Kenda Pinner Tires

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Winner, winner. Pinner, Gwinner! The all-new Kenda Pinner mountain bike tire is billed as a dry-conditions gravity tire. Developed with input from Aaron Gwin, we were excited to see if the ginger ninja's input would help us tear up the trail like he tears up race courses. The last tire Gwin helped develop was the Onza Aquila, which was universally praised for its on-trail performance. How would the Pinner compare? Could Kenda deliver the goods? We tossed on a set of Pinners and aimed to find out.

Highlights

• Dry-conditions, gravity-oriented tire
• 27.5 x 2.4 (tested) and 29 x 2.4-inch offerings
• ATC - Trail tire, folding bead 120 TPI, dual-tread compound
• ATC Claimed weight: 923g / 997g (27.5 / 29-inch)
• AGC - Gravity tire, folding bead 60 TPI, dual-layer compound
• AGC Claimed weight: 1178g / 1297g (27.5 / 29-inch)
• Non-staggered shoulder knobs
• MSRP: Kenda Pinner AGC - $84.95 USD / Kenda Pinner ATC - $79.95

Construction

The Pinner is available in both 27.5- and 29-inch wheel sizes with just the one, 2.4-inch width. Both wheel diameters are available in two casings. Kenda's AGC is the gravity offering and has a woven aramid layer composing Kenda's Vector Shield. The gravity tire is dual-compound in the layering of the rubber, with a firmer compound underneath, capped by a softer compound. Kenda's ATC is the trail casing, shedding a few hundred grams and using a dual-compound setup with firmer rubber in the center and softer rubber on cornering knobs.

For a deeper dive into the development process and team launch video, check Kenda's press release HERE

Mounting The Pinner

We tested both the AGC and ATC versions of the Pinner, and they were mounted to 27.5-inch Stan's ZTR Flow wheels. While both tires mounted snuggly to the rim, the AGC was noticeably stiffer and actually created a tight suction on the wheel. Getting the tires mounted and seated was a one-shot affair and among the easiest tires in recent memory. The 2.4 width is a fantastic size for all-round trail use. It is large enough to handle rough terrain but not so large as to become unwieldy or cumbersome on long climbs or mellower portions of trail that can make up much of the ride. The topography design on the sidewall may not be for everybody (our trail buddies were sure to give us a ribbing about it). We kind of dig the design, however. It is subtle and says, "Hey, I'm here for the mountains." You know, in case there was any doubt.

On The Trail

Swapping to the Pinner from our existing setup went a little something like this: Friday, ride on our go-to setup; Maxxis Assegai EXO+ and Minion DHR EXO+ tires. Come home and swap to the Pinners, then ride the same trails on Saturday.

Right away we noticed the Pinners felt like a faster-rolling and faster-feeling tire. When a tire's rolling speed is examined, tread patterns, compounds, and wheel sizes are taken into account, but tread compounds often make the most significant impact. And when we hit the dirt, some tires just seem to roll faster. With that said, some of the fastest rolling tires we've ridden were also the most terrifying when we hit the brakes or had to change direction. The Kenda Pinner does not fall into that terrifying category (thankfully).

Our first ride together had us beaming, this was an excellent tire.

Laying the Pinner into a corner is met with a smooth, confident feel all the way through. There was never a scary void in the tread, nor did the Pinner seem to suddenly lose grip. The tires were excellent in slowing the bike down on loose-over-hard-pack and large slabs of rock. Our first ride together had us beaming—this was an excellent tire.

On one particular ride, after a long rock garden, the rear tire lost a lot of air. The ATC Pinner, which we had out back, was inspected with no immediate damage found. We popped the bead, and the new sealant we were using had dried out in a matter of a week. We threw in a tube and finished the ride. The next morning, we were able to locate a very small hole in the tire. The tire was filled with Stan's sealant, inflated by a floor pump, and we never lost air again.

One of the steepest and most rowdy descents in the area thawed out during testing, and the Pinner was put to through the paces multiple times. Over and over again, the Pinner performed beautifully. We were genuinely amazed at the performance of Kenda's newest offering.

Durability

We tested out the AGC and ATC versions of the Pinner in the terrain for which it was designed, primarily in the rocky stuff. After about 60 miles on the tires we were seeing some marbling on the inside of the edge / cornering knobs of both the AGC and ATC. The center knobs on both tires are holding up quite well with virtually no visible signs of wear. It is interesting that our AGC, the tire with the more heavy-duty casing, had several small cuts to the sidewall, exposing the yellow aramid strands that create the three layers of the Kenda Vector Shield. Right now, these battle wounds seem purely superficial and are not causing any performance issues.

What's The Bottom Line?

The new Kenda Pinner seats up easily, even when worn. Cornering control is consistent and predictable which is not a euphemism for how easily it breaks free. This tire hooks and holds in the corners. Riders have traction for days in a tire that rolls relatively fast. We haven't logged a ton of miles on the Pinners, but our initial impressions won't have us removing them once testing is done. Add to that the blessings of the Gwizzard and the Kenda Pinner is a compelling tire.

Head to kendatire.com for more details.

Vital MTB Rating: 4 stars - Excellent

About The Reviewer

Brad Howell- Age: 40 // Years Riding: 25 // Height: 5'9" (1.75m) // Weight: 170-pounds (77.1kg)

Brad started mountain biking when a 2.25-inch tire was "large," and despite having threads, bottom brackets sucked. Riding in the woods with friends eventually lead way to racing, trying to send it at the local gravel pits, and working in bike shops as a wrench to fix those bikes. Fortunate enough to have dug at six Rampages and become friends with some of the sport’s biggest talents, Brad has a broad perspective of what bikes can do and what it means to be a good rider. The past few years Brad worked in the bike industry and got to see the man behind the curtain. These days, though, he just likes riding his bike in the woods with friends.