Sizes: 26x1.80 and 26x2.00, both in Kevlar and wire bead. Front or rear. Designed by Steve Larsen for hardpack, loose-over-hardpack, or medium soil conditions. The ramped knob technology on the leading edge is coupled with close knob spacing to permit the small square knobs to roll fast. The trailing edges give good climbing and braking power.
Submitted by
Titan Mack
a Weekend Warrior
from God's Country Date Reviewed: November 1, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Landhal, MO
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
EBAY
Strengths:
Light weight. Best stregnth is training, if you want to train staying up right. I have yet to flat these.
Weaknesses:
No grip on anything but hardpack and loose over hard pack. Totally looses grip on sandy corners, and esepcially when roots and bridges get wet. Many corner numbs on front and rear are pealing off after one 6 hour endurance race.
Similar Products Used:
Maxxis Ardent, CrossMark, MaxxLITE, High Roller, Minion, Kenda Small Block 8 and Nevegal
Bottom Line:
By far, the worse Maxxis tire I have used to date. Current set-up is 2.0 Exception front and 1.9 Execption Rear. By no means are my trails considered rocky, and both tires have a significant number of side numbs that have been sheared off, and several of the top numbs are the same, after 75 miles....50 of which were under race conditions.
The tires are horrible on sandy corners, and even worse on anything wood that is damp (roots, bridges, etc.) The Maxxlite's have more traction in the wet then these do.
I so wanted to like this set-up for racing, but boo...these are aweful. 2 chilis for value cause I got them cheap.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
redderek
a Cross Country Rider
from Thousand Oaks, CA Date Reviewed: September 28, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Encinal Canyon, Bulldog, Guadalasca
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$45.00
Purchased At:
Newbury Park Bicycle
Strengths:
Light weight, high volume, rounded surface, good roll out, grippy
Weaknesses:
None so far other than the fact that it is a little pricey
I was looking for a front tire to handle the myriad Southern California trail conditions. Rocky, Hardpack, Loose over Hardpack, Sandy, Gravel etc... LBS employee (also an avid rider) told me to try the Larsen TT.. I was skeptical at first (I never thought much of the small block 8 type designs) but the Maxxis TT has larger knobs and a bit deeper tread than the Small Block. In any event, this tire has been very good all summer long. I have yet to get a flat running the tire at 25 to 55 psi depending on trail conditions. Hooks up like a champ on hardpack, floats on sand extremely well, nice controlled carving of turns on loose over hardpack and has only washed out one time on a gravel laden turn. The rounded tread profile allows you to lean hard into the turns with good confidence. I just purchased two new front tires to try (Maxxis DHF Single Ply and the Maxxis Ardent) so I'm going to put the Larsen TT on the rear whell for a bit. I have a couple of friends who run them on the rear and they swear by them. I highly recommend this tire as a great versatile all mountain tire for Southern California summer time riding. I don't think it would be so good in the mud but we get so little rain here so as not to matter. I'm still liking this tire a whole lot. Will follow up with a review as a rear tire in a few weeks when I have tried it out.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Schmurtz
a Weekend Warrior
from Srbija Date Reviewed: April 13, 2009
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Strengths:
-devilishly FAST
-light
-hooks up perfectly to almost anything
-braking performance is unmatched by any tire i've tried
-respectable cornering grip
-puncture resistant
Weaknesses:
-durability
-sidewalls are way to thin and vulnerable
-tarmac is killing them, stay away from it, put it in the mud, dirt and rocks, where it belongs...
Similar Products Used:
crossmark, ignitor, older larsen mimo, continental explorer, ritchey z,... ,nearly every single michelin there is, racing ralph (good tire), nooby nic (stinkin' pile of crap, nerly got me killed)
this rewiew is for 2.0 TT
it's curently on my front wheel. it's not performing perfectly, but it's way much better than anything i've mentioned above.
last season it was in the back and i was amazed by amount of traction i got from it even in snowy conditions. however, it started to wear out quickly. i decided that i want to keep it for a little longer so i moved it in front.
my rear tire is michelin xc dry 2.0 (not a bad tire but cornerinhg grip is HORRIBLE!)
as soon as i get some money, i'm moving TT back to the rear, and going for a more aggresive Ardent in the front.
my curent TT is not completly worn out and i think it wil do about another 500 miles before replaced. two or threee of them (including curent) will do this season...
Maxxis has you covered, whatever your style is, just pick the right model acording to your needs.
anywhere from xc racing to all mountain, you won't go wrong with larsen TT.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dubdryver
a Cross Country Rider
from Pembroke Pines, FL USA Date Reviewed: March 14, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Alligator Alley- Markham Park
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$45.00
Purchased At:
Price Point
Strengths:
Very Versitile Tire, Long Lasting, smooth ride on hardpack, unlimited grip. Tread Contact patch is more than sufficient.
Weaknesses:
tread on the outside could be a little bit harder durameter compount to wear evenly with the rest of the tire.
I dont like making a review if I have not used the item for a justifiable length of time. I bought this tire to run on the rear, UST Version w/ Stan's and have not lost the seal, and only had to adjust the tire pressure for riding conditions. They have a solid sidewall, These tires rock! I rode them in the medium to wet hardpack and mud and snow in belgium to the roots and rocks hardpack/loose hardpack of the technical singletrack in S. Florida.
I have recommended this tire to run in the rear to everyone enquiring and those looking for tire advice. I do not think this tire would work for a front, the tread pattern wont fit the part for hard cornering and the grip you need for hard cornering. Use a High Roller or something more aggressive for that job.
I have been riding the same larson TT for approx. 3yrs and probably 2,000 miles and they have only shown wear on the outside knobby tread but has not caused any problems with the performance. I ride fairly light on my bike even at 185 lb. so that maybe the reason for extended wear performance but then again, I have beat the High Rollers up and they are needing replaced and they were mounted at the same time as the TT's.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
SamT
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix, Arizona Date Reviewed: February 15, 2009
Favorite Trail:
National at South Mtn
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$28.00
Purchased At:
Beyond Bikes
Strengths:
weight/traction/ low rolling resistance
Weaknesses:
Last 2 I purchased had knobs fly off and sidewalls split
Similar Products Used:
IRC/Kenda/Conti
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Blur/ SL700's/ XTR
Bottom Line:
I really liked Maxxis- hands down best tires until I got my hands on this latest batch of Larsen TT's. Center knobs disintegrated within first couple of rides (a la Panaracer) and both tires remarkably had splits in the sidewalls at the exact spot. Contacted Maxxis and they could care less. I even offered to return the tires to them for inspection. Did Maxxis sell out or what? Customer service used to be great, tires used to be great. Giving one flaming chili as there is option for negative 5- don’t waste your money.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
sparkplug
a Weekend Warrior
from Santa Maria, Ca. Date Reviewed: January 28, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Town Run
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
E-Bay
Strengths:
Used as rear tire, worked great in a variety of California conditions.
96 Ex-Calibuer, Basicaly stock use a 2.0 on the rear.
Bottom Line:
I was very suprised on how these tire worked, especialy in sand, they hooked up very well. Rode this tire when I was commuting to the bus and it showed little wear from the pavement. I would purchase this tire again. It was very suprising.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick Ringhof
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney N.s.w Australia Date Reviewed: January 23, 2009
Favorite Trail:
Ingleburn
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Fulchers Cyclery
Strengths:
Great all round grip.
Weaknesses:
Due to soft compound, punctures easily.
Similar Products Used:
Kenda.
Bike Setup:
Cross country/Urban tourer.
Bottom Line:
Great tire, will purchase again, this time with puncture proof tubes. Great all round grip on loose surfaces, and grass. Doubles as good touring rubber.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
leadphinger
a Cross Country Rider
from Lincoln Date Reviewed: September 15, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Swanson
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Ebay/LBS
Strengths:
Fast rolling, suppior traction in loose dirt
Weaknesses:
Like a semi-slick in wet conditions...riding these in mud is suicidal.
Similar Products Used:
WTB Velocoraptors, Panaracer Fire XC, Panaracer Piranas, various continentals
Bike Setup:
Cannondale f2000, Sobe Edition - converted to SS
Bottom Line:
Great tire for any price. These babies make my fly-weight racing hardtail feel lighter, more predictable, and far easier to control. They stick beautifully in loose dirt, sand, and scream through hardpack. Definitely one of the best tires I've ever ridden.
CAUTION: These are nothing short of hazardous in wet conditions. If the trail is at all muddy these babies are worthless...but that's not what they're made for so can't fault the tires.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jonathan
a Weekend Warrior
from Tel Aviv, Israel Date Reviewed: August 26, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Mt. Ofer
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
JoyRide bike store
Strengths:
strong traction, fast rolling, great for turns (nice round tire shape), great for hardpacked dry conditions, relatively good on loose terrain, light weight, relatively cheap, pattern is pretty.
Weaknesses:
I have a feeling it has a bit too much traction over speed. Not the best speed for roads and concrete. Perhaps it balances out once the tire get worn a bit more.
Similar Products Used:
many tires; maxxis, kenda, richey, panaracer....
Bike Setup:
2005 GT Avalanche 1, Kenda Karma in front, flat pedals.
Bottom Line:
An excellent rear XC tire, good overall performance, most suitable for fast singles and for technical handling.
The pattern is very good - the many small knobs are designed to hug the ground and roll it off to the next knob very quickly.
Superior turning traction, making turns a bit boring...
wouldn't use it as a front tire, it just doesn't have a front tire pattern.
Great price / value for a Maxxis
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alias Pauly
a Weekend Warrior
from Melbourne, Australia Date Reviewed: August 14, 2008
Favorite Trail:
You Yangs
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Local bike joint
Strengths:
Awesome for loose over hardpack, resonably fast rolling, seem to be lasting very well
Weaknesses:
Don't like mud, or anything loose.
Similar Products Used:
Nevegals, hutchinson scorpions, maxis highrollers
Bike Setup:
Well spec'd hardtail, go anywhere machine.
Bottom Line:
This is the only tyre that will grip at the you yangs here in Victoria. The trails are very fine gravel over hardpack and are slippery as hell. I went through several tyres trying to find something that would grip and the Larsen TT was the only one that would do it. I use them front and back on loose-over-hard and on the back for everything else, except really muddy conditions.
They are a specialised tyre for loose-over-hard or hardpack in my opinion, when the trails are wet or loose fit something else.
These rock.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Greg
a Cross Country Rider
from Cedarburg, WI, USA Date Reviewed: July 7, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Firecracker
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$33.00
Purchased At:
Universalcycles.com
Strengths:
Great cornering, clears dirt surprisingly well, Rolls fast, extremely good grip up technical climbs, good price.
Weaknesses:
None!
Similar Products Used:
Ignitors, bontrager, continental
Bike Setup:
kona kula supreme
Bottom Line:
These tires are perfect for the all around cross country rider. I recently had a race that was very dry and dust and it cleared the sand out of the tire right away and just cut through it. And there was several creek crossings and very technical sharp turns and I never lost my grip once on a turn. I can also say the same up the rooty climbs. They just latched onto the roots and didn't slip once. They aren't half bad in the mud either. If you're looking for a good all around tire this is it. I have the 1.9's and they look great on the bike too. We'll see how fast they wear but by the looks of it they are pretty long lasting. Bottom line Maxxis makes a mean tire.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Cyclogenesis
a Weekend Warrior
from Melbourne, Vic, Australia Date Reviewed: July 3, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Yarra
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
BSC
Strengths:
Low rolling resistance
Weaknesses:
Thin sidewall, *seemed* easy to get punctures, clogged with mud
Similar Products Used:
Maxxis ignators
Bike Setup:
These were used on a Kona Kula (2007 kit, XTR shadow RD, XTR rear shifters added) Now stolen :(
Bottom Line:
I used this bike for some commuting use as well as weekend rides on the Yarra singletrack (windy twisty muddy fun) and the occasional (ok once) dirt crit.
Very low rolling resistance, so great for tracks and tar. Now I seemed to get far more punctures on these than on the Ignators.. I think because there is less thick rubber with all those knobbies... When the mud got quite sticky they also got caked pretty easy...
So I do recomend these as a good all purpose tyre... but take plenty of spare tubes (all opinion of course)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jon
a Cross Country Rider
from Brisbane, Australia Date Reviewed: May 3, 2008
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$37.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Fast rolling. Great on loose dirt when you put the power down. Price is better than many competing tyres
Weaknesses:
Loses traction unpredictably. Not a big drama on the back, but on the front it's potentially disastrous! As a result I have it on the back with a Geax Saguaro on the front for far superior handling and cornering. Also clogs up with crud surprisingly quickly for a knobby tyre.
Similar Products Used:
Geax Saguaro, generic knobbies
Bike Setup:
1997 Gemini Echo Beach, Deore FD, Deore XT RD, Alivio cranks and shifters.
Bottom Line:
Keep it on the rear wheel! Loose dirt these tyres don't mind, but loose gravel is its major weakness. Surprisingly sand isn't a drama with them. As most of the terrain around here is gravelly hardpack, it's on the rear.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joe
a Racer
from OC Date Reviewed: April 1, 2008
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Light weight
Weaknesses:
Durability
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Fast Trak, Captain, Eskar
Bottom Line:
I have put about 40 hours on these tires and the sidewalls are pretty much toast at this point. Good option for hard-pack XC racing, but not a good every-day tire. Love the light weight, but durability is a big issue. Not worth the risk of puncture to to sidewall failure. Tread pattern not great for anything but smooth hard pack. I'll stick with Specialized S-Works lineup going forward...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Lew
a Cross Country Rider
from Shandong, China Date Reviewed: March 24, 2008
Favorite Trail:
local hills
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$20.00
Strengths:
Grip on roads in wet, low rolling resistance, great on hard dry mountain trails and over boulders
Weaknesses:
Very weak, too many punctures, spits dirt and sand onto frame downtube, road noise
Similar Products Used:
Various Kenda, continental avenue
Bike Setup:
Giant hardtail frame, with various reasonable quality sram and shimano parts fitted
Bottom Line:
Love these tires........Hate these tires too!
I love the handling and wet grip on road, give me control on dry hard-pack trails great fun make you feel confident.
SUCK badly on mud, slip and clog.
Puncture more often than I can count, the amount of inner tubes and patches I've used is stupid! Thorns puncture them and and sharp rocks slash them. I killed a tire in 3 weeks, riding 5 days a week. Sharp rock slashed rear :-(
Wish the tires were much tougher, but love them. I couldn't recommend these tires because they are so weak. Maxxis make tougher versions please add a few grams stop me using my puncture repair kit!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Antonio
a Weekend Warrior
from Madrid(Spain) Date Reviewed: December 28, 2007
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$30.00
Strengths:
This tyre is a good tire for cross countery riding, I think It's best rear. Fast rolling Light
Weaknesses:
Low grip Bad breaking Bad traction
Similar Products Used:
Continental Vapor Continental Vertical Kenda Nevegal Swaltchbe Fat Albert
Bike Setup:
Trek 4300
Bottom Line:
I think It's a xc only tyre. Only for rear wheel.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tyrel
a Weekend Warrior
from Coeur d alene, Idaho Date Reviewed: December 9, 2007
Favorite Trail:
URBAN-CITY!
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
ridding buddy 4 christmas!
Strengths:
awesome traction, rain, or summer hot asphalt! They track very well on the 4x track corner like your on rails and no worries your not going to slide out!
Weaknesses:
NONE!
Similar Products Used:
Tioga Yellow Kirren, K-Rad, Holly Rollers!
Bike Setup:
Black Market Riot frame "Raw", Red Profile SE cranks, Profile Titanium spindal, Red Dangerboy pedale, Odyssey MDS 25t sprocket, KHE halflink chain, FSA Impact sealed Headset, Thomson X4 50mm stem, Ea70 high rise bars, Bmx Odi grips, Red lock ons, Dangerboy Skull caps, Juicy 7's with Red Dangerboy Shorty levers, Hope head doctor, Rock shox PIKE team, Profile Red seat collar, Thomson Post, Odyssey SR saddle, KHE Geisha Freecoaster hub 11t, Atomlab trailpimp 36h rims, Red Atomlab Torx nipples, Black DT swiss spokes, Atomlab Aircorp 20mm front hub, Maxxis Larson tt 2.35 tires, red shrader valve covers! SICK BIKE!
Bottom Line:
AWESOME TIRE!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Tom Skelding
a Cross Country Rider
from Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia Date Reviewed: November 11, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Pomiglarna
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$33.00
Purchased At:
Torpedo7.com.au (Online store)
Strengths:
Obscenely light Fast Predictable
Weaknesses:
Clogs with mud easily, noisy, understeer on first few uses. Very weak sidewall on folding bead model
Bike Setup:
Hardtail, 4" travel.
Bottom Line:
An extremely good tyre that rolls and pulls up quickly. Has a very good footprint (I managed to stop on a very steep mossy hill without damaging the moss). It does however have a very thin sidewall and on rocky tracks you could end up tearing the tyre before wearing down the tread.
I reccomend this tyre on the rear as it only seems to react to corners, as opposed to acting. Once you know the tyre it's no longer a problem.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dennis
a
from Santa Cruz, CA USA Date Reviewed: November 8, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Mailboxes
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$45.00
Purchased At:
CycleWorks
Strengths:
Very light and low rolling resistance. They're ideal for hillclimbs on hardpack trails, but work well on some XC courses too. The soft rubber grips firm surfaces well.
Weaknesses:
I don't care for these on sand, gravel or any loose surface, as they tend to sink and grab, making it very hard to steer. And rocks tend to tear the soft rubber knobs off easily. Not cheap either.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Trailblaster, IRC Mythos XC, etc.
Bike Setup:
Rebuilt 1998 Stumpjumper with XT and LX stuff.
Bottom Line:
This tire is designed for pretty specific race courses, such as smooth hardpack dirt. Not an everyday tire, but good to have for some race courses. My 4-chilis rating assumes you use these for the right course.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
cciprian
a Weekend Warrior
from Apuseni Mountains, Romania Date Reviewed: October 8, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
net bike shop
Strengths:
-awesome braking power -fast rolling -light
Weaknesses:
-acumulate mud -low side grip(shift sideway on low speed) -noisy on road
Bike Setup:
hardtail, 80 front travel
Bottom Line:
Very fast tyre, excel on hardpacks trails, takes corners fast, and allow sharp brakes. This tyre do his job very well on hardpacks but on heavy rocky terain bike becomes hard to control. On wet and lose soil will acumulate mud very fast and won't grip at all.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
cj tomkosky
a Weekend Warrior
from Johnstown,PA,United States Date Reviewed: September 10, 2007
Favorite Trail:
pa state game lands
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
local shop
Strengths:
good on or off road,nice long lasting tyre, looks good
Weaknesses:
collects excess mud in tread,only works in good non muddy conditions, if you dont run the rear tyre backwards it feels like riding on ice.
Similar Products Used:
kenda
Bike Setup:
Columbia Taconic, fox racing shox, front disk brakes
Bottom Line:
good tyres for the price and work well on and off road. they run well with low rolling resistance. if you are intrested in a good looking tyre that preformes well on and off road then this is the tyre for you.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Doug C
a Weekend Warrior
from Flagstaff, AZ Date Reviewed: September 3, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Schultz
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
rage cycles
Strengths:
Long Wearing, predictable, tough.
Weaknesses:
They suited there purpose of hardpack trail riding, dirt jumping and bombing around town very well. No complaints.
Similar Products Used:
specialized tires Irc mythos
Bike Setup:
Specialized Hardrock SS. marz comp 130mm fork or Instigator.
Bottom Line:
After nearly two years the rear tire is getting bald. I rode many miles on the tires and the front, which is a Laarsen soft compound, is still holding strong. It is a perfect all round tire. It may not be perfect for any single riding discipline but it great for most.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Raphaël Bolduc
a Weekend Warrior
from Val-d'Or, QC, Canada Date Reviewed: August 1, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$60.00
Strengths:
-Easy to fit in place -Ligth
Weaknesses:
-Doesn't grip on anything, feels like I'm riding on snow and ice -High rolling resistance compared to what I'm used to
Similar Products Used:
Kenda, GEAX, Hutchinson
Bike Setup:
Giant iguana disc 2003
Bottom Line:
Got the 1.9 version and I think it's the biggest part of the problem. Maybe if the ruber wasn't that soft it would be better. Maxxis make great tires in normal times but this one is a failure in it's 1.9 version.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alan
a
from Monteggio, Switzerland Date Reviewed: July 28, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$30.00
Strengths:
Low Rolling resistance Looks very very good "Light"
Weaknesses:
NONE
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Pro Schwalbe Nobby Nic Schwalbe Albert
Bike Setup:
Stumpjumper Expert FSR 2006
Bottom Line:
Very good tire.I get the 2.35 x 26. No more punctures for the moment...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Johannes Erasmus
a Weekend Warrior
from Geoge, South Africa Date Reviewed: July 26, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Cross Country
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
Local Bike Shop
Strengths:
Reasonably priced, Good Quality, Good tyre wear
Weaknesses:
Doesn't grip as good as some tyres but better than most
Similar Products Used:
Kenda Karma, Bontrager Revolution X
Bike Setup:
Giant NRS1, Mavic 819 UST rims,
Bottom Line:
Good valuefor money as an everyday training tyre. Probably a good idea to fit a TT in the back and a better gripping tyre in the front. Will give good mileage consistantly. Using Stans tubeless - not one puncture or a flat in 6 months. If you are a weekend warrior and just want to ride every opportunity without worrying about your tires and the conditoins you can't go wrog with these tyres. Wouldn't run TT's front and rear however unless you are sure about the conditions being perfect.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Johannes Erasmus
a Weekend Warrior
from Geoge, South Africa Date Reviewed: July 26, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Cross Country
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
Local Bike Shop
Strengths:
Reasonably priced, Good Quality, Good tyre wear
Weaknesses:
Doesn't grip as good as some tyres but better than most
Similar Products Used:
Kenda Karma, Bontrager Revolution X
Bike Setup:
Giant NRS1, Mavic 819 UST rims,
Bottom Line:
Good valuefor money as an everyday training tyre. Probably a good idea to fit a TT in the back and a better gripping tyre in the front. Will give good mileage consistantly. Using Stans tubeless - not one puncture or a flat in 6 months. If you are a weekend warrior and just want to ride every opportunity without worrying about your tires and the conditoins you can't go wrog with these tyres. Wouldn't run TT's front and rear however unless you are sure about the conditions being perfect.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Vinnie Gaynor
a Cross Country Rider
from Binghamton Date Reviewed: June 14, 2007
Favorite Trail:
chenango valley state park
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$38.00
Purchased At:
universalcycles
Strengths:
very light, low rolling resistance, good breaking
Weaknesses:
wears out fast and is a little skctchy in wet/ loose conditions
Similar Products Used:
panaracer fire xc pro
Bike Setup:
cannondale rush 5 ,Avid juicy sevens, stans tubeless system
Bottom Line:
These tires a good trail tires but are at home on racing trails.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Ethan
a Cross Country Rider
from Mission Viejo, CA, USA Date Reviewed: May 21, 2007
hardtail w/ Marzocchi 4X, V-brake rear, disc front
Bottom Line:
I've been using the 26" x 2.35" 60a version for the last six months. The tire still works as new. I've been using it on my hardtail 1x9. Perfect tire of XC, 4X, BMX racing, and I also use it as a rear at Southridge DH races. The more I use this tire the more I like it. It's really nice to use the same rear tire every ride. Really positive response and it never feels flat like some other tires!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nick
a Racer
from Melbourne Date Reviewed: April 24, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Beechworth MTB Park
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
This tyre is very fast rolling on the front, and corners great on dusty and hardpack corners. I used these at the recent Beechworth Six Hour and found that they cornered very well on the course. I run the tyre backwards on the rear, and it doesn't slip out even on out of the saddle singletrack climbs.
Weaknesses:
It does have a tendency to wear faster on bitumen, which I guess is the trade-off for better traction. No massive problems so far, but only time will tell. Does tend to spit gravel into the downtube on loose fine gravel, but if this is the majority of your conditions then dish out for a fender. Hard to break traction on for driftin at the old school yard - but as an XC racer this cornering traction is its best feature, but for freeriders running the 2.35" version perhaps this is a weakness.
Similar Products Used:
Continental Explorer, Continental Vertical ProTection, Scott OXYD.
Bike Setup:
Scott Genius MC40, Fox Talas RL, SRAM X9, Avid Juicy 5s, Dt Ex5.1d rims on 340 hubs w/ Alpine Spokes, Truvativ, Scott generic trimmings.
Bottom Line:
This tyre is very well priced for the quality of it. It is much cheaper than my previous Conti tyres and is way lighter too (though I run the 26x2.0 eXCeption tyres w/ flyweight tubes...). Im sure that in about a months time here in Oz it will suffer in the mud so time to swap them then, but for dry dusty conditions I think it can't be beaten. I know of someone who runs one of these on the back for climbing and braking traction, but runs the faster Maxxis Crossmark on the front - probably a good idea. Enjoy them during summer, but probably best to avoid using them for muddy winter conditions.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric
a Cross Country Rider
from Lincoln, NE Date Reviewed: April 23, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Porcupine Rim
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$34.00
Purchased At:
Helen's Cycles
Strengths:
Low rolling resistance and relatively inexpensive
Weaknesses:
soft compound. Thorns can be a problem.
Similar Products Used:
WTB Velocoraptor, Continental Double Fighter, Continental Twister Pro
Bike Setup:
Cannondale F2000, custom build with SRAM 9.0SL drivetrain
Bottom Line:
These tires are very smooth rolling and terrific climbers. Great traction in loose dirt and dusty trails. Worked well on Slick Rock in Moab but are much better suited to dry hard pack or dusty single track.
Even though it's a soft compound tire they seem to hold up pretty well.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
dan seymour
a
from axedale/ Victoria/ Austraila Date Reviewed: April 1, 2007
Favorite Trail:
one tree hill
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
moronies
Strengths:
this tyre is a sweet tire for cross countery riding, it stickes to the fast downhill burms and drops, it rolls very fast and also goes well on balck top or tar and other hard surfaces i recomend this tyre to any hardcore coss country rider.
Weaknesses:
it grabs rocks and flickes alot of dust around bt it is a great tyre.
Similar Products Used:
first time iv ever used a trye like this, i uswially used knobbies but they made me slow, now i fly
Bike Setup:
trek 4500 with cleets, new headstem, double alloy rims + much more
Bottom Line:
this is a great cos country tire, very predictible on rocks and mud but take it easy on the soft stuff
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brian
a Weekend Warrior
from Bradenton, FL, USA Date Reviewed: March 15, 2007
Favorite Trail:
North Creek @ Alafia River State Park
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Came with my bike
Strengths:
Little rolling resistance
Weaknesses:
Loose... sand, mud, rocks. Roots. Might as well be slicks in anything but optimal conditions
Similar Products Used:
WTB Weirwolf 2.1s
Bike Setup:
Modified Canondale Rush
Bottom Line:
My first bike was a 32# hard-tail with the WTB Weirwolf 2.1s. It tracked straight over everything, through everything, and made me wonder what people meant by "washing out".
Then I bought a new bike, a much, much better bike... with these really horrid tires. They didn't wash out on the street or the compacted shell road, but as soon as they hit sand it might as well have been ice. The front AND rear tires washed out on me in turns, they slid along diagonal roots instead of climbing over them, and they spun out on climbs.
The bike came from West Virginia- maybe they work up there in the clay? Not worth a cent in the FL sand. I'm giving them two Chilis because they were a fast ride on the street and the shell road.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Justin Murray
a Cross Country Rider
from Canberra, ACT Date Reviewed: January 30, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Sparrow Hill
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
Torpedo7.com
Strengths:
This tyre rolls quickly and has great grip. It is perfect for the very loose and dusty over hardpack surfaces in Canberra.
Weaknesses:
Throws up a lot of dust and fine
Similar Products Used:
IRC Serac XC, Ritchey Z-Max WCS, Ritchey Elevader WCS, Bontrager Jones ACX, Panaracer Smoke and Dart, and WTB Velociraptor.
Bike Setup:
Trek 4500 with Salsa, WTB, Easton and Crank Bros upgrades.
Bottom Line:
Perfect for loose over hardpack and gravel.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
insane
a Downhiller
from coeur d alene, Idaho Date Reviewed: December 27, 2006
Favorite Trail:
urban city rides
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
christmas present
Strengths:
Great for Urban, 4x, or anything hardpack, SICK TIRE. Rolls fast, looks good 2.35 grips well when corning without the fear of sliding out. Killer TIRE!
Weaknesses:
NoNe, It says on the package: meant for hard pack or urban so obviously it wont do well on roots or gravel. If you like to ride roots and all mountain terrain have an extra wheel set and buy some ritchey z max pro 2.35 and FlY!
Similar Products Used:
Tioga, maxxis holly roller, krad.
Bike Setup:
urban hardtail built to be my tool for my urban playground!
Bottom Line:
Buy the tire if you ride urban or hardpack and you like to go fast!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
wilhelm
a Cross Country Rider
from leipzig Date Reviewed: September 29, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Tested or demo'ed only
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
ebay private seller
Strengths:
Cheap. Looks good.
Weaknesses:
Must be because of the cheap - OEM -rubber, but these (kevlar 2.0 )bead tires didn´t roll. The rounded profile is ok on dry or wet dirt, but not on gravel or roots and rocks. The rubber of the tires felt like chewinggum, something I experienced before with other OEM tires (Specialized).
Submitted by
david
a Weekend Warrior
from melbourne, australia Date Reviewed: September 28, 2006
Favorite Trail:
castlemain piney
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
these tyre's are very cheap for a floding bead. they grip very well also and roll incredibly fast.
Weaknesses:
wear. these tyre's wore out very fast and probably will need replacing soon after about 700 km or so.
Similar Products Used:
a selection of hutchinson and geax tyres.
Bike Setup:
giant iguana with upgraded forks and other parts.
Bottom Line:
these tyres are very grippy a fast rolling and i found they made me faster on the generally dry rolling trails i ride. im not going to purchase them again however because of the fast wearing. if i was a racer i would strongly consider this tyre for "race only". these tyres are also very cheap for a folding bead tyre. three chilli's for value becuase although they are cheap, they also wear fast. overall four because of the good grip a fast rolling.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Kerkmann
a Cross Country Rider
from Bend, OR Date Reviewed: September 4, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Phils Complex
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Good tractions on medium loose dirt
Weaknesses:
Endless pelting of the downtube... These tires pick gravel and rocks up and sandblast my frame. They don't hold on very well in moist/slightly mud conditions.
Similar Products Used:
Panaracer Fire XC, WTB MutanoRaptor, WTB TyranoRaptor
Bike Setup:
Intense 5.5, Marz AM1.
Bottom Line:
Good tires, better traction than I expected on average conditions, worse than expected in shallow winter mud. The endless flinging of rocks and cinders finally caused me to pull the tire off... and go with a less sticky WTB.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Oswald Otte
a Cross Country Rider
from Belgium Date Reviewed: August 28, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Houffa, Malmedy, ...
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
VE
Strengths:
Versatile, lightweight, cheap
Weaknesses:
Wears fast
Similar Products Used:
A lot
Bike Setup:
Diff bikes
Bottom Line:
I love this tire. It's very good as a front tire. It rolls well on dry and is predictable in wet conditions. It wears fast (exception version) but I only use it for races. I have the 1.9.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Patrick Batten
a Cross Country Rider
from Park City, Utah Date Reviewed: August 22, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Apex
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
promo
Strengths:
Keeps Stans in until side knobs tear off. Good one-use tire. Recommended for single race use only.
Weaknesses:
Tire only lasted one month. 25% of side knobs gone. I used Shoe-Goo to repair them for a while but then gave up. When the side knobs come off, they take the inner liner with them, destroying the tire.
Similar Products Used:
Everything
Bike Setup:
2005 Yeti 575
Bottom Line:
Worst Tire Ever!!!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Brendan
a Weekend Warrior
from Sydney, Australia Date Reviewed: July 10, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Oaks trail (blue mountians)
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$65.00
Purchased At:
phantom cycles
Strengths:
rolls fast. takes the big hits from rocks
Weaknesses:
its flicks sand in my eyes. other then that non
Similar Products Used:
noob
Bike Setup:
stock
Bottom Line:
This is a great tire for thow loose, rocky, dirt, hard packed trails. this was a great tire and i love them. i am using the 2.00 on the rear and the 2.35 up front.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rex Skidmore
a Cross Country Rider
from Between Google & Yahoo!, CA Date Reviewed: June 21, 2006
Favorite Trail:
ECdM
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$23.00
Purchased At:
Jenson or Universal
Strengths:
Great traction in tacky or damp dirt for the 2.35 wire. Good traction for the 2.00 kevlar. Very low rolling resistance - you can feel it.
Weaknesses:
Shallow tread depth not optimal for mud. Use a mud tire. Wire 2.35 is heavy, but discounted online. Not optimal for wet roots/rocks on inclines.
Similar Products Used:
Dart, Dirt Control, Bontrager ST.
Bike Setup:
2003 SantaCruz SL, 2002 Marzocchi 100mm, King Disc laced to Bontrager Valiant/Asym.
Bottom Line:
Larsen TT made me a believer. Great confidence in the 2.35 in cornering on soil. Not the best for the marbles. Tread depth is the reason it's not my fave for wet inclines on the rear. Great for the front.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Woolley
a Cross Country Rider
from Brisbane , Australia Date Reviewed: June 9, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Kooralbyn- Boonah
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
fortheriders.com
Strengths:
low rolling resistance. Good, predictable handling. Low wear characteristics.
Weaknesses:
Cornering traction is sacrificed a little for speed
Similar Products Used:
Highlander defcon, irc serac, hutchinson scorpion
Bike Setup:
Near stock '06 Yukon
Bottom Line:
A very good xc tyre overall. Very good climbing traction considering its low rolling resistance. It's also very stable under brakes. A very good choice for hardpack to loose rock over hardpack. A little out of its league when things get a bit soft, but it was never a mud tyre anyway.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Joshua Kebschull
a Weekend Warrior
from Mons, Haniut, Belgium Date Reviewed: April 6, 2006
Favorite Trail:
More than a few..
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$18.00
Purchased At:
Price Point
Strengths:
Tracks well, multi-purpose, smooth, great ride
Weaknesses:
none as of yet.
Similar Products Used:
Conti Twister pro.
Bike Setup:
2000 Cube LTD Pro hardtail
Bottom Line:
I dont understand what some of the people are thinking when they post that these tires suck when they ride a specific terrain in a specific condition. There are tires especially made for that. These tires are mult-purpose, multi-terrain. There are tires that track better in deep mud, at the sacrifice of most other conditions. If you ride different terrain all the time, these tires are great, they adapt well and handle everything that I have put them through. The climb well, grip rock great, and very smoothest ride ever on hard packed dirt or pavement! I have been a loyal Continental Tire fan for years. I love their tires, but they are expensive. These tires cost less than half of one, and I havent been disappointed. I am finalizing the building of a k2 razorback team with mavic ust and just purchased a pair (UST version) for that bike, I dont think there will be any difference with the acception of the UST advantage, I will let you know.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rex Skidmore
a Cross Country Rider
from Stikkit, India Date Reviewed: March 3, 2006
Let me say that I have used the WIRE version of the same tire for over 8 mos. Both the 2.35 Front and the 2.00 Rear. I trust these tires. They are predictable, they cover well, roll smoothly, and do all descriptions come in 3s?
I love that tire, how could the KEVLAR version be worse? It's not. It's effing articulate in tacky soil (damp, no visible water) and exposed rocky surfaces. Oh, sure, what tire isn't, you ask? This one excels in those conditions.
Weaknesses:
None found.
Rubber compound sometimes defines everything. But not on this shoe. A great tire rolls predictably with any durometer. This is a great tire.
Tazmon, Superlight, Blur. In that order. SL has Larsen TT 2.35 Wire Bead. Bomber Atom 100. King ISO + Bontrager hoops. XT disc 6" (I know, I know). THE fenders. Nightsun + Petzl lights.
Bottom Line:
You need a 2.00 or 1.9 (or less) if you're in the CLAY / MUD that cakes at the rear swingarm.
If you're climbing in low gear, the chain will get muddy and you will be stopped if your WIDE-AZZ 2.35 is piling mud onto the chainstays.
You might consider a tire w/more of a paddle or a horseshoe to conquer the CLIMBS.
The WIRES are too heavy for XC RACING, but I've used them for training days. I normally go to a 2.1 F/R for RACE.
5 Chilis on Value because I paid 1/2 the sticker price. 4 Chilis on Overall because I don't give an A grade to very many products. Buy 'em!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jared
a Racer
from Auckland, New Zealand Date Reviewed: February 14, 2006
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Very fast rolling, great grip in the dry and smooth riding.
Weaknesses:
Not good in wet or loose conditions - it's a dry hardpack tire!
Similar Products Used:
Kenda Nevegal, Specialized Roll X, Fastrak, Continental Explorer and Twister
Bottom Line:
This review is for the 2.0 eXCeption TT. These are an awesome fast rolling XC race tire! They grip, handle and corner really well on dry hardpack, over dry roots and rocks. They also work well in sand and the odd patch of mud, but they hate too much loose stuff and the wet.
Their large volume means they roll smoothly over rough ground and they are very durable. Team TT's up with set of tires for the wet and go racing!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
badsac
a
from Bathurst Date Reviewed: January 30, 2006
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
Winning Edge Cycles
Strengths:
This is for the TT's with the kevlar bead if that makes a difference. Excellent grip on hardpack. Roll's fast and rides well. Never had a puncture. Predictable, forgiving handling. I think they look good as well. ;)
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Hutchinson Python Airlight's
Bike Setup:
Stock xtc 2
Bottom Line:
Never realised how good these tires were until I got an XTC 2 with stock Hutchinson Pythons. Those things rolled poorly, had terrible, squirelly handling, and punctured every second time I went out. It was so bad, I thought the xtc itself was a dud. So I pulled the Larsens off the old bike and put them on the new one. The bike was totally transformed. Handling was confidence inspiring, average speed was noticably improved, bike seemed better settled out on the trail, and most importantly, I haven't had a puncture since. For the hardpack, and coarse, sandy granite I ride on they are perfect. I'll definitely be getting another set when these are worn out.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Doug
a Cross Country Rider
from Houston, TX Date Reviewed: January 28, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Rocky Hill
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Maxxis
Strengths:
Very predictable. Light. Low rolling resistance. Good traction in a variety of terrains: pebbles, hard pack, sand, roots (all dry).
Weaknesses:
Probaly wet traction, but they are not designed for mud, but I avoid riding in mud to preserve the trails.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized fast tracks, Kenda Kinetics, WTB Mutano Raptor, Panaracer Fire XC pro.
Bike Setup:
Specialized Epic.
Bottom Line:
Used the 2.0 TT on the back and the Panaracer Fire XC pro on the front. The TT is very predictable. When it starts losing traction, it loses it gradually, as a previous reviewer described. I was surprised how well the tire performs in sand. In that case, if the tire drifts, it occurs gradually. With other tires, drifting would turn into sliding rapidly.
I ride in areas with numerous roots. I thought this would be a challenge for the tire, but it grips them surprisingly well.
While climbing, the tire loses traction gradually. In contrast, other tires would lose traction all at once, and it was difficult to recover. With more gradual loss of traction with the TT, I can make small adjustments and still remain on my bike.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jorgex
a Weekend Warrior
from Almada, Portugal Date Reviewed: January 27, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
-big volume for 2.00 kevlar -good uphill traction
Weaknesses:
-almost everything -not even for XC
Similar Products Used:
nokian gazza.core 2.1/boazo. x, huchinsons pythons, maxxis highroller/larsenTT, ritchey zmaxs, michelin hot s, continentals diesel/gravity/ and so on...
Bike Setup:
Giant escaper'92, Manitou Axel 100mm(om),Hayes disc brake, Mavic mx 321(f) and Mavic D521(r)
Bottom Line:
It was so painful. Used as rear tire around 35km and almost died twice in the same small downhill dry compact section. Fortunately the bike was ok, nothing broken. Huchinson python or Nokian boazo. R/X are fantastic comparing with this weak product. I'm amazed how people trust their lives on these tires. I sold my Larson after that doublecrash for 20€. Do yourself a favor, buy other maxxis tires like highroller 2.1(or smaller) for XC.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Stephen Boyle
a Racer
from Mesa, AZ Date Reviewed: September 15, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Hawes Loops
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$37.00
Purchased At:
Mike's Bike Chalet
Strengths:
The roll is awesome
Weaknesses:
This is the worst tire I've ever used as far as wear goes. I bought the set specifically for a marathon length race, but figured I should try them out on a few training rides to get use to the feel. Wrong! After 3 rides totally less than 125 miles, both tires were totally shredded and missing 10-15 of the outer edge knobs completely. Unless you plan to change your tires after every event, stay completely away from this one.
Similar Products Used:
Connie's, IRC's, Hutchisons, etc..
Bike Setup:
2000 Sugar 1, XTR'd, Chris King/Bontrager Wheels.
Bottom Line:
I want my money back!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Crash test dummy
a Weekend Warrior
from Melbourne, Australia Date Reviewed: September 12, 2005
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Awesome dry weather performance, traction, low rolling resistance, light weight & predictable when drifting
Weaknesses:
Sketchy in wet rocks, but yet surprisingly sheds mud well considering how knobby they are. Side knobs not meaty enough when really cranked over.
Similar Products Used:
Specialized Roll X Pro 2.0, Tioga Red Pheonix 1.9(ultimate sketchy tire), Hutchinson Scorpion, Mosquito & Python Airlite, Panarace Smoke Lite, IRC Geo Claw (anyone remember them?)
Bike Setup:
GT Zaskar Pro & GT I-Drive 1.0, both running tubeless conversion.
Bottom Line:
For a tyre designed for dry XC racing, it is difficult to fault this tire. I bought a pair of these (kevlar, 70a, 2.0" width) from eBay for $40 with some hesitation because I'm used to meaty knobs and not sure how these babies would go. I guessed they can't be too bad if Geoff Kabush and Rich Houseman (a mountain cross racer!) use them to decimate others on Norba circuit.
In a nutshell these tires excelled all my expectations. I've run these tyres in both tube & tubeless format, front & back and results are pretty amazing. Converting them into tubeless format was painless (far easier than Specialized Roll-X or Hutchinsons) and never leaked in 6 months. Anyway here are my finding:
Front -
I don't trust skinny tires on front but these tires worked ok, as long as it's dry and smooth. Braking bite is ok but hard cornering on loose gravel is best left to the brave. On hard pack though cornering is acceptable to good. Cornering in wet dirt or gravel is actually better than on wet tarmac.
Rear - Brilliant climbing traction. I don't know how, but these little saw tooth knobs simply grip and hang on. Even more when running in reversed direction. In dry hard stuff you've got to be brutal (or stand up on steep incline) to break traction.
Under braking the tire dig into the dirt but knobs are too small to really hang on, so care is needed when hauling downhills. This becomes worse when run in reverse direction.
A worthwhile point to mention as a rear tyre, TT exhibit really predicatble drifting behaviour when pushed in corners. The small side knobs means it reaches grip threshhold very early but the action is very linear when doing so, giving you ample warning before it's totally gone crappy. I've paired the TT with Bling Bling Dual or Highroller 40a as front tyre and these combinations offers a safe & predicable cornering setup with rear breaking away first before front goes down, wet or dry.
Wet - Surprisingly, this tire works quite good in the mud because it actually sheds very well for such a densely knobbed tire. As a rear tire it's actually not a bad light mud tire but forget using it on the front unless you intend to become a human toboggan.
Dry - Exceptional. The tire's designed for dry, hard packed dirt and as a high volume rear tire, it's hard to beat with low rolling resistance, light weight, predictable cornering and strong traction.
In sand - Good to excellent traction in rear as long as you stay smooth. As front tire though it's too thin, sinks and knifes in turn.
In rocks - Wrong tire for the job. Knobs simply won't grab on well enough and gets worse in wet.
Tubeless vs tubed - Tubeless is simply better. Rides better, grips better than tubed. Period.
In summary, this is a good choice XC or all mountain rear tire in dry, smooth hard packed condition. It rolls fast, is light and predictable in cornering. Adequte in wet if used with care. Hardcore agressive riders will probably find this tire too whimpy on aggro terrains but then you should be running High Roller or Ranchero in that kind of stuff. Don't use it as a front tire unless you've got full face helmet.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Adrian Fahey
a
from Indianapolis, IN, USA Date Reviewed: July 24, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Wharfedale in New Zealand
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
fast rolling, relatively light.
Weaknesses:
none so far
Similar Products Used:
Conti Explorer, Maxxis Hard drive, Michelins, specialized etc etc
Bike Setup:
2005 Scalpel 1000 stock setup
Bottom Line:
I used these tires out on a general trail ride with buddies and during a couple of XC races. So far I think they are awesome, they seem to handle low pressures very well, they are supple, and offer plenty of warning before they let go. I run a non tubeless setup and ran them at about 28-30psi during a race. There were a few places where there were some jagged rocks that could not be avoided. I was pleasantly suprised that I didnt pucnture where other tires may well have. I compared these on the same ride, to the Hard drives and while these definitely roll faster they might give up a small amount of traction when cornering in loose conditions and on extremely fast corners. Not a tire for a DH'er but I fly on these on cross country and have complete faith in them. I will definitely buy these again, and will go for the kevlar bead next time to save more weight.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
SmokyBear
a Weekend Warrior
from Albany Date Reviewed: May 29, 2005
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$18.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
Light, grippy, smooth rolling and predictable.
Weaknesses:
Very rapid wear if you ride on bitumen. Don't do it!
Bike Setup:
KHS Alite 3000 hardtail
Bottom Line:
These tyres were an absolute revelation to me on the dirt. I'm a relatively new MTB rider (18 months), and compared to the tyres I used previously, these really raised my confidence levels. Just avoid using them on sealed roads - I have a 3 km commute on tar, and my rear tyre is just about wrecked already.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ueeeeee
a Racer
from Brno Date Reviewed: March 8, 2005
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$14.00
Purchased At:
friend
Strengths:
it rolls really fast, but still it's not too flat - super combination... and with dual-ply casing are my tubes in perfect protection, price!!
This tires recommended to me my friend - very succesfull 4X rider, it's great for hardtail pride, fast... for 4X, dirt, dh, street, freeride, i think it's great for all kinds of riding... wet weather could be little problem, but who cares about problems :D
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
JG
a Racer
from Uitenhage, South Africa Date Reviewed: February 27, 2005
Favorite Trail:
Baviaans Kloof, Groendal Dam Area, Groot Winterhoek Mountains
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
Penford Cycles
Strengths:
Very strong compound, large volume, fast rolling.
Weaknesses:
HEAVY - the wire bead 2.0's I bought weighted 790g and 800g respectively when new. The Maxxis website give it as 650g AND we don't get the TT eXCeption's in RSA.
AMP Research B4, Noleen Crosslink fork, rim brakes, XT rest, Selle Nitrox seat
Bottom Line:
I run a Wire bead 2.0 in front, with my own tubeless setup. This tyre handles very well in most of the terrain in South Africa. I run 2.0 bar in front. I'm 65kg. The compound is quite hard, we tested my tubeless sys. totday and I had to hold the wire I punctured it with, with a pair of pliers, just couldn't get it through by hand. I do a lot of riding on hardpack and loose rocks and some very technical offroad - no road, kinda like a search an destroy mission... I have finally made up my mind... and the TT will stay... I'm giving it 3 due to the weight...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kev
a Cross Country Rider
from Aus Date Reviewed: January 4, 2005
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
Fast tyre for XC single track you can't go wrong
Weaknesses:
low grip on climbs
Similar Products Used:
specialized enduro, team control, etc
Bottom Line:
Fast rolling tyre but rear can be used in opposite direction for better climbing ability but you lose cornering ability. I will be buying again as it is a great xc tyre and there would not be many others that could beat it for rolling resistance, reliability and price. Only 4 for overall because of the compromise between climbing and cornering.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
wesley jones
a Weekend Warrior
from lakesideCA Date Reviewed: December 25, 2004
Favorite Trail:
anywhere will do
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$21.00
Purchased At:
zumwalts college cyclery
Strengths:
action even when going into corners hard
Weaknesses:
NONE YET
Similar Products Used:
enduro products, maxxis high roller
Bike Setup:
stock except tires
Bottom Line:
the tire is a great tire. hooks up on any terrain that i have found. the tire looks really cool.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
VA trial pimp
a Cross Country Rider
from Metro DC area Date Reviewed: December 1, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Schaeffer farms
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
Pricepoint
Strengths:
Good tracking, solid braking, not too bad in the technical mid - atlantic stuff and even in the fall with the leaves, still stopped well. I haven't had any pinch flats, but I weigh 140lbs., so that's relative. Best as a rear tire, see below
Weaknesses:
All of the above comments are reversed when you use this thing as a front. If it's technical , the front won't track, slips off wet rocks and roots, you might take a header over your bars... but as a rear tire, I have found it quite a cheap replacement, we'll see how the tread wears, though.
Similar Products Used:
Various WTB's, Panaracer, Maxxis, Specialized, Michelin
Bike Setup:
3.5 inch rear F/S, Marathon 100SL, Float RL(rear), Hayes Hyd. Disc, Thompson, shimano XT, Mavics, Race face
Bottom Line:
If you can pay under $25 for a tire that will last through the season, then get it. Why not try it?? Others may not like it but at least you will know for yourself. I did and it worked out. I'll ride this one in the rear (2.0) and I have a Maxxis Mobster (2.1) in the front. Seems to be a great hook-up.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
sky
a Cross Country Rider
from san diego ca Date Reviewed: November 22, 2004
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
none
Weaknesses:
could not get this tire to hook up at all. both the front and rear tire was all over the place. i even tried to slow down and be more carefull but i still slid out on a corner and crashed.
Bottom Line:
there are tons of better tires out there so dont even bother experimenting with this one!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Jan Delport
a Weekend Warrior
from Nelspruit, South Africa Date Reviewed: November 4, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Matafin-Cairn XC route
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
Xtreme Sport
Strengths:
High volume means you can run it at a much lower preasure resulting in a comfortable ride and no pinch flats. Light weight considering the volume. Low roling resistance.
Weaknesses:
Not good in deep mud.
Similar Products Used:
Michelin SL, Kenda Kyote, Shwualb (Fast Fred) and various others
Bike Setup:
Had a Giant XTC for 18 months and got a Specialized Rockhopper FSR recently. The tires work excellent on both bikes.
Bottom Line:
After being labelled as the pinch flat king I was so glad to get hold of these tires. You can run them at 2 bar in the front and 2.5 bar at the back and never get a pinch flat. The ride is so smooth you almost don't need a full susepnsion bike.
Half of South Africa is using them including our top riders like Mannie Heyemans (actually a Namibian) and Anke Erlank (Xterra Champion). Unless you live in the middle of a swamp you cannot go wrong by changing to these tires.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alex
a Cross Country Rider
from Phoenix, AZ Date Reviewed: October 21, 2004
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
Mountain Bike Heavan
Strengths:
Realatively low rolling resistance for a 2.35. Very predictable, good grip for a wide variety of conditions. Excellent braking.
Weaknesses:
Heavy (wire bead). Leaks sealant (stans) regularly at bead. Hard to seat with stans even with recommended wire bead. Slow tire.
Similar Products Used:
You name it..,Conti Vert Pros 2.3, Everything WTB including my fave (front) the Wierwolf 2.5, Geax Sturdy 2.1(good all-rounder), and the worst tire of all time...IRC Notos.
Bike Setup:
Gunnar rockhound steel hardtail with 2000 Mavic Crossmax ceramic, xtr v-brakes, Marzo Z2 atom race, yada yada yada.
Bottom Line:
OK, so at first I was really sceptical about this tire. I went from an old square profile chunked out dried up flaky conti vert pro to these (2.35 Super Sticky front and 2.35 rear Wire bead Larsen TT.) Over the last couple of months I have found them to be growing on me, though. This tire is the most predictable I've found in sandy gravely conditions found here in AZ. That is not to say that its a good tire for sand ( I havent found that yet.) It is predictable up to the point where I am going too fast and then only my Mommy can help me. That said, I am really comparing this to the other tire which was my favorite front tire, the WTB weirwolf 2.5. The wierwolf is waay to directional for any sort of stability in sand at practically any speed and it wants to grab at anything close to it making it extremely turny and razor like. Not so with the Larsen TT. The TT is super stable and lets you know whats up long before you have a chance to cry for Mommy. This is probably due to the round profile and square knobs. It rolls over just about everything (I am running apprx. 25psi front and 27psi rear and I weigh about 160.) Rolling resistance is minimal.
As a rear tire, it is not bad. It climbs well and brakes even better. Cornering is very predictable. Braking is the best I've seen in any tire. Volume is good and provides pretty good squishyness for a hardtail. As close to a real 2.35" as I've seen (other mfgs. esp Conti over-rate their size.)
The disadvantages I have found are the wieght of the tire (wire bead) which makes it slow. Mine also leak sealant at the bead continuously with stans. While I dont think this is a huge problem, more of a nuisance really, I thought that the wire bead was the way to go with Stans (as told to me by the shop salesman.) I understand that the wire bead will probably not snap off the rim as soon as a kevlar bead, but why does it continue to leak sealant at the bead even after months? This has contaminated my braking surface (ceramic) even though I dont think that has made a difference in braking. That said they do hold air about the same as my other tires with stans.
So, there you have it. This tire is becoming my favorite for the conditions here even with its quirks. It seems like the best mix of compromises for my riding style. HOpe that helps you. 4 Value Flaming donkey turds because they were a little pricey and 4 overall due to the leaking sealant.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
wonderslicer
a Weekend Warrior
from victoria canada Date Reviewed: September 5, 2004
Favorite Trail:
lumpy pants
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$80.00
Purchased At:
Russ Hayes
Strengths:
Snappy performance in that for which they were designed (hardpack) when new. Light weight and minimal rolling resistance. Street friendly (no wear issues for me)
Weaknesses:
Wearing through sidewalls from low psi riding (before weasring out knobs?!) Soften up considerably and lose some perk (even w/ double thickness sidewalls) Traction issues on varied terrain (freerding and technical) Price is steep.
Similar Products Used:
Kenda kinetics, tioga DH (junk!), wtb motoraptor
Bike Setup:
Bullit, hope brakes, SC fork, light but tough.
Bottom Line:
These are good for those looking to lighten up a Freeride bike, who might not want the killer weight of DH components. Fun tires when used for the proper type of terrain, not happy with uphills roots, rocks, or anything loose. The sidewall wear suprised me, but I do tend to run them pretty low. Wear was great for me, (weekly riding), I would get these for Summer use, switch up for any wet times. Awesome betweener if you're worried about weight and rolling resistance (who say FR'ers only go fast downhill)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Grant Salter
a Racer
from Gauteng, South Africa Date Reviewed: August 5, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Fountains, Pretoria
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$40.00
Purchased At:
Fritz Pienaar Cycles
Strengths:
Fast, Low rolling resistance, climbing
Weaknesses:
What!
Similar Products Used:
Hutchinson Python, Richey Excavader
Bike Setup:
Full XTR, sid race fork, Mavic Crossmax sl rims
Bottom Line:
In our dry, hardpack terrain in SA this tyre is without equal. handling and response better than any other. forced to fit them during the Cape Epic 8 day race after cutting Hutchinson Python sidewalls (again) and have never looked back... Large air volume allows you to run low pressure (2.5 bar) and makes them comfortable on our hard pack trails.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mervz
a Weekend Warrior
from Philippines Date Reviewed: August 4, 2004
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$7.00
Purchased At:
Quiapo
Strengths:
Grippy, killer looks, works well in most conditions except mud and sand (duh!),wears well,
Weaknesses:
Not really sure...maybe i am the weak link. But so far, as mentioned, they don't particularly handle well on sand/fine gravel conditions ; doesn't shed off mud that great too
Similar Products Used:
Maxxis Instinct, High Roller, Oriflamme, Mofo, Kenda Kinetics, LHR,
Bike Setup:
FS: Haro DHR, Marzocchi Drop-Off Comp, Da Bomb and Amoeba parts, XT and Deore components, DNM RC 22 rear shock, HT: Kona Pahoehoe, Zokes MZ-Comp, Mavic rims, da bomb and amoeba parts, Deore and Acera components
Bottom Line:
This review is for the 2.3 TT Larsen Slow Ree-zay. I've used it in my two bikes - riding mostly trails, urban, some dirt jumps and downhills. Maybe i got the psi wrong but i don't really think they work that well as a rear tire (at least on road and urban conditions) They felt heavy, like you're running on flat tires. I somehow expect that they will roll really fast. But i dunno...it could just be me. But once you hit the dirt, it becomes a different story. A real confidence-inspiring tire in most conditions, the TT Larsen has become one of my favorite tires, in tandem with my high rollers mostly. Probably among the best tire for the free rider/Biker X ;]
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dan
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, Canada Date Reviewed: May 6, 2004
Favorite Trail:
Don Valley
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
lbs
Strengths:
Fast rolling, decent forward grip (given the small, fast rolling knobs), great turning grip.
Weaknesses:
wears pretty fast (1 season), and a bit pricy for me to replace that often.
Similar Products Used:
Tioga Factory XC, Hutchinson Python, Michelin Wildgripper S
This tire works really really well on fast hardpack, but only for about 1 season of frequent riding. Surprisingly good grip (turning and even climbing) given the small knobs, but they roll fast. Ideal for XC racing, unless you're REALLY weight-obsessed. I wouldn't put one on the front (I don't trust the little knobs THAT much). Not great in mud, but you shouldn't be riding in the mud anyway. And did I mention they're fast? Five chilis for overall rating - you get what they claim and more, but 3 for value because of the fast wear.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Crotaline
a
from Munich,Germany Date Reviewed: April 18, 2004
Favorite Trail:
The one that goes down...
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Gift from sister
Strengths:
Fast, low rolling resist.
Weaknesses:
What's that supposed to mean?
Similar Products Used:
None.
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth ID, Jr T up front, 6" travel Front and rear.
Bottom Line:
I haven't had these as long as some of you, but seriously, they are noice. I can't order them online, so I had my sister send me a pair. Im running then at about 45-50 psi, and ripping all over everything here. As for Wet, muddy crap? Well, its not supposed to be for that, and if you slam a knobby up front and spin away, you'll still get there. As for the naysayers, re:slippery, and no control going downhill, read the interview with Steve hisself in either MBA or Mountain Bike magazine. He would ride in the worst weather, and on the downhills over roots and horrible slippery stuff, he'd power. Everyone else would be cautious, but he'd go for it. He'd slam 4,5,6 times, but the time he made up for it by going all out, gave him serious time leads. (And wins, don't forget the wins.) So yes, for hardpack, this tire is great. Everything else, be aware of what you need on your trail.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matthew Antonio
a Weekend Warrior
from MontreaL Date Reviewed: April 8, 2004
Favorite Trail:
skateparks
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$65.00
Purchased At:
sports rosemere
Strengths:
rolls nice and fast, small knobs, sticks, 60a compound is the best, run nice at 60 psi
Weaknesses:
none to date
Similar Products Used:
hookworm,k-rad, lopes bling-bling semislick
Bike Setup:
2002 norco 125 with countless upgrades!
Bottom Line:
If you ride urban, dry dirt or parks, buy these tires the stick like madness in the 60a compound and roll super nice and fast at 60 psi, i completely vouch for this tire! if u want a tire that'll give back buy the larsen tt!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sean Tobin
a Cross Country Rider
from Mission Viejo, CA Date Reviewed: November 4, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Noble Canyon
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Very fast rolling. Exellent grip in dry and loose conditions. Rails corners.
Weaknesses:
None that I can find.
Similar Products Used:
Kenda,Panaracer, Geax, WTB, many others.
Bike Setup:
Ellsworth Joker, Marzocchi Z1 FR. Set up light freeride at 32 lbs.
Bottom Line:
I have read the reviews below. I can not disagree more. I have ridden this tire on the rear of my Joker for 1 year and love it so much, I just purchased another 2.35 as a replacement. It has climbed everything I can throw myself at, and I like very technical terrain. I am an aggressive rider and have used MANY different brands. This is the only tire I have purchased twice. I ride this tire at 60 psi on long climbs, air down to 35 on the descents. I love it. If you are running this tire up front, I can't comment. As for the rear, it rolls fast, rails the corners, brakes hard and sheds mud reasonably well. Don't let the tread pattern fool you, it hooks up. The comment about the weight... it is not a race tire.
I am sure its a good tire for its intended purpose however for cross country it just plain sucks for me. Feels like I have a flat tire all the time and that my bike is 20 lbs heavier than when I started. I would recommend a smaller diameter. 2.1 or smaller is cool. The 2.35 i slapped on is just too much for any hills. Even though the roll pattern is low... it aint happenin. I wasnt running the tire for its intended use. Hard to say what I think except my legs are killing me.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Rob
a Cross Country Rider
from AZ Date Reviewed: August 20, 2003
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$37.00
Purchased At:
Supergo
Strengths:
Performs for it's design. I run a 2.35" and it is excellent in hardpack and moderately loose soil. I have had my tire for 5 months and ride 4 times a week agressively. The tire has handled excellent.
Weaknesses:
None that I can see
Similar Products Used:
This tire is the only one I have tried like it. I also like the IRC Mythos.
Bike Setup:
Stumpjumper w/ marz mx pro shock
Bottom Line:
I would recommend this tire for someone that like to ride fast and have good climbing ability on hardpack or slightly loose terrain. I have not used this in mud but can't imagine it would perform well. I recently used it in the rain and it hooked up fine and shed dirt. That's a lot easier to do in the desert than around WA.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Edwards
a Weekend Warrior
from Fredericton NB Canada Date Reviewed: August 7, 2003
Favorite Trail:
....one near kingston
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
I have the 2.35 version it wasn't listed seperately so I have included it here.rolls really fast. corners really well. climbs really well. works great on anything dry(rocks roots stumps logs etc) favorite tire for my type of riding
Weaknesses:
none, except in the really wet and muddy, it clears mud well enough but it won't hook up in the sticky stuff. but this isn't a mud tire or a wet tire it is recommended for dry hardpack, at most a little loose soil.
Similar Products Used:
you name it and I have tried it.
Bike Setup:
kona stuff
Bottom Line:
this is a great tire for what it is designed for. People who have trouble with it are probably using it where it doesn't belong. It is important to select your tire for what you ride and if you ride hardpack, this is your tire. bottom line.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
LIAudio
a
from NY Date Reviewed: July 17, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
I am adding to my review below. I spent much more time w/ these tires and feel that i must add this:
Weaknesses:
THESE TIRES INSTILL ZERO CONFIDENCE!!!! I am very nervous w/ these tires. It feels like i am riding around w/ baked potatoes for tires. Squirrly, slithery, slippery, unpredictable, ect. Unless you are going straight, they suck ass. I fell more times due to slipping with these tires than i EVER HAVE IN MY WHOLE MTB'ing life.
Similar Products Used:
a few.
Bottom Line:
I dont know if all UST tires are like this, but if they keep this tire like this, unchanged, they should go out of business. Yes.... the tires suck that much. I played w/ tire pressures to no avail.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
LIAudio
a
from NY Date Reviewed: July 15, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
came on my Iron Horse Hollowpoint Expert
Strengths:
If you are using them on hardpack or dense soil, you're ok. Not Great, but ok.
Weaknesses:
THESE TIRES ARE ABSOLUTELY HORRENDOUS IN ANYTHING LOOSE! If there is ANY sand or loose soil, they slide out almost instantly. Be forewarned... They are VERY DANGEROUS in loose conditions. Use caution.
Similar Products Used:
panaracer XC's, mythos XC's
Bottom Line:
reversed the rear tire and gave me much more grip on climbs.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Sean C
a Cross Country Rider
from Reno, Nevada Date Reviewed: July 3, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Anything in Tahoe
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Good in hardpack. Low rolling resistance. Performs well at low pressure. UST tires with no leaks or punctures in 2 months of use.
Weaknesses:
Squirrelly as hell in sand and DG. Does not like to grip on downhills filled with loose stuff.
Similar Products Used:
Panracer Fire XC's. Hutchinson Mosquitos
Bike Setup:
2003 Ironhorse Hollowpoint Team (all stock).
Bottom Line:
These tires work very well in hardpack. At lower pressure they corner well and hook up with no problem. They also have low rolling resistance and it shows as I keep running up on other riders when drifting down the downhills. I've run into real problems when riding in the sand with these guys though. I know they aren't exactly designed for it and it shows. Any speedy downhill covered in sand or decomposed granite can give you a thrill of a lifetime as you fight to keep the bike going somewhat straight. I've also had some problems in steep loose downhill stuff where the rear tire likes to try and go everywhere but where I want it to go.
Bottom line, I would recommend these tires for anyone that's riding hardpack fireroads or singletrack but would avoid them for anything sandy or loose. I live near and ride Tahoe consistently and the terrain can widely vary between decomposed granite, loose organic garbage, and lots of rock. I've found these tires don't do too particularly good in any of these conditions. I also ride a Cannondale F2000 with Fire XC's and I have to say that the Larsens do not perform even half as good in Tahoe's conditions. So, if you ar looking for a hardpack racer this is the one for you.
Also, I haven't had any problems with flats whatsoever with these guys. I did treat the tires with Stan's and I would have to guess that this plays a big part in it. Of course I would recommend Stan's to any UST user.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve
a Cross Country Rider
from Upstate NY Date Reviewed: June 17, 2003
Favorite Trail:
Its all good
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
LBS
Strengths:
Roll fast Seems to tolerate fairly low psi
Weaknesses:
Just about everything else
Similar Products Used:
Various
Bike Setup:
Turner XCE
Bottom Line:
I don't want to say that these tires are junk, but they are absolutely useless for technical trail riding in the Northeast. Any amount of moisture on rocks or roots cause these things to spin out. They don't grip well when cornering and pack up with mud like nothing I have ever seen.
My LBS spec'd these tires on my XCE when they were building it up and I'm still mad about it. They are clearly a poor choice for the trails around here.
I'm sure these tires will be ok when the trails dry out but I think when you consider their narrow range of riding conditions, there are much better tires out there.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Damage
a Downhiller
from Lower Hutt, New Zealand Date Reviewed: May 11, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
I have a 2.35" 2ply version, purchased from On Yer Bike
Strengths:
Rolls really fast, hooks up something wicked on tarmac (skateparks) and on hardpack.
Weaknesses:
Doesn't like the mud too much, tends to clog up.
Similar Products Used:
High rollers, Mofo DH, High roller semi, Tioga DH, IRC mud mad
Bike Setup:
Avanti Hot Dog, full XT, X-drive cranks, 521's, Da Bomb rear hub, Xsiv front. Ydopen discs, PDW bars, Bomber Z1 dropoff fork, azonic a frame pedals, DMR saddle
Bottom Line:
These tyres are perfect for skate parks and urban sifting. Pretty good on hardpack, but not so good on muddy single tracks etc. But still an excellent tyre.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James
a
from Jersey CI Date Reviewed: January 31, 2003
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Reasonably fast rolling, good grip on damp/wet hardpack
Weaknesses:
Gloopy mud, dry sand and gravel all give it problems
Bottom Line:
Bought to repalce semi-slicks for autumn, winter and spring. They seem to wear well, a bit noisy on tarmac though. Give good grip, especially going up and down hill on wet tarmac or damp hardpack. 1.9 not to bad in light mud but they clog like mad in gloopy mud. Well satisfied with them so far.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Greg
a Racer
from Ma Date Reviewed: January 2, 2003
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$60.00
Purchased At:
Gearworks
Strengths:
Bounces! Glideso ver snow and ice offers unbeatable control. Very nice tread on it.
Weaknesses:
A little skinny. I have it on ditch witches for the winter.
Similar Products Used:
Kona break and enter.
Bike Setup:
Kona stuff
Bottom Line:
Very sweet or a good glide.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
HUBAR
a
from North Battleford SK Canada Date Reviewed: October 17, 2002
Favorite Trail:
Pee-Gee Man
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$50.00
Purchased At:
Spoke and Pedal
Strengths:
Almost zero rolling resistance. Excellent for hard pack. Good climing ability. Light weight
Weaknesses:
Not good for decending. Doesn't hook up on the hard carves. Wears too quickly.
Similar Products Used:
Larsen mimo
Bike Setup:
2000 Ellsworth truth XT/LX drivetrain/XT discs
Bottom Line:
Would be perfect tire for small riders (i'M 220 6'5"). Did not perform as well as the mimos for some reason. ???
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
kevin
a Racer
from ut Date Reviewed: June 27, 2002
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
maxxis.com
Strengths:
rolls fast
Weaknesses:
This tire only lasted 2 months. Also there are about 6 lugs that have been torn off. Rocks will slice through this tire to the cords.
Similar Products Used:
Larson TT, Rockster, Dirt control, IRC Serac XC.
Bike Setup:
Specialized S works M4, Race Face cranks,ti bottom bracket,Sram x.o,avid mag brakes,Chris King,Ritchey,Easton,,too much to list.
Bottom Line:
Its a great tire for hardpack race courses. I trained and raced on this tire. Thats why it only lasted 2 months. I am upset that the lugs are torn off. You can see the cords where the lugs were and rocks sliced through the tire to the cords like butter.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
EL JULES
a Racer
from MEXICO Date Reviewed: June 26, 2002
Favorite Trail:
chiluca
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
local shop
Strengths:
They roll very quick, absorb impact, can run lo presha, can take harsh pounding thick sidewalls....
2001 homegrown, sid sl, xtr, easton bar, thompson post.
Bottom Line:
This tire i use with the mimo on the rear wheel, the TT is fast, feels grippy, bounces off good the bumps when you run low pressure, being fairly light i run 29 rear and 25 psi on the front tire and no problems, i can take the little more weight for a more comfortable ride, and they roll smooth for the 2.0 measure. It also depends on your preferences, some racers like thin very light tires that run hi pressure, some prefer large volume tires like this one, that run low psi They grip excellent on hardpack, even lose damp dirt, excellent, except when it gets nasty like loose dirt with rocks, you need alot of control, not a tire for a begginer definetely, i use this tire for racing only. It's hard making a decision between ust system and this tire with the mimo setup, and large volume helps alot to prevent flats, only flatted once, but with a cactus spine, where any other tire would have flatted anyway even a tubeless.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike Felton
a Weekend Warrior
from Gilroy, CA Date Reviewed: June 1, 2002
Favorite Trail:
high speed singletracks
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$70.00
Purchased At:
l.b.s
Strengths:
Rolls fast. Excellent grip on hardpack. Easy to lean and corner.
Weaknesses:
Little squirly in sand. Little squirly on super loose hardpack. Running a 2.0 and it's a little heavy.
Specialized Stumpjumper with XT componenets. Fox Float F/R. XT disc/223 rims.
Bottom Line:
The Larsen TT's work extremely well. In comparison, they run like the Hutchinson Pythons, but a little fatter and heavier. They roll fast and have really good cornering grip on hardpack (just keep the air psi low though). They have a slightly harsh ride compared to some tires, and again, it's all about the air pressure. The weak spots about the tires are it's sand capabilities (not designed for the stuff, and it shows) and cornering grip on super loose hardpack (gravelly type). Dependability is really good too, no excessive wear or tear. Another good thing about these tires is that their affordable. Overall, a excellent tire for those looking for something that is fast, dependable, and fairly affordable. Hey, if Brian Lopes can win a world cup title on them, they must be good for something!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Holland William
a Racer
from Pomona, California, USA Date Reviewed: October 20, 2001
Favorite Trail:
Everything
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Incycle
Strengths:
Grips really well. Dependable on scary downhills and corners.
Weaknesses:
Maybe the weight. I'm used to riding light tires (sub 500 grams).
Similar Products Used:
Bontrager revolt super X. Specialized Team control front and Rear. Huutchinson Python Gold.
Bike Setup:
Specialized FSR XC Pro 2000 model. XTR XT components, Truvative Stylo Team Crankset, Selle Italia Trans AM saddle.
Bottom Line:
This tire has given me new confidence when it gets scary. They grip very well in all conditions. I can't comment through on how they work in mud. My setup for riding if I don't know the conditions is Maxxis Larsen TT FR. and wormdrive rear. It works in most condtions. The Wormdrive tends to be weak in sand so I would never run it in the front. The Larsen TT has no real weaknesses in my opinion. It works real good as a front tire. You should buy this tire if you want a reliable tire for all conditions. Don't buy it if you want the lightest tire and want to sacrifice grip at the same time.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
azreal
a Cross Country Rider
from Boston Date Reviewed: August 5, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$27.00
Purchased At:
maxxis.com
Strengths:
Climbing
Weaknesses:
Going down!
Bike Setup:
Klein, XTR
Bottom Line:
I just got back from Mt Snow this weekend and rode the Norba XC course. I decided to try out my new TT and MIMO tires from Maxxis. These things climb great. but going down is treacherous. When the course turned down (the last mile of the course) my rear end was swaying side to side trying to slow down on hardpacked singletrack. 1 flaming turd.
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Submitted by
Kevin
a
from Florida Date Reviewed: June 21, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
online
Strengths:
This tire rolls like a semi-slick, but grips very well, also corners very well, I love this tire, got all my buddies riding on them and they all love em!
Weaknesses:
Only had them for a month but looks like they wear slightly faster than the average - this is the only weakness I have found from this great tire -
Bottom Line:
The trails I ride range from very rocky to very sandy and these tires work great in all conditions - HIGHLY recommended!
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Submitted by
MadRider
a
from Suji, Korea Date Reviewed: June 20, 2001
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
low rolling resistance but goot traction
Weaknesses:
low knob
Similar Products Used:
Pana Fire XC
Bike Setup:
Tracer And...
Bottom Line:
It's good tire. Rolling, Braking Good. Not yet cornering problem... But on steep descending...Larson TT have bad effect on the mind of a rider. Good Tire...
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