2025 marks a major turning point for Kenda: going forward, the Taiwanese manufacturer’s new premium tires will carry the K-Series name. With new casings, revamped model designations and a line-up of completely redesigned tires, Kenda are aiming to shake up the market. During this transition phase, you’ll still come across both old and new versions side by side – but don’t worry, we’ve made sense of the chaos and already put the new casings and flagship model Double Black to the test on the trail.
| Model | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Double Black ENDURO 29 x 2.40 |
1,258 g | € 82.90 |
| Double Black ALL MOUNTAIN 29 x 2.40 |
1,036 g | € 82.99 |
| Pinner ENDURO 29 x 2.40 |
1,202 g | € 82.90 |
Kenda’s casings at a glance
Kenda made things fairly straightforward up to this point – at least once you got your head around their casing abbreviations. That’s because the intended use was built right into the casing names, which Kenda list on their website under the term “Protection.” With the Advanced Trail, Enduro, and Gravity Casings – abbreviated as ATC, AEC and AGC – riders already had a solid range of casing options tailored to more aggressive riding. There was also the less intuitive SCT casing, short for Sidewall Casing Technology, designed for XC use.
But that’s all about to change: with the launch of the K-Series tires this autumn, Kenda are moving away from abbreviations and switching to intuitive names based on the intended use. With clearly labelled casing designations like XC, TRAIL, ALL MOUNTAIN, ENDURO, and DOWNHILL, there should be no more confusion. With five options in total, it’s now easier to choose the right casing based on your riding style. Out of these five, three are simply rebranded versions of existing casings, which maintain the same construction. Two versions, however, are entirely new: the ENDURO casing will replace the former AEC version, while the TRAIL casing is a fresh addition designed to fill the gap between XC and ALL MOUNTAIN.
| Current casings | New K-Series casings |
|---|---|
| SCT | XC (technically unchanged) |
| – | TRAIL (newly developed) |
| ATC | ALL MOUNTAIN (technically unchanged) |
| AEC | ENDURO (newly developed) |
| AGC | DOWNHILL (technically unchanged) |
SCT
Sidewall Casing Technology (SCT) refers to Kenda’s lightest MTB casing to date, featuring a nylon insert that runs from bead to tread block for added puncture protection. This casing is primarily used in tyres designed for cross-country applications.
XC
With the launch of the K-Series tires, the XC casing will become the new lightweight option among Kenda’s casings. It will be available with either 120 or 60 TPI casing material and will always be paired with a fast-rolling rubber compound suited to its intended use. The construction is identical to that of the previous SCT casing.
TRAIL
The newly-developed TRAIL casing for the K-Series tires is positioned between the XC and ALL MOUNTAIN casings. Like the lighter XC version, the single-ply Kenda TRAIL casing will be available with either 60 or 120 TPI fabric. The 60 TPI variant is designed to deliver the same performance and puncture protection at a slightly higher weight but at a lower cost. For added protection, a sidewall insert is used to guard against cuts and impacts.
Advanced Trail Casing (ATC)
The Advanced Trail Casing was previously Kenda’s go-to construction for demanding trail use, but as part of the new K-Series tire range, it will now be renamed as the ALL MOUNTAIN casing – with no changes to its technical construction.
ALL MOUNTAIN
Formerly known as ”ATC”, the new “ALL MOUNTAIN” casing in the K-Series lineup mirrors the previous ATC structure with a 120 TPI construction. Compared to the TRAIL casing, it features not only sidewall protection but also an added protective layer beneath the tread – boosting puncture resistance on the top of the tire. The model we tested just barely exceeds the 1,000-gram mark, which makes it one of the lightest tires in the entire test field. In the impact test, the lightweight ALL MOUNTAIN casing lands toward the lower end of the field, but its puncture protection across the tread performs relatively well.
Advanced Enduro Casing (AEC)
With the Advanced Enduro Casing, Kenda take a different approach from the ATC casing by using significantly more robust and heavier protective layers. TheirVector Shield fabrics, positioned beneath the tread and along the sidewalls, are claimed to offer nearly three times the cut protection of those used in the ATC casing. The 60 TPI construction has previously bridged the gap between the lightweight ATC casing and the ultra-tough AGC casing, striking a solid balance between puncture protection and weight. Moving forward, the AEC casing will be replaced by the newly developed ENDURO casing.
ENDURO
The new ENDURO casing in Kenda’s K-Series lineup retains a 60 TPI construction and is designed to be both lighter and more puncture-resistant than the outgoing AEC. The dual-layer rubber compound has been revised, too, and is claimed to roll 30% faster and last 50% longer than the compound used in the previous AEC casing.
Compared to the lighter ALL MOUNTAIN casing, the ENDURO casing provided significantly better protection in our lab tests – especially in terms of sidewall protection and pinch-flat resistance, where it scored strong results. This increase in durability comes at the cost of just over 200 g in additional weight. Tread puncture protection remains roughly on par with the ALL MOUNTAIN variant. All in all, Kenda’s new ENDURO casing offers excellent overall puncture protection while keeping weight impressively low. The only drawback? On the trail, the casing feels relatively stiff, which puts it behind some of its rivals when it comes to damping performance.
Advanced Gravity Casing (AGC)
The Advanced Gravity Casing (AGC) was previously Kenda’s most heavy-duty casing. Unlike the AEC casing, which relied on beefier protection layers, Kenda didn’t increase the number of casing plies in the AGC. Instead, the added durability comes from a 20 mm wide Apex insert at the bead, which reinforces the tire’s sidewall and improves pinch-flat resistance.
DOWNHILL
As with the new ENDURO casing, the DOWNHILL casing is built on a 60 TPI construction. It’s technically identical to the former AGC casing.
Kenda’s rubber compounds at a glance
Kenda offer single, dual, and soon triple rubber compounds. For their mountain bike tires, they rely mainly on dual compounds, with the upcoming ALL MOUNTAIN casing used on the new “Double Black” model marking their first foray into triple compound construction. With Kenda, the rubber compound is always tied to the corresponding casing and can’t be selected independently.
Single Tread Compound
Kenda also offer single rubber compounds, where the entire tread is made from a uniform mixture. However, the Single Tread Compound is used in only a few of Kenda’s mountain bike tires.
Dual Tread Compound
The Dual Tread Compound uses a firmer rubber in the centre of the tread to reduce rolling resistance, while a softer compound is applied in the transition and shoulder areas of the tire to enhance cornering control and grip. Until now, this compound has been used in tires featuring the ATC casing.
Dual Layer Compound
The Dual Layer Compound uses a firm base layer topped with a softer compound that spans the entire tread surface to provide the necessary grip. This construction is designed to reinforce the tread blocks under braking and during cornering. The Dual Layer Compound is used exclusively in tires with AGC and AEC casings – or, moving forward, in the new TRAIL, ENDURO and DOWNHILL casings.
Triple Compound
The triple compound is a new addition to Kenda’s range and, according to current information, will be available only on the new Double Black Pro model for the time being. As with most triple compounds, a firm base layer beneath the contact surface supports the harder central knobs and the softer outer knobs layered above. This effectively combines the construction principles of the Dual Tread Compound and Dual Layer Compound. The triple compound will be used on tires with the new ALL MOUNTAIN casing and, in our lab tests, delivered significantly better rolling performance than the Dual Layer Compound.
Kenda’s tread patterns at a glance
With the introduction of the new casings, Kenda are also updating the naming convention of their tires. The hotpatch – that thermally applied branding on the sidewall displaying the brand and model name – has been redesigned. Tires in the new K-Series are now identified by a red “K” placed in front of the updated model name (note: the “Pro” suffix is no longer used for K-Series models), followed by the casing designation. Although the Double Black tires in our test still featured the “old” hotpatch with “ATC” or “AEC” casing labels, they were, technically speaking, already part of the new K-Series lineup.
Double Black
The name Double Black is a clear nod to the most demanding trail difficulty rating – and Kenda’s upcoming tire is designed to handle exactly that. Positioned as a versatile all-rounder in their gravity lineup, it’s meant to slot right in between the Hellkat and the Pinner, striking a balance between grip on loose terrain and control on hardpack. And indeed, the Double Black impressed us with predictable handling and solid traction on the trail. Kenda also promise low rolling resistance – a claim our lab tests confirmed, at least for the version with the ALL MOUNTAIN casing and Triple Compound. Swap in the ENDURO casing with the Dual Layer Compound, however, and rolling resistance jumps by over 10 watts. Damping isn’t quite class-leading with the ALL MOUNTAIN version, but it’s noticeably better than WTB’s Tough Casing.
From autumn 2025, the Double Black will be available in a wide range of configurations: four different casing options are planned, as well as two widths (2.4” and 2.6”) and two wheel sizes (27.5” and 29”). Unlike our pre-release model, all production tires will carry the updated K-Series hotpatch. The TRAIL, ENDURO and DOWNHILL versions will all feature the Dual Layer Compound, while the ALL MOUNTAIN variant will benefit from the new Triple Compound. The version with the new DOWNHILL casing is set to follow at a later date.
Pinner
Developed in collaboration with Aaron Gwin, the Pinner was designed specifically for hardpack terrain, where it aims to be predictable and easy to control. In our previous review, we criticised Kenda for only offering the Pinner with either the heavy AGC casing or the lighter, but more puncture-prone ATC version. Our plea – “Let’s hope Kenda soon add a version with the Advanced Enduro Casing (AEC)” – seems to have been heard: the Pinner in this test features the brand-new ENDURO casing! Compared with the similarly specced Double Black, the Pinner rolls a touch faster. However, when it comes to grip and traction, we still prefer the ride feel of the Double Black. Thanks to its better rolling efficiency though, the Pinner makes a strong case as a rear tire – especially when paired with the Double Black up front.
Our recommendation
Enduro – all-round (f/r): Double Black ENDURO/Pinner ENDURO
Trail – fast rolling (f/r): Double Black ALL MOUNTAIN/Pinner ALL MOUNTAIN
For more information, visit Kenda’s website.
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All models in test
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Words: Lars Engmann Photos: Peter Walker
