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.