In their own words, e*Thirteen continues to evolve their tires as they learn more about tread design, rubber and construction. So, their tire models don’t change names so much as they just keep tweaking their tread patterns and durometer and more. The latest iteration completely reshapes the tread blocks, rounds off their profile and adds a new rubber option to give them a stickier rubber for downhill.
The targets for this latest generation of their A/T line were to improve tread wear lifespan and reduce rolling resistance. And the casings were made just a bit wider, too. For gravity riders, they wanted to make a “real downhill tire with the proper compound”, so they developed a tackier, softer 41a rubber called Mo’Po, short for “Motion Potion”. It’s the right kind of super soft.
The new line has three casing versions (TRS, LG1 EN and LG1 DH) offering upgraded levels of protection as you get into more aggressive riding. And each of the three casings has and three compound options, letting you choose the right combo for your type of riding.
Rolling resistance was improved in a couple of ways. First, they reduced the side knob height. Which meant they had to rethink how the tire transitioned into a corner. The big sipe in the middle of the fatter center knobs allows each half of that knob to act somewhat independently, easing you into your corner, but still benefit from having a single, bigger base for better stability.
Second, they made the center knobs bigger, which reduced the amount of space between them so the tire would roll more smoothly. This space is called the pitch, so there’s reduced pitch on the new version. And the ramp on the leading edge is a shallower angle so the tire rolls onto it more easily.
On the left is the prior version, with smaller knobs and more space between them, and the new one on the right reduces that space and puts more meat on the ground. Combine that with stickier rubber and they should provide a ton more grip.
Here’s the quick breakdown of the options:
- PLUS: Tacky tread compound with a harder base compound for better tread wear and faster rolling.
- RACE: High-tack, slow rebound side knobs with better wearing, faster rolling center knobs.
- MoPo “MOTION POTION!”: Ultra high-tack, slow-rebound tread with a harder base for better tread wear and faster rolling. Originally formulated to accommodate underground moped drag racing in Thailand, MoPo rubber has maximum tackiness with an exceptionally slow wear rate.
- TRS: Lighter-weight trail casing with cut protection.
- LG1 EN: Supple, dual-ply enduro casing with excellent cornering support and cut protection.
- LG1 DH: Durable dual-ply casing, with maximum puncture protection and cornering support.
Sneak peak at eMTB tires
As that graphic further up suggests, there’s a new eMTB tire on the way (and a new XC tire), which gets a revised casing to handle the extra weight and power, plus a different tread pattern. No specifics on what and why, just a little teaser of things to come.
