Been working on building up the form for the Shenandoah 100 and the process continues.  This weekend headed down to train on some of my favorite trails down in Naples.  Early am start aka ‘Dawn Patrol” and was off for 6 hours w/ loads of intensive climbing and ripper singletrack descents.

I just picked up a pair of XR1 Team Issue treads and wanted to test them out.  All I can say is WOW!  WOW! WOW! I’ve been running Bonty ACX tires for the past 3 years and have not waivered in my tire choice for any conditions.  Though they’ve been a little bit heavy and I was looking for something new to try.  I finally ordered a set up and was not disappointed.  Looking at the tires on the Superfly, I was a little nervous going from the big 2.2 down to a 1.9.  As soon as I hit the dirt though and was rolling up hill on the first climb, I could feel the difference.   Dropping almost 200 grams per tire, plus the difference in rolling resistance was incredible.  I was flying up the hill, with much less effort, but what would happen in the super tech trails of Naples?  As soon as I hit the singletrack the rolling speed continued, to push me down the trail at breakneck speeds.  Roots up, check, rocks, check, off-camber check, straight up rooted climb check, traction on everything check.  It was almost as if the tires had sensors, letting them unleash their magical grippy claws on the terrain as needed and then retract and roll.  To be honest, the trail was incredibly dry, but I hit some slick peanut butter mud sections and the tires never packed up and rolled forward.  I climbed several sections of trails that are usually a quick dismount due to the steepness or roots withou issue.  The narrow 1.9 tire that I was worried about never came to fruition, I railed em with ease and look forward to racing them at Shenandoah 100 and a few other key races this season.

If you know me, that’s a big endorsement.  I’ve tried and poo-pood a few dozen tires over the past few years and nothings stuck.  I’ve have tried em all and nothings has made it more than one ride before they were pulled off and given away to some poor soul.  Not this time though, you’ll have to peel these babies off the superfly and out of my cold-dead hands before you can take em.

Want Proof?  Here’s the ‘DEC Descent” in Naples, NY trail.  One of the most technical, rocky, rooted and tough descents around and the tires hooked up no problem.  This descent is known to chew up and spit out bikes, tires, and riders with ease (the mechanicals & crashes on this descent cannot be accurately expressed).

Matt Hanggi shredding with a HiFi Pro 29er and yours truly following along with my Superfly and some XR1 Team Issue treads

DEC Descent Naples, NY 8-8-09 from Jason Hilimire on Vimeo.

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