Tire Tuesday Pt. 1…

Tires, tires, and more tires.  Still really digging the Clément X’Plor MSO tires.  Word from the guys at Clément is that a 50mm version is in the works.  Now we’re talking.  That’s going to be a goodun.  In the mean time the 40mm version is working quite nicely.  

I put the MSO to another test on a 3 hour loop last Sunday.  Plenty of asphalt, dirt path, fire roads, and a few fairly technical, rocky sections.  Continued to work great.  In anticipation of more pavement, I bumped the air pressure up to a hair under 40 up front and a hair over 40 in back.  I also bumped the pressure up simply because the San Geronimo Ridge Trail (my ultimate destination) is quite a bit more rocky than my other rides have been.  Again, the tire performed quite nicely and took all that it was given without incident.  Even the 15 miles or so back on the road at 40psi, the tire felt great.  Great enough to allow me to wind it up a bit to sit in with a group of roadies who came past me.  That is until I opted for the dirt Cross Marin Trail instead of the road.  

And in the “more good news category,” the 120tpi version is now also available.  The 120tpi version also features a dual rubber compound.  This is noticeable to the touch.  The side knobs have a much more tacky feel.  This will probably aid in traction.  I have to wear out the 60tpi versions on my bike first before I throw on the 120’s.  While weight is not a huge factor, you cannot ignore the fact that the 120tpi version is 100g lighter at 420g (as weighed on my scale).  One hundred grams saved on one tire is significant.  And the $15 bump from the 60tpi version is reasonable given the weight savings.  MSO tires in stock now and for sale.