Options 2.1in 70a duromoter £19.99, 2.1in 62a durometer £24.99, 2.1in 70a Durometer wire bead £14.99 / weight: 689g (UST version)
Contact: www.mmasports.com

For a skinny, fast rolling tyre, the Crossmark provides amazing traction providing of course you use it in the correct conditions. Dry dusty hard packed trails are its obvious forte but it is also a great tyre for the all-weather hard-core trails found in most visitor centres in Wales. The side knobs provide ample traction for any long travel trail bike and because we were running the tubeless option we could still get a good footprint, as we didn’t having to over inflate the tyre to avoid pinch flats. The Crossmark is very predictable on wet roots and even coped admirably with thick gloop. In fact the Crossmark only really came unstuck on leaf mulch and wet chalk where the low profile knobs and near continuous central tread struggled to gain traction. While the Crossmark is pitched as an XC tyre, if it suits your local riding conditions or if you just want to bury your friends next time you head to Afan, it doubles as a great trail tyre. Just remember it’s not without its limitations and on one descent we managed to split the sidewall just above the bead on some big square edge rocks.

MBR RATING: 9/10