When did you last stand before a wall of shampoo or pickled cucumbers and think “The number of choices is overwhelming”? Was it yesterday?
Wilderness Trail Bikes (WTB) clears up the conundrum of choice with one 29” and one 27.5” option for their updated Verdict SG1 tread, each in a 2.5” width with their Tough casing and High Grip tread compound. Save your discerning brain cells for something else, like one of 45 BBQ sauce options.
WTB Verdict SG1 key specs
- Weight: 1339g (29″ diameter)
- Price: $89.95
- Buy from Worldwide Cyclery
On initial setup, the WTB Verdict SG1 bead snapped into place without issue and stayed put. The casing hasn’t wept and holds the same amount of sealant today as it did when first inflated. I pinged a good number of square edges to make sure these casings hold up to their “Tough” name, and they undoubtedly do. Is the decade’s largest advancement in mountain biking simply tire casings that rarely flat? Maybe. At 1,339g for the 29” version, I happily accept the weight penalty these casings mete out.
Cornering and grip
One giggle of mountain biking is tickled when holding as much speed through a corner as possible. The Verdict SG1’s supportive casing, paired with a solid lug design, equals an overall positive experience in fast turns and tight compressions. The lugs don’t squirm under you, and the thick casing helps to hold your line while preventing a case of the squirmy-burps or punctures.
Grip with this tread sits somewhere in the upper “unbeatable” category, holding lines in loose dust and deep scree while also excelling at mud and slop shedding. Off-camber can be a fantastic test of grip confidence, and this tire delivers all day on slanted land. I feel comfortable taking higher lines into corners and holding a straighter line to maintain speed with these tires. If you like to lean deep and really use the shoulder lugs, these transition smoothly through their tread profile, performing impressively well in the wet or dry. The tire profile stretches to a fairly true 2.5” on my 30mm wide rims, providing a substantial footprint to push against.
Braking traction and rolling resistance
Someone once told me that tires can do one thing well at a time, which is why you don’t want to brake mid-corner. While they were not wrong, even rubber needs to multitask occasionally. The WTB Verdict tread is notably sturdy and holds tight under pressure, so if you do need to scrub speed at an inopportune time you’ll have a solid chance to maintain rubber/dirt contact.
I recently tested a similarly grippy Maxxxis High Roller and was surprised by how slowly the High Roller felt any time gravity wasn’t helping. I love to pedal all day, and this ripper from WTB rolls notably easier than the refreshed High Roller. The rubber also seems to be lasting longer than its Maxxis counterpart. This review is all experiential anecdote, not resistance or longevity science, and the experiences with this tire on the same trails and bike reveal clear performance advantages.
Share your WTB Verdict SG1 review
The High Grip triple compound is wearing at rate similar to other soft treads, and since it’s intended for front-wheel use the lugs should endure a long life. I would love to try this tire as a front/rear pair in extra sloppy conditions, but for my local fall riding it makes more sense up front with something like the WTB Judge out back.
Pros and cons of WTB Verdict SG1
Pros
- Fantastic grip in most conditions
- Stellar off-camber traction
- Supportive casing
Cons
- Sturdier casing may not suit some riders’ preferences
Bottom line
The Verdict SG1 is a top front-tire gravity option for all wet and loose conditions. I didn’t test it on hardpacked surfaces as we don’t have clay soils nearby, but I would imagine that’s the one place it might not shine as brightly. For everything else, the Verdict is in.
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