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Submitted by
LBV
a
from Warsaw, Poland
Date Reviewed: May 14, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | local shop | | Strengths: | Cheap. Punctured only once in two years. | | Weaknesses: | Seem to be heavy, don't roll easily. Long distance road riding - it is a torment. Forest use only. They have not enough grip on rocky terrain, sweep a lot (front), especially when worn. Unpredictable in mud. Rear tire had to be replaced after 300 kms because few knobs had torn away. It happened again, so I lost my temper.
| | Similar Products Used: | Michelin XCR, Schwalbe Nobby Nic | | Bike Setup: | 2002 Giant NRS | | Bottom Line: |
The only thing they offer is aggressive look and thick walls at reasonable price. Not recommended. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Huw Ramsay
a Cross Country Rider
from UK, England, Burton
Date Reviewed: May 17, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Takaroo (Cannock Chase) | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Cycling 20000, Derby | | Strengths: | Product came with my Cape Wrath,
brilliant tyres, although i too had a problem with front wheel grip on the road but now they are worn in they are superb.
Having some trouble getting replacements for my shredded rear tyre though help would be appreciated | | Weaknesses: | If you use this product learn not to skid with road use this product just shredded, | | Bike Setup: | Claud Buttler Cape Wrath Dual Disk | | Bottom Line: | Brilliant Tyres
9/10 Due To Road Grip On F Tyre
Flicks Mud Off Like It Wasnt There Atall
Looks Awesome
Loads Of Offroad Grip (Some would argue too much if you like your back end out at corners) | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Taipei Taiwan
Date Reviewed: August 21, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | muddy and steep | | Duration Product Used: | Tested or demo'ed only | | Purchased At: | With bike in Taipei | | Weaknesses: | Front tyre has NO grip on the road.... | | Similar Products Used: | Slicks on my road bike | | Bike Setup: | GT Avalanche 0.0 | | Bottom Line: | These came on the bike that I have just bought today. Within 2 minutes of my ride away from collecting the bike I braked while cornering - nothing high speed, just riding at granny speed... the front type just slid away like I was on ice
OK, I thought, new tyres, probably covered in release compound from the mold... 20 ks later back on a road, the same thing.
If I only ever rode on mud or grass these would be great, but I feel that every wet rock I meet on a downhill will be fally-down time. I will change this front instantly !
The back felt OK though, grips like anything once off the road, and it didn't try to kill me on the road !
They get 1 star for danger value... | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ant
a Weekend Warrior
from UK
Date Reviewed: June 4, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Mixed. | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Came with bike at purchase (Claud Butler Alpina) | | Strengths: | Looks.
Grip.
Width. | | Weaknesses: | Front is a little wild, feels as though it needs a lot more weight up front to grip. | | Similar Products Used: | N/A | | Bike Setup: | Claud Butler Alpina- Standard. | | Bottom Line: | Tires are great!
No problems, and thanks to my bike and tires, I can smoke anyone else I ride with.
I've had no real problems, until today...
Taken up the back on a downhill road corner, thrown over bars by other rider, and tire blew out. No sign of break, but any air pumped seemingly dissapears, so looking for a replacement ASAP. Will certainly put the same model back!
P.S. What is it with the complaints on pavement handling? It's illegal, and imbecilic to ride on pavements... so what's the problem? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gary
a Cross Country Rider
from Ottawa
Date Reviewed: March 19, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$39.00 | | Purchased At: | actually came with bike | | Strengths: | Super grippy, spits out mud and doesn't clog. | | Weaknesses: | Getting replacements. They are always on back order.
Wear. Heavy riders may have to replace them mid season | | Similar Products Used: | Conti Cross Country and cross Baja, Panaracer Smokes and Darts | | Bottom Line: | I have to admit that the tires were really amazing in the first year and only good at last season. Now they're practically bald. Even half bald, they grip to almost anything. I do a lot of climbing and these things get me up any surface and almost any angle. I've never had another tire like them. Closest I have found are Conti Cross Countrys, but only in the way they clear mud.
Wear is a problem. Likely the reason they grip so well is the rubber compound is so soft. Unfortunatly I have not gotten out much in the past two seasons. If I was able to get out as often (used to do about 100 k/week - half tails), I likley would not got a full season out of them. I'm sooo impressed with their performance though I don't care. This leads me to my next complain. At least in the Ottawa area, I keep getting the same story, "they're on back order". Store called mid way through last season, by the time I went to pick them up they were gone!
SO DON'T NO ONE BUY ANY. At least until they are off back order. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matthew
a Weekend Warrior
from Perth, WA, Australia
Date Reviewed: April 25, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Goat Farm | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$15.00 | | Purchased At: | Leederville Bike Store | | Strengths: | fanatstic grip on the "right" surfaces, good price, simple looks, handle well with higher psi | | Weaknesses: | slippery on wet slick bitumen, more so than my slicks and old set | | Similar Products Used: | my slicks for city riding and the all terrain set that came with my giant | | Bottom Line: | Needed a new set of all terrain tyres, were recommended by my LBS, were a good price. As Ive only had them for under 1 month theres no wear, and I just did a 40km ride with heaps of steep up/down hill action! They left everybody else in the group for dead on the wet loose gravel. Im hoping they dont die like every one elses ( bare a few lucky souls ) after the first few months! But atm they are great...
5 chillis for value
4 chillis overall (slippery on wet bitumen, slick rocks) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin
a Cross Country Rider
from Chattavegas
Date Reviewed: December 29, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Blackwalls look good, began learning trials on a set with very low psi so the sidewalls must be strong. | | Weaknesses: | Not very good on sidehills | | Bike Setup: | SC (SL)with disks | | Bottom Line: | These tires aren't horrible, but I won't buy them again. They have never made me feel very confident when traction was at a premium. I originally bought them because a friend suggested them. I kept riding them cause I got a new bike that came with them. The braking side of the rear knobbys wears fast, and the front will slide out in a corner if you aren't careful. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
foot
a Cross Country Rider
from new jersey
Date Reviewed: October 23, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | any | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | low rolling resistance for a knobber.
climbs well. | | Weaknesses: | bouncey | | Similar Products Used: | dart\smoke, revolts, psycho | | Bike Setup: | hartail | | Bottom Line: | These came stock on my new ride and I can't get used to the rebound. I need to run really low pressure so they don't bounce around, but then I'm hitting the rim on the rocks & roots. I try to pump them up enough for protection, and they start hopping around the trail.
They are alright for the 6 miles of pavement I ride to get to the trails, but once I'm there, they just can't be dialed in.
When they are on the ground, they climb well and are OK (not great) in the corners.
They're about to become studded for ice\snow.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adj
a
from England
Date Reviewed: September 9, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Good in the mud provided the ground is nice and flat. | | Weaknesses: | Any camber in the ground, ie if you ride in a gully or ditch or any ground with camber for that matter these tires just wash out. They are perfectly fine if the bike is 90 degrees to the surface you are riding on, but how often does that happen!!! | | Bike Setup: | Rocky Mountain Thin Air | | Bottom Line: | Not worth the money. There are't exactly many places you can ride where the ground is flat and if it is boring! I was very disapointed in these tires and certainly wont be wasting my money on them again. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dinesh Rajan
a
from Selangor, Malaysia
Date Reviewed: August 4, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Urban, Trails, Dirt Jumping | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$13.00 | | Strengths: | NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | | Weaknesses: | Wears out very very fast.
Not durable at all.
Crap tires.
| | Similar Products Used: | IRC Mythos, Panaracer | | Bottom Line: | I was using it for offroad riding and dirt jumping for only A MONTH. To my surprise, half of the side beads started too peel off. Why the hell did I buy these tires?
Traction is average. But they are not at all durable. In simple words, they are just STUPID tires.
I strongly don't recommend it to riders. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
joe
a Downhiller
from england
Date Reviewed: July 5, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | horton | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | halfords | | Strengths: | looks good
nice deep tread that doesn't smoothen out as soon as you brake
good grip on rear tire - i don't know about the front i only have one of these on the rear | | Weaknesses: | i seem to lose lots of air no matter what inner tube i use | | Similar Products Used: | tires that came with my old bike - useless, if you're buying a saracen andes change the tyres! | | Bike Setup: | 'cuda frame, rst fork, kore stem, azonic bars, fsa cranks, dmr pedals | | Bottom Line: | quite a good tyre, but even for a thin tyre (i prefer them for jumping for some reason), there isn't much grip when its dry, possibly because of the deep tread. overall though, good tyre but i think there is probably better around. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Peter
a Racer
from Ann Arbor, MI
Date Reviewed: June 12, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Rear Tire : Relatively good traction | | Weaknesses: | Front Tire : unpredictable behavior when cornering. Not a smooth progressive feel when put on edge
Rear Tire : knob wear (but this is generally the case for all tires with fairly large aggressive knobbies). | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized team control/master, Hutchinson Pythons, Panaracer Fire XC Pro, GEAX, WTB Velociraptors, IRC semis | | Bottom Line: | I've had fairly good experience with the rear specific tire. I had generally a good impression about perforance. The tire will wear in the manner that the knobbies will start to get pulled off. I've had this happen with many other manufacturers tires as well and is most likely attributed to big soft knobs that will lose the battle with sharp rocks.
On the other hand, I have not been impressed with the front tire. It's behavior is very unpredictable. Lean the bike over into a corner and the front will start to slide out on most any surface underneath from hardpack to mud. This would be fine if this is all it did, but once the side knobs bite in the tire feels like it grabs. There is a very non-linear feel to it and is not confidence inspiring. It led me to go a bit apprehensively into corners - not desireable. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chef Paul
a Cross Country Rider
from Telluride Colorado
Date Reviewed: May 24, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Not too heavy | | Weaknesses: | Front washes out in any conditions, rear is o.k., but suffers continuous flats! | | Similar Products Used: | WTB, Specialized, Panaracer, Hutchinson | | Bike Setup: | Jamis Dakar, 9.0, ManitouSX | | Bottom Line: | These tires suck! They don't wear well, don't turn well, don't go uphill well, don't go downhill well, don't hold air well, well... DON'T BUY THESE TIRES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Garner
a
from College Station, TX, US
Date Reviewed: May 3, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | I have ridden them on virtually anything, mud, water, sand, pavement/concrete... They are wicked, they take just about anything | | Weaknesses: | VERY SLIPPERY on wet pavement or pea-gravel sidewalks (ate some gravel for lunch one day) and they shed clay mud very well (what tire can?) | | Similar Products Used: | Panaracer, specialized | | Bike Setup: | 2000 Kona Caldera, z5 marzoch, xtr rear, xt front (soon to come disc brakes)--came on bike from factory | | Bottom Line: | Best tire I have ridden on... had them for one and a half years and still have lots more tread (actually just about all of it). They offer the best grip in the widest variety of conditions. 5 chili's all the way! Don't buy them if you live in the city and ride on wet streets all the time because you will be on the ground, BUT DO buy if you want some rad tires in some rad conditions. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mj
a Cross Country Rider
from Pleasanton, CA
Date Reviewed: January 9, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$39.00 | | Purchased At: | Livermore Cyclery | | Strengths: | Solid grip, wide tread pattern. Looks good too, no need for fancy decals or colors on sidewall. | | Weaknesses: | None that I have found | | Similar Products Used: | Panaracer Fire XC, WTB Raptors, Kenda. | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale Super V, Lefty fork, Avid mech front disc. XTR | | Bottom Line: | The tireshave never let me down. Their durability and predictability are a plus. Ive ridden these tires in ALL of the conditions found in northern california : Single tracks of the Bay Area hills, hardpack fireroads on Mt Diablo, sticky mud and roots of the coastal range, granite rocks and boulders of Lake Tahoe, and the sharp and jagged piles of shale found at Downieville.
As of this date, the Tiogas have not let me down. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Clay
a Weekend Warrior
from Malaysia
Date Reviewed: December 20, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Extremely grippy in all local conditions. Durable and tough.
| | Weaknesses: | A little pricy? Can hold a little silty mud on the tread. | | Similar Products Used: | Hutchinson, Continentals | | Bike Setup: | MTB | | Bottom Line: | These are great tires for the conditions in Malaysia. Traction on single-track jungle trails (dry or wet) has been excellent. Fat profile gets be over sandy logging tracks easily. Even handles concrete and asphalt well.
Haven't had puncture problems (buddys on Hutchinsons have suffered a couple) on rides and no problems with chunks coming off either. Can't speak for all situations.
In the conditions I am riding in, these are ideal. I sometimes ride four to five miles of road before I get to some jungle/logging tracks and I have had no problems.
If you ride in tropical climates in jungle conditions, I think you will find this tyre hard to beat. 4 value burns because they are a little pricy, but worth it and because of the price issue and occassional silt holding - 4 for overall. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a
from Surrey
Date Reviewed: October 27, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Grip
"Waterwheel" back tire
Looks | | Weaknesses: | Durability
Front can wash out on gravel turns but is not as bad as other people have said | | Similar Products Used: | Some WTB crap, Michelin wildgrippers | | Bike Setup: | 2000 Kona NuNu with 100mm z4s, arch rivals fsa orbuit extreme headset & V8s | | Bottom Line: | Great tire, grips amazingly in all conditions, never let me down by washing out but now theyre wearing a bit thin i do have to take it easy round gravel corners - no probs to begin with tho.
Waterwheel effect in runny mud/ water is amazing - can power through where others are stranded.
Mine are looing a bit skinny after a year but i would def buy them again | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
JEFF
a Downhiller
from WEST BYFLEET, ENGLAND
Date Reviewed: October 5, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | A STEEP HILL | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | ON BIKE | | Strengths: | ALL BLACK LOOKS GOOD ON SILVER RIMS BLACK SPOKES HUBS | | Weaknesses: | FRONT TYRE IS BOLLCKS, NEARLY EVERY CORNER OVER ABOUT 10 MPH THIS HO LOSES IT | | Similar Products Used: | A SLICK ON ICE | | Bottom Line: | THE FRONT XC IS BAD DONT BUY IT, THE BACK IS ALL RIGHT BUT DONT RELY ON THESE TO GET U ROUND A FAST CORNER | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
chris
a Cross Country Rider
from Concord, Ca
Date Reviewed: September 24, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Tahoe's full'o'em | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | set-up on new Kona (Pahoehoe, baby!) | | Strengths: | killer grip; they've lasted me over two years; total confidence when grip is needed -- climbing, stopping | | Weaknesses: | at least the front slips out @ high speed cornering; mud-bogger, doesn't do clay mud at all! | | Similar Products Used: | Pan. Smokes and Dart (decent, but rode as a beginning rider) | | Bike Setup: | Beautiful Kona Pahoehoe w/matching gold Marzoch's -- who needs upgrades?!! | | Bottom Line: | I've ridden these tires for over two years, in rocky, sandy, hard pack and I'd be crazy to look elsewhere -- except for mud tires! (anyone know a good mud, other than a Hutchinson Alli. gold? Don't cry about these tires getting bitten on the sides! Try riding Tahoe (tons of rocks and boulders) for two years w/out ONE pinch flat. Yes, the HUGE knobs can pull, sometimes tear off, but there are plenty more where those came from, and by the time the middle does wear out, you're crying as you toss them into the big green can. If you like rocks, dirt, roots (I hate them, but the tires do well on them), any kind of TECHNICAL riding that needs grip, you'll do well to have these bad boys on your bike; just watch out around the faster, hard-packed turns. Oh yeah! Deep sand? Air 'em down to 15-18, wave bye-bye to your buddies and FLY around the corners!! :P yee-ha! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Fredrik
a Cross Country Rider
from Bergen, Norway
Date Reviewed: September 17, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | anything muddy | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | sykkelbutikken (local) | | Strengths: | Looks really cool. Great grip in mud/dirt, grass or tracks. Light. Soft rubber - no need to deflate to get max. traction. | | Weaknesses: | Again the rubber compound - it wears fast. Grip is terrible on 'all' wet surfaces, that's rock, asphalt and roots. | | Similar Products Used: | Jone's, Ritchey... | | Bike Setup: | stock Caldera. | | Bottom Line: | The tires are great looking, and i really like the the traction I get when clibming or braking in muddy/dirty tracks. As I live and ride at the west of norway (downfall some 260 days a year), it's obvious that the poor traction on wet surfaces is a major turndown for me. There must have been litterarly hundered of times you cuold see me swearing at my SPDs, lying underneath my bike due to front wheel slipping on a wet root or rock. Maybe I'll keep the back tire, but I'm definately after a new one in front. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Fredrik
a Cross Country Rider
from Bergen, Norway
Date Reviewed: September 17, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | anything muddy | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | sykkelbutikken (local) | | Strengths: | Looks really cool. Great grip in mud/dirt, grass or tracks. Light. Soft rubber - no need to deflate to get max. traction. | | Weaknesses: | Again the rubber compound - it wears fast. Grip is terrible on 'all' wet surfaces, that's rock, asphalt and roots. | | Similar Products Used: | Jone's, Ritchey... | | Bike Setup: | stock Caldera. | | Bottom Line: | The tires are great looking, and i really like the the traction I get when clibming or braking in muddy/dirty tracks. As I live and ride at the west of norway (downfall some 260 days a year), it's obvious that the poor traction on wet surfaces is a major turndown for me. There must have been litterarly hundered of times you cuold see me swearing at my SPDs, lying underneath my bike due to front wheel slipping on a wet root or rock. Maybe I'll keep the back tire, but I'm definately after a new one in front. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
THOMAS MULLINS
a Cross Country Rider
from NYC
Date Reviewed: September 6, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | BLUE MOUNTAIN | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | SIDS NYC | | Strengths: | AGGRESSIVE TREAD DESIGN THAT INSPIRES CONFIDENCE ON CLIMBS AND HARD CORNERING. RUBBER HOOKS UP WELL ON ANYTHING IT GRABS. WET OR DRY. TREAD CLEANS OUT WELL IN MUDDY CONDITIONS. | | Weaknesses: | TOOK ABOUT FIFTY TRAIL MILES TO BREAK THE TIRES IN SO THAT THEY WOULD HOOK UP TO MAX. TRAX. | | Similar Products Used: | VELOCIRAPTOR & PANARACER PRO | | Bike Setup: | MAVIC CROSS RIDE | | Bottom Line: | I BOUGHT THESE TIRES TO REPLACE MY PANARACERS AND ABSOLUTELY FELL IN LOVE WITH THEM, ONCE I DIALED THEM IN TO MY TASTE. (IE TIRE PRESSURE AND BREAK IN TIME). I QUICKLY FOUND THAT I HAD TO RUN THESE TIRES AT A HIGHER PRESSURE TO MAXIMIZE THERE PERFORMANCE. IVE DISCOVERD THAT THE HARDER I RIDE THESE TIRES THE BETTER THEY PERFORM. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A TIRE THATS AS GREAT AS THE PANARACER BUT MORE DURABLE AND LONGER LASTING, THIS IS THE TIRE FOR YOU. YES THEY DO WEAR BUTTT.... THATS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU RIDE.... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mario Javier
a Weekend Warrior
from Oakville, On Canada
Date Reviewed: August 23, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Kelso, Hardwood Hills | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | Cyclepath in Oakville | | Strengths: | Durability, handling | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | So many to list | | Bike Setup: | Mavic 517 with XT hubs | | Bottom Line: | I finally found a replacement tires! I called my favourite LBS in town and they got me the tires from Bell Sports at a blowout price, (too low to mention). Cheaper than any mailorder! I was surprised that the tires came in its own bag! WOW! Looks expensive (and it is expensive if you buy them at regular price!) and handles well. Where can you get a better tire! Buy them, worth every penny I spent. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mario Javier
a Weekend Warrior
from Oakville
Date Reviewed: July 31, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Kelso | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | Loan from a friend | | Strengths: | FREE | | Weaknesses: | NONE | | Similar Products Used: | WTB, Specialized, Ritchey, IRC Mythos etc. | | Bike Setup: | Mavic 517 | | Bottom Line: | Excellent tire! No question ask! I found out yesterday that Bell Sports no longer carry these tires. How disappointed I am to find this out. Anyone reads this e-mail: Could someone please e-mail me to let me know where I could get these tires. I need a Kevlar tire version.
Anyone has a new set they are not happy with? Please let me know and I will be glad to buy them from you. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Robag
a Weekend Warrior
from Regina, Sask, Canada
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Wascana Trails | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Godd tread design. | | Weaknesses: | Not good on pavement | | Bottom Line: | I got these tires on a new Kona that I puchased about 5 months ago. They do not work well on pavement at all. As soon as the tire gets just a bit low, the whole tire feels like it's gonna blow from hard cornering. Even when I go on hard pack dirt, I feel like I have to slow down going around corners. Don't look at these tires if you do a good mix of road and trail riding, look elsewhere. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Drew and Gabe
a Cross Country Rider
from North Carolina
Date Reviewed: July 6, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Supertree | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | came w/ bike | | Strengths: | Great traction in all normal conditions
Look aggressive | | Weaknesses: | Durability = crappy
1. Easily Punctured
2. Knobs get torn off
3. Premature wear
4. Succeptible to pinch flats | | Similar Products Used: | WTB Velociraptors
Tiogas | | Bike Setup: | Gt Rebounds
LX/XT | | Bottom Line: | These tires are awesome . . . for the first month. They probably wouldn't be that bad of a tire if you rode hardpack trails. But, these tiogas just can't stand up to rocky conditions. There are gashes all over them, and when you get flat from a puncture, the hole is usually so big through the soft rubber that you can feel the air rushing right out of the tire.
Bottom Line: Don't buy these if you ride rocky trails. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lostemple
a Weekend Warrior
from Austin, TX
Date Reviewed: July 3, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Rocky Hill Ranch | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | cambriabike.com | | Strengths: | These tires stick like glue. I only ride single track and fire roads, but the ones I do have tons of rocks on them. I have abused these tires like a red headed stepchild and they keep coming back for more. I have only gotten one flat (doop just jinxed my self) and it was a big old nail about three inches long. I keep the tires well inflated and have not had any pinch flats. | | Weaknesses: | It seems as though when I corner, the large knobies on the side of the front tire cause me to loose control. I could just be me, but I think I will keep the back tire and experiment with more rounded front tires. | | Similar Products Used: | None. New bike, new tires. | | Bike Setup: | Mavic 221's and XT hubs. | | Bottom Line: | While I was a bit skepticle of their performace based on the below reviews, these tires have performed very well for me. I would purchase them again especially for the back tire! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark D.
a Weekend Warrior
from Harrington Park, NJ
Date Reviewed: June 2, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Birchwood | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Even though they wear down within 2 months, they don't slip too often. | | Weaknesses: | Wear out VERY quickly and lock up easily on steep descents. Sidewall is very weak and shreds right through within a month. I have had at least 7 pinch flats in the lash four months and have worn a hole through the sidewall. | | Similar Products Used: | Kenda
Cheng-Shin | | Bike Setup: | 2000 Kona Caldera | | Bottom Line: | Not worth buying! My friend blew his rear tire out riding on the road today after having in for like 2 weeks. Mine have 3 slash marks going right through the entire tire. After 4 mounths, i have 4 areas on the inside of my tire with duct tape and rubber cement in it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gauranga
a Cross Country Rider
from Catasauqua, PA
Date Reviewed: May 10, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Jordan Creek | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | KOP Bike Line | | Strengths: | Excellent grip in all conditions, no premature wear. | | Weaknesses: | I am totally satisfied with these tires. | | Similar Products Used: | Panaracer XC Pro, IRC Notos, Specialized Umma Gumma | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale f800, LX/XT Drivetrain | | Bottom Line: | I scored these tires from a friend at the shop and I am completely satisfied with them. I'm coming off of Panaracers that completely sucked in wet conditions and these tires have outperformed my expectations. I'm not a pro and I don't race. But, I ride the crap out of my equipment. I can safely say that when these tires sh*t the bed, I'll buy another pair. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Luke
a Cross Country Rider
from Bathurst,NSW,Australia
Date Reviewed: April 23, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Anything sloppy | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$45.00 | | Purchased At: | Winning edge cycles | | Strengths: | Very chunky, nice and soft Stick well on corners and Chew to the Mud like a fish to water, look goood? :p | | Weaknesses: | Gets Smashed up very easy very weak dont RIDE ON ROAD!!!
one lock u have about a quater of Rubber dust on the ground!! lol
| | Similar Products Used: | Mitcheln wildgrippers,IRCs, Loads of Tiwanese no name crap! | | Bike Setup: | Avanti, Tektro Disk brakes, Deore group set, Big plush RST 381tls heh........ | | Bottom Line: | These tires are GREAT for mud and sloppy conditions, Crap in Hard pack dont use on the road!! Crack and fray easy!! good tire for Grip! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bobby Vegas
a Weekend Warrior
from Charlotte, NC US
Date Reviewed: April 18, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Strengths: | Great traction when new, great tread design | | Weaknesses: | soft tread, breaks apart... | | Similar Products Used: | Coninental Pro I and II | | Bike Setup: | Fisher Mt. Tam, Sid XC 80mm shock, Bontrager Race rims | | Bottom Line: | Too soft...Falls apart. Tread splits and breaks up. Tires then become a hazard and you loose cornering ability. Makes bike feel "loose". If tire were made of hard rubber, it would be perfect...Pity! They work great out of the bag, but start to come apart shortly thereafter. Many flats as well... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jason
a Cross Country Rider
from cape cod
Date Reviewed: March 21, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | hooks up. look good (black). reasonable weight | | Weaknesses: | falling apart, but after 1 year | | Bike Setup: | RM element TO | | Bottom Line: | great tires! they are falling apart, but that is after a year of riding, so i would expect that. i am looking to replace them with something a bit lighter. they weigh about 550g. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris Ward
a Cross Country Rider
from Rotherham, S.Yorks, England
Date Reviewed: February 12, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$45.00 | | Purchased At: | JE James | | Strengths: | This is one hell of a tyre. It grips like a LEECH!!I tried racing down a real steep hill that woz muddy, would it slide, NO!!!!Its lite too. | | Weaknesses: | Wears out a bit quick. | | Similar Products Used: | WTB Velociraptors, Enduroraptors, Michelin Wildgrippers HOT | | Bike Setup: | 2001 Gt Backwoods, Judy xc's, Deore LX groupset, Syncros bars, alex rims, koski saddle, spd's | | Bottom Line: | THIS TYRE ROCKS ASS!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David Robbins
a Cross Country Rider
from Cairns, QLD, Australia
Date Reviewed: January 11, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Waddlebla | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Looks, Deals well with mud, reasonable climbing traction | | Weaknesses: | Wear, gravel surfaces, roots/slimy stuff | | Similar Products Used: | Hutchinson Chameleons (which form my staple tyre diet for XC), WTB Velociraptor, IRC Mythos, lots of different cheapos, lots of upmarket DH tyres (Tiogas, Maxxis, etc) | | Bike Setup: | Kona Caldera '00, Deore/XT drivetrain, Shimano XT Discs, Marzocchi Z5s, Riser bars. | | Bottom Line: | I was really impressed with these tires when i got em first. I do alot of miles, both on the road and off-road, but nonetheless after about a month (and about 1000km) the rear wheel was shot. I am pretty good on rear wheel wear (minimal locking) so i was suprised. Thier performance was pretty impressive on the forest floor (bar roots), but on the gravel washouts were a common occurance. On one particular piece of deadly "marble surfaced" track, i found the best option included locking the front wheel, where on most of my other bikes, locking the front wheel would send me over the handlebars. I think the knob concept on a whole is the fault when it comes to the fact that these tires cannot be riden over roots/big mouldy rocks at high speed with safety, even on a 100mm travel setup. I dont know about value, but the bike on a whole was a steal. Kona rules in my book now. Ill give it a low value rating because no matter how much you pay for a tyre, it shouldnt wear out so quickly.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mario Javier
a Weekend Warrior
from Oakville, ON, Canada
Date Reviewed: December 30, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Kelso, Hardwood Trails | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | Burlington Bicycle Co. | | Strengths: | Low rolling resistant, light | | Weaknesses: | Expensive | | Similar Products Used: | WTB Raptors | | Bike Setup: | Joshua X-0 | | Bottom Line: | These tires were reviewed earlier by me. It was given by a friend, these tires has less than half thread left and I have used these tires for 2 summer and 2 fall seasons. It has been thru dry terrain, muddy, and snowy. The tractions seems to be a bit worsed on the last ride in November, but what do you expect, the tires are almost like a semi slick now. I will be getting the same tires this March at the bike show. I am hoping to get them at reasonable price. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin
a
from Tennessee
Date Reviewed: November 19, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | twisty | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Heard good things from a friend. Supposed to be good for southern winters. Big knobs | | Weaknesses: | Read below... I need an opinion. | | Similar Products Used: | Velociraptors | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruze superlight | | Bottom Line: | First ride on them today was going well until the front almost washed out once, then did wash out hard later. Put me on my side. I havent had a Full sus. bike very long and I could have been heavy on the rear around the corner. It never happened with my Notos tires though. Conditions were wet, but it wasn't muddy. Any opinions on how these fronts corner??? Any pressure suggestions??? Please help me decide if I just blew 30 bucks down the hole before I get greased by another washout. 3 chilis until I figure them out. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Vermin
a
from Tallahassee
Date Reviewed: November 8, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Didn't Tomac used to use Tioga's?..... | | Weaknesses: | Durability, traction. | | Bottom Line: | They came with my GT.
They are coming OFF of my GT.
One tiny little piece at a time.
You cannot corner hard on tarmac, they slide out from under you, all the while making a scary farting noise.....
If you run over steel wool, it will probably puncture these things.
They do not like wet roots, in fact, I'm having a hard time finding something they DO like.
Oh, yeah....
They like to fall apart.
Don't buy these things, get Panaracers.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gergely
a Cross Country Rider
from Hungary
Date Reviewed: October 26, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Bottom Line: | this is my 2nd review of this tire. after reading the reviews below now I'm regularly checking my tires for any scary damages but they still don't come. got about 300 miles with them in variable terrain, rocks too. I have a steel beaded pair taken from a factory equipped GT.
so far, so good.
the rear one is sliding under heavy braking, but actually I think it's another useful way of controlling the bike.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mitch
a Cross Country Rider
from Hawaii
Date Reviewed: October 5, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Mililani | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Strengths: | Well........I like the big TIOGA in white letters on the side wall. It looks agressive when new.
| | Weaknesses: | First of all, when I first got them, they worked fine. I think that is the reason alot of the reviewers give it a good rating. They all seem to have had them for only 1 month or so. When you really get them on the trail and give them a real workout, they show their true colors. I can understand wear and tear as being normal for terrain that is rocky, but these tires wear too excessively. It seems like the ruber is filled with air. Like a rubber mousse. I have about half of the side knobs either torn off or dangling, and bits of center knobs with gouges and chunks missing. Believe me, I try not to skid, and this is from riding down rocky trails with the majority of the rocks embedded in the ground. I have been riding on this trail for years and have a sore house of tires. These along with the older Specialized Team Control/Master tires are the only ones to tear. Oh, also between the side knobs and the next row over, I can actually see the threads right through the rubber. | | Similar Products Used: | Anyone want to buy a slew of used tires? I have them all. | | Bike Setup: | GT's all the way!! LTS, xt, Marzocchi | | Bottom Line: | I really would try to avoid these tires. I took them off my bike last night and hd a hard time throwing them out. They still had alot of tread but were self destructing. I have had them for 6 months, but rode them off road only a handful of times. I have to give them more than 1 chili because when new and if ridden on smooth single track, they would be alright. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bike Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from McLean, VA
Date Reviewed: September 13, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Good Grip, relativly fast for rear knobbies (work great with XC Slicks in Front), nice tread design | | Weaknesses: | Durability | | Similar Products Used: | Lots and Lots | | Bike Setup: | Litespeed Ocoee, XT/XTR, Sid XC | | Bottom Line: | I brought these from my LBS for use in wetter conditions. I was tired of the Velociraptors in the rear sucking all my power and wanted a faster tire for muddy conditions ( I usually run Bontrager SSs in rear - Great Tire!). So, while I have used them a couple of times over the last 3 months, they are not my normal tire - probably have less than 100 miles total. I used them this weekend for a 13 mile ride, they were sweet once again, cornering on a dime and gripping the soft ground real well without getting too filled with mud. I was too lazy to switch them out for city slicks this morning though and rode to work on them. Even on the pavement, they were not too bad, but m sitting here in my office at 4:45 and all of a sudden I hear a horrible sound come from behind my computer. I’m think - OH NO, my disk crashed and is releasing all sorts of gas. Then I notice the back of my bike and I see that the tire split completely apart. It spontaneously combusted like someone cut the tire in two - Needless to say I am pissed. No tire should do that, certainly not with less than 100 miles, and definitely not when it is parked in an air conditioned downtown office.
Cause of that, they get 1 chili
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
joe
a Weekend Warrior
from uk
Date Reviewed: September 7, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | initially great grip, low price, look good | | Weaknesses: | durability is very disappointing | | Similar Products Used: | panaracers, specialised, IRC | | Bike Setup: | Orange Evo02, Manitou, Hope discs, XT/LX, Middleburn blah | | Bottom Line: | This is a great tyre to begin with; grippy in mud and firm ground, but after only a couple of hundred miles of use (on and off road), the rear is showing bad wear. The edges of the centre knobs are rough and torn, some have lost chunks and there are some cuts and slits on the side.
The front looks fine but the back looks like it could tear .
They seemed cheap but it was a false economy. Disappointing | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gergely
a Cross Country Rider
from Hungary
Date Reviewed: September 4, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$18.00 | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | TRACTION, look, mud clearance, quality, sound :) | | Weaknesses: | lot of rolling resistance on tarmac | | Similar Products Used: | z-max 1.9 | | Bike Setup: | jamis dakar team, xt, mavic, mozo | | Bottom Line: | these tires have as much grip as you would expect from the aggressive look. except for tarmac they are very good. great climbers and cornering is excellent too. i feel much safer and courageous when riding these than the z-max's i had. the narrow rims bend their profile a bit, but they still have an edge for cornering. if you want traction above all, they are a good choice, if you want fast rolling tires, forget them. although on loose terrain this much grip means that you lose less energy than if you had a tire that often skids !
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Long Pig
a Weekend Warrior
from Denver, CO
Date Reviewed: August 24, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | The least crowded one | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Fairly Light, Okay traction when new | | Weaknesses: | Wear down fast, Fairly thin | | Similar Products Used: | Panaracer Smokes, WTB Velicoraptors | | Bike Setup: | Schwinn Moab1 | | Bottom Line: | Okay so the bike came with them. So I though I should at least give them a try. They wore down too fast. Now I'm just waiting to get a puncture so I have an excuse to throw them out. They started out okay but the rocky trails out here chewed them to pieces. Schwinn had the right idea to change the Moabs over to a different tire for the year 2000. I wouldn't recommend them. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tom
a Weekend Warrior
from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: July 30, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Cmap Fortune XC course | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | White lettering looks cool
Shed mud in a hurry
Came free with the bike | | Weaknesses: | Traction kinda sh1tty on Pavement, explained later
| | Similar Products Used: | no name crap that wore down QUICKLY | | Bike Setup: | '00 Kona Caldera, with flat bar instead of the granny riser bar | | Bottom Line: | Pretty good off road especially in the mud, where they will not get gummed up. Aren't so great on the road though, they slide like a b1tch. Be very careful when using your rear brake they will lock easily. I can even lock my front wheel and the tire will slide on DRY pavement. (consequently the center nobs on the front tire are starting to wear down) Looks kinda cool though, to stop the wheel without endoing. Seem to get more traction in dirt?!? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bolty
a Weekend Warrior
from Inverness, Scotland
Date Reviewed: July 27, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Quite light
Look good
good traction at first | | Weaknesses: | After about 2 months my rear tire is now a slick tire. The compound is so soft the tread just wears off! They also look a little thin! | | Bike Setup: | Gt Tempest Y2K
Avid Arch Rival Mags
Xt shifters
etc | | Bottom Line: | At first these tires have good traction but further down they line they become slick. I had have had 2 punctures already! These are in steel bead so I might be tempted to buy the kevlar or the Panaracer 2.1 XC pro in kev too with blue side walls! Unless you are not an extreme racer do not buy these tires. And vice versa! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
cfowler
a Cross Country Rider
from IN
Date Reviewed: July 9, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | tower park Cin. | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | God-i love these tires! grip well in rock and softer soils,also well with rocks | | Weaknesses: | too soft for hardpack,look a little wider than 1.95(not sure if that is a weakness,probably not) | | Similar Products Used: | other XC tires | | Bottom Line: | good tire if you don't ride exclusively on hardpack | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
William Crabtree
a Cross Country Rider
from Winchester, MA
Date Reviewed: June 23, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Middlesex Fells | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Pretty light, not to slow and noisy on pavement, grip well, cool looks. | | Weaknesses: | Seem to wear fairly quickly. | | Similar Products Used: | WTB Velocirapor | | Bike Setup: | Gary Fisher HooKooEkOO. STX-Rc/LX/XT Indy XC Bontrager Maverick Rims | | Bottom Line: | So far the tires seem to be working well. The grip well in the mud and on the dry. They do seem like the are wearing fairly fast - as do most MTB knobbies. A good tire. I got mine from Colorado Cyclist for $16 ea, bot bad. Nomally $30-40. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Daryl Traeger
a Weekend Warrior
from Avon, MN
Date Reviewed: May 9, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | good tread pattern, bites and handles good | | Weaknesses: | too soft, pieces missing after first dirt trail | | Bike Setup: | gt aggressor (stock) | | Bottom Line: | I went on one trail with these and already there is big chuncks missing from the back tire. It is probably from going down the little hills. I wouldn't recommend these to anyone that is going to do much dry riding. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian Brown
a Cross Country Rider
from Washington, Pa
Date Reviewed: April 30, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | The Edge | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Good all around tread design | | Weaknesses: | The rubber compound is real soft | | Similar Products Used: | Smokes, Trek Big Kahuna, Enduro raptor | | Bike Setup: | Trek Y-50 | | Bottom Line: | These tires are real good if you can afford to replace tires twice a year. A racer would love these. They handle very well in all terrain: hard pack, rocks, mud, and sand. But they don't last the front tire got a slice across the tread and the back tires cornering blocks are all peeling off (one already has). Don't let this scare you though I am still running both on my older bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
smarty
a Cross Country Rider
from bellingham
Date Reviewed: April 19, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | 187 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | aggro tread pattern, seems to shed mud really well, hooks up like crazy, white letters really look cool | | Weaknesses: | seems to be sluggish on the road, and maybe a bit wobbly due to large knobs but it's not meant for the road. | | Similar Products Used: | Panaracer smoke/cart, WTB Velociraptors, IRC Mythos | | Bike Setup: | King Kahuna, Zed2 XFly, kings, raceface, hayes | | Bottom Line: | So far have really enjoyed the tires in the muck and mud. The traction on the these things seems to be really strong and the tread bites solidly into soft trails and climbs. Like them better than the IRC's. THe 1.95's seem really wide. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
KAAAB
a Weekend Warrior
from Vancouver BC CANADA
Date Reviewed: February 28, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | anything dirt | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Great strong tire looks good, tracks good | | Weaknesses: | Wish i could get a 2.1 in the same tread pattern | | Similar Products Used: | nope | | Bike Setup: | stock Y2K Kona Roast | | Bottom Line: | Great climbers downhillers trailers ....even pretty darn good on the street not to much resistance
So far living on the North Shore i havent come across anything the tires couldnt handle other then ice ...
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Danno
a cross-country rider
from Glendale, AZ
Date Reviewed: July 1, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This is the best all-around XC tire since the Continental Comp Pro 1 came out. The climbing traction is amazing in all types of terrain from Flagstaff singletrack to the rocky Phoenix trails. The cornering is what really impressed me. The measurements say it's 26x1.95 but it corners like it's wider. I had previously used Mythos XC, Specialized Team Master, Conti Cross-Country, Conti Comp 1, Smokes, HC Smokes, etc. and I can honestly say this beats them all. Plus I like the all black look! | | Overall Rating: |
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