Michelin Wild Rock'R Reviews

Pros: Roll well for an aggressive tire.

Cons: Not the best for hard cornering or wet roots.

Recommendation: I ride a hard XC/Trail style and was looking for something similar to my 2.35 BFN’s (big fat Nevegals) that would roll better. I liked the tread pattern of the WildRock’Rs so I decided to give the 2.25's a try. The Rock’Rs come in a few variants and I went with the plane Jane single compound model at 60tpi. The recommended minimum pressure listed on the tire was 29psi so that’s where I put them on my first ride. Initial impression: I hated them. They felt springy, like I was bouncing off things and the traction was awful, especially on anything off-camber. I was so disappointed I almost chucked them but they weren’t cheap so I decided to give them one more chance. I went for broke and lowered the pressure to 24psi. At this pressure it was a completely different tire. The springy feeling was now an awesome plushness and the traction was aces. They were good on the rocks and roots and rolled noticeably better on hard pack that the BFN’s. I didn’t encounter too much mud but when I did they were good here as well, offering good traction without caking up. The lack of transition knobs can make for a drifty feel when cornering. The Rock’Rs also tend to skate on wet roots, especially when off-camber. Riding a hardtail with tubes I did 1100 miles this season and only had 2 flats and no slow leaks. Granted, I know how to ride a hardtail (ie - lots of standing) so I generally avoid bottoming out tires and getting pinch flats. After all these miles I didn’t see any missing knobs but there were some pretty good pits and divots throughout and there was noticeable wear. The front fared a bit better. In short, The Rock’Rs are now my go-to tire and I will be buying a new pair for next season.