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Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from Bendigo, Australia
Date Reviewed: January 24, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | Came on bike | | Strengths: | Light. Sticky rubber compound. Good grip on the rear, good cornering rip up front. Predictable. | | Weaknesses: | Small volume for stated size - so pressure needs to be kept up. Not real happy in gravelly stuff. | | Similar Products Used: | Numerous | | Bike Setup: | XC hardtail - Mongoose Newman hardtail - 100mm Judy SL, XT. Also used on 93 Klein Pinnacle - Judy SL, XT, XTR> | | Bottom Line: | These came on the Klein Pinnacle I bought 2nd hand, and were 1.9 kevlar beads. I didn't expect a lot from these skinny little 1.9's. They were noticeably light, and rolled pretty well. They worked well in the loose over hardpack around here, giving good cornering and climbing traction even in the steep stuff. The compound appeared very sticky and soft, but they didn't wear super fast despite that. They are not happy in gravelly stuff, being a skinny little tyre - not many tyres are good at that. Being skinny they need to be run on the firm side, which makes for a rough ride. The tread compound appears very sticky - someone else mentioned their gave good traction even when it was bald - same here. I even put the front tyre on the rear to kill it off - even it gave good drive traction. I'd run these again if I was looking for light skinny tyres - they had better grip that a few much bigger tyres I've used since. They can still be found in some shops "old no longer trendy tyre" pile for cheap. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Conor
a Weekend Warrior
from Northern Ireland
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Tollymore Forest | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | wiki-wiki-wheels.co.uk | | Strengths: | soft compound- very grippy | | Weaknesses: | soft compound- high ware rate | | Similar Products Used: | Continental Survival | | Bike Setup: | 'fisher hardtail | | Bottom Line: | Very grippy tyre over most surfaces. Could be better in mud (there is a lot here in Northern Ireland!). Quite flimsy-prone to pinch flats. Soft compound gives good grip but wares away very quickly.
Good xc summer tyre. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike Dorset
a Cross Country Rider
from uk
Date Reviewed: May 10, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | swindley forest | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | gucycles | | Strengths: | Awesome grip off-road, on trails. | | Weaknesses: | Wear, on-road noise(!), all round ability. | | Similar Products Used: | Fire XC Pro
Wildgripper | | Bike Setup: | Trek 8k | | Bottom Line: | If used for what they are designed for these are one of the best gripping tyres I've used off-road (Wildgripper is better though). They do wear quickly so don't ride them on-road! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bike Master Mike
a Racer
from Canton, MI
Date Reviewed: March 22, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Bloomer Park | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Great Cornering!
Great Turning! | | Weaknesses: | Wear quickly | | Similar Products Used: | All | | Bike Setup: | Trek Y | | Bottom Line: | These tires came on my Y. I liked em so much that I bought 2 sets from Performance on close out for $24! Wow, great deal.
The front tire is totally predictable when it came to loss of traction and most of the time it seemed like you could lean into turns more and more and never slide.
The rear tire gripped almost as good bald as it did new. Must be the comound of the rubber.
The rear treads are far apart and that makes the tire grip stairs pretty sweet! Riding up stairs is pretty easy with these.
| Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Flea
a Weekend Warrior
from Singapore
Date Reviewed: September 22, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
still thinking..... | | Weaknesses: |
knobby, rattles on road, | | Similar Products Used: |
IRC mythos XC, | | Bike Setup: |
KHS Summit, Manitou Comp | | Bottom Line: | they were stock standard on the Summit so had to live wif them till they wore out. Using mythos now, can't wait to try out the panaracer fire xc pro. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve Eckardt
a Cross-Country Rider
from Huntington, IN
Date Reviewed: August 23, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Franke Park | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
Good in mud/snow
Snakebite protection
Directional tread | | Weaknesses: |
Knobs roll
High rolling resistance
Fast wear | | Similar Products Used: |
Specialized | | Bike Setup: |
Giant ATX AL1.75 frame-RS Q21R shock-LX/XT | | Bottom Line: | The tread is very tall, which makes it roll over on hard surfaces. Tall tread also increases rolling resistance. Not enough carbon black, these babies wear down like crazy. However, this tire is super in mud/snow. Traction is excellent in either. I guess Panaracer forgot to tell us that this tire was designed for soft, not hard trail conditions. Hard to rate this tire, since it sucks in hard but is great on soft. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sirius
a Cross-Country Rider
from Greensburg, PA
Date Reviewed: August 18, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
I've yet to find any. | | Weaknesses: |
They wear faster than they should. As far as traction goes, they have none....Slip on rock or anything wet, and don't try cornering at high speed. | | Similar Products Used: |
EnduroRaptors | | Bike Setup: |
KHS Summit / Haro Extreme EX2 | | Bottom Line: | What can I say, they suck. ;) | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Al
a Cross-Country Rider
from Ontario
Date Reviewed: July 3, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
long single track | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
good all round tire
not too exspensive | | Weaknesses: |
don't know | | Similar Products Used: |
phychoII
z-max
smoke and dart | | Bike Setup: |
Rocky-mountain hammer fully upgraded | | Bottom Line: | I have only been on the rear tire. I don't like the tread pattern on the front tire, so my review is only for the rear. There is probably a better terrain and weather specific tire out there but this is the best all season all terrain rear tire I have tried. It sheds mud fairly well, climbs well on hard pack. One day I am riding in mud, the next time on hard pack, then in sand, and sometimes on very rocky areas. I need a tire that can hold up everywhere. This one does. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rod
a Cross-Country Rider
from Calgary, Alberta
Date Reviewed: March 20, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Bottom Line: | I'm not to sure about the front tire (actually, I heard It's crap!), but the rear tire rocks!!! I've used the rear tire on hardpack and rock terrain and it sticks like glue!! Best tire for the money you pay for sure! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex
a cross-country rider
from Hawaii
Date Reviewed: March 13, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I have used the rear DusterPro 2.1 kevlar for several months, in both Colorado and Hawaii. The tire is on a Sun Rhyno Lite rim on a hardtail, I weigh about 190 and ride fairly hard. I have found this to be a very good tire. It hooks up well in loose dirt and gravel. It does good on dry rock (rode a lot of sandstone in CO). Mud and loamy soil is not much of a problem, the tire hooks up OK and self cleans pretty well. Wet roots present a challenge, but they're hard for any tire to grip. I've heard this tire was designed for wet, Pacific NW type terrain, but it does better in dry climates. On asphalt and hardpack this tire rolls fast enough, although it's no hardpack race tire. On hard surfaces, it grips well in fast turns. Puncture resistance has been average, I would hope for a little better though. This tire has worn fairly quickly, however, I commute to trails on pavement frequently. Overall, a very good tire for many surfaces. Next I'm trying the Bonty Jones or Panaracer Fire XC Pros. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ed
a weekend warrior
from Apex, NC
Date Reviewed: March 1, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I really think the key to getting good performance out of these tires is air pressure. That of course can be said about basically any tire to some degree, but I feel more so with the Dusters. My advice, fill'er up. I've tried it both ways (lower pressure and maxed out) and I got a two rear flats in two back to back rides. I have washed a few times on tight corners, but not really b/c of the tire (i.e hit a wet root in the apex of the turn) - so overall I would say they handle OK. Certainly no wear problems yet, even after a few miles on the pavement. But when things get soggy, you should probably use another rear tire (as many above have already recommended). The rear tire just doesn't shed this NC clay very well, although I'm not sure any tire can for that matter (e.g. even my old Panaracer Smoke tire turned into a racin' slick in a hurry out here). Overall though, when the conditions are not real wet, these tires hook up pretty well; thus 4 chilis. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean
a cross-country rider
from CA
Date Reviewed: February 24, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
At first, I wasn't too impressed with these tires. The traction uphill was pretty bad their performance decreased GREATLY in gravel. I bought some nice strong tubes and pumped them up real hard. I'm getting much better traction, it handles gravel nicely, and it cleans itself out extremely fast. Their perfect for the tight singletrack I do a lot, and corner well. The wear is nice and slow, and the knobs are all still there. I rate these a 4. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rob
a cross-country rider
from California
Date Reviewed: February 22, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
They've got a real nice grip on soft stuff, but they wear out WAY too fast. Haven't had any problems with cornering, but I haven't exactly stress-tested them. Overall, I'll give it a three. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Phil...
a cross-country rider
from Alaska
Date Reviewed: January 6, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
After meeting some dude who was riding one through soft stick snow like cake I had to buy some specifically for wet, snowy, muddy occassions. I really like them. The rear propells me along over, and through about everything I have encountered- gravel, sand, mud, hard-pack, loose dirt, wet roots. They are noticably noisier on hardpack than my set of mythos meaning greater rolling resistance, and I am not as happy with the handling provided by the from tire. Its not bad, its just that the side knob-things don't hold as nicely as those on my Mythos front tire. However they have a difinitive edge over Mythos in the mud, snow and other sticky stuff. I tend to use them in the spring rainy season, the fal rainy season, and after the first or second snow. By the third snow, its usually too deep. Otherwise I usually stick to my Mythos tires.
They are wearing slowly, especially since I mostly ride them in soft stuff, and I haven't had any pinch flats while using them either.
In their nasty element of wetness, mud, muck, stickystuff and snow, ie anywhere a quickly clearing tire is needed, I give them a five star rating (especially since I got a Kevlar set for $29.00 on sale ->I am a sucker for cheap stuff.) | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
puzman
a cross-country rider
from wallingford, ct
Date Reviewed: December 21, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I'm not real impressed with these tires. They seem to do well on loose surfaces and mud, but they like to break loose during cornering, and the traction
on rock is poor (the knobs wiggle and you lose traction). Wear has been pretty good- no broken knobs and still pretty good knob height after riding hard for one season. I'll look elsewhere for my next tire. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dennis
a racer
from germany
Date Reviewed: December 18, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
WELL, THEY ARE REALLY NICE FOR THE FIRST 50 MILES AND THEN THEY WEAR OUT REALLY, RREEAALLYY FAST. PAYING 40 BUCKS, OR SO FOR THE KEVLAR-VERSION IS JUST NOT WORTH IT UNLESS YOUR SPONSORED. NICE WHILE THEY LAST (TWO OR THREE RIDES THAT IS) | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
rjs
a
from cross-country rider
Date Reviewed: December 15, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
never buy the wire bead version they are nothing like the folding. the grip is way smaller they dont have any of the fetures of the kevlar version, for short, they are worse than a woolmart tire.
get the folding they kick @$$ | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rod Jones
a cross-country rider
from Aldergrove, B.C.
Date Reviewed: October 31, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I just bought a Duster Pro front tire. I'm running it at 35psi and this thing works. it is tracking well in the mud, cleans itself out real well, and has given me more confidence.
this is a replacement for the front wtb velociraptor, and for the conditions and dirt here in the pacific northwest, it's great.
4 stars for now and a review in a couple weeks after 5 or 6 more rides. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lars
a weekend warrior
from Denmark
Date Reviewed: October 31, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
These tires are really good for soft singletrack, but they have a tendence to slide on hardpack, but they slide quite controlled. They don't just disapear underneath you. So I think they work really good for XC and trail-riding. The Anti-pinchflat have worked good for me, I have actually never punctured with these tires, in an entire season! -Cool tires for mtb'ing! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James Forrest
a cross-country rider
from Cola. SC
Date Reviewed: October 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've been riding IRC Mythos xc and love them, 2.1 front 1.95 rear. I went to Tsali for the weekend and wanted to change out the rear before I left(the knobs were getting a bit rounded off) but no one had one in stock, and no time to order. I went to my local shop and picked up a Duster Pro Kevlar 1.95 rear. I like this combination! I didn't think the Duster would have the low rolling resistance of the Mythos, I was wrong, and the larger knobbies give better all around traction. I have'nt tried the front, I think I'll stick with the Mythos, never had a problem with it, Never washed out on me, and super smooth roller. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Doug Franz
a cross-country rider
from Misawa AB, Japan
Date Reviewed: October 15, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Bought these tires on discount from Performance for $6.99 a piece. Not a bad price. Tried them this weekend at a race near Aomori and they worked great! Course had muddy up and downhills and technical muddy, rutty singletrack. No problem at all. The 1.95 makes for a real nice light tire that cuts across anything. Like all reviews on these pages-one person loves them and another hates them. Personally, I liked these tires and I'm going to buy another set and use them when these wear out. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James Dymond
a weekend warrior
from Coventry, England
Date Reviewed: September 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Well basically, I think that these tyres suck..majorly! I had a front Duster for a month or more and was the worst tyre I've ever ridden. Far too narrow and crap tread pattern. Duster implies good in dry conditions,..yeah better than in the wet but still terrible, no grip and don't even attempt to corner at remotely high speeds! You'll end up on the floor. So basically, buy something else. I'm curently running Velociraptors which are ok all round and have previously used good old Smoke-Dart combo. which are good too. All my friends love Specialized Team Control / Team Master combo...amazing all round, and cornering too apparently. Try them. Not the Dusters!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tony D
a cross-country rider
from Vancouver, WA
Date Reviewed: September 21, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought a pair of the Duster Pro Compes on closeout. WOW! Nice tire and light (weighed in shop at 512 & 526g front and rear). In the NW thinner tires with big, widely spaced tread gets it---that is why the V-rap still rules here. These tires roll very fast and the front tracks VERY well. There's not as much grip in the rear but probably a good 2-3 season tire. When things get soupy here I'll switch the rear for my old V-rap lazer. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
NATHAN
a cross-country rider
from IOWA
Date Reviewed: September 18, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I REALLY DON'T LIKE THE FRONT TIRE IT SEEMED TO WEAR OUT FAST AND GET REAL DULL REAL SOON I DON'T OWN A REAR ONE SO I CANNOT COMMENT ON IT I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS TIRE TO A GUTTER BUNNY BUT SOME ONE WHO IS ALWAYS IN THE MUD OR SNOW BECAUSE IT WORKS GREAT IN LOOSE CONDITIONS | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
nathan
a cross-country rider
from ia
Date Reviewed: September 18, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I REALLY DON'T LIKE THE FRONT TIRE IT SEEMED TO WEAR OUT FAST AND GET REAL DULL REAL SOON I DON'T OWN A REAR ONE SO I CANNOT COMMENT ON IT I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS TIRE TO A GUTTER BUNNY BUT SOME ONE WHO IS ALWAYS IN THE MUD OR SNOW BECAUSE IT WORKS GREAT IN LOOSE CONDITIONS | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul
a cross-country rider
from No. Cal.
Date Reviewed: September 12, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Only put one real ride on my duster II wire-bead (got it for $10.00) before my smoke/dart pair arrived in the mail. Rode hardpacked/loose-silty terrain. The duster has some serious grip climbing STEEP hardpacked terrain, that's all I have to say. Might not think so by looking at it, but it seems to roll smoother than the smoke. I'm keeping it on my backup wheels, but I'm not in to this rolling resistance thing - life is mostly about traction, so I ride the Smoke. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
kate
a racer
from east coast
Date Reviewed: August 15, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Very light tire. good for hardpack. sheds mud very well, doesn't pack up. If the ground is wet, forget it. Don't plan on riding any wet roots. Severe uphill traction sucks. use it for hard surfaces only. In sloppy or loose conditions I will always run a velociraptor in the rear, it is slower, but will stick to the ground and not spin out.
5 for lightweight
3 for overall performance.
4 for hardpack.
Does it suck? It depends on how you use it. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
TOM
a
from SLO Town CA
Date Reviewed: July 27, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
These tires suck I think that the tread pattern is horrible. I used to think that they rocked but then I bought some real tires. The front was good for the first ride but after that it was junk. They really suck in the mud and everything else. The rear I had sucked just as bad the tread started peeling from the caseing | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
G.
a cross-country rider
from Denton
Date Reviewed: July 1, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've been riding the front version of this pair for several months & am right well pleased with it. I have put around 500 miles on it & it still has at least 100-200 left before retirement. The general handling and cornering has been good to excellent in nearly all conditions. However, I have found that they do get a little sketchy when you're just initiating a turn at speed in loose conditions (not optimal conditions for turning, but we all gotta do it some time). I think they need to re-engineer those little intermediate square knobs because they are definately the achilles (spelling?) heel of this otherwise excellent tire. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ALacritas
a cross-country rider
from Alabama
Date Reviewed: June 25, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Whooooo Yaaah! I'm loving these tires. Mine are Duster II Kevlars, 480 grams each. I've got a wide range of conditions on my backyard trail--dry red clay, wet clay mud, black mud, wet roots, stream crossings, loose gravel, dry river sand, and wet river sand. At first I tried to ride them like an old-school round-profile tire, but the transition knobs just aren't there for finess cornering. Then I tried riding them like Panaracers of old--square profile tires--and I have learned to enjoy them. I dig the hard rubber except on the loose gravel, but that's probably obvious. I'm cornering faster on these tires than with tires that previously rode my hoops. They are predictable at their limits on most terrain. I think I spin faster too. The casing is supple, but still isn't too bad to pinch-flat. Not the best climbing tire, but sheds mud better than tires that climb well dry. I don't need no stinking Conti XC combos for $90/pair!! I just want a truckload of these babies!! These are now my regular tire, and they're light/fast enough to race. 4 chilis for general merit, but an extra for the light price! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lee Lau
a racer
from North Vancouver, BC
Date Reviewed: June 24, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
155 lb, XC racer - used in Pacific NW, so far on mud, hardpack, and loose gravel courses; 1.95 kevlar bead stock on a Norco Torrent3 chilies because its a very condition-specific tire; I'm also a light guy so the heavy riders may want to check comments belowI had a 2.1 rear last year that wore down very quickly; I didn't like the tire thenAfter having ridden the tires more, I;ve become a big fan of them for racing. Light, not a lot of rolling resistance. The front is not good in fast sketchy downhills but the big plus is that you can feel when the front will cut loose, The rear climbs well. They're not wearing as fast as last years Duster.Amazing for mud; they shed mud very well (5 stars on mud); On hardpack; 4 stars. good rolling resistance and fast but gets sketchy on the front; not so good on gravel and loose doubletrack; 2 stars. I run them at high pressure and don;t know if speed performance would be improved by lower pressure.After 5 races this year, no flats so its impressive on that score. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
WACKO JACKO
a cross-country rider
from SOMEWEAR
Date Reviewed: June 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
THEASE TIRE CAME WHIT MY 97 GT OUTPOST AND DO THEY EVER WORK GREAT. THEY ARE GOOD ALL AROUND TIRES IF YOU LIVE WEAR THE TRAILS ARE A BIT WET.ON STEEP,LOOSE UPHILLES THEY WILL SKID A LITLE BUT NOT IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT STILLE. MY ONLY PROBLEM WHIT THEM IS THAT THEY WEAR A BIT FAST | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
cj
a weekend warrior
from milwaukee,wi
Date Reviewed: May 8, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I just did my first cross-country race on sunday and I took two sets of tires, my beloved Bontrager Revolt SS pair and the Dusters that my roommate lent me. Well it started raining in the area Friday and rained until and partly through the race, so naturally I put on the dusters. The course was 90% singletrack and 20% open grass with number of steep inclines and declines. Of the single track, I'd say 80% was a nasty sloppy mud bath. but these tires worked as well as one could expect in these conditions. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
TJ
a cross-country rider
from The High-country of Down-under
Date Reviewed: April 6, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
These tyres felt fine when I was a beginner, but after attempting more technical and faster stuff over the last 6 months in dry conditions, these fellas couldn't cut the mustard. On hardpack, they generally feel OK, but when ya get into gravel and soft stuff, the front tends to let go - not good for the confidence. The rear tends to lose grip also on steep stuff. They tend to wear fairly quickly to.
Overall: OK for a stock tyre but they lose it when they're pushed! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kim
a cross-country rider
from The land of Oz
Date Reviewed: March 17, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Just too add an agreement. These tyres are really light and have extremely low rolling resistance. They are good in firm moist conditions, but appalling in gravel or hard stuff with a bit of loose stuff on top.If you do all your riding on firm moist forrest tracks, get some. If you ever want to go fast over gravel or loose stuff, BEWARE!They seem to wear moderately fast but not too much so. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
C. GREENE
a cross-country rider
from ATLANTA
Date Reviewed: February 12, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
These are the best tires I have ever ridden. I had Yeti FROs on
my Mtn. Goat and thought I hadfound the ultimate all round woods
tire, but the dusters are even better. Light,fast and quick to
shed the mud we southerners love to ride in. They are the perfect
match for my Thermo-LTS. A very kind ride. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff
a weekend warrior
from Michigan
Date Reviewed: January 31, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Two words, THEY SUCK! That rear tire is horrible! I've never seen a tire that lost that much traction. You could almost classify it as a semi-slick. The front isn't SO bad but it also feels like it slips out from everywhere. I ride in all types of conditions and I didn't find one place where it even felt adequate. I hoped more from Panaracer. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe
a cross-country rider
from New York City
Date Reviewed: January 20, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
These tires blow. They give out way too fast on turns, do not shed any mud and have no stick. When you add wet leafy conditions, they are worthless. I have had them for three weeks and they already show signs of significant wear. They came stock on my 97 Mantra Race and I plan to upgrade as soon as I can. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a weekend warrior
from Northville MI
Date Reviewed: January 3, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I replaced my original Smoke/Dart II 2.1 with Duster Pro 1.95. Seems like better stopping and climbing traction with less rolling resistance. With tires off the rims you can tell the Duster casing is much stiffer than Smoke/Dart. Cornering traction seems slightly lower on hard-pack, but that could be due to smaller size. Loose sand traction seemed about the same though. If the air pressure is a little low, the front Duster gets very noisy on pavement. I am happy with these tires. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sacha
a weekend warrior
from Ottawa CANADA
Date Reviewed: December 4, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
This tire is awesome!!! I have the rear one and it is very light affordable
(25$can = 18 U.S.!!!) Good in the mud, hard stuff, rocks. Could be better on the gravel though! I recommend this to fast agile lightweight riders anytime! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Phil...
a cross-country rider
from Alaska
Date Reviewed: November 15, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I don't own these, but I met a guy who was using the rear tread. We were riding in really sticky snow, and my Specialized Master/control kept loading up. His Duster (rear only) shed snow very well. It didn't load up, so he had better traction than I.
Give them a four for snow use. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott
a cross-country rider
from Tucson, AZ
Date Reviewed: November 9, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I am using the rear version, it climbs like crazy. Plus its light! Not sure about overall durability though. What makes it the five star deal is the fact that I on paid $19 for it on sale!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stick
a weekend warrior
from SSF, CA
Date Reviewed: November 1, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Tires are light, fast, and corner great in hardpack and soil. Suck when it comes to gravel and the tires wear out fast. I've only put 230 miles on them and I have to stay seated now when I climb. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
RV
a cross-country rider
from Alexandria, VA
Date Reviewed: September 25, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Got these tires with my Klein Mantra, and their handling characteristics did take some time getting used to. Now that I've ridden the bike plenty of miles, however, I've grown to like them. I find them very grippy uphills, fairly grippy downhill, and predictable on the curves. My only significant complaint is that the tires seem prone to cuts. I've had three flats so far, each of which have had an accompanying slash in the tire (all in the riding surface area). Overall, decent tires, but bring extra tubes and patches if you ride in sharp-rocky areas. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jesse jakomait
a racer
from MARS
Date Reviewed: September 25, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
these tires are one of the best mud tires you can buy
the 1.9 is fairly small and the tread is open to shed mud
if you are a hard core racer, you need these for every rainy day. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Greg Potts
a cross-country rider
from spokane, wa
Date Reviewed: August 5, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
The duster pro's came on my 97 mantra race. great bike ... shitty tires. after reading a few reviews, i'll admit they might be good for lighter-weight riders ... i go around 260. the front end was wobbling in many turns ... pressure was not the problem !! I rode the same track with a velociraptor and a Revolt SS. both handled great ... a lot more stability on fast, steep descents and subsequent turns. So, i have a cheap set -- $25 for both --- they are kevlar and i put about 40 miles on them.
gwpotts@aol.com if you're interested | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
BigMac
a cross-country rider
from Palo Alto, CA
Date Reviewed: July 31, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Goddamn, I like these tires! First few rides, I thought they were a little sketchy, but the more I ride them, the more I like them. They stick very well in corners, climb like squirrels, and have SUPER low rolling resistance. They are also quite supple, you can pump 'em up and swear that they're underinflated. My only complaint is that the front doesn't really dig in that well on super steep downhills (can you say El Corte de Madera?). Haven't had any pinchflats with these yet, and I only pump 'em up about 40 lbs (I weigh ~170). Highly recommended for you speed demons. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott McCullough
a cross-country rider
from Rocklin CA USA
Date Reviewed: July 29, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I'm not impressed with this tire. I had a problem with it giving away on corners. But it is light tire. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Phil
a cross-country rider
from New Zealand
Date Reviewed: May 14, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Great tyre in the mud and sloppy stuff. I found the Duster pro really loose on hard surfaces. Second in mud only to Panracer Spike. My flatemate and I have tested many different tyres and both agree the Panracer Duster Pro is a great soft / mud tyre. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James
a cross-country rider
from Santa Cruz
Date Reviewed: April 25, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I don't like the front tire. Maybe it's my height/weight: 6'3/210#'s. The tread-blocks just seem to fold too easily and quickly in fast corners, on hard surfaces; Whoa Nelly! Additionally, the front locks-up and skids too easily on loose, steep downhills. Might be a good tire for a light-weight ridders. (or bigger riders in soft, relatively tame conditions). For myself, 2 El Habrano's. I have gone back to my Conti Comp 1, dosn't really look like a front tire, but it works really well for me. I run this tire in the back as well. I highly recommend this tire. 5 chi-chi's.I didn't buy the back so I can not review. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
RYAN
a weekend warrior
from LOUISIANA
Date Reviewed: April 24, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
THE GUY AT OUR LOCAL BIKE SHOP HAD A PAIR THAT I TRIED OUT AND I KNEW THE SECOND I GOT ON MY BIKE THEY WERE A GOOD INVESTMENT. EVERYONE IN THE AREA HAS A PAIR. THEY ARE BY-FAR THE BEST TIRE I HAVE EVER RIDEN. THEY ARE CHEAP AND GREAT TIRES. GREAT TRACTION IN EVERY CONDITION. CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THEM. GREAT JOB PANARACERON THE TIRES BUT YOUR TUBES SUCK. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben
a cross-country rider
from WI
Date Reviewed: April 24, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I put the Duster Pro on the front and realized something startling. Even though the casing says 2.10 Inches, the ACTUAL width is around 1.75 inches. I don't quite fully understand but I'm glad I didn't buy the 1.95! Otherwise, they're quite lightweight and have some serious bite on firm trails. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim Filiault
a cross-country rider
from San Jose, California
Date Reviewed: April 23, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
After my first ride I swore I was gonna throw these in the bin. They seemed very sketchy on just about every type of terrain. However, I kept them on and by my third ride I was lovin' them. These tires are fast. They corner better than anything I've ever ridden and seem to have low rolling resistance. The anti-snake bite strip seems to work -- I haven't flatted once in 7 months. That's good since the tires seem to do much better at low pressure. I've been running them around 38-40. As for the knock that these tires wear out fast, that's not been my experience. A few of the loops I ride regularly even have 4 or 5 miles of pavement in them. The tires still have a good few miles left. For the record, I've been running the tires mostly in dry hardpack conditions, however they've done even better on damp to lightly wet trails. I will buy another pair. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andreas
a downhiller
from the boonies
Date Reviewed: April 20, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I hate these tires! Granted they do well in mud but that is not situation that I have to deal with here. I usually ride Velociraptors but these came in stock on my Y bike. They aren't rigid enough to get you out of rain ruts and they aren't stable enough to keep you out of them. If you live in muddy area's you might want to get these but if you ride on dirt trails or something similar, get some velociraptors. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jason
a cross-country rider
from Memphis, TN
Date Reviewed: April 16, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
These tires have worked well for me. I keep trying to find an excuse to
get new tires but these continue to work well in almost every kind of
terrain, especially mud. The Kevlar ones are really light to. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dennis Pedersen
a
from San Jose, CA
Date Reviewed: April 15, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought these tires just for cross-country racing because of their light weight, and upon the recommendation of others. But now I like them so much that I use them, and would recommend them, even for ordinary riding.The 26x1.95 size weighs only 520 grams... one of the lightest off-road tires around. Yet they're durable too. I have about 250 miles on them (including several races), and they're holding up about as well as any other tire I've had. Perhaps older versions used a softer compound and that would explain some of the reviews here. I have yet to flat with these tires, and I don't baby them. I'm not sure if they help, but the latex tubes I use are supposedly more resistant to pinch flats.I'm quite impressed with their balanced cornering, which is better than, say, Velociraptors, but not as good as a downhill-specific tire of course. And the grip for braking is pretty good too, though the 'Raptors are better at that than just about anything else. They are great in the mud, and for climbing in general on the loose, gravel trails I ride.I've experimented quite a bit with pressures, and I find that they are VERY sensitive to small changes. I generally run them at 36 to 38 PSI (I weigh 155 lb.). Higher pressures reduce rolling resistance a bit, but dramatically reduce high-speed traction.You sacrifice very little with these tires, and I'd recommend them for anyone. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave Pomphret
a cross-country rider
from Manchester, UK.
Date Reviewed: April 15, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Just bought my second pair of Dusters, the price has dropped to around £22 ! Ok, the rear has worn out quickly but, at that price who cares? These are the first front/rear specific combo I've tried and they're great in all soft conditions, wet or dry. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marc Swann
a cross-country rider
from uk
Date Reviewed: April 4, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
The Duster Pro's look the bollocks,but they wear out far to quickly.The A.S B
Chafer did not stop compression punctures as I suffered on a multitude of occasions. Also the whole bleedin' tire fell apart. I regret ever purchasing these crap looking excuses for tires. Don't expect me to buy any more stuff from the prats at Panaracer again. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Beetle
a cross-country rider
from Santa Clara, CA
Date Reviewed: March 16, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
These are the best tires I've ridden in '96 (and '97 so far). They are cheap (for those that dont think so, try shopping around for other kevlar tires these days, Dusters are generally $10 less; Perf sells them for $30). But, don't let that fool you. They are very fast, corner superbly, I haven't flatted one yet (and I'm even running less pressure than normal), climb great, shed mud really well, and just rip! The DusterPros are very predictable, feel like they _want_ to corner (this has spooked one or two people I've talked to, but if you've ridden Panaracers before, you'll know it's awesome after you try it a bit). They are also very light (~520g).
Panaracer had some problems in the beginning where the tires would wear really fast, but they are now using harder rubber, and have also improved the ASB strip so it won't curl or peel off.
If you ride a ton of mud, and real slippery mud, the rear tire can almost shed too well - sometimes you want a tire with taller bigger knobs to really dig in and give you some traction, but I've only noticed that twice, and the rest of the time it far outweighs that.
I have ridden both the 1.95 and 2.1 versions. I've gone through 3 sets of 1.95s and have just finished off a set of 2.1s. I prefer the 2.1s, although if you're lighter, or want them even faster, you may prefer the 1.95s. They're pretty close, the 2.1s hook up just a bit better. Also, on full suspension, I'm still waffling between using a 1.95 or 2.1 in the rear, but I think the 2.1 gets my vote all around for now. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Zach Hope
a cross-country rider
from Norman, OK
Date Reviewed: March 12, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought these tires because of their light weight, ASB strip, and their (somewhat) reasonable price. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they had very low rolling resistance and you really could feel the weight savings over my old Dart/Smoke combo. Rotational weight is so important that I'd be willing to sacrifice a little traction or maybe wear for low weight. Fortunately, I didn't have to sacrifice traction, these things are great on almost all sufaces. Excluding loose gravelly fire roads. Then again, I haven't found many tires that are good in gravel. I did have to sacrafice tread wear however. These things wear pretty fast. Mine didn't wear as fast as some of these reviews would have you to believe, but they don't keep as long as I'd hoped they would. Also to my dismay, the ASB thingy didn't help protect me from flatting both front and rear tubes on the same rock at the same time during a race in which I was kicking arse. That really made me mad. But I have come to the realization that I may have been running my pressure too low in order to gain more traction. Overall, a good grippy tire for people who realize the importance of low rotational weight. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Simon Short
a cross-country rider
from London, England
Date Reviewed: December 30, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I usually run smoke/dart combo which I really like. But I thought I would give them a go. For starters I think they are too expensive. They wear out too fast. But they are great in mud. I also found that the ASB strip started to lift which I think is poor. But I have not had any punctures yet. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Charles Coker
a cross-country rider
from austin, tx
Date Reviewed: December 19, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
Greetings from the tire freak,
I have been running the Duster Pro front and rear for a while now.
I really like them, a lot.
Most of the riding here is tight, technical, rocky single track.
I had been using (and swearing by) the Team Control TE front, but,
(and I was nervous about using a 1.9 front) I like the Duster Pro front
better, it hooks up just as well, but is quicker, it responds more quickly
to changes in direction, no doubt in part due to it being rounder.
For the rear I have used just about everything out there, seriously...
it hooks up great, corners great, and is fast and light.
About the only tires I have yet to try are the Wildgrippers, yet :) | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian Kelley
a weekend warrior
from East Hartford, CT
Date Reviewed: December 17, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I have used several different types of tires, including Velociraptors, WCS's adn
others and none have performed as well as these tires have. Climbing over wet roots, rocks, logs, anything that I come across seems to be no challenge. These are without a doubt the best tires I have ever used for the type of singletrack riding we have here in Connecticut. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve Evans
a
from cross-country rider
Date Reviewed: December 10, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I've been riding Dusters since March 96, and have about 1600 miles on them in mostly in very dry and loose conditioins. They are really great in these conditions, and I like them much more than the set of Specialized Team Masters that I have on another set of wheels. I run mine at 35 pounds per (I'm light weight), and they seem to hook up well. I don't know about hard pack. I've just tried them in the wet, and they are the best I've ever used. I like them so well, that I have fitted them to another wheel set that I use in the mud. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chad Craven
a cross-country rider
from NC
Date Reviewed: December 9, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I got the Duster Pros after I had some Tioga Phychos and noticed a big differnece. They hold better than the Phychos in any conditions. Especially in mud. Since they are narrow, they get to the bottom of the mud quicker. They have less rolling resistance on the hard packed dirt. I also have less flats.
One negative thing about the Duster Pros is they are not very durable. The anti snake bite thing is coming off and the knobs are wearing low.
Overall, the Duster Pros, are good tires and I would recommend them to anyone. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian Thomas
a weekend warrior
from Bay Area, CA
Date Reviewed: October 26, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
My reaction to these tires is decidedly lukewarm. I have ridden them mostly in Colorado (steep, dry, loose rocks and roots). On my first ride I had the mother of all pinchflats, leaving *four* holes in my rear tube. So much for ASB. SInce then I have increased pressure and not had a problem (but that would prevent pinch flats on any tire). I bought these because they were light (and they are), but I have noticed traction and durability problems like most of the other reviewers here. I really can't recommend them to anyone out west (where shedding mud isn't so important). | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim Rider
a cross-country rider
from Herndon, VA
Date Reviewed: October 8, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
These tires are great. One problem, they wear so fast. They have excellent cornering ability, perform well in mud and aren't very expensive. The anti snake bite bead works well, untill it seperates itselfs from the rest of the tire. I would give these tires a five, but because of their fast wear, they only get a three. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dean
a cross-country rider
from Thousand Oaks, CA
Date Reviewed: August 27, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I tried the Duster after a bike shop guy recommended it to me. It may be an okay tire for the Northeast section of the country, but it sucks here in the Southwest. I ride, not too aggressively, on mostly fireroads which are hardpacked and often loose, and the tire just doesn't grip well nor is it very durable. Hardcore Smoke and Dart are much better for this climate and conditions, hands down. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott Rogers
a racer
from St. Paul, MN
Date Reviewed: August 27, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought the rear duster pro on the advice of a friend who said it was the best tire he had ridden in a long time. However, I only noticed one good thing about it, it is a great cornering tire, everything else about it is junk. The first day I rode the tire the red anti-snake bite material came off one side
of the tire, and by the end of the week the other side was shredded. On steep climbs you have to stay seated, as soon as you stand up, it lets go (maybe the narrow width).
Finally, if you want any traction from this tire at all you have to run it at less than 40 psi (I'm only 145 lbs.)
Overall I would not recommend this tire to anyone. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul Kelly
a cross-country rider
from Marcellus, N.Y.
Date Reviewed: July 15, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
The DusterPro is a good tire, but it could be so much better.
These tires work really well in the wet, tacky conditions of the Northeast. They shed mud better than any tire I've ever used. They also corner and climb really well in mud and soft dirtt.
DusterPros are a bit sketchy in loose gravel and stones, especially the front tire. I hesitate to recommend this tire to someone who rides only loose terrain that is prevalent on the West Coast.
I have noticed that this tire wants more air pressure. I was running them at 42 PSI like my old, crappy Tioga Psychos, and I had a rash of pinch flats. I'm running them at 50 PSI now with no problems and even better traction and cornering. But I think the Anti-Snake Bite sidewall is nothing more than a marketing gimmick.
These tires are really fast, as their low weight reduces rolling resistance.
OK, here's the biggest, and really, only complaint about these tires. They wear way too fast! I ride in soft dirt most of the time, and these tires are showing wear after just 10 rides! The rear tire is especially susceptible to quick wear.
I read that Panaracer is working on a more durable compound. Let's hope so! If they can pull off the trick of longer wear and continued good performance, this could be THE tire for us muddy Northeasterners.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
todd
a weekend warrior
from aurora, IL
Date Reviewed: June 24, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought these tires on the recommendation of a bike store guy for heavy mud (this spring and early summer it has been a total quagmire in the chicago area). Lo and behold, they work great in the mud!!! But they are pretty iffy on the gravel screening trails prevalent here, and they are virtually useless on pavement. They may not be billed as mud tires, but here in the swamp of Northern Illinois, they do pretty well. If it ever dries out this summer, I'll be changing back to other tires though. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
J.Daniel
a racer
from VT
Date Reviewed: June 24, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I only bought the rear to try it out. and so far it's done really well in WET sitations. It goes through mud beautifully and cleans itself extremely well. The only real new complaint I have is in cornering, you really don't lean it over to far before it slides. The tire is a true 1.9 and looks Teeny, but overall I'm happy with it. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Doug Hauswirth
a cross-country rider
from Phoenix
Date Reviewed: June 18, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I purchased a set of Duster Pros mostly for their low 520g weight. I knew they were skinny, but thought I'd give them a try. They slice through sand well, but fall short on climbing ability. They are really fast on smooth sections and corner well, but their skinny treads come back to haunt you when the going gets rocky. These tires may be better suited for moist climates rather than the sand baked hell I ride in. They do seem to wear rather quickly as well. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
George Brewster
a weekend warrior
from MA
Date Reviewed: June 3, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I really like the performance of these tires, especially in the corners
(they are my favorite cornering tire) but they climb only marginally
well and wear quite quickly, especially in the rear.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Doug Pippel
a cross-country rider
from Mesa, AZ
Date Reviewed: May 31, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I like the tires and I wanted to continue liking the tires, but I just couldn't.
The Duster Pros handle well. The rear has good, but not excellent, climbing
performance in dry, dusty rocky/gravelly conditions. The front scrubs a bit on
the turns, preventing you from really leaning into it. The rolling resistance
is nice and low (you feel fast on them) and they are extremely light.
Unfortuantely, the construction is the pits. I only had mine for 3 weeks before
the ASB (anti-snake Bite) cloth cushion around the bead started to fall apart
and separate from the rubber. I'm missing several center lugs on the rear (the
tire body is showing through) because they just tore off. Same on the front - the
lugs are tearing off right and left. Conclusion? A great tire while it lasts, but
for $30.00 a piece you'd be spending big bucks keeping yourself on the trail at
the rate these puppies wear out.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sawako
a cross-country rider
from Kings Beach, CA
Date Reviewed: May 24, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
I got a pair of panaracer's new dusterpros because the local shop said that with my light weight, 120 lbs, traction would be abundant and I'd lessen the risk of pinch flats.
Well, the flats didn't happen, but the traction didn't either. Probably because the knobs are starting to fall off. Worse than my old Aggro/Honch kevlar setup. Not that I skid on pavement much, but when the tiniest skid happens a lot of black shit (rubber) is left.
I think the tires will last no longer than 1 month.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan
a racer
from Lake Tahoe
Date Reviewed: May 21, 1996 | | Bottom Line: |
they are light. the front holds well in anything but the rear doesn't like climbing when the riding isn't firmly planted on the saddle. And like the magazines said, the rear is wearing too fast. I've had it for about 2 weeks and it looks like I've had it for 4 months!! I'm sending them back and getting either rip/rails or some conti's.3 stars.
| | Overall Rating: |
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