Submitted by
Tom
a Cross Country Rider
from Hood River, Oregon
Date Reviewed: 1/22/2008 9:33:20 PM
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| Duration Product Used: |
6 months |
| Strengths: |
Good performance, good weight, good price. |
| Weaknesses: |
None noted. |
| Bike Setup: |
Sultan with mostly xt and Reba fork. |
| Bottom Line: |
Without a doubt this is the best do it all 29er tire I have in my quiver. Others roll faster (SB8, etc.), and others have better traction (Stout, Rampage), but no other tire provides as broad a range as these. If I'm bringing one set of tires on a road trip of mixed rides, these are the ones. |
Value Rating: 
Overall Rating: 
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Submitted by
Bruce Brown
a Cross Country Rider
from Des Moines
Date Reviewed: 9/23/2007 5:18:45 AM
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| Duration Product Used: |
3 months |
| Price Paid: |
$40 |
| Purchased At: |
Bikeman.com |
| Strengths: |
A favorite 26" tire now available in the 29" format. Bicycling Magazine's 2004 "Editors' Choice" in the 26" version and the 29" version received a 5 star rating from Mountain Bike Action magazine. Okay, that's fine - how do they roll?
They roll fast, yet provide superior traction due to the aggressive knobs. Hands down, this is a great front tire. And you can run the tread forward or rearward on the rear wheel depending on your needs. Rearward for more bite and climbing traction, or forward for faster rolling (with minimal - if any - loss in traction). This is a pretty good volume tire with the tread measuring 55mm in width making it a 2.2 rather than the claimed 2.1 tire. My pair weigh 708 grams and 720 grams. The knobs and beefy sidewalls are where the weight is when compared to other XC tires in the 500 - 650 gram range.
Excellent tire to use for a tubeless conversion. The sidewalls have enough meat that when running lower psi's you don't get the dreaded squirm like other converted tires. This tire is aggressive enough for riding severe terrain. I used the 26" version for two years, but this 29"er version seems more aggressive and beefier to me. Best tire I've run on my big wheeled bikes in the past 4 years. I've even raced it twice in XC races, but think it's real niche is as an all around XC tire that will put a lot of smiles on faces.
It comes in your choice of black wall or red wall. |
| Similar Products Tried: |
The Panaracer 26" version |
| Bike Setup: |
Dos Niner, American Classic disc wheels, Fire XC Pro's tubeless with Stans kit, Avid disc brakes |
| Bottom Line: |
Mountain Bikers have another winner on their hands here with this tire being available in the 29"er size. Check the reviews on the 26"er size. I ran that tire for two years and loved it. Now I'm in love again with the 29"er version. Cornering is sure footed, climbing provides traction to spare, rolls fast for a tire with such aggressive tread and is top of the heap in all around performance. I've had these tires out and about on buff XC, roots, rocks, grass, gravel, sand, pavement, mud, creek crossings, over train tracks, wooden bridges, logs, etc...and they have not disappointed.
Although they have been available since spring of 2007, I think they are still under the radar and not widely used yet. I have to agree with the MBA 5 Star Rating. You wont' be disappointed in this tire if you give it a try. |
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Value Rating:
Overall Rating:
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