When I first installed the Michelin Wild Enduro tyres I was very impressed. Having now ridden them for over a year, here are my thoughts on the popular tyres.
When it came to setting these up tubeless on my Giant AM wheelset it was surprisingly easy. I had both front and rear on the rim and seated within a couple of minutes, all just using a track pump. This is always a nice surprise as some tyres can be difficult even with a compressor. I then released the air and put in the sealant through the valve after removing the core. Since then I have topped up the sealant a couple of times using the same method with no issues. That doesn’t necessarily mean it will be the same for all wheels though, as it largely depends on what rim you want to seat them on.
On my bike I have 27.5 wheels and my setup of choice has been to run a 2.6 up front for increased grip and a 2.4 on the rear. These tyres have certainly been put through their paces. I have used them for everything from trail centre laps to big mountain rides and everything in between. The first place I rode with them was Gisburn Forest in the rain (so extra wet) and instantly noticed the amount of grip they gave in the corners on the hard packed Hope Line. They even skipped over the wet roots on Home Baked quite well.
These are definitely gravity orientated tyres which give you the ability to rail berms and fly over techy trail features with confidence, knowing that they will grip 99% of the time. Even when descending down Skiddaw on the shale slopes heading towards Ullock Pike I felt I had the right tyres for the job (I was one of the only people on our group-ride not to tear a tyre or get any kind of puncture). In the time I have ridden them I have found them to be pretty reliable, having needed to use a tyre plug only once - compared with the last tyres I used which had to be plugged nine times in six months!
However, when it comes to climbing they do drag a bit but with the amount of grip they offer it's nowhere near what you'd expect. The wear isn't bad either - the front still looks quite good but the back could probably do with replacing soon, which is still impressive given the amount of action they have seen.
I would recommend these tyres to someone who is more of an Enduro focused rider or someone who rides a lot of off-piste trails and wants a reliable tyre with great grip. If your style of riding is more cross-country/trail centre then these may be a bit overkill and I would look for something with slightly better rolling resistance.