Comments on: Long Term Update: Bontrager’s Race X Lite Wheels & Dry X Tires

By: Matt from Marshall

Matt from Marshall — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 13:05:22 +0000

Great article, thanks for the info. My XDX’s (AR casing) arrive tomorrow, so now the question is do I try running them tubeless (on Bont Race X lite tubeless rims) or stick with tubes? I have 6 days until the Fat Tire Fest and have never dealt with tubeless before and don’t want issues on raceday. Yes, I live in fear of flats, 15 years at Chequamagon and ZERO flats running tubes. So what do I do? tubeless? Tubes alone? Tubes with Slime?
Things were simpler on the 1983 Schwinn High Sierra…….

By: JasonDoubleU

JasonDoubleU — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:17:49 +0000

Just a note about your concern re: the flexible nature of the wheel prior to your test riding. I had a similar feeling while test riding the Specialized Stumpjumper FSR 29, the wheelset seemed really felxible and almost “whippy” in the parking lot, but once on the trail, I didn’t really notice anything negative. I feel that a flexible wheelset may also add to the compliance and comfort on the trail as they might absorb big hits and bumps, this may not be a feeling for everyone, but as long as they stay true and don’t flex too much, I can see this as a good thing. Glad to hear that you had a good experience on these wheels!!

By: Guitar Ted

Guitar Ted — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:20:44 +0000

Oderus- funkenstein: Yeah, I know that there was a bit of dismay over in the Halls of Trek over the Dry X moniker. XDX is non-descript enough that perhaps it would bolster sales, I don’t know that it really matters though. When a tire is this good, I don’t think the name of it means a whole lot. That’s my opinion anyway.

Another thing, the catalog at our shop, (I work for a Trek dealer) says “Dry X”, for what it’s worth. I suppose recent updated catalogs may show the newer moniker. My tires also still have the original Dry X hot patch too.

Now………..what is really interesting is that on the Bontrager site there is a heading that says “26 and 29 Trail Tires” with a bunch of Big Earl stuff and some other tires listed. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?

By: funkenstein

funkenstein — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 04:19:32 +0000

they changed the name of the “Dry” X because they actually perform pretty well in all conditions . They work well in conditions other than “Dry”. I think they may have thought the name alone was steering peeps that were looking for more than just a dry only tire away from purchasing them. In my personal experience, they work darn well in everything but extreme slop.

By: Oderus

Oderus — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:34:19 +0000

ScottS, the XDX is the Dry X. Not sure why the name changed. The 2 sets that I got both say Dry X but they are listed in Trek’s Catalog as the XDX.

By: Guitar Ted

Guitar Ted — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:30:24 +0000

Keith: I wanted to address your comment there. I did not choose to use Super Juice in Texas. I used another product instead. I have not experienced very good results with Super Juice as a puncture sealant. As a tire casing sealant it is top notch, maybe better than anything I have yet used.

I rode with tubes there last year and I made the loop, but both tires were flat the next morning. I checked the tubes and patched them, but never actually found any needles in the tires.

This year I never saw any signs that sealant had spewed out of either sets of tires I had down there. One set I had Stan’s in and the other set I used Slime’s tubeless tire mixture in. Judging from the size of my punctures last year, I doubt I would have seen anything on the outside of the tires as evidence that I had a puncture. I did notice that the air pressure was off by about ten pounds in the Dry X tires the next day, so perhaps that is the evidence we are looking for.

By: Guitar Ted

Guitar Ted — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:23:44 +0000

DavidCopperfield: No Tubes and Hutchinson’s Fast Air sealants are better at sealing punctures in my experience. Bontrager’s Super Juice is a great sealant but I have not had the best results at sealing punctures with it. I like the Hutchinson Fast Air the best since it seems to last longer than Stan’s does.

ODERUS: I tried to get some Rhythm strips before my Texas trip and there were none available at that time. Not even my inside contacts could score me a pair just laying around. Must be rare as hen’s teeth at the moment.

ScottS. Yeah, you are right. I just saw that too. I sent an e-mail off to the proper authorities to see if I can get to the bottom of this.

I can tell you that the tires are listed in Trek’s parts catalog and I just scored a pair of Dry X’s about 2 weeks ago now. So they were available then, at least.

By: ScottS

ScottS — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:16:33 +0000

Thanks GTed.

I was just on the bontrager website. There is no Dry X listed. They do have an XDX tire with no photo shown. Do you know if this is the same tire?

By: Guitar Ted

Guitar Ted — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:35:57 +0000

ScottS: I used about 30psi rear/27psi front in the rocky stuff. I was a bit worried about pinching on the narrower Bonty Race X Lite wheel, so I kept it right at about that. I could go lower on buffer rails. Surprisingly, I found it to stick pretty well in loose rock/gravel. I am not sure about “kitty litter” over hardpack, but hopefully I’ll find out soon. Last year the pre-production tires sucked on that sort of stuff, but with stiffer sidewalls, I may be all right.

By: ODERUS

ODERUS — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:23:54 +0000

GT; the Rhythm strips are available. I got the Rhythm Elite 29ers back in October and got the rim strips about a week later. I have run them with the Dry X and the Jones tires just fine. I had to call my inside rep for the part number as they were not listed in TCG. But they are indeed out there.