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Average Rating
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4.22/5
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# of Reviews
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54
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MSRP
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$ 39.99
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Weight
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More Products from IRC
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Description:If you want ultra lowrolling resistance, maximum traction and all-condition versatility, look no further then the Serac XC. The low profile interlocking knob design is front and rear reversible for increased versatility and super light CAF casing keeps you rolling fast. The durable Hybrid Tread Compound (HTC) and puncture resistant PRF System ensures you'll stay off the front. Click on the image to the left for an enlarged photo showing tread detail and related product specifications.
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Submitted by
Jason
a Weekend Warrior
from Moscow, ID
Date Reviewed: August 3, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Most on Moscow Mtn. | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | Came with bike | | Strengths: | Good traction on hard stuff. Corners well on hard surfaces. Good wear. Pretty good in mud. | | Weaknesses: | Horrible on loose dirt or gravel. Refuse to turn at low speeds on even slightly loose surfaces. Squirrelly on steep descents. In loose pounded dirt they will pretty much drop into whatever groove they want whether you want them to or not. | | Similar Products Used: | Velociraptors | | Bike Setup: | Cove Handjob, xt drivetrain, Hayes HFX9's, Reba fork | | Bottom Line: | I had these in the 1.95's. They're pretty good as long as conditions are hard. They climbed and cornered well in hard conditions and also hooked up well in mud.
Dry loose conditions are another story. I felt downright dangerous on these in loose dirt, loose over hard, and gravel. If you happen to get the rear out of the groove and into the loose leaves or pine needles, kiss traction goodbye. On loose corners any amount of lean leads to a washout and if you try to slow down they just wont turn. In late summer with deep dust and chewed up trails they not only have no traction going up, they're just plain dangerous coming down.
If all you do is ride in mud or hard, wet conditions these probably would work great. They probably would also make a decent early season/Spring tire before trails have gotten dry and chewed up. If, however, you ride in anything loose then stay away. They aren't worn hardly at all yet but I'm getting rid of them, they're just too unpredictable.
| Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joseph Crotty
a Cross Country Rider
from Westminster, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: July 24, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Chimney Gulch to Apex | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | online | | Strengths: | Little rolling resistance, light weight and relaively cheap. Seems to handle virutally the same at high pressure as medium pressure. Good for climbing dry hard pack. | | Weaknesses: | Performs poorly on descents. Can deflect erradically when dealing with rocks and is very unstable in loose gravel terrain - border line dangerous. Wet conditions also yield poor performance all around. | | Similar Products Used: | Panaracer Fire XC, Hutchinson Pythons, WTB WierWolf, etc... | | Bike Setup: | '04 Santa Cruz Blur | | Bottom Line: | As much I was enamored by this tire for it's general climbing prowess and light weight the truth is once you get 20% wear on the tire it's weaknesses become exagerated and it's to much to bear.
Descents on wet dirt will train you to keep you eyes peeled for the nearest exit off trail because if your speed gets too high that is where you are headed. Dropping into any sort of loose gravel at speed is terrifying beyond reason. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
gerry daclo
a Cross Country Rider
from ottawa
Date Reviewed: June 21, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Bromont, qubec | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | tommy lefebvre ottawa | | Strengths: | Very little rolling resistance.. Very light tires. strong bead. can handle 60+ ft/lb. Unexpensive compared to lots of other tires.
Excellent on climbs., stick to large rocks well.
Perfect for hardpack racing. good for air suspensions. | | Weaknesses: | weak on descents.. Banana peels when going fast downhill.
terrible on loose gravel.
| | Similar Products Used: | Specialized, kendas, Panaracer dirt+smoke (my favourite), Maxxis (ouch!) | | Bike Setup: | gary fisher cake2DLX | | Bottom Line: | good for hardpack, wet pavement or rocks.
forget about downhill on those.. no confidence..they are being removed this weekend.. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Quezon City, Philippines
Date Reviewed: April 4, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Maarat | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$24.00 | | Purchased At: | Extreme Bike Shop | | Strengths: | Lightweight | | Weaknesses: | No grip on rough trail | | Similar Products Used: | Michelin Country Trail | | Bike Setup: | Giant NRS-G, Rockshox Reba, Shimano XT drivetrain, Avid disc brakes. | | Bottom Line: | The tires are light, but that's not the point. Uphill climb is good. However, you can lose confidence going downhill. The gaps between side knobs are so far apart that any small rock or stone can cause the front tire to deflect when you hit that gap.
Tires are good only on hard packed trails. Not recommended for rough and loose trails. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Amitai
a Cross Country Rider
from Barkai, Israel
Date Reviewed: February 18, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Strengths: | Pinch flat resistance. Durability. | | Weaknesses: | Probably not as fast on pavement as other tires. But then again, I never have problems keeping up with the other riders. | | Similar Products Used: | The tires that came with my bike - Giant branded 26x1.95 | | Bike Setup: | Giant Iguana - pretty much stock, except the tires and Velocity Cliffhanger front rim. | | Bottom Line: | Got the front wheel fitted with a Serac (steel bead) after I busted the original tire in a crash. After having 6 pinch flats on the rear tire (I'm a bit of a heavyweight), I got that replaced to a Serac, too. Since then, I had one flat exactly, and I have ridden about the same distance as with the original tire. I ride in the desert a lot, which means many rock gardens and sharp stones - Many times I hear the tore getting scraped against a sharp rock and I think "there it goes", but nothing happens. Currently, I don't think I need anything more sophisticated (read "expensive") for my bike and ride. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Justin Murray
a Cross Country Rider
from Canberra, ACT
Date Reviewed: January 2, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Sparrow Hill | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | eBay | | Strengths: | This tyre is awesome in the loose over hardpack conditions here. It works well on the front and back. | | Weaknesses: | I could only buy one for this low price. | | Similar Products Used: | Panaracer Smoke Classic 2.1, Bontrager Jones 2.2, Ritchey Elevader WCS 2.1, Ritchey Z-Max WCS 1.9, Panaracer Dart Classic 2.1, WTB Velociraptor 2.1. | | Bike Setup: | Trek 4500 with Ritchey WCS, Easton, Crank Bros and Salsa upgrades. | | Bottom Line: | This rolls as quickly as the Ritchey WCS Z-Max tyre with lots more grip in loose conditions. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Norman
a Cross Country Rider
from Fredericton, NB, Canada
Date Reviewed: October 25, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | No pinch flats, good traction | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Blur | | Bottom Line: | I ride east coast single track -- trails that are rocky, rooty, fairly technical, moderately packed loam (low traffic trails, so not hard packed), well drained (not much mud) and with few fast descents. These are excellent tires for this type of trail. (I'm not saying they're not good for other conditions -- I just don't know.) Traction in various conditions is good, and the pinch flat resistance is excellent. I'm 175 lbs and I often ride 25 psi without a problem. My wife is 125 lbs and she often rides less than 20 psi. Neither of us has had a flat in three seasons. I'm not saying you can slam into a rock at the end of a screaming downhill -- the trails I ride are fairly technical and so fairly slow. But there are rock gardens, random rocks and small sharp stumps galore, and the Seracs handle it all reliably. Contrast the Kendas that came with the Blur -- a stump ripped open the side wall after about three rides. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
WRC
a Cross Country Rider
from Denver, Colorado
Date Reviewed: August 21, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | jensonusa.com | | Strengths: | Great climbing ability. In my local hill climb i have shaved off 8 minutes of time using these tires (from 47 mins to 39 mins). No other changes were made to my bike and, at 42 yrs old, I'm definitely not stronger! Most of the riding I do is climbing on packed single track with occasional loose rocks, 5-12% grades (If you're from Denver think Alderfer/3 Sisters, White Ranch, Bear Creek Trail, Colorado Trail). One trail (North Table Mountain) has a section that is about 18% grade with loose rock and these tires definitely lose traction in that case, whereas my Kenda Nevegal 2.35's didn't. Having said that, I can still make it up this section with my Seracs but it's tougher than my Nevegals. | | Weaknesses: | They lose traction climbing steep grades with loose rock. Will get twitchy in loose, rocky descents. Seem skinny for 2.1s. | | Similar Products Used: | You name it, I've tried em. | | Bike Setup: | 1) 2006 Titus Moto-Lite, SRAM X-9, avid discs, fox rp3, fox talas rlc.
2) AMP Research B4, XTR, Risse Racing Genesis shock, Manitou Elite fork. | | Bottom Line: | If you want to shave time off your climbs in hard pack conditions, this is a great tire. Not as confident as my Kenda Nevegal 2.35s on the downhills but having said that I'm not afraid of running these hard while going down. Keep in mind that I am predominantly a cross-country rider and not a downhiller. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Keith
a Cross Country Rider
from Philadelaphia, PA
Date Reviewed: August 14, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Pennypack Park | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Came with bike | | Strengths: | OK in mud and anything not very technical. | | Weaknesses: | Very poor in loose dry conditions (both climbing and descending). | | Similar Products Used: | Panaracer Dart/Smoke, Kenda Nevagal/Blue Groove | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale F400 | | Bottom Line: | I have to agree with the negative reviews of this tire. Maybe this a "jack of all trades master of none" tire but it performs poorly on loose, dry trails (which I mostly ride). I constantly slip in sections I never did with other tires (both on climbs and descents). I agree with the reviewer who said they can be dangerous under certain cicumstances. They are OK in mud. You can do better if you are looking for an all around tire. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brumac
a Cross Country Rider
from Ventura
Date Reviewed: July 11, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Dirt | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Low rolling resistance, light, fast, good grip | | Weaknesses: | Low volume, does not handle rough stuff well | | Similar Products Used: | Lots | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Epic Pro | | Bottom Line: | I really wanted to like these tires. They rolled so well and climbed great. On the first ride I cut almost 10 minutes off one of my usual eight mile climbs. The problem came on the downhill when the trail got rough with rocks and ruts. The tire does not absorb bumps well. Even on my full suspension, the tires felt like they were bouncing off rocks instead of rolling over them. I tried different air pressures, shocks settings etc., but could never feel comforatable or in control like I had with higher volume tires. If the trail is smooth and buff, this is a great tire. If you have rocks on your trails, you might want to try something else. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Racer
from Texas
Date Reviewed: March 7, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Strengths: | Semi lightweight, great traction, great cornering,
excellent tire | | Weaknesses: | none yet | | Similar Products Used: | you name it | | Bike Setup: | XC | | Bottom Line: | I play around with tire configurations in my off time for fun, this tire has out performed several other tires that cost more. I love this tire! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nic Lowe
a Cross Country Rider
from Louisville, KY, USA
Date Reviewed: February 25, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Waverly Park, Louisville, KY | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | Clarksville Schwinn and Fitness | | Strengths: | Ability to self clean. Mud doesn't stick to tread. Great rolling resistance and sidewall traction. | | Weaknesses: | Not sure yet. | | Similar Products Used: | Panaracer Fire XC | | Bike Setup: | 06 Cannondale Rush 800. Stock | | Bottom Line: | Louisville is muddy in the winter, very muddy. These tires seem to magically grab through the mud and as soon as you develop a little speed on downhill sections, they completely clean themselves. Traversing a steep sideslop is easy because of the sidewall traction. Overall great tire. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
amor587
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, CA
Date Reviewed: October 10, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$21.00 | | Purchased At: | Blue Sky Cycle | | Strengths: | Off camber traction, low rolling resistance, and affordable. | | Weaknesses: | Sucks in sand! Looks smaller than other 2.1 sizes. | | Similar Products Used: | Panaracer Fire XC Pro 2.1 (Great tires by the way).
| | Bottom Line: | I am still getting a feel of these tires. So far I can say that they are pretty fast and great for dry conditions. The off camber traction is excellent. They aren't that great when wet.... but that was to be expected. They are terrible in sand... in other conditions they are good though. For some reason they look smaller than 2.1? I have received this comment from other riders too. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from San Jose, CA
Date Reviewed: August 9, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Calmar Cycles | | Strengths: | This tire is an all around trail tire; it performs fairly well on easy single tracks. | | Weaknesses: | Being an all around tire means great at nothing. High rolling resistence on pavement compared to other MTB tires I'd ridden. Weak traction on average climbs and loose stuff during descent. Obsolutely refused to steer during downhill (scary!!!) | | Similar Products Used: | WTB Raptor; Panaracer Dark/Smoke combo; | | Bike Setup: | 05' Cannondale Jeklly - tires came as standard equipment | | Bottom Line: | This tire is an all around tire that you can take it to anywhere. It has good puncture resistence; never had a problem over 100 miles. However, it has higher rolling resistence on pavement compared to other MTB tires I'd tried. It performs poorly on loose gravel. I'd experienced numerous skidding on average climbs. It won't steer on high speed descents-watch out!!! (Panaracer Dark/Smoke combo performed better.) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from Andrews AFB, MD
Date Reviewed: August 6, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Any where there is dirt | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Doctor, Waldorf, MD | | Strengths: | Outstand grip on packed or loose tails | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | IRC Mythos, IRC Pranna Pro. Panaracer Smoke/Dart | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale F600 almost stock | | Bottom Line: | These tires are great! I have not had any slipping or lost of traction and I have put over 200 miles on them. You CAN'T go wrong with these.. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Big M Lambert
a Cross Country Rider
from East Coast Canada
Date Reviewed: July 29, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Good weight, no pinch flats, traction, affordable, low rolling resistance | | Weaknesses: | Wish they came in a 2.2 or 2.3. A bit narrow for a 2.1. | | Similar Products Used: | WTB Velociraptors, Performance Terra-Trac | | Bike Setup: | K@ Zed Team, Zokes MX Comp ETA, XT derailleurs, LX shifters, Truvativ Crank, Azonic bar, custom built Syncros wheelset | | Bottom Line: | I bought them based on everyones reviews here and I was not disappointed. I really like these tires. Even when you can get them to break loose they recover when your bike shifts direction or momentum. Very good traction in everything except loose rocks on steep uphill. Not as quick a bite as Raptors on front but better for speed and agility and going uphill. Will handle just about all you can toss their way. They look wider when you are seated than from side on, just the way the tread spreads out on the sides I guess. Use in reverse tread pattern on the rear. At 185 lbs I find them best off-road at 38-40 psi for good grip and no flats. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
The Flying Gordo
a Racer
from Houston, TX
Date Reviewed: May 29, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Memorial Park | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | eBay | | Strengths: | Good all-rounder. Good at just about everything, great at nothing. Probably a very good mud tire but I never ride in the mud. | | Weaknesses: | Very narrow for a 2.0 tire and low volume as well. Feels "harsher" over the rough stuff. | | Similar Products Used: | Kenda Nevegal, Kenda Karma, Hutchinson Python, Specialized Roll-X, Maxxis Mimo | | Bike Setup: | 2004 Titus Racer-X 100, Fox Float 100RLC, 5th Element Air, WTB LaserDisc Lite hubs w/ Mavic 717 rims, Hope Mono Mini brakes, MaxM post and bars, Eggbeater Ti pedals, Truvativ Stylo GXP cranks, Sram X.0 shifters and rear der., XT front der., WTB Laser V Stealth Saddle | | Bottom Line: | I bought these on eBay for $20 just to try them out and was pretty happy with them. They are durable, wear fairly slowly, and perfored well in every condition that I tried them in. However, for almost every type of terrain, I prefer the Kenda Nevegal and Specialized Roll-X tires. However, the IRC's are fairly easy to find on-line at a pretty cheap price so they're worth a look.
The bottom line is these are very dependable and solid performers. They just get outshined by 2 truly great tires. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave Gillett
a Cross Country Rider
from Wiltshire, England
Date Reviewed: March 27, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Cherhill Downs | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | Merlin Cycles | | Strengths: | Fast,Grippy, Durable, Confidence inspiring, do anything, go anywhere ability | | Weaknesses: | As before; Price & Availability | | Similar Products Used: | You name, I've tried it (XC Pro's, Bonty's, Wildgrippers, Conti's etc) | | Bike Setup: | 2003 Sugar 1 | | Bottom Line: | This is an update/follow on from my original review posted some time ago;
The tyres (a pair of 2.1's) continue to impress the hell out of me, I've yet to get a puncture, the tread's still as new, they continue to go anywhere and put a smile on my face.
Quite simply the "best" all round tyre money can buy especially for xc, single trackers and freerider's, would'nt recommend for DH though (tread not quite aggressive enough). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jamie
a Cross Country Rider
from Norwich, UK
Date Reviewed: February 25, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Marin Trail | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Wherever I can find them cheap | | Strengths: | Fast, very tough, cuts through the mud like butter. | | Weaknesses: | A little heavy I guess, hard to find, kind of narrow for rocky stuff. And if I want to be a priss, the red sidewalls turn black, so when you don't replace both of them at the same time, it looks like you're wearing mismatched tires. | | Similar Products Used: | IRC Mythos, Specialized globes, Hutchinson Mosquitoes | | Bike Setup: | Airborne Lucky Strike with a Fox F80RLT and full XT | | Bottom Line: | These are my favorite tires on the market. I live in England, we don't have mud, we have "gloop," and these babies are narrow enough to cut through it, but toothy enough to get you up hills. They're also pretty tough, so thorns are slightly less of a problem. Overall, they're aggressive enough for XC, but quick enough for commuting. Find somewhere that will give you a deal for the pair. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Todd
a Weekend Warrior
from Oregon
Date Reviewed: January 3, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Community cycling Center | | Strengths: | it's grippy. it's kinda light. it looks cool | | Weaknesses: | low rolling resistance? are you kidding? they do roll, but nowhere near as fast as my hutchinson python's, but to be fair they are way grippier. | | Similar Products Used: | hutchinson python, mosquito, specialized something | | Bike Setup: | K2 Zed 5.0 some parts and junk | | Bottom Line: | if you can get them cheap, go for it | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sam
a Cross Country Rider
from Perth, WA, Australia
Date Reviewed: December 22, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Little Ovens, Kalamunda | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | Cambria's - then shipped to Oz | | Strengths: | This is a follow up from my original post 18+ months ago (refer below), and I still love these tyres! Only difference is that I now use the 2.1's (my previous review was on the 1.95's). Despite the additional rotating weight, the extra few grams in the 2.1's barely seem noticable (580gm vs 525gm) and has not added to the time it takes me to complete my favourite loop. I am yet to pinch flat with the 2.1's, probably testimony to the larger air volume (in 18 months of using the 1.95's, I probably pinch-flatted 2 times).
It is also worth mentioning that during summer time, local trail surfaces feel like you're riding on ball-bearings (aptly named, "pea-gravel"). Despite a couple of Summers in these conditions, these tyres continue to do themselves proud. | | Weaknesses: | Getting them in Australia (waited a couple of months to be told by LBS that they are no longer imported into Oz by the IRC Distributor (which hardly qualifies him as a Distributor does it!??). Placed an order via the net with Cambria and they were delivered to my front door less than one week later (and the 'postage inclusive' price to Oz was actually cheaper than the MSRP I paid for my first few pairs bought locally - damn!). | | Bike Setup: | Giant NRS1 - stock, apart from shimano rims. | | Bottom Line: | As long as IRC keeps making them, I plan to keep using them - very happy with the way these tyres suit local conditions. I have placed an order for a custom 2005 Titus Racer X100 (expect to pick bike up from the Norcal ~ April/May '05) and that bike will also be shod with these tyres - enough said. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David
a Weekend Warrior
from Dallas
Date Reviewed: November 24, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | any | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | Handles well all around, sticks and corners well on concrete. | | Weaknesses: | Got flats left and right before slime treatment | | Similar Products Used: | assorted nonsense tires | | Bike Setup: | C-dale hardtail , crossmax ,carbon blah etc .. | | Bottom Line: | Tires came with bike and I didnt think much of it until I read the reviews and come to think of it these tires have been really good performers, sharp turns , wet , dry you name it. I definatley recomend them. Be sure and get protection though I got a flat in my first two miles on them, then again , slimed em and no probs. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan
a Cross Country Rider
from Bozeman, Montana
Date Reviewed: November 15, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Elbow Loop | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Free at the shop where I worked | | Strengths: | Light
Fast
Great climbing, braking and cornering traction | | Weaknesses: | Doesn't shed mud especially well, but no worse than average.
Climbing and braking on wet roots is average.
Minor lug squirm on grippy hardpack, but traction remains excellent. | | Similar Products Used: | I currently have 20 tires in my garage and all of them are still in service. There are plenty more that have come and gone. | | Bike Setup: | Titus QuasiMoto set up for long-travel cross-country (under 30 lbs., narrow rims). | | Bottom Line: | The Serac has the traction of classic all-around tires like the Panaracer Fire, but the low rolling resistance of a race tire - actually, there are "all-around" tires with far less traction and "race" tires with more rolling resistance. These are the tires I choose when I'm unsure of what I'll encounter. They're always a good choice, sometimes the perfect choice, and never a bad choice.
Considering the Serac's light weight and low rolling resistance, climbing and braking traction are mostly excellent, but drop down to "average" on wet roots; a more paddlewheelesque tread pattern would be better for this, but would almost certainly have more rolling resistance. Cornering traction is superb. There's a little lug squirm when the bike is really leaned over on high-traction hardpack, but it doesn't get scary.
There are lighter tires, faster tires, and tires with more traction, but I haven't found any that score so highly in every category. From what I've seen, the Serac is the new standard in all-around tires with a bias toward light weight and low rolling resistance. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andy
a Cross Country Rider
from Hartford, Ct
Date Reviewed: October 21, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | case mountain | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Performance | | Strengths: | Best technical climbing tire I've ever used. Great on granite, wet roots, loam, rocks. | | Weaknesses: | Loose in gravelly crap, but who wants to ride on that anyway? | | Similar Products Used: | Mythos, Dart/Smoke, Ritcheys, several others | | Bike Setup: | '01 iDrive, Manitou Six Deluxe, 2.1 Seracs, LX/XT mix, '04 firex SL, etc. etc. etc. | | Bottom Line: | I thought I'd found THE tire with the Mythos. Unfortunately, the sidewall developed a split (I think my homemade stans ate the thing) and I was forced to try something else. The Mythos fronts were OK, but never inspired confidence, while the rears climbed pretty well in wet, rocky connecticut. When I tried these, I was skeptical. With the small, angular knobs and the un-conventional(for me) non-directional use, I figured why not.
Was I surprised at how well these things perform. They outperformed the Mythos in every category except in loose sand or sand over hardpack. I can consistently out-climb my buddies and they can never figure it out. Of course, I DO have the best climbing technique ever witnessed on a bicycle....NOT. But, they all think big knobs are better, so they lose out.
They work well climbing wet babyheads, wet roots and granite outcroppings as well as loose dirt and hardpack. I've NEVER had a flat with these (running tubes) and I'm 6'1" 190lbs. I also love that I can just swap tires front to rear. I was getting tired of buying one rear tire at a time. Oh yeah, I didn't think I'd like the red sidwall, but I love it now. It looks old school.
Thanks IRC. These things rock.
5/5 for the value I got. I think my price was just introductory as I haven't seen these less than 35 bux for a while.
AJ | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gillett Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from Wilthsire, England
Date Reviewed: October 6, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Wiltshire Downs | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | Merlin Cycles | | Strengths: | Fast, stable, reliable and confidence building | | Weaknesses: | Price and availability | | Similar Products Used: | PANARACER XC PRO (POOR), HUTCH PYTHON (EXCELLENT IN DRY), WTB velociraptor (great value but puncture prone), Michelin Sprint S (surprisingly good semi-slick), etc,etc,etc | | Bike Setup: | 2002 Sugar 1 frame with XT,LX & Avid components | | Bottom Line: | An excellent all rounder, it's quick, reliable, great on "any" surface and confidence inspiring.
My advice fit Python's in the Summer and Serac's in the Autumn & Winter. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
SGT. ROCK
a Racer
from Grande Cache, AB
Date Reviewed: June 7, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Good rear traction
Good braking grip (front)
Decent rolling resistance | | Weaknesses: | Streering precision in loose, dry conditions
| | Similar Products Used: | Lots | | Bottom Line: | I used these recently for a race, and they were impressive in the climbing sections (using 1.95rr, 2.10fr). In the technical descent, they did not do as well as the IRC Mythos XC used last year for the same race. They will be relegated to training/trail riding tires, and the Mythos will be back on for races. Decent tires, nothing special. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jason
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado Springs, CO
Date Reviewed: June 6, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Durability. Knobs stay on & they are reasonably flat-resistant. Decent climbing traction. | | Weaknesses: | Everything else. Tire breaks loose unpredictably when scrubbing speed on downhills & trying to set-up for technical sections. Absolutely refuses to corner on anything but hard-pack at low speed. Washes-out when conditions get the least bit loose or when riding at speed. I find myself constantly having to weight the front end when cornering, and leaning into corners inevitably results in taking soil samples. | | Similar Products Used: | Panaracer Fire XC 2.1, Bontrager Jones, various Specialized tires, Continental Vertical & Survival | | Bike Setup: | KHS FXT Pro, 4" front & rear, hydraulic discs, Shimano variety-pack | | Bottom Line: | These tires are dangerous!!! I have taken more spills on these death-traps in the last 2+ months than I did all last season on Panaracers. Decided to try them in lieu of Panaracers because I had been getting alot of puncture flats. Still got flats, & now my bike handles lousy!!! I am running Stan's NoTubes now, so flats are no longer an issue. I'll be going back to Panaracers... Either the Fire XC, or the new Cinders. Bottom Line: If the only choice I had was to run these or slicks, I would use 'em, but there are plenty of good tires out there, so I'm going to take these ( almost new ) tires off my bike, drop another 60 bucks on tires & ten bucks for some more Stan's sealant. They are THAT BAD; a complete waste of money. They are DANGEROUS for riding anything but the tamest of trails at walking pace, and I would not recommend them to anyone. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kip
a Cross Country Rider
from Medford, Mass
Date Reviewed: June 3, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | does everything pretty darn well | | Weaknesses: | kinda heavy, not fast, won't cook you dinner | | Similar Products Used: | velociraptor, fire xc pro, mythos | | Bike Setup: | blur/5th, xtr, king, fox, yadda yadda | | Bottom Line: | these are best xc "epic" all around tires i've ridden, and i've ridden them on slickrock (granite and sandstone), roots, babyheads, gravel, sand, mud, leaves, cow flop, pine needles, and even some regular old hardpack dirt. this is the first tire i've been on in a long while which inspires confidence |
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