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Dirt Rag Articles
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The Kross Supreme is Kenda’s most aggressive cyclocross tire. It was designed by National Masters Champion Tim Ruteledge of Team Redline for loose, rocky conditions, but as far as I’m concerned, it ripped up everything. It’s also probably worth noting that I ran them on a 29” mountain bike, riding all of the usual trails exactly the way I would with a mountain knobby.
These tires come in two different styles: an all black kevlar bead version that weighs 535grams and a dual compound wire bead version that weighs 575 grams.
The tires I tested are the sharp looking red and black two tone. The idea behind a dual compound tread is to have conventional rubber in the high wear area and a softer, grippier compound where the traction counts the most. The black center ridge’s tread has a directional bar followed by five small knobs with little bumps in between. The red sidewalls have a nice, toothy ridge of tread on either side, creating a squared off profile.
Square treads sometimes make me nervous, what with their tendency to slide and then grab, but these tires helped me get past my fear by consistently digging and tracking perfectly. It’s no surprise really, because they’re gnarly enough to make a monster truck fan proud, despite their diminutive 35mm size. They come with a wire bead and a pretty thick sidewall, so they’re not exactly light, but those two features had a great advantage.
Having such a sturdy tire allowed me to run it anywhere within the recommended air pressure (50-85 psi) without worrying about pinch flats. I chose 65 psi for what I had in mind and proceeded to launch off rocks, attack big log piles and carve through corners with as much authority as I could muster. A few times I hit harder than I had wanted to, but the Kross Supremes didn’t care. In fact I think I heard them laughing.
So if you want plenty of confidence and traction when you ride the drops and big wheels, check out the Kenda Kross Supreme. I haven’t seen any other cyclocross tires that even come close to their performance, durability or value. MSRP: Black/Kevlar-$21.95, Dual Compound/Wire-$19.95.
Contact: Kenda USA, 7095 Americana Pkwy., Reynoldsburg, OH 43068; 866.536.3287; www.kendausa.com
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