The 29-4 Team is a tough, aggressively treaded trail tyre that’s suited to just about any condition you’ll find. Corners are immediately and confidently dealt with by the prominent twin row of side lugs, while the supportive centre tread rolls onwards without bringing on too much sweat.
The only real downside is its weight. You really can feel it when getting the bike up to speed, or when the terrain requires some fast direction changes. This was particularly evident when coming from a lighter tyre such as the Specialized Ground Control – the Team just feels a bit sluggish, and dampened a lot of fun from the ride.
The extra mass helps protect the tyre for more rocky and hardwearing riding, though, so if that’s your regular terrain then the Bontrager is worth considering.
As with all of their tyres, Bontrager offer a 30-day guarantee, which means you can return it if you’re not happy with the performance. If you’re wavering as to whether this one’s for you, it’s worth keeping that in mind.
This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.