Guitar Ted of TwentyNineInches.com just posted a fantastic article about WTB’s Nano Raptor tire. The report reminds us that 2009 marks the ten-year anniversary of the Nano Raptor and the 29er mountain bike. Just ten short years ago WTB co-owner and chief designer, Mark Slate (pictured above), designed the very first 29-inch mountain bike tire–the Nano Raptor. With the help of a devoted group of wagon-wheelers, that one tire started a big-wheeled revolution. As Guitar Ted stated, “I for one will be declaring 2009 as the “Year of the Nano Raptor”. Why not? I figure that without this tire, I still might be “endo-ing” on a 26′er somewhere in the woods and not having as much fun as I do today.”

Well put, Guitar Ted, and cheers to Mark Slate for making it all happen ten years ago and still today.

You can read the entire post on TwentyNineInches.com here.

photos: Ron Sawicki

WTB sponsored rider Monique “Pua” Sawicki just took 7th at the first World Cup Marathon of the season in Manavgat, Turkey. With a time of 3:45.37, she was just over 17 minutes behind the leader Pia Sundstedt of Finland. Sawicki has been a dominant force in domestic mountain bike racing, but this was her first time racing on the other side of the pond. Sawicki rides WTB Devo saddles and, depending on conditions, WTB Nano Raptor, Vulpine, Prowler MX or Raijin tires.