WTB’s new Convict is a suitably thuggish-looking tyre designed for max grip in all conditions. There’s a lot of growl from the big, split, one/two/one block treads on smoother surfaces but matching mechanical traction where they can dig in. The rank of supported split-top side knobs does the same when you get it leant over too, and it’s potentially a promising tyre. Where WTB’s offerings still fall down compared to the best of the current aggro tyres is the carcass. The ‘Heavy Duty’ version is nearly 1,300g and as solidly wooden and uncommunicative as old DH tyres, even at low pressure. While the ‘Light’ carcass saves a couple of hundred grams, it’s still over a kilo and is prone to squirm and collapse if you drop pressure too low. This means the Convict isn’t as controlled as similar weight, welldamped tyres like the Mavic Charge, e*thirteen TRSr and Schwalbe Magic Mary when the riding gets radical.
Price $75 (Tough/High Grip version)
