When Pricepoint was blowing out IRC Trail Bears for $15, I bought three of them. The advertised weights were 705 grams for the 2.25, and 750 grams for the 2.5. All that traction in a light weight package? It was almost too good to be true! After I received the tires, I found out that it was too good to be true. On my scale, the Trail Bear 2.25 was 750 grams, and the Trail Bear 2.5 was 970 grams! 970 grams is a bit much for the summertime XC riding I do, so the giant 2.5 went on the shelf. The 2.25 made a pretty good front tire in the sandy conditions around here, so it made the rounds on my bikes.

I decided to give these aggressive knobbies another shot this winter. I mounted up the 2.5 in the front, and the 2.25 in the rear. I’ve found that when riding in snow and ice, excessive rotating mass doesn’t seem to bother me. I’m not looking for quick acceleration, or to be the first to the top of a climb. Traction is the biggest challenge, and these tires have plenty of it.

We generally don’t get a lot of flat, smooth, standing ice around here. It’s usually snow, or lumpy, jagged ice. For this reason, I’ve been able to get away with not using studded tires. The very tall knobs on the Trail Bears are great for finding traction in this type of terrain.

Another thing I like about the 2.5 tire, is that I can air it down to 25 psi without fear of pinch flats. This gives it great flotation, maximizes the rubber on the ground, adds a little plushness, and keeps me chugging through the snow. Additionally, the closely spaced knobs roll pretty well when things smooth out, making up for some of the extra weight.

The 2.25 Trail Bear should fit most forks and frames, even with V brakes. The 2.5, on the other hand, is quite large. I’ve found that big tires usually fit pretty good up front, but many bikes have issues with rear tire clearance, both with V brakes and narrow chain stays. If you’re thinking of getting the 2.5 for the rear, check to see how much clearance you have before ordering.

You can occasionally find these tires for $15, but they’re almost always $20 at Price Point. Twenty bucks isn’t too bad for a high quality, durable, folding bead tire. Both the 2.25 and the 2.5 are great tires to have in your collection for when the conditions get real nasty.