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Submitted by
pill
a Weekend Warrior
from eastern europe
Date Reviewed: July 1, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | forest trails | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | gift | | Strengths: | low rolling resistance, good grip | | Weaknesses: | they have to be pumped up hard to hold the track.Otherwise - the rim can fold them. These cannot be used on a tarmac - they get grinned very fast.This probably because of the soft compound | | Bike Setup: | Giant XtC | | Bottom Line: | The best tires i've used, though they have some weaknesess. They very light. Linked center knobs give a very low rolling resistance. This make these tires superfast. The compound is very soft: this is both advantage and disadvantage. These can be applied best on a dry XC trail. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from SLO CA 93401
Date Reviewed: April 3, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | Lemon Grove | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | From brother | | Strengths: | These things rip through mud and wet conditions. There is very little rolling resistance, so they are great for ride-to trails (I don't like to drive to trails.) | | Weaknesses: | Not so great over rocks - they tend to slip. | | Similar Products Used: | Hutchison Bulldogs, Scorpions, and Kenda Kinetics | | Bike Setup: | This one is a 1999 Specialized S-Works FSR, all XTR drivetrain, with Alex D21 front wheel, and Shimano Saint bolt-on rear. | | Bottom Line: | Great for the muddy and XC rides, and hybrid use. Not the best for rocky, dry trails with steeper climbs. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex
a Cross Country Rider
from Auckland, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: March 26, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | Rotovegas - A Trail | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | Came on Bike | | Strengths: | Seemed to last quite long, over 1500km on dirt roads, tarmac and singletrack. Light, fast rolling, reasonable performance in sandy conditions. | | Weaknesses: | A bit slippery on roots and so on. Mud and wet sand sticks to it like .... well, it really sticks. Cornering the tyre seems to give way reasonably predictably, but have had quite a few washouts in the sand, probably more due to narrow width and crap riding than the tyre. | | Similar Products Used: | Larsen TT, WTB Velociraptor, continental | | Bike Setup: | XTC1 Pretty much stock. | | Bottom Line: | A very light tyre with good performance. Have worn out rear but am still using front until it goes. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tommy
a Racer
from Murfreesboro, Tn, US
Date Reviewed: January 29, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | Tnasi Trails, Ocoee Tn | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$19.00 | | Purchased At: | Price Point | | Strengths: | Fast! lightweight, price. | | Weaknesses: | weak sidewalls, short life, poor in wet conditions | | Similar Products Used: | Kenda Small Block 8, Kenda Dred Tread | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Blur, Fox RLT, Mavic SL, XT | | Bottom Line: | These are great race tires in summer, hard pack conditions. I have used these tires for a couple of years though I'm in the market for something with a little longer life. The price is hard to beat. Last year I went through 2 sets of these. They are good for about 300 miles give or take depending on the trail. If you want a good inexpensive tire to race, this is a great choice. If you are looking for something with a little longer life and something that will accomodate muddy or rocky trails this may not be a good choice. I have recently discovered the Kenda Dred Tred. It's a little beefier and seems to be just as fast as the Python. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan Evans
a Cross Country Rider
from Milton, FL
Date Reviewed: January 14, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | Cameron Park: Waco, TX; UWF Trails: Pensacola, FL | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$45.00 | | Purchased At: | Pricepoint | | Strengths: | Very Fast & Light! On anything hard packed these are outstanding. Not intended for anything but XC, but they do that very well. I have already worn out 3 sets of the 2.0 and have a set of 2.3s on the way. | | Weaknesses: | Intended only for dry condidions XC- no grip in mud
Easy to blow out due to their light weight and thin sidewalls. | | Similar Products Used: | Mitchelin Pros | | Bike Setup: | Nuke-Proof frame, XT / XTR, with Psylo Race fork set to 100mm. | | Bottom Line: | Great tires if you use them for their intended purpose. As I said, I have my fourth set already on order. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dustin Gaddis
a Cross Country Rider
from Augusta, GA, USA
Date Reviewed: July 23, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | FATS!!!! | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Very light weight, very fast on hard surfaces | | Weaknesses: | It blows up! No protection against pinch flats, my front tire ripped after only 80 miles of riding. | | Similar Products Used: | Lots of different BMX tires | | Bike Setup: | Stock 2006 Giant Anthem 3 | | Bottom Line: | These tires came stock on my bike, and I never had confidence in them. They give no indication they are about to lose grip. At speed they wash out VERY quickly, with no hope of saving it once they do step out.
The worst thing about them is that they are so thin. Before having 80 miles on these tires, I've blow 3 tubes, and somehow ripped a hole in the front tire. And the hole was between tread blocks, not even on the sideway! And I'm not a big guy (only 145lbs) and I ride cross country, nothing extreme, and, the fastest speed I've hit on a trail so far is only 21.1MPH because I have ZERO confidence in these tires holding through a corner.
I've just bought a new WTB tire to replace my ripped front tire, and next week I'm going to get a new rear tire as well. I wont ever run these tires again. The only reason I gave 2 chilis is because they're very light, and they roll fast on hard pack. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
jules from mexico
a Racer
from lomas
Date Reviewed: June 11, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | desierto de los leones | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | local store | | Strengths: | Simply the fastest rolling , best grip and weight combo | | Weaknesses: | none, the rubber cracks a bit after 6 months | | Similar Products Used: | larsens tt and mimo, specialized pro, scott cougar, fire xc pro, michelin all wildgippers models, irc notos, etc | | Bike Setup: | 07 scott scale full xtr, rock shox sid team, ufo rims-xtr hubs with stans tubless system with pythons, thomson seatpost | | Bottom Line: | to me this is the tire, i have mtbiked for 20 years, tried most tires, I guess i´m very used to them and always come back to them, the new pythons corner a little better than the old ones.
i reccomend them for xc racing and trail riding in forest areas, mostly dry, very fast, grips like a dh tire but rolls like a semislick, works well even in wet, as long it´s not too muddy.
Recently installed stans tubeless and works even better, fast, grippy,light and puncture proof with only 480 grams plus the sealant, i run 30 psi rear 28 psi front for 140 lbs of weight, eventhough stan recommends not to use these tires i have found out they work real well and dont beleive the crap he calims about "not recommended tires".
The airlight the best xc racing tire and the regular python for regular trails.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Tyler, TX
Date Reviewed: May 26, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | Price Point | | Strengths: | Light, quick, good traction | | Weaknesses: | Hard to get on my wheels | | Similar Products Used: | WTB MotoRaptors | | Bike Setup: | 2006 Giant Trance 1 | | Bottom Line: | I spent way too much time worrying about which tires to get for my bike! I finally bought the Air Light Pythons and I love them! They are 2 times lighter than my last set of tires and they accelerate like a rocket! My bike is so much more snappy with these tires on them. These tires get great traction even in some wet conditions. I would not use them in very muddy conditions, but for most dry / normal singletrack they should work well. If you are looking for a light tire than can handle most singletrack, then take a serious look at these tires. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pile
a Cross Country Rider
from Sydney, Australia
Date Reviewed: May 20, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | SCUM's Condoo Rd - Nowra NSW | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | Online | | Strengths: | Quick! Good wear. | | Weaknesses: | Slippy in the wet, traction in the loose, sand | | Similar Products Used: | Ignitors, Weirwolfs, Crossmarks | | Bike Setup: | Specialised Epic, spokey-dokeys, floral basket on the front | | Bottom Line: | These are not an all-round-do-whatever tyre, but they don't pretend to be. In the 6 mths I've been using them I've become a better rider. The lack of side knobs means they don't rail corners like a lot of other tyres, so you have to pick your lines a bit more carefully and get better at cornering. I loved my ignitors, but they were pretty forgiving and made up for some pretty average lines and technique on my part. If I was hard-core gnarly, huckster dood, they wouldn't be my choice but for xc trail riding, enduros and training they work a treat. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark
a Cross Country Rider
from Vail, Colorado, USA
Date Reviewed: May 9, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | somn of middle creek | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | pricepoint | | Strengths: | climbs great, very low roll resistance, SUPER light, wears well, if you can find them for the price i paid totally worth it | | Weaknesses: | if you run the wrong tire preasure you will flat! But just like any tire. | | Similar Products Used: | Maxxis Larsen TT, Hutchinson Python 2.0 | | Bike Setup: | XL Yeti 575, Thomson stem & seat post, Sram X0 rear, XT front, Sram X9 shifters, Race Face cranks, Eggbeaters, DT Swiss rims hubs, Raceface Next Carbon riser Bar | | Bottom Line: | Started riding these tires 2 seasons ago on a hardtail, had one nasty crash because the side wall folded around the rim....TOO LOW PREASURE! cleaned my self up, ran higher preasure...tire is perfect. Now running the 2.3's front and rear. I run 40 psi in front and 45 in rear for CC riding and racing, 45 front and 50 rear for commuting to work. Rode the 2.3 for the first time in Fruita and was sceptical. (that first fall does plague my memory) BUT THEY HOOKED UP IN ALL CONDITIONS, better in sand then i thought they would be.
Still a bit wet out here and they are actually pretty good mud tires, although they do pack up pretty badly. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tim Adams
a Cross Country Rider
from Janesville, Wi
Date Reviewed: April 7, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$45.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | very fast and light, does very well on pavement, dirt, wooded trails | | Weaknesses: | not as good in mud | | Similar Products Used: | Bontrager Jones | | Bike Setup: | 2007 Trek 4500 | | Bottom Line: | I went on a 7 mile bike ride on mixed terrain, my average speed went up 2 mph. There was a little slippage going up a muddy hill but I noticed a large improvement in all other areas, especially tight corners and bumps. A very fast, light, responsive tire. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve Lamb
a Cross Country Rider
from Michigan
Date Reviewed: March 25, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Strengths: | corning | | Weaknesses: | downhill braking | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Stumpjumper full suspension with crossmax sl | | Bottom Line: | I bought them for low weight, although the reviews weren't great. Very few tires seem to have great reviews. Currently its in the rear but I think it might work better in the front. You can find out for yourself but I skid down a lot more hills than before. The tread height is also very low and would not recommend them for mud. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bob Jones
a Cross Country Rider
from Lancaster, PA
Date Reviewed: March 23, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Cottonwood Valley, Las Vegas | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | Speed, Weight, and Efficiency. | | Weaknesses: | Cornering, Wet Conditions, and Grinding Uphill. | | Similar Products Used: | Panaracer Fire XC, IRC Mythos. | | Bike Setup: | 2002 NRS Air, sram components, Easton handlebars/seatpost, ZTR 355 rims. | | Bottom Line: | Rode these tires for about a year out in Las Vegas (owned tires for 3 years total). They were exceptional in desert climates! Came to the east coast and found they don't have nearly as much grip in humid conditions found on the east coast. For dry, arid conditions, pick up a set. If you are riding in wet conditions, look elsewhere. Also, I found it very easy to "spin out" on uphill sections (lose or wet). Had no confidence taking corners on the Pythons and occasionally wiped out (east coast conditions). They are extremely light (485g) which makes them an excellent hard-packed desert tire. Sidewalls are thin, but what do you expect for 485 grams? I switched back to the Panaracer Fire XC, (Japan version) and enjoy a more solid feel, but at 100 grams more per tire... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dan
a Cross Country Rider
from Hobart, Tas, Australia
Date Reviewed: January 3, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | mt wellington | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | very fast in straight lines, strong fast climber, good front braking power, very light.
This is an excellent tyre for fast, smooth hardpack | | Weaknesses: | terrible for: loose over hard pack, mud, sand, wet, leaves, roots, etc. Lucky not to get at least one pinch flat per 2hr ride on the rear, (although i weigh 82kg, 6'1"). got a small stick right through tyre between treads on rear, so threw back one out and replaced with maxxis rachero.
very pressure sensitive. | | Similar Products Used: | maxxis rachero, cheap stock tyres | | Bike Setup: | 2006 Giant XTC-2, stock. | | Bottom Line: | Great for purpose, but take 2 spare tubes on a ride. sucks as rear tyre if you weigh anything over 60kg. downright dangerous on loose over hard pack and sand. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tai
a Cross Country Rider
from Warsaw, IN
Date Reviewed: January 2, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Winona Lake Trails!!! | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$15.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | *Light
*No flats yet
*Fun tire | | Weaknesses: | *Spins on climbs
*Small range of pressure that can be used and still get decent results. | | Similar Products Used: | Mythos XC, Bontrager connection crap | | Bike Setup: | Trek 3700 SingleSpeed | | Bottom Line: | Good Tires! Slippery on climbs but decent on decents and cornering. As for street/pavement use no grip when wet and cornering. Unusually cool sound when doing peelouts on pavement. Doesn't need to be wet pavement either.
GREAT TIRE! BUY IT! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tai
a Cross Country Rider
from Warsaw, IN
Date Reviewed: January 2, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Winona Lake Trails!!! | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$15.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | *Light
*No flats yet
*Fun tire | | Weaknesses: | *Spins on climbs
*Small range of pressure that can be used and still get decent results. | | Similar Products Used: | Mythos XC, Bontrager connection crap | | Bike Setup: | Trek 3700 SingleSpeed | | Bottom Line: | Good Tires! Slippery on climbs but decent on decents and cornering. As for street/pavement use no grip when wet and cornering. Unusually cool sound when doing peelouts on pavement. Doesn't need to be wet pavement either.
GREAT TIRE! BUY IT! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
psychodad
a Weekend Warrior
from Mission, TX, USA
Date Reviewed: December 15, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | PricePoint | | Strengths: | Low rolling resistance. Lightweight. | | Weaknesses: | Thin sidewalls. Not enough cornering traction. | | Bike Setup: | Trek Fuel 70 stock | | Bottom Line: | I'm running the 2.3s at about 50 psi. Tires fly on hardpack and pavement. They weren't joking when they said these tires are Air Light. They are light because the sidewalls are superthin. They are so thin that the slime in my rear tire starting leaking out like is was sweating little green blobs. Just don't have the confidence to really lean into corners with these tires, because they feel like they are going to slip out. The thin sidewalls also cause the tire (rear) to flex/give under stress, makes my back wheel feel like it is loose. I'm retiring these tires and buying some Panaracers Fire Pro XCs. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Yhs
a Cross Country Rider
from Australia
Date Reviewed: November 11, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Strengths: | Bloody light-weight and fast rolling. Nice, soft compound tethers to track at lower inflation pressures. | | Weaknesses: | FLATS FLATS FLATS!!! x 1000000 + headache + walking back, hauling the carcass back with you, from whence you came.
I've only had these for 3 weeks... over a one week period of riding, the front punctured twice, the rear twice. The culprit? Thorns from the seeds in the spring brush and grass. They go straight through. Shocker.
Second grumble? The front washes out very unexpectedly in large lean-angle corners, even at recommended kPa.
Guaranteed to tumble without realising what had happened.
Although, a solution is to reverse the rotational direction of the front tire to match that of the rear. No problems since then. | | Bottom Line: | Competition tires for Summer hard-packed, minimal debris, trails. Very quick, supple compound, and light-weight.
Don't ride over anything that has a sharp edge, point or texture. Doing so guarantees you with either one or the other tire expiring. Don't think you were just unlucky that ride, because it will happen again and again until you have four-letter curses pouring out of every orifice in your body if you ride over anything and expect the tires to take the abuse.
I've found reversing the front tire rotation direction solved my problem of bloody-fast, 'what the hell just happened?' washouts.
Does give you that extra psychological burden of 'Crap, will I get a flat again?' during rides, which I think is pretty stressful when far away from civilisation.
Overall, great performance provided it stays inflated.
As reliable as my small phallus after 14 shots of vodka and a handful of barbiturates. Too many headaches.
There's gotta be other tires of a similar genre that are sensibly resistant to flats - unlike these shockers. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Edwar Lee
a Weekend Warrior
from germantown, MD
Date Reviewed: October 24, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Wakefield | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$42.00 | | Purchased At: | Pricepoint.com | | Strengths: | super light and super fast, sturdy too | | Weaknesses: | Bad for climbing, but you should know that right? | | Similar Products Used: | WTB Velociraptor | | Bike Setup: | Custom: Shimano XT group, Avid BB7/Speed dial 7, Black Platnimum, Mavic XC717 Rims hubs DT Champion, eggbeaters, 970 cassett, 990 chain, monkeylite sl riser, Thomson 5-110 stem and post, WTB saddle, Motobecane 600ht frame | | Bottom Line: | Not meant for climbing or slick trails. But you should know that right?
Love the weight and speed. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Zachary
a
from wellborn, tx, usa
Date Reviewed: October 16, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | urban/campus | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Strengths: | Awesome stuff imo. I got the 2.3 and 2.00. great for hard pack and concrete. corner great, so good that I have had more trouble with burping than sliding out. a very fast tire with some tread for hardpack which is all I ride so it's perfect. | | Weaknesses: | no go good if you want to use tubes, buy stans kit or something. | | Similar Products Used: | lots... | | Bottom Line: | if you try to use this tire on all types of trails, you will have some problems. but only if you are stupid and don't match up stuff to your conditions.
getting upset about how it does not perform well on sand is like crying that your road bike won't take 10 foot drops, shut up and buy stuff that matches your trail and stop trying to use one thing for everything...
buy these if you are going to run tubeless and are riding hard pack or concrete. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dustin Dever
a Racer
from Melbourne, Australia
Date Reviewed: October 12, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | This is a very low rolling resistance tyre. You can really feel the extra responsiveness. The weight is low! Good rear tyre | | Weaknesses: | Durability and strength. Not a lot of grip on the front. | | Similar Products Used: | maxxis Larsen TT, Pyder xtension | | Bike Setup: | Hardtail, trail beast | | Bottom Line: | Although this type does go very fast it is not very puncture resistant. I get thorns all the time (when other tyres are fine). But the worst thing was the pinch flats that i use to get. So i worked up the pressure to avoid this. Once i got to 50psi i thought enough was enough. I have had over 4 pinch flats when running the tyre over 50psi. That is absolude bull crap! Sure i am an agressive rider but what a joke! So i have tried other tyres and have been able to run them at 40psi and have had no worrries!!! Only buy this tyre if you are going to be easy on them or you are light, or if you have a dually to suck up the hits! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jorgex
a Weekend Warrior
from Almada, Portugal
Date Reviewed: September 10, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$23.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | -super light(500g)
-fast on DRY conditions and road too
-a NEW DESIGN that works better
-great wear resistance
-amazing as rear tire
-cheap, kevlar@23€ | | Weaknesses: | -all weaknesses of any slick/competition tires
-the sticker should be big like tubeless version, not discreet
-for summer XC and road only
-very hard rubber as front tire
-if like to flat alot...
-only in black color | | Similar Products Used: | Nokian, Maxxis, Ritchey, Huchinson, Continental, Panaracer, Michelin...(next time i'll put them in alphabetic order) | | Bike Setup: | Giant escaper'92 (hardtail), Manitou Axel 100mm(oem),Hope M4 disc brake, Mavic XM 321(f) and Ritchey rock WCS(r) | | Bottom Line: | I have just one fast rear tire(nokian boazoneana R) which i liked to use it on winter. Why not buy a similar tire for summer, why not another yellow python like the one i had back in 2000?
-Front:
It rolls extremely fast but weak braking power. Corner ability is almost ok on dry track if you slow down in time. The rubber should be alot more soft. Good for road@50psi.
-Rear:
With front rotation it is extremely fast, NO EFFORT at all on dirt and road. Cornering grip is weak and slipps alot. Traction during uphill is very weak, you most have some skills to master its behavior or it will spin off.
With rear rotation it's a great roller. Better cornering but still very slippery. Enough uphill traction.
-Both:
Bring a spare tube and pilot cautiously away from stings and broken glass, etc.
I use DH tubes to balance the lack of rubber because python flats alot with normal tubes(heavy tube+light tire=normal weight/punch resistance), my weight is over 100Kg and i use python@40psi.
It has a great wear resistence and this is were the new design enters: when the center knobs are half way wasted, the side knobs starts to show off brand new while the old python wasted equaly center and side knobs.
But why blast off in straight line and have to slow down on corners? That's why i prefer semi-slick tires like nokian boazobeana, it has big side knobs!
Next time i'll buy a 2.3 size for enduro rides. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David
a Cross Country Rider
from Menlo Park, CA
Date Reviewed: August 13, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | too many to list | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | 35 | | Strengths: | Light weight. I agree with a previous reviewer, great traction for th rear tire. | | Weaknesses: | Difficult to mount on rim, flimsy. My tires kept slipping on the rim. The result, four flat tires. Tears at the base of the valve stem. it's not from under inflating because I inflated to 42 pounds on one ride. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized pro dual X | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Epic with Mavic 717 rims and Chris King hubs | | Bottom Line: | I replaced the front tire after my fourth flat. When I took the tire off, the rim tape had been pulled almost a half an inch from the hole. I left the back tire on until I picked up a nail through the tread and out the sidewall.
I will not replace with hutchinson again. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Simon
a
from Canberra, ACT, Australia
Date Reviewed: July 20, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Bobsled, Sparrow Hill. | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Strengths: | Fast rolling- almost continuous centre tread, light. | | Weaknesses: | Minimal cornering lugs. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Fast Track, Maxxis Ignitor & Crossmark, Hutchinson Bulldog Airlight, Schwalbe Big Jim. | | Bike Setup: | For enduro racing: Giant Trance 2, RS Revelation, Easton Monkeylite bars... Maxxis Crossmark up front, Python on the rear. | | Bottom Line: | These tires are for HARDPACK or blue groove only. These tires are optomised to roll fast.
To adapt an old addage: speed, light weight, traction - pick any two. These tires fall into the speed and light weight catergories.
The low centre profile allows very high straight-line speed. The side lugs provide average cornering performance as the lugs are small to reduce weight.
Overall the tire is great for what it's designed for- that's a light weight, fast rolling RACE tyre. The tread climbs and brakes well, just remember to ride the tyre within it's means. (My tip: use it on the rear, with a more agressive tyre up front with better cornering ability). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim
a Cross Country Rider
from McKinney
Date Reviewed: July 17, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | rough steep XC single track | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Rounded tire makes cornering easier | | Weaknesses: | Weak tread strength - short life | | Similar Products Used: | Bontreger revolt, etc | | Bike Setup: | Klein Adroit Pro, XTR/Carbon | | Bottom Line: | Decent tire if you can afford to replace them every few months. Once the outer tread wears, the benefit of the tire becomes useless. The tire is fairly heavy, so if you race, go with something else. Buy it if you like to go fast downhill or are a freeride biker. Don't buy it if you race (wieght) or if you are a weekend warrior (too expensive to replace every few months). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jonathan Poole
a Weekend Warrior
from Asheville
Date Reviewed: July 14, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$5.00 | | Purchased At: | Friend | | Strengths: | Fast, efficient, consistent | | Weaknesses: | Poor traction in mud | | Similar Products Used: | many | | Bike Setup: | stan's notubes, 105mm travel fork, 80mm stem, riser bars on a hardtail which provides great climbing and comfortable descending on all but the most extreme trails. | | Bottom Line: | The key to happiness with these (as with all tires) is correct air pressure. You need to at least be able to make the sidewall bulge a bit when you fully weight the tire on smooth hardpack. Go a bit softer in the front than the back.
I put the 2.0 python airlites on after messing up my rear 2.3 spider, and with consideration of the dry weather that we were having. I rode a mixture of blue ridge mountain trails with rocks, roots, climbs, jumps, gravel roads, mud etc. I found the tires to be very consistent, refreshingly fast rolling, extremely well suited to fast and hard dry conditions and more than adequate in the roots and rocks. Things get a bit skiddish in the wet but no worse than with other tires of this type. Last weekend I did a 45 mile loop on these on all types of terrain and was so glad that I had these tires on and not the bigger rubber,, they were great. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tony
a Cross Country Rider
from Chicago, IL
Date Reviewed: June 27, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Palos Hills | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | OEM on Bike | | Strengths: | Light and fast as hell! | | Weaknesses: | Cornering | | Similar Products Used: | IRC Mythos | | Bike Setup: | 2004 Giant XTC-2 with Cane Creek Zonos SS rims and XTR dual control shifters | | Bottom Line: | These tires came stock on the bike when I got it last spring. I weigh in at about 155 lbs and was runn |
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$ 35.00
