Mitas Radial Trials Tires

[GMP]

FYI for those who like the Mitas ET-01 radial trials tires. They are hard to find on the east coast as WER is not stocking then at the moment. I found this parts house that claims to have purchased a large stock. Free shipping over $150, so buying two worked out cheaper than from WER in NJ.

This is a great trials tire for a woods bike, as its sidewallls are more durable.

http://www.gnarlyparts.com/index.php?cPath=29_1467

[webmaster]

GnarlyParts is owned by a guy referred to as "GnarlyParts Dave". Dave rides a gasgas and helped with Steve's (aka speedymaniac) efforts at this years ISDE in Chile.

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[Skidad]

Thanks for the tip GMP. I want to try a trials tire and after reading so many positive reviews on the Mitas that's what I'm going with.


Skidad in MA

[GMP]

Skidad,

Its the bomb in the rocks, as long as you ride in a relatively smooth controlled style. It also takes more of the "sting" out of severe sharp edge hits, no matter how good your rear suspension is set up. I always feel less hammered after a long ride with a trials tire than with a knobby.

I always trail ride with one but I'm going to race with them more this year, after a good finish in a tough rock run last fall. If you go to Hancock for the Quarry Run its an excellent choice.

[Skidad]

Well, as you know we have a few rocks up here and my style at 50 YO almost requires me to become smoother and more controlled to go faster longer and stay ON the motorcycle. I plan on doing more enduros this year in the super senior class and first up will be the Tri-State which is renound for it's rocks followed up by another rock ride in Freetown MA. Being less hammered is a great bonus as well.

The Hancock ride is awesome. I did it 2 years ago and it was sooooo much fun. The hills just kept coming and I can see how the trials tire would be so good. I'm also installing an auto clutch and a G2 throttle cam system so I'll really have NO excuses this year.


Skidad in MA

[d2w]

Just as a data point, I had mixed experience with the Mitas trials tire. First off, let me state that I was new to the bike ('06 EC300) and I'm an OK recreational rider. So I'm sure the issue was mostly with me. With that caveat: The tire work well in roots and loose dirt (which there is on Vedder Mountain in Chilliwack, B.C.). However, in the loose sand/fine rock/pine needles we have up here in the Okanagan, I was always searching for traction. I had a much better time using a classic knobby (S12). Yes, my S12 chunked at first, but it's holding its own. And I've got a Maxxis IT (?) knobby in the basement for this coming season.

As you know, your milage will vary.

Dale

[GMP]

Yes thats true, I never run them in the sand, although some do at lower pressure and claim they work well. Problem I have is the only time I see sand is at a race, and I don't want to experiment there. I have a spare wheel so a swap is easy. S12 in sand, ET-01 in rocks/mixed technical terrain. I have a rule: if the traction is so good, terrain so smooth, that you can lean the bike over in the turns and push the trials tire's limits, you don't need it. Its in the rock studded single track, boulder fields, shale hills, ledges, or endless wet log hops that its a no brainer. I'll even deal with it in a short sand section if the race is primarily rocks/hills. The Mitas works noticably better than the others in the mud as well. It was outstanding in the mud covered bluestone on parts of the Hancock, NY WEC course.

[jlk_250]

Here's one more review. I'm not the best rider in the world but I have used this tire in all the local MN (non-winter!) conditions including sandy hillclimbs. It doesn't do particularly well in loose sand but is nowhere near as bad as I had expected. For the most part I have had no issues getting used to it. Keep wheelspin in control and it does what you ask of it. If you want to roost and brake slide, this isn't the tire for you. Brake sliding in muddy conditions is where it seems very different from a knobby. Once it starts sliding, it'll keep on sliding like you're on ice. Where it seems to do a lot better than a knobby is in rocks. Overall I'm about as happy with it as I have been with my favorite knobby. Better in some conditions, not as good in some, but a good tradeoff for where I ride. Considering how long it'll last I think it was a great investment and I think it has made me a better rider by forcing me to be smoother.

[GMP]

With the Mitas use one good Motion Pro rimlock. 6-8 PSI. As long as you are reasonably smooth and don't spin the tire like a madman it will last all year.

[gasser]

How do you keep from getting flats, ever time I try to run less than 10 PSI I get a flat. I put in a new super heavy duty tube before my last ride and cinched the motion pro tire lock as tight as it would go but managed to tear the valve stem completely off the tube at 9 PSI in a Mitas trials tire.