On MTBR, the world’s foremost MTB Tire guru Shiggy shares info and rumors collected at this weekend’s Sea Otter Classic.

WTB are making a Weirwolf LT 29×2.55″, but it’s a matter of wait and see to know what actual size the casing will end up being. Fingers crossed!
Also WTB is looking to come out with 29″-specific threads in the near future. This would be very interesting, as contact patches are so different from 26″ anyway.

The current Kenda Karma 2.2″ will be relabeled as the 2.0″ it is.
On top of the meaty Nevegal 2.1″ about to hit production (samples exist already) Kenda’s fascinating Small Block 8 (8 rows of knobs) will also happen in 29″, size unknown. This should be a great dry-weather tire.

Schwalbe North America meanwhile are still bravely trying to get into Garman dicision makers’ heads that people are actually out there buying and riding 700c wheeled bikes off-road that are NOT cyclo-cross bikes, and really are called 29-inchers indeed. Schwalbe North America with avid 29″ riders among their staff are hoping to somehow persuade Schwalbe to come out with world-shattering tires such as a 29″ Racing Ralph. The Garmans though think there is no market, and use their (really skiny) Little Albert 28×2.1 sales as an indicator, so they want hard 2,500pcs orders before they get into anything they didn’t come up with themselves.

Shiggy’s website is www.mtbtires.com, do check and bookmark it for 29″ tire specs and interesting articles.