Have ridden these for donkeys with no complaints – they just do the job with the exception of winter when the mud x come out.

Get a bit of stick from my riding buddies who are on the ubiquitous Maxxis.

Yes the go faster red stripe is silly but is that reason enough?

Would welcome your thoughts on why these tyres are sneered at!

DC

Fire XC Pros? Personally I found them to be middling at most things, but never outstanding. Also, the bead was incredibly loose on the ones I had, to the point that they started ripping valves off innner tubes when I braked hard.

But tbh I suspect there’s more than a little “haha, they’re not the latest whizzbang thing” at play…

Similar here, good, reasonably quick, but not great tyres for corner grip. Same ‘flappy bead’ here, and the three I had all tore within a half dozen rides in the Peak… 🙁

As an all rounder I think they’re great but no 29er version now sadly. If you get on with them keep em. A mate of mine swears by 1.8 Trailblasters and has bought up a good stock to keep him going, rides everything on them

reliable 3 season tyre, but as above seen a lot go baggy and end up ripping valves out, no good tubeless.

i used to get ones that were all black, which looked better but just didnt last…

I use them as my ‘winter’ tyre, they work fine for me. 🙄

no good tubeless.

There is a UST version, which I’ve used with no probs.

Andy

I think they’re heavy for the level of grip they offer. They’re an average XC tyre, nearly 600g isn’t good IMO.

They clog quite badly, and they seem to collapse in the corners.

They work fine for me in all kinds of conditions, but I ride a boardman so fashion is clearly not an issue for me.

I tried them and found them to be some of the worst grip tyres I’d ever come across.

Fwiw, I think they’re pretty good. I wonder if the bad rep they get has a little to do with the cheap nasty version that comes in at the entry level.

I’ve run the pro kevlar version and UST. I find them reasonable in most conditions, including mud, but never outstanding. I have some high rollers that are rubbish in some conditions where the fire cross are good, but then they are outstanding elsewhere. You can’t ghetto the non-UST version, but the UST variant is worth the extra IMO.

Swings and roundabouts really. If you want a tyre that you can run all year round because you CBA swapping then they’re a good choice IMHO.

OP – What style of bike are you riding? I use them on my hardtail, as gingerss says, they’re a good all-rounder. (UST Version has the best puncture resistance I’ve come across in a 2.1 tyre too).
I wouldn’t use them on my trail full-sus though, that’s where I’d be fitting something a little wider and with more bite for the corners.

Average grip, quite slow rolling, pretty narrow and they go baggy quickly.

They were one of the better tyres on the market when they came out, Probably 15 years ago… Things have moved on quite considerably since then, possibly more so with tyres than many other aspects of a mountain bike, and most of the riding public has followed suit.

If you like them though, and you’re a die hard anti fashion snob, then far be it for me to stop you using them! They’re considerably better than plenty of other tyres that were ridiculously popular for one reason or another (Tioga DH anyone!) even if they’re not as good as more modern offerings.

gave up in about 04, ripped shredded pinch flats the works

More time fixing things than riding some days. Went to Maxxis never looked back (until I got some Fat Alberts to play with)

I just don’t like the red stripe. 😉

The red stripe is an issue for me…but I’ve a Fire XC somewhere that does just fine as a rear tyre, paired with a Cinder up front.

I’ve also bought myself a couple of Rampages, which are turning out to be excellent.

paired with a Cinder up front.

Cinders!! you could tear them getting the label off!

Thinking back they were crap in corners and on straights

they belong on a 2002 marin…which i presume you own.
I suggest you try some rocket rons tubeless in 2.25 and you will be pleasantly suprised

the red stripe matches the red bits o. my bike. My mud x haven’t.come.of this year yet though.

Interesting thoughts.

I use the kevlar version – not too heavy – puncture resistant – wear well – go well in all conditions apart from mud. Just adjust the psi depending on the ride.

I have tried conti’s and maxis but just keep coming back to this classic design.

You also get a go faster stripe!

Having said that I had bar ends on my riser bars till very recently.

Ride a yeti asr5 by the way – i think the fire x pros complement it perfectly.

Fit and forget – whats not to like

I think they are the best tyres I have ridden, brilliant all rounder and excellent grip, last well and they are easy to fit on the rims without any effort and cracking price for it.

Great tyres, 10/10 from me.

hayway everyone – it clearly depends how hard you ride, how heavy and fast you are.

Pootle and they’ll stay well, blast and a heavy rider will destroy them.

I recently tried Cinders,but having had Nobby Nics and Racing Ralphs wondered why I need to lug around an extra 100g per end with no additional benefit so swapped back.

Ride a yeti asr5 by the way – i think the fire x pros complement it perfectly.

Makes me chuckle inside when I see people riding on a £3k+ bike fitted with outdated narrow tyres on. Each to their own and all that, but given that they’re the only contact patch the bike has with the ground, the tyres probably more than any other component can affect the way the bike rides. I’d far rather be out on a cheap hardtail frame fitted with some Black Chili Rubber Queens (my current favourite, and I’m a bit of a tyre swapper or can be), than on an all singing all dancing high end carbon full sus bike with rubber that was designed 15 years ago. Like I said, theyre not bad, there’s just far better out there!

I think they are the best tyres I have ridden

Exactly how many other tyres (and what were they) have you ridden? I’m guessing not many!

mboy – have tried kenda’s, contis, maxxis, bonti’s – in fact i have tried a whole host of tyres – more than i care to mention.

The conti’s were top of the range race kings – black chilli protection etc etc – only problem being they punctured all the time and were franckly hazadous on anything that had a hint of moisture.

I do what all my mates do (well most of the time) and never have a problem despite the outdated design.

Funny how they keep on selling.

DC

Nb the frame is aluminium!

big g – loving the boardman – stripes and all!

DC

Lots of people I know run Fire XCs; they seem to be pretty good if heavy and an old design (but then Panaracer don’t seem to bring out new tyres all that often). I ran my set into the ground; the Bonty Mud X’s that were a temporary ‘winter’ replacement are still on the bike 18 months later…

Andy

Still got a pair that I’ve had for years & occasionally put them on the bike – Grip is decent enough but rolling speed is pretty slow,even compared to heavier tyres imo…..

mboy – have tried kenda’s, contis, maxxis, bonti’s – in fact i have tried a whole host of tyres – more than i care to mention.

The conti’s were top of the range race kings – black chilli protection etc etc – only problem being they punctured all the time and were franckly hazadous on anything that had a hint of moisture.

Other than the Conti’s, you don’t mention which specific tyres in their ranges. No one manufacturer makes entirely good tyres, there are a number of turkeys in each range you’ve mentioned.

Conti Race Kings are very good for what they’re designed for. Winning XC races in dry dusty conditions. For much beyond that, they’re not ideal. They’re a very conditions specific tyre. One of my favourite tyres is the Hutchinson Cobra, cos for what it is it’s bloody grippy and it’s silly quick, but it’s not designed to work in the wet at all which means it stays off the bike unless conditions are bone dry!

If you get the chance, try out a set of Conti Rubber Queen’s in 2.2″ in Black Chili compound. They’re definitely a big step on from the Fire XC Pro’s, and like the Panaracers, are designed to be an “all round” tyre rather than a conditions specific one. Maxxis Advantages in 2.1″ or 2.25″ and Kevlar/60a compound (not the cheaper harder ones) would also be a good all round bet that will be better than the Fire XC Pro.

darkcyan – Member
big g – loving the boardman – stripes and all!

DC

Cheers dude, I really like it too although it’s not exactly showroom standard, took a fair bit of upgrading & fettling to get it “just so”

m boy – thanks for the advice – good to hear what other riders rate – which is really what this thread is all about.

Sometimes i wonder if i shouldn’t just ride the mud x’s all year round – though they do wear quickly in the dry.

Friend has donated a high roller so may stick that up front to see what all the fuss is about.

It will have to be good to out perform the fire x imo.

It will have to be good to out perform the fire x imo.

Prepare to be amazed…

Sometimes i wonder if i shouldn’t just ride the mud x’s all year round – though they do wear quickly in the dry.

Too slow, too narrow, wear out too quickly. Great for muddy conditions, but for about 10 months of the year (ok, right now they’d be perfect!) they’re not ideal. Total opposite of a Conti Race King if you like.

Friend has donated a high roller so may stick that up front to see what all the fuss is about.

It will have to be good to out perform the fire x imo.

What size? If it’s a 2.1, or even a 1.9, they’re not much to write home about. If it’s a 2.35, it will be miles better than the Panaracers just about everywhere.

Once you’ve ridden some really good tyres, you’ll wonder why you never bothered experimenting a bit more before hand.

Actually, if you’re interested, got a pair of Bontrager ACX 2.2’s in almost new condition that I’m selling. They’re similar width and style to a Fire XC Pro, but they’re faster, lighter and grippier for definite. Email is in my profile if you’re interested… Not after a huge amount for them…

I broke my collar bone using fire xcs . One second the front was there then it wasn’t.
Also a total nightmare to clean if your bike lives indoors.

zippykona – sorry to hear about your accident – hope you recovered well – a classic bike injury!

What did you change to tyre wise.

In fact would be interesting to know if all you guys are changing your tyre combos or have one fit and forget option for three seasons (whatever that means in the uk.)

I noticed that schwalbe have a conditions chart which tells you their recommended combo, front and rear. Seems to me ,especially if you run tubeless, you will spend more time in the shed than on the trails taking this approach.

mboy – think they may be the 2.1’s but will need to check. Whatever size it is, its going on the front wheel this weekend for a try out. Funnily enough if you look at the fire x and the high roller – they dont look totally different – though i suspect the rubber is of a higher quality on the HR.

DC

After embracing what was then cutting edge technology I went back to the smoke/dart combination and stuck with them ever since. Wish they did them in 29.

I went back to the smoke/dart

As much directional bite as the Dart had, I used to find that even with V Brakes when they first came out back end of 1996 that the Dart wasn’t that good under braking. Too much of a directional tyre, not enough braking bite on it for sure.

The Smoke was grippy mind, but a pretty slow tyre from what I remember.

I rode Fire XC Pros for most of the late 90s and early 00s. All in the Peak District.
At the time they were one of the few lightish tyres that I could run at lowish pressures without rim puncturing all the time.

If they did a slightly wider version, I’d probably give them a go to be honest.

In between I tried Nobby Nics, Vertical Pros, Mountain Kings and didn’t really find them any better for the riding I do.
In the end I’ve settled on Ardent EXOs 2.25 being the all-rounder replacement for me.

I still have the Fire XCs as spares which I occasionally use. The width is the limiting factor for me.

Ive written on this before on another thread, my take on it is that the fire xc is a great beginners tyre that will get you through most day to day trail riding without any issues.

The problems for me come when you start riding faster on it and then you encounter its two major weaknesses (IMO)

Hard compound

Very little grip cornering when lent onto its edge

my tyre of choice is a 2.35 kevlar bead high roller but they will only suit you once you have the confidence to really lean the bike over in the corners and get onto the edge knobbles