Tim and I recently made it out to a NORBA race at Snow Shoe Mountain in West Virginia. It was the first professional race we had attended. We had a chance to pick up some new Kenda tires, so I grabbed a pair of Karma Pro’s from the Stick-E series. They are 26 X 2.0 folding bead tires, suitable for cross-country, but not an aggressive tread tire by any means.

Installing the tires was much easier than I had anticipated. They were actually the first pair of tires that I had ever installed. All it took was a tire pump and a screwdriver – in no time at all, I was done.

The first thing I noticed about the tires on the trail was the totally different feel. The stock tires that came on my bike were inexpensive with impressive looking, but not acting, tread. So of course having some quality tires under my rig made a huge difference in feel. I said good-bye to the roughness and rigidity of my old tires and welcomed the smooth ride of the Karmas with open arms!

The Karma’s perform very well in dry or paved conditions. The Stick-E series is made of a rubber compound designed to conform to the trail, instead of bouncing off of it. They also have a slow rebound that acts as a little extra suspension. I also like to hit the local paved trails after a good rain to keep myself in the saddle without tearing up the trails, so the Karma’s performance on the paved trail was also very important to my riding. By just adding some air pressure to the tires, I was able to enjoy a great paved trail ride. But that isn’t why you’re reading this. You want to know how they did on the single track. The answer – satisfactory. Like I said before, they do perform very well in dry conditions, but they don’t handle very well in the mud.

I did notice better cornering, increased speed and less jolting right off the bat. And although these tires do offer better traction than my old tires, they just aren’t great in the mud. The Karma’s don’t have an aggressive tire tread and they aren’t made for the mud, so I wasn’t shocked at the lack of traction. In this part of Virginia, it rains quite often, and at Peak’s View Park where I frequently ride, it takes a while for the mud to dry. This does makes for some fun afternoon rides!

As far as durability is concerned, I have taco’d a rim with the Karma’s on and they are still going strong. They have survived quite a few wrecks, but I haven’t noticed any bulges or uneven wearing on the tires.

It was easy for me to get accustomed to the feel and limitations of the Karma’s very quickly. I know how fast and steep I can go into a corner. I also know that if the trail is a little muddy, I’m still going to have a good time with these tires. Knowing the limitations of your tires is very helpful when tackling the single track.

I have found that the Karma tires are great for dry single track and any paved trails or streets. If you spend your time riding cross-country or paved trails, these tires will compliment you very well. However, they are not suitable for the aggressive rider who really loves the mud. Check back in a couple months for an update.