riding off camber trails, roots and rocks felt like Russian roulette. Then in the dry, anything other than hardpack was equally scary. Are they really 2.0?
Similar Products Used:
20 years of tires - all kinds.
Bike Setup:
Mongoose Canaan Elite
Bottom Line:
I can't understand the positive reviews. On a real rocky mountain trail, tires like these will get you killed or airlifted tied to a body board.
My front tire washed out riding in a straight line at 40-50 kph on a rocky descent. I've never had anything like that happen before in my life... although lately I have had a lot of close calls. Basically it all started when I started using these tires.
My leg looks like a bio experiment.
Use some common sense and get tires that work. On anything other than groomed trails - red shale like you find in city parks - I would stay away from these.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Zomb1e
a Cross Country Rider
from St-Petersburg, Russia Date Reviewed: January 16, 2008
Favorite Trail:
any single track
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
local bike shop
Strengths:
moderately light, great price, good cornering and rolling for front, excellent climbing for rear, looks pretty with amber walls
Beautiful price - I don't know any other acceptable tire for that $$. Unexpectively good rolling on hardpack for full-knobbed front tire and pretty cornering even on wet surfaces (guys who are speaking about poor controllability of this tire in mud should upgrade their skills, not their tires). Rear tire is amazing for climbing, but rolls on hard surface not so smooth as front. Self-purification from mud and even snow is above the average for both tires. My frame is silver with orange and I should mention, that my bike looks beatiful with these tires' amber walls. These tires seems to be heavy enough for pure XC, especially with wire in 2.1, but I think they are quite suitable for trailriding, and sweet price makes them beyond comparison. In places where I ride there are no thorns, so I can't say anything about this. But I can assume, that this in not the only surface, where you shouldn't use this tires. Rocky conditions can cause damage to the tires' thin walls. 4 chili value due to weight, 5 chili overall.
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Submitted by
TIMUGEN MANAYON
a Cross Country Rider
from ILO-ILO CITY PHILS. Date Reviewed: January 4, 2007
Favorite Trail:
on and off road - XC race
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
trn oton
Strengths:
so thick but very strength!
Weaknesses:
right brand names only,i wish next edition of mythos there will be left and right brand names so that they can easily recognizes to other riders.
Similar Products Used:
continental explorer, specialized hemisphire EX and duro raider.
Bike Setup:
2006 SCOTT SCALE 10, GTS alpha CL fork, SHIMANO DEORE set-up and GT MOTO, RST GILA DA forks,shimano alivio set-up.
Bottom Line:
very good tire especially on and off road race, i like the way he move on rocks its so fast and low friction on road... this is the best tire for XC race!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dana
a Weekend Warrior
from Kentucky Date Reviewed: November 30, 2006
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$10.00
Purchased At:
Clearance sale from Performance
Strengths:
Light feel. Cool tread. Also the price was right.
Weaknesses:
The tire seems a tad thin but it's a folding tire and I usually have a wire bead.
Similar Products Used:
Velociraptor
Bike Setup:
Raleigh M80 It's not the bike's fault that I'm slow.
Bottom Line:
A nimble feeling tire. I have the front specific and it tracks well in either wet or dry soil conditions. Mine seems to shed the mud pretty good. Certainly better than the velociraptor and a much lighter feel. The trails where I ride have a wide variety of surfaces from blacktop to gravel, sand to mud and I've got nothing but good things to say about this tire.I have a Mythos rear specific on the back and this makes for a nice combination. I give it 2 claps and a big 5 Flamin' Chilis.
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Submitted by
Stephen Hawkins
a Cross Country Rider
from UK Date Reviewed: October 24, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Leith Hill
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
COme with Bike
Strengths:
Very light, low rolling resistance on tarmac. OK on sand and gravel
Weaknesses:
Cant do mud of any type. Cannot corner at all if the surface is slightly damp
Similar Products Used:
Smoke, Dart, Cinders
Bike Setup:
Marin Mount Vision 2005
Bottom Line:
Crud. Possibly the most useless tyre I've ever used. Not good at all for UK conditions. Slips on damp tarmac, slides out on the towpath, slips in mud. Even a cheap set of pretend mountain bike tyres from a Huffy would work better
Swapped to Panaracer Cinders, which are sooooo much better in every way possible except wear and roll resistance on tarmac (but still good) its like a new bike now
This tyre is only of use on bone dry fairly hard and smooth surfaces, that you dont need to corner hard on. Front is by far the worse of the two tyres
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian Vize
a Cross Country Rider
from Dubuque Date Reviewed: August 27, 2006
Favorite Trail:
FDR Park- Dubuque
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Scheel's Coralville,Ia
Strengths:
Very fast on hardpack, paved and fire roads, etc. Didn't wash out on greesy corners. Very nimble and light makes for a very fast all around tire.
Weaknesses:
A little thinner than I like at 1.95.Sidewall names and words could be a little less bold.
Similar Products Used:
Veloceraptor
Bike Setup:
Fisher Sugar 3+, Duke xc, Fox float R, Hayes disc, Lizard skins clap-on grips, xt comp, Bontrager race lite rims
Bottom Line:
Excellent tires for fast trails and fast rides. Definate recommendation.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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