There were a lot of new tires at this year’s Taipei show, especially if you wheels are fat or 27.5″. Kenda has been quiet on the fat bike front for a while now, but finally showed their hand with the Juggernaut Sport. On the downhill side of things, Kenda introduced a proper DH tire in the Honey Badger DH Pro. Along with the new 50-Fifty, Kenda now has a fairly complete line of 650b/27.5″ tires regardless of your riding discipline.
Roll past for more.
Looking somewhat like a fat bike sized Small Block 8, the Juggernaut Sport includes ramped center knobs and chevron shaped scoops for traction in the loose stuff. Looking much lower profile than the competition, the Juggernaut Sport is a 26 x 4.0 60 tpi wire bead tire that should excel in hard pack and intermediate conditions.
As more companies begin to look towards 650b for their DH bikes, the tire crop is beefing up simultaneously. The new Honey Badger DH Pro is a 2.4″ downhill specific tire with a wire bead that uses Kenda’s Stick-E rubber, and Cap protection with a butyl insert.
For something that has nothing to do with fat bikes or DH bikes, the new 50-Fifty looks like the perfect tire to split between pavement and dirt. Closely connected center tread will roll smooth on the street, yet opens up on the shoulders for better cornering traction and mud shedding. Judging by the tire’s 30 tpi casing and wire bead, we’re expecting this one to be an inexpensive option.
