Description:The FireXCPro square-profile, variable-height Torch Tread grips all terrain all the time, while the Burning Edge side knobs put cornering on rails. The Absolute F&R system means you can run the same tire front and rear, and there's Ant-SnakeBite protection too. Choose from 2.1 or 1.8-inch widths.
Submitted by
Alan
a Cross Country Rider
from Malta Date Reviewed: November 16, 2008
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
Jensonusa
Strengths:
excellent all rounder with low rolling resistance (i have the 127tpi made in japan versions...very predictable, dependable, durable, at 580grams can be considered light
Weaknesses:
it is listed as 2.1 but looks more like a 1.9 or 2.0 at max....not really a fault. by their very nature, since these are all rounders they will not excel in any specif condition, this is not a weakness per se since if you want ur tyres to excel then simply swap tyres all the time depeding on the conditions
Similar Products Used:
Continental's, Ritchey, IRC Mythos etc
Bike Setup:
Giant Anthem
Bottom Line:
you can get these tyres in 2 versions, the 60 or 127 tpi....the 127 cost a few buck more but are much lighter and roll FAR BETTER due to the higher threads per inch....i have the 127's. they are excellent all rounders in all conditions which is perfect for me...each ride of mine is made up of tarmac, rock gardens, loose soil, dusty conditions and mud in the winter...these tyres perferm well in all and only provide little grip in clay....but if u want good grip in clay u need mud specif tyres and nothing less...these tyres are so excellent i have 2 spare just in case! I only wish panaracer makes the FR(beefed up wider version) using the same high perfermance construction like mine.....wud love to try a wider such tyre at front....panaracer can u hear me??
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Submitted by
ihelix
a Cross Country Rider
from Ohio Date Reviewed: November 3, 2008
Favorite Trail:
The Wilds
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$30.00
Purchased At:
Performance Bike
Strengths:
Speed
Cornering
Price
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Kenda Nevegal
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Superlight
Bottom Line:
Upgrading to the Panaracer Fire XC Pro (2.1 front, 1.8 back) has made a world of difference in my riding; I am able to go faster and take corners without fear of washing out. I use these with Stans No Tubes and they sealed up perfectly. I ride singletrack in SE Ohio, a mix of clay based dirt, loose soil, rocks, roots...a little bit of everything; these tires are THE best I have ever owned.
My new Santa Cruz Superlight came stock with Kenda Nevegal 2.1 and I would not recommend those to anyone, unless they are the type to like slow tractor tires that wear out in less than 400 miles. Do not believe the hype.
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Submitted by
raulillo88
a Cross Country Rider
from Guadalajara (España) Date Reviewed: October 6, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Rally, Enduro
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$6.00
Similar Products Used:
Hutchinson Bulldog, Ritchey Z-Max
Bottom Line:
A great prduct
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Submitted by
chunjin
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, CA Date Reviewed: October 4, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Nobel Canyon
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$27.00
Strengths:
I have been riding these tires for years. Every once in a while I will try something new and end up returning to these tires. They really hook up well in all conditions and hold up pretty well. I have far fewer flats with these tires compared to others which is just another plus.
Weaknesses:
would like a wider front tire but other than that none
Similar Products Used:
Bontager
Bike Setup:
Trek Fuel EX9
Bottom Line:
Great tires that perform well, look great, come in cool colors and do not cost an arm and a leg like others.
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Submitted by
RollingThunder
a Cross Country Rider
from Arizona Date Reviewed: October 1, 2008
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$40.00
Strengths:
good rear tire
Weaknesses:
bad cornering front tire at speed
Similar Products Used:
specialized, brontrager
Bike Setup:
Gary Fisher Big Sur
Bottom Line:
These guys work just fine as a rear tire even in either direction of rotation (front/rear). BUT, am I the only person that doesn't like these as a front tire? I ride typical northern AZ trails and the front tire was washing out so much that I put my old worn out Bontrager tire that came with my bike back on the front. Also, contrary to another review, these tires don't provide good traction on snow or ice, but that's ok because they aren't really supposed to. I just don't want someone to get the wrong idea that they handle great in snow and ice. Do Panaracer employees write all the reviews of this tire on here or what?
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Submitted by
warpcow
a Cross Country Rider
from Sweden Date Reviewed: September 26, 2008
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$30.00
Strengths:
Long-lasting, anti-snakebite system works, good traction on rocks and roots. I'll be buying a new pair when the current ones die.
Weaknesses:
They spray back a lot; not a problem on the rear but the front one made me invest in a mudguard.
Similar Products Used:
IRC, Michelin, other Panracers.
Bike Setup:
S-S '98 Kona Lava Dome
Bottom Line:
They're the best I've used in over 12yrs of mountain-biking. A good balance of durability and traction (they're also surprisingly good on sheet ice and shallow loose snow). There is a fair amount of rolling-resistance on hardpack but I'd rather have traction on off-camber rock than speed. As a bonus I haven't had a snakebite puncture since I started using them almost 4yrs ago.
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Submitted by
Thing One
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver Date Reviewed: September 15, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Porcupine Rim
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$27.00
Purchased At:
Performance
Strengths:
Sweet traction in most conditions. Long lasting.
Weaknesses:
A bit sluggish-- that's not a bad trade-off-- but are essentially ramped due to the short knobs in front of the taller knobs.
Similar Products Used:
Maxis high rollers, WTB Weirwolf, Nano-Raptors ... Other cheaper no-names.
Bike Setup:
Rocky Mountain Element 30 with upgraded fork, wheels, and crank set.
Bottom Line:
Watch out if buying at Performance Bike. I just bought one in Denver, took off the cardboard wrapper that stated "580 grams, made in Japan" (127 TPI), and instead found it to be the Taiwanese 60 TPI version-- makes me wonder about other products sold there, or perhaps an honest mistake? Great tire however (127 version-- haven't tried the 60 TPI).
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Submitted by
brokenchain
a Weekend Warrior
from Raleigh, NC Date Reviewed: September 5, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Hog Run
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$27.00
Purchased At:
Performance
Strengths:
Rolls good in the woods, great traction on hard pack and loose over hard pack, great traction on roots, good traction on larger rocks
Weaknesses:
Narrow, kicks up lots of sand/dirt when you are really moving, traction was ok on pea sized gravel over hard pack (not as good as my High Rollers)
Similar Products Used:
Not necessarily similar but, Maxxis High Roller, WTB Velociraptor, Maxxis Advantage
Bike Setup:
On One Inbred slot drop out set up single speed with RS Revelation and mostly DH or FR parts.
Bottom Line:
The bottom line is that these tires are very capable cross country tires. I was initially worried about rolling resistance because in the parking lots you can really feel the knobs rolling along. However in the woods they were fine. They turn in very tight, so tight I immediately had to change my cornering technique. They worked better than expected on roots. Better than my High Rollers did. My only complaint is the width of the tire. It's not really the tire's fault. This is the narrowest tire that I have ever ridden and I am used to having a little more cushion from wider tires. The Fire DH is wider but the width comes at a huge weight penalty.
The bottom line is, if you ride east coast single track with its roots and rocks and on mostly dry trails this is a solid option for you.
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Submitted by
bluie-
a Cross Country Rider
from nashua, nh, usa Date Reviewed: August 23, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
pricepoint
Strengths:
cornering, climbing, handling, stopping
Weaknesses:
these fling up loose sand that my old ones never did, which is probably why they hold on to the ground so well :) time to buy some fenders.
Similar Products Used:
various bontrager tires
Bike Setup:
diamondback racing axis titanium
Bottom Line:
Just picked up my DBR Ti bike used and threw these tires on it. I took it out on some local trails and I'm very impressed with these tires... I can do things now that I never could before. I also feel much, much more confident tearing around corners, especially with loose debris. I also feel a LOT more confident at high speeds. I am using the 2.1", at first I was tempted to go for the 1.8's to save weight, but I'm so happy with these that I think I'll stick with them. They seem slim for 2.1" anyways.
Overall I would highly recommend them, for the price I couldn't be more happy!
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Submitted by
clash9898
a Weekend Warrior
from richmond Date Reviewed: August 22, 2008
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$28.00
Purchased At:
performace bike
Strengths:
good for xc riding,love my panaracer, its my second fav tire ever.
Weaknesses:
slips on steep climbs, none other than that
Similar Products Used:
kenda klaws, wtb velociraptors
Bike Setup:
diamondback responce xe with rst titan
Bottom Line:
i use the fire xc in the rear i find its not wide enough to perform well in the front, i use kenda klaws in the frint. exelent tire for the price.
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Submitted by
jwsb
a Cross Country Rider
from Sta. Rosa Philippines Date Reviewed: August 21, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Sta. Rosa, Tagaytay trails
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
Grantrail Cycles
Strengths:
Nice all around tires, wet performance, sheds easier than other all-arounders, corners well / lateral grip, bites deep, predictable
Weaknesses:
Wears easy, inflexible to varying tire pressures, need to be run at higher pressure reducing comfort and potential mud performance
Similar Products Used:
Nevegal
Bike Setup:
Chumba XCL, XO, Revelation, Crossland
Bottom Line:
One of the best value in tires. Good all-around.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin C.
a Cross Country Rider
from Coventry, RI Date Reviewed: August 20, 2008
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$35.00
Purchased At:
Pricepoint
Strengths:
Price. Tough sidewall. Fast tire. Great in almost any condition for cross country riding. Also, being direction specific is a plus.
Weaknesses:
Loose sand...but then again what mountain bike tire is good in the sand.
Similar Products Used:
Bontrager Tires
Bike Setup:
Santa Cruz Superlight
Bottom Line:
Execllent tire for cross country riding. Not overpriced. Great tire for the money.
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Submitted by
Dial Tone
a Weekend Warrior
from Southern California Date Reviewed: July 30, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Bonelli Park
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$23.00
Purchased At:
Performance Bike
Strengths:
Excellent traction, lower rolling resistance, PRICE!
Weaknesses:
Not for sand, too many thorn punctures (or is it just my luck), not for DH or aggressive descents
Similar Products Used:
Bontrager Jones ACX
Bike Setup:
Fisher Hi-Fi Plus with other non-tire related bolt-ons
Bottom Line:
As my stock Bonty tires were starting to wear out I wanted to have a lighter XC-oriented tire rather than the stock AM / trail tires. I also wanted to be able to rotate the tires from front to rear (for longer wear) so side specific tires like the Smoke and Dart are out of the equation. Enter the Fire XC Pro! For under $25 for the Japanese made 127 TPI version at Performance Bike this was a steal!
On my first ride on my local dirt path, I could not feel the difference in rolling resistance. Perhaps TPI count was over rated, but when I rode on pavement it felt fast. Grip was an improvement compared to the stock Bontrager which would slide before finally getting grip.
Taking it to my favorite trail these tires really shined. With loose rock over hard pack fire roads and single track the Fire XC gripped the trail like it had claws. I didnt feel the rear tire loose grip at all. The front slipped a tiny bit on more agressive downhill turns but that could be attributed to loose conditions and aired up to almost max tire specs. Next time I'll air it down -10 PSI.
I believe this is the best all around XC tire for the Southern California trails. Ride these tires for its intended design and it wont disappoint.
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Submitted by
trumancapote
a Downhiller
from panorama, bc, canada Date Reviewed: July 28, 2008
Favorite Trail:
freight train
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Strengths:
fast, grippy, solid, flows great, can handle downhill
Weaknesses:
loose grip on wet rocks and wood
Bike Setup:
santa cruz nomad
Bottom Line:
great tire if you want to go fast
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
chiplikestoridehisbike
a Cross Country Rider
from Southeast Date Reviewed: July 12, 2008
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$29.00
Purchased At:
Jenson
Strengths:
Great all around tire. All of the reviews here pretty much sum it up. Seldom run out of grip. Handle rocks, roots, sand, mud, clay.
Weaknesses:
?
Similar Products Used:
Conti, Specialized, Bontrager etc.
Bike Setup:
steel hardtail
Bottom Line:
Hard to go wrong with this tire as an all purpose tire. 127 tpi 2.1 version is a great tire. There are lighter tires, faster tires, better mud tires. You could have three our four sets of tires and have the absolute best of all worlds, or just run these and get great performance with out the hassle of swapping tires.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
firedawg225
a Cross Country Rider
from Chievres, Belgium Date Reviewed: July 7, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$27.00
Purchased At:
JensonUSA
Strengths:
They work great in all types of terrain. The other day i took them out after a rain here and went through sand, Shallow and deep mud, hard pack, and small drops about 1 to 2 feet no problems.
Weaknesses:
None really.
Bike Setup:
2007 HM Moab
Bottom Line:
These are the 127 TPI tires not the 66 TPI. there also the 2.1 version. From what i can see they work great. Grip everywhere. Deep mud they slide but they push through either way. Everywhere else these worked great. Tomorrow will be taking up so steep inclines see how they do. if you are a XC rider I'd buy these there great!! I think i'll be buying another pair for back ups.
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Submitted by
ParkerColoado
a Weekend Warrior
from Parker,CO Date Reviewed: July 5, 2008
Favorite Trail:
All of them.
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$19.00
Purchased At:
BlueSky
Strengths:
For Colorado dry trails and lots of loose material it was perfect. Cheap price makes it even better. Took it down super steep sections and back up with no loss of traction. I was very impressed. It doesn't take a pro to realize the tire was stuck to the trail going up and over sections I normally spin and lose traction on. Rides nice on hard surface too. At $20 you can afford to keep a few on hand.
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Many
Bike Setup:
Trek
Bottom Line:
Great product of the price. Sticks like glue.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
kiwijames
a Racer
from Lafayette, CA Date Reviewed: June 23, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Anything in Joaquin Miller Park
Duration Product Used:
More than 3 years
Price Paid:
$25.00
Purchased At:
Cambria
Strengths:
They grab and grip on anything, at almost any angle at almost any speed. Side traction is great and it sheds muck well. No pinch flats/snake bites
Weaknesses:
The knobs shear and tear off on DG and rock gardens.
Similar Products Used:
Was WTB Velociraptor rider for years...Kenda Nevegal Tomac and Kenda Small Block 8 combo.
Bike Setup:
Scott Spark 20, XT, Joplin, Juicy 7, Look Quartz, Dt Swiss X455, lots of carbon stuff. Panaracer XC Fire Pro 127TPI
Bottom Line:
Rode WTB Velociraptors for years and loved them, until one day one of my MTB group riders suggested the Pana Xc Fires...WOW!! My new Spark came with the Kenda Nevegals Tomac and Small Block...and they pushed and slid on the soils around here, I hated them on our regular routes. Put new 127TPI Fire XC Pros and all of the handling I expected from the bike is there. Some in our pod use the 60 TPI, easily distinguished by the small logo/decal, those hold up well but are heavier than the 127TPI and less supple. In reality we have love hates relationships with tires and have a propensity for being fair weather fans....I'm a devotee of the Fire Xc Pros.
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Submitted by
frdfandc
a Weekend Warrior
from Elkton, MD Date Reviewed: June 20, 2008
Favorite Trail:
White Clay Area/Fair Hill
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$19.00
Purchased At:
Performance Bike
Strengths:
These are pretty good. Once the tire pressure is dialed in, they are very predictable. Had zero front end wash out, even on loose/rocky ground.
Weaknesses:
None so far. These are the 60 tpi so we'll see how it goes
Bike Setup:
Haro Extreme Hardtail, Kona Kikapu Deluxe
Bottom Line:
I needed a set of tires to replace my old Panaracer Dart and Smoke. Did some comparison and decided to try out these Fire XC Pro's. Made a very good choice. I took these out for a good ride and they performed better than my Dart/Smoke combo which I loved. Only wished I could have found the 128 tpi Fire XC Pros locally. But for $19 each, these are way better than they cost.
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Submitted by
swmarc
a Weekend Warrior
from Kelso,wa Date Reviewed: June 17, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Growlers Gulch
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$20.00
Purchased At:
pricepoimt
Strengths:
This Tire is worlds above what I preveously used ( Kenda Blue Groove). I now understand how people make some of the steeper climbs. Before I got this tire I would always loose traction. Simply amazing.
Weaknesses:
none so far
Bike Setup:
Giant Yuckon
Bottom Line:
awesome
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Eric
a Weekend Warrior
from Ogden, UT Date Reviewed: June 3, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$27.00
Strengths:
Great grip
Weaknesses:
None so far
Similar Products Used:
Botranger ACX
Bike Setup:
2007 Trek 4500
Bottom Line:
Bottom line is I've only ridden a couple times with these, but let me make it simple:
There's a steep gravel-on-hardpack section of my usual trail that always gives me issues. I'll usually spin out and end up having to walk up the rest of the way. I put these guys on my bike before the season started, and on my VERY FIRST ride of the season, rusty as hell, my bike was glued to the trail. No issue. Can't wait to see how else these improve my ride as I get back in shape for the season.
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Submitted by
Patrick
a Weekend Warrior
from Lubbock, TX Date Reviewed: May 25, 2008
$ 30.00
Overall Rating:
Overall Rating: