Specs

The WTB Nano Race 29er 2.1″ tire features an Aramid bead, DNA rubber, and a lightweight casing. The Aramid bead and lightweight casing definitely help drop weight, and at only 560 grams this tire is light and fast and definitely intended for use as an XC tire. According to WTB, the DNA rubber is a “fast-rolling 60a durometer rubber compound [...] specifically formulated for high-performance riding in a variety of conditions.” As for the Nano’s design itself, WTB claims:

“Its micro-knob design and large supportive casing conquer rough racecourses and roll with the punches on long trail rides. The elevated centerline tread rolls quickly on asphalt and hardpack, while the numerous working edges track predictably in ‘dust over crust’ conditions.”

Let’s see how accurate this description is, shall we?

Test

I’ve put close to 600 miles on the Nano as my rear tire on the Ibex Maroc. Over the course of my extensive test, I was very surprised to discover that despite being relatively narrow and so low-profile, the Nano provides excellent traction!

I think that the Nano’s traction in a variety of conditions can be attributed to the tacky DNA rubber. Despite having “micro” knobs, this tire seemed to stick to most stuff and provided plenty of power as I climbed up and ripped down the mountain, whether I was in Colorado or Georgia.

I’ve found that the description WTB gives above is pretty much spot-on. This tire is great in hardpack and “dust-over-crust” conditions, and I would add that it also handles well in rocky conditions (as long as the rocks are dry).

Negatives

As you might expect, this small-knobbed tire came up short in a few areas. Anytime the conditions were somewhat wet, the Nano started having difficulties. And it particularly hates wet roots. Trying to climb up a damp, root-infested slope that’s a little off-camber? Forget about it.

As I mentioned above, the Nano features a super-tacky rubber compound. While tacky rubber equals good traction, it doesn’t equal longevity. At about 400 miles, the Nano was already showing significant wear, and looked ready to be replaced. After 600 miles, I am in dire need of a new tire.

Before / After 400 miles.

After 600 miles.

Final Verdict

Due to the low weight and the extremely low-profile knobs, the Nano is a fast rolling tire! As the “race” designation obviously indicates, this tire is meant to be raced. It’s not really designed to be an everyday, do-it-all tire for the average Joe but if you’re looking for speed on a dry course, be sure to give the Nano a try!

MSRP on the Nano Race is $65 per tire.

Imagine my surprise when when a local bike shop employee sent me an e-mail informing me their Specialized sales rep had left a pair of new Specialized 29er tires for me to review.  Sweet!  I went to pick them up and was stoked to see the newly redesigned Fast Trak and the new Ground Control, both in the Control version and 2Bliss Ready.

Specialized got into the bike business with tires, and recently they felt like they had fallen behind some of their competitors.  To up their game they went back to the drawing board on some of the tires and started using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) as part of the design process.  FEA allows the tire to be modeled on a computer and run through virtual tests, which is much faster and cheaper than producing tires to test, and it means the first prototypes that are manufactured are further along in the design process already.  The new Fast Trak and Ground Control are the first two mountain bike tires that use FEA in the design process.  The Ground Control was produced a long time ago, but the new tire shares nothing with the old other than the name.

FEA allows engineers to get a good idea of how a tread block will react under load before any prototypes are produced.  Photo: Specialized

Fast Trak

-Size: 29×2.0 (also available in 29×2.2, 26×1.8, 26×2.0, and 26×2.2)
-MSRP:  $50-$55
-Bead: Foldable
-Casing:  2Bliss Ready
-Claimed Weight: 630g
-Actual Weight: 560g – No, that’s not a typo, my tire came in considerably lighter than the claimed weight.

Specialized says the redesigned Fast Trak has more grip and less rolling resistance than the old version.  The tread pattern has been completely redone, and the tread blocks are now sipped – meaning they have a small groove on the surface.  I had the old version on both ends of my geared bike, so I’m pretty familiar with it.  I can say without a doubt that this new tire is worlds better than the old – and I liked the old version already!  The casing is much more supple and smoother rolling. It eats up little bumps and irregularities a lot better, leading to more stable cornering and higher cornering speeds.  I actually had to increase my air pressure a few psi because the casing is so supple – it felt a little too squishy at the same pressure I used the old version at.  Still, even with a few more pounds it rolled smoother and faster.

The Fast Trak tire I received was a final prototype version, identical to production tires except for this cool prototype decal on the sidewall.

Generally when a tire loses rolling resistance it loses grip as well, but this isn’t the case with the Fast Trak.  It grips better in the corners, under power, and while braking.  In true hardpack conditions it’s a fantastic tire, and in loose conditions it’s much better than you would expect with such small knobs.  The sipping on the tread blocks (something the old version didn’t have) is certainly part of the reason for the increased grip.  I didn’t think it could really make much difference, but it does.  The sipping basically gives you two biting edges on one knob.  To feel it yourself you can press a finger on one of the knobs and try to slide it off – you can feel the sipped edge roll up and dig into your finger.  Cool stuff.

Fast Trak tread design.  Nearly continuous center tread for low rolling resistance and larger siped shoulder knobs to bite in the corners.  The round profile means you can really lean on this tire.

The Fast Trak now rolls almost as fast as the Renegade, but has much more grip.  Because of this I would say the Fast Trak is a much better tire for most riders than is the Renegade.  But if you want the ultimate in low rolling resistance, but still want semi-sure-footed cornering, put a new Fast Trak on the front and the Renegade on the back.  I’ll be trying this set up eventually, but with all the leaf litter on our trails this time of year I need something more aggressive on the front.  But as a rear tire it works great, even with all the leaves down.

Ground Control

-Size: 29×2.1 (also available in 29×1.9, 26×1.9, 26×2.1, and 26×2.3)
-MSRP:  $50-$55
-Bead: Foldable
-Casing:  2Bliss Ready
-Claimed Weight: 670g
-Actual Weight: 630g – Again, not a typo – both of these tires came in lower than the claimed weight.  And yes, the scale is accurate.

The Ground Control is a different animal than the Fast Trak.  While Specialized classifies the Fast Trak as a “Competitive XC” tire, the Ground Control is classified as an “XC Trail” tire.  The Ground Control has larger squarish knobs with plenty of spacing between them.  Like the Fast Trak the tread blocks are siped for improved grip.  Specialized claims the Ground Control has more grip than a Captain and has about 20% less rolling resistance thanks to the more advanced casing and tread design.

The Ground Control rolls much better than the widely spaced square knobs would lead you to believe.  And it has a more square shaped profile than the Fast Trak.

Once again, it looks like all the money Specialized put into the R&D for this tire paid off.  Just by appearance I could tell these tires would grip pretty well – and they do.  The Ground Controls grip even better than I expected and seem to at least match the Captains for cornering grip in most conditions.  The Captain does grip a little better in really loose conditions however.

What surprised me was just how fast the Ground Control rolls, because it doesn’t look like a fast rolling tire. I put the Ground Control on the front of my single speed, which has the very fast rolling Renegade on the back, and was blown away by the rolling speed.  Topping a climb it felt like the bike was getting pulled down the next hill faster than normal, and motoring across the flats I felt like the tire wanted to just keep rolling forever.

Close-up of the Ground Control tread.  The siping on the tread blocks seem to make a big difference in grip.

Verdict

Specialized hit the mark with both of these tires.  The redesigned Fast Trak is better than the previous version in every way and the Ground Control has a ton of grip for as little rolling resistance as it has.  I do wish Specialized would make a wider version, either a 2.3 or 2.4 would be great.   It’s strange that the XC racing-oriented Fast Trak comes in a wider width than the Trail oriented Ground Control, for 29ers at least.  I used both tires tubeless with Stans sealant and no issues at all.  So who are these tires for?

If you value grip over speed, but don’t want something that rolls like a square, and don’t need a big tire – try the Ground Control.

If you value speed over grip, but want more grip than a near semi-slick like the Renegade – try the new Fast Trak.

Special thanks to Specialized for providing the tires for review.  Get all the details on the Fast Trak here, and Ground Control here.

Nearly all of my MTB wheelsets are UST so I’ve been searching for good downhill tires I can run tubeless. Recently the good folks at Schwalbe sent over Big Betty and Muddy Mary tires to put to the test. In the past I’ve had great results with the Fat Alberts and Wicked Wills, so I was pretty stoked to give these two tires a shot. I chose the Muddy Mary and the Big Betty based on the terrain I typically ride: granite, shale, hardpack (and I do mean hard pack), and sometimes mud that just won’t dry up.

The Big Betty and Muddy Mary both come in a few flavors. I am writing about the Evolution line which is a folding, tubeless, TrailStar version. It’s a mouthful for sure but these days tires are offered at many price points and configurations, making them more accessible and versatile for the rider. Both the Big Betty and Muddy Mary tubeless tires come in at 1100 grams each (XC riders, pick your jaws up off the floor). These tires are a bit heavy but for what they’re designed for and considering you don’t need a tube, the weight isn’t too bad (DH tubes are approximate 200 grams each).

Both tires feature single-ply construction with a thread density of 67 EPI (ends per inch). The Snakeskin sidewall protection is essentially fabric which offers about the same amount of protection as rubber. The tire carcasses along with the tread are designed to prevent side pinch punctures for more safety and stability. Limited Slip Technology (L.S.T.) is also a cool feature: it’s a special rubber compound that reduces the chances of the tire slipping on the rim (helpful if your tire  is a bit too low on pressure). The TrailStar compound is a blend of rubbers with an easy rolling base layer and a medium soft center compound followed by a soft center compound. Schwalbe also offers a softer compound mix called the VertStar which offers a super soft center and side rubbers but those are for DH competition.

The Big Betty 26×2.40 is a true high volume 2.4 inch wide tire. It’s designed for the drier side of things and offers great grip on a variety of terrain like rock, shale, and hard pack. Stability is decent on looser soil as well. I found that I could achieve high levels of braking force with these tires which made me feel comfortable diving into turns. Speaking of turns, the Big Betty transitions well from upright to pitched positions with no squirming in between. This is a great feature for riders who are getting comfortable at riding higher speeds on the slopes.

The twin row of sequenced vertical/horizontal ramped and sipped blocks along with a hollow square block does a good job keeping vibrations at bay away while offering high traction. The double row of cornering blocks excel at keeping you on line when pitched. Overall the design of the tire is somewhat tight so mud shedding is not as great as other tires out there.

The Muddy Mary 26×2.35 is another high-volume tire and is actually a bit bigger than 2.35 inches – it’s closer to 2.4 inches. This tire has its pattern arranged more openly with each center block sipped horizontally and the cornering blocks sipped vertically. The open tread pattern allows for good mud and debris shedding.

The Muddy Mary features an alternating wide block and single square block across the center along with a single flanking transitional square knob and aggressive cornering knobs. Due to the very square pattern, these tires don’t roll as well as the Big Betty but offer more grip on a wide range of terrain, including soft loamy terrain.

Installation was a snap for both tires on Mavic Deemax Ultimate and Easton Havoc wheels. Both wheels are UST and the tires went on easily with a floor pump and single tire iron. I like to thoroughly lubricate the sidewalls of the tire with soap (diluted dish soap works), and then pump them up to about 35 PSI to let the beads seat properly before I drop the tires down to 25/27 PSI (F/R) which is my running pressure.

How did these tires fair? I found I really liked the Big Betty tires and got used to them right away. You could almost say these were my go-to tire when I was packing my gear. I felt comfortable pitching the bike into corners and braking with confidence. However, the TrailStar compounds on both tires started to show signs of wear after nine full days of riding the slopes hard. The sharp knobs began to tear at their edges, mostly due to the hard braking that was needed to slow down my FR and DH rigs on the slate and hardpack surfaces. The high-speed berms at Blue Mountain are nearly as hard as concrete (talk about packed dirt) and many of the technical areas are on slate. So the amount of abrasion I put these tires through is perhaps more than some will experience.

The Muddy Marys worked nearly as well but I found they were best when used the day after a rainfall when the terrain was moist and the rocks were wet. The Muddy Marys offer a good speed-for-traction tradeoff – it certainly took a bit more effort to get them moving. But once they were heading down the slopes, these tires gripped well. Pitching the Muddy Marys into corners was fun, though I did note a touch of squirm on some occasions (on the harder terrain) but nothing like a Maxxis Ardent (another tire I enjoy). The tread on these tires held out a bit better than the Big Bettys, perhaps due to the fact there was less friction on the tire in the softer soil.

Check out the Schwalbe Big Betty ($90 MSRP) and Muddy Mary ($96 MSRP) tires for DH and FR mountain biking.

I would like to thank Schwalbe for sending down the tires for review.

At Interbike Syd and I spoke with a number of mountain bike tire companies and while we didn’t see any shocking changes, we did take note of some interesting trends affecting the 2012 product lines.

Tubeless tires are taking off

If you’ve ridden tubeless tires on your mountain bike (or even just chatted with dgaddis for a few minutes) you know there are many advantages to rolling without tubes. Aside from generally lower weights and fewer flats, most riders also report an improved ride feel and lower rolling resistance. With those advantages in mind, tire companies are adding tubeless, tubeless ready, and UST tires to their line-ups and in some cases re-engineering classic tread patterns to run sans tube. Among the companies we spoke with, WTB, Geax, and Schwalbe are all adding more tubeless tires to the line-up, particularly among 29er tires where tubeless tires had been scarce. Case in point: 6 out of 8 of the 29er tires Schwalbe showed at Interbike were marked “tubeless ready.”

29er tires are getting more aggressive

Over the years mountain bike tires have been getting wider and beefier but that trend sorta tapped out a year or two ago once most tires maxed out at around 2.5 inches (Surly tires not withstanding). This year it seems that trend is getting new legs in the 29er segment as tire manufacturers start to target the new class of 29er Trail bikes. WTB has the 2.5 inch Weirwolf LT 29er tire while Schwalbe has a new 2.35 inch 29er tire called the Hans Dampf. In addition to increased widths, expect to see deeper and knobbier 29er tread patterns to emerge over the next couple of years.

Admittedly I’m a bit puzzled by some of the new 29er tires targeting the other end of the spectrum: 2.0 width and lower. Almost every tire company we met with offered at least one 2.0 or narrower tire for racing. The best explanation we heard was that the Europeans are finally catching onto 29ers for XC riding/racing and they want skinny tires.

Multi-compound tires

More and more complex mountain bike tire tread patterns are being designed using multiple rubber compounds these days and some companies are even using different colors of rubber to visually distinguish the compounds. The advantage: different grip and wear patterns for each knob zone (primary, transition, and corner). While the idea of using different compounds for each tread zone isn’t new, it’s certainly becoming more common.

Special-purpose tires are multiplying

It’s hard to quantify but it seems like there are more and more special-purpose mountain bike tires popping up these days. Surly has their enormous balloon-like tires and this year they added a 4.7-inch monster, the Big Fat Larry, to the line-up. Schwalbe offers a new 29er studded tire called the Ice Spiker which not only includes 402 spikes but it’s also tubeless ready (don’t ask me how that’s possible). There are also plenty of “race only” tires that use especially sticky, grippy compounds that work great on race day but wear down too quickly for everyday riding.

As you can see there’s a lot to keep up with in the mountain bike world and tires are no exception. While there weren’t a lot of completely new tire patterns on display – most companies stuck with their tried-and-true designs – there are certainly a number of exciting new applications in the space, especially for those of us who rider big wheels.

I recently wrote that I’m in the middle of testing out Ibex’s full suspension trail bike, the Asta Pro. When I was talking with Ibex about the possibility of doing a bike review, they asked which bike I was interested in trying out, and the one I requested, the bike I was most eager to ride, was the Maroc 29er. The Asta Pro was sort of an “opening act,” if you will. The Maroc 29er is the headliner!

Ibex Maroc above the Horsetooth Reservoir in Fort Collins, CO

What had me so excited about this rig? Here are the highlights:

• 29er
• Carbon fiber frame
• SRAM X9 build
• 2×10 drivetrain
• 100mm fork
• $2,479.99

I knew this bike was light, but I was uncertain of its actual weight until after I put it on the scale myself.

Real weight (with pedals) = 24.82 pounds. Nice!

Unboxing

The Maroc came well protected in its shipping box:

Like the Asta Pro, the Maroc came with a number of thoughtful “extras” that many companies wouldn’t normally include:

Since this frame is naked carbon fiber, there wasn’t any frame paint, but Ibex still included a nice multi tool, pedal wrench, and pedals. However, I did find it interesting that the $2,500 Maroc came with a pair of plastic flat pedals while the $1,900 Asta Pro came with Wellgo clipless pedals.

Just finished with the build.

I totally dig all of the red X9 accents!

A Couple of Issues

Chain Stays

Right away I noticed the rear tire clearance between the chain stays is very tight. The Maroc is currently spec’ed with WTB Wolverine 2.2″ tires front and back, but the trouble is this tire rubs in the chain stays, right out of the box. Ibex is aware of this, however, and threw in a WTB Nano 2.1″ tire for the rear. These photos will show you how tight the clearance is even with this lower-profile tire:

While the clearance is very low, I haven’t had any issues since I installed the Nano. I left the 2.2″ Wolverine on up front for maximum grip, and this tire combination has worked superbly everywhere I’ve ridden.

Fork

Secondly, right after I finished assembling the bike I gave the fork the standard push test, just to feel the delicious slide of the Reba. However, this standard “test” that we all “perform” just because suspension feels cool actually revealed an issue this time, as the seal on the left side of the fork slid all the way up the stanchion. I pressed it firmly back into place, and just crossed my fingers, hoping everything would be OK… but it wasn’t.

Just a couple minutes after I got it out on the trail I discovered that the fork was not performing properly when the stanchions compressed all the way into the main fork body and refused to rebound, and I was riding metal-on-metal.  Yes, it really did take someone with my exceedingly gifted mechanical expertise to realize that there was a problem here.

The beauty of buying a bicycle from a company the size of Ibex is that they are very easy to contact and work with, despite the fact that distribution is internet-only. Ibex is only a phone call or email away, so I got on the horn with them right away to straighten out the issue. Since they are based out of nearby Atlanta, I was able to meet up with them the next day and get a new fork–excellent!

The new fork has performed perfectly–I haven’t had a single issue with it.

I think the most important takeaway from this experience is to realize that while you may be buying your bike off of the internet, Ibex is serious about providing a quality product as well as quality customer service.

Upper Loop, Crested Butte, CO

On the Trail

I have put almost 150 miles on the Maroc already, most of them in the mountains around Crested Butte, CO. While I want to put about 300-400 miles on this bike before I write my final review, I do have a couple of quick thoughts from my experience on the Maroc so far:

• This bike is fast! I definitely appreciate the weight savings from the carbon fiber frame and all of the other lightweight components such as the carbon bars and seat post. If you have money to upgrade, a tubeless conversion (such as dgaddis’s Ghetto Tubeless setup) could drop a pound or so, and a high-end wheelset could drop 1 – 1.5 pounds. All of that weight loss would be rotational weight, which we all know is the best place to shed weight on a bicycle. Pretty quickly you could be looking at a 22 pound mountain bike. And if you continued to upgrade… who knows!
• It feels pretty nimble for a big-wheeled bike. I love to just jam this rig in and out of corners as I mach through the singletrack. For my build, the cockpit is a very comfortable balance between a relaxed posture and an aggressive XC racing stance.
• I can truly feel the damping effect of the carbon frame, especially when pounding through a bunch of small obstacles such as breaking bumps.
• I really appreciate the forgiveness of a 100mm fork versus an 80mm fork. It seems like many manufacturers of 29er hardtails are divided on whether they should spec an 80 or a 100. My vote is definitely the 100. I got into many hairy situations during my trip to the Rockies where a shorter-travel fork may have meant a nasty trip over the handlebars.
• I’m a big 2×10 fan, but the combination of the lack of oxygen in Crested Butte and the lack of a few gears on the lower end of my drivetrain forced me to get off and walk at times. But on my home turf at least, 2×10 is the way to go!

Dyke Trail, Crested Butte, CO

In summary, the Maroc has many of the factors that I think make for an amazing hardtail 29er. The carbon fiber frame, 2×10 drivetrain, 100 mm fork, and other components all combine to create a mountain bike that I am having a hard time putting down! I don’t want to think about the sad day when I’m supposed to give this bike back… I may have to pack the truck, grab the Maroc, and head for the border!

Many thanks to Ibex Bicycles for providing the Maroc 29er for review.

The Ibex Asta Pro is a 26″ full suspension mountain bike with 100mm of travel front and back, and I have the opportunity to spend some quality time with one and see what it’s really made of!

Out of the Box

Ibex is a small direct-to-consumer company, and since every customer will receive their mountain bike by mail, Ibex wanted me to go through the entire un-boxing and building process to see what I thought.

The packaging was excellent and the bike was very well protected, and as a result the frame and all of the parts were in pristine condition.

The bike is finally uncovered!

And while that is good, it is to be expected. Where Ibex really impressed me is the attention to detail and all the little extras they throw in the box to make the life of the consumer easier.

Extras

For one thing, Ibex included a pair of Wellgo SPD clipless pedals complete with cleats. Most bike companies nowadays, whether in the shop or online, don’t bother with providing pedals. I think some of the reasoning is that with so many pedal options on the market, it is a very personal component and most people just stick with what they enjoy. Yeah, that’s what they try to tell us, but I think a bigger part of the equation is that these companies are trying to find a way to cut costs on their end. Ibex goes the extra mile and throws in a pair of pedals.

To attach the pedals to the bike, Ibex included a pedal wrench for plenty of torque.

As for all of the other wrenching that needs to be done when building a bike, I found an Ibex-branded multi-tool that was more than capable of handling everything for this basic build. Just in case you are new to the bike scene and don’t own any of the tools required to put this bike together, Ibex has you covered.

Finally, I found two bottles of touch-up paint, just in case the frame had been scratched, or in case you want to touch up any scuffs or scratches from normal use down the road.

These extras are all super thoughtful, and I wouldn’t have been bothered in any way if these things hadn’t been in the box. The fact that they were just highlights how serious Ibex is about going the extra mile.

After I removed all of the comprehensive packaging, the bike went together very easily. I adjusted the air pressure in the fork and checked the pressure in the shock, and I was ready to ride!

First Impressions

About 5 days ago I got out and thrashed the Asta on a 17-mile route that is sure to shake down any bike and expose any issues that need attention. I can honestly say that the Asta took all I threw at it and kept begging for more pain! The bike felt very stiff and precise as I shoved it in and out of corners.

The bike climbed superbly thanks to the low weight (27.66 lbs stock with pedals) and minimal suspension, but the 100mm of squish was ready and available when things got messy. The Asta definitely doesn’t have the forgiveness of a longer travel bike, but the suspension did its job and took the edge off of all kinds of roots and rocks.

These are still preliminary impressions, but the Asta is an amazing climber and a capable descender, and that is a very fun combination! I think this bike fits squarely in the category of “Trail Bike” that it is intended for. It just does really well at shredding singletrack.

Thoughts on the Component Spec

Shimano XT

I haven’t spent a significant amount of time on Shimano’s XT group before but so far I am enjoying my experience. The shifting has been super crisp and totally predictable! I am so thankful that the new Shimano shifters are set up to be shifted either like Shimano’s traditional shifters OR like SRAM’s shifters with just the thumb. After one or two rides, I gave up trying to use my index finger and just stuck with what I felt comfortable with: using my thumb.

Also, I think a full XT kit is a really nice spec at this pricepoint, as the complete bike only retails for $1899.99. It’s hard to find a full XT kit on a sub $3,000 bike, not to mention a sub $2,000 one!

WTB Wolverine 2.1″ Team

I’m normally a sucker for fat tires, 2.35″ being my width of choice unless I’m on a downhill bike, but the 2.1″ WTB Wolverines feel right at home on this style of mountain bike. In my opinion, they have been riding pretty dang well and have hooked up when I’ve needed it. I may move up to a 2.25″ tire for a little more grip in the corners… but just because that’s my personal taste.

FSA Carbon Handlebar

I thought the carbon handlebar was an interesting choice for a bike of this price range, but since all of the other components are so nice, it’s tough to say where I’d rather have had the money spent. Perhaps the grips? Bottom line, I think it’s a great touch, and I’ve been thoroughly enjoying it!

I could keep writing about my thoughts and impressions so far, but the fact is I want to feel like I have really ridden this mountain bike before I write about it so that when I do write, I can do so authoritatively. My plan is to put the Asta Pro through an abusive treatment of at least 300 miles of singletrack. I’ve already been thrashing it in the mountains of North Georgia, and I have a road trip to Colorado planned for the beginning of August. Rest assured: this bike will be TESTED!

A big “thank you” to Ibex for providing this mountain bike for review!

I’ve been running ITS (Intense) tires for a while now and this season I’m rockin’ the ITS Invaders on my DH rig. The Invader was originally simply called the DH tire, and for good reason too. At 1300 grams and a full 2.5 inches wide these are big tires. Some of you probably gasped at the weight, didn’t you?! Well there’s a reason for all that heft.

For starters, the Invader is a double ply tire which is two fabric layers for added protection, durability, and flat resistance. ITS also included a pinch flat bumper on the sidewalls for even more protection. The bumper is inserted between the bead and the tread to reduce chances of pinch flatting off squared edged bumps plus it adds support at lower tire pressures. All this adds up to one tough tire.

The tread pattern on the Invader is a mix between three different knob zones. The central trapezoidal knob has a decent bite and cuts into the softer stuff nicely. The double row of transitional square knobs work on corner entry and exit while the stout outer cornering knobs are slightly edged to keep your bike on line.

I installed the Invaders on my Deemax wheels with no tubes and 4 ounces of Stan’s per tire (no these aren’t tubeless tires but I’ve been able to run them without tubes). I had no problem beading or seating the tires – I just used a floor pump and they beaded perfectly with no real strain getting them on. Some tires are a pain to seal when going tubeless but the Invaders sealed up nice and fast, probably due to the double ply and extra rubber. Now this task took a total time of 1 hour (mounting, adding Stan’s and spreading the sealant around each wheel). After that I reset the pressures (I run 30psi) and I was off to the slopes.

I received these in January and had a chance to use them in very firm ground conditions initially (literally frozen) and more recently in soft, muddy terrain mixed with slate rock and roots. This extreme mix of terrain provided the perfect testing conditions. Over the course of my testing, the 50a durometer tread started to show some signs of wear which is to be expected, especially when riding the hard rocky stuff (think of dragging an eraser along sand paper).

In soft conditions (tacky mud) these tend to run a bit on the slow side as they really bite into the terrain (I found at faster speeds massive mud chunks would fling off the back of my bike and into my buddies’ faces.) This is actually a good thing since the tire offers both good speed and lateral control (some slip but manageable). On the medium terrain is where these work best; I got great directional control and good braking. On the harder terrain (hardpack and rocks) these tires work well but tend to wear quickly, especially if you make the mistake of being to aggressive on the brakes when riding rocks.

Overall the ITS Invader is a good high volume tire (your rims will love you for this) capable of handling a wide range of terrain. These feel like a mix between a Maxxis Ardent and Kenda Nevegal with characteristics of both. Over my time with these I didn’t get a single puncture or one ding on my rims (for me that is great, I hate rim dings). So the dual ply and pinch flat bumpers are working well. At about $54 MSRP these should last a full season of riding (unless you’re riding slickrock a lot).

I would like to thank the folks at ITS for sending down the Invaders for review.

Cleaning your bike after a ride can feel like a buzz kill but it doesn’t have to take forever. Follow these tips and you’ll get the job done quickly without damaging your bike.

1. Get your mountain bike dirty

One of the reasons people end up doing more damage than good while washing their mountain bike is because they wash it too frequently. Just because there is a little speckling of dirt on the down tube does not mean you need to bust out the scrub brushes… it’s a mountain bike people. But if your bike is truly dirty, give it a bath.

2. Find a place to wash it

For many people who own homes, this is easy: just haul out the garden hose and get washing. But for those of us who live in an apartment or who live the nomadic mountain biking dream, finding a hose isn’t always so easy.

Nowadays, many of the popular purpose-built mountain biking trail systems have a bike wash stand right at the trailhead: this is perfect! If your favorite trail doesn’t have a wash stand I suggest heading on over to your local bike shop. Most shops are more than happy to let you wash your bike for free. (If they aren’t, it might be time to find a new LBS.)

3. Find some brushes and rinse

Purchasing a brush set is relatively inexpensive, and if you are already heading to the LBS to wash your bike, why not buy one while you’re there.

Use the hose to rinse the mud off of your bike as best you can. In order to avoid ruining your rig, don’t spray high pressure water into areas that have bearings. The water can work its way in and wash the grease out.

You will notice 2 things in the photo below:

a) I am standing back away from the bike so the pressure isn’t too great.

b) This is just a normal hose, not a high pressure system (as compared to say the coin-operated car wash).

As I move in closer toward the bike and focus on the components, I reduce the pressure even more to turn the spray into more of a mist.

4. Scrub

Bust out those brushes pictured above and scrub your bike down. I recommend the big brush for the frame, the medium-sized brush with hard bristles for hard-to-reach places, and the small brush for components, especially the chain and cassette.

You can choose to use soap if you would like, as it will definitely help with greasy, hard to clean areas. However, if I’m aiming for a quick wash in under 15 minutes, I’ll skip the soap and just scrub and use water. It still works pretty well.

Make sure to get all of the hard-to-reach areas.

5. Clean the chain

Having a clean frame is nice, but where it really counts is with your drivetrain and other moving parts. Take special care to clean the chain well.

6. Clean the cassette and other components

Be sure to get all of the grime out of the cassette, and clean the chain rings and derailleurs carefully as well.

7. Skip the tires

Part of our goal is to get the bike clean in the shortest amount of time possible. Toward that end, skip scrubbing the tires. I will usually spray them down with the hose to knock the muck off, but I won’t bother scrubbing and detailing them. Really, what would be the point? The tires are the first thing to get dirty again, and having a little red stain from the local clay is not going to affect performance at all.

Focus on more important parts like the drivetrain.

8. Dry

Take care to dry your mountain bike off. If I’m going quickly, I usually focus on the chain, components, and other moving parts, and I bump my bike side-to-side in an effort to knock the water out of the heads of the bolts so that they don’t rust.

9. Lube

Immediately after you think your bike is adequately dry, do a full lube-job. Make sure to lube the chain well, in addition to all of the other moving parts such as your derailleurs. Be sure to wipe away the excess lube after it has had a few minutes to soak in.

10. Get your mountain bike dirty

Mountain bikes aren’t meant to be looked at or ridden on the pavement–they are supposed to be lovingly abused on a dirty singletrack trail! Go ride, get dirty, and go back to step #2!

Following this method, washing my bike usually takes under 15 minutes, with the lube job taking an additional 5 or so. This is fast, simple, and crucial to keeping your bike in good operating condition.

How do you go about washing your bike?

Here in the Rocky Mountains we don’t really have mud to deal with and serious roots exist only on some specific, high altitude trails. Most of our trails are rocky, sandy, hardpack, or all of the above. Almost any brand name mountain bike tire suited to your favorite style of riding will handle the trail surfaces just fine but there are a few standout models you should know about.

WTB Velociraptor (26″ only)
WTB has been making this tire for 13 years now with almost no design changes. With differing front and rear treads, each end of the bike gets the specific traction it needs, and the treads and sidewalls are extremely durable. There are two 2.1″ models: a 795 gram comp model with a steel bead and a 700 gram race version with an aramid bead and lightweight casing. Because WTB has manufactured them for so long, economies of scale have reduced the price to $20 or less per tire, and you can find them almost anywhere. As an all-around tire, there is nothing better in this price range. They have incredible traction, strong sidewalls that hold up well to sharp rocks, and they can be run at a fairly low pressure. I haven’t tried it, but I have heard that they work well for tubeless with a Stan’s type conversion.

On the downside, even the race version is portly by today’s weight standards. WTB markets them as an XC tire but they weigh more than some all mountain tires. All that traction also comes with the price of high rolling resistance.

Bottom line: These are a tried and true tire that cannot be beat for the price. They have their shortcomings, but they will get you there and back without breaking the bank.

Panaracer Fire XC Pro (26″ only, standard and UST)
The distinctive red sidewalls of the Fire XC are immediately recognizable on the trail. As another tire that has been around a while, they have developed a cult following among XC and trail riders. Unlike the Velociraptors, these tires are offered in a single model intended for either the front or the rear. The only complaints I have heard about them is that occasionally one or more knobs will separate from the casing, and the rolling resistance is fairly high. On the bright side, they weigh 575 grams and their high speed cornering prowess is legendary. Panaracer has made subtle changes to the model over the years to improve durability and reduce weight and they’ve recently introduced a UST version.

Bottom line: These run double the price of the Velociraptors and don’t offer the distinct front and rear models, but their low weight and impressive cornering may just have you seeing red – sidewalls, that is.

Maxxis High Roller (26″ only, standard and UST)
Maxxis has done an excellent job getting pro riders onto their products. From XC to All Mountain and Downhill they have a dizzying selection of models to choose from. The High Roller is billed as their ‘do-it-all’ model, and they offer it in three sizes with two bead designs and three rubber compounds. As a 490 gram 1.90″  XC tire it’s well suited for ultra endurance racing. Stepping up to the 2.50″ All Mountain version at a whopping 1,250 grams helps ensure a surefooted landing from even the craziest drops – if you can pedal all that rubber up the hill! All models of the High Roller share the same tread design that rolls fast, hooks up securely for accelerating and braking, and has very predictable cornering.

Bottom line: The tread design of the High Roller is a well established performer and the variety of sizes, beads, and rubber compounds means you can find one suited to any riding discipline from 24 hour solo racing to lift-assisted downhill.

Geax AKA (26″ and 29″ standard and UST)
The Geax AKA is a race-bred XC tire with a focus on fast rolling and solid cornering. As a fairly recent design, the 2.2″ version tips the scales at 590 grams per tire and is a testament to modern advances in tire tech. The knobs are stiff and the pattern is closely spaced which lowers the rolling resistance while also providing a solid hookup when you push the limits.

Bottom line: The tread on the AKA is particularly well suited to terrain in the southwest and they are an excellent choice for all day riding on fast, twisty singletrack. However, this is not an All Mountain tire.

Kenda Nevegal (26″, 29″, and 650b; Standard, UST and 2-ply DH)
A quick survey of my riding club revealed the Nevegal to be an overwhelming favorite for our corner of the US. Originally designed with input from racing legend John Tomac, this tire, like the Maxxis, has evolved to include a myriad of size, bead, and rubber compound offerings. One of my riding buddies summed it up by describing the Nevegal as an almost perfect compromise that perhaps doesn’t excel at any one thing, but as a package provides a tire that you don’t have to think about while riding: it just performs.

Bottom line: Again like the High Roller, the Nevegal offers a proven tread design shared across a wide variety of models so you can find a pair suited for your exact style of riding. All that variety means you could even shod multiple bikes in your shed with the same tread pattern – how’s that for a consistent ride?

Whether you live in the southwest or the Rocky Mountains or you’re traveling here for that epic riding vacation, any of these tires should work out great for you – just make sure you match the tire to your own riding style!

The WTB Bronson 2.3″ AM tires are ready for action in a variety of terrain.  Weighing in at 810 grams, these tires feature a large number of relatively small, low-profile knobs along the center of the tire with prominent knobs along the edges for aggressive cornering. The Bronsons are also UST compatible for an easy tubeless setup if that’s your thing.

Photos taken shortly after installation.

Installation

My wheels aren’t set up for tubeless tires so I needed to run these as regular tires with tubes in them. As a result, I can’t speak on the ease or difficulty of tubeless installation. However, for a regular rim, these tires were pretty difficult to get on as they are UST tires. UST tires generally feature a heavier, tighter bead than your standard tire, making them more difficult to install on a regular rim.  Changing a flat with these is really a pain, but I suppose if I was running tubeless I wouldn’t have that problem! With a little perseverance and a couple of tire wrenches, though, you’ll do just fine.

My Experience With the Bronsons

Product reviews can certainly give you a better understanding of bike products and they can also aid in your decision making before a purchase. I read bike and product reviews online and in magazines all the time and in my experience reviews are more helpful for some product categories than for others.

In particular, bike tire reviews can be influenced by personal preference and are often fairly subjective compared to other bike part reviews. Part of the reason is that it’s difficult to separate raw tire performance from one of many other variables including trail conditions, bike set-up, and rider skills. Despite the subjective nature of MTB tire reviews there are definitely a few larger-scale topics that can be addressed so I’ll attempt to hit all of the prominent points.

Where the Rubber Meets the Trail

For my riding style, 2.3″ tires are where it’s at. I’m not a big racer, so I don’t really care if I make it up the climbs a few seconds faster. I would rather sacrifice the climbing speed gained from a narrower tire and trade it for turn-gripping traction and additional control at speed through the rough. If you are of this same persuasion, the 2.3″ AM rendition of the Bronsons is a good choice.

When reading up on these tires I got the impression that they weren’t designed for any specific function, but rather to be an excellent all-around tire in almost every condition. Based on my experiences that’s actually pretty accurate. The Bronsons perform well on just about everything including hardpack, loam, leaves, roots, rocks, and even in wet conditions.

Due to the high number of knobs I thought that wet conditions would be the Bronsons’ downfall and that they would pack up with wet clay after just a few revolutions. While any tire will get coated in sticky red Georgia clay, I was very surprised to find that the Bronsons shed muck quickly and maintain traction well in the nast. I believe these mud-shedding properties are a result of the sloping sides and angled design of all the knobs; you won’t find a square-shaped knob anywhere on these tires. The sloped edges keep the tires running clean and tracking well.

The relatively low-profile knobs on the Bronsons allow them to feel very fast-rolling and yet they still provide excellent traction. The tires hooked up well in the corners and generally railed singletrack like a champ! As I mentioned above, they shone in almost all conditions including wet ones, but I personally thought they excelled the most on hardpack.

The only place I really thought the Bronsons didn’t shine was in really loose, rocky conditions. Despite the 2.3″ width they don’t have the same gnar-gobbling goodness provided by a larger-knobbed tire.  But as an all-rounder, the Bronsons ($65 MSRP) are definitely a worthy candidate for your next tire purchase!

Thanks to WTB for providing these tires for review.

For the last five years I’ve been riding WTB Velociraptor tires on my mountain bike because they’re inexpensive and have the traction and durability of a tractor tire. Unfortunately they also have the weight and rolling resistance of a tractor tire. After riding in my first race last fall, I decided I wanted to find a tire that is lighter, faster and more XC-oriented, but also one that’s suitable for everyday trail riding. I decided to look into the Geax product line, and the AKA model specifically.

According to Geax, the AKA:

was designed to dominate in situations where the knob must penetrate the ground without digging, and offer exceptional grip without slowing the wheel down. Even adverse terrains like gravel, sand, and grass aren’t a match for this directional, well spaced, small blocked pattern. Gato-derived side knobs round out the profile, providing predictable cornering even when conditions get moist.

The 590 gram, 2.2″ AKA tires have a folding bead and they installed easily on my Easton XC One wheels without tools. The tread is a directional design and they can be mounted one way for speed or the other for traction. For my initial testing I mounted them in the speed direction.

For the first ride on a tire designed for XC racing, what better venue than the Falcon Trail, home to the annual 24 Hours of Colorado Springs race. The trail consists of hardpack, gravel over hardpack, and some rocks. The first thing I noticed about these tires is that they are fast. I mean really fast. I had become so accustomed to the rolling resistance of the WTB’s that by comparison these felt like slicks on asphalt. All of that speed does not mean a reduction in traction, however. I experimented with coming into corners fast as well as some “panic” braking on downhills and in both cases the grip was surefooted and predictable.

As a race tire, these should definitely be on your short list. But how are they for general trail riding?

With the tires still mounted in the speed direction, I headed to Mount Falcon, which is a steep climb with log water bars and rocks. The tires showed decent traction while climbing, and excellent braking and cornering on the way back down. I found that I could break the back tire loose if I worked at it, but overall the grip was decent on a variety of surfaces.

The AKA’s real test as a trail tire came at White Ranch, which is a very rough and rocky trail network. Still mounted for speed, the rear broke loose on me on several steep ledges that my WTB’s have always been able to claw their way over. I also had a flat that I think was a defective tube, as there was no evidence of a pinch nor any punctures in the tire itself.

To complete my evaluation of their trail-worthiness, I returned to Mount Falcon with the rear flipped to the traction direction. A slight increase in rolling resistance is evident if you really look for it, but these tires still rolled fast. However, the increase in traction was very noticeable. With my weight properly balanced on my bike, I had no trouble getting over normal trail obstacles. I currently have the front tire in the speed direction and the rear in the traction direction, which provides a good balance of speed and traction and a comfortable trail feel. This will be my trail setup going forward.

The rear tire mounted in the traction direction.

While the AKA’s aren’t really suited for freeride (Geax has other models for that), they are a fantastic race tire that also happens to perform well for day-to-day trail duty on a variety of surfaces. They are super fast rolling, offer great traction, and have held up well so far over roots, ledges, and sharp rocks.

If you are a racer and want one tire for both training rides and race day, or if you just want a lightweight trail tire with really low rolling resistance, then these are for you. The standard model in either 26″ or 29″ sells for $40 per tire at Huck n Roll, and there are also “tubeless ready” and wire bead versions of each. (A UST version is available on 26 x 2.0 only).

Thanks to the folks at Geax for sending over the AKA’s to test.

We get a lot of questions about tubeless mountain bike tires here on Singletracks, so I thought it was time to put together a tubeless guide.  I’m not going to get into specific brands and components, but instead give you an overview of the various systems and point you in the right direction so you can choose what works best for your budget and riding style.

WHY TUBELESS?

This is the big question: why go tubeless?  There are several advantages to losing tubes.  I’ll cover the general theory here, but there is a lot more detailed information out there on the web if you search for it.

Lower tire pressure: Without a tube you can run lower tire pressures without worry of pinch flatting since there’s no tube to pinch.  The lower pressures will allow the tire to more easily conform to the ground, providing a more comfortable ride and more traction, as well as lower rolling resistance.

Less rolling resistance: This could be an entire post all by itself, so I’ll try to keep it quick and simple. Rolling resistance is caused by the interaction of the tire and the ground.  The first thing you need to get out of your head is the old school roadie theory of high tire pressure equaling lower rolling resistance.  We’re not using skinny smooth tires on a smooth hard surface.  We’re using fat knobby tires on an uneven, bumpy, sometimes soft and loose surface where the physics are different.  When you hit a bump the wheel either moves up and/or the tire deflects around/over the bump.  This deflection requires energy, and that energy is robbed from your forward momentum, slowing you down.  So the less energy it takes to deform the tire, and the less forward momentum becomes upward momentum, the less forward energy you lose.  Using lower tire pressure is the easiest way to allow the tire to deform over irregularities in the trail instead of forcing the wheel upward.

When using tubes there is also friction between the tube and tire, and this friction has to be overcome to allow the tire to deform.  By getting rid of the tube you get rid of that friction, and reduce the energy needed to deform the tire.   For more reading on the science of rolling resistance check out this page which provides a summary of an article in a German mountain bike magazine.

Fewer flat tires: Without a tube you no longer have to worry about pinch flats since there’s no tube to pinch.  In very rare cases you can pinch the tire – but I only know one person who has ever done this.  Also since you’ll be using a sealant, any punctures will get sealed up without you even knowing it ever happened.  If you do get a puncture the sealant can’t seal, simply install a tube like normal and continue the ride.

Improved ride feel: By getting rid of tubes you get a much better feel for what your tires are doing.  The ride gets smoother, faster, easier; you have to feel it yourself to really understand.  The tires even sound different!

Less weight: Weight loss is not the main advantage of tubeless, it’s just an extra perk.  You may not even lose any weight, depending on which tubeless system you use.

Disadvantages: Installing tires without tubes can be a pain, and sometimes requires an air compressor.  So if you like to change tires often, tubes are certainly easier.

Where the rubber meets the dirt.  Ditch the tubes, and improve the interaction.

HOW TO DO IT

There are three ways to go tubeless.  You can convert non-tubeless wheels, use a tubeless-ready system, or use a UST system.  Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Conversion Kits: Stan Koziatek developed the first reliable and commercially available tubeless conversion kit back in 2000 when he formed NoTubes, and his kits are still the benchmark that all others are measured against.  The kit helps you convert nearly any rim and tire to tubeless and retails for around $60-$70, making this the cheapest way to try tubeless since you don’t need to buy new wheels or tires.

Downsides: Kits will not give you the lightest set-up and getting the tire bead seated and holding air usually cannot be done with a floor pump – for that you’ll need an air compressor.

Some rims convert more easily than others, as do some tires.  Research before you buy!  Some riders have experimented with “ghetto tubeless” set ups, where they fashion their own rim strip of out a 20″ tube.  Some have success with this method, but I can’t recommend it personally.

UST – Universal System for Tubeless: UST was developed by Mavic in the late 90′s.  It is a tubeless standard, meaning the rim and tire bead shapes are manufactured to very specific specs with tight tolerances and for any product to bear the UST label it must go through inspection and testing to be approved.  This means any UST rim is guaranteed to work with any UST tire, but tire selection isn’t great (especially for 29ers) and the tires are usually more expensive because of the approval process.  Non-UST tires do not generally play well with UST rims.

UST also has the tightest fitting beads, which makes installation a pain but allows for an extremely secure bead hook which is great for truly aggressive riding (think DH racing).  UST tires have an extra layer of air-tight rubber in the casing so they don’t require sealant like the other two systems, but this adds weight and makes the tires stiffer.  Most riders will use sealant anyways for puncture protection.  I have heard sometimes you can get the tires installed using a floor pump, but sometimes an air compressor is needed.  Pretty much every rim and tire manufacturer has UST products.

Tubeless Ready: Tubeless ready is the way of the future I think.  Tubeless ready rims basically allow you to use any tire – without tubes.  There are tubeless-ready tires as well, with tighter fitting and stronger beads.  Unlike UST, tubeless-ready set ups require sealant to make the tires air tight, and the bead shapes vary from one manufacturer to another – so some tires and rims work better together than others.  Tubeless-ready tires are often easier to set up than regular tires, usually with a floor pump.

Tubeless-ready systems are generally the lightest option since many do not require the thick rubber rim strip like conversion kits (some use a rubber strip, others use lightweight tape instead) and the tires do not have the extra air-tight layer of rubber like UST.  Without that extra air-tight layer in the casing, tubeless-ready tires are more supple than UST tires.  Specialized, Bontrager, Geax, Hutchinson, NoTubes, and WTB all make tubeless-ready mountain bike tires.  More and more manufacturers are introducing tubeless-ready tires, with Schwalbe being the latest, and Kenda promising some in the near future.  But again, most standard tires can be set up tubeless on tubeless ready rims, so there are tons of tire options to choose from.

YOUR EXPERIENCES

Tell us about your tubeless experiences in the comments below!  What systems have you tried, what worked well, what didn’t work well, etc.