WTB Ranger TCS Light Fast Rolling tyre review
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WTB Ranger TCS Light Fast Rolling tyre review

A fast-rolling tyre with a supple carcass and grippy compound that works well in many conditions, making it a good fit-and-forget option for trail riders

Our rating

3

60.00
73.00
50.00

David Arthur / Immediate Media

Published: November 18, 2020 at 1:08 pm

Our review
A good all-round tyre that excels in most situations, best-suiting the trail rider wanting a fast-rolling tyre

Pros:

Easy to fit and inflate with good braking and cornering traction

Cons:

Not very light for an XC tyre

The WTB Ranger tyre was originally conceived as a reliable and durable tyre for bikepacking that was only available in plus-sized options, but its remit has since morphed to include a raft of options, making it suitable for XC and trail riding.

The Ranger TCS Light Fast Rolling has a low profile tread and a choice of compounds and casings.

WTB Ranger TCS Light Fast Rolling 29 x 2.25in details

WTB has designed the Ranger as a fit-and-forget tyre that is claimed to provide good grip in a range of conditions from hardpack to loose and mud, and is suitable for XC and trail riding.

Aligned rows of tightly spaced blocks should provide speed in a straight line and bigger shoulder lugs should dig into the ground on corners.

It’s available in 27.5in and 29in diameters with four width options from 2in up to 2.6in, with different sidewall and rubber compounds.

The 29 x 2.25in TCS Light Fast Rolling tyre tested here weighs 707g and it installed without fault using a floor pump on DT Swiss XR1501 wheels.

Great for…

  • Using as a front or rear tyre
  • All-round use in a wide range of conditions
  • Pairing with a lighter weight rear tyre for improved speed

WTB Ranger TCS Light Fast Rolling 29 x 2.25in performance

The 2.25in width Ranger is on the burlier end of the XC spectrum and should appeal to trail riders wanting a lightweight and fast-rolling tyre when clearance is tight for the bigger 2.4in version.

Despite its chunky appearance, it’s a decently fast-rolling tyre thanks to the closely packed central blocks and reasonably low profile design.

Traction on climbs is boosted by the wide rectangular central blocks and the same is true when braking hard into corners. This means you can really lean on these tyres at speed.

WTB Ranger TCS Light Fast Rolling mountain bike tyre
The traction of the tyre brings grip on a range of trails. David Arthur / Immediate Media

The chunky shoulder knobs and smaller transitional knobs give a predictable feel when leaning into corners compared to more lightweight XC race tyres, too.

They’re not direction-specific like some tyres, but worked well on front and rear wheels.

The rubber compound performs well across a range of conditions from hard ground to dusty trails and sloppy mud, compared to lightweight XC race tyres. The closely packed blocks don’t clog up badly in the mud and clear well ready for the next technical challenge.

WTB Ranger TCS Light Fast Rolling mountain bike tyre
Being a little heavy for an XC race tyre, these might better suit a trail rider looking for some fast-rolling rubber. David Arthur / Immediate Media

Being the lighter of the casing options, the tyre has a nice supple forgiveness when dealing with impacts and they generally felt smooth on the trail. But at 707g they are heavier than most XC tyres, so with that in mind they’ll probably suit trail riders more than out-and-out racers.

WTB Ranger TCS Light Fast Rolling 29 x 2.25in bottom line

A versatile, do-it-all tyre that finds grip on a range of trails with good cornering and braking traction. It lets you push harder than some lightweight tyres, but they are on the heavy side for an XC tyre if speed is your primary concern.

How we tested

We pitted 10 of the best cross-country-style tyres against each other to find out which we think is worth your time and money.

Also tested

Product

Brand wtb
Price 60.00 EUR,50.00 GBP,73.00 USD
Weight 707.0000, GRAM (29x2.25in) -

Features

br_TPI 60
Features Compound: Dual DNA

Casing: Single-ply 60 tpi