Vittoria Mezcal TNT 4C G+

[ObiWhanKenobi]

Does anybody have experience with the Vittoria Mezcal tyres? I have heard any great testimonies about people riding Vittoria tyres, claiming that they are quite fast and last quite long. Looking to buy a pair. Also considering the new Kenda Booster Pro's

[Breezer]

I have bought a Mezcal for the rear and barzo at front. Haven't fitted it yet, so I would also like to see the comments.

[Red Bird]

I have fitted one on the rear last week. Did the trailseeker on it and it rolls really fast on the open roads. Did a bit more hard packed rocky trails this week, so I found it is very capable of handling the corners and grippy enough to get me up steeper climbs. I have not done the big rocks yet or ridden in wet conditions so will comment on that when I have. Tubeless setup was a breeze. I have run Race King, X-King, Crossmark in the rear and I find the Mezcal to offer the most stability across the various conditions.

 

Paired it up with Mountain King in front, which is also a really stable front tyre I have run so far compared to Ardent. I have washed out a few times on corners with the Ardent. Would love to know which Vittoria tyre to try on the front, though...

[tsdutweet]

I ride with the Mezcal's front and rear and they roll nice and fast. You'll need to play with the pressures a bit to hit the sweet spot between fast roll and sticky grip.

[ObiWhanKenobi]

I ride with the Mezcal's front and rear and they roll nice and fast. You'll need to play with the pressures a bit to hit the sweet spot between fast roll and sticky grip.

That's my plan to get them for front and rear. Currently I'm riding Schwalbe Racing Ralphs front and rear and didn't like them so much, UNTIL I started playing with my tyre pressure. Its amazing to see the PR's on Strava segments just by lowering the pressure a bit whilst riding the same effort as before.   

[DieselnDust]

I have fitted one on the rear last week. Did the trailseeker on it and it rolls really fast on the open roads. Did a bit more hard packed rocky trails this week, so I found it is very capable of handling the corners and grippy enough to get me up steeper climbs. I have not done the big rocks yet or ridden in wet conditions so will comment on that when I have. Tubeless setup was a breeze. I have run Race King, X-King, Crossmark in the rear and I find the Mezcal to offer the most stability across the various conditions.

 

Paired it up with Mountain King in front, which is also a really stable front tyre I have run so far compared to Ardent. I have washed out a few times on corners with the Ardent. Would love to know which Vittoria tyre to try on the front, though...

 

 

 

I will concur with Engela's statements above. Its a solid fast rolling tyre with great climbing traction and great cornering grip and more importantly, predictability and stability. Its a relatively heavy tyre as far as XCO/XCM tyres go. In the wet I find the G+ compound to a bit sketchy and nowhere near as good as the Pirelli Scorpion range that seems to deliver better wet weather grip on rocks and roots.

 

For dry courses it works very well paired with a Mezcal up front. For more mixed conditions, pair it with a Barzo. 

The G+ compound starts to harden up after a few months ( I suspect that because the softer more pliable G+ rubber has worn off exposing the harder rubber underneath)

 

As far as other options goes, I feel the Pirelli Scorpion range offers more grip across a wider range of conditions, especially the wet due to the more absorptive nature of the rubber compound they are using. Depending on conditions the I find the H to be suitable for the Western Cape. I haven't fitted a M (mixed) or S (Soft) conditions tyre yet. The R (rear) is a god all round rear tyre so you can use that year round and just change the front to suit conditions.

 

The Maxxis Rekon Race is also superb. Great XCO/XCM race tyre and rolls so well its like there's motor attached. Cornering grip is also great as is stability and predictability.

 

Schwalbe Racing Ralph rear and Nobby Nick front would be my other choice for XCO/XCM. Speed Addix compound with Snakeskin casing.

 

 

NOTE: Wet weather grip seems to change depending on how worn these tyres are. So far IME, only the Pirelli and Conti black Chilli compounds deliver a consistent wet conditions traction.

[ObiWhanKenobi]

I will concur with Engela's statements above. Its a solid fast rolling tyre with great climbing traction and great cornering grip and more importantly, predictability and stability. Its a relatively heavy tyre as far as XCO/XCM tyres go. In the wet I find the G+ compound to a bit sketchy and nowhere near as good as the Pirelli Scorpion range that seems to deliver better wet weather grip on rocks and roots.

 

For dry courses it works very well paired with a Mezcal up front. For more mixed conditions, pair it with a Barzo. 

The G+ compound starts to harden up after a few months ( I suspect that because the softer more pliable G+ rubber has worn off exposing the harder rubber underneath)

 

As far as other options goes, I feel the Pirelli Scorpion range offers more grip across a wider range of conditions, especially the wet due to the more absorptive nature of the rubber compound they are using. Depending on conditions the I find the H to be suitable for the Western Cape. I haven't fitted a M (mixed) or S (Soft) conditions tyre yet. The R (rear) is a god all round rear tyre so you can use that year round and just change the front to suit conditions.

 

The Maxxis Rekon Race is also superb. Great XCO/XCM race tyre and rolls so well its like there's motor attached. Cornering grip is also great as is stability and predictability.

 

Schwalbe Racing Ralph rear and Nobby Nick front would be my other choice for XCO/XCM. Speed Addix compound with Snakeskin casing.

 

 

NOTE: Wet weather grip seems to change depending on how worn these tyres are. So far IME, only the Pirelli and Conti black Chilli compounds deliver a consistent wet conditions traction.

Thanks for the in-depth reply. Haven't seen a lot of people selling the Pirelli's yet? Did look at them at the Argus Expo though. I like to do my research before a purchase and finding a tyre combo is mostly a personal taste and feel for most. Thing is, tyres are not cheap, so would like to buy a pair/combo working up to the Trans Baviaans (but not solely just for those conditions, since training would consist of a mixed bag of terrain).   

[DieselnDust]

Proven combos For me:

 

Pirelli Scorpion H (F)&®

Vittoria Barzo (F) / Mezcal ®

Vittoria Mezcal (F)&®

Schwalbe Nobby NIck (F) / Racing Ralph ®

Maxxis Ikon (F) / Rekon Race ®

Maxxis Rekon Race (F)&®

[ObiWhanKenobi]

Proven combos For me:

 

Pirelli Scorpion H (F)&®

Vittoria Barzo (F) / Mezcal ®

Vittoria Mezcal (F)&®

Schwalbe Nobby NIck (F) / Racing Ralph ®

Maxxis Ikon (F) / Rekon Race ®

Maxxis Rekon Race (F)&®

I assume that's your rating from 1-6? Thanks again for your insights. When you have time, search the Kenda Booster Pro tyres. Quite similar to the Maxxis Rekon Race pattern. 

[Red Bird]

Proven combos For me:

 

Pirelli Scorpion H (F)&®

Vittoria Barzo (F) / Mezcal ®

Vittoria Mezcal (F)&®

Schwalbe Nobby NIck (F) / Racing Ralph ®

Maxxis Ikon (F) / Rekon Race ®

Maxxis Rekon Race (F)&®

Would love to try Schwalbe NN & RR next.

[DieselnDust]

Would love to try Schwalbe NN & RR next.

 

 

The blue stripped Speedgrip versions are better suited to our mixed conditions. The red Stripe Speed Addix is great in the dry

[DieselnDust]

I assume that's your rating from 1-6? Thanks again for your insights. When you have time, search the Kenda Booster Pro tyres. Quite similar to the Maxxis Rekon Race pattern. 

 

No not a rating from 1-6. Hard to stack them like that because they're all good and offer something slightly different from the other.

A clear winner for me would be the Pirelli's. But the Mezcal's were on special at R495-00 ea so I took three. The Pirelli are back in the box and saved for race day only (when I can be bothered to change tyres). If I had to stack them

 

1) Pirelli Scorpion H (F+R)

2) Maxxis Rekon Race (F+R)

3) Schwalbe Rocket Ron+Racing Ralph (Addix Speedgrip blue stripe)

4) Vittoria Mezcal (F+R) 4c G+

 

Like I mentioned the differences are subtle in terms of overall performance but the top two give me the most confidence with 3&4 only slightly behind.

 

My style of riding is very light on the pedals and bars. I tend to tip toe through rock gardens instead of bludgeon through. I don't need a tyre with lots of side wall protection (I've never cut or broken a Schwalbe Lightskin or Evo tyre). So depending on how you ride your bike, will change how you rate the above tyres.

[DieselnDust]

I assume that's your rating from 1-6? Thanks again for your insights. When you have time, search the Kenda Booster Pro tyres. Quite similar to the Maxxis Rekon Race pattern.

 

I haven’t tried them yet. I’ll get it to t at some point .

[Letum911]

I love the Vittoria's!!! Running Saguaro in the back combo's with a Barzo in the front. Like them so much that I actually have a second set hanging in the garage waiting for these to die.

 

I find them to give good traction, run fairly quick (still think the Black Panther's on my other bike is faster however not so tough), so far they have around 700km on them and still look fine ito tread life, and have a decent sidewall. I did however find that they are (I believe more so on my bike with it being a rigid) pickey when it comes to pressure, but at the sweetspot they are awesome!!! PS. For me this is at 1.8bar in the back and 1.6 in the front.

 

Just as a quick question, what is the difference between the Mezcal and the Saguaro?

[DieselnDust]

I love the Vittoria's!!! Running Saguaro in the back combo's with a Barzo in the front. Like them so much that I actually have a second set hanging in the garage waiting for these to die.

 

I find them to give good traction, run fairly quick (still think the Black Panther's on my other bike is faster however not so tough), so far they have around 700km on them and still look fine ito tread life, and have a decent sidewall. I did however find that they are (I believe more so on my bike with it being a rigid) pickey when it comes to pressure, but at the sweetspot they are awesome!!! PS. For me this is at 1.8bar in the back and 1.6 in the front.

 

Just as a quick question, what is the difference between the Mezcal and the Saguaro?

 

 

the compound and the tread pattern. the Mezcal has a more subtle centre ridge that is said to reduce rolling resistance.

the Mezcal also replaced the Saguaro

[Breezer]

the compound and the tread pattern. the Mezcal has a more subtle centre ridge that is said to reduce rolling resistance.

the Mezcal also replaced the Saguaro

I used the saguaro as a rear tyre, but I must say, the mazcal at the rear is much better. The rolling resistance is much less.