Here's the massive, new WTB Kodiak 29er tire. And just for fun


here it is on a 5lb Santa Cruz Tallboy frame. Yes, it clears. Seatstay clearance is pretty much a non-issue, given the lack of a cross brace on the Tallboy, and there's room down below, too. Plus, these tires just look mean:

But, you know, there are things you can do, and things you should do, and sometimes--like here--there's probably an ocean of difference between the two. When you think about it, and even if you don't, 1400g is a little heavy for a tire.

Still, we suspect these tires may be bought by the rigid steel crowd, and we suspect this because, after riding them only briefly, that was exactly what we wanted to do. Huge advocates of tons and tons of tire clearance, Niner helpfully built not only their R.I.P. and W.F.O. but also all of their hardtails as if they knew that one day they'd help WTB make a beast of a tire like this. While we haven't tried them all, here's the Kodiak in a Scandium Air 9.

It fits. Significant? Compared to the end of the Mayan calendar and Google Wave, maybe not. But consider this: while you probably can't get quite as much float out of Kodiak as an Endomorph, you're going to be able to fit a Kodiak in a lot of hardtail frames--particularly all Niners. And with a big squishy tire like that, you're less compelled to bother with a suspension fork. You might even eschew the decadence of gears. And what you'd be left with is a super simple, borderline indestructible, bicycle-shaped grin machine. Talk about a revolution.