Review: Bontrager's Updated XR3 is a Surprisingly Versatile XC Tire

Jun 3, 2019 at 8:53
by Daniel Sapp  
photo


The XR3 is one of the newer offerings in Bontrager's lineup, a tire they say is, "designed to be a versatile trail or race tire that excels in a variety of conditions." The 120tpi tire is geared mostly towards XC racing and everyday trail riding, with a fast rolling center knob pattern and taller side knobs to provide bite while cornering.

The XR3 Team Issue tire is available in 29" x 2.4" and 27.5" x 2.8" sizes and sells for $54.99 USD for the 29" and $94.99 USD for the Plus-sized 27.5" option.

XR3 Tire Details
• 62a center 60a side durometer, 120tpi
• Tubeless ready
• Bontrager 'Inner Strength' casing reinforcements
• Sizes: 29 x 2.4", 27.5 x 2.8"
• Weight: 755 grams (29 x 2.4")
• MSRP: $54.99 USD (29 x 2.4")
www.trekbikes.com
The tires have Bontrager's 'Unconditional Guarantee' warranty, which states that you can "return the item, along with the original sales receipt to the original place of purchase within 30 days for an exchange or refund. Think of it as a 30-day test ride." That's about exactly how much time I've put on these tires so, let's see how they fared.


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A fast-rolling center tread is accompanied by taller side knobs.
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The tire is low-profile and quick but offers good traction in a variety of terrain.


Construction

The XR3 is designed to be versatile and fast rolling, and it's also the tire Trek specs on their new Top Fuel, among other bikes. The tire has a 120tpi casing, which is designed to give a better ride feel and be more soft and supple. The sidewalls are reinforced with Trek/Bontrager's 'Inner Strength Casing'. These casings are nylon inserts designed to reinforce the tire and add some durability without sacrificing ride quality.

The casing is fairly round with staggered taller knobs on the side and shorter, faster-rolling center blocks. The tread pattern is varied in size and depth, according to Bontrager, to better adapt to the terrain and give better traction. There are small sipes in the side and center knobs.

photo

When they set out to revise the XR3, the team at Bontrager wanted to make their "all-around" tire more versatile than it was previously. They took some cues from where XC racing is heading, and worked to make a tire that is quick, light, and capable.

With the XR2 and XR4 being more specific purposed tires than what Bontrager considered an all-arounder, the new XR3 takes the center tread of the fast-rolling XR2, and combines it with the side tread of the more aggressive XR4 trail tire. You can see in the diagram above the cues from each that were meshed together to form the XR3. Fast in a straight line with traction in corners and tech is a story as old as time, but the XR3 executes it well.


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Performance

The XR3's showed up ready to go on the new Top Fuel, and I've put several hundred miles in on them so far.

Mounted to Bontrager's Kovee Pro wheels, with a 29mm internal rim width and inflated to a generous 25psi, the tires measure a little narrower than the advertised 2.4" at 2.34". I typically run the tires at around 19-21psi in the front and a couple of pounds more in the back. I've run them as low as 16-17 psi in the wet.

Although it's been dusty and dry for the last couple of weeks, I have been caught in the rain with the XR3's as well. Wet roots and rocks were easy to navigate with slightly lowered pressures, and the tread pattern stayed very clear and clean in the muck.

While climbing, the tires offer heaps of traction on varied terrain and roll quickly. The casing is supple and seems to mold around roots and uneven soil. The tires have a smooth and compliant trail feel without feeling overly soft when pushing into turns or bounding through rocks.

Leaning from the center tread over to the side is seamless, and there's no question of when the tires are going to break traction. It's an intentional feeling, and there's always more traction than expected, which encourages faster and more aggressive riding. Hanging with friends on 160mm trail bikes and 2.5" Minions down some of the more technical descents around where I live is not an issue.

The big thing that stands out with these tires to me is the versatility. Bontrager have done a good job on making a tire that not only rolls quickly but can hang with heavier and more aggressive tires in technical terrain. The tires have an ample amount of traction in dry and loose soil and are very predictable.

After the time I've spent on the tires thus far, I am starting to see a little bit of wear on the knobs. They are losing some sharpness, but I would say that they are still at 85-90% of their tread life. Keep in mind, I've been rallying the bike down some pretty fast and technical terrain at times, which is sure to accelerate wear on any tire.

For a rider looking for a more aggressive setup that still rolls fast, the XR3 would work well as a rear tire paired with a meatier front tire like the XR4 or something similar.

Now, for the sake of comparison, since a lot of riders maybe aren't as familiar with Bontrager's tires, the XR3 falls in the same category as a Maxxis Ardent, Specialized Fast Trak, or Schwalbe's Racing Ralph and I prefer it over any of those options. As far as that 30-day test period is concerned, It's difficult to find a reason anyone riding the XR3 in proximity to its intended use will need to take Bontrager up on their guarantee.



Pros

+ Fast rolling and versatile
+ Excellent trail feel
Cons

- Limited size options




Pinkbike's Take
bigquotesFinding a quick rolling tire that still holds composure in more technical terrain is tricky, but the XR3 does a good job of being a true all-around XC and trail tire. Is it the right tire for riding the bike park or smashing into sharp rocks while choosing lines on a prayer? No. But if you're looking for something that can handle a wide variety of terrain, and you ride lots of miles in varied conditions, it's a great contender. Daniel Sapp







Author Info:
danielsapp avatar

Member since Jan 18, 2007
476 articles

108 Comments
  • 27 8
 Yes! This is going to be one of the best intermediate tyres out there! Bontrager kills it across the range. Been hoping for a Rock Razor with shorter side knobs since enduro semi slicks have too dramatic change from center to side as for a front tyre.
  • 9 1
 Bulk bought them and the XR4s in 26" when they were discontinued. Love em.
  • 9 47
flag thesharkman (Jun 4, 2019 at 2:14) (Below Threshold)
 Whatever floats your boat, roadie
  • 2 0
 @MonkeyPuzzle: wish I had done that - I'm desperately clinging on to my last set
  • 6 3
 @Ozziefish: same here with 26" XR2. They should bring back some for kids and slope style bikes
  • 8 0
 @WAKIdesigns: Or even just for the millions of 26'' bikes out there that still work fine? even if the wheels are too small...
  • 13 2
 @Ozziefish: Exactly! It's not like those millions of bikes disappeared. The LBS doesn't stock 26" tires any more which is silly since they sold thousands of customers bikes in that wheel size and now don't support them!? Dumb. And hey, since I have to order my tires online anyway I may as well grab some parts and accessories at the same time to save money and shipping cost.
  • 6 0
 Maybe its different in other countries, but I always keep a set of 26in XR4 on our tire wall.. I usually don't have any issues getting them... Now, I probably jinxed it...
  • 2 0
 @lumpy873: Good on you! Nice to see someone supporting us poor guys on 26ers Wink
  • 1 0
 Can't say I agree that the Rock Razor is too dramatic a difference between center and side knobs. I've been using the Rock Razor front and rear in dry-ish conditions on my 150/160mm trail bike for that past two seasons. Even completed a 50mi endurance event using this bike. It is skittish on top in damp conditions, true, but always hooks up through the corners. Overall very happy for trail riding. But for all out racing, maybe the Bontrager has the advantage...
  • 1 0
 @mountaincross: just my personal observation. It just turns into an on/off grip tyre on the front. Lots of grip but not much if any warning before it runs out.
  • 2 8
flag pwenger (Jun 4, 2019 at 21:25) (Below Threshold)
 WTF useless tire. Roll dat shit into oblivion...
  • 1 0
 The old asymmetrical cement mixer hey? Been saving my pennies for years.
  • 11 0
 XR3, the greatest hot hatch ever made. Aside from the RS1600i. And the XR3i.

What’s next, the Bontrager Supersport?
  • 2 0
 With a set of pepper pot alloys..... takes me back!!
  • 2 0
 Bontrager series one in white only.
  • 1 0
 I think the Pug 205 1.9GTi was a better car than the XR3i.
  • 1 0
 @betsie: I reckon the 309 GTi was the rival for the Escort. XR2i for the 205.
  • 1 0
 Group B tire.
  • 1 0
 @kiksy: my brother had the 309. Was scary the state it came back in after he wrapped it into a tree. Somehow he walked away pretty much without a scratch.
Others had the 205 1.6 and 1.9. 205 1.9 driver had 0 and 136 mph as his 2 speeds. Was scary.
  • 1 0
 @betsie: Prices of all of them now are crazy!
  • 8 0
 Would like to see this be in their SE lineup soon. This tire with a little more sidewall support and damage defence would be awesome.
  • 5 0
 Yes give us the this new tread in an SE3 29x2.6 and 29x2.4. Currently running the SE2 29x2.6 on my hardtrail and it's great.
  • 5 0
 Although I cannot attest to the newer XR3 I can say that when I swapped my XR4s for the newer 2019 XR4 the difference in traction was immediately apparent. Not only that but at 100kg I tend to have to air up pretty substantially to avoid burping and squirm, with the newer XR4 I can air down quite a bit. Unintentionally, I ran 20 psi in the rear 29x2.4 on my 29mm internal rim and didn't experience too much squirm, but I did almost roll the tire off a couple times during the ride, however it never burped. The 29x2.4 rear 29x2.6 front combo I'm running now are by far the grippiest tires I've ever run. My first ride on them I started pushing harder and harder until I actually freaked myself out a bit. The traction increase from the previous generation XR4s is impressive. I never felt like those tires left me asking for more, now I'd be underwhelmed if I went back to them. My only complaint is durability. I pinched the rear tire and had to add two bacon strips on a not too pointy rock. I was only running 23 or 24 psi but I didn't feel like I banged in too hard. The same day I crossed a rock garden and had to double bacon strip a big tread puncture.
  • 3 0
 I've been running this new XR3 as a rear tire on my Fuel Ex combined with a new XR4 in the front for about a month now. When I first got the tire, I was surprised how much less aggressive it looks than the previous XR3 tires I had on the bike. However, while riding Wisconsin singletrack, I've been very pleased with this new one. The grip is good and it rolls well as a rear tire. I've really had no complaints with it whatsoever. It seems to me that it breaks traction very predictably when I want i to, but sticks and holds a line no problem when I'm carrying more speed through a longer turn.
  • 3 0
 First thing I thought when I saw the tread was that they combined the Chupacabra (XR2) center with the XR4 shoulders.
Which seems like a decent idea for the tire that sits between them. Simple yet brilliant. Wish they made them in 29x3, might try one on the front of the Stache.
  • 1 0
 I can confirm that an xr4 on the front of a stache (I have the older miami green rigid stache 5) is an excellent combination.
  • 2 0
 Been running an 2.4 XR 4 up front for a year, love it - grippy and more importantly totally predictable. Put the DHR in back, where I could use the intermediate zone driftiness that tried to kill me when it was on the front to my advantage. But it's slow as hell uphill, so I think an XR3 is going on the back next. One ride now on a new 2.5 XR 4 up front. Doesn't seem like 1 step up in size should be such a game changer, but it is. Buttery smooth and so good...
  • 2 0
 I've had very good luck with XR2s over the past few years, mainly due to their flat resistance. I ran XR2's last year for every training ride and every race including the BC Bike Race, Nimby 50 etc. without one flat. The same cannot be said for any lightweight XC tires I've used in the past. I'm guessing the XR3's are even more reliable.
  • 2 0
 A Maxxis Rekon WT 2.4 looks to be about the same. Currently running that on the rear of my trail bike with an i29 rim and it works very well. For how well it rolls it can still handle rugged terrain, with both traction up and down, surprisingly well. Wonder how it would compare to the XR3? Biggest concern I'd have of the XR3 is how its casing would hold up. Its close to 100g lighter than the Rekon WT. I think an SE3 out back and an XR4 up front would be a fast but capable match. I'm also running the Rekon with a 3c so even though the knobs are not chunky the durometer hooks up when things are wet and slick. With a DHF up front the bike runs great.
  • 2 0
 These are 120tpi casings so they're going to be less puncture resistant than the 60tpi maxxis stuff. If you're doing chunky or rocky trail I'd look at the SE versions which have extra armor under the center tread.
  • 2 1
 I was hoping Bontrager would have went the other way with the XR3. Making it slightly more grippy similar to the fast rolling Aggressor while designating this design as the XR2. It seems like a big gap between the XR3 and XR4 now for those looking for an efficient aggressive trail/enduro rear tire.
  • 10 0
 I wouldn't hesitate to put this tire in the back in most trail/enduro situations. The tread pattern looks minimal but it has way more traction than you would expect in aggressive terrain.
  • 8 4
 @skylerdykes: XR4/SE4 over Aggressor anytime of the day. More predictable break away when cornering, faster rolling. lighter. Aggressor is Maxxis' patchwork for a rather shitty Minion SS. It is not bad, better than Hans Dampf but bonty beats it. I only with Bonty made Double Down kind of casing.
  • 2 0
 And Michelin Wild AM over XR4 anyday Wink
  • 2 0
 @slimjim1: to be fair, the xr4 is just trying to be a trail tire for the average rider on the average mountain bike. Fast rolling if you're used to a DHF/DHR2 combo and chunkier than a Ardent/IKON combo. It serves a nice middle ground, like a Nobby Nic, but it will last longer than a couple days of hard riding.
  • 4 1
 @slimjim1: I rode it. It rolls like Der Baron, read: like crap. Great for cornering and braking in soft ground but defo not an all rounder, especially for people cranking out miles. Not really a DC/XC/Trail tyre.

@yzedf: XR4 is not a tyre for riding park or slashing downhill trails. It'a a tyre for those who want to roll fast on short travel bikes or hardtails. A genuine Down Country tyre. It's lean over breakaway makes losing traction a joy. Completely outside of DHF DHR2 zone of influence. And for some reason folks use DH patterns on short travel bikes to lose all climbing advantage they theoretically have by cutting travel
  • 2 0
 The previous XR3 was a little more aggressive, but I'm thinking it kinda got lost in the shuffle..
  • 1 3
 @WAKIdesigns: thanks for saying what I just said. Bored today?
  • 2 2
 @yzedf: average rider for average mountain bike, erm... I don't really agree with that... any tyre will serve average rider on an average bike. Unlike Hans Dampf, nobby nic, MK2, Trail King or Ardent, saying: I like XR4 does not mean you are a Joey.
  • 1 3
 @WAKIdesigns: any tire huh? You're dimmer than I thought.
  • 3 0
 @yzedf: what? Are you playing “every whisky is a bourbon but no bourbon is a whisky” games with me?
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: Been running the SE5 up front and the SE4 out back for two years now. Pretty unstoppable setup when it comes to what you want from a front tire and rear tire combo.
  • 1 0
 @TheBearDen: i can imagine. I used to run G5 for park, but now changed to a weird mix DHF DD maxxgrip and Aggressor DD Dual with procore.
  • 3 0
 @danielsapp: Have you been riding these tires in your WNC stomping grounds? I'm in northeastern Tennessee and ride in North Carolina a lot. I like the sound of a tire that can handle wet, loose, dry, rock, root, horse turds and everything in between on a typical pisgah ride, and not weigh me down on the long fire road climbs.
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: To me it sounds like you haven't ridden it, because I've compared it to Nobby Nic, Purgatory, XR4, Forekaster and Ardent and TBH it felt like one of the faster rolling ones of the bunch. 3300kms done so far this year and I've taken the Wild AM on 100km rides as well (front only), no issues with weight or rolling. The XR4 was good, one of the better ones, but the only thing I really liked better about it was the volume and supple ride.

Note I am talking about the Wild AM which in 29er form is an 800gram trail tyre (with quite shallow and closely spaced centre tread). This is not the same as the Wild Enduro which is what I think you are referring to.
  • 3 0
 @leeazjr: oh yeah. Lots of Pisgah miles. Keeps pace with a 2.5 minion on Bennett or Mid Black. Faster on a lot of other stuff.
  • 2 0
 @WAKIdesigns: Have you ridden the XR5? It's not a slow tire at all. My XR4 are moldering in the closet because with XR5 there's no reason I can find to ride them.
  • 1 0
 @JohanG: they are a paper wall version of SE5 and G5. I have G5 as my DH tyre. And they roll terribly, even compared ot Minion DHF/SS combo - I know because I ride a long bit to the woods quite often (45mins) and reach it within 5minutes difference. When I rode once on G5 I was fricking knackered and it took me almost a full hour. Cool for bombing down trails, not sure if not better than DHR2 they mimmick, but defo not a choice for a short travel trail bike which XR4 is theoretically intended for. I also wouldn't run ?5 pattern with such thin sidewalls, too little stability for so much grip for me personally.
  • 1 1
 @WAKIdesigns: SE5 has the same sidewalls as XR5. They're quite stable.
  • 3 0
 @JohanG: thats not correct.

The XR model tires use 120 TPI casing and use Bontrager's Inner Strength casing its a more supple sidewall with some added protection but lighter then the SE models. Where as the SE model tires are 60 TPI and use Bontragers Core Strength casing that is in the sidewalls and sub-tread which gives the SE models far more sidewall support and overall more durability in general.

I have ridden both XR tires and SE tires and they are very very much different animals.
  • 1 0
 I've been converted to Bontrager Tires recently. Granted I'm using the XR4 up front but paired with a Michelin Force AM out back and it's an awesome combo for aggressive XC/Trail riding. I'd be confident dropping some techy stuff with it too. I thought about the XR3 up front, but wanted a bit more meat, I"m sure if I put the new XR3 out back it would compare favourable to the Force AM.
  • 3 0
 Bonty tires are way underrated! only thing that sucks is you can't seem to find them online outside of eBay or a Trek Dealer.
  • 2 0
 That's intentional. Trek specifically only supplies to dealers. They guarantee exclusivity and in return dealers don't worry about being undercut online by every single discounter or Amazon. If you want a Trek product you go to a Trek shop. I believe Specialized has a similar policy. Trek has direct to consumer sales, but you'll always pay full MSRP, unless there's a sale in which case your LBS will have it for the same price. That and a solid warranty is what Trek does to insulate their LBSs and keep them happy.m
  • 1 0
 @BikesBoatsNJeeps: All true. Though when there is a blowout sale, it's pretty massive. Such as the XR4 2.4 Team being sold last year on ebay for $45/pair. I definitely jumped in that!
  • 1 0
 @JohanG: I'm sort of insulated due to my shop employment. Trek really does a great job getting their product into the hands of LBS employees. No matter which frame I'm riding my buildouts are always Bontrager intense.
  • 1 0
 @BikesBoatsNJeeps: Do you know what happened with that XR4 blowout? I'd expect if Trek was protecting its dealer it would have dumpstered those tires instead of letting them go on the open market for below dealer cost. But maybe that's none of my business.
  • 2 0
 @JohanG: believe me, if Trek is selling them cheap on eBay, the dealer can still get them cheaper. Trek prefers us to be tight lipped, but the closeouts are pretty bonkers. Sometimes, if they're trying to make room in the distribution centers, or reduce SKUs they'll offer crazy deals.
  • 1 0
 I went with a XR4 front and XR3 rear a couple of years ago and loved them - so grippy and predictable despite being so light and fast rolling. my new bike came with the much heavier/meaty schwable magic mary/hans dampf combo and i am less confident on them. i'll be going back to Bontrager.
  • 5 0
 I wonder how it compares to a 2.4 Ikon?
  • 6 1
 It doesn't. Viva la Bontrager
  • 5 4
 I have an impression that ikon rolls faster than XR2 that this one is based on, but XR2 is more predictable in corners. It is insane what XR2 can deliver despite having such little knobs.
  • 2 3
 @WAKIdesigns: In the various rolling resistance tests the Ikons come out really badly... not far off a Hans Dampf

I absolutely love Bonty tyres. Do what they are supposed to with the minimum of fuss!
  • 5 0
 @BeardlessMarinRider: I doubt that considering how many people are racing on ikons.
  • 3 0
 @BeardlessMarinRider: Emily Batty used to run blacked out Ikons. I am pretty sure they roll faster than XR2 and defo faster than Hans Dampf. I run XR2 on my DJ and jumping on my friends bike with Kenda Small Block Eight which is very close to Ikon, I can tell XR2 rolls slower. I haven't ridden XR2 back to back with Ikon, but rode Ikons on friends XC 29er and they do roll fast. I wouldn't however run shorter Pace outside gravel road or pumptrack where nothing works anyways.
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: I'm running 2.6 XR2 back and 2.6 Rekon front. Only for about a month or so and so far so good, except for the most sketchy super steep (-30%+ grade). I wonder if XR3 will be a better match as a front tire, though I feel the Rekon has better center/braking knobs. The issue with Rekon and Maxxis is general size for size they are blow-up smaller to stated size compared to the Bontragers and many others. Will still need to wait for 2.6 version for the XR3 anyway.
  • 2 0
 @clink83 @WAKIdesigns
"Rolling resistance is very high, I totally did not expect this from a mountain bike tire with such a fast profile. At an air pressure of 25 psi, rolling resistance is 38.2 watts. When we compare this to, for example, a Racing Ralph or Race King, Rolling resistance per tire is 15 watts higher! That's pretty insane."

"While Rolling resistance is lower when compared to the Ikon Exception Silkworm, the Ikon 3C MaxxSpeed still can't compete on rolling resistance, when compared to mountain bike tires from other vendors."

www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/mtb-reviews

There were similar findings in one of the German magazines that tests these type of things too.

Granted they are lab tests and ability to conform to the ground actually improve rolling resistance when the surface isn't smooth. Other tyres like RR or NN still came out much better in those simulated rough tests elsewhere (I have a pdf somewhere if I can find it).

Food for thought if nothing else.
  • 1 0
 @BeardlessMarinRider: I take it on board then. Thank you for taking the time to post it.
  • 2 1
 @BeardlessMarinRider: those tests are next to useless unless you habitually ride on a steel drum. It gives you a good baseline to compare tire designs against a standard, but it doesn't tell anything about how a tire rides on dirt.
  • 1 0
 @WAKIdesigns: your mom has always been impressed with what i can deliver despite having such a little knob :-P
  • 2 0
 Ive been running XR3's for about 5 seasons now. I love them, great tread pattern, set up tubeless easy. very predictable in mixed conditions and all things considered very cheap and affordable.
  • 2 0
 Ya, this is timely for me... I'm about to replace my XR3's, and I was planning to go with XR2's, which I've run on other bikes and liked. But I really like the look of this new 3.
  • 3 0
 Total Bonty whore here. The limit of their traction is SO predictable! But seeing the faster tread pattern, I might buy a few OG XR3s for summer time front end duty.
  • 3 0
 Frank Stacy design? His tires are wicked fast. Everything varies for every rider and what they ride where. Figure that out. Imagine trying to compete in that market?
  • 1 0
 eb1888 is that you?
  • 1 0
 Would like to see it compared to a Rekon WT 2.4. Probably a bit faster rolling (the Bonti) but less grip on wet with its harder durometer. Also at almost 100g lighter maybe not as tough sidewalls. This XR3 looks way more like a XC tire than an aggressive trail/AM tire. That said Bonti tires do look nice, especially for the price.
  • 1 0
 Sounds like a great tire but I’m skeptical about Bontrager tires. Having the sidewall on my XR4 Team Issue rip open wasn’t fun. I’d like to try these out as they would be a great tire for my home trails, but after the success I’ve had with Schwalbe it’s hard to leave them for another company
  • 1 0
 My daughter has been running XR2 team issues here in the Uk for a while, and they are great. Light and fast. Plus I get them on discount, so they are a steal at around £27 a tyre.

But... we are in the Chilterns with lots of flints, and she has ripped the sidewalls in 2 of them in the past month. I wish they did a version with tougher sidewall protection. Even an XR3 tough version.
  • 3 0
 In my area, those have about as much grip as slicks. Dry loose gravel conditions.
  • 1 0
 What tires do you recommend for those conditions?, I have the same in my area.
  • 2 0
 @lcarlosayala07: Nothing is going to have absolute planted grip in loose conditions but more predictable cornering is a plus. Magic Mary is definitely one of the best front tires I have used for dry loose conditions. The knobs seem to penetrate through the loose stuff better. For rear, several tires have worked well for me, WTB Vigilante, Hans Dampf, and Magic Mary.
  • 2 2
 They seem to have made their version of a Maxxis Forekaster, which is great as that is a great tire. Everything in the review could be said for the forekaster as they have similar specs but the forekaster has more size options.
  • 4 1
 Kinda like an old Racing Ralph...Schwalbe Y'ALL f*ckED UP DISCONTINUING THAT TIRE, YA HEAR ME???
  • 3 0
 Hopefully they release it as an SE3...too much of a hack to run an XR casing on the rear.
  • 3 0
 We need a lighter casing Vittoria Morsa. It would be the ultimate intermediate tire.
  • 2 0
 29x2.4 only? Seems a bit big if they are gearing towards the xc crowd. I wonder of this would even fot on the back of my blur?
  • 2 0
 I'm running one of these on the rear and it measures quite a bit smaller than the old XR3.
  • 4 0
 29 x 2.6 please
  • 1 0
 Yes, please
  • 1 0
 I will never use again 120 TPI tyre at the back. 120 TPI tires looks like Oscar from sesame street after 2 months in the mountain trails I ride.
  • 3 0
 Ardent...the death dealer.
  • 2 0
 Xr4 up front with the xr3 in the back is the best combo. I've been running that for multiple seasons.
  • 1 0
 I wonder how this compares to the Vittoria Barzo or Mezcal? Trying to decide what summer rubber front and back to put on my sb100
  • 1 0
 Barzos are a pretty killer all around xc tire. Conti Xkinsg are similar and a good choice too.
  • 2 0
 I'd put it on par with the Mezcal. Mezcal side knobs are fairly aggressive for an xc tire (which is why I think they released the Terreno in 29). Mezcal has a faster rolling center tread but less braking and climbing traction.
  • 3 0
 Bontrager Rekon Race
  • 1 0
 ive just finished 200 miles on one in the back with a butcher up front and im in love with it.
  • 1 0
 Maxxis Minion SS for me, love them tall side knobs
  • 1 0
 Anyone know how this compares to a Maxxis Forekaster?
  • 1 0
 Forecasters roll slower but washout less.
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