The Crow...Will it fly or Die?
OK, So Stan's produced the first tubeless 29er tire, so I got some.
First impressions (fresh out of the box):
these are light...really light!
these are not gonna last 5 minutes (they are too light)
they have almost no tread
they are going to rip like paper
Second impressions (mounting them on the rims):
they fit a bit tighter than the old tires
they hold a nice shape and should be easy to inflate
Third impressions (getting them to take air/inflating on a standard Salsa 29er rim):
wow, my pump hose just blew up for no apparent reason...replaced pump hose
these tires hold their shape well
they both were aired up/seated with a standard Park floor pump
they don't seal quite as well as my old non-tubeless tires that I ran tubeless, but eventually they sealed (no tiny air bubbles forming at bead area)
Fourth impression (the test ride in the neighborhood):
these tires are sticky (like a race car tire)
they are soft (like a race car tire)
in spite of their lack of knobs, they will not spin or slide on grass
they seem to have surprisingly large volume for a tire that appears small
they are really supple and soak up bumps
they are about the same height as my old tires
I believe that the Crow will preform similar to my Exi-Wolfs as far as volume/ability to cushion bumps. They look tiny, but I think it is because they don't have a bunch of large knobs sticking out that give the illusion of a larger volume (both tires have a fairly large volume). Those knobs don't only make my Exi-Wolf look larger, they also make it heavier, and more resistant to rock cuts (I suspect). I do not intend to spare these Crows anything. I will ride just as aggressively as before and I intend to enjoy the rock gardens. If they don't perform well, I will take them off, but only after they get a fair dose of punishment.
My season is over, and now is the time of the year when I will begin tinkering more to see what will work well and not so well for next year. I intend to beat the cr@p out of these Crows, and suspect that they will be dead in short order, but hopefully they will surprise me. Either way, I will have some fun and get some data/experience. I will report back here when they fail...they will fail, all tires do eventually.....
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I beat them down...
Went out to Edgewood, and beat these tires with everything I had (not much after last night). I was able to turn a 15 minute lap which should show that I was not riding lightly.
The tires performed surprisingly well. I washed out in one turn that consisted of loose pine needles over hardpack clay. I am convinced that my Exi-Wolfs would not have broke loose here.
Dragged the rear a few times in some rocky downhill switchbacks where I was really on edge. These tires won't last long doing that.
I really thought I would tear or cut a tire on these rocks riding like I was, but not today.
It was a very short ride in race-like conditions, but I would say so far so good.
More to come...I suspect that these are great at first, but quick to wear out.
I bet Stan got the idea for
I bet Stan got the idea for the tread from rock climbing shoes. They're rather slick on the bottom. Those Stan's tires look like they'd grip a slick rock or root rather better than a knobby would.
Not being a geologist myself, I wouldn't know, but are rocky trails everywhere else filled with sharp-edged tire shredders like they are here?
Mark Ewers
I may not be fast, but I'm 2 old 2 go slow
perhaps
They do surprisingly well on clay and hardpack too. Some of the winding through the grassy areas gave me pause, but ultimately they never really cut loose. The front end did feel twitchey and more delicate than with the burley Exiwolf. It was like it required less effort to turn the bars...?
As for rocks in other areas...some areas are even more riddled with hatchet heads...but many of the hotspots for MTB are like riding on sand stone....smooth but very abrasive. Tires wear similarly on pavement.
The Crow tire review
i agree with your assessment of The Crow tires. I am a "veteran" 29er rider (6'4 height so 29" wheels are perfect) so I have been through quite a few of the tire offerings during the last few years. The Kenda Klaw was the tire I rode for a while until I replaced them with the WTB MotoRaptor/NanoRaptor tires. The wire bead was perfect for the Stan's NoTubes system I run. When I learned of The Crow tires, I was interested because (a) I have Stan's ZTR 355 Rims (yellow strip only) and liked the NoTubes specific nature of the tire and (b) the claimed weight was excellent. Keeping rotational mass low on 29er bikes definitely helps combat the sluggish nature of 29" vs. 26".
The tires installed easily (1.5 scoops of sealant per rim). Initially, the tires deflated at such a rate I was not sure I would be able to get a full ride out of them without having pressure issues. The sealant, however, made its way around the rims after a few rides and they now hold air much better. Compared to other tires running NoTubes, The Crow tires are much softer in feel. On my Niner Air 9 hardtail, it feels like I have added an inch of suspension travel. The "jello" feel is pretty close to unacceptable and definitely takes some getting used to. I have King ISO disc w/ the ZTR 355 rims and they weigh nothing with The Crow tires. The acceleration increase is unreal. They climb so much better due to the lack of weight and tacky nature. They have me glued to the trail - which surprised me based on how they looked out of the box.
This tire is excellent, but have made me finally add a second wheelset for my Niner. I went with the MTB-350 American Classic Disc 29er in a tubed set-up with MotoRaptors. The Crows are great, but forget about riding them anywhere but the dirt. With the tubed set, I can swap it on when I will be riding around town or want more than 40psi.
yup...
I agree totally. I wanted to have a second set of wheels so I could run these tires more.
I don't have the wheels and as it turns out I don't have the time and patience to keep running these tires.
I took them off yesterday. I checked them for seal when I installed them and they produced no bubbles in the soapy water soak, but a few days later they spoiled a ride by being flat when I needed them.
Additionally, the pressure I ran them at in order to get the needed traction resulted in that jello feeling you mention, and the numerous rocks around here resulted in several rim "touches". Some of these touches were minor and would not have pinched an ordinary tubed set up probably....others made me stop and check my rims to see how badly they were damaged.
I am finding I have less and less time to actually ride these days, so unfortunately I am forced to maximize by running the gear that positively works best....I get really angry when my 2 hour window becomes a 1 hour window due to unforeseen repairs. In that regard...the Exi-Wolf tires are back on my monkey.
Sorry all. I promised I would ride them to failure, but just couldn't make good on the promise.
In review, the tires are good for their intended purpose. Similarly, an ultralight set of wheels would also be good for race use, but you don't see them on my bike either. I like to ride hard, and care free. If you like to ride anything that comes your way without fear, avoid ultralight stuff (Stan's Crows included)...duhh
You should...
Let me test them on a race I'll know will be dirt.... uhmmm... maybe binder for June. I think it would be different to race them and you'd be sure I'd lay down the review.... I'm not so much in a rush to do amazing, I just need to keep racing like I am, but that race I'd let go and try something different... Let me know
How are the Crows on steep
How are the Crows on steep muddy rooty descents/ascents? I find it stange that Stan's would invest in a mould for a very specific and limited tread pattern for its first 29er tire (especially considering the hassle of changing tires when using NoTubes). Generally one would want to start with an all-conditions tire and THEN go off into niche tires.
I guess it doesn't rain much where Stan lives.
well....
They pretty much suck for muddy conditions, but do fairly well on roots, climbing, and descending.
I really do not like the tires much, BUT the reader should realize what Stan's is all about....Racing.
Most races are on fairly groomed courses that tend to not be HIGHLY technical. Sure some are, but typically XC racing is fast and riders benefit from weight savings....Therefore it becomes clear why Stan's also offers aluminum brake rotors (seems crazy to me, but some people cut weight at the expense of brake performance).
Further, Stan's offers the Crow for 26 and 29 inch market...and I sort of doubt that they actually make either one (rather they are likely farmed out to a bigger tire producer with Stan's specs)...just like their rims (made by another company)...not at all uncommon in this industry.
So in recap...this *is* their niche. If you want all conditions...those bases are pretty well dominated by the big guys (Kenda, WTB, etc.) It would seem foolish (to me at least) for a company like Stan's to attempt to compete with these big guys in a niche (all conditions) outside or their primary focus...better to stick with what you know for your initial offering.
That said...ultralight is not *my* niche...its fun to play with once in a while, but not for me on an everyday basis.
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