The H-Factor’s tread was designed, at least in part, by a guy from Rage Against The Machine, which is presumably why they’re not X-Factors instead.
We’re fans of RATM and simple square treads, and the cutouts that make each H give you many working edges without excessively small and potentially wobbly tread blocks.
The stability of the deep shoulder blocks is impressive, making these confident in the corners. Ramped centre blocks make for fast rolling if average braking, and the tyre worked best on the back for us.
At 835g for the 2.35in it’s no lightweight, but the upside is plenty of sidewall to ward off rock (and roll) damage. The DTC compound is good and there’s a softer Stick-E version, but the latter only comes with a wire bead and downhill casing. Going the other way there’s a lighter 2.1 DTC, and a 29x2.2 is in the works.
This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.