Michelin have partnered with Fabien Barel to design a range of mountain bike tyres specifically for the burgeoning enduro market.
We headed to TransProvence country with a view to spending two days testing the fruits of this partnership. Time and the riding conditions kept us on the Wild Rock’R2 tyre, which is designed for more extreme terrain, but with four tyres in the range, Michelin have created tyres for all enduro eventualities. The tyres will be available in April 2014 with US and UK prices to be confirmed.
The Wild Rock’R2 tyre will be available in all three wheel sizes and is 2.35in wide. It’s tubeless ready and available in either the Magi-X Series (for front tyre use) or Gum-X Series (recommended for the rear) compounds. Magi-X is the tackier of the two and recommended to be used on the front, while Gum-X is a dual compound and better suited on the rear.
Michelin Wild Rock'R 2
We’ll bring you a First Ride review on the Rock’R2 very soon.
Next up is the aptly-named Wild Mud. It’s available in 650B (27.5in) and 29in options and has a mud slicing 2.25in carcass. It features the stickier, slow-rebounding Magi-X compound. The Mud is a tyre best suited to use as a front tyre, ideally mated to a Rock’R2 at the rear. The lugs on the tread are designed to be cut down to decrease rolling resistance when needed.
Michelin Wild Mud tyre
The Wild Grip’R is Michelin’s mixed terrain tyre. It's available in both the front-friendly and stickier Magi-X compound (650B/27.5in only) and the Gum-X compound (all three wheel sizes), which is more suited to the rear.
Finally, for drier conditions, there’s the Wild Race’R. This is a rear-specific tyre available in all wheel sizes, in the harder Gum-X compound only.
The range has a tyre to suit the various conditions that present themselves in enduro competitions, but the big question remains: how will they fare on the kind of trails we regularly ride?
