Submitted by
Rootfreak
a Cross Country Rider
from Houston Date Reviewed: September 13, 2009
Favorite Trail:
BCGB
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
Craigslist
Strengths:
These are light tires. They grip very well too; traction is consistent and never a problem. I got them cheap, but for their weight and reliability, I think they're a good deal.
Weaknesses:
None to speak of.
Similar Products Used:
Crap
Bike Setup:
Specialized S-Works M4 with all the fixins.
Bottom Line:
I got these tires lightly used, and they've performed marvelously. They are good at a number of different surfaces with their only real weakness being small loose gravel (at high speed). These are definitely xc tires. They can take speed and rough stuff but not so much together. They like rocks, but at slow speeds and they love flying up and own singletrack. I would definitely not be cheap and buy this tire new again when the current set wears out.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mtbracer4
a Racer
from Hatfield, Mass Date Reviewed: July 4, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Nipmunk
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
given to me through
Strengths:
grips very well in new england, even the the wet. very light and fast.
Weaknesses:
side wall kinda thin but its where u save some of your weight.
Similar Products Used:
kenda nevegel
Bike Setup:
Ironhorse MKIII comp, Jamis Dakota Elite
Bottom Line:
very good race tire, light, low rolling resistance, good grip in dry or wet conditions.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
pipexp
a Cross Country Rider
from Temuco, Chile Date Reviewed: May 21, 2009
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$30.00
Strengths:
Really good traction in dry terrains, in mud very good too.
low rolling resisnace, and very light.
Weaknesses:
spent quickly.
Bottom Line:
Rides very well on all terrains types. When you go fast on road sound really cool.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
scott k
a Cross Country Rider
from Seattle Date Reviewed: August 15, 2008
Favorite Trail:
United States
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Light weight.
Weaknesses:
Very unstable (squirrelly).
Bike Setup:
XC full.
Bottom Line:
I'm a causal racer, 150/5'9 riding full suspension XC. My friend gave a pair of Karma's to me because he said the were "a little squirrelly" for him. I thought my standards for tire handling were low enough to easily tolerate squirrelly. I was wrong. In all but some very specific conditions these tires should be considered hazardous for people who turn.
I've never ridden a mtb tire so unstable. I have no idea what's going on but I'll take some guesses. As people have mentioned in other reviews of this tire, there is a seemingly very thin sidewall, this might affect turning stability. There is also a large gap between the center tread blocks and the outer tread blocks, this might also be causing problems. Finally, the shape of the outer blocks is a little strange, sloping to the outside, I wonder if this also contributes to instability in turns.
Anyhow, I'm giving a rating of 2 because I've only ridden these tires a couple of times so I can't make the rating a definitive 1. No, I'm not giving them a second chance, they're being passed on to some other "friend".
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ride247forLife
a Weekend Warrior
from Peoria, AZ, USA Date Reviewed: July 30, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Black Canyon
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
came on bike
Strengths:
pretty good traction on dry tracks
Weaknesses:
super weak sidewalls
Similar Products Used:
kenda komodos
Bike Setup:
Mongoose Canaan Elite
Bottom Line:
Not a bad tire minus blowin through the sidewalls after only three months of riding. good traction but the sidewall weakness is a major concern. 4 for value 3 for the overall rating
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rum Runner
a Cross Country Rider
from Val-Des-Monts,Quebec,Canada Date Reviewed: July 22, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Outback,Kanata,Ontario
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
Friend
Strengths:
Light (425g,2.0),Grips great when dry on all but roots and loose gravel. Reasonable price for a race tire. Surprised me in mud and wet sand/soil.
Weaknesses:
Very poor on wet roots. OK on wet rocks.
Similar Products Used:
Kenda Nevegals, Panaracer XC Fire Pro, Nokian NBX.
Bike Setup:
07 GT i-Drive 4.4.0, 08 Fox 100RLC, Easton EC90 XC Bar, Foam Grips(18g ea), Selle San Marco Ponza seat, Tubes Continental MTB (93g ea).
Bottom Line:
Newbie to Racing. 5'4", 150 lbs. Bought this tire end of season last year and been racing it all this year.
This tire is a great racing tire. When its dry I am really surprised how well it hooks up. It gets pretty dicey when on wet roots. Packed forest soil corners are very grippy.
Local race is Canadian Shield on a ski hill. Lots of rocks/roots. Technical Climbs on rocks/roots.
I find this tires get AWSOME grip when I run them at around 25 psi but due to the nature of our local XC course I am finding I need to run around 35 psi for pinch flat protection when racing. At higher pressure when racing I have to concentrate on my line/momentum and keeping my butt on the seat on technical climbs.
I am a slow climber but I make a ton of time up on the downhills. I let it all hang out so they can handle it a bit rough. I am riding FS though with a decent front fork.
Raced Summer Solstice 24 hr race. Had rain at night and managed not to fall. Other riders going down all over the place, some with mud tires, so the Karmas surprised me. Also made wet STEEP sandy power climbs.
Wear has been good. I expect to get the whole season out of these tires plus two 24 hr solo rides. Knobs only showing very little wear, no lost knobs for over half a season racing/riding(say 50-60 hrs hard riding)
Bottom Line. I love this tire as a racing tire. Altho sometimes a bit squirly, if you have the confidence to keep pedaling they seemed to eventually hook up. Only time I am a bit cautious is on angled wet roots. I have ordered a second set so I have spares :)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Daffunda
a Cross Country Rider
from MI Date Reviewed: July 6, 2008
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
Low rolling resistance - when ran tubeless with stans.
Pretty good grip - when ran tubeless with stans with low pressure.
Super light - 450g for 2.0.
Weaknesses:
Grip is nonexistent if you run with tubes with 30+ PSI.
When putting stans in, it will take a while for the tire to seal, due to thin sidewalls. But that's the tradeoff to a lighter weight.
Similar Products Used:
Exiwolf
Bike Setup:
Titus RX
Bottom Line:
This is an XC tire. Run this with stans with lightweight rims. Put tubes on it, and the grip is nonexistent.
I thought about ditching this tire before I decided to stan it. Before stans, I was running 30psi. Grip sucks, bad tire, outright dangerous.
After stans, 23psi, grip is great, low rolling resistance. A really great tire.
If you're putting stans in, do it when it is new. Thin sidewalls will take a while for the stans to seal it up, and it will take quite some time for it to stop leaking air.
Rating is with tubeless stans setup. I would give this tire 1 chili if I was running with tubges.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mick Procovich
a Weekend Warrior
from Hutto, Texas, USA Date Reviewed: June 1, 2008
Favorite Trail:
City Park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$35.00
Strengths:
Low rolling resistance, surprising versatility in varying conditions, can run extremely low pressures with Stan's No Tube kit. This tire has amazing climbing ability for a general purpose looking tread pattern.
Weaknesses:
I had the rear wash out around a reducing radius with very low pressures ~20psi. 25+ psi of air cured the wash out problem.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Fire, Smokes, Darts, Hutchinson Alligators, Michelin DH soft, Onza Porcupines and other old school stuff I'm not going to list.
Bike Setup:
2000 Giant XtC, XT components, Rock Shox Reba Race 100mm with lock, Rocks Shox SID XC rear shock 80mm, Avid mechanical disks, Stan's No Tube kit with 26” Kenda Karma 2.2 aired to about 25-30psi.
Bottom Line:
I currently ride trails around the Austin TX area, so mostly hard pack, rocky, some sandy and slimy creek crossings. City Park http://www.austinbike.com/mtb/citypark/index.asp and Walnut Creek ride areas are two of my favorites although very different. No mud compared to the PA spring thaw that I was used to so I can not comment of the Kenda 2.2's in the mud.
Curt from Curt's Cyclery, Nazareth, PA (one of the few people in the world I would trust my life to) suggested this tire to me afer describing the riding conditions here in the Austin Tx area. I'd say he hit it pretty much on the money. I read a lot of negatives about this tire when used with tubes. Even though the 26" Kenda Karma 2.2 is not designed as a tubeless tire, I'd have to say the Stan's No tube kit makes this tire perform as designed. With no tubes, the paper thin Kenda sidewalls have a chance to work similar to the racing slicks on my drag car. When aired down to the 25-30 psi range, they wrinkle, grab and bite on anything they touch and still roll pretty good. On loose rocky hard pack stepped climbs like City Park Motorcycle Trail, I could feel the rocks bumping the rim through the tire and of course no flats since no tubes to pinch. I did add a bit more air after feeling the rim but the traction at that low of an air pressure was simply awesome.
This tire also handles road work pretty good too for short periods of time. After about 20 miles of road riding, you will be wishing you took your road bike out and left the mountain bike at home. This tire allows me to ride the mountain bike on the road with my wife, or jump into the off road aggressive trails with my friends.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jonathan Halliwell
a Cross Country Rider
from Wellington, New Zealand Date Reviewed: December 15, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Karapoti
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Came with bike
Strengths:
Light! Works great as a tubeless tyre too. 'Big' volume tyre for a 2.0
Weaknesses:
A bit sketchy in loose dry surface on hardpack.
Similar Products Used:
WTB Weirwolf, IRC Mythos, Conti Explorer & Twister Pro
Bike Setup:
07 Mongoose Canaan Elite, stock except for Mavic 819 tubeless wheelset and Shimano SPDs.
Bottom Line:
I'd desribe myself as an aggressive XC rider/racer and I really like this tyre so far. Running it tubeless makes for a very light setup and has performed flawlessly so far running tubeless at about 30psi. Wear is average and it does lose some traction on dry loose surface hardpack when climbing.
I haven't used this tyre in wet conditions yet, I'd be inclined to swap to something more aggressive for Winter.
Big for a 2.0, bigger than a 2.1 Conti or Weirwolf.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick
a Cross Country Rider
from Kapiti, NZ Date Reviewed: November 4, 2007
Favorite Trail:
mungatuks
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Free with the bike? Litle resistance on road Folding bead is a breeze to remove Lightweight
Weaknesses:
Weak sidewalls! These do not like low pressure at all and felt like they were about to roll of the rim at anything less than 40psi. Dont inspire confidence in any conditions. Knobs are not ramped, i would expect more at this price.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Enduro, Fastrak, Crossroads
Bike Setup:
07 Mongoose Canaan Elite
Bottom Line:
I have already replaced these. While there are some positives, the incredibly weak sidewalls write it off. They cannot handle remotely low pressures at all. Feel like they are gona roll off on every corner.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Myc.O Garcia
a Cross Country Rider
from Bacolod Philippines Date Reviewed: October 25, 2007
Favorite Trail:
tubes tae
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$8.00
Purchased At:
Standard bike shop owned by sally
Strengths:
Has a very low rolling resistance... Both good on offroad and road. The stck e provides very good grips on uphill and corners..
Weaknesses:
none
Similar Products Used:
Continental explorer, twister.. Wtb raptor. Specialized fast trak, Roll x, TEam master, adrenaline
Bike Setup:
Gt i drive 3.0
Bottom Line:
For me these tires are the best. i used it for quite some time and i am very satisfied by its performance.. It is very indeed cheap but the quality of these tires is above its cost.. I am happy that i bought these tires and i recommend it to other fellow bikers who wants a tire that is affordable and as well quality made. For me kenda tires are the best ever..
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from AZ Date Reviewed: October 8, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Seemed light and pretty fast on pavement.
Weaknesses:
Scary on anything loose. Get some health insurance.
Bottom Line:
These came with my new bike but I'm swapping out for the Nevegals and thorn resistant tubes from my other bike before I ride again. I'll take the extra weight over a Medivac ride. The Karma's just don't handle any angle and cornering makes you concentrate on not sliding off the trail/eating sand at speeds you don't even think about with a "normal" trail tire. Climbing was pretty loose too. These tires don't fit my "style". What that is, I don't know but simple desert foothills riding was a bust with these.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan
a Cross Country Rider
from Riverview, FL Date Reviewed: September 16, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Abyss
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$27.00
Purchased At:
Jenson usa
Strengths:
Low rolling resistance, decent grip
Weaknesses:
Weak sidewalls,
Similar Products Used:
everything......
Bike Setup:
Giant trance1, Easton EC70 MX, I9 Wheels, Thomson 90mm Stem, thomson masterpiece seat post, race face gears and bash guard.
Bottom Line:
These things are a great racing tire. They react quickly and as expected on hard pack. Sand is another story they roll straight but any variation fron straight and you can feel them washing out. As long as it is hard pack, these are the tire to go with. They are only 480g and they roll fast and are great in climbs. Just stay away from wet roots if you can. They are good in corners as long as you take the corner correctly, force the weight towards the tread not the side wall and you will be fine. Bottom line buy this if you are racing or just want to go fast. Remember this is a XC tire not a DH or FR. treat as such and it will reward you!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
brian
a Cross Country Rider
from san rafael, CA Date Reviewed: February 21, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
light, fast, and easy to get on/off
Weaknesses:
no grip
Similar Products Used:
too many to name
Bike Setup:
azonic evolution, fox f100rlc, bb7 brakes, thompson post, 117 wheelset
Bottom Line:
this is a great racing tire, but i never have trused it in going downhill. every time i lean into a turn, or even turn, i slide out and it makes me way more cautious and slow. it is light and easy to change flats on, but i do not trust them going downhill.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
lumengrid l
a
from Dublin' Ireland Date Reviewed: January 25, 2007
Favorite Trail:
none
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Cyclological
Strengths:
Really good grip in dry conditions
Weaknesses:
Lack of grip in wet conditions,sliding on wet rocks, soft sides
Similar Products Used:
Michelin Comp
Bike Setup:
Commencal
Bottom Line:
Good tires but loosing some grip in wet conditions, and Irish weather is not exactly dry one. Amaizing grip on climbs.I used some michelins before and nokian. I will probaly look the change them for Nokian tires they are better in wet conditions. Overal: value for price, great for summer.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andrew Wellman
a Racer
from West Berlin Vermont USA Date Reviewed: December 7, 2006
Favorite Trail:
It's a secret!
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
35 each at local shop
Strengths:
Regarding the 2.2 fast, light and low rolling resistance and corners super wet or dry, roots or Rocks. Wears better than expected for a grippy tire.
Weaknesses:
None, they are not free or growing on trees!
Similar Products Used:
Smoke/Dart, velociraptors, mythos, mythos slick, all contential mtb tires, karisma, Hutchinsen python, wild grippers, and the list goes on.
Bike Setup:
Santa cruz superlight, Fox RTL, xo, xt, dt ect.
Bottom Line:
The biggest noticable perfomance difference from any single change on my bike. I race vet 1 xc in new england and wigh 155lbs. I use stan's with the 2.2 and run 28-30lbs. The traction is amazing up hill and at all speeds down hill. I did the pinnical challenge with these and it started to pour, the tires seemed to get better in the wet. I think that if you use hi air pressure than you might feel different. I ride at an old abondoned ski area that the FR and DH guys cut DH trails on. These trails are New England's Classic rear inches over the back wheel, techno and not meant for an xc guy. I run these same trails with the seat slapped down and I just think these tires are awsome. If don't break things very often so I don't have a problem with light weight stuff. Buy it if you want fast, grippy, low pressure, high air volume. Do buy it if you have no finess and destroy your equipement andy
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tony
a Cross Country Rider
from Adelaide Hills, Australia Date Reviewed: December 21, 2005
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Strengths:
Fast Rolling, Grips well, long lasting
Weaknesses:
Loose Dirt
Similar Products Used:
Lots
Bike Setup:
Rigid Single Speed
Bottom Line:
Have been tearing around on dirt roads with these tyres for 2 1/2 years now & they are still going. Soft compound that grips really well on hard pack & they roll realy fast. Best of all they last!!
Have been runing them tubeless with a Stans kit & no punctures yet!
If you want a good tyre for dirt & semi-road use, these are a great compromise between a slick & an agressive off road tyre!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joe Schmoe
a Cross Country Rider
from Canada Date Reviewed: November 16, 2005
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
Pinkbike
Strengths:
Light
Weaknesses:
No grip, unpredictable on sand
Similar Products Used:
WTB Weirwolf
Bike Setup:
Blur, Minute2, XO, Avid BB7, Mavic819
Bottom Line:
The Kenda Karmas came with the bike when I bought the entire thing used. The were really light compared to most tires out there. The tire compound felt soft but surprisingly they held up for a really long time. I usually ride on the road for about 10k to get to the trails in my area and these tires held up nicely to both road and trail. They are about on par in terms of durability for most tires in this price and performance category.
When it comes to handling, these tires are ASS. No matter how much I lean on the front and weight the outside pedal, it always seems to slide out when there's even a little bit of sand on high speed turns. As a result I find I have to brake earlier and take the corners with less speed. They handle off camber sections terribly as well. When I hit any sand patches going STRAIGHT, even staying loose and neutral on the handle bars doesn't help it's skiddish nature.
I decided to take the weight hit and put on some WTB Weirwolfs... it added over half a pound of weight to my wheels over the Karmas. My trail times have improved significantly. I can take the high speed corners MUCH faster, I do not unpredictably slide around on sand and I do not slide off the trail when there are off cambers. The only situation I find myself a bit slower on are hard pack straights or downhills.
I would NEVER buy the Karmas again even if they were weightless. I hate worrying about whether I'm going to slide out on turns.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Seth
a Cross Country Rider
from Eastern MA, USA Date Reviewed: October 8, 2005
Tires are very condition/terrain dependent. Keep in mind that a tire someone else may rate as poor you might find very good. As a technical cross country rider in New England I ride on a wide variety of conditions and terrain. These tires are fast! They roll easy and offer good grip in most cases. They'd make a great racing tire for dry and smooth conditions. When the trails get covered with roots and small rocks the tire's small side knobs don't hang well on at all. Wet weather makes things worse. I only use these tires in the dry when the trails are not overly technical. I give 3 Chilis for overall performance, but 5 for the "right" conditions.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
trail toad
a Cross Country Rider
from A2 Date Reviewed: September 12, 2005
Favorite Trail:
highland rec. in milford.
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
ligth weight, rolls fast,
Weaknesses:
hard pack only.
Similar Products Used:
20 years of mountain biking too many to list
Bike Setup:
titus switchblade, trail durable parts.
Bottom Line:
I had these tires on my truth and I have just taken them off my titus. They are great tires for certain conditions. I can't say they are an all around tire. Hard pack and smooth rock the grip like glue. I had no trouble on wet roots but both of the bikes are good four bar designs. so climbing and bumpy down hills were no problem. I have had no flating problems. I've ran them a yeas and a half on the titus and have had no flats. I run them on F519 rims with stans. The big problem here in southeast michigan is poor trail design. Almost every down hill ends in a corner causing the topsoil to be stripped bare from hard braking and the sand underneath to wash down and collect in the corners. And the climbs alway seem to be gravely messes or eroded nightmares. I can't change that and these tires don't handle turning in sandy corner well or gravel. I too ride poto. It's and good fast intermediate trail. The titus has no problems climbing any of the hills with these tires but as I said good deign rear ends are rare and really work on climbs. so I guess I could be running crappy tires and still go over the little roots in poto and throught the long sand with a bike with good trail geometry. But I ride the single speed at poto most of the time unless I'm doing more than three 17 mile laps out there and it has cheap irc mythos tires and seems to do fine. I just put on nevegals for the sandy corning and gravely climbs here in southeast michigan. I think the weight gain may be the only draw back since I ride 50 plus miles of single track on my long day I'll know soon. As far as I see these tires are good for what they were designed for. There not cheap so don't buy them just to see if you can ride them in loose or muddy conditions cause your waisting your money.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
The Flying Gordo
a Racer
from Houston, TX Date Reviewed: May 29, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Memorial Park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
Universal Cycles
Strengths:
Great on hardpack, rolls fast, extremely light weight, large volume for size, no issues with flats
Weaknesses:
Cornering and braking grip very iffy on anything other than harpack
2004 Titus Racer-X 100, Fox Float 100RLC, 5th Element Air, WTB LaserDisc Lite hubs w/ Mavic 717 rims, Hope Mono Mini brakes, MaxM post and bars, Eggbeater Ti pedals, Truvativ Stylo GXP cranks, Sram X.0 shifters and rear der., XT front der., WTB Laser V Stealth Saddle
Bottom Line:
This tire is ideal for races on hardpack. They are very light (<480g), roll very fast, and you can actually feel the Stick-E compound on hardpack. Add just as little as 1/8" of loose topping however and cornering grip and braking bite are greatly reduced. This is not the tire you want to use on sandy technical descents or courses with slightly sandy corners. The Pythons have a little better grip overall although the Karmas drift more predicatably when they do break loose. If your course includes a little loose topcoat, I would highly recommend the Nevegal or the Roll-X.
I have not had any issues with durability or flats with this tire. I think this might be a good candidate to use as a front tire and mix-and match the back with a Blue Groove or Nevegal which offer more braking bite.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
DJ
a Cross Country Rider
from Nashville Date Reviewed: January 25, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
With Bike
Strengths:
Light
Weaknesses:
Corning is horrible and they don't climb or brake well
Similar Products Used:
WTB Velociraptors, Panaracer Firerpo XC's
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Blur. All XT
Bottom Line:
When I was second guessing myself in the corners and sliding out all the time I though sure my new full suspension should corner better than my hard tail. We'll after numerous times comparing my hardtail with Velociraptors to my full suspension with the Kenda's it was very apparent what the problem was. I bought Panaracers FirePro XC 2.1's and they roll much faster, almost impossible to slide out in the corners and will dig and dig when muddy. I do think the Kenda would be good in hard pack, but why waste your time changing tires when the Panaracers do everything right. Go with the Panaracers because they have the pinch flat protection and it works. The rocks I used to bottom out on are no longer!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
P D
a Weekend Warrior
from philippines Date Reviewed: November 17, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$12.00
Purchased At:
powerbikes
Strengths:
Easy to pedal, great grip for a conservative looking tire.
Weaknesses:
wears fast, side wall fell apart after 1000kms of riding (leaving me stranded on top of the mountain)
Similar Products Used:
kenda klaw, wtb motoraptor, wtb weirwolf, maxxis larsen mimo
Bike Setup:
hard tail
Bottom Line:
You can get a better set of tires. Go with WTB's.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Cochise
a Cross Country Rider
from Arizona (Actual Mountains) Date Reviewed: November 5, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Carr Canyon Perimeter
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
If you cut this tire into little squares you may be able to use them for patches...that is if you have the right epoxy mix.
Weaknesses:
These tires actually cost money
Similar Products Used:
Many....Im 30 and Ive ridden for years
Bike Setup:
Full Suspension
Bottom Line:
Im 220lbs, 6', and I love rocky singletrack 1 to 2 foot drops, 1 to 2 foot jumps, and rides that last over a couple of hours. I also commute with my bike and average about 50+ miles a week between rockgardens, singletrack, fireroads and street.....ahhhh the beauty of Arizona. These tires are for groomed tracks only, or maybe neighborhood streets. I average 1 flat per ride...when I'm careful. I put these in the "racers only" category as they hook up ok and are light as hell for thier size. If you respect durability, look elsewhere, which is what im doing right now! Im rating them low because I bought the puncture proof tubes with sealent and they still get flats....next theyll be selling me tires made from wal-mart plastic bags. I bet they would be just as light. I just love to watch the sealent shoot out when im 3 miles deep into a mountain....such a secure feeling.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jam
a Cross Country Rider
from sydney & UK Date Reviewed: November 1, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$20.00
Strengths:
Weight, size, good price
Weaknesses:
Not a great all rounder, but great in the right conditions.
Similar Products Used:
IRC Mythos
Bike Setup:
SC Blur, XTR & SRAM
Bottom Line:
Low weight, under the advertised 480gms. Good size profile too, 2.0 but larger than the 2.1 Continentals they replaced. Rides well on Australian conditions- dry, hardpack, loose rock etc. Probably useless in mud but that doesnt matter too much here! Change tyres in winter & these are a great buy.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Barbara Date Reviewed: October 9, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Epics
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$32.00
Purchased At:
www.airbomb.com & www.aebike.com
Strengths:
Pedal efficiency, hardpack.
Weaknesses:
Tire wears quickly compared to standard 70a tires. Minor grip for the performance gain.
WTB Laserdisc Lite Wheelset with 15/17 Ritchey Spokes, 12mm Alloy Nipples, M960 XTR Cassette and Formula Pro Team Brakes.
Bottom Line:
This is the easiest pedaling tire I have ever tried. The tire hooks up great on So.Cal hardpack condition. For moderate loose topcoats the tire performs well. This tire was made to race on So Cal hardpack trails.
The tire corners very well and climbs great except on loose conditions.
The tire was not meant to handle mud and we do not see much here.
The tire rolls incredible fast. My only grip would be braking is not good on loose downhills. There is flex in the casing but the tires claimed weight is 460g, but mine wieghed even lighter.
The casing feels almost tubeless using Maxxis flyweight tubes. I never got a pinch flat and I weigh 180lbs, 35psi front and 40psi rear.
The tires just pick up and go on hill climbs. It took a while for me to trust the corning sidewall traction on hardpack and moderate loose. They do corner well and I would recommend trying them if your terrian is like So Cal or hardpack. Great XC race tire!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JayR54
a Weekend Warrior
from Farmington Hills MI Date Reviewed: September 9, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Lakeshore Park in Novi
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
came with new bike
Strengths:
nice light weight
Weaknesses:
no good in mud, sand or loose gravel conditions, esp when turning
Similar Products Used:
none
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Blurr, F100x shock
Bottom Line:
I bought my Blurr last November, 2003. These tires came with the bike. I quickly changed to Nokian Extreme 296 for winter riding since the Nokians needed a break-in period. As soon as the snow melted I put the Kenda Karma L3R Pro Stick-E 26 X 2.0 back on with Stan's Notubes at 40 psi. One of the other reviewers is running 30 psi but the Stan's notubes system didn't hold up when I tried 30 psi. The lighter weight compared to the Nokians was much appreciated. I rode the Potowatami trail in Pickney last Sunday and had a hard time holding a straight line in the sand. The front tire would fish-tail plowing through the sand. They put a lot of sand where there used to be mud and with these tires it was a sand trap. I had to get off and push the bike through a long level section of sand. The front tire especially would slide out on the turns. When going up the steep climbs it wouldn't take much for the back wheel to spin out. This was especially true trying to get over a step-up such as a tree root. There goes your momentum and you're off the bike walking it up the rest of the way. Mountain Bike mag gave the Panaracer Fire XC Pro a very good rating back in 2003. One of the other reviewers here liked it too. So that's what I'll try next.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
TIRE FREAK
a Cross Country Rider
from vanburen,ar Date Reviewed: September 3, 2004
Favorite Trail:
lady of the creek
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
bikes etc.
Strengths:
HIGH VOLUME,LITE,PREDICTABLE CORNERING,ROLLS FAST
Weaknesses:
THIN CASING,(LITE WEIGHT TIRE!!!)
Similar Products Used:
SPECIALIZED DIRT CONTROL
Bike Setup:
SANTA CRUZ SL,FOX TERRALOGIC,AVID DISC,FSA COM. ETC.
Bottom Line:
I BUY & RIDE A LOT OF DIFFERENT TIRES.THIS TIRE IS IN MY OPINION , PROBABLY THE BEST "ALL AROUND" X/C TIRE THERE IS.I RIDE VERY DIVERSE TERRAIN&EVERY TIME THEY HAVE HOOKED UP.THEY WERE NOT INTENDED TO BE RODE FOR FREERIDE OR AT HIGH PRESSURE.I AM 170# I RIDE THE FRONT AT 32&REAR AT 42. IF YOUR AN EXPERIANCED RIDER WHO RIDES WITH MOJO & FLOW,YOU WON'T BE DISSAPOINTED.GREAT FOR X/C RACING & RIDING.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Justin Rempe
a Cross Country Rider
from Loganville, GA USA Date Reviewed: July 1, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Low overall weight, good tread spacing, good dry weather grip in most conditions that I've found
Weaknesses:
Once you hit wet areas and mud, you're screwed. With all the rain we've had here in GA lately, these tires quickly become useless.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Fire XC Pro 2.1 @ $25 ea.
Bike Setup:
Haro XLS R5 w/ some upgrades
Bottom Line:
The tire just does not have the ability to shed mud fast enough in order to keep up with the demand for traction (specifically while climbing and/or turning sharply). I spun out 8 times in 4.5 miles (GA clay and sand, mostly wet w/ some standing water at points) and probably saved myself another dozen times on this one trail alone. I'm lucky I didn't injure my right hip. I am keeping the tires in hopes that I can use them in circumstances where the trail is not as "soupy". I sacrificed weight by going to the Panaracer Fire XC Pro 2.1, but I gained some severe traction and cornering ability. Guess I'll have to find other ways to shave off some weight and get the bike back to 30 pounds...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JT
a Cross Country Rider
from santa cruz Date Reviewed: June 13, 2004
Favorite Trail:
back of nisene
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
with blur new @ ABS
Strengths:
light weight!460g!!!! fast rolling,good climbing on dry.
Weaknesses:
NO traction when cornering! do not lay it over on these tires!no fun going downhill.
Similar Products Used:
fire xc pros,mythos xc,irc factory xc,wtb mutano 2.4,etc...
Bike Setup:
sc blur,full xt,minute air 2:00 130mm fork,5-th ele shock,crank bros candy pedals,berserkr kcx saddle,thom post,easton stem/ bars,avid cable discs,new EPIC WOLF 2.1 RACE TIRES.
Bottom Line:
good tires for a cross country race and straight pedaling, but not for any sort of down hill trail fun or cornering.very flexy carcas needed min 45psi for me(183lb+gear)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Farmington, Ct, USA Date Reviewed: April 23, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Case Mt
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Stan's
Strengths:
Grippy on wet rocks roots, run at lower psi with Stan's set up
Weaknesses:
none yet
Similar Products Used:
Hutchinson Python UST, Alligators, Tioga Red Phoenix UST 1.9s
Bike Setup:
Cannondale Scalpel, Stan's wheels, set up weight weenie to race
Bottom Line:
Have done several rides but today was the best test. Rainy conditions over wet slimy rocks and roots, New England technical riding. I purposely pushed these tires in attempts to get them to slip on wet rocks and roots. With slight body weighting/position changes on the bike they hooked up everytime. I cleaned a couple of sections I have not been able to ride when it has been dry, no matter what tire I was using. I cannot wait to race them. Great combo with Stan's wheels/stuff at 30 psi, I weight 175 lbs. The Stick E L3R compound works! Excellent for technical riding and racing.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Adam
a Cross Country Rider
from Barnesville, Ga Date Reviewed: April 7, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Dauset, Blankets, Camp Thunder
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
These tires are great climbers and are very light.
Weaknesses:
They don't hold well in turns at XC race pace speeds. Because they are light they are very thin. I have had more flats with these tires than anyother I have every owned and today the back blew completely out on the sidewall for no reason I could find.
Similar Products Used:
Tioga Phoenix, Hutchinson
Bike Setup:
Blur SPX kit
Bottom Line:
These are great tires for climbing however they don't hold corners well at all. They will wash out from under quickly. As stated above they are very light however this comes with a price and that is they are very thin. I have flatalmost everytine I go out at least two a week. No problems with my rims I have already checked. Last week riding with a friend who was riding the same tires we had four flats within 3 miles. No one else in our group had any problems and we were all on the same trail. today while riding I put 32 pounds of air in and started my ride got 13 miles in and all of a sudden the back tires side wall blew out while on a smooth single track. I love these tires for their weight however this is getting expensive buying tubes. Got to change to something else.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ron
a Racer
from Everett, Wa Date Reviewed: March 15, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$39.00
Purchased At:
Kenda
Strengths:
Weight, Air volume
Weaknesses:
None, for the intended usage.
Similar Products Used:
Bontranger AC Jones, Continental Twister Pro, Continental Explorer/Escape Pro combo
Bike Setup:
Trek Fuel 90 with Stans No Tube setup, 28psi front and rear.
Bottom Line:
Great tire. Works great with Stans tubless setup with low air pressure. I have raced two X-country races this season with these tires and they hooked up in all conditions (mud, roots, loose rocks). They appear to wearing well also. No regrets so far.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alan
a Cross Country Rider
from Vancouver,BC,Canada Date Reviewed: March 9, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Notubes
Strengths:
Rolls fast; very light; great grip in dry; corners in dry conditions fantastically.
Weaknesses:
Fairly thin sidewalls, had branch/root puntuctures thru casing; wet condition grip is less inspiring.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Roll X Pro Race; Michelin Jet S
Bike Setup:
xc hardtail
Bottom Line:
Love these tires in the dry summer conditions. Amazingly fast and grippy on corners.
I don't like them in wet conditions. So far, I prefer Roll X in wet conditions.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from Ft Lauderdale, FL Date Reviewed: December 12, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Light weight, fast rolling, high volume=comfort
Weaknesses:
Durability
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Fire XC, IRC Mythos
Bike Setup:
Specialized Stumpjumper Comp
Bottom Line:
I really like this tire, and would highly recommend it to anyone who races cross-country or rides a hardtail. The high volume definitely makes my stumpjumper more comfortable (30-35psi). I've ridden over the roots and loose rock of Florida as well as out in CO and the tires always seem to perform well. My riding buds seem to think the tread is too thin, but these tires still climb and corner as well as the tires they're using. The only draw backs would be mud and/or sand performance. If it's muddy, then take it slow, because they will slide out like it's ice. Also, don't expect the tires to last too long. The center tread shows almost no wear, even with significant road riding, but the side knobs break off and wear really fast (probably due to the softer rubber compound in the side knobs).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
G MAN
a Downhiller
from Portland, OR Date Reviewed: December 7, 2003
Favorite Trail:
anything steep
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
came with bike
Strengths:
Light weight, low rolling resistance, great in a variety of conditions including mud and wet! Hint - inflate to higher than normal psi so the shallow nubs grip more. I use 40-50 psi depending on the ride and I weigh 170.
Weaknesses:
Weak sidewalls but that's the price you pay for light weight. Grippy compound wears quickly.
Similar Products Used:
Just about every tire out there! Hutchinson Pythons are most comparable and the Karmas hook up WAY better, especially in the wet.
Bike Setup:
SC Blur for my XC ride
Bottom Line:
I ditched the front in favor of a Panaracer Dart (still THE best front tire choice if you wanna prevent sideways slip) but kept the Karma for the back. Kept thinking I would find something else BUT these tires hook up great for the rear! Climbs well and blew me away with how well it grips in mud and snow (far better than any of the psuedo XC race tires). Very fast on hardpack. Can wash when entering corners at mach speed but does so in a controlled manner - I've never lost my balance nor went down on these. I swear by them now! Use about 5-10 psi higher than you'd normally run and have fun. Great XC tire. Anyone dissing them for freeride use should get a clue - these ARE NOT freeride tires!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim
a Cross Country Rider
from Western PA Date Reviewed: December 1, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Kenda Yo
Strengths:
Feathery Wieght, Large air volume, Simple and effective tread for dry-loose conditions, easy installation on most rims, Sticky Rubby with L3R rules. inexpensive
Weaknesses:
thin casing/sidewall, not a long life expectancy, difficult to find. cornering hard can be shady
Similar Products Used:
IRC Serac, Michelin Comp S, and Ritchey Alpha/Omega
Bike Setup:
Bluestone 19.5L
Bottom Line:
Great dry condition tyre for rough terrain without thorns, that won't empty your wallet.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JT
a Weekend Warrior
from capitola Date Reviewed: November 8, 2003
these tires are real light! they climb real good (@40psi)BUT they are dangerous in the turns! if your considering them ,think about it...if you just pedal and dont rail down hill go for it! BUT if you xc/freeride pass them up.
3 flaming craps for the weight and climbing
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Terry
a Cross Country Rider
from Cedar Hills, UT Date Reviewed: October 17, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Porcupine Rim!!!
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
Bike Peddler
Strengths:
Light Weight! Grippy everywhere but fine loose gravel. Good Volume for a smoooooth ride
Weaknesses:
Doesn't grip well in dry loose gravelly conditions.
Similar Products Used:
Alligators - Good MythosXC - Good Continental Explorers - BAD
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Blur
Bottom Line:
This is a great lightweight tire for most conditions. It is smoother, lighter and grippier than Conti Explorers.
I am a heavyweight (220) and this tire works well.
The Stick-E rubber compound really works.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
S
a
from Columbus,Oh Date Reviewed: August 31, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Any where my bike takes me
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
Kenda USA
Strengths:
High Volume 80psi. Great cross tire for trails and street if you need both. Fast when Dry. Stable when slick.
RM Edge, Marrzochi Z5, Fox Vanilla RC W/Lockout, 36 hole Sun Rhyno Lites w/ XT Disc Hubs, Magura Louise FR Front, Julie Rear.
Bottom Line:
I have ridden the Karma over 500 miles so far. about 150 trail and the rest Urban. I bought the tire because the trails have been trash this year and I ride the OSU campus when I'm not riding the trails. I ride 50psi trail and 80psi urban. TRAIL -->This tire dosen't bite until you have given up hope. When you thing that you are going down it bites. It's extremely fast on the trails and works well even in slick condtions. URBAN -->I'm routinely doing 4-5 foot, jumping 8-10 Stairs, ramping where possible and hopping everything inside. I have had one flat do to a large piece of glass. The tire has bearly wore down.
If your looking for an aggressive biting tire this is not for you.
If your looking for tire that you can criuse the streets to and from work or in search on your next conquest at 20mph without any worries and still go to the trail and have a good time. This is a tire you should try.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Serac
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver, CO Date Reviewed: August 7, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Light weight; low rolling resistance
Weaknesses:
none really--if they are used correctly
Similar Products Used:
Bontrager Revolt ST; Maxxis Highroller; Some Specialized minimalist tire
Bike Setup:
Titus Racer-X: mix of XT/XTR; Mavic 517s; Manitou SX
Bottom Line:
Well--Like most tires, these tires work well when matched with appropriate terrain. Despite appearances, these guys hook up and hold a line in DRY HARDPACK. ONLY in these conditions will you have little to no problems. However, I cannot tell you how many times I have had the tire spin out while climbing loose stuff. I learned to weight the tire with more finesse and that seemed to help but it was clear that I was pushing the tire beyond its design and making more work for myself. Similarly, I had to adjust my style decending since these tires will tend to wash out in loose over hardpack. Again, more finesse on my part was needed. So, I give these guys a high mark but with the idea in mind that they are intended for DRY Hardpack conditions. However, I think their value is decreased by the fact that they are so terrain specific---
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from Los Angeles, CA USA Date Reviewed: July 24, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Silver Moccasin at Chilao
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Came with new bike
Strengths:
Fast on solid ground
Weaknesses:
Poor cornering in dry, loose conditions. Very slippery.
Similar Products Used:
IRC Mythos
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Blur
Bottom Line:
Not a good tire if you ride loose, dry terrain. Cornering in wet or moderately grippy conditions was good and the tire is fast when you're not turning.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
cruzmissle
a Racer
from Massachusetts, USA Date Reviewed: July 20, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
www.notubes.com
Strengths:
Great grip in wet & muddy New England conditions, light, high volume, reasonably fast rolling, works well with Stan's.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Michelin Comp S Lights, Conti Explorer SS, Conti Twister SS, Hutchinson Mosquitos, Hutchinson Python Air Lights
Bike Setup:
Weightweenie spec'd Blur. Running these tires front and back.
Bottom Line:
I've trained and raced in New England off-road conditions -- slick roots, rocks, mud, technical terrain -- on these tires for over two months and have been impressed. They stay hooked up in off-camber situations and shed mud ably. Volume-wise, they're comparable to Pythons. Durability so far has been excellent (and, not suprisingly, superior to the Conti Twister SS I was running).
I'm running 38 pounds front and rear with Stan's; I weigh ~145 lbs.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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