Onza Svelt XC Race Tire Goes to 29″ x 2.3″ with Softer Compounds
Onza Tires has updated its fastest-rolling XC and Marathon tire designed for dry, hardpack terrain. Gaining volume, the Svelt jumps from 2.25″ to 2.3″, with a combination of some slightly softer durometer rubbers making up its unchanged tread pattern.
Onza Svelt XC MTB Tire
While the Onza Canis XC & Marathon tire that was launched earlier this year could also stretch to light trail or downcountry usage, the updated Onza Svelt announced today is very much a dedicated speed daemon for cross-country racing on the fastest, most hard pack terrain.
Utilizing a single 60 TPI casing construction, the Svelt weighs a claimed 780 grams in its only available dimension: 29″ x 2.3″. That weight pertains to the Skinwall tire; the Black sidewall tire has a claimed weight of 820g. Both have an ETRTO of 59-622, aimed at 28-35mm internal rims, and run a foldable Kevlar bead. The added width means this tire is actually almost 100g heavier than the original 29″ x 2.25″ Onza Svelt.
The Onza Svelt maintains the very same tread pattern it was launched with at Sea Otter back in 2016. That sees a repeating set of three pairs of center tread blocks, with neighbors tapering narrower, followed by a single block, to form a series of arrows down the center. All are ramped to reduce rolling resistance.
At the edge, we see two types of knobs; one squared off and siped for added flex, and another more rectangular, buttressed for support. Between the center tread and edge knobs are some intermediate blocks, presumably to aid the transition of grip to the edge during cornering.
Like the Canis, the updated Svelt runs the XCC Casing. It is very basic in its construction, composed simply of a single-ply of 60 TPI material with no puncture or sidewall support to speak of.
While the former Onza Svelt was composed of a 55a/65a rubber, the new Svelt gets their 60 Medium Compound 60 – a combination of 60a and 45a durometer rubbers, a change that will likely enhance grip. The softer 45a rubber makes up the edge of the tread, while the harder, faster rolling 60a rubber makes up the center tread.
Pricing & Availability
The Onza Svelt XC & Marathon tire is available now in Europe and the US at the following prices.
| Color | Size | ETRTO | Casing | Claimed Weight | € EUR | $ USD |
| Black | 29″ x 2.3″ | 59-622 | 1-ply 60 TPI | 820 grams | 64,90 € | $69.90 |
| Skin Wall | 29″ x 2.3″ | 59-622 | 1-ply 60 TPI | 780 grams | 69,90 € | $74.90 |
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