e*thirteen Semi-Slick Tires

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Primarily made for use on the rear wheel, semi-slick tires have long been a favorite among mountain bikers in certain types of terrain. People often enjoy them for how quickly they roll, which is attributed to the countless miniaturized knobs running tight together down the center tread.

For many brands, pairing these small knobs with aggressive corner knobs often yields good things, and e*thirteen has followed suit with their new S/S tire. It's the long-awaited successor to what is now the TRS "All-Terrain" – a tire we've really enjoyed here at Vital in both its original and more recent forms – and uses corner knobs that are similarly shaped to the TRS All-Terrain. The side knobs are slightly smaller in overall size and are more evenly spaced.

e*thirteen wants you to have your cake and eat it too, which is why the center tread has actual square edges (no ramps) and sipes in a myriad of directions. Combined with those proven side knobs, you've got a semi-slick with real-deal cornering bite and braking power.

The e*thirteen S/S tire slots in at a respectable $60-$70 USD. You can choose from three casings and two versions of rubber compound/aramid coverage, providing six tire options in both wheel sizes. All tires have a folding bead.

Sizes

• 2.35" x 27.5" (650b)
• 2.35" x 29"

Casings

• TRS (Single-ply)
• LG1 EN (Single-ply 120tpi with apex)
• LG1 DH (Dual-ply 72tpi with apex)

Versions

• Plus ($59.95 // Longer wearing corner knobs and center tread // Aramid under center tread)
• Race ($69.95 // Tacky corner knobs // Longer wearing center tread // Aramid bead to bead)

Weights

• TRS S/S Plus: 27.5” - 870g // 29” - 920g
• TRS S/S Race: 27.5” - 865g // 29” - 915g
• LG1 S/S EN Plus: 27.5” - 980g // 29” - 1,010g
• LG1 S/S EN Race: 27.5” - 995g // 29” - 1,025g
• LG1 S/S DH Plus: 27.5” - 1,085g // 29” - 1,135g
• LG1 S/S DH Race: 27.5” - 1,100g // 29” - 1,190g

Like they claim, the S/S measures pretty true to size on a rim with a 27mm inner width. e*thirteen suggests mounting it to rims in the 24-31mm range. Weights for the four 29-inch LG1 samples we received checked out as well.

Our pick of the litter? After balancing weight, rubber preference, and sidewall protection considerations, we chose to mount up the LG1 EN Race tire for our first test. The LG1 EN has a casing thickness akin to a Maxxis Double Down, a go-to for many riders. In addition to having better cornering grip, the Race version features extra sidewall protection thanks to an extended bead-to-bead Aramid layer.

"Race compounds feature soft, tacky cornering knobs and with a longer-wearing center-tread compound. Plus compounds utilize the longer-wearing compound across the entire surface of the tire, with an even harder base compound to further wear characteristics without sacrificing traction."

Paired with e*thirteen's original TRS tire up front, our bike had cornering on lock during the first two rides. The back end stepped out just once, and when it did it very gracefully caught traction just a split second later. Compared to the TRS tire it replaced in the rear, braking is near equivalent in the current fall trail conditions of Durango, Colorado. As you guessed, the tire also rolls a bit quicker. Hard accelerations and steep climbs have been met with almost no slippage. At 28psi the casing feel is supportive in the turns but supple enough over bumps for our 170-pound tester, and so far it's holding air quite well. Tubeless installation was also a breeze. All that to say, "So far, so good."

Looking through the lineup, we think the LG1 DH Race tire could be the ticket for select downhill courses or rougher enduro races. Many of e*thirteen's tires come in at comparable weights to the competition, and the DH versions stand out with low weights for a downhill tire. Combined with the faster-rolling nature of the semi-slick tire, it shouldn't be too bad to pedal.

Will all the things we dig about the e*thirteen S/S tire hold true in the long term? When the dirt isn't as good, will traction still be at the ready? You can expect a proper Vital review once we've logged the necessary miles in various types of terrain. In the meantime, roll over to www.bythehive.com for more details.