WTB Macro Tire Review – Big on Cross-Country Speed

WTB is an established tire brand with a wide range of tread designs, but most of its newer designs have had a gravity or trail focus. Over recent years they have fallen behind on the cross-country race front. Their Ranger, which was introduced in 2016, is a decent tire, but it doesn’t match the all-out race speed of newer designs. That all changes with the new Macro, WTB’s first XC race tire designed with top-level cross-country racing in mind.

Tech features:

WTB’s Macro is available in a single 29×2.4-inch size and comes with WTB’s new 120-tpi SG casing. This new casing has added puncture protection only in the sidewalls to save weight and make the tire more supple. WTB says this is its lightest, fastest, and most supple casing yet, and it will only be used in its lighter and more race-focused treads like the Macro.

It is offered in a single Light/Fast Rolling TriTec tread compound which utilizes three rubber compounds to provide different levels of traction, support, and durability based on their placement within the tread. According to WTB, the entire tread pattern is supported by a base of high-durometer rubber, which also transitions halfway into the height of the knobs and allows for the use of softer knob compounds without the tire folding due to cornering forces. The Macro utilizes WTB’s TCS (Tubeless Compatible System) technology, so it’s tubeless compatible and is available in black or tan sidewalls.

Field test results:

Our test samples hit the scales at 716 grams each, which is not featherlight but in line with other 2.4-inch high-end cross-country tires. They mount up without issue and seat on the rim easily. When matched to a 30mm-wide rim, the Macro measures exactly 2.4 inches wide at the casing and 2.35 inches at the outer knobs.

From the very first pedal stroke, you can tell that this tire means business with very low-rolling resistance and an eagerness to accelerate. The tires ride quite smooth, too, conforming to and floating across uneven surfaces without bouncing around and upsetting forward momentum. They may not be the most supple tires we have ever ridden, but they are very good in this regard.

We were not really surprised by the Macros’ performance until we hit some fast corners and descents. With the tire’s speed, we expected a significant trade-off in traction, but that really wasn’t the case. Even in loose over hardpack that dominates much of Southern California’s trail surfaces, traction remained relatively high and surprisingly predictable. In fact, this is one of the better XC race tires that we have used in this scenario. Traction is good in loamy conditions, right up to mud, where the short knobs don’t have much in the way of teeth to sink into anything, but they resist packing up better than some. These tires do have their limits in cornering and braking traction, but they let go in a predictable drift that gives you time to bring it back. A few test riders who are less concerned with all-out speed wished that WTB also offered a high-grip compound to run as a front tire in more challenging conditions like wet rocks and roots.

Wear is average but not great. The tires retain good traction that tapers off slowly after the short knobs lose their leading edge. Puncture resistance is good; our lighter test riders were able to run the tire pressure at 18–19 psi without issue. Overall, we are quite impressed by WTB’s new tire. The Macro is a true XC race tire that delivers on speed and handles well overall. WTB has not been a strong tire player in the cross-country race arena for quite some time, but the Macro puts the brand right in the thick of things.

HITS:

• Very low rolling resistance
• Excellent loose-over-hard traction
• Good ride quality

MISSES:

• Only one compound offering

STAR RATING: ★★★★★

Weight: 716 grams
Price: $77
Contact: www.wtb.com