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Written by Dennis Morgan
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Thursday, 25 January 2007 |
 Tester: Dennis Morgan, Team Bikeman.com Rider, Certified Bikeman Product Tester
Conditions: Sweet New Hamshire singletrack.
Review: I started riding a 29er this past summer. The tires that came on it were basically slicks and I needed more traction riding in New Hampshire so I did some research on what was out there. One thing I realized riding the semi-slicks was the increased traction on a 29er and as a result I figured I would try a tire that had a more cross-county profile. I bought a set of WTB Nanoraptors (2.1).
The tires were very easy to mount and I set them up in the specified direction. The first thing I noticed was that they had pretty decent amount of volume, not quite what I would consider a large volume tire but more than a standard tire. One immediate benefit of the larger volume was that while I was running my bike fully rigid they provided a little more comfort than I expected.
The White Mountains of New Hampshire have quite a bit of varied terrain to choose from. I rode these tires in all sorts of conditions, loose loam, sand, gravel, hardpack, flatrock and they performed well on all. The only area they had some trouble was slick mud, but not many tires really do well in mud that you would want to ride on a regular basis. The best thing I found was that I had plenty of traction while climbing, descending, cornering, you name it, they were plenty of tread for me. One added benefit was that due to the tread pattern there was little rolling resistance so they rolled pretty fast. There was no sacrifice of speed for traction. Guys I ride with run the WTB Exiwolf on their 29ers and the Nanoraptor is a lighter tire by quite a lot. This translates into a better/faster rolling wheel. After about 5 months and 500+ miles on these tires I am very pleased with their performance, durability and all-around capabilities. They run like a cross country tire but perform like a do everything all-mountain tire. With the contact area provided on a 29er, they are more than enough tread for general use without the penatly of the added weight of a more aggressive tread pattern. A tire I would definately consider buying a second time.
Dennis Morgan
Rated:
 | $36.95
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| WTB NanoRaptor Race 2.1 29er: 52/47, 29inch, Kevlar, DNA. If you want a lightning-fast XC tire, look no further. The Nano's micro-knob tread has semi-slick efficiency while providing a sure grip on the trail. Perfect for dry conditions and any ride involving lots of pedaling. With its large air volume, it is also recommended for urban abuse. ... |
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