Traction on wet roots and rocks. Supple feel from the soft knobs, Tubeless ready (TR) model set up easily with air compressor.

High rolling resistance. Knobs can squirm under hardpack, high lean cornering. They are narrower by design for mud specific conditions. So they won't have the stability of wider tires

These are the 2.0 Tubeless Ready (TR) EXO side wall version. I am running them on a custom Ti 27.5 hardtail, Velocity blunt SS rims (wider than a typical crest or flow), setup tubeless with Orange Seal sealant. I am 135 lbs, and running them at Front 23 to 24 psi, and rear 25-26psi

My trails are primitive single track in upstate NY. Conditions are rooty, soft soil, loamy, very primitive rough, slow grinding single track. To put it in perspective 90% of the people I ride with live and breath fat bikes YEAR round. The conditions warrant why so many people stick to fat, low low pressure tires or + tires with 2.8 width. I typically run 2.3 -2.4 tires. So given the emphasis on wider, high volume, low pressure tires for this terrain, I was initially hesitant about going the opposite direction to a 2.0. On a whim I got some used off ebay. It's spring time here : mud season, and I wanted something that supposedly could handle wet roots better.

The caveat for these tires is that they were designed for a narrow range of conditions. Within those conditions they are phenomenal. I am in awe how such a narrow tire can have such grip. The true test of any tire is off camber wet roots. These tires have handled them better than others I have tried.

The knobs are very soft and spaced widely. They don't hold mud compared to typical tires. However, there are some conditions, like that peanut butter, or what I call cake batter mud that is 1/4 thick on top of hardpack which do pack into the knobs. The kind of thick top layer you see a day after it has rained and has started to dry out. Nothing, fat tires or these tires can grip on that.

For a 2.0 tire, there is an interesting supple feel to them. More supple than my 2.3 Hans Dampfs running at 21psi. The soft rubber on the knobs gives that feel. What they lack compared to a wider/lower pressure tire is the rebound. So I found my timing off on hopping.

Where they falter is when you push them too hard. They are a 2.0 narrow tire and can't be plowed into corners or rocks like a 2.3 High Roller II or other trail tire. So being light on the pedals and unweighting is important. That being said, it is still amazing what they can handle and the traction they provide.

They do have high rolling resistance too given the soft knobs. You'd think with a skinny tire, you'd be rolling really fast, but they are not like a crossmark .They feel a bit squirmy if trying to lean them over too much. They are a rounder profile so do better with more gradual lean, unlike something with a square edge like a High Roller II which likes to be really leaned over.

In conclusion, they created a new experience for me. I have a new found confidence on wet roots with them, and have no fear about riding in wet conditions on the roots/rocks. They still need some vigilance however.

Similar Products Used:

High Roller II, Ardent 2.25, Hans Dampf 2.4