Trail Rider Magazine

DUNLOP AT81 My search for a suitable alternative to the Bridgestone M59 and impressive in all of the settings I Pirelli MT 16 combination for use in New England brings me to tried them in, especially the the Dunlop Geomax AT81. I get a lot of people asking why I fresh-cut, greasy, root-lined sin- focus my tire tests for New England. My answer is simple: be- gle track. In fact, they were as cause there are so few tires that work well on our regional rock good as the Bridgestone/Pirelli garden. In most regions, a buyer has a large selection of tires combo here. The front tire held that work well for them. We have very few. a line over the roots and the The front tire we ran is a 90/90 21 (as opposed to an 80 or 90/100 21). In the rear I went with the 120/90-18. The carcass design of the rear Geomax AT81 features two nylon plies. The AT81 rear block shape, distribution, and newly engineered tread knobs feature a "C-cut" shoulder block shape that helps the tire penetrate down through the surface dirt for extra traction. The back tire kept me straighter than I had expected. The tires were outstanding in the grass tracks as well. Both ends bit deeply into the surface and held a line in the corners. It was the most confident I've felt on a grass track and I am simply awful there. I didn't feel awful on these tires. lateral grooves on the shoulder knobs provide additional biting As I mentioned above, the tires worked well in the rocks. The edges and allow the knobs to be more flexible and help with im- back was very close in performance to the MT 16. The front tire pact absorption. The center blocks are arranged in-line to pro- was also good, but I'd give the edge to the Bridgestone M59— vide a larger contact surface and help maximum traction. The but not by too much. The Dunlop was actually better over the tire compound is supposed roots and certainly better in the grass to offer high wear resist- track. Both ends worked well in the ance. greasy mud of the Dam Good Hare Scramble. Neither tire packed up with The AT81 front tire design mud and I had confidence throughout resembles the popular the day. The back tire kept me going D756F but has been mod- straight and the front tire held a line ernized to incorporate lateral over the rock, roots and mud. I even ran grooves on the shoulder knobs that provide addi- The Dunlop AT 81 held up well over some rough terrain. tional biting edges and im- them through a long stretch of sand and came away impressed. pact-absorbing qualities. The front tire construction includes In terms of longevity, both were better than your typical Dun- two plies of nylon wrapped with a third ply of polyester; to- lop. The front tire held up well for over a hundred miles (119). gether they form a strong base for the varied obstacles an off- The rear wasn't race worthy after about 90 miles but still road tire will encounter. Like the AT81 rear, the front tire worked well when worn, much like an MT-16 will. incorporates Dunlop's plush pad design in the areas between the center tread blocks for enhanced compliance characteristics. Overall I would rate the tires above average in the rocks and exceptional in everything else that I rode them in, with an "outstanding" for the grass track and slick roots. I wouldn't hesitate I rode the tires in a variety of settings that included the Berk- to use them again and prefer them over the Bridgestone/Pirelli shire Mountains, a grass track, miles of fresh-cut trail, rocky cart combo in some situations. In short, these are excellent tires roads, a loamy trail network, and then finally at the Dam Good that will serve you well in a large variety of terrain and condi- Hare Scramble, which turned into a mud-fest/survival run. tions. They may even be the best all-around tire out there. What I was most concerned with was its performance in the rocks—which turned out to be pretty darn good. The tires were Don't be surprised if they're you're new favorites. November 2013 27

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