Submitted by
geeride7
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado Date Reviewed: January 21, 2009
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Fast, Light, Lightning Fast
Weaknesses:
Tiny pinholes in thin sidewalls took a while to seal with stans
Similar Products Used:
Forte FasTrack Folding MTB Tire
Bike Setup:
Motobecane fly hardtail, SID with lockout, crossmax SL, tubeless
Bottom Line:
Setup was a headache (see weaknesses), but was very impressed with the first ride. Very fast on dry and paved, decent cornering on roadbase, gravel, good through short patches of snow and mud, fair on ice. There aren't many tires this light, and on my 41 mile ride they didn't slow me down at all compared to beefier tires save for a few hundred yards. And they were faaaaaast on the other 40.75 miles. They are only 1.75" tires, but they are good for their intended use. Much better traction on loose and wet surfaces than Forte FasTrack semi-slicks and just as fast on dry or paved as far as I can tell.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
IMHO
a Weekend Warrior
from Fuquay Varina Date Reviewed: January 17, 2009
Favorite Trail:
San Lee
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Stock Bike Setup
Strengths:
Light and Fast!
Weaknesses:
Light and susceptible to pinch flats on rooty, rocky technical terrain.
Similar Products Used:
Nothing even close to this light.
Bottom Line:
Though these are much narrower than the 1.95 it claims, these are serviceable. I decided to leave them on the bike until I started getting flats. After a few months and a couple of pinch flats I switched to heavy duty michelin muds. I am doing my first race soon, 12 trail miles and 30 street (paved/dirt road) miles. I will definitely be using these as they will be adequate on the trails and fly on the road.
For advanced or very technical trails, I would use something with a stronger sidewall.
4 Chilis if used for the intended purpose.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
pernfilman
a Racer
from Dallas Date Reviewed: January 15, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Boulder Park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
came with xtr wheels
Strengths:
Fast Fast and great traction all over, rocky, sandy hardpack this is an XC race tire that is feather light, run 30 PSI and it grips, I have ran this in XC races and 6 hour events great XC race tire.
Weaknesses:
None thus far, affordable and super light weight
Similar Products Used:
Michelin XCR DRy 2, Hutchinson Pythons
Bike Setup:
2008 Litespeed Ocoee Hardtail all XTR with Sid race fork
Bottom Line:
Give em a try I love em, they run narrow, all good when you wanna haul some butt. If you are 200+ pound and riding a super technical XC trail, this is not your tire. If you are a light fast XC racer who wants 20+ MPH speed in the straights this is your tire.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ljsmith
a Cross Country Rider
from Olney, MD Date Reviewed: January 1, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Seneca Creek
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Fast! Light.
Weaknesses:
Smaller than claimed. Low puncture protection. Useless in mud.
Bottom Line:
This is a great tire for its intended purpose. Do not buy this tire as an all around trail tire! Go get some nevegals if that is what you need. I put a set of these on a lightweight XC hardtail that I built for fast, hilly hardpack. The tire is super fast and light. It handles roots great. The downsides are that it is smaller than claimed, so you have to run much higher pressure to avoid pinch flats. It also makes it less desirable in rock gardens. Also it is useless in mud. The low profile knobs fill up with mud quick, and this tire does not shed mud at all, so it pretty much rides like a slick tire in muddy conditions. But Kenda does not make any claims that this is an all conditions tire. It is made for dry hardpack, and that is what it excels at. For value I give it 3 chillis, only because it is not a durable tire, so you will probably go through them quick. Overall I give them 5 chillis though because they do exactly what they are supposed to-make you super fast on hardpack.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
limboman
a Racer
from santa fe Date Reviewed: August 2, 2008
Favorite Trail:
windsor trail
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$24.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Got these for a hillclimb & xc race. They are really light and fast rolling with pretty descent grip even in the mud. Bought the UST version which claims to be around 600 grms, and always use w/Stans sealant. Very happy with them in race...took 1st!
Weaknesses:
Narrow...which means they tend to loose traction faster in rocks and hard breaking,and you won't have as much control in really technical situations. I'd only use for racing or less technical terrain.
Similar Products Used:
Pythons, Piranhas, Ignitors
Bike Setup:
Specialized Epic Carbon, Mavic wheels
Bottom Line:
good, fast race tire for courses that don't have allot of technical descents or rocks.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
AGENT_DICE
a Weekend Warrior
from SoCal Date Reviewed: June 12, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$25.00
Strengths:
Very fast rolling and low resistance
Weaknesses:
Very super thin, feels just a tad bit thicker than a bike tube. Extremly small for a 1.95
Bike Setup:
700ds Moto, thomson seatpost and stem, vuelta rims, titec pluto bar ends, fox vanilla shock
Bottom Line:
This tire kinda scares me. It is just way too thin. I got 4 flats in a month by tumbleweed stickers, and that's just communting on asphalt and a patch of grass along the way. I really love that you can just haul ass on these tires, it is way too easy. The bad side is that you have to check your tire pressure every week, anything below 30psi and you get pinch flats. Just carry extra tubes.
It could have been made thicker. Overall it's a tire that I use as a standard when it comes to fast rolling and low resistance.
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Submitted by
eli
a Cross Country Rider
from los angeles,ca. / toronto, ontario Date Reviewed: May 4, 2008
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
forgot, maybe jenson
Strengths:
good tread design, open spacing and aggressive knobs, dual compound. excellent flat resistance and durability.
Weaknesses:
dont know , maybe a little noisier than ide prefer but then so is the wind...
Similar Products Used:
kenda karma
Bike Setup:
rigid 90s lite chromo racer, all ti fittings, sun ringle rpm-american classic cross country wheelsets
Bottom Line:
cross country and serious speedwork. the tire is not by any means a heavy duty off road mountain tire. it rules single track and dry conditions, grass and hardpack. it is a tire made to get go and it brakes well too. wicked designed knobs with good spacing and tread details. it has excellent flat resistance and i feel secure depending on them while pushing it to its edges. dual compound works. kenda rules.
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Submitted by
Zachariah
a Cross Country Rider
from Palm Desert, CA Date Reviewed: February 29, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Hurkey Creek Park (24hrs/Adrenalin Course)
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$60.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Light; fast as a road slick; lack of wire bead makes mounting/dismounting easily done with bare hands; looks very sleek. With tires this light- who needs tubeless?
Weaknesses:
Not 1.95" wide as claimed- more like 1.75" to be exact.
Similar Products Used:
Maxxis MaxxLite 310; Panaracer Cyclocross tires.
Bike Setup:
22lb Cannondale Optimo hardtail.
Bottom Line:
First- let me make it perfectly clear; THESE ARE NOT ALL-MOUNTAIN, DOWNHILL, DIRT JUMP OR FREERIDE TIRES!!! They are ONLY for racing, some urban assault and light XC riding. Also, they are not as delicate, as some claim. I have ridden the lightest XC tire- Maxxis MaxxLite 310... and those tires' sidewalls feel like paper.
I have effectively removed 1.2lbs from my bike, and the difference is felt the moment you turn those cranks. It makes the bike accelerate like a missle, and coasts nearly forever now, due to Kenda's L3R technology. Don't listen to everything you read- these tires hook-up very well in dry hardpack, light sand, and some loose stuff too. Just keep the pressure between 40-50psi and these tires are very durable, anywhere you ride. If you want very light tire, with almost no rolling resistence(very quiet!), and can tolerate the cyclocross tire width....I think Kenda did a great job with this tire.
I would not suggest going Stan's NoTubes, with this tire. Although it can definitely be done- the lack of a wire sealing bead will have you checking tire pressures daily. In fact, unmounted- these tires hang like a wet towel. But are by no means flimsy. Otherwise, these tires serve my intended riding needs very well. I would buy these tires again.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stephane Moulin
a Racer
from Canada Date Reviewed: February 1, 2008
Favorite Trail:
tour d'nowhere
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$45.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
uber light, fast rolling, respectable traction for SS
Weaknesses:
less than 1.95 and questionable puncture resstance
Similar Products Used:
Revolt SS. XC dry. Michelin sprint
Bike Setup:
Cannondale Furio frame, headshock super fatty 80mm fork, LX/XT mix,Easton post, Crossland Wheels, hope mini's disks
Bottom Line:
These tires are designed for one thing; going fast over moderate terrain. No freeriding or technical riding with these on unless you're Hans Ray on a dry day. I believe in tires to be purpuse specific. I dropped a whole pound with these along with some conti light tubes. incredible acceleration and amazing speed (low rolling resistance) Will be great for the short-track series and fire road riding and rail-to-trails.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Scott Oakley
a Racer
from Charlotte, NC Date Reviewed: September 18, 2007
Weight is noticed immediately! I weigh 115lbs so I run a low 32 psi. I tried 28 psi, but pinch flat during a race. The low pressure hooks up on hard pack or loose over hard pack. These tires lasted a 16 race season. They are not 1.95. They measure closer to 1.75. If you can race these tires over technical terrain, you can't help but become a better rider.
The bad news is they are worthless in the rain or even in damp conditions. Damp roots are scary. These are strictly race tires!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lukas
a Downhiller
from abbotsford ,bc ,canada Date Reviewed: July 16, 2007
Favorite Trail:
northshore
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
THE BIKE SHOP (it sucks)
Strengths:
Good for gripping the cement.. but really all tires should be able to do that extreamly easy....
Weaknesses:
Lose traction very quickly... and tred goes away very quickly, sucks for everything..
Bottom Line:
These tires are a waste!!! DONT BUY, you will regret buying them... and they will lose traction and tred easaly,
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gabby
a Weekend Warrior
from Singapore Date Reviewed: April 28, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$56.00
Strengths:
Light-weight. grips decent when dry. 1.65". low rolling resistance as advertised.
Weaknesses:
Constant fear of flats. extremely slippery when wet. drain covers, loose surfaces are the prime locations for skidding.
Similar Products Used:
Stock 2.1" Mtb knobbies
Bike Setup:
Standard Aleoca Leomano Mtb, fitted with Avid Single Digit 7 v-brakes. front and rear Shimano deraileurs.
Bottom Line:
for the price i paid of these babies, i could have gotten slicks. but given the light-weight and low rolling resistance it's a pretty decent investment i guess. just gotta see how long it will last.
dry conditions are fine. just beware when the weather is wet. skids under hard braking, may even wash out if balance is out. heard of pinch flat risks, yet to experience them. perhaps my style of cycling isnt that aggressive.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jovan Puyo
a Cross Country Rider
from Philippines Date Reviewed: March 23, 2007
Favorite Trail:
La Mesa Nature Reserve
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
These babies are light. Even with stock inner tubes, they make my Shimano wheelset seem like a Mavic Crossmax. On the road, there's very minimal noise coming from these.
Weaknesses:
No traction. These get really scary especially on the loose descents. It was my first time to experience my front tire slipping, and it's with these tires. I run them at 40 psi. Wish I could make that lower but I'm sure it'll pinch flat.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Extreme Control, Continental Cross Country, Tioga Psycho, Specialized Team Control and Team Master, Specialized Roll X, IRC Mythos.
Bike Setup:
Hardtail cross country -- KHS Alite Team 4000 frame with a Marzocchi Z.2 Atom BAM fork, XT/XTR components.
Bottom Line:
Want a lightweight tire, look no further. Want performance, look someplace else.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
pat
a Racer
from ny Date Reviewed: July 24, 2006
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Purchased At:
frankfordbike
Strengths:
extremely fast,great traction,incredible acceleration,good wear,340 grams,climbs like a cat,what a racing tire(rear only)not for heavier riders
Weaknesses:
not 1.95,not a front tire,
Similar Products Used:
schwalbe fast fred
Bike Setup:
stumpjumper
Bottom Line:
WOW! Try this on the rear with something wider up front and you can do motor bike races!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David Regam
a Cross Country Rider
from Boise, ID, USA Date Reviewed: June 11, 2006
Before I bought this tire I read some terrible reviews and had some people tell me it was pretty crappy so I didn't have very high hopes. After seeing how thin and small (seems smaller than 1.95) this tire is, my hopes sank even more. I have to say I was VERY surprised at the performance of this tire. It is very fast and makes steep climbs a breeze. Because it is so light it allows for much better control and maneuverability. I found myself flying through technical, rocky areas that I have always had to walk through before. This tire is also very grippy. My rear tire (the IRC Serac XC) would lock and slide all over the place but the Kenda Klimax is much harder for me to lock. If it continues to perform well I may consider replacing my back tire with one. I really can't understand where the bad reviews are coming from. The only thing I can think would cause this tire to perform badly is high pressure (I ride mine at 40) and maybe a heavy bike/rider. I weigh 160 and my bike is 23lbs so I can see where maybe if you have a heavy downhill bike or are a larger rider you might have some control issues. Also, This tire is like a rocket on the road. Smooth, fast acceleration, feels almost like slicks. On the downside, the side walls seem very thin so I don't expect this tire to last very long, It will be some awesome riding while it doese last though.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Will
a Weekend Warrior
from Canada Date Reviewed: May 16, 2006
Favorite Trail:
whatever goes up down sideways
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$45.00
Purchased At:
Local shop
Strengths:
Ultra light, as advertised the lowest mtb tire
Weaknesses:
Not 1.9 as advertised, but more like 1.7, not designed for all round cross country riding. I suppose they may be ok for an occassional race on hard pack. Because they need such high pressure in order to avoid pinch flats they have a tendency to be unstable on anything other than smooth hard pack or road.
Similar Products Used:
Continentals, other Kendas, Bontrager, ect.
Bike Setup:
Self built Ti single speed softtail
Bottom Line:
I'm a dedicated weekend cross country rider with a number of bikes. The bike that I fitted these tires on is a Ti softtail that I constructed 12 years ago, and have recently converted it to single speed. When I put these tires on with lightweight tubes, it puts the bike under 20 lbs. Because of the low weight of these tires, the decrease in rotational mass allows for tremendous acceleration. I could actually fly up hills in single speed I would normally plod up on my Cannondale Scalpel which is pretty light for a full suspension bike. The tires however don't track well over anything that is not hard and flat. They skitter around on rocks or roots and don't give a feeling of confidence. Some riders may have a use for these tires but not for all riding. Don't just be seduced by the light weight. When you first lay your hands on them they look like thick inner tubes with knobs.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Peter Reynolds
a Cross Country Rider
from San Francisco Date Reviewed: March 24, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Marin Headlands Trails
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
Jenson?
Strengths:
Further to my last review: I've been riding these tires (front and back) for almost a year now. No more ripped sidewalls since last December, and I'm riding 90 miles per week. I pump them up to 80psi. Good thing I ride on easy trails!
Bottom Line:
I still like these tires, but I think I'm getting lazy. It won't be easy to go back to a 'real' MTB tire.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Preston McClelland
a Cross Country Rider
from Ontario, Canada Date Reviewed: January 28, 2006
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
kenda sponsorship order
Strengths:
amazing traction in dry. gives wicked confidence in turns.
Weaknesses:
skinny. sidewalls slice on just about everything
Similar Products Used:
hutch python, michelin xcr, kenda kozmik.
Bike Setup:
Spec Epic
Bottom Line:
This tire was very good to me. i didnt mind it being skinny all that much but it is a downside if you get into any mud/sand/loose stuff. the tread i thought was great for anything dry and hardpack and it stuck through the corners like glue. however riding on rocks once in a while i literally put a total of 30 slices in the sidewalls of 4 tires. put an extra 20g of sidewall rubber on them and id buy more. but i wont next season.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Peter Reynolds
a Cross Country Rider
from San Francisco Date Reviewed: December 3, 2005
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
26
Strengths:
Light and fast on hard packed surfaces
Weaknesses:
The sidewalls rip easily on sharp rocks
Bike Setup:
Klien hardtale. XT/Sid
Bottom Line:
This tire is best for cross-country use on hard surfaces. It makes the bike feel faster. But, I'm on my 3rd 345g in 6 months. The side-walls have ripped twice on rocks. Anything else feels slow. Not a good tire for technical rides. Really good for a quick road ride to the trailhead.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan Patterson
a Cross Country Rider
from Lilburn, GA USA Date Reviewed: November 30, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Bull Mountain - North GA
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Came with bike
Strengths:
Front tire corners well.
Weaknesses:
Back tire is a piece of crap. It slips on virtually everything no matter the air pressure.
Bike Setup:
Haro V3 Hardtail
Bottom Line:
I blogged this tire on our group forum today thinking I must have a riding technique deficiency. Nope, most everyone that has used or knows someone that has used this tire says to chunk it. I have already ordered my new tires and they are not Kenda. Nobody should buy this tire unless they are going to stay on pavement. It won't work on the tough stuff.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Vinicius Franco
a Cross Country Rider
from Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil Date Reviewed: November 25, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Sindacta
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
E-bay
Strengths:
light weight
Weaknesses:
this is not a 1.95 tire
Similar Products Used:
Karma, Mythos, Fire XC, etc
Bike Setup:
Extralite F2, Fox F100, Notube/American Classic wheelset, Hope minis, XT shifters, XTR ders, Stylo team Crankset
Bottom Line:
I feel ripped off. I bought a 1.95 tire but got a much smaller tire. I don´t have a tool to get an accurate measure but with a ruler they measured 1.75. But just putting them next to other 1.95 tires you can see the major difference in size. Sure, they roll great and didn´t show any sign of wear so far (about 15 hours of riding) but because of their size the handle poorly on tech terrain and on leaning turns too. For the weightweenies: I weighed my pair and they came to 342/348 so they averaged the claimed 345g.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve Stancill
a Cross Country Rider
from Mich Date Reviewed: September 13, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Ft.Custer
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$39.00
Strengths:
Wicked Fast, weight....
Weaknesses:
None so far.
Bike Setup:
Jekyll 800
Bottom Line:
I setup the Kendas using Stans, no problems so far. These tires are very fast, you will notice how fast when you hook up on the hard pack. Not too bad in sand they cut right in. You can't complain about the nobby size, the tires do a great job at what they are supposed to do. I am pretty pleased with traction, other tires I have used with a similar tread did not corner well, the Kendas do a good job. Oh and how about the weight 345grams....
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nigel Wok
a Cross Country Rider
from Perth, Western Australia, Australia Date Reviewed: June 27, 2005
What have I done? I read a few reviews and I didn't believe them. Lots of people have commented on them only being 1.7 inches wide. I was sceptical. How could a tire be advertised at 1.95 inches wide and be only 1.73 inches wide? Sadly it is true. Cannot ride on sand. Slippery climbing hills. Poo! On the positive side it is a light tire and I must say there is noticeably lower rolling resistance on road. But if I wanted to go fast on the road, I would have bought a racer with slicks! Who designed this tire? What is its purpose? I know it is meant ot be a racing tire but there aren't that many cross-country races that occur on pavement.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
scott oakley
a Cross Country Rider
from charlotte Date Reviewed: June 24, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Lake Norman
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Lightest tire available
Weaknesses:
skinny
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer FirePro xc
Bike Setup:
KHS xc904r
Bottom Line:
I have tried WTB MotoRaptors and Panaracer FirePro's they both slipped when climbing. I bought the Kenda's for my weekly races and have never taken them off. They work in almost every condition. I'm a light rider and am able to run low pressure. This helps with the traction and handling. The only weakness I have with them is that they are terrible under rear braking. I compensate by front braking. It's worth the it, though.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Clint Ball
a Cross Country Rider
from Evergreen, CO Date Reviewed: May 21, 2005
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
online
Strengths:
light
Weaknesses:
weak, prone to leave you on the side ofthe trail
Similar Products Used:
many - Panaracers, Hutchison
Bike Setup:
Hardtail, XT build kit, Manitou Black 80/100
Bottom Line:
Used these tires with the idea of having a lite fast tire for my 1st XC race this year. Course is smooth and fast, not rough or rocky at all. The sidewall exploded after only 3 miles - a short and dissapoinintg day to say the least. These tires are definitely not raceworthy. After months of training, travel to the race venue, entrance fees, etc. etc. it is not worth having cheapo tires blow out on you. I wish I had read the other reviews here referencing sidewall blowout before buying the Kendas.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from Malaysia Date Reviewed: May 11, 2005
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Strengths:
Great for dry condition, not-so-rocky condition. Very light. Better traction control when taking corners.
Weaknesses:
Performed badly on mud and wet condition as this is not a mud/wet tires. Not so good in rocky condition. The tires seems kinda small compared to other 1.95 tyres.
Specialized rockhopper, rockshox pyslo race 2004, deore shifter, avid brakes, 2003 xtr rear derail, deore lx front derail, truvativ stylo team 2005 crankset, kenda klimax lite front tyre, panaracer trailblaster rear tyre.
Bottom Line:
It's very light and the traction is very good on dry condition. But here in malaysia, there are many tropical forest where we can encounter wet condition most of the time. So, this tyre isnt that suitable for it's condition. If the trail is dry and not rocky, it performs almost perfect. As for price issue, it is kinda expensive here in malaysia and im not sure how long this tyre would started to wear out. All in all, it's a great tyre!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Evan Plews
a Racer
from Dallas, Oregon, USA Date Reviewed: April 8, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Waldo Lake
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
The lightest raceable tire. Great with NoTubes. Excellent traction in firmer conditions. Unbelievably fast!
Weaknesses:
Narrow and not as good if it is rocky or slick.
Similar Products Used:
Everything.
Bike Setup:
Bianchi Super Grizzily with Spinner fork; Sunrace/XTR drivetrain; Magura brakes; SDG I-beam seat/post, Syntace bar/stem; Kenda tires; Crank Bros pedals.
Bottom Line:
My not-so-secret performance enhancer for certain courses. Low weight and rolling resistance will make you faster. Like any thing HOT handle these with care!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Micky
a Weekend Warrior
from Cainta, Rizal, Philippines Date Reviewed: March 5, 2005
Too skinny for trailbike use. Not durable at all. Maybe that's why it's cheap!
Similar Products Used:
Specailized Ground Control, Continental Explorer
Bike Setup:
Tires were mated to an XT Wheelset with Avid mecahnical disc brakes. Treated with Slime for puncture-resistance. Marzocchi MX Pro 100mm fork on a Specialized Stumpjumper Pro with Fox triad shock.
Bottom Line:
It was a great entry point to tubeless tires. Looked great and felt fast and light. Other than that, performance was just so-so. While it pedaled well and it rolls fast, uphill and downhill traction was poor. These tires are NOT for trailbike use. Afte only a few rides, the rear tire developed blisters. The casing or ply must have separated from the rubber so that it developed air pockets. Serves me right for going cheap. These tires are not in the level of my favorite Contis. This tire is for racers only who ride relatively smoother courses and who can change tires often.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bob
a Cross Country Rider
from Charleston, WV Date Reviewed: August 25, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$75.00
Purchased At:
internet
Strengths:
Light, roll fast, mount's with Stan's easily.
Weaknesses:
Thin sidewall, mediocre grip, pinch flat easily.
Similar Products Used:
a lot of tires, recently Panaracer Fire XC pro (great tire), WTB Velociraptors, IRC mythos and Trail Bear.
Bike Setup:
Turner XCE, Fox Talas, Fox Vanilly RC, King, Avid Mechanicals, SRAM drive train (outstanding compared to Shimano), Race Face crankset, etc....
Bottom Line:
Thought I would save some rotational weight and these tires. These things looked skinny on my bike and I was skeptical if they would hold up. They didn't. First ride pinch flatted the rear in less that twenty miles. Replaced tube and got out of forest. Installed Stan's on these and took a second ride. Everything went OK, climbed great in dry conditions, handled dry singletrack admirably but when I hit a patch of sand in a curve on a fast fireroad I was all over the place. Really scary considering that I never even noticed this on my Panaracer Fire XC's. Decided to order another pair of tires right then. Waiting for the new set of tires to come in I decided to take the Klimax's out for their final ride. Climbing a fairly smoothe singletrack section I heard what sounded like a .22 rifle fire. Sidewall blew out and sprayed Stan's all over the place. Tried to patch the wall, installed a tube and started to ride backe out. Bang, the tube blew out the the patch in the sidewall. 4 mile walk out. Bottom line, maybe if you race you should try these but if you just want to trail ride stay away. The risk of bodily damage from their unpredictability in sand and mud is not worth it. Also, you should carry two spare tubes a sidewall patch kt and a pump if you ride these. Where is weight savings in that. Don't even think about Stan's in the front tire on one of these. If my front tire blew on a fast downhill instead of a climb it could have been much worse that a walk out of the woods.
Value rating - 1 they were expensive Overall rating - 2 they do get you up the hill faster.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Robb
a Cross Country Rider
from Wi Date Reviewed: April 5, 2004
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$33.00
Purchased At:
Performance
Strengths:
Extreme light weight
Weaknesses:
comfort
Similar Products Used:
irc mythos, bontrager Jones, etc
Bike Setup:
02 Trek Fuel 90 w/manitou elite 100mm travel up front, some carbon and titanium here and there
Bottom Line:
Ok, for starters im 195 lbs and consider myself an above average technical rider. Ive yet to flatten either front of back over a full year of riding. I run them at 50psi front and back, set it and forget it. The full supsension probably has something to do the fact that i havent had one flat. I raced 4 times in 03, these tires did what i expected. Mostly hardpack Wisconsin trails with some rocky sections. Traction was sufficient and i only went down once (mud hole in front of a wood bridge, after the mud stuck to tires i thought the wood bridge was an ice rink) Saved 660grams with tubes = 1.5 lbs of rotating weight off the bike which can be felt on acceleration and climbing. I used the tires the whole season of trail riding and aforementioned races and they are pretty worn out. If you want to cut around 1.5 lbs off your bike(depending on your current tire setup, i had bontrager Jones 640grams each) throw on these tires with light weight tubes for under 100.00 total. NOTE: I threw these tires on my new race bike a Trek STP which only has 1 inch rear travel and "80 mm" front judy race suspension. These tires were noticably rough and uncomfortable for any endurance trail riding. Im gonna try the schwalbe racing ralphs on my STP ill keep u posted! For those who race or just want to keep up to thier buddies on fast trails I HIGHLY RECOMMEND. I dont do big jumps and drops so i cant comment on that. Lastly, these tires are not very wide, i measured 1.75 inches max width of knobs and probably 1.65 at casing. When racing there are times that the trail leads out to black top or cement to head in direction of another trail, on extreme hardpack and asphalt its EASY to maintain 20 mph with these tires...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Capt Phun
a Racer
from NJ (yuck) Date Reviewed: February 25, 2004
Favorite Trail:
any
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$38.00
Purchased At:
online
Strengths:
Light weight, low rolling resistance
Weaknesses:
again, not 1.95, more like 1.70, thin and prone to pinch flats
Similar Products Used:
schawble, wtb's, irc, maxxis, god how much $$$ have i spent on tires??
Bike Setup:
superlight weight weenied to 23 pounds
Bottom Line:
Ok...upon using the tires till the thread was gone here is my follow-up. If you are racing on a hard-pack terrain, and I mean hard-park with not much loose gravel these tires are as light as they get and amazingly fast with low rolling resistance. If you are not riding on hardpack I'd try a different tire. These tires would also be good on a fresh trail, soft loam soil that is completely, wait let me say that again, COMPLETELY free of protruding rocks and roots. here are my reasons for this: I weigh 150 in full race gear. I tried running these tires in many conditions, from hard park, to rock free soft loam soils, to muddy rocky rooty trails. In the hardpack or loam soils I ran them high pressure since I didn't need much traction in terms of biting into the soil. I would run them about 50psi front, 58 rear. High right? Well the reason is this. On rocks, mud, roots, these tires are too narrow, no way in hell are they 1.95. more like 1.75, 1.8 at best. So there is not much room for the tire to compress and give a little suspension like a wider tire will. These tires on rocky rooty terrain simply are terrible in my opinion. I tried running them at 35 psi like I do 2.0 tires on rocks and roots, but since these tires are so light, and hence made of thin rubber I was getting pinch flats. And since I race, pinch flats are a big no no since you will never win a race if you flat out on the course. So that was my first trun off. The only way to run them in rocks and roots is at 55psi range, but at that pressure the tires are so hard, they tend to deflect off rocks instead on compressing and giving you traction. Also on the course (i was pre-riding) there is a 2 foot to down slope ledge, well even at 50 psi the rear snake bit and hence another flat. :( Not sure how the terrain is where you are riding, but honestly I race and we all have to start somewhere ( I won my Beginner series the first year I raced). I would be very very cautious about using these tires in a race just because of the fact that I had three flats over one summer of use, while with my other tires I had yet to flat. Though now I do run tubeless on my race bike so flats are pretty much non-existant. So my advice, try them if you want and if your conditions are up to it. At 160 poundsyou can try them at 45 psi to start, but you may see that you may have to increase the psi, and at that point what are you really gaining? When the tires compresses that is when you get your traction. This tire compressed on a climb is only about 1.95 wide if that, not much room to bite into the ground. There are other tires out there that I would rather use. Check out the schwable racing ralph or fast fred, both like, only a little heavier but so much more reliable. One of the main reasons I won my class is no flats, no mechanicals, while some stronger riders had flats or mechanical problems. I tool on all my bikes so I like to have them set up and race ready reliable. Another option you may seriously want to consider is upgrading your rims to a lighter rim/hub combo to shed some weight and get better bearing efficiency. You said you were interested in 517's, so you run rim brakes. if you are happy with them then ok, but I can't stress disc brakes enough. At this point, my personal opion is rim brakes are just not worth the hassle and their stopping power is a joke compared to discs. I can bomb down a hill faster with more confidence knowing that the discs will slow me down so much better than rim brakes, especially if its wet, muddy or snowy. So in conclusion...this is my opinion only, someone else may give you the exact opposite review, but as a racer I think avoiding flats is priority number one. hard to win a race when you are changing out a tube. These tires are light and fast, but I do not have the confidence to race on them unless it was a good hard park or a loam based soil free of rocks roots and drops.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
scarface
a Racer
from groveland ma usa Date Reviewed: February 13, 2004
Favorite Trail:
any
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
online
Strengths:
none
Weaknesses:
too flimsy
Similar Products Used:
panaracer, continental, hutchinson, michelin
Bike Setup:
gt idrive team, psylo, xtr, hayes
Bottom Line:
after a little more that 1 hour on the trail, the sidewall split and had to trash the tire. i weigh 130 lbs. with all the abuse your tires take, more weight means more rubber. go for ultra lightweight elsewhere on your bike. especially if you ride techinical terrain.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Captain Phun
a Racer
from Lake Hiawatha, NJ USA Date Reviewed: October 31, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$38.00
Strengths:
Extemely light weight, low rolling resistance, grips well in hardpack. Goes on rim very easily.
Weaknesses:
Thin, tire is more like 1.70" than 1.95". Flats occasionally but found fix for this (see below).
Similar Products Used:
other tires, geeze.
Bike Setup:
superlight, crossmax sl disc ust.
Bottom Line:
Very light weight is the key point of these tires. Put them on your bike and drop a pound or more off the rotational weight and you bike feels like a rocket. They are a little narrower than advertised and it is hard to hook up in wet rock and mud, but for a nice hardpack coure with little rocks or roots, these tires get the green light. Flat out, so i had to run them at 50psi or more where as with other tires I could run at 30 psi (i'm a trim 140 pounds). A good way to avoid flats is to use Maxxis flyweight tubes, but not the regular 2.1 tubes. I used the 1.50-1.75 and have not had a flat since, and those tubes (88 grams each) cut even more weight off. I didn't go Stan's no-tube with these tires, the sidewalls are too thin as well as the tread area. I didn't want to risk smashing a rim for a little bit (22 grams) in weight saving over using a tube. Overall a super ligh, fast tire, good for hardpack, smooth trails.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ClydesdaleDave
a Racer
from Atlanta Date Reviewed: August 13, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Tanasi, TN
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$24.00
Purchased At:
Cambria
Strengths:
Super lightweight with virtually no rolling resistance. Grips incredibly well for its weight and lack of tread. Sheds mud like a wet dog. Loose bead, requires no tools to remove.
Weaknesses:
Punctures easily. Slips occasionally on roots and rocks. Requires a high pressure to avoid pinch flats. Braking at high speed requires a little forethought.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Fire XC, Panaracer Trailblaster, WTB Nanoraptor, Continental Cross-Country.
Bike Setup:
Titus Racer-X, Chris King Hubs+Mavic 517 wheels, Race Face Turbine cranks and rings. XTR shifters & brake levers, Avid SD Ti brakes, RockShox Duke
Bottom Line:
First of all, this tire is narrower than 1.9...it's more like 1.7...which is fine. Anyway, I used these in a race last weekend and was very surprised that my 210 lbs combined with such a lightweight tire did not suck! These feel so thin and wimpy, that I expected to flat riding across the parking lot. These totally kicked ass for their weight.
The course was dry but the 2 muddy spots were no problem, the mud shed immediately unlike more aggressive tread...its narrowness helped in the mud too. I did slip on a couple roots and rocks during some slow climbs, and discovered that braking on fast descents required a little planning. The slipping didn't affect my time negatively to offeset the great improvement due to the rotational wieght. I ran my rear at 55 lbs and my fron was probably 45...I dropped the pressure in the front from 52 because it made the bike squirrely. They do drift a little at highspeed on gravel fireroads but handled better than I would have exprected...I think any tire at that pressure is going to have these characteristics.
I general, I was very surprised that these thin, wimpy, light-weight tires were able to handle a cldesdale rider like myself. Just for kicks, I just put Maxxis flywieght tubes in them today...90g+345=435 g per tire! I haven't ridden on them but once again, I'm expecting the worst.
These tires will get 5 chilis for the $23 per tire...great value if you can get them on sale and 5 chilis for the fact that they significantly exceeded my expectation. But, remember, these are not designed for all-around use....they only excel on buff singletrack. For all-around quality, get a set of Panaracer Fire-XC. For shaving minutes off of a smoothish singletrack racecourse, use these.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick Leigh
a Racer
from Longmeadow MA USA Date Reviewed: June 1, 2003
Favorite Trail:
MDC, Case Mtn and Robinson
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$32.00
Purchased At:
kenda support program
Strengths:
LIGHT!!! Fast rolling, rolls through the mud and even gets traction on the very wet and muddy. Perfect tire if your are a racer.
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
Kenda Kharimas and Hutchinson Pythons
Bike Setup:
2001 Schwinn Moab 1 w/ bomber Z.3 long travel (4 inches) bontrager rims, all XT , XTR components Kenda Tires
Bottom Line:
If you are a racer and need something light and gets the job done in all conditions this tire is the one!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Philip
a Racer
from LA Date Reviewed: March 11, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Strengths:
Fast Rolling
Weaknesses:
Traction
Similar Products Used:
Zed Race, Python, Python light, Fire XC
Bike Setup:
Superlight and Obed
Bottom Line:
These puppies roll fast, but you would have to pay me some good dough to put it back as a front tire. It seemed slippery up front and gave me very little confidence on the hardpack fireroad decents. In addition, I found the rear to also be slippery on out-of-the-saddle climbs. I admit that I had the tendency to pump them to 50+ psi and really scream on them. Lastly, this is the first tire that I had unseat with my Stans no tubes, leaving me totally stranded. This is most likely because they are so thin and have trouble with goat heads. At the end of the day, I would choose this tire if I had a flat and fast race cource, but would be very nervous to use them anywhere else. For casual riding I seem to have more fun with better traction, but you end up taking more risks in a race so these might be the ticket.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Deadman
a
from Kalamazoo MI Date Reviewed: February 23, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Ft. Custer MI red loop
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
mail order
Strengths:
light weight
Weaknesses:
traction
Similar Products Used:
WTB Velociraptors wire beaded
Bike Setup:
2002 Hoo Koo E Koo w/ Manitou SX Carbon fork, Easton EA50 stem, seat post and xc handlebar, these tires and Specialized Turbo 1.5-1.9 tubes
Bottom Line:
I noticed a radical change in my bikes riding after changing over from my WTB Velociraptors and tubes. I saved 550 grams/1.2 lbs. with the tires. Climbing became easier, acceleration faster, bike lighter, rolling resistance less but unfortunately traction less sure. I compensate by riding more skillfully. Overall they are an amazing upgrade.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Travis S
a Cross Country Rider
from El Paso, TX, USA Date Reviewed: February 8, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Sidewinder wasn't half bad...
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Price Paid:
$33.00
Purchased At:
Franklin Mountain Cyclery
Strengths:
Very lightweight and fast. Would be excellent for groomed single track.
Weaknesses:
Not very well suited for rocky desert trails.
Similar Products Used:
A few of these and a few of those.
Bike Setup:
GF Paragon, working slowly towards 20 lbs.
Bottom Line:
I was extremely impressed by this tire on paper. I could lose 3/4 of a pound per tire for around $30. I ordered one tire and set it up with Stan's Notube as my rear. It went right on. The next day with a pressure adjustment back up for 50 psi (midway between the recommended 40-60psi) I took it out for a spin. The first major rock (approximately 4 inchs out of the ground, but a best choice in the area) I blew a hole in it. Dead in the center of the track. Had the weather not been so bad I would have stuck a tube in and tried that for awhile, but the bad weather limited my desire to go through all that trouble.
All in all, it probably is good for it's intended use, racing. For all around abuse don't even think about it though. And if your racing includes rock gardens or gravel streets, I wouldn't recommend this tire.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
David
a Racer
from Friendswood, Texas USA Date Reviewed: January 26, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
Jenson USA
Strengths:
Weight. Very light weight.
Weaknesses:
Width and not durable. These tires are not 1.95. They are more like 1.70. Very Skinny and very slippery on the trails.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
2003 Trek Fuel 100 (All Carbon Frame) Full-suspension mountain bike. The best in the business
Bottom Line:
These tires are not 1.95 in width. They are more like 1.70. I rode on these tires for approximately 20 minutes and got my first flat tire. I was terrified riding on these tires..Very slippery and doesn't grab on any surface. Don't waste your money trying to save weight by purchasing these tires. TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Philip Orosco
a Racer
from CA Date Reviewed: January 15, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Strengths:
Light as heck. Roll fast.
Weaknesses:
Scary on the front, and slippery on the rear.
Similar Products Used:
Python Airlight, Zed Race, Fire XC
Bike Setup:
Superlight, and Litespeed Obed.
Bottom Line:
I would race on these puppies in semi dry conditions without high speed fireroad decents. The bottom line is that they are real fast, but I almost died in loose turns on a downhill fireroad. I just cant trust this as a front tire. In addition, the sweet spot for out-of-the saddle climbing is very small for the rear tire. If your weight distribution is a little off, then get ready for some energy draining spin outs. Lastly, they are so thin and lightweight that I continually mash my rear rim on obstacles, mainly because I ride like crap. Overall, I prefer the python airlights for more confidence, at least on the front.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bob
a Cross Country Rider
from Ann Arbor, MI Date Reviewed: September 26, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Poto
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
incredibly light--~350g. corner very well on dry hardpack with light sand. nice "feel". supple. not too expensive.
Weaknesses:
narrow! looks like a 1.5. low air volume. wouldnt use it on a rough course. not sure about mud. i have heard that it has high rolling resistance (probably more pronounced on the rear).
Similar Products Used:
too many to list.
Bike Setup:
frame and 2 wheels.
Bottom Line:
I am VERY impressed with this tire. I ran it on the front at the 40 psi. my weight is 140lb.
it seems to track very well, is predictible and grippy.
I used a fast fred 2.0 on the rear: this is an incredibly fast combo.
here is a very un-scientific comparison: rode a 14.7 mi rolling-fast course. similar conditions, on 2 different bikes: i-drive race and fisher paragon. same wheelset for both. python airlights on the i-drive. the fisher is about 3 lbs lighter. setup/drivetrain/suspension are very similar.
wasnt wearing my hrm, but exertion felt similar, and i might have been laying back on the i-drive.
i-drive with pythons: 63:37 paragon with klimax and fast fred: 58:07
way faster than i expected. im out of shape--lost 2 months of riding due to an injury.
overall, an impressive tire for intended use.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Toddy Too Hotty
a Cross Country Rider
from VA Date Reviewed: September 7, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Performance
Strengths:
Low weight and rolling resistance
Weaknesses:
Pinch Flats, Tire Pressure not to go below 40 psi, very poor traction in dry conditions, knives a lot in loose terrain
Similar Products Used:
Hutchison Scorpion Airlight
Bike Setup:
Jamis Dakar Comp 2k2, Time Atacs
Bottom Line:
I do not like these tires. They are very, very narrow, and I got pinch flats constantly...even a lot of pinhole flats. The knobs on them are almost nonexistant, and the tires do bounce off of roots and rocks. They slide over terrain that is loose, vor example, a hardpack trail that is very try, such that it has a loose thin layer of dirt on top (like a spot on a trail where there is a lot of erosion). The manufacturer recommends the tire pressure remain between 40-60 psi, and that is not a lot to work with.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jay dott
a Racer
from almost the hill country Date Reviewed: August 26, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Very light - that's all you should be concerned about with theses tires.
Weaknesses:
Not much rubber to hold the air in and keep the rocks out.
Similar Products Used:
most of 'em
Bike Setup:
various tires
Bottom Line:
I ran these "normal" tires as ghetto tubeless (latex). we're talking sub 400g tubeless tires here. Fast- yes! grip - good enough for hauling, but the major concern here is are you willing to risk a flat?
I was and lucked out all summer for STXC. They held up beyond my exectations and even tolerated a few laps on various NCS XC courses, though I was babying them. After a summer of dirt crits, they still look perfect!
I'm not sure using tubes would provide any more protection from flats and they're making UST versions now, but then again, the only reason you'll ride these tires is to save weight. And they do their job.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Cheng
a Cross Country Rider
from Singapore Date Reviewed: August 22, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Anywhere
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$15.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Freaking light, rolls damn well, corners, brakes and drives respectably
Weaknesses:
Well ... it's a really thin tire ... not for gnarly, rocky stuff ... no freeriding or urban assault here
Similar Products Used:
Lotsa tires like IRCs, Kendas, Panaracers, Hutchinsons etc.
Bike Setup:
GT Zaskar
Bottom Line:
When used in the right conditions ... they FLY ... or rather u'll feel like u're flying on wheels
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Zorro
a Cross Country Rider
from Spokane, WA, USA Date Reviewed: August 20, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Marshal dips
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
online
Strengths:
Incredibly light, good stiction on hard pack
Weaknesses:
It will knife out from under you in a heartbeat if there is any fine loose stuff under it
Custom cannondale, 22lbs, Easton carbon, Race Face cranks, Ti BB, Flyweight tubes, Hope disks, XTR everything else...
Bottom Line:
This was the single greatest weight weenie reduction I have done. Everyone sais loosing rotational weight will give you the the maximum bang for the buck, but I could not believe the difference! When I put these things on my bike it shot out from under me like never before. They ride well on the streets that I take to work and are superb on hardpack. They are exceedingly skinny and small, but grab up on things you would never expect them to like rocks, roots and even moderatly slick trail conditions. Where they fall apart and loose a flame by me is in ANYTHING that is loose. I have biffed it to many times for my comfort on them when I hit sandy stuff (they knife really bad) or even a part of the trail that has a dusty top coat. They just don't hook up in these conditions but what do you expect for super small nobbs and a 345g tire! Overall I love them and will put them on at the beguning of every season when the trails around my place are still hardpack, as the year goes on though, and if you have any sandy or loose dusty trails you hit, there are better (abet heavier) choices out there.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
RAJJ
a Cross Country Rider
from Valley Center Ca. USA Date Reviewed: July 19, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Daley Ranch
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
NORBA NCS
Strengths:
Weight, Very Light, Great Traction in a variety of conditions. Excellent Wear Factor
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Spec. S-works series tires, maxxis minatour,
Bike Setup:
4-hardtail X-C race bikes and a Ellsworth Truth. All Hardtails are sub-20 lbs, so you know the set-up.
Bottom Line:
My kids and I race with TEAM NOVA (check the www). I first bought these tires for my kids, because of the tires weight. We have tried other light x-c tires and these looked good. To my surprize, these tires did not wear as quickly as the others we tried. This is good.
So I decided to give them a try myself. I am 170 lb x-c rider. Most of our riding here in So-Cal consists of hardback. Actually, most of our riding here is decomposed granite that is like riding on marbles. My first trip on these tires was on my Trek 9.9 set-up strictly for racing. And I was QUITE IMPRESSED with the way these tires handle. To the point where I felt comfortable with two wheeled controled slides. Never did these tires go-away unexpectantly. These tires are very predictable. And the performance gained in climbing is amazing.
My next test of these tires was on my Ellsworth Truth. This bike is set-up as a trailbike. I found that these tires were able to handle everything I asked them to do and gave no surprizes. They are narrow, and behave accordingly, but the gain in climbing far outweighs anything.
The wear factor on these tires is excellent. I have seen Spec. S-works tires go away in 2 races. These tires show very little wear after 6 races.
These will be my choice of tires throughout our dry season. I will be buying more of these at Durango. Thanks Kenda
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
EKBiker
a Cross Country Rider
from Pasadena, California Date Reviewed: June 29, 2002
Favorite Trail:
El Prieto
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Performance Bike
Strengths:
Light weight, lower rolling resistance.
Weaknesses:
None yet.
Similar Products Used:
Ritchy, Panaracer, etc...
Bike Setup:
Sub 20 lbs. Ti Hardtail, Rock Shox SID SL, TruVativ Stylo Team crankset, Avid Brake levers, American Classic ISIS BB & Ultralight Headset, and XTR bits...
Bottom Line:
Just got the tire, I ordered one just to try out. First I mounted it on a 22mm rim, the casing measured (using my calipers) 1.6"; and if measured from side knob to side knob, which stick out a little from the casing, I got 1.7". These are really 1.7" tires, I don't know how they got 1.95". My tire actually weighed 329g, which is lighter than what they advertised. I used a 1.25"x26" inner tube (110g)which fits great with this tire.
First I tried the tire on the rear. As other reviewers have said, it really hooks up even when climbing out of the saddle. It felt better than the Ritchy I had (but the Ritchy is pretty worn out). I can tell right away that this would be a good rear climbing tire for the kind of riding I do. I try to keep a high cadence on my cranks so the reduced rolling weight helps to keep the wheels spinning, and I like to ride out of the saddle when I can on my ultra-short chainstay (16 3/8") hardtail bike. I weight 130 lbs. and ride mostly on technical single tracks and hard pack fireroads.
Then I put the tire on the front. I was expecting that the tire would wash out and slide easier so I was trying to be careful when going downhills. But to my surprise, It provided exceptional braking performance. My previous tire had tall knobs and very soft compound and it skipped and hopped under hard braking. This tire stopped quickly without skipping or hopping under the same conditions. The sand patches I encountered would have washed out almost any tire anyway. I adopted a style to brake before the turn and enter it slow enough to complete the apex of the curve. This tire was also more predictable on off-camber turns, probably due to the fact that the tire profile is rounder than any other I have ever used. Rounder profile tires break loose gradually. The "Flat Top" tire profile, which a lot of front tires have, gives good grip at the edge but lets go very abruptly.
My first impression after a few rides is that the harder rubber compound really dig into the hard pack, and the shorter knobs give more stability under hard braking. Also, the rounder profile gives a more forgiving ride at the limit of adhesion. I would think that these tires would be good also on slick rock. But I don't know about mud or soft dirt.
I am probably going to put these tires on front and rear. But I need more miles with these to make a final decision.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tim
a Cross Country Rider
from Alberta, Canada Date Reviewed: June 23, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Slickrock
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$45.00
Purchased At:
Canyon Sports, Salt Lake City, Utah
Strengths:
Low rolling resistance, you feel faster on flats as a result
Weaknesses:
Traction – consider the Klimax as a semi-slick with a bit of added bite, this tire is no substitute for a true knobby “Lateral bounce” – the tire bounces left and right off obstacles like rocks and roots rather than rolling over them. This is noticeable enough for my riding buddies to see!
Similar Products Used:
In addition to the Klimax I own the following Ritchey Alpha-Bite 2.1 S.C. – WCS (kevlar) Ritchey Z-Max 1.9 S.C. – WCS (kevlar) Panaracer Fire XC Pro 2.1 (kevlar) Ritchey Speedmax Alpha 2.1 (kevlar) Ritchey Speedmax Omega 2.1 (kevlar) Michelin Wild Gripper Comp S 1.95 (kevlar) Hutchinson Python Air Light 2.0 (kevlar)
Bike Setup:
Zygoat frameset (Ti Hardtail), ’00 Mars CL, XT/XTR drivetrain and hubs, Bontrager Valiant rims (off center rear), Avid Arch Rival 50 V-brakes, King headset, Time Carbon pedals, Kore Lite forged stem, Zoom Al-Fibre-F1 bar, Kalloy seatpost, Terry Ti-Liberator Race seat, t.h.e. Shroud fender, Avid Flak Jacket sealed cables (shifter and brake)
Bottom Line:
I rarely use this tire anymore.
First impression of this tire – fast. After riding it for a while though I became frustrated by the frequency of spinouts and the “lateral bounce” phenomena I described above. I now consider this tire as an aggressive semi-slick, for hardpack use only.
If you buy this tire expecting it to hook up like a good knobby you will be disappointed.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
MPH
a Cross Country Rider
from Martinsburg, WV Date Reviewed: June 9, 2002
Favorite Trail:
can't tell
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$29.00
Purchased At:
can't remember
Strengths:
Lite, good traction, low rolling resistance.
Weaknesses:
None so far.
Similar Products Used:
ContiExPros, BontiJones, Kenda Kozmik.
Bike Setup:
2000Trek6500 with everything upgraded except the front derailer.
Bottom Line:
This tire is incredible! I've been torturing it over trails that when you see dirt through all the rocks, you're surprised! I'm talking rocks that are small, big, sharp, loose, wet, dry...you get the picture. I know I've scraped the sidewalls pretty bad several times with no failures or even signs of wear! By the way - I'm using this on the rear, with Stan's New Rim Strips at about 38 lbs with a riding wt of about 150 lbs and BontiMustangs. On dirt of all types - wet or dry - I don't notice any difference in straight-line traction or on turns, from my BontiExPros (an excellent tire in it's own right).
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jason
a Racer
from San Mateo, CA, USA Date Reviewed: May 29, 2002
'01 Schwinn Homegrown, Sid SL(soon to be Marathon), XT Disc, Spinergy XYClones, SRAM, Next LP, XS ISIS, Time ATAC, Thompson, Monkeylite SL, Flite Ti Gel, Lock-ons.
Bottom Line:
Dude, this is an awesome XC race tire. I was surprised how durable they are. I've raced them 4 times plus a couple on the trail and they're still almost brand new. also good traction, i liked em so i got the kharisma krystals(not an all condition tire). The Klimax lite's really hook up though, i raced em at sea otter and it was still a little damp and the did well, even through some rougher stuff the stick, just don't put the pressure too high. I've got a buddy who even rides them on the trail and they're holding up real good for him too through the rough stuff and he's a heavy guy. All in all this is an awesome tire. All XC racers should go out and get a pair.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alex L
a Cross Country Rider
from Raleigh, NC US Date Reviewed: May 13, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Tsali, Bent Creek (Pisgah), Whistler BC
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
http://www.phattire.com/continental.html
Strengths:
Extremely light, great xc traction, very fast, durable tread
Weaknesses:
very narrow (certainly not the claimed 1.95") but excellent traction for its size. do not ride on wet surfaces especially asphault)! they become very slick
Similar Products Used:
Kenda Kozmik Lite, WTB Velociraptor, Raptor,
Bike Setup:
Litespeed Toccoa, FSA Cranks, Mars C Fork, XT/LX Deraileurs, XTR brakes, XT shifters
Bottom Line:
Upgrading to these tires has definitely been one of the best upgrades, if not the very best upgrade I've ever made. I used the Kozmik Lites for about 3 months before switching to these, and these Klimax Lites are a whole lot better (much more traction, and even lighter). These tires are very very fast, extremely light, and they get surprisingly excellent traction, despite their rather puny size. These tires are much knobbier than the Kozmik's, and they therefore climb a whole lot better. On light loose stuff, these tires are fine, but you definitely don't want to use them for any real loose gravel, or especially for any rough downhilling. Then again, these tires are made specifically as a cross country tire, and for that they work superbly. My times have significantly decreased since I switched to these tires, and I've dropped about a pound in the process. These are definitely the best "pound-for-dollar" reduction you can find, and I highly recommend them.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alex
a Cross Country Rider
from Quebec Date Reviewed: April 26, 2002
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$30.00
Strengths:
They are the second lighttest MTB tires in the world! Incredible acceleration, good traction in dry conditions.
Weaknesses:
Not very confidence-inspiring in the rough or in loose corners.
Fisher Paragon, stock Bontrager Race wheels, with a bunch of lightweight upgrades...
Bottom Line:
Well, the point of getting these is for the weight, or lack thereof. You can feel it in the acceleration, they are FAST. VERY FAST. They don't weigh much more than road tires!
Don't bother if you freeride or ridein mud. They are very narrow. (1.9? Idon't think so!)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
AL
a Cross Country Rider
from Northeastern MA Date Reviewed: March 9, 2002
Favorite Trail:
many
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Excellent traction for moderate conditions cross country riding. Easy to mount without tools.(just hands) VERY light weight and unbelievably FAST!!! Looks like a quality product, not cheap. Go up climbs like a pro rider.
Weaknesses:
Not for tons of mud, rock gardens, downhilling, or heavy riders.(I'm a skinny-ass 158lb) Actual tire width is 1.560 per my calipers.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Dirt Control, Dirt Master. (both 450 gm tires per my scale)
I quickly mounted these tires and got ready for my first ride. Looking down at the front tire was quite an eye opener! Where's the tire??? Yikes!!! (1.560 looks very narrow) Anyways, off I go on my first ride wondering if these skinny tires are going to kill me or not. Turns out I survived without eating dirt.(Yea!) After much use and trusting these tires completely now, I can tell you this. Whenever I ride with these tires I ALWAYS amuse myself and have a smile. My bike feels like a ROCKET SHIP. Blast up short to medium climbs in a much higher gear than ever before. On single track, flick the bike here, flick the bike there, It feels like the bike weighs a grand total of 5lbs. Awesome agility! Needless to say I use my other wheelset with Michelin WildGrippers when I ride with my bud's as I already climb faster than them with the "heavy" Michelins. No sense making them HATE me! Bottom Line: You're going to have to pry these treads from my dead hands.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
RJ
a Cross Country Rider
from Boise, Idaho Date Reviewed: February 10, 2002
Favorite Trail:
too many to list
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
phattire, Georges cycle
Strengths:
very light weight and low rolling resistance make these quick accelerating, fast tires. The lightest XC tires you can buy.
Weaknesses:
a bit on the narrow side, its questionable if they are in fact 1.95 inches.
Similar Products Used:
MTB velocoraptor heavy ass, wide tires that I use when the trail is wet or loose.
Bike Setup:
hard tail built for recreational racing
Bottom Line:
If you want to save some weight, lower your rolling resistance, and increase your speed on hard packed trails then this is the PERFECT tire. However, if you spend a lot of time on loose or muddy trails then you will probably not like these. At first the knobbies seemed a little anemic to me, but after riding them I found that they grip just fine (on hard packed trails) and I have no complaints. They are reasonably durable and will last about 6 months if you average 200 miles a month.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jeb
a Cross Country Rider
from Denmark Date Reviewed: January 6, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Denmark
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
lyngby
Strengths:
light, hooks really fair in dirt/soil, some wet.
Weaknesses:
You have to stay seated a little bit more
Similar Products Used:
Irc, ritchey, panaracer, bontrager, specialized -you name it...
Bike Setup:
superlight cruz, speedplay, atom race 100 mm, martas disks,
Bottom Line:
If you wanna go fast, and toast you friends, -they wont be for long, because this tire is so fast for the rear(look for schwalbe fast fred 2.0 for the front). stay a bit more seated when its wet, but i ridden it in all kind of conditions and it super, but i can only speak for denmark were the forest is full of soil, mud -not really rocks or stones where i could thinks of troubles because it is still a light casing, for my use witch is part trailbiking and xc it is perfect.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark Pigott
a Weekend Warrior
from Sarnia, Ontario, CANADA Date Reviewed: December 31, 2001
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$33.00
Purchased At:
cambria
Strengths:
light and fast
Weaknesses:
don't like wet pavement
Similar Products Used:
conti cross country
Bike Setup:
1998 Trek 8900 Sub 20 pound
Bottom Line:
These rock! They are light, they cut huge weight off your rig. Even after a year, the treads wear well for such a light tire. Be wary of water on pavement though. I finf them to be lite on traction when the pavement gets wet!
other than that, i think KENDA has got a great tire!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
pat smith
a Cross Country Rider
from albany new york Date Reviewed: December 30, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
performance
Strengths:
superior grip, awesome acceleration,345 grams.At this weight , I don't understand this tubeless thing
Weaknesses:
I would not use it as a front tire due to the narrow profile.It is not a 1.95.
Similar Products Used:
all of the specialized superlight line up and kenda's kozmik lite(another awesome tire).
Bike Setup:
stumpjumper
Bottom Line:
BUY IT, BUY IT , BUY IT.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
THEODORE POSCH
a Racer
from FULLERTON, CA-USA Date Reviewed: December 29, 2001
Favorite Trail:
FULLERTON LOOP
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$55.00
Purchased At:
2001 SEA OTTER CLASSIC
Strengths:
EXTREMELY LIGHT WEIGHT CAN STRIP AND MOUNT ON A RIM WITH EASE, READILY SHED DIRT OF COURSE. GREAT FOR COMPACT TRAIL CONDITIONS. ALL RIDER LEVELS CAN EASILY ADAPT TO TIRE HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS.
Weaknesses:
NOT RECOMENDED FOR SHARP GRANITE LADDEN TRAILS, EASILY PUNCTURE FLAT.
Similar Products Used:
RITCHEY ALPHA MAX 1.95 KEVLARS, I THINK THEY STOPPED MAKING THEM. THEY WERE LIGHT AND CHEAP!
Bike Setup:
SUB 21LB TREK 9900 OCLV, FULL XTR AND ROLF PROPELS
Bottom Line:
I PICKED UP THESE TIRES AT THE OTTER TO SEE HOW THEY WOULD WORK ON THE COMPACT CLAY, SINCE THE CONDITIONS AROUND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ARE SIMILAR. THEY ARE FAST AND FURIOUS, PUT ABOUT 65 LBS IN THEM AND YOUR FLYING. NO FLATS AFTER 36 MILES OF SEA OTTER CROSS COUNTRY. MOST IMPRESSIVE THOUGH IS I USED THEM FOR THE 24HOURS OF MOAB, RAN SOME OF THE FASTEST TIMES IN MY CATEGORY..........NOT ONE FLAT. THEY GRAB THE SLICKROCK AND CLAY REAL WELL. USED THEM FOR SOME CYCLO-CROSS RACES TOO, AND THEY PERFORMED WELL IN THE OCCASIONAL LOOSE STUFF. A GREAT WAY TO REDUCE YOUR OVERALL BIKE WEIGHT!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Doug
a Cross Country Rider
from Kitchener Canada Date Reviewed: December 15, 2001
Favorite Trail:
hydro cut
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$65.00
Purchased At:
canadian shop
Strengths:
Great product for the price. Good way to lighten up the bike & reduce rolling resistance. Lighter wheels mean quicker acceleration.
Weaknesses:
Just a little hard to install have to be careful
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Mt Baldy. Whcih is good too just a littleheavier
Bike Setup:
FSR-XC out of box stock except mars on front and changed rims to 517 with Richie Ti Hubs
Bottom Line:
I have Klimax on the front & Kosmic on the rear. Put close to 1000 miles on them no complaints other then they knife easier on the loose stuff. They have stood up good. Between wheels And tires droped my bike from 27lb to 24.5lb. Cheap way to reduce weight & in the right place. Alot easier to spin up.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago, IL, USA Date Reviewed: August 23, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Dirt Ones
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
Cambria
Strengths:
Light, Light, and Light. They roll fast, and have good traction on hardpack.
Weaknesses:
Difficult to make turns at high speeds, given the lack of a knobby tread...they do have tread, just not a whole lot. Interestingly, the Kharisma are about 385grams, with about the same amount of tread.
Similar Products Used:
Kharisma lites
Bike Setup:
Ritchey softail, morati m-bar, morati cranks, king hubs and headset, proshift front/rear derailleur
Bottom Line:
A easy way to lower 1/4 of a pound, and speed up your ride. Its amazing how much faster i can ride with morati cranks and these tires. I wouldn't take these into the mud...but if you care about weight, ride on the road during the week, and don't feel like changing tires to go off-road on dry surfaces, they are a good tire choice.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sean
a Racer
from San Diego, CA Date Reviewed: July 16, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Blowhard Mtn
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Cambria
Strengths:
Feather weight
Weaknesses:
None found yet.
Similar Products Used:
Maxxis Minotaur
Bike Setup:
Marin Mt Vision Pro
Bottom Line:
A very fast, light tire. I raced the Brian Head 100 using Klimax as a rear tire (Maxxis Minotaur in front) & was very impressed. It rolls very fast, climbs and corners pretty well. It was bit sketchy in loose rock, but I didn't flat & all the knobbies are still intact so I'm pretty stoked w/ this tire. I think I should be able to get a couple hundred more miles out of it.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
D Sims
a Cross Country Rider
from Greensboro Date Reviewed: June 27, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$33.00
Purchased At:
phat tire.com
Strengths:
light weight,works good on hard pack,kevlar
Weaknesses:
slips a little on the wet stuff but then again they said it would
I bought this tire because I was wanting to lower my rolling resistance and lower the wieght of my bike. this did both. the first time I tried these tires I went on a trail that I knew my time on (8 miles). for some reason my time has been consistant on this trail. I rode with these tires after a hard rain the night before. I noticed that I did slip a few times on sections that I normally didn't but despite that I was five minutes faster per lap with these tires. I rode the trail three times that day and was consistantly faster than with my previous tires. Of course by the third time around I got used to these tires and reduced my slipping. they also take the turns well. A good rule of thumb to lowering weight on a bike is about $500 a pound. I used these tires with some salsa lite tubes and knocked off a pound with less than $90. I'm know wieght geek, if I was I would have spent that extra money. but these tires did two things; lower my rolling resistance and cut weight off my bike. So if you don't have the money, like me, for tubless or other expensive rims I would look into these tires. yeah there kenda's and not some fancy schmancy brand but they did the job for me.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
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