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Michelin Wild Race'r Ultimates

2K views 0 replies 1 participant last post by  Silentfoe 
#1 ·
Just a quick review

Spec's:
1@455g and 1@467g (lightest mtb tires I've ever had or seen)
Claimed width of 2.0 inches, actual width of 1.95 inches.
I reached this measurement after a week or so with the tires installed on 24mm wide carbon rims and set up tubeless with Stans. They initially measured 1.87 inches with tubes on the same rims.
They set up tubeless with some difficulty but once they set on the rim, they were on there good and sealed up quickly with very little air maintenance required for the next few days.

I bought these tires with the intent to use them for the 18 hours of Fruita. Think hard pack trail with some sections of moondust sand and very little gravel.

My initial impression is FAST! After mounting up the tires, I did a quick ride. It involved 3 miles of pavement to get to the trail head. I was doing 18mph without trying very hard. That is road bike speeds! On the trail they are just as fast. I was tentative at first because I was untrusting of the side knobs and their cornering ability. They do fine in the corners and are fortuneately predictable on when they'll break loose. You obviously can't lay them over very far but they work fine for what they are.

In Fruita I felt like I was cheating with these tires. They handled all the corners very well and obviously held their speed like nothing else.

Once the race was over, the next day we rode Horsethief and Rustlers in Fruita and then went and did the Klondike trails in Moab. I never changed tires and was a bit nervous riding some of the rougher rock trails. I didn't need to be, the tires did great.

The sidewalls have held up just great and don't even have a nick on them. The knobs are not showing severe signs of wear and at this point, I probably have close to 200 miles on them.

The downsides? Braking sucks! They carry so much speed that if you come in hot on a corner, you'll blow straight through it. If the dirt is softer, they'll brake better but on loose over hard, you'll just keep going. Also, they are obviously a narrow tire, you need to learn to ride this tire through corners, it does have a learning curve.

Overall? I highly recommend this tire. I am very pleased with the overall performance and durability. For race days, it is probably the best tire I've ever tried with fewer drawbacks compared to similar tires. You buy this tire with the knowledge that you are getting a super fast, light weight tire. Don't expect much else from it and you'll be happy. I plan on keeping a set of these ready to go at all times. They will definitely come off for regular trail riding.

Good luck out there!
 
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