With the welcomed arrival of a late-blooming spring across much of the country, mountain bikers are eager to hit the woods and explore the trails. Some rode all winter, and their drivetrains are showing it. Others let their bikes sit unattended in the garage through the off season.
Representatives from both groups will soon arrive at your shop, looking to give their rides a little TLC in preparation for a summer’s worth of shred – or, they’ll be visiting for repairs from having neglected their bike for a bit too long.
After a standard inspection, tune-up, and cleaning, most MTB spring refurbishments should include the addition of new tires for the new season ahead. The average rider tends to defer tire updates as long as possible, due to the high cost and the optimistic belief that there’s always a bit more life in the current set.
CST Tires, available from all major distributors, offers options like the Rock Hawk, BFT, and Jack Rabbit that provide noticeable upgrades without breaking the bank.
For instance, CST’s Rock Hawk tires feature an open tread design and large side lugs, which work together to clear debris, improve traction, and enhance cornering. The Rock Hawk tire is for technical terrain including hard pack, loose over hard, medium, and loose, and it features CST’s Exceptional Puncture Safety (EPS) technology, which is a layer of poly-fiber material between the tread and casing that prevents objects from penetrating the casing to puncture the tube.
Rock Hawk, like many of the tires offered by CST, is available wire or folding bead, in three diameters and numerous widths, in keeping with industry trends toward MTB and gravel tire size expansion. The 26”, 27.5” and 29” Rock Hawk tires all come in widths of 2.25” and 2.40” at present, and will be available in widths of 2.60”, 2.80”, and wider in late 2018 / early 2019.
Another arrow in the CST quiver is the BFT, designed for all-mountain freeriders who need a beefy tire that can handle rocky terrain and high-speed turns. It’s perfect for long-travel bikes and its center and side knobs grip the trail on climbs and while cornering. Terrain-wise, it’s ideal for loose over hard pack, medium, loose, wet, and muddy conditions.
Like the Rock Hawk, BFT is offered with EPS technology and it has either a wire or folding bead. In addition to 26”, 27.5” and 29” diameters, it also comes in 20” and its width selection ranges from 2.25” to 4.0”, with additional widths planned to debut soon.
For those who have embraced tubeless riding and love a diverse tire that can do it all, the Jack Rabbit from CST is worth a look. It complies with Universal System Tubeless (UST) standards, and is compatible with all UST-specific rims. A standard tube-type version is also available.
As its name implies, the zippy Jack Rabbit tire has a fast-rolling tread design with small ramped knobs. It’s great on hard pack, loose over hard, and medium terrain and it features CST’s EPS technology to prevent punctures. The Jack Rabbit tire comes in 26”, 27.5” and 29” diameters and in widths from 1.95 to 2.25.
All of CST’s mountain tires range in price from $18-$40 (retail!) – making them a low-cost and high-impact upgrade to offer your customers.
Beau Baron is a natural-born rider, a multi-time WORCS champion, who is frequently in first place on side-by-sides. Everyone knows that if it’s got wheels and can be raced, Baron will take it all the way to the podium.
Baron has been tapped as one of CST Tires’ primary Brand Ambassadors. Not only does Baron race in multiple classes, but he is the only rider we know who races moto, ATV and SxS.
Whether it’s the Pulse for ATV, Dingo for SxS, or Legion MX-VI for moto –Baron rides CST Tires in all of them. While chasing championships in the WORCS circuit, he also spends quite a bit of time helping CST Tires develop their products like the Dingo and others.
“I run two different tires for WORCS, so the Dingo is more for a hardpack setting,” said Baron. “The tire is really good and it’s got a nice round shape to it so it doesn’t catch really hard in the ruts but you can lay it in there and stay in the ruts. It also has good traction on hardpack.”
One of the things Baron said he likes the most about the Dingo is that it’s very predictable in a variety of conditions.
“The predictability on my slides, the predictability in the ruts, you know, not popping out when I don’t want it to, but being able to have it loose enough to where I can throw it sideways and have a predictable slide. It’s just an all around great tire.”
Baron said that CST Tires is committed to the SxS market and continuing to invest in the brand to give riders what they want and need, both on and off the track.
For the side-by-side explorer who needs a great tire that fits all riding conditions including desert and sand, intermediate, soft and mud riding, the CST Dingo is the perfect fit.
The tire features an aggressive tread pattern with deep ridges that help with cornering, predictable sliding and grip when accelerating. The eight ply rated radial construction of the tire guarantees durability, ride comfort and confidence at high speeds.
The Dingo is the tire of choice for the multi-time WORCS champion, who is frequent on the first place podium in side-by-sides, No. 549, Beau Baron.
Looking for a tire that has a proven track record on the podium? Developed in cooperation with CST and professional ATV racer Adam McGill, the tire was built with durability and performance in mind.
The tire is made with a proprietary soft tread compound that is developed to ride on multiple terrains, from roots to rocks. The tread pattern also helps riders accelerate out of corners with ease, pushing debris away from the tire.
Everyday riders and professionals agree that the traction is unbeatable on most intermediate terrains, with significant control when changing from soft to a hard pack.
The deep tread pattern comes in a six-ply rating and is available in 10 inch for the front tire and 9 inch for the rear.
Look for riders like McGill and Beau Baron riding the Pulse HT in races across the country this summer .
Ranked fifth in 2017, second in 2016 and second in 2015; ATV racer, No. 521, Adam McGill knew his future was in racing after being named the youngest person to place in the top three of a GNCC race at 17 years old in 2005. He followed that with wins at the GNCC Pro Am Championship and winning the AMA ATVA Amateur Rider of the Year Award.
The West Virginia native’s professional career began in 2008, and he has captured the podium every year.
In 2018, McGill has been working hard on the GNCC Racing circuit since February, ranking in the top of his class in multiple rounds.
This month, McGill is focusing his attention on Round 9 in Snowshoe, WV, on June 23-24, at Snowshoe Mountain Resort. Set in a ski village, the track is known to be challenging, setting atop of the second highest point in the state.
Unlike other races in the GNCC circuit, riders at Snowshoe will line up on a paved road in groups of five and start their engines every 10 seconds. The track extends from the paved start onto ski slopes and into deep mud bogs with massive tree roots and hills covered in black, loamy dirt.
Looking to dominate the peaks of Snowshoe, McGill has his eye on the podium in his home state.
For more information on McGill, follow him on Facebook for race updates.