How often do you think about your bike’s tyres? Really good riders think about their tyres all the time. Why? Because your tyres are the crucial connection between your bike and the trail. Fortunately, the engineers and bike-riding gurus at Bontrager have done all the tyre thinking and have segmented their tyres into easy-to-choose categories – as follows…
It may not seem obvious, but there is a lot of technology, research and development that goes into high performance mountain bike tyres. As a global top-tier tyre brand, Bontrager is at the forefront in the regard. The American brand has taken what can be a complex segment and simplified it so that you can quickly determine which tyre is best for your kind of riding.
In South Africa, there’s a wide range of mountain biking options that include ultra-distance riding/racing on gravel roads, marathon and ultra-marathon racing on a range of terrain, including gravel, sand and stones; and XCO and Enduro riding/racing on rocky, rooty and rutty…
Here’s an at-a-glance guide to your ideal Bontrager Tyre for South African mountain bikers:
Bontrager XR Team Issue TLR: Ideal for Gravel, marathon and XCO riding/racing.
Note: Table best viewed in landscape on a mobile device
| MODEL & DESCRIPTION | XR4
Incredible traction and cornering for loose and rocky trails, wet or dry. |
XR3
Fast-rolling with fierce traction, the redesigned XR3 is a do-it-all trail tyre that is ready for the races.
|
XR2
A versatile and fast race-ready tyre that excels in loose-over-hard pack terrain.
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XR1
An ultra-fast rolling TLR cross country race tyre designed to rail dry and dusty conditions. |
| CONDITIONS | Loose, rocky | Wide variety | Loose over hardpack, firm | Wide variety |
| RSA LOCATIONS | Waterberg Trails
Cederberg Trails Some Eastern Cape Trails Some Gauteng Trails Most Lesotho Trails |
Most Gauteng Trails
Most Western Cape Trails Eastern Cape Trails Dry KZN & Mpumalanga Trails |
Gauteng Trails
Dry KZN & Mpumalanga Trails Karoo Trails Most KZN Trails Lowveld Trails, Mpumalanga Most Eastern Cape Trails
|
Gravel roads anywhere in South Africa
Most dry, manicured trails in South Africa. |
| TREAD | Aggressive allround | Varying with aggressive side knobs | Fast-rolling | Fast-rolling |
| PUNCTURE PROTECTON | Inner Strength | Inner Strength | Inner Strength | Inner Strength |
| TUBELESS READY | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CASING | 120 TPI | 120 TPI | 120 TPI | 120 TPI |
| SIZES & WEIGHTS | 29x 2.4 = 780g | 27.5x 2.8 = 842g
29x 2.2 = 635g 29x 2.4 = 755g |
29x 2.2 = 630g
29x 2.35 = 675g 29x 2.6 = 745g 29x 3.0 = 850g |
29×2.2 = 650g |
| PRICE | R980 | R980-R1400 | R880-R1500 | R880 |
XR1: An ultra-fast rolling TLR cross country race tyre designed to rail dry and dusty conditions.
XR2: A versatile and fast race-ready tyre that excels in loose-over-hard pack terrain.
XR3: Fast-rolling with fierce traction, the redesigned XR3 is a do-it-all trail tyre that is ready for the races.
XR4: Incredible traction and cornering for loose and rocky trails, wet or dry.
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Bontrager SE Team Issue TLR: Ideal for Enduro and rugged trail riding.
Note: Table best viewed in landscape on a mobile device
| MODEL & DESCRIPTION | SE5
Severe traction for the most aggressive conditions, yet light enough to climb back up.
|
SE4
Custom made for Enduro racing, with DH toughness and all-mountain speed.
|
| CONDITIONS | Loose, rocky & wet | Loose, rocky |
| RSA LOCATIONS | Most rocky, loose Western Cape, Gauteng & Mpumalanga Trails | Most rocky, loose trails in Western Cape, Gauteng, Limpopo & KZN |
| TREAD | Aggressive allround | Aggressive allround |
| PUNCTURE PROTECTION | Core Strength | Core Strength |
| TUBELESS READY | Yes | Yes |
| CASING | 60 TPI | 60 TPI |
| SIZES & WEIGHTS | 29x 2.3 = 990g | 29x 2.4 = 905g
29x 2.6 = 1065g |
| PRICE | 1400 | R1200 |
SE4: Custom made for Enduro racing, with DH toughness and all-mountain speed.
SE5: Severe traction for the most aggressive conditions, yet light enough to climb back up.
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Bontrager incorporates its own market-leading technology in its tyres to ensure they perform to the highest standards, have optimal traction, offer appropriate puncture protection and most important of all, are trustworthy.
Core Strength Casing is made from a lightweight nylon insert that provides strong, supple sidewall protection for added tyre durability and support, while T-M Grip Compound is Bontrager’s proprietary compound designed for traction. Soft dual-compound bites into corners and with added durability on the centre tread, while the 120 TPI construction gives you great tyre feel.
For more on Bontrager’s mountain bike tyres, check out How to Choose a Mountain Bike Tyre.
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