Yesterday I got a chance to test out the Ellsworth Rogue. For those of you who are unfamiliar, this bike is a 6-7” travel freeride bike. I won’t lie: it was tons of fun. The test rig was set up with a mix of Saint and SRAM components. Suspension was taken care of with a FOX 40 up front and a DHX4 in the rear.

I decided to take a shuttle up to the top of the hill since, after all, the Rogue is really designed to go down more than up. If you wanted you could pedal to the top – pedaling the Rogue is efficient enough – but with 98 degree temperatures outside I decided to take the easier route. For those who haven’t ridden Bootleg, it is dry dusty terrain with sharp rocky sections. To add to the fun you’re essentially 2 feet from falling off a rather steep slope on most occasions. FUN!

Now this is not a full review but I have to say that the bike did a good job handling the winding, dusty trail. The Rogue felt really great once the trail started to point down and got gnarly. I found that the rear suspension did an excellent job absorbing the rocky terrain of Bootleg and as long as the ground wasn’t too sandy the Rogue did a good job weaving between rocks.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I did tank the bike on an off camber sandy turn (my bad… too fast). But my crash did bring to light an interesting trait that may be of interest to some of you. Basically I found that with the rake of the fork and a bit too much bike lean the front tire feels surprisingly light on the trail. Being unfamiliar with the bike I ended up over-correcting and losing the front of the bike.

Overall the Rogue is a well built bike with fine frame craftsmanship that you really need to see to appreciate. If you have a chance, take a test ride for yourself!

If you’re in the hunt for a great All Mountain bike tire at a decent price, look no further than the Prowler MX from WTB ($50 MSRP). Aggressive, talon-like knobs will help you navigate the trail like a jungle cat so you can catch even the fastest prey!

Installing these tires on my Easton Havoc wheels was a snap and required just a few minutes. I did myself a favor and used heavy duty tubes along with some talcum powder to improve performance and reduce friction in the tire. I inflated the tires to 40 psi and was off to the trails!

I wanted to hit as much varied terrain as I could since WTB says this tire can handle wet to dry terrain as well as loose to rough. Fortunately Kelso and Blue Mountain have plenty of both.

On hard packed surfaces the Prowler MX tires did fairly well and didn’t vibrate too much. Both tires had decent traction and didn’t feel squirmy like other aggressively patterned tires I’ve ridden. Rolling efficiency seemed decent and I didn’t feel like I had to labor too much to maintain my speed.

Under climbing and braking the Prowlers were great and did not lock up or slip unexpectedly. Even when braking on very hard surfaces such as rock and hard roots the tires did a good job stopping without sliding. At times when the tires did lock up, they tended to remain in line – no wandering – thanks to the pronounced transition knobs. On climbs the ramped knobs kept the tread firm on the ground without slipping. Extra siping (small grooves) on the knobs adds even more edges for an overall higher level of grip.

I guess the shining point on the Prowler MX tire is its ability to take corners in a variety of conditions. I loved the way these tires gripped in softer, dusty trails. When the terrain got technical, tight, and twisty – these tires just kept hanging on and worked exceedingly well. I also loved this tire’s ability to bite down on the fallen log runs without slipping (that is a big plus for me at least). The corner knobs on Prowler MX tires have almost double the number of blocks and are also siped to increase gripping.

Overall, the Prowler MX is a great tire that will really boost your riding performance and enjoyment. If you haven’t tried a set now may be the time!

My overall impressions:

8 out of 10 for climbing
8 out of 10 for rolling and efficiency
9 out of 10 for loose conditions
8 out of 10 for hardpack
9 out of 10 for stopping in a straight line

Specs from WTB:

Durometer 53a  DNA rubber
GMA 54/60
Usage: All Mountain / Freeride
Conditions: Wet to dry / Loose to Rough
Size: 2.3″
Weight: 869grams

Yep, it’s official: Mountain bike season begins May 16. Whistler Blackcomb is opening the Whistler Mountain Bike Park next Saturday “on whatever trails are clear – or can be cleared – of snow.” Pique News Magazine tells us there’s some new stuff on tap for the 2009 season:

New additions planned this year include continued expansions into the Garbanzo Zone, including more intermediate level riding, a redesigned slopestyle in the Boneyard area, giant slalom and dual slalom courses at the base of the mountain, and new lesson and rental packages for all levels of riders.

Almost new this year are sections of Blue Velvet and Freight Train, as well as an improved No Joke trail – all three of which opened on the last weekend last season.

Through June 19 season passes are $435; after June 19 they’re $475 (cruel – less riding for more $$?). More details at WhistlerBike.com.