To help launch their new line of premium mountain bike tires, Vee Tire Co. has enlisted the help of Mike King. As a professional cyclist that started in BMX and later expanded to mountain biking, Mike is one of the few Americans to have won a World Cup in three different cycling disciplines. It’s safe to say he knows his way around a tire.
In addition to directing the new Rock Hill BMX facility in South Carolina, King is now the head of testing and development for Vee Tire Co.’s mountain bike category. To kick off the new line, Mike was showing off the new Crown Series – 3 different tires with versatile tread patterns for use in multiple conditions.
Try on the Crown next..
Starting with the Crown F, the tire features aggressive side knobs for cornering bite and to keep the tire from pushing through the corner. With widely spaced lugs, the tire is designed to shed mud well. The Crown Gem uses taller side knobs and a lower center tread to create a fast tire that still has bite when leaning it over. The Crown R is aimed at the rear of the bike with tightly spaced smaller knobs for faster rolling though it still uses tall side lugs for traction.
All of the tires are aimed towards All Mountain /Enduro riding and will be offered in 27×2.35 and 29×3.0 sizes and in Dual or Tackee compound with 120 tpi folding casings. You can pick up any one of the new tubeless ready tires for $55.
On the pavement side Vee was showing their new Apache road tire. Carrying a max PSI of 145, the tire is designed to work best at 120-145 which is a bit of a departure from the lower tire pressures we’ve been seeing. Sold in 23 and 25mm tires, the tire uses a 185 TPI casing with a folding bead and single compound. Prices are set at $50 for the standard or $55 for the Synthesis Sidewall casing with improved cut resistance.
For fat bikes Vee has revamped their first fat tire, now calling it the Mission Command. The updated tread pattern now features linked center tread that should result in less auto-steer. The SnowShoe XL is now available in a studded version for $195 that should get you across that frozen lake.
Vee wanted to show of one of the fun projects they were working on behind the scenes which highlights their capabilities. When one of their pro athletes said he was wanted a camo tire, they cooked up this sample – reflective green camo on one side, and blue on the other. No word on availability.
