Kenda Small Block Eight

[grnhrnt]

Any local reviews for this tire? I've been using the John Tomac Nevegal for the past two years and inspite of the very good reviews from mtbr.com, I find them a little bit slippery on the light wet tracks.

Going into the summer (dry pack tracks) and w/ xc races being scheduled I was wondering if I should try out the sml blck 8.

TIA

[Jan Atienza]

have been using small block 8s for the past 6 months, so far they havn't given me any trouble on hard packs...were using them also when we crossed some rocky creeks, no slips so far. on roads, negligible rolling resistance unlike my nevegals. wished i could get some 2.1s though...for that added confidence

[pazigrider]

here's the review from bikemag.com

"John Tomac and Kenda’s designers probably hadn’t considered lizards’ feet when engineering the new Small Block Eight, but the tire works on the same concept. Granted, in place of millions of microscopic hairs, the Small Block runs about 600 square-ish knobs. But in both cases, all those edges increase traction. The Small Block’s inner tread is ramped and every single knob is slightly siped, producing more working edges than on any tire I’ve seen. The Small Block covers the whole range of cross-country usage with three sizes: 1.95-, 2.10- and 2.35-inch (tested here). Kenda is reportedly introducing UST tubeless and 700x32c cyclocross versions soon. Each of these tires uses Kenda’s dual-compound tread, with side knobs comprised of super-tacky rubber and more efficient, longer-lasting, denser centerline treads. And Kenda’s 120-tpi single-ply casing keeps weight comparable with some of the lightest XC race tires.

In the few short months that it has been available, the Small Block is eclipsing its predecessor, the Nevegal, in popularity and performance (and that’s a big statement: the Nevegal has been a standout tire for years). On sandy and hard-packed surfaces, the Small Block’s plentiful edges tracked remarkably well and the soft-rubber knobs stuck to loose shale and sandstone. The tire’s round profile reacted predictably when leaning the bike over in sweeping bends. Since the knobs are both small and tightly spaced, they held firm when cornered on hard-pack and asphalt. The tight spacing also made the Small Block roll screamingly fast. And at just 590 grams, it accelerated quickly and held speed like a race tire should.

Obviously, those benefits came with compromise; no tire offers exceptional performance in all conditions. The same lightweight sidewalls that made the Small Block so d@mn fast were a liability in gnarly terrain. Even with the wide 2.35s, it was hard to avoid pinch flats when the tire was inflated below 35psi. Although these tires escaped without any significant sidewall damage, I’ve had trouble with the Nevegals in the past, and they use the same casing. The low-profile side knobs could also benefit from more meat. The superb overall traction encouraged aggressive riding, but when really leaning into turns, the knobs bit less than other full-bodied trail tires. And in case you’re wondering, this is no all-weather tread pattern—the tight spacing made the tires pretty worthless in mud.

The Small Block Eights are some of the best performing dry-conditions tires going. Eric Carter used them to edge out Brian Lopes in the mountain-cross National Championships and they’ve become a staple on the XC circuit. But these are much more than race tires, and will likely be popular all-around trail tires for years.

–D.Z. "

[pazigrider]

i think this tire looks promising ;D

[Storm DC]

Very good tires, wanted to get a pair but very expensive too. P1,200 each @ Powerbikes.

Guess that's the price you have to pay for quality.

If you've got the dough, go for it.

[levi]

Its a very good tire. Grips good during trailing and very light for the road. Im using this for my wife's bike and for my HT.

[dranrev]

I just got this tires yesterday and tried it on the road so far so good. I will hit the trails this weekend and let you know .

[pazigrider]

dranrev said:

I just got this tires yesterday and tried it on the road so far so good. I will hit the trails this weekend and let you know .

dranrev

that's gud brad. but where did you buy your small block eight

[dranrev]

I got it at Cycling Zone in Alabang and it is the last pair. Extreme has 6 pairs in stock when I inquired, for 1.1K each I think. Hope this help.

[pazigrider]

dranrev said:

I got it at Cycling Zone in Alabang and it is the last pair. Extreme has 6 pairs in stock when I inquired, for 1.1K each I think. Hope this help.

thanks brad.

[dranrev]

Trail Tested at Daang Hari trail. Grips well on hard pack soil and very fast on road

[hyperion]

Just recently replaced my Maxxis Larsen TTs with Kenda Small Block 8s ...

Verdict:

The SB8s are faster due to the rounder profile, slightly lower weight and closer/smaller knobs (more traction). They have much more grip and they stop faster compared to Larsen TT when braking. They also give a softer and more comfortable ride. SB8 really shines on asphalt (almost feels like slicks) and hardpack - really supersmooth and fast rolling.

[Alphabolt]

great tire review , guys !
Kenda s making a killing with their tire designs lately !

[mountguitars]

hyperion said:

Just recently replaced my Maxxis Larsen TTs with Kenda Small Block 8s ...

Verdict:

The SB8s are faster due to the rounder profile, slightly lower weight and closer/smaller knobs (more traction). They have much more grip and they stop faster compared to Larsen TT when braking. They also give a softer and more comfortable ride. SB8 really shines on asphalt (almost feels like slicks) and hardpack - really supersmooth and fast rolling.

thanks for the feedback brad.

saw these tires upclose at extreme in timog. the design is truely awesome. an exceptional tire on a level of its own. it looks like a mini-nevegal, just perfect for fast rigs. i'd like to get one too. ;D

[warlock^_^]

me like the review as well...me want a set also.

with all those kms of asphalt & concrete just to reach a decent trail, guess I need this.

[xfire]

I have these on my HT. Excellent climber and on hardpacked terrain.

[hyperion]

mountguitars said:

thanks for the feedback brad.

saw these tires upclose at extreme in timog. the design is truely awesome. an exceptional tire on a level of its own. it looks like a mini-nevegal, just perfect for fast rigs. i'd like to get one too. ;D

you're welcome master Jon hehe ...

It is not a super light weight tire so it is not exactly perfect for the weight weenie ... BUT it is a super-fast tire for speedfreaks like you and master Freeman.

Additional review since I spent the day climbing up and down the hilly streets of San Juan, and several flyovers and bridges from C5 to Manila. These tires make climbing a lot easier and I now find myself using slightly higher and harder gears that I don't normally use with the previous tires. In short, it is a really good upgrade!

[xero]

hyperion,

where'd you get your pair? also, did you happen to see 2.10s of these tires? (what size do you have?)

Thank you!

[grnhrnt]

Well Gents,

I couldn't stand the "not knowing" so I got me a pair today. I'll try them out this weekend around the munti trails Sat. and will be able to try them on tarmac and in the actual course for which they were intended for, as we will be biking to San Mateo to do a track read this Sunday. Will give a review Monday next week.

I got them at Cycling zone, they have lots of stock at the moment.

[Ben Dover]

mon, what are the sizes available? am gonna need a pair of tires soon.

[pazigrider]

i'm also considering to get a 2.1 if it's available

[grnhrnt]

Lito,

I just called them, they only have the 1.95 size.

PR,

They will ask the supplier if they can order 2.10's.

[pazigrider]

grnhrnt said:

PR,

They will ask the supplier if they can order 2.10's.

thanks brad.

[hyperion]

omenxero said:

hyperion,

where'd you get your pair? also, did you happen to see 2.10s of these tires? (what size do you have?)

Thank you!

Mine are 1.95. I haven't seen any 2.1 SB8 locally. I bought them from Ross sa Cartimar.

[xero]

hyperion said:

omenxero said:

hyperion,

where'd you get your pair? also, did you happen to see 2.10s of these tires? (what size do you have?)

Thank you!

Mine are 1.95. I haven't seen any 2.1 SB8 locally. I bought them from Ross sa Cartimar.

Thanks! great, I'm a visit Ross this weekend.

[grnhrnt]

Hello Guys,

Now I can give a good review after having used this tire in the last Men's health xc race in Maarat.

Good:

Its a fantastic rear tire for those conditions. hard pack, dusty and bit sandy. It didn't slip at all during those steep climbs.

Bad:

My front tire washed out 3 times! It didn't inspire confidence in the dusty dirty (sandy) turns. I had to dab my foot hard just to keep the bike up. But twice went down.

Final analysis:

Use it for the rear but It won't hold as good as the nevegals up front.

Now i know i should have use the nevegal (front) - sml blk 8 (rear) combination for last weekends track conditions.

So don't buy a pair. one is enough for the rear.

[pazigrider]

thanks for sharing that very fresh review of the SBE brad.

that's very helpful to those riders like me who are considering to try out this tire

and congrats to your strong finish on that recently concluded race

i would like to follow your set-up: Nevegals Front and Small Block Eight Rear

[mountguitars]

grnhrnt said:

Hello Guys,

Now I can give a good review after having used this tire in the last Men's health xc race in Maarat.

Good:

Its a fantastic rear tire for those conditions. hard pack, dusty and bit sandy. It didn't slip at all during those steep climbs.

Bad:

My front tire washed out 3 times! It didn't inspire confidence in the dusty dirty (sandy) turns. I had to dab my foot hard just to keep the bike up. But twice went down.

Final analysis:

Use it for the rear but It won't hold as good as the nevegals up front.

Now i know i should have use the nevegal (front) - sml blk 8 (rear) combination for last weekends track conditions.

So don't buy a pair. one is enough for the rear.

thanks for the review sir ramon!

so i guess i'll be getting 1 pc lang, hehe.

actually raul who also joined the men's health race used small block 8 sa rear and kenda karma upfront. i think his setup was also a good one.

[Superbad]

mountguitars said:

grnhrnt said:

Hello Guys,

Now I can give a good review after having used this tire in the last Men's health xc race in Maarat.

Good:

Its a fantastic rear tire for those conditions. hard pack, dusty and bit sandy. It didn't slip at all during those steep climbs.

Bad:

My front tire washed out 3 times! It didn't inspire confidence in the dusty dirty (sandy) turns. I had to dab my foot hard just to keep the bike up. But twice went down.

Final analysis:

Use it for the rear but It won't hold as good as the nevegals up front.

Now i know i should have use the nevegal (front) - sml blk 8 (rear) combination for last weekends track conditions.

So don't buy a pair. one is enough for the rear.

thanks for the review sir ramon!

so i guess i'll be getting 1 pc lang, hehe.

actually raul who also joined the men's health race used small block 8 sa rear and kenda karma upfront. i think his setup was also a good one.

Ramon is right, SB8's are good for the rear. When i had it on both front and back, i kept washing out on the dusty parts of roxas.

[Alphabolt]

Very helpful reviews , Hansen, Raul and Ramon !

1 pc it is then Im thinking Roll X Race or Fastrak in front and SB8 at the back

I saw Ramon's tires and I cant say it inspired confidence in me for the loose soil / dusty trails ...I wont bomb down Maarat with those SB8s on my bike ...maybe in the rear lang but that will take some handling skills to control still ...more fun I guess