Looks good....?

Flat. Alot.

I got these tire from the shop because I wore out the stock tires. I got four flats on the first ride.

These tires suck.

Use: Rear tire. Aggressive XC, and XC racing.

Great all around tire. I'm using it on the rear with a Explorer on the front. Keep in mind that this tire is being compared with other XC tires in it's weight class. It's performed well in all the conditions I've put it through here in the N'East. Good traction, stopping power, cornering, rolling resistance, and, so far, durability. (Though I've put many miles on this tire I've only used it for about a month.) The tire has performed very well on the rocks, hardpack, mud and as well as any on the wet roots. It has not packed up with mud. Considering it's light weight its held up very well to some very hard trail riding.

There may be condition specific tires that will out shine the Escape but for an all around rear tire its done a fine job. This tire is a bit pricy but you get what you pay for. It also seems a bit small for a 2.1. I'm 180# and would probably use a higher volume tire on a hardtail but on my FS bike this low volume tire has not given me any problems. I am using it with Stan's (great stuff).

If I'm concerned with speed and weight the Escape/Explorer combination is my first choice. For pure trail riding I'd go with a Conti Vertical Pro on the front and depending on conditions a Vert or Survival Pro on the rear.

This same review goes for the Explorer when used as a front tire.

I'll repost if I change my mind at the end of the season.

Mike

Similar Products Used:

Many, many, many.

-continental soft rubber
-dry track
-great traction (sand/road/uphill/cornering)
-rear tire only

-bad roller
-not comfortable at all
-not 2.00, more 1.8
-avoid winter or any kind of water and mud

A good tire for dry conditions, specially on sand. Best used as rear tire.
There are tires that do the same like michelin HOT S (much more comfortable, the same slow rolling abilities and it's red).
Nothing special really.

Similar Products Used:

nokians, huchinsons, maxxis, michelins, ritchey zmaxs, continentals...

Review for wire bead model 50-559
- All-round traction (Braking, cornering, etc..)
- Cornering nice thanks to Endless Edge tread
- Rolling resistance surprising low for this knobby tread, especially compared to my old sluggish Kenda Kenetics.

- Expensive if you bought them at normal price but then again they are Continentals and they create great tyres.
- Sidewalls are thinner than the Kenda's, scary.

Another good product from Continental. Damn Germans are good.

Similar Products Used:

Off-road- Kenda Kenetics 26X2.1
On-road- Goodyear slicks 26X1.95

LIGHT DURABLE AND INCREDIBLE TRACTION IN ALL CONDITION FRON DRY LOOSE TO MUDDY WET. I THINK THE BEST ALL AROUND TIRE ON THE MARKET

NONE

GREAT THOUGHT AND QAULITY OF CONSTRUCTION (GERMAN)

Similar Products Used:

RITCHEY,WTB,MICHELIN,IRC

low weight and rolling resistance

not a good mud or wet weather tire

Most everything I ride is dry sandy, hardpack, or rocky and this tire works great. It's better in these situations than the Traction Pro, but is not as good in the mud/wet. Since I don't see much of that it's an easy compromise to make for less resistance and weight.

Similar Products Used:

Traction Pro, Velociraptor, Psycho's for the rear

Rear tire specific,great traction when dry,long tread life,no flats yet.

Loss of traction when wet or muddy

This rear specific tire has great traction in dry conditions and wears very well. Can become loose in wet and muddy conditions, but what tire doesn't.

Similar Products Used:

Conti Explorer on front

Great climbing tread, sweet traction, low rolling resistance, keep you upright when cornering hard in mud.

Traction wore down in 2 months and I've still got a lot of tread left.

I thought I had found the superior setup with the escape/explorer combo. I mean, I was absolutely astounded by the performance of these wheels. They hooked up on everything, I was hauling around tight turns and leaning hard (in mud!), climbing wet rock and roots and a lot of other stuff that most tires would skid out on. These tires were like a blessing from God...

...And then something happened. After about 2 months I was sliding all over the place, skidding out on rather easy climbs, and losing considerable traction when braking. These tires threw me into rocks and thornbushes during a race (not once, but three times!) which put me out of commission for about 2 weeks after. I was hurting so bad that I was glad I flatted on the 2nd lap and couldn't finish.

Now that I'm riding again, these tires feel skiddish just riding on the hike and bike trail which is mostly hardpack with some gravel. This is upsetting at $40 a tire. But, I'm going tubeless soon and can't wait to get off these tires.

I loved these tires....absolutely loved them....but they broke my heart and almost broke me! These tires should last a hell of a lot longer than 2 months. They've got tons of tread left but it feels like I'm riding slicks. 1 jalapeno for value on these mofo's for being so expensive and crapping out so early and 2 jalapenos on overall because they were a godsend at first but lost me a race and cost me 2 weeks of recovery time.

Oh, this was the ProTection version.

Similar Products Used:

Conti Survival & Explorer, Panaracer Fire XC Pro, WTB MotoRaptor

Relatively light weight, rolls fast

poor climbing performance, cost, wear

Purchased as rear tire to go with the Explorer up front, was somewhat disappointing. Tire handles and rolls well, but got poor traction when climbing-which seems to me should be a strength of a tire marketed as a rear tire. Eventually took it off in favor the Mosquito I was running previously. Not a bad tire, but I want more than that for $40.

Similar Products Used:

Python, Mosquito

solidly built tire

contiental calls this tire a 2.1, but relative to 95% of
the tires out there, it's a 1.95 at best.

i bought this tire today, to set up with stan's, but it's
more than 1/2 in. smaller, than a panaracer fire xt.
(measured from bead to bead, unmounted, and
pressed flat)
it looks too narrow for my taste. i'm going to return it,
and try the Vertical Pro.

Similar Products Used:

in tubeless; hutchenson,panaracer,michelin, schwalbe
and in tubed tires....well who remebers tubed tires.