Mini-review: 26"x1.5" Avocet Cross II K tires
10-16-03, 07:21 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: The Berkshires, MA
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Bikes: '08 Soma Groove (commuter/long distance tourer), '97 Lemond Zurich (road commuter/tourer),'01 Seven Axiom Ti, '03 Look KG381i, '01 Santa Cruz Superlite X
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Mini-review: 26"x1.5" Avocet Cross II K tires
These are 26" kevlar belted 1.5" wide touring tires with an inverted tread pattern, which means instead of having knobs that stick out of the tire casing itself, it has what is like a ridgeline that is flat with the casing.
I put them on before a 500 mile fully loaded tour I recently did and have to say that I am fairly pleased with the tires after the short trip. No flats encountered although the roads we were on seemed to be in mostly decent to very good condition. Tires due to the inverted pattern were quiet and comfy for touring use. We had one day of rain and they seemed grippy and had no problems with the handling. Even used them on some dirt roads for a short distance. You'll certainly feel the bumps, but they are only 1.5" wide and not MTB tires. Handling is a little sketchy off road but then again, it's not what the tread is made for.
Installation on a set of Bontrager Valiant/Mustang rims were good. They have a steel bead on them.
Final Conclusion, they were gotten on sale at Performance and although Avocet seems to be more known for their computers, these tires are a great value for the MTB tourer that is wide enough for loaded touring in all conditions but skinny enough for performance.
Equipment:
'95 Marin team Tange Prestige steel, mostly XT components
Old Man Mountain Red Rocks rear pannier
Old Man Mountain Cold Springs front
Carradice Super C rears and front panniers
Bontrager Valiant rear rim/XT hub
Bontrager Mustang rear rim (LX hub) used as a front wheel
~60lbs loaded sans water and me.
I put them on before a 500 mile fully loaded tour I recently did and have to say that I am fairly pleased with the tires after the short trip. No flats encountered although the roads we were on seemed to be in mostly decent to very good condition. Tires due to the inverted pattern were quiet and comfy for touring use. We had one day of rain and they seemed grippy and had no problems with the handling. Even used them on some dirt roads for a short distance. You'll certainly feel the bumps, but they are only 1.5" wide and not MTB tires. Handling is a little sketchy off road but then again, it's not what the tread is made for.
Installation on a set of Bontrager Valiant/Mustang rims were good. They have a steel bead on them.
Final Conclusion, they were gotten on sale at Performance and although Avocet seems to be more known for their computers, these tires are a great value for the MTB tourer that is wide enough for loaded touring in all conditions but skinny enough for performance.
Equipment:
'95 Marin team Tange Prestige steel, mostly XT components
Old Man Mountain Red Rocks rear pannier
Old Man Mountain Cold Springs front
Carradice Super C rears and front panniers
Bontrager Valiant rear rim/XT hub
Bontrager Mustang rear rim (LX hub) used as a front wheel
~60lbs loaded sans water and me.
