Had an email from Evans saying they are now in stock.
Anyone got any feedback? Particularly interested in the Ibex – very high roller-ish but hopefully bigger volume…

I love new tyres dont you mates? 😀

i have, the white porcupines look nice but are a bit sketchy on basically all surfaces.

I’ve got a Rip and Rail, but I’m keeping them 😀

oldskool though arn’t they?
These latest ones are onza in name only I believe, from same folks who make maxxis (could’ve made that bit up)

That Ibex does look a bit like a high roller. Not used them since the 90s, got a honch somewhere that’s unused…

I had a Rip and Rail when they came out years ago, utter pish, the tread fell off in big chunks.

Ibex is a Panaracer/Muddy Fox tyre from the 80s IIRC…

Porcs used to be great tyres when there wasn’t all that much choice out there. I wouldn’t bother with them now unless it was a retro rebuild.

These is what I is talking bout..

http://singletrackworld.com/2012/03/fresh-goods-friday-159/ (scroll down)

onZa octopus. Best tyre ever.

Wasn’t that an April fools joke in MBUK from years ago?

Beat me to it 😀

FWIW, I have an ibex, FR, kevlar, 2.25″. It’s my usual front tire on my 26er (NP Mega). Tis good. Rolls muchos better than the very big Betty’s I use for DH duties, but has plenty grip and light.

Recommended.

Kev

You can tell that ad’s a joke.. £14.95 for a tyre? Like that would ever happen! ^_^

Ah yes the April 1991 MBUK April Fool joke. Twas a photo of a soap dish but had us all going until the May edition – the world before ‘tinternet. Bliss……full ignorance!

Panrancer Smoke on the rear, Onza Porc on the font was the choice of some Pros and all us yooff cat wannabe’s. Smoked Bacon was what we called it!

Had Porcupines back in the day. I thought they were rubbish. Bring back the original Specialized Ground Control tyres, they were the best do it all tyre around. They were pretty much the only tyre around.

Fail.
Your pictures show Ground Control
S folding versions with extra blocks on corner of centre tread.

Not to be confused with Ground Control Extreme’s. I had a cool 2.5in one on back of my Yo Eddy.

The original Ground Control Tyre* shed mud really well…. As soon as you hit some tarmac there it was in your face and all over anyone stupid enough to ride near you. Tioga Farmer Johns Cousins were ok retro tyres too when there was .ittle to choose from.

*Dont Specialized recycle trademarks something stupid? I have a frame with this same name and a set of shoes too. Same again with Umma Gumma tyre compound – they put it on their 120 shoes too (and it all falls off).

Just came away with an Onza FR 2.25 120tpi today – having returned a Bontrager XR4 that I could not get to seal tubeless.

Praying this works out as I’d not heard of Onza before, but it looked like a decent tread [High Roller ish] with a 57-559 sizing for the 2.25 so plenty of volume along with my Maxxis ADvantage 2.25 rear. Sticker weight is 695g but it came in at 680g on my scales.

Currently sitting with a tube in it, to seat it on the rim, before setting up tubeless (I hope!) for tonight’s ride !

Watch this space >>>>>>>> !!

i knew this thread would turn into old codgers rambling on about of the glory days of early 90s mtbing

pass the worthers

It were all fields in my day I tell thee………….

Porcs were good, I see Z-Max’s are back too. I had a ground control extreme at one point, it was basically a tractor tyre.

Loving the Octopus flashback!!!!

Farmer John Cousins & Nephews where brilliant – if your tracks involved lots of ruts

If not, they were rubbish

These old tyres have nothing to do with the new ones bar the name! Isn’t it time for an afternoon nap? 😀

I have the Ibex and Canis. Both fantastic tyres and I would rate them above equivalent Maxxis and Schwalbe offerings.

You can read some thoughts on the Canis here

The same things follow through to the Ibex, mainly the quality of the rubber compound meaning grip is fantastic and rolling resistance small enough to not notice it 😀 I used the Ibex when the trails were a mix of hardpack and mud. They are good in the mud or on trail centre style trails in the middle of winter (i.e. wet rocks and roots but not deep mud) but for properly deep mud I’d go for a dedicated mud tyre.

Try them, you won’t be disappointed!

The old porcupines were great had them on my old clockwork orange in white only problem was they didn’t last long may try the new as a flashback to the 90s

I have an Ibex and Canis, they’re both usefully light and the Ibex is a reasonably good front tyre, but I couldn’t get them to seat tubeless so I went back to Spesh instead.

The Canis is a very quick rear tyre, but only makes sense if you do a lot of tarmac riding or if you’re using it on bone dry and dusty trails.

After using Minions, Highrollers and Ardents, I thought I would give the Ibex a try. Got the 2.25″ 120tpi FR version which comes up between a 2.35″ Highroller and 2.4″ Ardent in size. Seem to work really well in a wide variety of condtions, faster rolling than Minion/highroller but better grip than the Ardent. Very impressed so far, only downside is the rear seems to have worn quite fast, now swapped it onto the front to get a bit more life out of them. They are made by CST(Maxxis) anyway and I would definitely recommend them if you want to try something different. Will try the 2.4″ DH version soon too.

Ritchey Z-max are where it’s at.
Tioga psychos weren’t.

Went for my first ride with my new tyres last night. Surrey Hills.

Onza Ibex FR 2.25 120tpi Front
Maxxis ADvantage 2.25 60a Kevlar Rear

The Onza tyre came up lighter than package weight of 695g …. at 680g on my scales.
Measures 57-559 so chunky carcass is good.

It has a certain ‘High Roller’ look to it (tread-wise) but lighter and more accurate sizing, since High Rollers come up small/narrow – even the 2.35 HR is a fair bit smaller (52-559 I think) than this Onza.

Tried to set up tubeless without joy. Even used a mate’s compressor but the bead is too loose to allow air to hold, so ended up putting a tube in and rode with that at 35psi. Pretty loose bead is easy to put on and take off, barely needing a tyre remover. I am praying that after it’s sat in position being used for a while I can try again for tubeless, but time will tell. It would depend on one side of the bead staying put when deflating – which did not happen when I tried the first 2 times.

I found it a really confidence inspiring tyre that allowed me to pick lines I would not have done before with my Nobby Nic Pacestar (tubeless). Holds a line well on corners, not that I am the most aggressive rider, but the NN seemed vague to me, but the Onza went where I put it, which felt nice.

Although it’s a little heavier than my Nic was 80/90g plus using a big inner tube, I didn’t find it too draggy and the grip was reassuring enough to make it worth it anyhow (at least for winter).

Was a relatively dry ride, so yet to try it’s wet prowess – but first impressions are good.

I had bought it after getting a Bontrager XR4 Team issue TLR tyre that I could not get to work tubeless due to pin holes in the sidewall. PLUS that tyre comes up a fair bit narrower. I exchanged it at Evans cycles for the Onza, despite not having heard of them before…. was worth a punt and apart from the tubeless issue it could be a good choice.

Nig