Geax

Saguaro Tire - 29in

Despite the desert name, the Geax Saguaro can handle a wide range of conditions. As a 29er, it's an all-mountain and enduro gem, one that can handle all conditions but excels in the dry hardpacked stuff. Notice how the knobs are attached to an uninterrupted ridge down the center of the tire. That's for a steady ride on the hard stuff. The knobs spread out towards the shoulder so they can dig into the trail when cornering on loose material. The C-shaped shoulder knobs right above the sidewall will hold the line when you're leaned really far over.

But, as you know, tread is but one part of the tire story. Almost as important is the casing underneath. The Geax casing is made from a cloth that has 120 threads per inch: supple by mtb standards. The sidewalls are reinforced to minimize both cuts and folding when riding with low pressure. Geax calls this their Phase 3.1 tire casing.

Holding the tire onto the rim is a traditional folding Aramid bead. The tires can be run front or rear; if you want a little more dig in the back, reverse the tread direction so you're getting more of a "scoop" effect. The tread color is Black; the sidewall is Black. The TNT (Tube No Tube) versions have reinforced sidewalls and a UST bead, so they weigh a little more than the folding model. The claimed weight of the Geax Saguaro 29 x 2.2 TNT tire is 820g, while the folding is a mere 690g.