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WTB Judge TCS Tough Fast Rolling 29 x 2.4in tyre review

An aggressive tyre that works best on the rear

Our rating

4

84.00
58.00

Ian Linton / Immediate Media

Published: January 25, 2021 at 5:08 pm

Our review
Fantastic carcass support in turns and great grip across a wide range of conditions

Pros:

Plenty of traction on offer, even with the Fast Rolling compound; stable carcass in the turns, aiding traction on hardpack

Cons:

Impossible to get it to permanently seal – although might not affect everyone

As WTB’s most aggressive rear tyre, the Judge has large central knobs that alternate between long and wide to blend braking performance and reduced rolling resistance. The outer knobs are designed to be supportive for corning grip and stability.

For maximum traction, WTB recommends it's paired with a Verdict up front.

  • Weight: 1,352g
  • Width: 2.22in (measured on 30mm rim)
  • Best suited: Rear, for support and grip

WTB Judge TCS Tough Fast Rolling 29 x 2.4in tyre performance

The Judge had a fairly rounded profile on my 30mm test rims, which helped to provide consistent and predictable cornering grip.

There was so much traction available, I struggled to get them to drift unless really coerced, and lean angles were easy to reach and maintain on the tyre’s edge.

The transition from grip to slip was smooth, too, and once traction had broken they were easy to control.

WTB Judge TCS Tough Fast Rolling mountain bike tyre
The central blocks create amazing braking traction. - Ian Linton / Immediate Media

The aggressive tread pattern and relatively soft compound give this tyre all-round grip across different terrain types, and they were competent enough to tackle slimy terrain as well.

The knobs didn’t deform like really soft rubber – which surprisingly didn’t hinder traction on hardpack – instead they bit into the ground to provide grip.

The massively stable carcass helped here, too, because I was able to run the tyres at lower pressures before they began to squirm.

Braking traction was superb on both soft and hard ground, and they also rolled well thanks to the central blocks sitting higher than the rest of the tyre.

WTB Judge TCS Tough Fast Rolling mountain bike tyre
The Judge rear tyre can be paired with a WTB Verdict on the front for a grip-focused combo. - Ian Linton / Immediate Media

Unfortunately, I struggled to get the tyre to fully seal on the 30mm wide rims, despite it seating easily when inflated to 30psi using only a track pump.

It leaked air during the test process and needed constantly topping up, but it's unlikely everyone will experience this problem.

WTB Judge TCS Tough Fast Rolling 29 x 2.4in tyre overall

The Judge is an impressive rear tyre that provided exceptional grip and carcass support across a range of conditions.

How we tested

We pitted 10 all-mountain/enduro tyres against each other on a host of conditions, testing back-to-back on the same trails, to find out which one we think is worth your time and money.

The five pairs of tyres were all fitted on the same 30mm (internal width) rims and inflated to similar pressures, with slight variances to reflect tyre volume.

Also tested

Product

Brandwtb
Price58.00 GBP,84.00 USD
Weight1352.0000, GRAM (29x2.4) -

Features

br_TPI60
FeaturesCompound: TriTec Compound