TESTED: CST BFT Tyres

Words and photos: Georgina von Marburg

CST has a reputation for producing reliable but affordable tyres for all disciplines. The Chinese manufacturer is also the parent company of the renowned Maxxis tyre brand, so they have plenty of experience when it comes to creating and distributing bicycle rubber. However, at nearly half the price of a typical Maxxis tyre, CST targets a wider demographic and user base. They’ve recently created a modern lineup of trail and gravity orientated tyres, and we were sent some by Australian distributor KWT Imports to test over autumn. 

These tyres were all tested on the same wheel set – a new pair of alloy Race Face Turbine R 30 29” wheels. I typically run a Maxxis Assegai EXO+ on the front and Minion DHR II with DH casing on the rear. For gravity riding in most conditions, I run 20psi in the front tyre and 25psi in the rear tyre. I applied these same pressures to all the CST tyres on test and used Joe’s No-Flats sealant for all tyres. 

BFT 29 x 2.2” Folding Tyres 

BFT – Big Fat Tyre. Yes, this is the actual acronym for this model from CST. Despite the connotations, these folding tyres were only 2.25” wide. So while they’re designed for all-mountain and freeride adventures, they’re still quite a narrow trail tyre. However, they are also available in a 2.5” wide edition. Each BFT tyre weighed in at 928g on my personal digital scales. Choose the size to fit your frame and fork clearance.

Installing these tyres was hassle free. Using a compressor, they beaded quickly on my Race Face Turbine wheels, but like most new tyres, struggled to bead with a regular floor pump. Setting my usual pressures, I was ready to hit the trails on my Pivot Switchblade. One thing I noticed is that CST tyres have a shiny gloss finish to the rubber; they feel quite slick to touch compared to the typically tacky Maxxis tyre, so I was curious to see how they performed. 

Straight onto the dusty, dry flow trails of Mystic, the BFTs felt right at home. Despite the narrower width compared to my usual 2.4/2.5” combo, the tyres felt stable and grippy. I could comfortably hook into banked corners, and straight line down rocky chutes. They did struggle somewhat on flat, off camber corners compared to something with more pronounced cornering knobs, so maybe steer clear of these if you ride Mount Beauty a lot!  

But the main advantage of the BFTs is their fast rolling capacity. You instantly feel the efficiency behind these all mountain tyres, similar to that of a Maxxis DHF. For dry, hardpack, and hardpack over loose conditions, I would highly recommend the BFT as an affordable trail tyre. I have not tested these in the wet yet, and I presume they would struggle due to the close tread pattern and low-profile knobs. But for most Australian conditions, these are a surprisingly capable tyre. 

RRP $64.94

From: kwtimports.com.au

Hits

• Fast rolling for a trail tyre
• Excellent in dry conditions
• Budget friendly 

Misses

• Might struggle in the wet