The Kenda Kwests - 1,000+km Later

If you research any affordably priced Kenda road bike tire, chances are that you'll come across many complaints regarding the apparently weak sidewall and the infuriatingly low puncture resistance.

I won my used Devinci road bike in a silent auction and it came equipped with two Kwests front and back. Both rather worn down, but not enough to prompt immediate replacement. Last summer, I decided to replace one of them as the sidewall started to deteriorate quite fast, though this hadn't been enough to warrant a judgement on the tire brand - who knows how the bike had been stored (and how long it had been stored for) in a police station before auction. 

And so I had been left with a rather neat comparative test: an old Kwest on the back and a new Kwest on the front. Time and mileage would tell how long they'd hold up and if the poor reviews that I took in would hold true. 



Since owning the bike, my non-committal commutes haven't had the misfortune of a blowout or flat of any kind. In fact, I've noticed more pro's than con's when it comes to these Kenda's - considering their price, I'm pleasantly surprised.

The mighty aged tire on the back is still holding strong and, in the spirit of curiosity, I'm seeing how far I can push things amidst the ever-expanding green strip that pleads for a replacement. By my inept calculations, I ought to have put well over 1000km on the rear tire by this point, and it's still holding strong. The front tire, less than a year old, stays true atop a modest mileage of over 300km. 



The tires absorb bumps nicely and feel unnervingly soft on the ground. They grip well in dry and dusty, as well as wet and slick, conditions and offer a certain trustworthiness to taking not-so-tight turns at higher speeds. Generally, tight corners are a little skiddish but such is generally the norm for lower end road rubber. Acceleration is great and stoppage ability so-so. 

Specs:

  • Rounded tread pattern & wider water dispersion grooves

  • Ideal for both country trails and paved streets

  • 700 x 32c

  • Ideal PSI: 50 - 85

  • Weight: 515 - 615 grams


At about 70-75psi, the tire performed admirably, giving me no problems in a spectrum of varying weather and road conditions.

The problem, as is the case with any affordably priced tire, is the rapid tread wear. I don't commute by bike daily, nor do I choose my Devinci on each outing, so even though the tires have stuck with me for a decent chunk of time, it's only been through moderate usage. For a tire that's frequently used to commute on a daily basis, anyone who doesn't want to find themselves changing tire after tire every two or three years may want to spend the extra and go forward with a higher-end brand. 



Though, for the occasional sunny-day-only commute, the tire does what it's supposed to do, packing on a few pleasant bonuses and shredding apart a number of poorly inflated reviews.  


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