The MegaBite OverDrive is one of the early directional tires. There are six models, four in a 26" diameter and two in a 700 x 38c diameter. Of the four 26" models, two are made in Taiwan using a steel wire bead, one is a Skin the other a Black sidewall. Both of the Taiwan models use the standard Black tread rubber compound. The third and fourth 26 " size are made in Japan, and both have a Skin sidewall. One is a steel wire bead which uses Red tread rubber, but is not the low density WCS type. The other Japanese model has a Kevlar bead, with a Skin sidewall, and uses the WCS Red low density compound for its tread. Both of the 700c models known as "Megabite 700 x 38c" are made in Japan, and have a Skin sidewall. One has a steel bead with standard rubber for the tread compound, the other has a Kevlar bead and uses Black WCS rubber for its tread compound. The OverDrive relies on a two row tread block design, which repeats at 1.16" intervals on the 26" diameter sizes, for its tread pattern. Each row has four tread blocks based on a triangular concept, with their base broader than their tops. The same four tread blocks are used in the second row, but in a mirror reversal of both shape and position. The steel wire versions sold for $16.99. The Kevlar bead models sold for $29.99 each.
The 26 x 2.1" MegaBite HardDrive is made with a directional tread pattern to compliment the OverDrive. There are three HardDrive models, two made in Taiwan and one made in Japan. The Taiwan models, as in the OverDrive, both use a steel bead, one has a Skin sidewall, the other has exposed Black casing fabric giving it a Black sidewall appearance. The Japanese model has a Kevlar bead with the soft WCS compound in Red. The tread pattern is made of two rows of repeating tread blocks. Each of the rows has four tread blocks, with the second row being a mirror reversal of the first in both shape and position. The primary difference between the OverDrive and the HardDrive is the large center tread block. Notice that the HardDrive center block is a slightly more angular version of the center block in the OverDrive. The steel model in Black or Skin wall sold for $16.99. The Kevlar Blackwall sold for $29.99
The Quad design has been among the most copied of mountain tires because of its joined center ridge for silent rolling and tread block shape. It's made in Taiwan with a steel bead and available in a Skin sidewall only. The 26 x 1.9" tire uses a two row tread block design to make its tread pattern which repeats at .88" intervals around the tire. Each row is made of three blocks with a 3.5mm square block having concave sides at the middle of the tread on one side of the centerline, a half of this square block rests on the centerline ending on the far side, and an edge tread block which is a triangular abstract of the primary square block. The center half-blocks are all linked, creating a centerline that helps silence the tire while rolling on pavement. The row before or after is a mirror image of this row, reversing the blocks shapes and position. We found the tread rubber had a hardness of 65/A. The Quad was made in 26 x 1.6" and 26 x 1.9". They sold for $16.99 each.
