[Enel]

Got out for a nice long rigid ride today.



Recently set up the rigid bike with a Geax Saguaro up front and Dry X in back tubeless.

Previous experiences with Exiwolf have been negative (slides too easy).

I love the Ignitor, but it is small and flimsy. Rolls great, bites good though.

I really like the Nevegal's grip, but they are way heavy, roll bad, and are simply overkill for a rigid bike.

Anyway, this is my first chance to get some time on the Saguaro, and I think it is the tire I have been looking for for some time. I'm in love or at least infatuated.

This is the test bed.



Rolls very fast.
Grips awesome...at least as well as a Nevegal on loose over hard.
Thicker sidewalls than Ignitor.
Don't know about durability.

Conditions are like this:



And this



And this



I really like it up front, and would like to try it in the back. This is the first Geax product I have tried and I am impressed. Settled on 20 psi (despite the warning not to go below 37 printed on the tire

The Dry X: I am not too impressed with. Does nothing glaringly bad or good. Absolutely will not grip in my conditions like the Saguaro. Ran it down into the 15s and hit the rim a few times with no ill effect. Settled on 22 psi

I am really pleased with the Zion and the set up of it right now. Almost nothing I don't like except the grips. A couple mini-reviews.

Sunline V3 handlebars: A nice, cheap, very wide low rise bar: A

Zion 737 Frame and Fork: Nice riding rigid bike great deal, too bad they are gone. Sorta like a Monkey with a more supple ride and easier to use drop-outs, but without the versatility.: A-

Endless "Kick Ass Cog": It does not fit the King or Bontrager Cassette carriers without filing: Fail Not recommended. Once on seems to work okay.



Truvative GXP cranks with external BB: They're all right and have stood up to 2 years of SS abuse. B

Koobi Au Enduro PRS saddle: it's personal, but I love this thing. Got it off ebay thinking it was unlikely to make a noticable difference, but the elastomers definitely do take up a bit of the trail buzz. It ain't suspension, but I'll take it.: A

Gravity Dropper: Ducks Nuts: A

I also like my new pump.



Riding rigid should be required for all mountain bikers periodically. You learn real fast how to stay centered to avoid the sting on the hands from an incorrectly transitioned drop. Smoothness and attention to the trail are required at all times.

Fun.

 

[slowride]

Sweet pictures, looks like a great place to ride! Where is this?

I have Saguaros. They are sitting in a drawer waiting for ridable trail, which is starting to seem like an impossibility this year.

I had a rigid Zion as well... wish I had gotten the geared before they were gone. That's a bike that way out rides it's price.

I have one of those Endless cogs as well. Mine fit fine, on a Shimano hub though.

I also have those cranks. They hold up well. I pried the plastic cover off the bearings recently and the grease was clean in there. I thought they were going to be a mess based on the outside appearance.

 

[canyonrat]

Sometimes I miss AZ. Nice Pics.

I have three Endless cogs, they all fit my King SS cassette, I just had to push a little hard to get them on. No filing.

 

[Rainman]

Thanks for the pics... I have a small Serfas pump like yours, it works very well, although I run tubeless now days..

I never had any problems getting the Endless cogs on my CK hubs, a bit tight, but they slide on.

I can't get over how smooth your trails are in USA... probably because of all the traffic on them, I guess.


R.

 

[GreenLightGo]

good stuff - still have the Dry X and think it's one of the best rear tires I've used. Enjoyed the Saguaro much as well - though I didn't get any time with it up front.

 

[cb4photo]

I really love my Saquaro, run them both in the front and back. They work great in DRY rocky trails. Do not like them in wet trails, and on gravel fire roads. And they last forever!!!!!

 

[DrDon]

not all are smooth

Thanks for the pics... I have a small Serfas pump like yours, it works very well, although I run tubeless now days..

I never had any problems getting the Endless cogs on my CK hubs, a bit tight, but they slide on.

I can't get over how smooth your trails are in USA... probably because of all the traffic on them, I guess.

R.

there are plenty of rocky, rooty evil stuff here in the states. East Coast baby, yeah!!!

 

[tl1]

Love my Saquaro too

I really love my Saquaro, run them both in the front and back. They work great in DRY rocky trails. Do not like them in wet trails, and on gravel fire roads. And they last forever!!!!!

I recently mounted a Continental Mountain King 2.4 on the front of my El Mariachi in combination with a rear Saquaro 2.2 and it seems to ride every bit as fast rolling, quiet, resilient and great feeling as the former front Saquaro 2.2 was. It's possibly even more resilient feeling with its 180 TPI casing. That part would make it a great rigid bike tire. In fact in most riding, if i was blindfolded , they feel identical so far, even on the asphalt. That's amazing given the much more open tread pattern and larger knobs of the MK. As such, the MK promises much better wet/mud/snow performance which is exactly what was reported in a recent review of the Mountain King 2.4 X 29" tires in Dirt Rag magazine (issue 134). General dry hardpack/sand/cornering/climbing traction seems as least as good if not better that the Geax.

So I used to love the Geax Saquaro without equal but now I'm equally infatuated with the 29 X 2.4" Mountain Kings. I just ordered one for the rear and they're dirt cheap ($25) at Speedgoat. Incidentally the Conti brand tires always seem to run small so the 2.4" MK is very similar in height and width to the Geax Saquaro 2.2" tire.

 

[Mattyd]

I also like the Saguaro, but am not sure about the durability. Where in AZ are those pics? I am in Tucson and have them as a rear on both my ss and geared. On both, the treads have worn down pretty quick, especially running them for traction (not speed, can be run either direction).

I'd like to try the Dry x as a rear. Hear it's pretty good in dry rock conditions.

 

[rollinon29s]

the saguaros are good tires from my experience so far. when i took them out to Co. (crested butte, aspen) the sidewalls got eaten up pretty quick...to the point of threads being plainly visible. although out here in the midwest where im at, there aren't a ton of rocks so i dont have to fight that battle. im running an exi up front and the saguaro on the rear of my el mar and they both are doing the trick for me. i checked my tire pressure after riding TK Lawless in lower Mich. last weekend and the exi was at 17 and the saguaro was at 15...with tubes. no pinches, no peel offs, just great traction.

and no i dont consider myself a featherweight either at 175 without gear. i wonder just how low i could run tubeless pressures.

 

[fritZman]

Nice pics!

I rode Saguaros for a good 3-4 months before a sidewall tore on one, and the other punctured the tread. This is in pretty technical harsh XC conditions so I'm not really complaining. I really like their speed, volume, weight, and price. They remind me a lot of Hutchinson Pythons I used in my 26" days. My biggest complaint on the Saguaros was wet performance. Pretty much all tires deteriorate in performance in the wet, but the Geax really dropped off IMO.

Having said that, I'm now on Schwalbe Racing Ralphs 2.4" and they're substantially better in every aspect. They roll better, offer more traction (including off camber), are lighter, more volume (2.4), are more durable (I'm running tubeless and much lower pressures however), and perform better in the wet. The only 'negative' would be price, but for that kind of performance I really don't mind spending an extra $20/tire.

 

[Patriot222]

I can't get over how smooth your trails are in USA... probably because of all the traffic on them, I guess.
R.

:shocked: um....well, occasionally they are I suppose. Other times they're ridiculous and I feel like my rims spent more time touching the rocks than my tires. Obviously we have endless types of terrain so conditions vary greatly from state to state and often county to county.

 

[artnshel]

I'm looking for an upgrade over the Ignitor as a rear tire as well. More volume and better braking traction in loose would be nice. Is the Specialized Captain which looks a little like the Saguaro a decent rear tire? The Racing Ralph is pretty expensive but lower rolling resistance is worth money to me.