Vee Rubber has been quietly producing tires for other brands for more than 30 years, but the company is no longer content to hide in the background. With 19 mountain bike patterns and six fat bike options already available, it's making a big aftermarket push for 2014 with several new models.
Vee Rubber sales and marketing man Tony Degollado claims the company's tires are on par with the likes of those from Maxxis, Kenda, and other big brands in terms of quality and performance. And with one fewer step in the supply chain the retail prices are much lower: typically US$42-55/£27-35 instead of US$80/£52.
Casing options range from 27-120tpi, treads are available in single, dual, and extra-soft 'Tackee' compounds, certain models are available in tubeless-ready and true UST versions, and intended applications cover the gamut from cross-country to downhill. Vee Rubber looks to be impressively ahead of the curve size-wise, too, with 13 models available in 650b/27.5in.
Among the more interesting looking treads is the Trail Taker, which uses relatively tall and widely spaced lugs and a stout shoulder but with an aggressive center ramp that promises a reasonably fast roll.
The Vee Rubber Trail Taker
All-round options include the Volt, Master Blaster, Mission, and Trax, while the Vee series uses the same general knob shape throughout but with progressively smaller sizes and tighter spacing depending on where you sit on the speed vs traction spectrum.
BikeRadar are planning on bringing in some test tires shortly, so stay tuned for a ride report on how Vee Rubber stacks up to the more established competition.