Folding Bikes - IRC Metro tire

Hey foldaholics...I'm back again with a new 20" tire review for you. This time, what I like to call, the most overlooked tire for 20" wheels: the IRC Metro.

First, some specs:

size: (406) 20x1.125
weight: 284gm
pressure: 100psi
actual measured diameter: 19in
actual measured width: 33mm

The 2 things I immediately noticed about these tires out of the box were their weight and construction. These tires are light...about the same weight as the Primo Comet Kevlar 1.35. The tread is also very soft, and the sidewall very flexible. They almost feel flimsy. The tires went on the rims without help from a tire wrench. My first pre-ride impression of these tires is that they weren't going to survive these city streets without a puncture.

Having replaced the Kenda Kwest 20x1.50 tires on my Swift, the IRC Metros made my bike feel a half pound lighter (they are 148gm lighter per tire than the Kendas). The Metros with their soft, almost pliable tread, made them feel sticky to the ground. Out of the saddle, the Metros sprinted quickly, just like the Comet 1.35.

I was anxious to see how puncture-resistant these tires are. My neighborhood in SF has 2 active construciton sites within a block of my location, so it wasn't hard to find stuff that could potentially flat these tires. I picked-out a couple of patches of broken glass, followed by some small-to-medium gravel and broken concrete. Nothing. I checked the tread for any imbedded objects. Nothing. Hmmm. I rolled through the section again. Still nothing. I was expecting the soft tread and flimsy sidewall of the Metro to sustain SOME kind of damage. This is all obviously premature, with the real proof being in the long-term, which I will update you on as I rack-up the mileage.

For the ride test, I chose a 1/4mile section of brick cobblestone surrounding a set of rails thru the Fisherman's Wharf area. I rode half of the section at low speed and the other at a higher speed. Surely a narrow 100psi tire like this would deliver a bone-jarring ride. Surprisingly, only the opposite. They actually rode quite well over the bricks, and very well over the rails. I was impressed. Although not nearly as cushy as the wider, squishier 65psi Kenda Kwests, the Metros were actually quite comfortable over the rough stuff, moreso than expected of a narrow 100psi tire. Nice!

My first impression of these tires is fairly positive. I still have my doubts about their durablilty, for as I mentioned, the tires appear very flimsy compared to the other tires I've tested. I'm very pleased with their comfort, perfomance, and handling. I liken then to a lighter, narrower, softer-riding incarnation of the 100psi Kenda Kwest, for that is exactly how they ride. And at $17, (http://store.valueweb.com/servlet/poweron/Detail?no=181) these tires are a real bargain. Now if these tires pass the long-term durability test, they could possibly be the best overlooked 20" tire value on the market.

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p15/suntoryjim/swift/irc0.jpg

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p15/suntoryjim/swift/irc2.jpg

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p15/suntoryjim/swift/irc3.jpg

You weren't supposed to let out the secret, James. Retailers everywhere are now going to jack up the prices big time. :(

Is there a kevlar belt in the tire? From your description I don't think there is. I'm very interested to hear about the long term durability of these as well. They seem like a great, inexpensive option.

James,
Thanks so much for the fast review and the great photos. You are like lightning! I just had read that previous thread, and was looking at tires on the 'net when I went back to the forum and bam!!:eek:
You had already posted a quick review. Like the others, keep us posted on the durability issue.
Lyndon

Is there a kevlar belt in the tire? From your description I don't think there is. I'm very interested to hear about the long term durability of these as well. They seem like a great, inexpensive option.

No kevlar belt in this one.

James,
Thanks so much for the fast review and the great photos. You are like lightning! I just had read that previous thread, and was looking at tires on the 'net when I went back to the forum and bam!!:eek:
You had already posted a quick review. Like the others, keep us posted on the durability issue.
Lyndon

My pleasure. :)

Totally agree! I have had them on my Speed 8 for a year now and they are great, also a lot more durable than stevelos.
Hard to beat this tire for bang for the buck. I run mine at 60 psi since they ride a lot smoother compared to 100 psi.
Rolling resistance comparisons on a slight grade were about the same at both pressures.

Strange, the IRC Metros I've seen in 26" were stiff, heavy things. That was a few years back, maybe they've been updated too. Mark, at Power-On is a good guy to do business with.

Mid-way into my weekly commute update:

The IRC Metros are holding up nicely! I rolled over a hunk of broken bottle, heard the bits of broken glass make crunching sounds under the tire, but no punctures, no cuts, no embedded stuff. I made several various-sized rocks ricochet from under the tire with no damage to the tread or sidewall. Tomorrow has rain in the forecast, so I'll get to see how the IRCs handle wet corners as well as wet road debris.

size: (406) 20x1.125


I think that's a typo in the specs James posted--should be 20x1.25.

Thanks so much for researching and posting on these. I just ordered a pair. Still tempted to try the Racers, but given the price, the IRCs are hard to ignore. Looking forward to trying them out.

Jack

9 days and 144 miles later....

Well I've given up trying to intenionally puncture these tires. I took the bike out to an empty parking lot after a baseball game and rolled repeatedly through what looked like a blanket of broken bottle glass, this with the tires underinflated at 85psi. No punctures, no embedded glass. I guess all that's left is carpet tacks and nails. That should certainly do these tires in.

Wet weather review: the siping on the tread is generous and deepest near the sidewall, flinging water violently at speed (use fenders!), and making for very good wet cornering. Wet debris had no more affect on these tires as dry.

After riding both the Primo Comet 1.35 and 1.50, I'm used to plucking-out embedded debris from the tread. That has not been the case at all with the IRCs. Inspecting the tires now, I can't find a single cut in the tread anywhere.

My short-term testing results give the IRC Metros four out of five grins: :D :D :D :D
(They missed the perfect score of 5 because they didn't inflate themselves.)

Can you tell me where these are made? (there should be a country name somewhere on the sidewalls)

Great report. Thanks.

You're doing this all wrong James. Doesn't work to try and get punctures. You must be late for a meeting and desparately trying to avoid punctures. THAT will be the true test.

You're doing this all wrong James. Doesn't work to try and get punctures. You must be late for a meeting and desparately trying to avoid punctures. THAT will be the true test.

Yeah...did that...I even tried to invoke the help of Murphy's law by riding a couple of days without a pump/patch kit. :o

well, the ringing endorsement from James was enough for me to order a set. I hope to give them a spin next week.

I just installed mine today, purchased from Niagara Cycle Works for $15.96 each w/ free shipping for orders over $75.

Having just switched from 25mm (Continental Ultra 2000 folding) to 32mm (Pasela, non Tour Guard) on one of my 700c bikes and having been underwhelmed by the comfort difference, I wasn't expecting a big difference over the Stelvios that are the only other tire I've had on my Swift. I was wrong. Despite only 1/8" extra width (nominal, I didn't measure, but it looks like about 1/8"), the IRC Metros are significantly more comfortable. I started out with 80 psi, which seems about right, though I'll experiment.

I'm very happy with these, particularly given the price. Thanks James!

Jack

Are they available in 451?

I just installed mine today, purchased from Niagara Cycle Works for $15.96 each w/ free shipping for orders over $75.

Having just switched from 25mm (Continental Ultra 2000 folding) to 32mm (Pasela, non Tour Guard) on one of my 700c bikes and having been underwhelmed by the comfort difference, I wasn't expecting a big difference over the Stelvios that are the only other tire I've had on my Swift. I was wrong. Despite only 1/8" extra width (nominal, I didn't measure, but it looks like about 1/8"), the IRC Metros are significantly more comfortable. I started out with 80 psi, which seems about right, though I'll experiment.

I'm very happy with these, particularly given the price. Thanks James!

Jack

Yeah, I think 85psi is the best balance of extra comfort with only a slightly noticeable hit in rolling resistance.

That's an excellent price. Glad to hear.

I finally got these tires to puncture. I found a street that had 3 patches of broken automobile glass (they looked fresh so they were probably night-time break-ins). I rolled my Swift through the succession of broken glass, then checked the tires. The front tire had sprung a tiny leak. It was a miniscule puncture, detectable only by the hissing sound from the leaking air. The back tire was fine. Strange....I usually never get front wheel punctures.

The good news is in how easy it was to unmount the tire and patch the tube. I easily peeled away just enough tire bead with the tire lever to expose the area of punctured tube, slapped on a Slime patch (these are really excellent patches, by the way), then re-mounted the tire bead by hand. Quick and effortless. My Primo Comets required a tire lever and a whole lot more effort.

Still not bad for a non-kevlar belted tire, considering most normal every day rides don't include a deliberate rolling through 3 blanketed patches of freshly broken automobile window in succession (they were pretty sizeable hunks of glass, too). ;)

I finally got these tires to puncture. I found a street that had 3 patches of broken automobile glass (they looked fresh so they were probably night-time break-ins). I rolled my Swift through the succession of broken glass, then checked the tires.

Your dedication to tire research is remarkable! (If a bit weird--no way you'll get me to consciously try to get a flat!)

How are the IRC's wearing? My rear seems to be wearing quite a bit quicker than the stelvio. I've got less than 100 miles (sorry--been riding the 700c bike lately), and the center mold line is completely gone. This isn't a complaint, just a point of interest.

Jack

Your dedication to tire research is remarkable! (If a bit weird--no way you'll get me to consciously try to get a flat!)

How are the IRC's wearing? My rear seems to be wearing quite a bit quicker than the stelvio. I've got less than 100 miles (sorry--been riding the 700c bike lately), and the center mold line is completely gone. This isn't a complaint, just a point of interest.

Jack

I do all the perilous testing, so you don't have to. :D

Yeah, I noticed my back tire is showing wear faster than I expected. It's probably because the tread uses a significantly softer compound than other 20" tires I've used.

It took actively searching for tire reviews to find this thread... usually I rely on the word "Swift" in the title! I was happy to read James thorough testing of the IRC Metros... only marred by the fact that I just received two new Schwalbe 406 x 1.5 Marathon Kevlars in the mail.

The Schwalbes came highly recommend by Gaerlan Bicycles, who sold me the spokes for the new wheelset I am building up. His custom cut spoke prices were less than 1/4 the cost of custom cut spokes elsewhere. And he was recommended by a couple of Swift owners who have had good luck with him. So I trusted that these might be great tires and not overpriced.

IIRC the Marathons cost me about $26 each. I realize a lot of folks think this is expensive, but assuming they repel punctures better and outlast a cheaper tire by 2x, then they are worth it?

I couldnt find a real review of the 20" Marathon Kevlars so if anyone has comments, I'd love to hear them.

Schwalbe's are good tires. I have the Marathon slicks (406 x 1.35) and I like them. Looking to go all the way up to stelvios for that 120psi torture.

i wonder if the IRC metros will fit on 24mm Deep V MTB rims... anyone know if the rim diagrams at Velocity's site (http://www.velocitywheels.com/default.asp?contentID=567) are displaying inner or outer rim width?

i wonder if the IRC metros will fit on 24mm Deep V MTB rims... anyone know if the rim diagrams at Velocity's site (http://www.velocitywheels.com/default.asp?contentID=567) are displaying inner or outer rim width?

My Aeroheat V-rims are 24mm (measurement is outer).

i got a pair and swapped them in today. they're noticeably quicker to accelerate and easier to skid than the 50mm Big Apples i was running, but surprisingly there wasn't much loss of comfort. i'm running them at 80psi.

Update: over 600 miles

After about 500 miles on these tires, I've noticed the back tire starting to take on punctures more frequently....about 3 punctures in the last month....all from glass. Not wanting to have to worry about puncturing out on the road, but at the same time, not giving up these tires that I've grown to like so much, I decided to try the Slime Tube Protector (http://www.slime.com/product.php?product=SL-f1).

The IRC Metro tire is spec'ed iso 406X32, so I purchased the Slime tube protector designed for road bikes (fits 700Cx25-28). The fit was perfect. I merely needed to trim away enough material to allow a 1-inch overlap when installed in the tire.

The added weight wasn't very noticeable. The tire liner, when trimmed to fit the 20 inch tire, feels less than the weight of a 20x1.35-1.50 tube. I couldn't tell any difference in the ride or handling. After the first 2 miles of riding, I actually forgot the liner was even there.

So how well does it work? Have a look at this:

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p15/suntoryjim/swift/slime_irc.jpg

This cut in the tire is the result of me running over half of a broken bottle that had been left standing upright on it's base. While I managed to avoid it with the front wheel, the back wheel rolled right over it with a sizeable thud, accompanied by sounds of glass shards being snapped off the base of the bottle. If you look closely, you can see a light-green glimmer of the Slime tube protector through the gash in the tire. It's been a week now since the incident, and still no air loss, and still no punctures. Not bad for $4.98.

Overall, I think the Metro is an excellent value for the money...and for $10 more, you have yourself a set of tires that are just as indestructible as kevlar tires costing twice as much.

Thanks, James. You are the man. I hate flats. I'll soon be following your lead.

Hmm, can't seem to find these anymore. Too bad.

easier to skid than the 50mm Big Apples i was running

Do you consider this a benefit? To me, it's a good reason not to get them.

Actually, since I'm talking tires, I'd really appreciate a suggestion for a decent comfort road tire under $18 each. The Metros fit the bill pretty well, but since they're seemingly discontinued I'm now looking for alternatives.

They're for a vintage Royce Union my girlfriend bought this weekend at a yard sale, so tires with white or beige sidewalls would look especially cool. Big Apples would be perfect, but they're pricey and I want to make sure she likes riding the bike before we go big. The IRC Roadlites (http://www.pedalpowered.com/servlet/the-155/IRC-Roadlite-Bicycle-Tire/Detail)would look good, but they don't seem comfortable enough.

It surprised me when she brought this bike home; I'd been trying to persuade her to buy a foldy for years and she kept dismissing them outright because she thought the REI Fly-by and Dahon Mu I suggested looked silly. And then she was walking alone by a yard sale and fell in love with this foldy. It really highlights how unpersuasive I was.

All's to say, suggestions are appreciated. Cheers.

Actually, if anybody has a pair of new or lightly used Kwest tires that came with their Swift, I'd buy 'em. (I think they'll fit...)

Cheers,
Ari

Damn, I gave mine back to the shop. Oh well...

thanks anyways!

Power On! cycling still lists them on their site (http://www.poweroncycling.com/20%20INCH%20TIRES%20AND%20TUBES.htm) but that might be old info. Could try emailing them.

I have a pair on my Swift that have over 1400 miles on them, mostly on MUPs. Since they don't see much glass or other debris they're wearing very well, even have most of the the mold hairs intact. When they finally do wear out I'm thinking I'll try some Marathons.