Surly Dirt Wizard Tire Review

INTRODUCTION

When it comes to 29 plus tires, Surly's Dirt Wizards are one of the knobbier options, but can the company that's known for a mix of punk-rock and dirtbag-touring come through when it comes to a serious mountain bike tire?  Well, after a few months on a pair of the 29 x 3" 120 tpi Surly Dirt Wizards, I thought it felt like a good time to weigh-in on that subject. 

The Dirt Wizards are not the widest of 3" tires, but they tend to measure in at pretty close to 3" wide including the large side knobs.  In talking with other riders who have used the tires, I've heard a lot of complaints about how narrow the tires are, and I think that the main reason for this is that while the knobs do measure close to 3" wide, the casing volume is quite low.  the overall height of the Dirt Wizard is almost identical to a supposedly much smaller Terravail Cumberland which claims to be a 29 x 2.6" tire.  This makes for a tire that just doesn't have a lot of air volume to work with, and which therefore just doesn't absorb bumps in the same way that something like a Bontrager Chupacabra would.  Whether this is an issue for you is another thing. 

Basic dimensions for the Surly Dirt Wizards.  Measured to outside of knobs.

FEATURES

So back to those huge knobs: they're big, and they do bite quite well.  Because of the very wide gulf between the side knobs and the center knobs, there is a pretty significant lack of transition support when you're leaning over.  Because of this, I'd say you should aim for a rim in the 35-40mm inner width for these in order to flatten out the profile of the tire a bit more.  Of course this will leave you with a sudden dropoff of traction when you're really leaning it over, but I wouldn't recommend dragging a knee with these anyway because the side knobs and sidewalls don't have enough support to handle extreme levels of cornering gnar. 

Finally, all those knobs make these tires SLOW AF!  Thankfully you'll notice that most on pavement, and if you're riding these on pavement, you're riding the wrong tires.  Period.  I can't overstate how slow these are though, so let me say it again: when you ride these on pavement, you might be inclined to check your brakes for rub because it just feels like you're riding through a street paved in soft molasses, but it's not your brakes.  It's your Dirt Wizards.

CONCLUSION

So what are they good for?  Many people I've talked to about them would say just about nothing, and I would agree that there are better tires for most conditions, but that's not to say that these don't have their place.  They shed mud surprisingly well, and bit into deep, loamy soil and loose leaves with aplomb, so as a shoulder season/winter tire, I think they're pretty solid.  If you really want great performance off road, you should probably look at Maxxis Minions because the EXO sidewalls and better rubber compounds make them a better choice.  Impressively, they also roll a bit faster.  If you're looking for a bikepacking tire (and I would argue that bikepacking is one area where 29+ bikes really excel, so it would make sense if you were), something with smaller knobs is going to be waaaaay less annoying on surface that isn't soft and demanding of maximum traction.

Wow, so reading that I would say in conclusion, if you want lots of traction, and get a good deal on these tires, they're a good pick.  For most other conditions, and especially if you're paying close to what you would pay for a high-end Maxxis, Bontrager, or Terravail tire, I would probably recommend one of those instead.

I had high hopes for the Dirt Wizards, and still enjoy riding them, but their incredible slowness, and lack of sidewall and side knob support make them have a difficult time keeping up with the better options.

Have you ridden them?  I love a good debate and would really dig hearing what you think, so let me know in the comments if you have any, well, comments 😉.