Ground Industries Mak Tires Review

stlmtboarder · 08-13-2009, 11:05 AM

So I finally picked up a set of MAK tires by Ground Industries while in Kansas for the Twilight Showdown event and wow they are incredible. Not only do they allow you to go faster on dirt and concrete, but they allow you to hold an edge at high speeds thanks to their incredible grip. These tires are ideal for boardercross because you can ride high in berms and accelerate in flat, straight areas thanks to their ability to hold high PSI levels. When I raced in Kansas I was able to ride really high on the berms and get a ton of speed straight out of the gate.

These tires are still fast when its wet or muddy too. The design allows for the mud/water to be channeled out of the tread so nothing cakes on for long. Another great thing about these treads is you can hold out the longest powerslides imaginable, they are very smooth and controlled which is very important in case something goes wrong.

Originally I thought the MAK tires would be too grippy for asphalt but its actually a really controlled feeling. Another really cool thing about these tires is you can really hold out a long powerslide. While I was in Kansas Kelby Clark found this really nice trail that you come out of with a ton of speed and i was able to do like 10-20 foot frontside and backside powerslides. Although I haven’t ridden them on wet grass or mud yet they have performed beyond my expectations. I recommend picking up a set if you're looking for a light weight bombproof tire.

http://www.groundindustries.com/products/tires

BryceAZ · 08-13-2009, 11:50 AM

I have them on my Flight Lite and they are great. Highly recommended.

hank · 08-13-2009, 12:50 PM

I don't know much about tires, but I would like to make sweet love to their phone operator.

stlmtboarder · 08-13-2009, 08:53 PM

so bryce u getting stoked for the new GI boards? in kansas i talkd to richard and he said they will be out by mid september. matt mcclain is over at the factory giving the ok on the final products. those new spring trucks are awesome. kody had a set in kansas. also those terraintulas look like the strongest hub ever made. a little on the heavy side but completely bombproof. kody was riding on the new crosshairs and he said they are the best plastic hub hes ever ridden. they can hold up to 80 psi and they are pretty light too. so the new boards are going to be nice, i cant wait to see the final products

parkerbomar · 08-14-2009, 05:38 AM

im buying the edge for sure now!

that will mean i have all three big companys boards!

McCarver · 08-14-2009, 06:46 AM

Is trampa really one of the big three? I would assume that Scrub and NoSno rank way up higher than trampa who seems to be mainly in the accesory business.

stlmtboarder · 08-14-2009, 09:39 AM

yea parker i think all their new pro boards are going to be really good. the new trucks are awesome. it was their first real production sample and it was still very strong. the terraintulas look awesome in person. i saw the same sample you did and the reason for the color is, kody did the rail jam tour and when they drive around, their boards are on the roof of the car so basically the sun changes the color of the hubs. his deck was pretty weird looking from the sun. but ive seen matrix lights turn like almost a brown color from the sun so i think they will have the colors sorted out by production time. richard said they are preparing to fully unvail their new line at the surf expo august 20-23 in florida. so that should be sick

Jhammo52 · 08-14-2009, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McCarver

Is trampa really one of the big three? I would assume that Scrub and NoSno rank way up higher than trampa who seems to be mainly in the accesory business.

I've only ever seen a single Trampa board and it was a kite board so I'm not so sure. I once saw a NoSno and it looked rubbish, it was just a central rod with two foot pads and wheels. Probs alot of fun for carving but I couldn't use it for anything else.

BryceAZ · 08-14-2009, 12:05 PM

Yes I am looking forward to the new line! I really want to get a set of the new trucks and terraintulas. I figure I will wait to put them on until I have issues with my current setup but I think they make the best looking gear out there and I know they've tested this stuff like crazy so I think it will really hold up well. I'm thinking of getting another board just so I can bring friends out with me that don't usually ride. Maybe something a little shorter for rails, jumps, and younger riders. I'm thinking the old Flight 93 with the new hubs.

BOBBY XBP · 08-14-2009, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McCarver

Is trampa really one of the big three? I would assume that Scrub and NoSno rank way up higher than trampa who seems to be mainly in the accesory business.

Where i ride the most common board that i see is a trampa. So i would say that trampa is one of the big three

stlmtboarder · 08-14-2009, 12:29 PM

yea the new trucks look soo good. they fit on mbs boards too. kody was rocking them on his pro95 just flip the axels around so they look like mbs ones. heres a pic of it

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref...80&id=11006433

BryceAZ · 08-14-2009, 12:35 PM

Thanks for the update on release dates as well. September is right around the corner!

stlmtboarder · 08-14-2009, 12:37 PM

yea i kno its really exciting. but man those terraintulas look strong as hell. i mean they are so solid. i really dont see any rider breaking those. i mean kody stewart even had problems breaking them and he breaks a lot hahah. but the new crosshairs look really promising as well. kody has been testing them for 3 months now with no problems. the new trucks are nice though. the eggs inside are bigger than mbs ones so they fill it out better and have more rebound

BryceAZ · 08-14-2009, 12:46 PM

Yeah, I saw them on Akoni's board back when they were here on the Cricket Campus Rail Jam Tour. I didn't get to ride them (as I didn't want to ask Akoni if I could borrow his board) but they looked sick!

That is also where I first got to try the Banshee Bungee system and Kody helped me tune my trucks. Can't wait for next year!

parkerbomar · 08-14-2009, 02:51 PM

ya, events are crazy fun glad you guys got to go!

after october when Trampa relases all there new line of gear they should be a full blown board company and will all those UK riders riding them they have more riders then both scrub and no-sno combined.

DirtBlogger · 08-15-2009, 07:42 PM

Here's What Ground Industries had to say about their new "Balistik Mak Tires":

That's what our pro riders demanded, and that's what we gave them! Our Balistik MAK tires (often referred to as "The best tires on the market") were designed to give Ground Industries decks a faster, smoother, and safer ride. We get many MBS deck owners buying them (without needing any additional hardware, as these work with MBS hubs "Out of the box"), as well as GI deck owners. The most common reason that people tell us they buy them can be summed up by professional rider Kody Stewart's quote, "They make riding on dirt feel like you are on asphalt… They are truly badass!"

The Balistik Mak Tires feature our widest center bead yet. This gives you more speed (especially on the straight-aways / flats). The wider center bead provides more surface area, and helps with directional stability. This means you go faster, without having to worry about your tires losing stability and spinning out from under you We also have a bit of a split in the middle of our center bead, to help clear out dirt and even water.

The Mak Tires also feature a very aggressive lug pattern (the bumpy shapes, aka knobs), which offer you "Smart-Grip Traction Control". What is Smart-Grip Traction Control you ask?

1. Having dirt stick in your tire will decrease your speed, as well as make you skid and slide. The knobs have 3 different shapes with different spacing. This spacing is tight enough to provide speed, and a solid ride on any surface (off road, or asphalt), while wide enough to clear away dirt, mud, and small rocks.

2. The MAK Tire has 3 different shapes :
The inner diamond shape gives more surface area, so you maintain speed. The diamond shape also helps in clearing away dirt.
While the diamond shape provides additional speed, and helps clear away dirt, the middle shape is designed to engage the terrain at all times and provide a firm grip, but has a curved outside to engage more if you need it more.
The outer shape actually extends past the outer-wall of the tire. It provides an angry-wrestler like grip that gets initiated as the tire either flattens due to higher pressure (you're going down a really steep incline), or as the tire gets pressed sideways (you're taking a really fast and hard turn). So, as the tire flattens and rolls sideways, you get a 3rd level of unrelenting grip. If you've ever taken a fast turn, you know that this is not a good place to lose your tire grip!

3. The different knobs have different stiffness, providing the proper level of grip and speed,to accommodate whatever surface that you're riding. As the riding conditions require extra grip, you'll have it… but if they don't,then you don't lose speed from unnecessary grip.

These tires will provide increased speed, and comfortable grip on any terrain. On hard,irregular surfaces, the knobs of the tread can hook onto projections of the road surface, reducing the tendency to slip. On soft, squishy surfaces, the knobs poke into the surface, digging in for improved grip.

McCarver · 08-29-2009, 02:23 PM

Ordering me some next week, Im done with T3s.

Raoul Duke · 08-29-2009, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McCarver

Ordering me some next week, Im done with T3s.

Yeah you burned thru that new set in 6 weeks.... The mak tires i have have lasted almost a year and still have a ton of tread....

McCarver · 08-29-2009, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raoul Duke

Yeah you burned thru that new set in 6 weeks...

Yeah man, Im hardcore like that.

The 6th degree · 08-30-2009, 01:51 AM

I dont have any frame of reference - but my Maks seem super sticky - I just couldn't get my deck to powerslide - just kept carving and dragged me along behind it. I'm sure thats more down to me than the tyres though.

08-13-2009, 11:05 AM	#1
stlmtboarder Urban Thrasher Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: St. Louis MO Posts: 659	Ground Industries Mak Tires Review So I finally picked up a set of MAK tires by Ground Industries while in Kansas for the Twilight Showdown event and wow they are incredible. Not only do they allow you to go faster on dirt and concrete, but they allow you to hold an edge at high speeds thanks to their incredible grip. These tires are ideal for boardercross because you can ride high in berms and accelerate in flat, straight areas thanks to their ability to hold high PSI levels. When I raced in Kansas I was able to ride really high on the berms and get a ton of speed straight out of the gate. These tires are still fast when its wet or muddy too. The design allows for the mud/water to be channeled out of the tread so nothing cakes on for long. Another great thing about these treads is you can hold out the longest powerslides imaginable, they are very smooth and controlled which is very important in case something goes wrong. Originally I thought the MAK tires would be too grippy for asphalt but its actually a really controlled feeling. Another really cool thing about these tires is you can really hold out a long powerslide. While I was in Kansas Kelby Clark found this really nice trail that you come out of with a ton of speed and i was able to do like 10-20 foot frontside and backside powerslides. Although I haven’t ridden them on wet grass or mud yet they have performed beyond my expectations. I recommend picking up a set if you're looking for a light weight bombproof tire. http://www.groundindustries.com/products/tires Last edited by McCarver; 11-03-2009 at 01:48 PM.

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08-13-2009, 11:50 AM	#2
BryceAZ I ride GI, I eat tacos Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,628	I have them on my Flight Lite and they are great. Highly recommended.

08-13-2009, 12:50 PM	#3
hank Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Massachusetts, USA Posts: 42	I don't know much about tires, but I would like to make sweet love to their phone operator.

08-13-2009, 08:53 PM	#4
stlmtboarder Urban Thrasher Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: St. Louis MO Posts: 659	so bryce u getting stoked for the new GI boards? in kansas i talkd to richard and he said they will be out by mid september. matt mcclain is over at the factory giving the ok on the final products. those new spring trucks are awesome. kody had a set in kansas. also those terraintulas look like the strongest hub ever made. a little on the heavy side but completely bombproof. kody was riding on the new crosshairs and he said they are the best plastic hub hes ever ridden. they can hold up to 80 psi and they are pretty light too. so the new boards are going to be nice, i cant wait to see the final products

08-14-2009, 06:46 AM	#6
McCarver 3rd Level Google Master Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Costa Rica Posts: 7,783	Is trampa really one of the big three? I would assume that Scrub and NoSno rank way up higher than trampa who seems to be mainly in the accesory business.

08-14-2009, 09:39 AM	#7
stlmtboarder Urban Thrasher Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: St. Louis MO Posts: 659	yea parker i think all their new pro boards are going to be really good. the new trucks are awesome. it was their first real production sample and it was still very strong. the terraintulas look awesome in person. i saw the same sample you did and the reason for the color is, kody did the rail jam tour and when they drive around, their boards are on the roof of the car so basically the sun changes the color of the hubs. his deck was pretty weird looking from the sun. but ive seen matrix lights turn like almost a brown color from the sun so i think they will have the colors sorted out by production time. richard said they are preparing to fully unvail their new line at the surf expo august 20-23 in florida. so that should be sick

08-14-2009, 12:05 PM	#9
BryceAZ I ride GI, I eat tacos Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,628	Yes I am looking forward to the new line! I really want to get a set of the new trucks and terraintulas. I figure I will wait to put them on until I have issues with my current setup but I think they make the best looking gear out there and I know they've tested this stuff like crazy so I think it will really hold up well. I'm thinking of getting another board just so I can bring friends out with me that don't usually ride. Maybe something a little shorter for rails, jumps, and younger riders. I'm thinking the old Flight 93 with the new hubs.

08-14-2009, 12:29 PM	#11
stlmtboarder Urban Thrasher Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: St. Louis MO Posts: 659	yea the new trucks look soo good. they fit on mbs boards too. kody was rocking them on his pro95 just flip the axels around so they look like mbs ones. heres a pic of it http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref...80&id=11006433

08-14-2009, 12:35 PM	#12
BryceAZ I ride GI, I eat tacos Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,628	Thanks for the update on release dates as well. September is right around the corner!

08-14-2009, 12:37 PM	#13
stlmtboarder Urban Thrasher Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: St. Louis MO Posts: 659	yea i kno its really exciting. but man those terraintulas look strong as hell. i mean they are so solid. i really dont see any rider breaking those. i mean kody stewart even had problems breaking them and he breaks a lot hahah. but the new crosshairs look really promising as well. kody has been testing them for 3 months now with no problems. the new trucks are nice though. the eggs inside are bigger than mbs ones so they fill it out better and have more rebound

08-14-2009, 12:46 PM	#14
BryceAZ I ride GI, I eat tacos Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,628	Yeah, I saw them on Akoni's board back when they were here on the Cricket Campus Rail Jam Tour. I didn't get to ride them (as I didn't want to ask Akoni if I could borrow his board) but they looked sick! That is also where I first got to try the Banshee Bungee system and Kody helped me tune my trucks. Can't wait for next year!

08-15-2009, 07:42 PM	#16
DirtBlogger Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 75	Here's What Ground Industries had to say about their new "Balistik Mak Tires": That's what our pro riders demanded, and that's what we gave them! Our Balistik MAK tires (often referred to as "The best tires on the market") were designed to give Ground Industries decks a faster, smoother, and safer ride. We get many MBS deck owners buying them (without needing any additional hardware, as these work with MBS hubs "Out of the box"), as well as GI deck owners. The most common reason that people tell us they buy them can be summed up by professional rider Kody Stewart's quote, "They make riding on dirt feel like you are on asphalt… They are truly badass!" The Balistik Mak Tires feature our widest center bead yet. This gives you more speed (especially on the straight-aways / flats). The wider center bead provides more surface area, and helps with directional stability. This means you go faster, without having to worry about your tires losing stability and spinning out from under you We also have a bit of a split in the middle of our center bead, to help clear out dirt and even water. The Mak Tires also feature a very aggressive lug pattern (the bumpy shapes, aka knobs), which offer you "Smart-Grip Traction Control". What is Smart-Grip Traction Control you ask? 1. Having dirt stick in your tire will decrease your speed, as well as make you skid and slide. The knobs have 3 different shapes with different spacing. This spacing is tight enough to provide speed, and a solid ride on any surface (off road, or asphalt), while wide enough to clear away dirt, mud, and small rocks. 2. The MAK Tire has 3 different shapes : The inner diamond shape gives more surface area, so you maintain speed. The diamond shape also helps in clearing away dirt. While the diamond shape provides additional speed, and helps clear away dirt, the middle shape is designed to engage the terrain at all times and provide a firm grip, but has a curved outside to engage more if you need it more. The outer shape actually extends past the outer-wall of the tire. It provides an angry-wrestler like grip that gets initiated as the tire either flattens due to higher pressure (you're going down a really steep incline), or as the tire gets pressed sideways (you're taking a really fast and hard turn). So, as the tire flattens and rolls sideways, you get a 3rd level of unrelenting grip. If you've ever taken a fast turn, you know that this is not a good place to lose your tire grip! 3. The different knobs have different stiffness, providing the proper level of grip and speed,to accommodate whatever surface that you're riding. As the riding conditions require extra grip, you'll have it… but if they don't,then you don't lose speed from unnecessary grip. These tires will provide increased speed, and comfortable grip on any terrain. On hard,irregular surfaces, the knobs of the tread can hook onto projections of the road surface, reducing the tendency to slip. On soft, squishy surfaces, the knobs poke into the surface, digging in for improved grip.

08-29-2009, 02:23 PM	#17
McCarver 3rd Level Google Master Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Costa Rica Posts: 7,783	Ordering me some next week, Im done with T3s.

08-30-2009, 01:51 AM	#20
The 6th degree Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Preston, UK Posts: 768	I dont have any frame of reference - but my Maks seem super sticky - I just couldn't get my deck to powerslide - just kept carving and dragged me along behind it. I'm sure thats more down to me than the tyres though.