Just been looking at skinwall tyres, but got no experience of the new and improved Onza tyres. They don't appear to be cheap, but the on-paper numbers look like they reflect the price.
Anyone any experience?
(I assume, like Onza bikes in the UK, the name has been bought in the US)
I've got some Canis 27.5 skinwalls.
I haven't really had the chance to give them a proper thrashing, but they look v cool, v retro.
Can't help on Onza but I have just fitted some skinwall Ardents. A couple of rides and I'm happy.
I liked Ardents already on another bike but wanted some retrotastic skinwalls for my Cotic.
Had/have ibex's on the jeffsy. Left the rear one on but removed the front for a dhf.
Not too bad in the dry but the knobs aren't particularly deep so would struggle in anything like mud.
They are a proper size though and reasonably light for what they are. Roll pretty well too but at the expense of grip.
As above my Jeffsy came with some Ibex front and rear. As a front tyre in FOD the thing is border line lethal. Just swapped it out for a magic Mary, as a rear is ok but traction is poor on technical climbing in anything other than bone dry conditions
Onza Ibex.. Was ok in the dry.. lethal on wet roots.. Be warned
This Onza is Swiss iirc. God knows that brand name has had a time of it. I've used Canis and Lynx tyres and been very happy with them. Good combo of grippy, light and tough. Oh, and went up tubeless with no fuss!
Ibex 2.4 is a hr2 copy proper 2.4 width i really like it
good intermediate tyre, not too bad in mud, and not that bad on wet roots ime lots of compounds/casings ive got a sticky freeride one thats pretty good
Thanks all.
So basically pretty good, just don't run an Ibex on the front?
I liked Ardents already on another bike but wanted some retrotastic skinwalls for my Cotic.
I've had them too and like them, especially for this time of year. The Onza range appears to cover more wheel sizes and widths too, which could be a benefit.
This Onza is Swiss iirc.
That rings a bell. 🙂
The Ibex comes as stock on quite a lot of bikes, it's just a highroller really but you need to watch the compounds, the 55a is pretty hard and skiddy.
Ibex is very similar to a Highroller, good tyre buy make sure you get the right version.
I'd guess the guys who've found them lethal have OE versions with dubious compounds, may be wrong but I thought there was a connection with Maxxis - possibly out of the same factory or something.
Edit - beaten to it, what Northwind said
I'm running the skinwall canis - 29x2.25. They are c 700g, so comparable to snakeskin ralph, saguaro etc. Very supple with good grip and feel good over mixed ground. Not as fast as a ralph, but still fairly rapid.
Inflated first time too, but the odd bit of seep here and there. Nothing like a spesh control cased tyre though. Yeah, overall I like them a lot 🙂
jamesfts - MemberI'd guess the guys who've found them lethal have OE versions with dubious compounds,
It's not quite that, it's just that they tend towards harder rubber (and in 29er there only seems to be hard rubber versions, like WTB used to be) There might be inferior OE versions too but I think mostly it's the same tyres as retail
All the skinwalls are dual compound 65a/55a. So not super soft, but not fall-on-your-face hard like cheap conti tyres. You can get 45a if you move away from skinwall.
It's not quite that, it's just that they tend towards harder rubber (and in 29er there only seems to be hard rubber versions, like WTB used to be) There might be inferior OE versions too but I think mostly it's the same tyres as retail
Interesting, I can't remember the exact compound but I think mine fell somewhere between what was a Super Tacky/42a and Maxpro/60a which worked out quite well as a general use tyre.
Yep,
My Ibex is a 55a compound. Its absolutely lethal as a front tyre. Not particularly great as a rear either in my opinion. But its fast and relatively light for its width, so completely acceptable and usable.
My ibex 2.4 dh in 26" flavour was great as a front tyre, reassuringly wide, grippy, good lakes tyre imo.
Ibex not bad it's basically a part-worn HRII
Lethal on the front ime but a good rear
I'd guess the guys who've found them lethal have OE versions with dubious compounds, may be wrong but I thought there was a connection with Maxxis - possibly out of the same factory or something.
Quite possibly. Maxxis is a brand name for Cheng Shin / CST: http://www.csttires.com/int/about-cst/