Aside from the bikes, I stopped in to chat with the crew at WTB. Lots of changes coming soon with entirely-new tread patterns, compounds and fundamental tire designs. The biggest changes are easily-seen in the Weirwolf and Mutano tires. Mark Weir and crew have pushed the limits of tire construction on the new Weirwolf 2.1 and 2.3 tires with some of their innovations trickling into other tires in the line.
With all that R&D and careful manufacturing, the resulting treads look solid and are sure to be even more versatile than ever. On top of all the changes, WTB was also able to cut prices across the board for 2010. Innovation and lower prices… cha-ching!
WTB Weirwolf – Changes for 2010
The changes to the 2010 WTB Weirwolf tire line are easy to spot. The tiered side knobs, dual-compounds and narrower gap between the crown and side knobs are just the beginning. Here are a few more details:
- Available widths: 2.1 or 2.3
- Tubeless Options: UST or WTB’s Tubeless Compatible System (TCS)
- 60 tpi casing to resist cuts and scrapes
- Reduced gap between crown and side knobs
- Weight: Approx 800g (2.3)
- MSRP: $60
- Availability: I’m told this Fall
Buy Now: Search for WTB Tires
A Seattle native, Jason developed a love for the outdoors and a thing for mountains. That infatuation continues as he founded
It’s great that they overhauled an already EPIC tire. I hope it makes it better… if that’s possible?!
Yeah… a great tire for sure. I’m told that Mark Weir spent countless hours dialing this in and that the technology behind the construction is truly unique. I’m looking forward to giving it a whirl.
I ran a set of these on one of my bikes last season. I was pretty disappointed, however, when I installed and inflated them, as they were claimed to be 2.55″ and they hardly measured 2.3″. After riding on them I was pretty satisfied with them after all, but before ordering another set, I would sure like to have a guarantee of what I’m getting. Has WTB addressed the claimed sizing issue?
Hey Ben
I totally hear ya’ on that one. Honestly, sizing is all over the place and most manufacturers rely on volume or uninflated measurements instead of measurements when they are inflated. I too have been surprised by the narrowness of some tires with claimed 2.35 or 2.4 sizes. But, once past the “this seems narrow” feel, they have consistently performed on the trail.
I’ve found myself to be content with 2.2 tires more often than I thought I would. For the most part, I prefer around a 2.3-ish tire for all-mountain ripping, but have found tires slightly narrower and slightly wider that have performed well.
Sometimes it takes a little faith and riding, which it seems, in the end, is what you did.
I went to Biker’s Edge in Kaysville after researching the tire online for months, hoping it would be there for purchase. I went and asked them about it and the guy helping me told me that it wasn’t a good tire (said it slipped and he couldn’t trust it) and that if I just “looked over here” at these tires that I would find one for my needs. I’m not dogging on Maxxis (which is what he was pointing to), but I wanted a damn Weirwolf. He asked my riding style and said the “best” rider in the store rode Maxxis. Let’s just say I left a little disappointed. I ended up going to REI in SLC and the guy helping me put the tire on for free and said I would love the Weirwolf. I tried it on the Ogden section of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail and was thoroughly impressed. Hard pack? No problem. Rock garden? What rock garden? I pushed these tires hard and they pushed back. Great tires with a great learning where to shop experience to go along with them.