Michelin Wild Grip'r Tire - 29in
Modern mountain bike tires have to be versatile, as it's increasingly difficult and expensive to switch tires for different conditions. To bridge the elusive gap between buff singletrack, greasy trails, and rocky terrain, the 29-in Wild Grip'r Tire relies on a new tread design and Michelin's respected rubber expertise. A low-profile, high-durometer tire equals fast-paced fun on hard packed trails. Inversely, if that tire finds itself in mud, deft handling skills are required to keep the rubber-side down. The slightly elongated center knobs that are found on this Wild Grip'r 29er provide efficiency and control by resisting deflection under acceleration and braking on packed dirt. Yet, they're space well enough to still bite and shed on the opposite end of the spectrum. That's one way that the Wild Grip'r covers two extremes, and another is its transition knobs. These intermediate blocks are siped and variable, so they conform to irregular terrain. Meanwhile, reinforced side lugs deform less and give a positive indication of traction limits. And like the center knobs, these are all spaced to prevent traction loss due to buildup. Optimized tread is only part of the tire equation, and as aforementioned, Michelin chose a compound specific to this multi-purpose tire. This engineered rubber composite has a durometer of 63a, which marginally favors hard packed trails over grip for increased longevity. The casing is a single ply with a TPI count of 60 in order to increase durability without weighing things down. The Michelin Wild Grip'r 29in Tire has a folding Aramid bead and is available in a 29x2. 25-inch size. Please note that this tire is tubeless-ready, but it does not include either tire sealant or rim tape.