Customer Reviews:
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 Easy rolling tire based on motorcycle technology, July 26, 2010
By Ronald L. Russell (Pangaea)
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My mountain bike needed new tires, the old ones were dry and cracked, and one had blown out through the sidewall. I decided that since I seldom ride in mud or on very loose surfaces, a smoother tread would allow me to ride along with lower effort and/or greater speed. Smooth tires on urban bicycles are nothing new, the Tioga City Slicker has been around for years, and probably serves as an inspiration for many other similar tires. I ordered the Kenda K838 based on the favorable reviews, and am very pleased. I ordered four tires, to upgrade two bicycles. They came in a box which was probably twice as large as it needed to be. As everyone else has mentioned, they are blackwall, not gumwalls as illustrated. Mounting the tires was no problem at all. I used a plastic tire lever to remove the old tires from the rims, and just popped the Kenda's on with my fingers, no tools needed. I inflated them to 60 psi and went for a ride.
The tread design and profile are based on combined features from successful motorcycle tires. The tread pattern is very similar to that seen on the Bridgestone Spitfire, with directional grooves to channel water to the outside edge of the tread surface. This gives low rolling resistance and complete silence....no humming or howling knobs on pavement. Constant pedaling is not necessary, as the low rolling resistance means one can pedal a bit, then coast or glide a long distance.
They don't accelerate quite as easily as some narrower, lighter tires, say 700 x 28, but they do very well for a tire nearly 2 inches wide, and offer vastly better load capability, rim protection, flat resistance and a superior ride over irregularities. Bumps feel considerably "dampened", and the tires "float" undeflected over gravel patches instead of knifing in or skating around as a narrow tire might.
Their triangular profile is based on designs used on Dunlop TT100 motorcycle tires and others. This means that when viewed from the front, the tire doesn't look "circular" round, but has a "rounded triangle" shape. When riding straight, the narrow "point" of the triangle contacts the road, giving a lower resistance. As the bike banks over for turns, the broad "flank" of the triangle gradually spreads across the road, giving a broader contact area and better grip.
Owners of mountain bikes which are used more often on pavement and hard-packed dirt or gravel will probably enjoy these. They seem to be very well made and a good choice for their intended purpose.
33 of 34 people found the above review helpful.
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 Good tire and fast shipping with a few "pet peeves", November 1, 2009
By The Edge Part 2 (Utah USA)
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First of all, this is a really good tire, you won't be disappointed. Note that it is black wall, not skin wall as shown in the picture, so the tire is all black - which I like better anyway. I use the bike for commuting, but where I live the roads aren't all that great so the size and capability of this tire works very well. The only issue I had was getting the tires on my wheel, they're extremely snug, so make sure you let ALL the air out of your tubes and be careful not to pinch the tube while getting the tire on. Also, I hope in the future the shipping company is more environmentally (and cost effectively) concious because I purchased two tires on the same day, they came in two huge, and separate boxes. I could have fit a filing cabinet in each on of the boxes - I thought that it was a waste of shipping material.
27 of 28 people found the above review helpful.
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Easy Rolling and Quiet........, September 5, 2009
By Easy Rider
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.......when compared to my original knobby MTB tires. They corner nicely and seem very smooth. A good economical choice for converting a Mountain Bike to asphalt surfaces and increase rolling efficiency.
24 of 27 people found the above review helpful.
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Excellent road tires!!, August 4, 2010
By Jeffro (Jefferson, OR USA)
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I could not of spent my hard-earned cash any better. Switching from some terribly knobby mtb tires to these K838s transformed my bike into a concrete chomping machine. Insane comfort, insane grip. Took hardly any effort to install. Amazing tires from Kenda!!
7 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
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Sweet tire, August 17, 2010
By Have Raleigh, will travel (Chicago)
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I purchased a pair of these tires to use on my MTB for a smoother ride on the city streets than the Kenda K53's I was using.
The K53's were nice tires and offer very little rolling resistance compared with full-on knobbies (and are smoother going straight) but still have good knobs on the sides. But when you are turning they have that knobby growl, so I figured that I'd try the 838's as they had seemed to be highly regarded by some.
The tires are pretty smooth-riding and feel very sticky in the corners unlike the knobby K53's which tended to squirm at higher speed corners with large lean angles. The 838's seem to stick like glue to the tarmac (but not so much on dirt trails -naturally). I put the whole wheel off the bike on the slippery ceramic tile of my condo and could put all my weight against it at angles much greater than 45-degrees and the tire refused to slip or squirm which is a lot more than I can say for the K53's. I was pushing against it like a football tackle sled with all my might and they wouldn't budge. The K53's will slip out when I try this. I haven't tried using the 838's in the wet yet so I don't know how the traction will stand up in the rain. They look like they will do OK with that motorcycle-style tread pattern.
Another good thing about this tire is that I can fill them up to 60-65psi which is about 50% more pressure than you can safely fill the K53. This allows lesser rolling resistance, better road feel, and much more front brakes can be used as front tire impending lockup has much more of a controlled feel than with lower-pressure tires. I can do controllable stoppies with these tires lifting the back wheel right up with my cantelever brakes out front.
One thing about these tires is that while they say they are a 1.9 wide they are a bit wider than that in reality. I've got 26x1.75 rims and if I measure the sidewalls they are exactly 1.9" but the actual tread area is well over 2" and pushing 2.25"
I suppose if you had really narrow rims the tire would squish out and be taller but as it is the 838's have a larger circumference than the K53's had and are HUGE. I'm glad I have a lot of clearance on my old Ross MTB with planet bike MTB fenders because these tires are so large that right now the rubber mold nubs are actually rubbing on the fender. It's a good thing they are small and will wear away soon.
These things are WIDE. I've seen little asian-market 50cc motorcycles that didn't have such wide tires as my bike has now. I think I like it because there is tons of traction available and they ooze confidence when the bike is pitched over in a corner to near crank-scraping lean angles -this bike rides MUCH more aggressively on the tarmac now than it did with the K53's which always seemed to me like the bike was trying to squirm out from under me to the outside of the corner. Going from the K53 to the K838 is like going from Bias to Radial tires on a motorcycle. They are THAT much more grippy and because of the higher rated pressures you don't lose anything with rolling resistance (especially in the corners). And they are smooth as glass going straight or turning.
It's like magic.
I wouldn't put them on a rim narrower than 1.5 though or wider than 2 (max). I'd imagine they would be pinched and pointy on a narrow rim and pulled flat like a low-rider on a 2" -it's just the kind of tire they are with the built-out tread onto the sidewall like a motorcycle tire.
Cons:
You might not have the clearance for these tires even though you can run 2.25's on the K53 or other knobbies.
The picture shown is a gumwall tire but what I got were blackwall tires. Not a big deal to me but others might be disappointed. Be aware of that.
7 of 8 people found the above review helpful.
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Great ride, great tire, great price, July 22, 2010
By Other people's opinion
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Well after having these tires on for a month, I am very pleased. They are WAY smoother than the knobby tires that originally came on my bike and are incredibly much much faster. I instantly noticed a speed difference and these things are like riding on smooth glass. Keep the tire pressure high and you wont be disappointed. A great commuter tire for the money, no complaints what so ever. I'd give them a 5-star rating if I had owned them longer. So far so good!
6 of 6 people found the above review helpful.
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Great Value Great Ride, May 19, 2010
By Skitherockies (Ann Arbor, MI)
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I recently acquired a clean Bridgestone MB-5 that was in great shape, but looked like it had original rubber on it. Not wanting to put $40-$50 worth of rubber on a $60 bike, I splurged $25 for a pair of the Kenda K838s to turn this fender equipped bike into a commuter. After days of cold rain, today was perfect weather. I am happy to say that these tires are quiet riding, smooth running, and feel great on asphalt. They definitely feel like they roll more freely, even though the width is only a smidge less and the air pressure is a wee bit more than standard MTB knobbies.
6 of 6 people found the above review helpful.
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Trainer use, March 2, 2010
By HHHF (Hudson)
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I bought these to use on an indoor trainer. They are much quieter than my mountain bike tires obviously but also quieter than other road tires I had to the point I can watch TV and ride. It is an acceptable alternative to buying specialist trainer tires and I wont rip up my good rubber.
6 of 6 people found the above review helpful.
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Great ride, great tire, great price, July 22, 2010
By Do It To It
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Well after having these tires on for a month, I am very pleased. They are WAY smoother than the knobby tires that originally came on my bike and are incredibly much much faster. I instantly noticed a speed difference and these things are like riding on smooth glass. Keep the tire pressure high and you wont be disappointed. A great commuter tire for the money, no complaints what so ever. I'd give them a 5-star rating if I had owned them longer. So far so good!
6 of 6 people found the above review helpful.
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Good Low-cost commuter, May 24, 2010
By K. Soderholm (Cheverly, Md United States)
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I bought these a few years ago as the cheapest way to get a little speed for my first triathlon, and have kept them on my now single-speed commuter bike. These are the only suspension on my solid MTB frame, and do a nice job. I don't know how many miles I've got on them (no computer, still) but they've lasted very nicely. They're pretty smooth, but I'll be going even slicker for my next pair. I've had no flats until just recently when I got two close together, so I think they're starting to go.
There are definitely faster MTB slicks you can buy (Conti Sport Contact looks like a good upgrade), but for half the price give these a shot if you're thinking you want to try slicks. It beats buying a whle new bike - a weaker hybrid or a fragile road bike - for your commute if you've already got a MTB.
5 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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Like riding on glass, July 6, 2010
By Randall R. Campbell (Portland, Or.)
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My only complaint about these tires is that I didn't get them sooner. Which isn't really a complaint about the tires, but more about how my girlfriend nags when I spend money on my bike. Which is why I did want to spend a lot on tires. I wanted to convert my mtn bike to a street bike, as my commute to work is not through Sherwood forest. I'm glad I made the change, these are great, high quality tires that offer a smooth ride on pavement and they have a nice thick tread, so there is a lot of rubber on the road. Don't need to spend more, these tires are a great deal. Oh, and they look super sweet! (they are all black, unlike the pic)
4 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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They are awesome!!, February 18, 2010
By BikeLover
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They fit nicely on a Next Plush MTB (Mountain Bike) that I restored and rebuilt completely, that is used for road biking more then off road. For the money it is a great deal directly from Amazon. The ones I received did not have the white wall as the picture shows, no problem at all. As for the tread it is pretty thick to protect from thorns and such. The sides are as thin as standard tires are but still pretty good! They are better then the s!@# the XXXXXX-Mart stores sell and will last longer more then likely not.
4 of 5 people found the above review helpful.
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Nice slick for you MTB, March 30, 2011
By frantik (san jose, ca United States)
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This is a nice tire if you want to convert your mountain bike into a city cruiser. The ride is smooth and silent compared to the knobbies. "Balloon bike" style tire provides some suspension on the pavement, and also allows you to handle grass and gravel like a mountain bike. Love the way they look on my mtb with the flared lip too. For $10 it's a great tire for city use.
3 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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Great Tires!, February 18, 2011
By Badfish
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I have had the Kenda K838 Slick wire bead tires on my Marin Palisades trail mountain bike for a little over two weeks now. I have to say I love them. I switched to these tires because I commute to school and work on my bike and was primarily riding on sidewalks and roads which my old knobby tires were slowing me down on. These tires are straight black and are up to mountain bike tire standards. They have a little lip that flares outward on both ends of the tire for grip and to help protect the rim. These tires are non directional and can be used as front or rear tires.
PROS:
-Smoother Ride
-Quieter Ride
-More responsive then my old knobby tires
-Grips corners like glue
-MAX 65psi
-less rolling friction
-Motorcycle tread pattern Pushes water outwards
-Still good in the rain
-Good price
-Can reach higher speeds and still have control
CONS:
-Less grip in loose surfaces (Mud, Gravel) obviously
3 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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Rides like a dream!, November 8, 2010
By Kathleen Hopkins (Los Angeles, CA)
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I love this tire! I have a beach cruiser, and had some really cool Moby Bite smooth tires (which aren't being made any more), so I was wary about buying these, but they've worked out great! I do all my riding in the city, going to school every day, so the terrain is asphalt and pretty bumpy in some areas. Also, riding when the streets are damp was a little difficult on smooth tires, but these really grip the road and are very comfortable. Just a word of warning..don't get suckered into buying the tubes that are offered with these tires...the Schwinn tubes are very bad.
Oh, and also expect a very large package! The guy who said the packing was the size of a file cabinet was NOT exaggerating! I'm 5'2 and the box these came in were taller than me!
3 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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 use with a wide rim only, March 27, 2010
By Dave (North Bay, CA)
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Shipping was quick, although they packed two tires in a box designed for a full-size disassembled bike. Not very efficient. I guess the shipping department doesn't know what dimensional weight is.
I would not recommend these to be mounted on any rim less than app. 1.25" (30mm) wide. 1.50" (40mm) would be better. I wish that in knew this before I ordered these tires.
I bought these to go on an old Rockhopper that I'm fixing up for street duty. The rims on it are about 22mm wide. I have NEVER had a more difficult time mounting a bike tire and not pinching the tube. When (finally) mounted and inflated, the tread surface is actually in a V-shape rather than rounded or somewhere close to flat. The center of the tread is a good 1/2" higher than the edge. What good is a 1.95" wide tire when it only has maybe a 3/4" wide contact patch on the ground unless you run it low on air? I don't know how it rides because the top of the tire flares out so much I couldn't get it through my v-brakes even with the noodles popped loose. I cannot use them on this project and I am certainly not happy about that. This might be an OK tire if you have a really wide rim on an old cruiser. Otherwise this tire is at least 1/2" too wide for its design.
3 of 28 people found the above review helpful.
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Dream treads, September 7, 2011
By Adam McDonnough
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These tires are easy to mount and will make your bike fly! I recommend these for any one using a mountain bike in the city. You can still hop the curbs, jump the hills, and whatever else you enjoy doing but if you need to go these will get you there fast. Road noise is minimal, rolling resistence is greatly reduced, your bike is still rugged and sturdy, what more could you ask?
3 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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Works, January 21, 2011
By JBD
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Used this tire for an inexpensive solution to using my wife's mtn bike on our indoor trainer. Went on nicely and is a lot less noisy than the knobby tire.
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Great for road biking!, July 6, 2010
By chebob
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I got a killer Gary Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo and I normally do a lot of mountain biking. However, my journeys have taken me to downtown living for the time being so I had to alter my bike to accommodate for this concrete/asphalt jungle I now reside in. These tires have met up to the task wonderfully! I recommend them for anyone in my situation. Also, before I bought them, I read reviews that people were having trouble getting them on, I had no such trouble....
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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 Definitely, not the best answer for converting a MTB to a Hybrid, June 7, 2011
By Greg W (Tampa)
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I used this to convert a Trek MTB to a Hybrid. This was the last step to the process after I replaced the handlebars with 9" high rise bars and the seat to a cloud nine oversize saddle and the foot pegs to a wide cruiser type. These were the last piece, or so I thought, to the puzzle. I expected a lot less weight and a lot less rolling resistance. Unfortunately I found only negligible differences between this and the original with some unexpected negatives that I did not expect, which I'll get to in a moment. I bought this largely based on the positive reviews from here.
Tire Noise: Although tire noise has decreased somewhat, I'd say no more than maybe about 25% improvement or less rolling noise. Don't expect a huge difference.
Weight: HEAVY. These things may actually weigh more than the original MTB tires. I have not actually weighed either, but going by feel, they "feel" heavier.
Rolling Resistance on pavement: Which was the main reason for the tire change, unfortunately, it was not near as efficient as I expected, It probably rolls 10-20% easier (only with 60 lbs of air in it,) if you run it at <50 lbs of air, there is NO DIFFERENCE in rolling resistance. I expected much better results since my original tires had an aggressive tread pattern on it and this looks like the epitome of a motorcycle street tire. I suspect part of the problem is the width. These tires are very wide. This means a lot of rubber contacting the road at one time which means, more drag and more noise, and of course, more weight.
My biggest grief with these tires? I've had 4 flats since I've put them on, and I'm riding the exact same sidewalks and roads that I have always ridden, my kids follow right behind me with MTB tires and have gotten no flats at all thus far. So I rode for 3 months with the MTB tires with no flats, 2 months riding with street tires, 4 flats. It seems the rubber compound is quite soft. as I've had several tubes that had more than one small pinhole leak in it that looks like it came from a sand spur, or thorn, to people not from Florida.
If I had to do this over again, I definitely would not buy these again. Although they do offer a stable ride with very little lateral movement or squirm when cornering. If I had to do over again, I would have opted for a tire about 1.5" wide with a harder compound and less weight.
Although the one positive I can say is they do offer a soft ride with 40lbs of air, but at the expense of a bit more squirm.
2 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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Well Worth The Investment!, October 5, 2011
By Kevin V. (Illinois, USA.)
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I was skeptical getting these wheels since I wanted to see if they made a difference. I love the linear, smooth feel of road bikes, but I hate the riding position and I have a soft spot for mountain bikes. But the knobby tires were wearing me out way to quick and all that effort led to little progress, even downhill. So I decided to take the dive and bought these tires since I was already replacing inner tubes.
VERY surprised the difference it made. Friction is MUCH lower compared to knobby tires and it's like riding on a cloud. These tires have flared edges that I thought was interesting, but it lends itself to keep the tire in constant contact with the road through turns, keeping grip on the street at a max.
I inflated both wheels to 40 ft.lbs. (I have no psi gauge yet...) and went about on my way. First thing I noticed, is that the extra air needed to firm up the tires leads to a heavier bike when carried, but this works to your advantage. Since the friction is considerably lower, pedal effort is reduced. And the extra air (weight) in a rotational mass (tires/inner tubes/air) keeps the wheel rolling longer. Sorry, just a little science to help explain the extra weight to other reviewers/potential buyers. It balances itself out so the weight doesn't weigh you down and the pedal effort is considerably easier compared to knobby tires. I would've expected to have paid at least $30-40 each tire for how good these are!
NOTE: From what I saw, these tires, although not labelled directional or marked that way, might be more efficient when rain comes if one mounts it so the treads that go to the edge are pointing back and away. So it will look like |/ |, with the slashes representing the grooves if you were to look down at the front tire from the bicyclist's point-of-view. Make sure the back is mounted the same way as the front! You'll be glad when the rain comes around that you did so!
PROS:
- SMOOTH ride.
- Reduced pedal effort.
- Fast rolling tire.
- Perfectly capable for gravel, dirt, etc. Although don't push it too much.
- EXCELLENT price, you will get your money's worth and then some.
- Quiet. And I mean QUIET.
CONS:
- How quiet it is. I bike on a college campus, and the quiet ride might attribute to pedestrians not being aware of you coming behind then. But that's what a bell is for!
- Uhhh... The wider contact patch and edge makes for a slightly more irritating install past the brake pads. (Actually, not really a con, I just can't think of any more with this tire! It's just THAT GOOD!)
Do yourself a favor. If you ride more on pavement than gravel/dirt/etc. with your mountain bike, seriously invest in these tires! They will make everything so much easier and much more enjoyable... well except maybe the pedestrian(s) who wanders into your path. :)
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Excellent Tires To Convert MTB to a Hybrid/Commuter/Road Warrior, September 25, 2011
By Online Junkie (Hollywood, CA)
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I haven't ridden my bike in about 15 years... a 80's Peugot MTB that was their top of the line back then. I decided to use my bike along with the Metro system in L.A. so I outfitted my bike with lights, Avenir rack and decided to install these Kenda tires to complete the Hybrid transformation and replaced the knobbies. The rolling resistance reduction is significant. To ride home, it's over a mile all uphill (gentle) and these new tires added about 2mph to my speed and I barely broke a sweat. The improvement is noticeable and significant. I'm old, so no more road racing around for me. I was considering buying a new road bike, but then it might become a target for theft, so my beat up old MTB is probably a low priority target.
I used to road race MotoGP so I know a bit about riding on 2 wheels, and I really like the tire profile and the sidewalls are pretty beefy. I learned when I get a flat, stop immediately or I might damage the sidewall rendering the tire unusable. I had 4 flats in 2 days, with two destroyed tires from side wall damage so I wanted a tire with thick tread cause I ride over glass and thorns ALL the time! I wanted a tire with a thicker side wall so that maybe the side wall will survive some flats, but I now carry a pump, tube, 2 patch kits and a tire repair kit... so with all that... I'll probably never have a flat again... LOL
The tires look good, I pumped them up to 55-60psi (max psi 65) so you can really roll with these tires. They installed pretty quickly but I did need to use my Park Tools tire levers which are wonderful. They are quiet and they improve the rolling resistance and speed. Decent quality, good tire design, easy installation, average weight, great addition for conversion... I was looking at several other tires as well, but for my commuter usage, these are perfect!
10/17/11 UPDATE: I did find one tire had a defective sidewall that caused a flat but I used a tube patch kit and the Park Tools tire patch kit that held fine for about 25 miles until my new tires arrived. Amazon quickly issued a refund for the tire as I had already ordered a couple more for spares. Amazon ROCKS! I ride on the mean streets of Hollywood and all over Los Angeles, and holy crap, I cannot believe how much broken glass I have ridden over without getting a flat caused by the glass or other sharp objects. The answer must be the thick and hard rubber tread. I also ordered a set of Michelins but the rubber appears softer and has more tread, so the Kenda might be more flat resistant.
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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a need for strength, September 4, 2011
By Darren Miller (bellwood, il, US)
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These tires are strong..I put nthem on a crusier type bike to be a commuter..I needed strong sidewalls with a thick rubber to support a 250 pound person...me...for 20 miles a day riding..these are perfect and not over priced...
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Want to Ride your MTB on the Road? THESE are the tires 2 Get!, August 2, 2011
By Scott Enman 2112
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Who wants to put super slicks on a mountain bike? I put a skinny slick on the rear of my Santa Cruz Bullet so I can log some road miles... After 3 rides I said Forget that,, It looks stupid and I dont really trust it in the wet or turns... The Kenda tire is Perfect for Riding the Canal path or Road Riding and the V profile gives you added stability and confidence... With this tire if I have to avoid a car or something and need to SLAM over a curb its no problem because it feel so close to the 2.35 Mountain bike tire my bike came with...
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Exceeded all expectations!, July 22, 2011
By web1point0
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The Kenda K838 has so far exceeded all of my expectations (I have had them mounted for about 14 days). They were so easy to mount that I was afraid that they might come off when inflated, but once the tube began to fill, they seated perfectly. In fact, having struggled with other tires that fit extremely tight and which had trouble with the bead not seating properly, creating an elliptical tire, once inflated, I am convinced that the secret to a perfectly round, inflated tire begins with a tire that mounts easily.
The Kenda K838 rolls so much easier than the heavy tread that I was using before - this was an all-terrain tread, V-shaped in the center, where the contact with the road occurs, meaning that each tire had two contact surfaces!! - that it is maybe not a fair comparison. I'm sure that one can find tires with less friction, but they would have to be narrower. Also, once the beard stubble wears off my Kenda K838s, they will offer even less resistance. They are also quite handsome, and make my new bike - a 26" Mens' NEXT Avalon Comfort Bike that is no longer available but which I luckily found in a local Walmart - look downright distinguished!
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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WOW!, April 20, 2011
By Matt
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I bought these tires because I do alot of road commuting, and my mountain bike has the WTB Velociraptors, Which are great tires, but super nubby,and very noisy. Once I got these mounted, The only way I can describe it is like driving a Ford Bronco, then driving a Mercedes S600. SUPER QUIET AND SMOOTH! They even effected my disk brakes! The braking is MUCH smoother, and it makes it a much more enjoyable ride.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Nice Beach Path Tire, February 13, 2011
By Larry (California)
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I bought two Kenda K838 tires to convert my 25 year old Trek 830 Mountain Bike to a beach path cruiser. They roll with significantly less effort and provide a smoother ride than the knobby off road tires they replaced. They are wide, but still leave a half inch clearance between the tire and rear frame on each side and over a half inch between the tire and front fork on each side. Lots of room to spare.
As some reviewers have noted, the tires were packed individually, each one in it's own very large box. The boxes are so big in fact that I actually used them to put a bicycle in each one, place them in the back of my pickup truck and drive 350 miles to visit relatives in another state. The front wheels stuck out a bit, but not by much. They made good shipping containers to protect my bikes while I transported them.
The Kendas also look really good on my old mountain bike rolling along beach bicycle paths. They're good looking tires and seem to be solidly constructed. The wire beads allowed me to easily slip the tires over the rims when installing them without any tools. That's going to be handy when I have to fix a flat while I'm out riding.
They're a good choice for street riding and paved bike paths and look good.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Great Tire, January 6, 2011
By P. Fedigan
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Good tread life - great on the streets, grass, paths, basically anywhere I ever go. I will probably buy this again when i need a new tire
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Great tires, August 31, 2010
By chad
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These are great tires for the money i have about 40 miles on them now, they were easy to install this was my first set of tires i have ever mounted no water or soap just deflated the tubes(not all the way about 10psi)and slip them on about 5-6 mins for each tire. They are a great tire to convert your mountain bike fast shipping in a big box but the tires dont get bent that way so dont complain my friend just ordered two tires and they came all folded up in a bag so whoever ships theses cares about the product.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Didn't Expect To Like These So Much, August 11, 2010
By Jason Trout (Walnut Creek, CA USA)
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What originally attracted me to these tires was the price, as I needed something cheep for an old steel single speed mountain bike that I use for commuting and just beating around town. In the 2 months since I've been riding on them though, I've been nothing but impressed. First, they really absorb the bumps and jolts quite well, especially if you run them around 40PSI. Chalk this up to them being somewhat oversized, I guess, although they don't seem to have any clearance issues on my old-school frame (I had some concerns about this when I first saw them, due to the unusual flare that the tread has around the edges). Despite this, they're relatively lightweight, especially if you compare them to something like a Forte Gotham, which is about the same price and class at the local discount supplier. And they seem quite puncture resistant; so far they've been able to handle everything my local pot-holed and debris strewn streets have been able to throw at them. Also, they roll so smoothly that I'm considering increasing the gear ratio on the single speed. And most importantly, they look pretty darn cool, too; they've got kind of a plush beach cruiser type thing going on.
All said, the $60 Michelin 1.65's that I have on my more regular training bike are wearing out, I'm seriously considering getting another set of these to replace them.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Good Tire for the Money, August 5, 2010
By D. Gehring (Minneapolis, MN USA)
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Used this tire to replace off road tire that came with bike. I was looking for an affordable tire that would work well on pavement, and this tire is exactly that. I don't know how many miles I will get off of it, but at this price point I can't go wrong.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Excellent Tires!!!, July 22, 2010
By NJR
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I bought these tires for my 26" Next mountain bike. I was looking for a relatively inexpensive way to convert this trail bike into a road bike since I have no intention of ever riding off pavement.
They were smooth, quiet, and extremely comfortable.
Highly recommended!
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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big and smooooth, May 17, 2010
By jkallday (Redondo Beach CA)
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These tires are big. And they have this flared lip on the sides for some unknown purpose. I thought I had made a mistake when I first saw them.
But they fit on the rims ok (rims say 1.50 but they're much narrow), and they ride great. Super super smooth. And quiet. I love to crank turns on these.
Packaging was ridiculous. They put these in a giant box that a complete bike could go into.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Great tires for the money, April 29, 2010
By d.seemore (Mason, OH 45040)
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Converted my Mountain bike to a street/path cruiser for $25. Nice and smooth ride. Why would they ship these in such massive boxes????? I'm not sure how they make money on these tires with free shipping. Crazy!!!!
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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kenda k838 slick, April 16, 2010
By COWELLS64 (Merced, CA, US)
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GREAT TIRE, ROLLS SMOOTHLY AND QUIETLY. GREAT IN THE TURNS AND AROUND CORNERS. FITS SNUG ON MY RIMS, A LITTLE SOAPY WATER AND THEY SLIPPED RIGHT ON. ONCE AIRED UP THESE TIRES ARE PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL. GOOD ALL WEATHER HANDLING. I HAVE ABOUT 300 MILES ON THESE TIRES WHICH ARE MOUNTED ON MY MOTOBECANE FULL SUSPENSION DS COMP IT RIDES GREAT WITH THESE TIRES. NO COMPLAINTS. IN FACT IM ORDERING ANOTHER SET NOW..AND REMEMBER TO THANK THE LORD FOR THE FREEDOM YOU HAVE AS YOU RIDE ALONG.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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K838 a new ride!, April 6, 2010
By William I. Mejia (Yamaguchi, Japan)
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Just bought these bad boys on sale and worth every penny and more. I changed from off road tires to these since my riding is now mostly urban on streets and so on. These tires seem to grip to the road well on a nice summer day, and the ride is quiet. Totally satisfied customer with Kendra K838 tires, and yes as posted before these tires are all black and "not" tan walled as the picture demonstartes. Will update review after a few more miles of joy.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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great inexpensive tire, April 3, 2010
By D. Carper (burnsville, MN)
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I got this tire to use with a trainer but having a smooth tire on my mountain bike is great when riding on the road. after using there on my bike i have decided to buy two more for my wifes bike.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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New to biking, October 17, 2011
By jason5
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Tires were what I expected from reading previous reviews. Not sure how good they will perform on wet pavement and off road conditions. Put these on an old Trek mountain bike that I ride approx 25 mile a week for my health. Very low rolling resistance. If you think you like the tires save youself some time and money, Dicks Sporting Goods has the same tire without the shipping expense.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Fast and Smooth!!!!, October 10, 2011
By Paul Hill (Kaneohe, HI United States)
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I knew that even before purchasing these that they were going to improve my riding experience, I just didn't realize how much faster I would actually be going! My typical rides are rather short, 10-14 miles, so longer rides would probably benefit even more in time-savings. I was able to whack about 10 mins off the 10 mile ride and 20 mins off the 14 mile circuit!! From the moment I put foot to pedal, I had to shift up a gear or two just to maintain my usual comfortable riding RPM. Acceleration is smoother, rolling resistance much less than with the standard street nobbies. Coasting speed fall-off is also reduced, meaning you maintain your speed even when not pedaling. By the way, my bike is a GIANT Sedona DX--a comfort series mountain bike of about 8 years now.
I can't wait to get back on my bike again and get some more miles on these things! I guess I could look at my nobbies as a nice resistance training tool and these tires as sleek, smooth racers.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Kenda K838 tire, great tire, September 11, 2011
By bstickler92
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I got a set of these tires because I had to convert my mountain bike to a commuter for college. They have great grip and are wearing extremely slowly, I do a couple miles per day and the nubs aren't even off the tires. If you want a great street tire for your mtb's off season, these are the tires for the job.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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kenda tires, September 6, 2011
By cds
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Excellent tire with great durability. Nice slick that really speeds up the mountain bike. Would buy Kenda tires again in the future.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Great ride, September 6, 2011
By eycdad
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I bought these tires for my Diamondback Outlook ATB since my riding is almost exclusively concrete and pavement. They are installed on 26 inch by 24mm wide Clincher rims with about 60 PSI of pressure. So far, I have put about 100 miles on them. This tire is very smooth and fast. I am very happy with this purchase. I had another Kenda model street tire on the bike previously, but these tires are much better. If you do not need an off road tire, I would highly recommend these tires.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Reliable Low Resistance Tire, January 28, 2012
By MochiTomi
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I purchased two of these tires from a local shop to replace the tires on a mountain bike I received from a friend. I knew before purchase I wanted a tire that would ride better on the street and provide some flat resistance as well. These tires have done just that and they have performed excellently over the hazardous roads in my area. Function wise they are derived from motorcycle tires where there is a smaller contact patch when riding straight and during turns more of the tire contacts the road for grip. This has been helpful for those "oh *@#^" moments involving a car not paying attention.
I keep my pressure around 55psi and rolling resistance decreased exponentially from the old knobby tires that I had. After several wet days recently I can say they perform great in wet conditions too with minimal loss of traction on paved roads. The wet roads also gave me an idea of the contact surface these tires utilize when riding a line, which is approximately 1.25" according to a tape measure. That measurement is at my psi with my weight on it, your mileage may vary.
I'm also quite happy that I am yet to get a flat with 2 months of daily commuting use. I have to use some very busy roads that seem to see an accident every other day so there is glass, car pieces, and every other sort of road debris in my way. I do my best to avoid all of it of course but sometimes there is no choice but to strike a line through the best spot and pray.
I highly recommend the Kenda Slick as a replacement for 26" rims when you need an urban tire.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Good tire, January 11, 2012
By Logan M. Tanner (Provo, UT)
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Purchased an indoor bike trainer recently and got this to keep the noise levels down while spinning. It went on easy and looks like a solid tire and was incredibly cheap. Very pleased.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Good tire for paved bike paths, November 18, 2011
By PhillyTurboSix
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So far so good. I went from a knobby tire to these as I mainly ride on paved paths or the streets. Big difference. Much more easy to pedal now that's for sure! I ran thru some soft gravel the other day and they were not the best for that but if you ride on paved roads this is the tire!
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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A Quality bike tire at a great price, August 8, 2011
By winox essential (San Francisco, CA USA)
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In resurrecting an '80s Bridgestone mountain bike, I replaced the original knobby tires with the Kenda K838 with intention of riding on the city streets. It was very easy to mount onto the rim (with only hand and thumb pressure) and the thickness of the tread should give it long tire life. I've been on the city pavement for about a month, about an hour 3 times a week, and noted that the tire gave a smooth ride and its width and size gave good absorption of irregular road surfaces. While I do not intend to take turns at speed enough to require leaning the bike into steep angles, the "flare" at the tire edges gave extra assurance of tire grip at the steep lean angles. I bought these tires at a very good price, and I will buy these tires again in the future even at a higher price. I am pleased enough with the Kenda K838 to recommend this tire for anyone with a mountain bike or a street bike for pavement riding (although its size would allow for some off road biking).
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Very Satisfied!, August 7, 2011
By Gerald
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These Tires worked awesome on my Mountain Bike They are great Quality. And i havent had a flat since. Great Deal TOO!
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smooth ride, August 3, 2011
By wayne
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took my first ride on my 838s only 30 miles but very impressed at the smoothness and comfort of the tires, i"ll let you know how i get on in the next month or so
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Quite tire, July 27, 2011
By Maky
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This are real quite tires compared to other mountain bikes tires, the handling is good on tough and thin trail roads but is slipping on a thick sand, a good quality product.
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Practical Bike Tires, July 26, 2011
By joe l (hendersonville, tn)
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Have had these tires for 4 weeks so far. I'm not into speed, commuting or mountain biking but ride locally for exercise only. They perform well to this need on most hard surfaces. They've fared well on bumpy surfaces also.
I like them snd they're priced right.
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Love These Tires!, July 26, 2011
By Ehippy (Santa Monica, California)
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I purchased these a couple of weeks ago. These tires replaced my old gum walled mountain bike knobbies. I love the smooth ride. I used tire liners in between my tire and my inner tube for added protection on the rough, tough and dangerous LA roads. I ride around with greater speed and confidence now. My boyfriend calls them sexy tires. I guess that's a guy thing. LOL! Anyway, I recommend them if you're looking for more speed than the typical mountain bike tire can give you on city streets. Also the extra capacity for air pressure insures a smoother ride, quieter ride.
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Replacement Bike Tire, July 25, 2011
By PD3234
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This is a great replacemnt tire, smooth ride and increased speed over the mountain bike tires I had.
These ship full size not rolled up like the junk they sell in retail stores and I highly reccomend them.
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Kenda k838, July 23, 2011
By Urbanassault
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I really like the way these tires ride,smooth and fast,nice and quiet.They will be fine for an inexpensive tire,but with no extra flat protection built in,I'll get what I payed for,an $11 entry into mtb street riding.Hopefully,the thorn resistant tubes will help a little.
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Great "City" Tire, July 21, 2011
By J Nathan Boltz
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I live in Alaska, where we have 3 seasons: Fell (not a typo), Winter, and Construction. This tire is smooth enough to be quiet and fast, yet handle the gravel patches and pot holes frequently encountered up here. While they do have slightly more rolling resistance than my old 1.25" slicks, they are a great happy medium. Great value too...
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Couldn't have asked for better, July 21, 2011
By W. Nokes (roaming)
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Only a few days ago, i ordered one of these tires to use with my Bell bicycle trainer. Having a knobby tire on there was way too loud, after buying this tire i can finally use my trainer without getting irritated by the noise. While i have never been much of a brand loyalist, i can say that Kenda tires have always been great. They size them up right, and they last a long time too. Ive never had a bad tire from Kenda. And did i mention how quiet the bike trainer is? Some say that Bell makes a loud trainer, but i will never complain, not after having a knobby on it.
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Greg, July 11, 2011
By Greg (Los Angeles)
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Love this tire for street cruising in Los Angeles County Bike Paths. Had these tires on my Hybrid cruiser before and wore them out after 5 years of hard riding. Tried combination slick/nobbie mountain bike tires but didn't like the give as smooth a ride sowent back to this tire. Very happy with the performance.
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Better than expected!, July 7, 2011
By Life long Student (COMMERCE, GA United States)
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Tire performs well on road as well as on hard gravel. The lower rolling resistance made the on road time more enjoyable.
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Great deal, July 6, 2011
By walla-wakadoo (space)
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I got these, as do most I'd assume, to turn my mountain bike into a city machine. They really make the bike quite a bit quicker by reducing the drag created by the knobby tires. I averaged about 4-5 mph quicker on average and was able to coast further as well. Long story short....These are a great value.
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Quieter than my previous mountain bike tires, July 6, 2011
By Disney Semi-Aficionado (Runnemede, NJ United States)
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I have an older Diamondback mountain bike that I'm converting over to road racer. Changed the front and back tires from knobby to these Kenda tires. First thing I noticed is that the rubber on these new tires is waaaaay softer than I though it would be. But once you pump them up to 60psi, they do seem a lot more menacing. But I do wonder how the long term wear will be with them if they are this soft.
Rode 10 miles on them on my first trip. Definitely a lot quieter than my previous tires and certainly a lot smoother even at 60psi. Handled great on a few tight slow corners where I had to get around some cars. Actually, they really gripped the road a little too much as compared to what I was use to with the knobbies. So chalk that up for operator error.
Only time will tell if they hold up well on the street, but that is my only concern so far. As a footnote, some people posted that their tires came in huge boxes. In my case, my first tire came in a large shipping envelope. It was kind of folded up. I just let it out and in a few minutes, it was right back in shape with no issues to the wire bead rim. The other tire came flat in a huge shipping box. Go figure.
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Good quality, July 4, 2011
By Video_Joe
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Bought two to re-shoe my mountain bike for road use--tread is great for that. Sidewalls are a bit wide, but fit rims fine. Haven't tried riding yet, but should do the job.
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Great tires for road riding, July 1, 2011
By Daiv (MI, USA)
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I live in a very urban area and there's lots of pavement. The tires that came with my bike were standard mountain bike tires with fairly deep treads that made the rides a little rougher than they needed to be.
I swapped out the tires fairly quickly and mounted my bike on my bike trainer. They are very smooth and make the ride way less noisy. Took a ride out in my neighborhood and found these tires are much more comfortable on the pavement.
Much like the other reviews, I found the packaging unnecessarily large. I ordered two tires and and they came in separate boxes. I really recommend the seller read the reviews here and change some of their shipping practices. I'm not taking a star off because the product was shipped quickly and work great.
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Not your new tire aroma, July 1, 2011
By D1Rabbit
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Got my 2 tires the other day in a bed pillow sized bag. Not the bicycle sized boxes as mentioned by others. It took just a few minutes to install tires on rims. They are wider that the MTN bike tires I had on it, so fitting in the breaks was tricky (had to deflate). They ride nice at 45psi. The only down side is their aroma, I have had the bike in the garage a couple of weeks now & the tires still smell funny, not quite what new car tires smell like. I guess that I will have to get them out more often.
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Excellent tires for the road., June 30, 2011
By J. Lam (California, USA)
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I got these tires to replace a pair of stock mountain bike tires. Here are some things I've noticed since putting them on:
* Practically silent compared to mountain bike tires.
(I actually liked the whir of the knobs hitting the road, but it seems like most people don't.)
* The ride is so much smoother.
* Steering is more responsive.
* I now ride on a couple higher gears than before over the same road conditions.
* Each push of the pedal is much easier - seemingly half the effort of my previous tires.
* Climbing hills is surprising easier as well.
Thanks to the reasons listed above, I get to the same places faster and with less effort. You should too. I should have gotten these tires years ago. If you do most of your riding on city streets like me, these tires are for you. You won't realize what a difference the tires make until you try these out. I didn't have any trouble installing these tires like some people seemed to have. For less than eleven bucks per tire, I couldn't be happier.
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Great wheels for everyday commute, June 30, 2011
By C. Hernandez (Brooklyn, NY USA)
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If you use your mountain bike for commuting in pavement than this is a must have. For a full year I have commuted back and forth from home to college using standard mountain bike wheels and I must say that making the switch was the best thing I've done to my bike. These wheels are amazing since they grip pavement at a lesser degree which translates to a faster and smoother ride overall. If you live in a city, (like I do) where dirt roads are none existing than go ahead and make this purchase, you won't regret it. Excellent wheels at a great price.
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Great for what I needed, June 25, 2011
By Jordan Lee Lobstein (Tampa, FL)
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This tire is perfect for what I needed. I have a stand for indoor spinning and m mountain bike tire was so loud my neighbors could hear it! So I bought this and just got it today put it on and could not believe how much quiter it was. It was perfect, I am thinking about getting a second and giving a try on the road now, if so I will update this review.
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Awesome Tire, June 23, 2011
By Redlion Racing
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Purchased this for a Mountain bike and rides so smooth like a dream! The tires mount fairly easy despite other reviews that I've read. And I just purchased another pair to place them on my other bike so that my wife can ride with me. The rolling resistance on these tires are amazing and they are so quiet and are durable with the tread area being very thick.
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Solid, Cheap, Great Performance., June 20, 2011
By Wagdog (FL, USA)
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I have a 70lbs E-bike that I use these on and it is perfect. Would definitely buy it again. They are great for hard riding in the city with pot holes and curbs!
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Great road tires for a mountain bike, June 17, 2011
By shadin (Iowa City, Iowa United States)
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If your looking for some road tires for your bike, you can't go wrong with these. Good traction rain or shin. I keeped psi at 60, easy rolling and quiet.
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Yes this is the one to convert your Mountain Bike into a Commuter., June 11, 2011
By Jeffo (Honolulu, HI)
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I was originally unsure of the durability of the tire because of the center channel of the tire seems so close to the inner wall of the tire, which makes it look easy to puncture. So far in one week has resisted with over 50 miles on it already. I also have installed these Avenir Thorn-Resistant Schrader valve MTB tube (26 x 1.95-2.125) so that may be helping as well. Being able to coast further has made the commute much easier than the stock knobby tires on my Mongoose Bedlam bike. I like the tougher build of mountain bikes and the full suspension system, since the roads in Hawaii aren't really well maintained, and bike lanes are not very extensive so there is all types of terrain to navigate. I keep it at the maximum 65psi since my full suspension and Velo Velo Elastomer Bicycle Saddle handle the bumps. The width and shape of the tire provides lots of confidence when you want to make those high speed leaning turns on road/sidewalk that is. There is no official rotation guide on the tires but I would suggest installing them with the grooves in the direction that is shown in the picture facing the front of the bike, so that the water grooves can do their job properly when it rains or when going through puddles. The weight is not really noticeable to me since I am not a 90lbs twig type of bicyclist, but it is very noticeable that the ride is much smoother and I can roll much further without being impeded by knobbies rumbling on the pavement. The looks of your bike with this style tire maintains the mountain bike profile of tough, meaty, solid build quality, but now your ride will feel like you are cloud hopping.
Update July 2011: Still going strong, 250+ miles rain and shine, no flats, drifting, or spin outs, and it has been holding the 65psi without having to air it up for a month. The combination seems to be pretty successful so far.
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Great road tire for mtb, June 6, 2011
By kennegun
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I purchased these based on the positive reviews and I'm not disappointed at all. They're great road tires for mountain bikes. I commute as well as use them for hard packed trails on my HT. They can soak up the sidewalk bumps, cracks and pot holes without worrying me about pinched tubes and bent rims. If you ride in a similar environment these are a must for your MTB. I went down a rocky descent with lots of loose dirt and rocks and these kept me straight all the way down, however they are terrible in mud. The tread looks awesome, the tires look bigger than typical 1.95inch tires so they don't throw off the mtb look, but they do have a funny looking ridge which I don't mind. The contact area to the road is minimum while upright, but when you lean, the contact area increases. They're very quite; not sure if your going to notice any efficiency in pedaling, but I'm sure there is a little. Quietness and grip is enough for me to purchase these again; I love leaning into turns now. Don't know how well they stand up to wear, time will tell. I'm very happy with my purchase.
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Solid!!!, May 26, 2011
By johnny b
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I bought 4 of these to replace the crappy wal-mart tires on my bike and my fiancé's mountain bike. NO MORE FLATS. And we absolutely love it! Also I recommend getting "Velox" rim tape while your at it. It's cheap, extremely durable,and will last the life span of the bike.
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Great for the city, May 26, 2011
By SciFi lover (New York, NY)
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I was given a used mountain bike for free but living in NYC did not have much use for true MTB tires. I am riding on the roads and sidewalks of a city so I did not need knobby tires and purchased these as an alternative. They are perfect if you want that extra stability of a wide tire but the smooth rolling of a road tire. I have ridden over all the bumps, cracks and potholes that NY has to throw at me and these tires have handled them all. Great for turning your mountain bike into a road bike.
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Good bargain tire, May 22, 2011
By esorale
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I bought a pair of the Kenda tires a couple of weeks ago and I was a little nervous because I had never heard of this brand. The tires were shipped quickly (thanks) and are a perfect fit. I've been on a couple of rides and these tires work like a dream. Great tires at a great price.
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Good buy, May 17, 2011
By Flet
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Great price for a good product. I use my bike to cruise around town and commute a few blocks to and from work. These tires fit great on my 26x1.95 rims and roll very smooth on bike paths and city streets. Little bumpy at high pressures but that's to be expected. happy with purchase.
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Awsome!, May 6, 2011
By morty461
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Tires are fantastic! Run them at full pressure and slick doesn't do the name justice. The roll smooth and quiet. Much less resistance than mountain bike tires. Great for the road.
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Perfect Tire for my indoor trainer, April 20, 2011
By J Cook (Texas)
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I am in an extensive rehab following a knee surgery. I decided to purchase an indoor mount to attach my existing bike to instead of spending $500 on an exercise bike. My bike is a mountain bike and had knobby tires. They made too much noise and made a burnt rubber smell when using them on the indoor trainer. This tire has been perfect, and is very well made.
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Kenda Tires, March 23, 2011
By ArizonaPilot (Arizona)
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Great tire at an awesome price. These tires do not need to be mounted on super wide rims as some reviewers have suggested. I have them mounted on 17Cs and they work great.
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Good street only tire for your mounty, March 3, 2011
By Sigster (CA, USA)
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Bought this for my GF's bike for use on an indoor bike trainer, for which it works well. But works just as well on the road, leass noise and less rolling resistance.
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really great tire, January 18, 2011
By bassinyourface (SAINT LOUIS, MISSOURI, US)
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this is like a motorcycle tire, I couldn't be happier. Looks great in black wall.you can run this tire at high or low pressure. handles the road great grips and rides great im using mine on a motorized bike and its amazing.. Buy it you wont be sorry
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More stable than my hybrids at speed, November 30, 2010
By John Prichard (Allen, TX USA)
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I bought these tires to go on my hybrid (Specialized Globe Carmel) since I never ride it off road anymore. Fits just fine even though they are slightly wider at the bottom where they touch the road. Great traction, much quieter, and slightly more stable at speed (I can ride no-handed at 9 mph compared to 12 mph before). They arrived a couple of days before their target date.
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Heavy, but smooth, November 6, 2010
By PowerTools (Huntersville, NC)
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The price was great on these tires. They seem to be good quality and were a breeze to mount. They have such thick tread that they weigh quite a bit, but will likely last for ages. Put these on some spare wheels to quickly convert your mountain bike to/from a city cruiser.
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MTB commuter, October 12, 2010
By g__c__m (Chattanooga, TN USA)
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I bought two of these. So far, I've only put one on the front of my MTB to make the commute a little gentler. It made a noticeable improvement in noise and vibration... I can't tell whether the bike's any faster.
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exactly what I was looking for, September 12, 2010
By alienblight
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I needed some smooth tires as I have turned my "mountain" bike into a commuter/recreational mode of transportation. This tire was exactly what I was looking for at approximately half the cost at local stores. Delivery was prompt, service was great.
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Tires for my wife's bike, September 6, 2010
By DC (San Diego, CA)
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Great tires. I replaced both tires on my wife's mountain bike due to a blow out and to give her for a smoother commute to work. I took her bike for a test ride after installation and I am thinking about getting a set for my bike, too!
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Very Quite and Fast!, September 3, 2010
By Jufon (Frisco Tx.)
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I only wish i had change my MTB tires sooner!
Love these things; most of my riding is done on the road or hard-packed.
love the handling, ride and quietness of these tires; they look good too.
Great price as well.
Will buy again
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Used on trainer, July 30, 2010
By Rwojo
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These are exactly what I was looking for in a smooth tire! I am using them on my Kurt Kinetic fluid trainer and boy-oh-boy, what a difference when compared to my MTB knobby tires! I picked Kenda because my Cannondale came with that brand and they have proven to be a very sturdy tire. I hit 50 miles last night on the slicks and they still have the molding "fingers".
As for the packaging mentioned by other comments, I somewhat agree. I bought two tires and it came in two boxes. Realistically, they could have shipped both tires in one box, but I wouldn't know how else the could ship tires safely and securely if they didn't use a large flat box. This is not swaying my opinion. The product and delivery were both perfect. Highly recommend this product.
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Smooth ride with mountain bike and noiseless with indoor trainer, May 3, 2010
By CFS (Temecula CA USA)
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I bought these to smooth the ride of my mountain bike while on asphalt. They also helped in reducing the noise while using my bike with an indoor trainer. Good price, good value.
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 Think twice, March 12, 2011
By G. Hubley (Western Massachusetts)
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Unless you have a mountain bike tire with a very heavy tread this won't do anything to reduce the noise while riding on a trainer....and it doesn't have a rim! Better to go to your local bike store and ask them what they recommend for use on a trainer. Nothing wrong with the tire, just not likely to reduce noise as advertised. Also, arrived in a box big enough for an ENTIRE BIKE. Give me a break - ever heard of conserving materials? Unfortunately not worth returning either for the postage it would cost...I plan to donate it to my local bike shop as penance and I have to make a special trip to the recycling center to properly deal with the box!
0 of 7 people found the above review helpful.
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MTB to Road, November 11, 2011
By Namaste
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Sweet!! These babies were put on my MTB for some road mileage while I wait on my Road bike and they are impressive I'll say. The slick is similar to that of a motorcycle tire reducing friction like that of the standard knobby MTB tire while on road rides and provide the same great comfort. I've done a little off-road with them and wouldn't recommend them for trail rides, but they can stand for a little wear and tear on the road less traveled as well as rain. I've ridden these things through some rain on-road with little to no problems with the 'slick'. The material seems to hold up like other Kenda products I've owned and for the price....do it!! Impressive I'll say for having seen nothing like these for MTB nor having tried them prior to purchasing.
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S-m-o-o-o-o-t-h Ride, November 8, 2011
By Donald Canard (Titusville, Florida United States)
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There aren't enough o's in smooth to describe the smooth ride of these tires. I replaced 26 X 2.10 stubby tires on a mountain bike because I don't rride off road, but mainly on paved roads. The tires were shipped in an over sized box by amazon, and installed very easily. The bicycle looks better and rides much easier with virtually no pedal resistance due to the slick tires.
If you are tired of your stubby mountain buike tires and want a s-m-o-o-o-t-h ride, I would recommend the Kenda K838's.
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Ya, fine, good tires, November 7, 2011
By M B Zemcov
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Bought these to replace some burned out tires of a more mountain-bikey flavor I had on my wheels. My bike is hybrid-style and I ride to work and back everyday, rain or shine, so I wear things out more quickly than the weekend warrior type. These tires were simple enough to put on, seem well made, and I've been using them in the weather for about a month now with no major complaints. I commute on asphalt and my impression is these would be horrible off road (which I believe is more or less mentioned in the manufacturer's description), but on road they're nice and grippy and still pretty fast. I especially like how they channel water down to the ground instead of up my back in the rain. I have one minor concern which is that they seem to be wearing a little quickly, but they're inexpensive so replaceable. Next time I need new tires I'll shop around a little bit to see what there is to see but buying these again certainly wouldn't upset me.
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beginner biker, November 6, 2011
By Paul Bernard (MANCHESTER, NH, US)
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Has been a long time since i have ridden a bike, Mine is a Specialized Mountain bike, an older rugged one. the tires were to aggresive for the mostly road riding i do, these Kendra tires smoothed out the road, added a little roll out time and have been pretty good all around.
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Solid tire and great price, October 28, 2011
By Paxinbel
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The tire is no the lightest in the world but a great slick for the price. It's amazing how much faster slicks are then standard Mt bike tires. Shipping was super fast for me.
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Smooth ride, October 20, 2011
By Wen Hsieh (Flushing, New York United States)
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Compared to my stock knobby mountain bike tires, Kenda K383 tires feels like it glides over the pavement. I immediately felt the difference in rolling resistance the first time I started moving. I have no idea that it would make such a big difference. These tires are silky smooth over pavement and quieter than knobby tires. After my stock tires wore out I figure I try these since I always ride on paved roads and boy am I glad I did.
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Definitely an improvement over Stock Mt bike tires, October 12, 2011
By NF (NY)
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My first impression of these tires on my bike is more maneuverability. They are exceptionally quiet and handle the hills well. Although I must admit, I was expecting to be moving with great ease and speed, that was not the case. These are pretty wide tires and with 60psi of air, adds to the overall bike weight. But these are clearly better tires. I can only state the facts:
1)I made it back home from my usual 9.5 mile ride 3.5 minutes shorter than my usual time. I could have done better due to fact that it was exceptionally windy while I was riding.
2) I got up the hills much better with these tires over my stock knobby tires without feeling like I was dragging something behind me.
3) They simply roll better than the stock tires, especially over grainy rough roads.
4) I feel less fatigued from my rides with these new tires.
They are pretty grippy tires despite the fact that they are so smooth looking. However, one thing I did notice was when I applied the brakes on my old tires at high speed, they stopped with very little skidding. These tires tend to slide ,somewhat, upon hard braking at high speed, but they are still very effective. Obviously, they will not be as grippy as my old tires but definitely grippy enough to be perfectly safe and confident on your rides. I love the fact that I can inflate these tires to 65 psi over my 40 psi old tires. All in all, they are well worth the money, especially if you are on the asphalt most of the time.
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Bike Tires, September 17, 2011
By Doug T.
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Great tires and a great price!!!! Removed the stock knobbies, rides much smoother now. Would recommend this brand of tire.
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Solid, Cheap, Great Performance., June 20, 2011
By J. Wagener (FL, USA)
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I have a 70lbs E-bike that I use these on and it is perfect. Would definitely buy it again. They are great for hard riding in the city with pot holes and curbs!
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AWESOME FOR THE PRICE!, February 3, 2012
By SkunkApeMan (Florida Keys)
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I have an aluminum front suspension mountain bike I'm using as a city commuter, so I needed some better rolling tires than the crappy stock knobbers that came with the bike.
I ordered these based on all the great reviews, and I couldn't be happier with my purchase! Tires are easy to install and will make any bike look cool. I maxed them out at 65 psi and they roll like a dream. Everything the other reviewers say about being able to coast longer distances and less rolling resistance is true! 18th gear now feels like 15th gear!
Be advised, as others have mentioned, even though the tires come with no 'directional' install instructions, if you ride in rain or puddles you should definitely install them with the tread so that it looks like this |/ | when looking down on your front tire from over the top of the handlebars. (Read Kevin V.'s review for a much better description of what I'm talking about.)
Some reviewers complained that because of the higher air volume the tires feel heavy. All I can say is I'm not feeling that. My bike is way easier to peddle than before.
If you use a mountain bike primarily on pavement there is simply no reason not to go with these slicks.
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No directional arrows, Huge Boxes?, December 25, 2011
By Gumby (Claremont, ca United States)
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The tires are great, and mounted easily on my 26 rim (I have a 2010 C'dale F7, with Alex DC 4.5 rims). See the other 96 reviews on why they are so good
Here's my 2 cents as a consumer
1. I have no idea which way to mount them since there are no directional arrows on these
2. Max recommended tire pressure says 40-65, I have no idea what that means so I put in 30 PSI
3. Got these in time for Xmas, each tire came in a HUGE box . . . really? for tires? Did someone miss a memo? And a LOT of filler paper
Otherwise, I would gladly buy again :)
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SOLID GOLD, December 22, 2011
By GIXXER
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I RECENTLY BOUGHT A MINOURA BIKE TRAINER AND TRIED IT WITH THE ORIG MTB TIRES,BIG MISTAKE.LOL.SO LOUD.SWITCHED TO THESE TIRES AND QUIT A DIFFERENCE IN NOISE.I LOOKED AT ALL THE REVIEWS AND CANT WAIT TILL I CAN RUN THEM ON THE ROAD.SEEM TO BE A SOLID ALL AROUND TIRE.
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Great Tire, December 20, 2011
By Dustin (California)
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This tire has a smooth ride and works well on my mountain bike. It was exactly what I was looking for to replace the stubby tires on my mountain bike.
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Great deal, July 6, 2011
By B. Wilburn (USA baby!!)
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I got these, as do most I'd assume, to turn my mountain bike into a city machine. They really make the bike quite a bit quicker by reducing the drag created by the knobby tires. I averaged about 4-5 mph quicker on average and was able to coast further as well. Long story short....These are a great value.
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Kenda K838, December 15, 2011
By W. Hobbs (Palm Springs, CA)
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Received the K838 today and mounted them on my Carbon frame GT Zaskar Expert. After riding about ten miles I am pleased, much more efficient than the knobby Kenda Nevegal stock tires when riding on asphalt. The Nevegal's are great on dirt. Nevegal's are made in Taiwan and the 838's in China, yet both are Kenda. My only complaint is that the same tire at Sport Chalet, Oxnard has them for $9.98. I paid over $16 at Amazon and I know why. I received two huge boxes, big enough each for a full size bike. Why could Amazon not place both tires in the same box or better yet a smaller box. Amazon could have easily saved close to $10 in shipping and passed the savings to the consumer. Hope someone from Amazon reads this!!
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0 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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