[trhoppe]

Will be looking for the replacement of my XDX tires pretty soon. Wanted something TLR and the XR2 seems like the way to go as an "all around". Looking at the tread and the descriptions, it should both roll faster and also have more grip in loose conditions then the XDX. Pretty much best of both worlds.

The XR4 is then listed for "loose and rocky". This could be a good tire on the rear for muddy and rocky trails to gain some more traction. Or maybe go all the way to the Mud X for those types of conditions.

-Tom

 

[jason745]

I've been on the XR2 Team Issue tires for a few months now, and they seem to work pretty well in most conditions. I've got the rear tire mounted backwards (as instructed on the directional arrows). In person, they have a very rounded profile. They remind me of the old Ritchey ClimbMax or Conti Twisters. They're just about 600g in the Team Issue casing.

It's mostly hardpack/loose-over-hard here in Southern California, and I'd have to say that the XDX rolls faster than the XR2 on my terrain. You'd be giving up some cornering bite with the XDX, but if you value efficiency, the XDX can't be beat in the large-volume, low knob segment. I'll probably peel off the XR2's when it starts to get really dry in a few months.

The XR4 is a pretty meaty tire. I'd put it on par with something like a Nevegal or High Roller. It's probably best suited as a front tire. I've never taken them in the mud, but I'd be skeptical of their ability to shed muck. There's not a whole lot of room between the knobs.

The MDX is definitely a mud tire. Its narrow casing and widely-spaced, high knobs would be less than ideal on anything but the soupy stuff.

Have you taken a look at the FR3's? They roll surprising fast, and corner really nice too.

They're all relatively cheap, though. Give 'em a shot.

 

[trhoppe]

Bump?

About 250 miles on my XDX and the rear tire is starting to show a bit of wear, mostly from all the rocky N.GA. trails I've been riding. I was thinking about getting the XR4 for the front and putting the front XDX on the rear. Should give me much better cornering grip with the XR4 and then have the nice fast rolling XDX in the back. I haven't noticed too much of a lack of longitudonal traction. Plenty of pedaling traction, and while I have been locking up the rear tire a bunch, that is just user error with me needing to learn to use more front brake. Now that I'm getting faster and leaning more in turns, the XDX's lack of cornering knobs is starting to affect me negatively.

-Tom

 

[mightymouse]

I'm picking up my EX 9 on Tuesday, and I'll have a chance to review them. I'm worried they won't have enough bite, I ride a lot of steep fast trails, often with loose over hardpack. I've run knobby tires with lots of success, and had some bad experiences washing out using tires that look a lot like the XDX. We'll see...

 

[Oracle7775]

Bump

I'm looking at the XR2's as well. I'd appreciate an assessment.

 

[mightymouse]

Well, upon seeing the new bike my immediate thought was how gigantic the XDX's are, both in width and in volume. They are a pretty beefy tire, with lots of air volume. At the demo event (the only other time I've seen XDX's), the tread must have been pretty worn, because the new XDX's do have decent sized knobs. I was pleasantly surprised about the tread. I'm not sure how much of it has to do with the 28mm rims vs the 20mm rims on my other bike, but the 2.2 XDX's are quite a bit wider than the 2.3 Conti Verticals I have on there now. Conti's are known to be on the small side, so I'd guess the XDX's are a full 2.2. Hopefully I'll be riding in the next day or so and have a first ride impression.

Question: How do you XR4's compare in size? Do they just have larger knobs, but are pretty similar. The pictures are so difficult to tell from.

 

[trhoppe]

They are wide and roll fast, and have good longitudinal grip, but are missing those nice side knobs and you'll be disappointed with cornering grip when you are leaning over. I'm sure the wider rims have something to do with it. Same thing as putting on thinner tires on a wider rim on a car.

-Tom

 

[mightymouse]

for reference, what did you think of the 2.2 XDX's?

*edit; Trhoppe were you talking about the XDX's or the XR4's I asked about right above?

 

[Oracle7775]

I found this blog post informative: http://bikefactoryracing.blogspot.com/2010/03/bontrager-tire-information-xc-racer.html

I'm looking for an all-conditions set of tires that I can mount and forget, so I think I'm going to go with a 2.2 XR4 in front and a 2.1 XR2 in back.

 

[thebunkerbuster]

XR2's in action

I can't tell for sure, but it looks like the factory team was racing on the XR2 in the Cape Epic Race.

 

[trhoppe]

for reference, what did you think of the 2.2 XDX's?

*edit; Trhoppe were you talking about the XDX's or the XR4's I asked about right above?

They are wide and roll fast, and have good longitudinal grip, but are missing those nice side knobs and you'll be disappointed with cornering grip when you are leaning over. I'm sure the wider rims have something to do with it. Same thing as putting on thinner tires on a wider rim on a car.

THAT is in reference to the XDX. I haven't tried the XR2 or the XR4. Right now I'm leaning towards the 2.2 XR4 on the front and a 2.2 XDX on the rear. That way, I buy 1 XR4 tire, leave my XDX on the rear, and when the rear wears out first, I put the old front XDX on the rear. Should last me a good long time.

-Tom

 

[trhoppe]

I found this blog post informative: http://bikefactoryracing.blogspot.com/2010/03/bontrager-tire-information-xc-racer.html

I'm looking for an all-conditions set of tires that I can mount and forget, so I think I'm going to go with a 2.2 XR4 in front and a 2.1 XR2 in back.

That is helpful, thanks! Seems to go well with my cheap strategy of reusing XDX on the rear and XR4 on the front as an all around setup. The N. GA stuff is rocky and technical, so the XR4 on the front should do a lot better then the XDX.

-Tom

 

[brianb21]

My new ex8 came with xr2 tires and my wife's cam with xdx. We will be trying them on the trails tomorrow. I really like how the xr2 looks i think it is going to work better but we shall see.

 

[mightymouse]

Right now I'm leaning towards the 2.2 XR4 on the front and a 2.2 XDX on the rear.
-Tom

Bingo!

Any idea why the XDX TLR 2.2 is not listed on the Bonty website? They only show 2.1 and 2.4 models...

Also, the weights listed for the XR4 are confusing. Their standard issue 2.2 and 2.35 are both listed at the same weight, and for the team issue the 2.35 is only claimed 15g heavier than the 2.2. Something is up with those numbers.

 

[JCullen]

My new ex8 came with xr2 tires and my wife's cam with xdx. We will be trying them on the trails tomorrow. I really like how the xr2 looks i think it is going to work better but we shall see.

I'd like to hear how the two compare when you go out. My ex8 came with the XDX and I'm thinking about going for a change.

 

[brianb21]

I'd like to hear how the two compare when you go out. My ex8 came with the XDX and I'm thinking about going for a change.

Well we just got back. I had rode a ex-9 at demo days with the xdx tires on it. Today was the first day with the xr2's. Now please remember i am a total rookie so take my opinion for what it is worth!

The xr2 i think is way better. It gripped in the corners alot better than the xdx. I felt alot more comfortable today. That also could be in part to riding more and feeling better about being on a bike in general lol.

We rode dry desert single track this morning. I will be switching my wife's out for her ASAP!

 

[mightymouse]

you were running them front and rear?

 

[brianb21]

Yes my bike came with them front and back.

 

[JCullen]

Thanks, just the type of info I was looking for. Grip in the turns without an bank to help you through seems lacking from where I sit, I do like them over the rocky, technical stuff though. I might go with trhoppe's idea and run it on the front first and see.

Thanks Again,

John

 

[brianb21]

We went again today and i really like how they grip. My wife had some slide issues so we ordered her a set. Neither of us are fast in anyway but i could tell the difference!