Introduction by Francis Cebedo

Over the past few months, Michael Browne of Bontrager has been very enthusiastic about showing me their new line of tires. They've been working with Frank Stacy on a revamp of their whole tire line. Stacy brought on a whole wealth of knowledge about rubber technology and tire design and he is known for a very scientific approach to creating tires for a specific purpose.

First came the XR1 and the XR4 and we were mighty impressed with the speed of the XR1 and the grip and versatility of the XR4. The XR4 is reviewed here. Then in Italy, Bontrager let us try the XR3 which sported a similar design to the XR4 but had a bit more speed for faster and longer rides.

Here is the latest tire from Bontrager and it will make the descenders of the market happy. We'll give it a try soon in the rocks of Downieville, CA.

All-new Bontrager G5 brings consistent grip for high-speed drifting on the roughest tracks

(Leogang, Austria) - Bontrager today unveiled an all-new downhill tire developed by legendary tire designer Frank Stacy and the athletes of Trek World Racing, dubbed the G5. Proven by Trek World Racing's Aaron Gwin throughout the 2012 World Cup calendar, the G5 blends Stacy's knowledge of tread and compound design with the performance demands of the two-time-defending World Cup champion. Built specifically to maintain consistent, predictable traction at top speeds over the gnarliest of conditions, the G5 works best in loose terrain, regardless of whether its bone dry or pouring rain. Riders will instantly notice the new tire's highly predictable nature when getting sideways through rough corners.

"Bontrager has invested an incredible amount of R and D in tire design in the last year and the G5 is a prime example of the huge payoff we're seeing from it," said Frank Stacy. "Collaborating with Trek World Racing this year gave us the feedback of world-class athletes who can constantly push the tires to their limit, and are always searching for that little bit more."

The G5 got its first win at the Fort William World Cup this year, when Gwin needed predictable cornering traction for the course's notoriously varied terrain. After just one practice run on the new tread, Gwin kept the G5 prototype on his rear wheel for his race run and rode it all the way to the top step of the podium for his first win at the legendary World Cup track. He continued the G5 momentum, riding them on both the front and rear to wins at Mont Saint Anne and Windham.

"It's not often that a company allows you to design a product exactly the way you want it," said Aaron Gwin about the all-new tire. "Bontrager gave me that opportunity with the new G5 tire and it turned out to be the best tire I have ever ridden."

After months of testing and tweaking, the Bontrager G5, the secret weapon of Trek World Racing will be available this fall to downhill shredders everywhere through Bontrager retailers worldwide.

Race-proven. Aggressive conditions DH tire.
  • Intended for high-speed, extreme conditions, wet or dry
  • Unique tread profile gives max bite at any lean angle
  • Fast rolling
  • Predictable transitions
  • Incredible braking / cornering traction
  • 26x2.35"
How it's made


Construction & Rubber
  • 2 ply casing
  • Butyl insert
  • Great shoulder support
  • Exceptional high speed handling
  • Super-soft, super sticky
  • Excellent traction on all surfaces
Performance and benefits
  • Unique inflated tread profile allows maximum bite at any lean angle.
  • Tie bar for increased braking traction.
  • Large radius on outer edge reduces knob rollover.
  • Multi-edge shoulder knob for predictable cornering traction.
Tread Pattern Detail

Aaron Gwin's World Cup-winning DH tire gives you incredible braking control and traction at high speed over aggressive, loose, rocky terrain, wet or dry. The unique G5 tread profile provides maximum bite at any lean angle, with a predictable transition into controlled slides.