PRODUCT TEST #1 | MITAS TERRA FORCE-EX MH

The Mitas Terra Force-EX MH is designed for EnduroCross and hard enduro terrain. Right out of the shed, the soft rubber made fitting them almost pleasant, which is not a phrase I throw around lightly when talking about tyre changes. No need to fight with tyre levers – these are the most malleable tyres I’ve ever spooned on.

The initial feel and grip blew my mind. On sandstone ledges and hard rock surfaces, the Terra Force-EX MH feels like it’s got suction cups for knobs. It’s that sticky. It grips, claws and holds lines you wouldn’t normally get away with on regular rubber. In fact, it felt a bit like cheating – the traction is that ridiculous, especially when climbing or descending technical rock faces where you’d normally expect a bit of slippage.

It comes in three compounds depending on how cooked your trail choices are. The Super (yellow stripe) is for dry, high-speed enduro with a medium carcass and compound. The Super Light (green stripe) runs a softer carcass and gummy rubber that shines in slick, technical conditions. And for those who enjoy the real hard stuff, the Super Soft (double green stripe) has a mega-flex carcass – that’s the one I went for.

The side knobs are aggressive, the 17mm tread depth is massive and the reinforced-yet-flexy carcass gives good structural support. The front tyre is FIM-legal, but the rear isn’t.

So far, they’re the grippiest gummy tyres I’ve ever run. I’m curious to see how they hold up over time and whether they’ll hold their own in proper mud, but based on early signs this tyre is an absolute weapon.