Evaluation: New Duro Crux 29 x 3.25″ and 27.5 x 3.25″ tires

For many who aren’t aware of the model, Duro is a Taiwanese tire producer with a surprisingly broad vary of street, BMX, commuting, and mountain bike tires. Their Crux tire has lengthy had a cult following amongst plus-tire bikers, and curiously, unicyclists too! The difficulty is, they’ve usually been considerably onerous to trace down. The excellent news is that the three.25″ Duro Crux is now again in circulation in each 29 and 27.5″ wheel sizes, and it has a comparatively assured future.

• 
• 

The Duro Crux comes up virtually true to dimension on a rim measuring 45-50mm internally.

Being a goliath 3.25″ in width, this tire will finest go well with rims with a minimal inside width of 45mm, particularly if you wish to run the type of low tire pressures that get probably the most out of Plus bikes. In case your wheelset is constructed up with considerably narrower rims, you’ll threat dropping out on aspect knob grip, and also you’ll probably should pump the tires up to make sure sidewall stability – dropping out on trip consolation and high quality.

• 
• 

Duro Crux 27.5 on the left, 29 on the proper. Ours got here out about on par for the listed weights.

On condition that the Duro Crux is such a large tire, there is an inevitable weight penalty to pay, so don’t count on to be the quickest in a dash from the site visitors lights. Nonetheless, it’s not a lot heavier than any equally aggressive, plus-size tire. It’s simply the character of the plus tire beast.

• 
• 

Aspect knob placement and the general rounded form of the carcass lend themselves properly to cornering grip.

Over the previous few months, I’ve been testing a set of pre-productions Duro Crux 29 x 3.25″ samples (the non-branded tires you see in these photos), and I’ve been actually impressed, particularly with the quantity of cornering grip they provide, how properly they roll, and their total sturdiness. The additional width and ensuing quantity provide a noticeable enchancment in using consolation at low pressures, significantly in case you’re aboard a totally inflexible mountain bike and using burly trails, which we’ve no scarcity of right here in Oaxaca.

Apart from utilizing them on trails, I’ve additionally taken them bikepacking on excursions that embrace a little bit of every part – from gentle loam to sharp rocks, from pavement to pine needles, and from cobbles to corrugation. Once more, nice all spherical efficiency. Solely an absence of rain has meant that I can’t touch upon how they trip in mud. In my expertise although, I are likely to favor a narrower tire in gloopy, wintry situations for added chunk, body clearance, and so my chain stays cleaner with a 1x drivetrain.

This picture reveals the 29 x 3.25″ Crux on a rim measuring 45mm inside. The entrance tire is a pattern, and the rear tire is the manufacturing model with branding.

Nonetheless, anybody who owns a Jonus Plus or the newer LWB and SWB fashions can be happy to know there’s ample house to suit them in each the back and front of the frameset – simply keep in mind that chain-to-tire clearance might be a difficulty in muddy situations, relying in your drivetrain and ensuing chainline. For that reason, I think about the Duro Crux tire will work particularly properly with the likes of a Tumbleweed Prospector (within the 27.5+ model), because of the Rohloff hub’s 54cm chainline. Surly’s Krampus and Karate Monkey, in addition to varied Stooge choices, leap out pretty much as good contenders too for this type of tire. I guess it might be a terrific choice for a summer time wheelset on a fats bike, too. Width on a large rim is true to dimension, and we measured the axle size on the 27.5+ model at a little bit over 365mm and the 29+ model at about 395mm. Apart from making certain your body is vast sufficient and your chainstays are lengthy sufficient to run it, be aware that this tire will elevate your backside bracket peak by 10mm or extra, at the least in comparison with Plus tires which are 3″ in width.

Jeff Jones discusses the historical past of the Duro Crux and his work to develop the most recent tubeless model.

The earlier era of Duro Crux wasn’t formally tubeless appropriate, even when this didn’t cease riders from operating them with out tubes. You possibly can hear extra about that within the video linked above. This model is, and mine have been fast and simple to arrange tubeless on each alloy and carbon rims utilizing my Specialised Blast and a generic ground pump.

Sturdiness has been excellent up to now, each within the tread sample and the general robustness of the sidewalls. I’ve had no cuts or plugs to report, nor has the sealant wept out of the sidewalls a few months in. Previous to that, the one 3.25″ tire I’ve run is the Vee Rubber Bulldozer, and though it rolls extra quietly on pavement, the Duro Crux affords significantly extra cornering grip, together with a extra hardwearing tread. For those who’re going large along with your plus tires, it’s undoubtedly my favorite of the 2.

• 
• 

• 
• 

Duro Crux 29 x 3.25″ on Jones C-Rims throughout testing.

As talked about, selecting a rim vast sufficient to offer sidewall help at low pressures is especially necessary, as that’s the place plus-size tires turn out to be value their additional weight – which is appreciable, within the case of the Crux. My wheelsets measure 45mm and 50mm internally (Jones Alloy and C-rims), which actually helps get probably the most out of such a large-volume tire. You could possibly definitely get away with 40mm inside too, however I don’t suppose I’d need to go narrower than that.

In truth, though the really useful psi vary is 15-35psi, I sometimes run mine at 10-12psi but in addition go decrease relying on the terrain I’m using and the way a lot I’m carrying (for reference sake, I weight round 72kg). Presumably, its really useful 15-35psi score is a ballpark determine, so it doesn’t roll an excessive amount of to the aspect when mounted to rims which are narrower than optimum.

Extra just lately, Emma has fitted a manufacturing model of the Crux to the entrance of her Jones SWB and in addition famous a definite enchancment in using confidence in comparison with the now discontinued 27.5 x 3″ Nobby Nics she was operating earlier than. Once we took some measurements, the peak of the Nobby Nick got here in at round 352mm and the Duro Crux at round 365mm, making a complete of 25mm distinction in wheel peak – which may be very evident within the pictures beneath. Strain-wise, 9psi felt about proper for normal use and her weight (59kg), be it using throughout city or tackling trails. In contrast to some tires at low pressures, there’s no disconcerting sense of self-steer.

Over the time I’ve had my pre-production tires, I’ve additionally tried a Duro Crux up entrance, paired with a 29 x 2.6″ Specialised Butcher within the body, as that is an inexpensive tire that’s available right here in Mexico. Though this setup does raise the entrance of the bike up and slacken the top angle a little bit, it affords a very good steadiness between weight, funds, and efficiency.

• 
• 

The general peak and quantity of the Duro Crux 27.5 x 3.25″ dwarfs that of the 27.5 x 3″ Schwalbe Nobby Nic.

Talking of worth, I’d truly take into account the Crux to be surprisingly good worth, at the least for such a speciality tire. The truth that it’s proved significantly extra hardwearing than the likes of WTB’s Ranger, which is relatively priced, is welcome too. Though this newest spherical of Duro Cruxs isn’t unique to Jones, the tire is presently obtainable by means of its web site for $80 apiece.

• Fashions Examined: Duro Crux 29, Duro Crux 27.5
• Precise Weight (27.5): 1,219 grams
• Precise Weight (29): 1,316 grams
• Place of Manufacture: Taiwan
• Value: $80 at Jones Bikes
• Producer’s Particulars: Duro.com.tw

Associated Content material

Make sure that to dig into these associated articles for more information…