WTB Weir Wolf Tires - Review

WTB created the Weir Wolf tire for “Mr. All Mountain” Mark Weir. A man who actually enjoys grueling all mountain events like the Downieville DH (a 15 mile downhill with a 4000' descent) and the Hell Ride (a six to eight hour event, covering 60-80 miles and 10,000 feet of climbing). So how does a tire that’s designed by some one so crazy hold up for the average Joe?

Read on to find out.Tires can be the most under rated part of a mountain bike. A lot of people when asked what kind of tires they need reply “Just give me something that’s round and rolls.” In reality tires can be the difference between an awesome ride and a “don’t ask” ride.

When I was in the market for a new set of tires for my all mountain free-ride bike the number of choices was mind boggling. I was looking for something that rolled fast, climbed well, and could cope with the riding conditions on my local trails in the Chilliwack area. After trying a few different sets I was left with the impression that I would never find “THE” tire for me. So when I was approached with the opportunity to test a pair of the WeirWolf tires from WTB I knew I had to jump at the chance to try them out.

The tire is offered in three models, UST ($70), Race ($60), and Comp ($30). The race offers an aramid bead, WTB DNA rubber, a lightweight casing, and weighs in at 760g (1.68lbs) for the 2.5 version.

The best way to explain the performance of the WeirWolf is to split it up into three categories: Climbing, descending, and cornering.

Climbing
This is where the Wolf shows its teeth. With its aggressive closely spaced center tread it seemed that no matter how steep or rocky the terrain it hooked up well and refused to let go. The first time climbing with them, one is able to make the steepest assent up well worn logging roads and trails with out loosing traction.

Cornering
Riders who already attack corners with confidence will be pleased with the WeirWolf's performance. Those who take a more relaxed attitude to corners will have to adjust their riding style in order to get the best performance out of the tire. When cornering, the tire does take some time to get use to. It may feel unstable to some because of the tread's transitional pattern from the inner to outer lugs. If the rider does not attack corners at an aggressive lean angle, the tire will settle into the unstable transitional area instead of the aggressive biting outer lugs. Once you get into the habit of cornering aggressively the tire grabs well and holds on till the corner is finished.

Descending
When descending the tread design works well as the closely spaced center tread allows it to roll fast and smooth. It was easy to pick a line and stick to it and it gives the rider a good sense of stability due to the large contact area that you would expect from a 2.5 inch tire. When you have to come to a stop the shovel like braking surface allows the tread to sink into the trail and stop both rider and bike on a dime.

Who Is The Weir Wolf For?
This tire is designed for all mountain riders who view the uphill climb to the trail head enjoyable rather than a pain in the butt. The tire performs well in all the category's listed above. The only down side is that it may take some a bit longer to adjust to how aggressive the tire needs to be treated to achieve its full potential in the corners. Over all the WeirWolf offers another good offering for the All Mountain crowd and I wouldn’t be surprised if you see the Wolf's tread mark more often in the mud on a trail near you.

Check out WTB's website to learn more about the WeirWolf and all their other products.

-Gavin

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