Weight: 722g / Size: 2.1in / Aramid bead / 66tpi
Contact: www.zyro.co.uk

We spent the best part of an hour trying to get these tyres fitted onto some Mavic UST rims — one finally went on after using a gas canister, but we had to give up with the other. We then tried them on a Bontrager wheelset with the plastic rim strips and they seated first time. Just to cover all the bases we also tried a pair of Shimano XT wheels and finally a set of No Tubes Olympic rims; they inflated instantly on both. We’re unsure why they didn’t fit the Mavic rims, but perhaps we may have had more success using a compressor to seat them.
Like the Specialized tyres in this test, the centre knobs have a bevelled leading edge for reduced rolling resistance when used on the front, and a square trailing edge for increased braking. To increase cornering grip, the side knobs are connected to the intermediate knobs with tiny spines of rubber. Panaracer’s ZSG compound isn’t soft, at around 65a durometer, but it contains a greater percentage of natural rubber, which is supposed to be longer-lasting.
The Rampage is slightly better in sticky or loamy conditions than a Maxxis 2.1 High Roller, and offers better cushioning. It’s also quicker than a similar-looking Kenda Nevegal and while we’d rate the Rampage UST as a good all-rounder, we’ve pegged the score simply because of the price.

MBR RATING: 8/10