Consumers like choices, right? Mixed-terrain cyclists, high-volume tire cyclocrossers and gravel cyclists certainly have plenty of tire choices nowadays.
Riding hardpack with loose corners? Going bikepacking with some dirt and pavement? Facing terrain that most people conquer on mountain bikes? Or riding from one specific city in Kansas? There are tires designed just for you and your cyclocross or gravel bike.
At Sea Otter, we spotted new tire gravel tire options now available or coming soon from nearly every tire company. We’ve already looked at tires from Teravail, Challenge, Panaracer and Continental.
In today’s round-up, we look at new tires from Kenda, WTB, Vittoria, Hutchinson and Donnelly. Browse through the slider to see if any of the new rubber might be the perfect match for your riding.
All of our coverage of new bikes and products is available in our 2019 Sea Otter Classic archive.
Kenda
At the 2019 Sea Otter Classic expo, Kenda was displaying two variants of its gravel line that are now available. The file tread Alluvium, which we first spotted a year ago, is now available. The tire pairs long-wearing squared-off micro knobs with multiple rows of side knobs for grip in looser corners. It features Kenda’s GCT casing, which offers bead-to-bead protection.
Kenda’s new Alluvium is a long-wearing file tread with side knobs that we first saw a year ago, but is now shipping. 2019 Sea Otter Classic. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine
Like the look of tan-wall tires? The brown wall versions of the fast-rolling, fully knobbed Flintridge gravel tire that we first saw at Interbike is now available.
The Kenda brown wall Flintridge is now available and keeps your bike looking trendy. 2019 Sea Otter Classic. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine
Many companies are realizing that many of us don’t just ride gravel, but combine dirt trails, singletrack, pavement and some gravel into weekly riding, and the traditional gravel tire doesn’t offer quite enough bite in rough, loose or wet conditions.
Kenda recognizes this and brought its popular, fast-rolling Booster mountain bike tread to a 700c x 40mm size. We first saw this prototype at Interbike but saw a near-production version at Sea Otter. It looks like it will be a versatile tread that mixed terrain cyclists could use year ‘round, in all but serious mud. Stay tuned as we test a set.
We got our first look at a prototype 700c x 40mm version of the Booster mtb tire at Interbike, but at Sea Otter we spied a near-production tire. It should be a fine, fast-rolling mixed terrain tire when you’re hitting more than fine gravel. 2019 Sea Otter Classic. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine
More info: bicycle.kendatire.com
