^i'm really happy with these at the moment. great in bone dry mixed conditions in cumberland last night.
http://bb.nsmb.com/showpost.php?p=2667669[HTML_REMOVED]postcount=1517
this is not a fast rolling tire. it's got a noticeable drag compared to other luggy competitors like the purgatory and the hans dampf. i guess this isn't unexpected given the very open center tread profile. i'd guess that if they decreased the spacing between adjacent rows of center knobs by 20-30% there would be a nice improvement.
on the other hand, this is by far the best cornering 29er tire i've swung a leg over. even though the tread profile is rounder than i would like, the side knobs engage predictably and hold a line really well. i'm going to attribute this to the "just right" side knob spacing, good compound (58 center, 56 side knobs are soft but not squirmy), and the "gussets" between the intermediate and side knobs. i really like tread that sees many edges when viewed from the side.
the open center tread, lots of edges, good compound, and slight overall chevron theme also make it a great braking tire too.
other notes:
- mounted tightly on a tubeless rim (notubes flow)
- front sidewall was really porous, sealant was literally squirting out pinholes, and took several air fill cycles to seal up.
- sidewalls strength-wise seem comparable to a specialized control casing. definitely on the light side of the spectrum for trail blasting the rocky terrain around here, but probably appropriate for most of the market.
- because it corners so well, i seem to be squeaking air out the rear bead when really railing on it, even though I'm starting at 36-38psi. I'm going to deflate, add more sealant, and get lots of sealant at the bead interface to really glue it down.
Thanks for the detailed review. Copied it over here to it is in the 29er tire thread too.
Any comments on it's performace in the wet? Wet roots? Wet rock?