I am a huge fan of Kenda Nevegal Tires, I have been using them for the last few years. The Nevegals have shined all the time but are especially great in wet and muddy conditions. Kenda has just made a new tire that splits the difference between the Nevegal and the Small Block 8. I have been riding on it and the Slant Six is a great tire for everything but the muddiest of conditions.
The Slant Six has medium sized lugs which are spaced far enough apart that they easily shed mud.
The lugs are siped which helps the tire hook up on roots.
The Slant Six tires really work well in the corners. I think it is a combination of the side lugs and the round profile of the tire.
For a good test ride I took my Turner Flux with 26×2.1 DTC Kenda Slant Six’s down to Ohiopyle State Park where they recently opened a ton of trails to mountain biking. Ohiopyle is your typical east coast singletrack, and that means rocks and roots, this time of year they are covered in leaves and you can’t see half of what you are riding over. Ohiopyle has some extended technical climbs and fast rocky descents.
How did the Slant Six’s work? So well I can’t even believe it. On the baby head covered trails they had amazing traction.
On the rocky descents they worked really well. Between some of the singletrack sections you have to ride a mile on part of the Great Allegheny Passage. On sections like this you can really notice the reduced weight and rolling resistance of the Slant Six.
So what is the downside? Well in extremely muddy conditions the Nevegal is better. But these are almost as good in mud.
Bottom Line: These tires rock, I will ride these most of the year except for when it is really muddy out. I’m telling my riding buddies to buy them. And you have to like Kenda just for sponsoring one of the coolest American racing teams of Mary McConneloug and Mike Broderick.
Kenda Says:
K1080
The perfect blend of John Tomac’s two most winning tires – The Small Block 8 and the Nevegal.
- Designed for speed, grip, and cornering assurance; this tire has it all for intermediate to hard-packed terrain
- Downhill version veatures 2-ply constuction and Stick-E rubber; Cross-country versions feature light-weight single-ply casings and DTC rubber
- Front and Rear application
Just in case you are curious, here are some pictures of the Kenda Nevegal and the Kenda Slant Six side by side.
Joe,
have you ever ridden the small block eights? How does these compare? I currently have a SB8 on the back and a Nevegal on the front of my Santa Cruz Superlight…
BTW- the snap version of the tool roll is working great, it is really secure… hasn't come unrolled once.
Chris
Hey Chris – I have used the small block eights, and they are great on dry trails.
I think the Slant Six would be better up front because the "rounder" profile is better for cornering, the Nevegal's have more of edge to them so if you lean far enough you get a drop off.
Glad the tool roll is working out. We are going to make a batch of them later this month.
-Joe
Hi, this tyre looks like a very good one! I was looking for a light, low rolling resistant but with a good bite and also nice mud clearance… it seems this is the one! Do you know anything about the 2.1 ust version weight?
Thanks a lot,
Alberto from italian Alps 🙂
How does the weight of the 26 x 2.1 Nevegal compare to the Slant Six of the same size?
Hey Matt- The nevegal and the slant six in 26×2.1 are very comparable.
In deep sloppy mud, the nevegals are better.
But cornering on slant six is nicer, they have a more round profile.
The slant six hooks up really well on muddy slippery roots and rocks. I am beyond impressed with them.
The nevegal is still better in super muddy conditions. But just by a touch.
I have been riding the slant sixes all of this incredibly muddy spring and like them.
-Joe