Brian Lopes wanted a tire that was not in the Kenda lineup to work with his riding style. The El Moco is the result. Paddles of round center knobs give good drive and braking grip, and tall tightly packed edge blocks dig in for cornering. A large gap between the two suits Lopes' aggressive toss-the-bike-into-the-turn style. He likes the tire to be able to drift before the outer tread bites hard. Great for him, but how does it work for other riders?

I mounted a set on Bontrager Rhythm Comp wheels (28mm wide) to ride on the Salsa Ala Carte hardtail. On the front, 2.35, Stick-E rubber. Rear, 2.10, Dual Rubber Compound. Both folding bead. Started with 25psi front, 30psi rear with tubes.

Initial rides traversed loose to firm and rocky trails. Many of them dished out horse trails. I found myself bouncing more than I liked on the first small rocky stretches. Was being knocked off line way too easily, often forcing me into the soft edge of the trail where the side tread would struggle. After reducing the tire pressures front and rear, as well as checking the fork (which was OK), control improved. Tracking (directional stability) was good on the soft sandy trails and suffered a bit on the rocks compared to the larger block tires I have been running. Carving the corners was fun with the tall side tread holding well. It was necessary to lean the bike hard to get onto the edges though the soft surfaces mitigated the need some. This "tossing" style is not my preferred riding mode, and the El Moco seems to require it as I found when I changed trails...

 Narrow hardpack out sloped singletrack. The common trail of my local haunts. Add a bit of sand on top. Little room to throw the bike around, too easy to toss it clear off the trail. The gap tread of the El Moco is at a disadvantage here with its lack of intermediate tread. Squirm lack of feedback on the slight off camber makes it difficult to ride hard into the corners. Not really an issue when the trail is bermed but the movement of the round knobs can be felt. Getting the tires to take a "set" on their edges requires some nerve, especially when sliding off the trail may end in a substantial tumble down the open slope.

The El Moco does excel on the bermed trails--hard or soft. Being able to toss the bike and push the deep edge tread into the ground is rewarded with gobs for traction shooting you through the turn and into the next. Never a worry of sliding out.

 I will be saving the El Moco for rides on looser trails where the tread can penetrate the surface easily and maybe the pump track to explore their--and my own--limits in a more controlled environment.

 Full specs of both size El Mocos are on the Kenda page