Tech

Review: Vee Crown F tyres

· By BikeHubCoreAdmin · 8 comments

The Vee Tire Co. Crown series features three new enduro/all-mountain tyres, designed with the help of former BMX and downhill world champion Mike King. Vee Tire Co. have been manufacturing well-respected OEM and value tyres for years. They recently began to take their offerings upmarket, first with fat bike tyres and now the Crown series. Although not a household name in South Africa, Vee Tire Co., along with their local distributor, are working hard to get our attention.

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The Crown Range

Available in 27.5 and 29-inch versions, the Crown F and R are front- and rear-specific. The front features a broad, widely-spaced knob pattern while the rear has a tighter, narrower pattern for better rolling with tall side lugs for traction. They also offer a third tyre, the Crown Gem, which is aimed at medium to hard-pack conditions and uses taller side knobs and a lower centre tread to create a fast tyre that still has bite when leaning it into the bends. All three models—the Crown F, Crown R and Crown Gem—are available in Vee Tire Co.’s long-wearing Dual Compound or more grippy Stickee Compound. The tyres can be run with tubes or using sealant for tubeless set-ups.

I have been riding a 29er Crown F on the front, with a Momsen Mount Graham rear, for a couple of months and so far I’ve been impressed.

On the Trail

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Mounting the tyre on an American Classic Wide Lightning was easy enough, but needed a CO2 bomb to air it up. Once inflated, it stayed so from day one, only needing a little top up to keep it at the right pressure.

The Crown F balances it’s intended purpose as front tyre well. Overall grip in most conditions is good and the handling always felt predictable. Rolling resistance was low and the tyre never felt like it was dragging.

The transition to the aggressive side knobs is predictable and boosts confidence around berms. This allows for the tyre to be pushed hard without too much drift. When rocks and roots have allowed, I’ve regularly run it below 20psi for ultimate grip without burping or creeping. Strong and sturdy sidewalls ensures the tyre does not roll on it’s sidewall at these pressures. Widely spaced lugs with cut-out sheds mud well and adds to the Crown F’s year-round capability.

After 6 months tread wear is good and the sidewalls are still looking healthy.

Verdict

During my time on the Crown F, I didn’t once wish I was running something else. It rolls well and provides lots of predictable grip. At 830g (measured) the weight is competitive for a grippy tyre – even more so when you take into account that it’s a 29er tyre with sturdy sidewalls.

Riders looking for a front tire that offers predictable grip in a relatively fast rolling tread design, should look at the Crown F.

RRP: R660.

From the manufacturer

The Crown F’s pattern features side knobs aggressive enough that the tire can hook up in all conditions, but it also eliminates the tire from pushing when you go through a corner. The elongated tread and spacing was designed to clear mud from the tire so that it doesn’t pack on. This tire is incredibly versatile in all kinds of terrain.

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VEE Tire Co. prides itself on offering affordable, innovative products that enable you to push the boundaries of your ride. With over thirty years in the industry, our engineering advantage has elevated the biking experience by providing you with a premium tire you can trust is on the cutting edge.

Compound: Dual Compound, Tackee
Tire Casing: 120TPI
Bead: Folding Bead
Recommended pressure: 22.5-50 PSI (1.6-3.5 bar)

Available in:
27.5×2.35 (DC/1 ply)
27.5×2.35 (Tackee/1 ply) (Synthesis Sidewall)
27.5×2.35 (Tackee/1 ply)

29×2.3 (DC/1 ply)
29×2.3 (Tackee/1 ply) (Synthesis Sidewall)
29×2.3 (Tackee/1 ply)

Comments

WesleyR

Apr 7, 2015, 7:08 AM

Where can we get them?

Odinson

Apr 7, 2015, 9:12 AM

The Crown R looks like a good rear tyre. 

Iwan Kemp

Apr 7, 2015, 9:25 AM

The Crown R looks like a good rear tyre. 

 

Will have one on the bike soon for a review

Odinson

Apr 7, 2015, 9:38 AM

Will have one on the bike soon for a review

 

Nice. My rear Ardent has about 1000km left in it, so I'm already looking at replacement options.

werner1619

Apr 7, 2015, 7:15 PM

I am looking for the 650B option. Any sellers ?

Big Wheel Cycles

Apr 8, 2015, 7:11 AM

I tried the Crown R. Love the tread pattern, it's fast and corners well. The bead on the tire is near non existent though, both the front and back tires blew off the rim on the first and second ride. Tire pressure was 2.3 and it happened while going in a straight line, not cornering. This was on ZTR Arch rims. If the bead was improved this would be an awesome tire.

Iwan Kemp

Apr 8, 2015, 8:06 AM

Nice. My rear Ardent has about 1000km left in it, so I'm already looking at replacement options.

 Stay tuned...

 

 

I am looking for the 650B option. Any sellers ?

Imported by the same guys who do Stans so should be available through your LBS.

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