American Classic Vulcanite MTB Tyre
Behind brake pads, tyres are among the most frequently replaced parts of your bike. But with the price of many of decent tyres hitting $150, itâs getting quite painful replacing them. This seems to be a bit of a talking point on the trail, is a decently priced tyre with reasonable performance too much to ask? Well, we've been stoked to discover that there is finally a brand that's trying to address this: American Classic.
The American Classic Vulcanite MTB tyre is a tubeless tyre which performs best when conditions are loose. Think dust, mud and softer packed soil. It has a tread pattern that is reminiscent of a Maxxis Shorty and the enduro casing is most similar to a Maxxis double down casing. The Basanite has the following features:
- Chunky (stable) cornering lugs that provide great cornering bite
- Widely spaced central knobs to increase mud shedding.
- A sturdy 120TPI casing for puncture protection
If you're riding in dirt with any level of softness, this tyre will give you more traction than the Tectonite and Basanite. It won't however perform as well as those on hardpack. The writer of this description would run them on wet or dusty race days but for general riding they're quite happy to have a bit more slide happening at the rear. As usual, it's up to you to pick your poison.
Give it a go and let us know what you think ð
Notes
We only sell the enduro casing version of this tyre. Whilst the trail casing is lighter it's undoubtedly more susceptible to punctures. Let us know if you'd to order a trail casing version and we're happy to order it in for you.
While a tight tyre casing ensures the tyre stays on the rim, American Classic has gone a little far on this one - itâs a bit challenging to install. We recommend spraying the tyre and rim with some soapy water for lubrication. When things get tight, work your way around the tire, pushing it into the central race to gain those extra millimeters needed to get the tire onto the rim.
Installation approach is particularly important if you are installing the tyre with inserts. Also, please instal in a warm environment, having cold hands when doing this task simply sucks.
Comparison of American Classic tyre models:â