Zipp Rolls into Gravel with New Tangente Course G40 Tire

Zipp officially rolled into the world of gravel tires today, with the launch of its Zipp Tangente Course G40 tubeless gravel tire.

We’ve been rolling on the 40mm (list) brown sidewall tire for a few days now. The Course G40 brings a fast-rolling center tread with larger, more widely-spaced side knobs for cornering grip.

At first glance, you might mistake it for a Donnelly (Clement) X’plor MSO tire. The tread design is similar, although the MSO comes in more widths, and the Course G40 is 60-70g lighter compared to the 40mm MSO.

Each of our Course G40 review tires weighed 497g each (498g with a rubber band).

The French-made tires offer a reasonably supple ride, thanks to its 127 TPI casing and tread pattern with segmented, flexible knobs. There’s bead-to-bead puncture protection under the belt that protects against cuts but inevitably adds a bit of stiffness.

The 40mm list width, which we measured at 103mm bead-to-bead, ends up true to spec on a 21mm wide (internal) rim at 30 psi. Coincidentally, Zipp’s own 303 Firecrest tubeless rim is 21mm wide, in case you’re looking for a tire exactly 40mm wide.

For reference, the Course G40 has the same bead-to-bead measurement as the lightweight 42mm Teravail Rutland gravel tire, but measures 10mm less than the 42mm Challenge Gravel Grinder TLR gravel tire. It also measures 7mm wider bead-to-bead than the aggressive but undersized 40mm WTB Raddler, and is closer to the 44mm Raddler. (Three mm of bead-to-bead measurement roughly equates to one mm inflated).

More choices in offroad tires is a great thing, and based on our initial rides, Zipp hit the mark in creating a very good tire choice to attack a variety of offroad rides that should fit most bikes. Gravel tires keep getting bigger, with new models as big as 50mm, but the 40mm width is a smart first choice to address most of the market.

Stay tuned as we put more miles on the Course G40.

Zipp also now offers a new Tangente SL tube with an alloy Presta valve to pair with the Course G40 tire. We have not yet tested these. See specs and the official release for both products below.

Zipp Tangente Course G40 Gravel Tire Specs:

MSRP: $65
Width: 40mm list, 103mm bead-to-bead (why B2B?)
Casing: 127 TPI, tubeless-ready, bead-to-bead puncture protection strip
Color: Tan sidewall
Weight: 465g list, 497g actual

See the full product release info below.

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Zipp’s new Tangente Course G40 (700x40c) is a purpose-built tubeless gravel/off-pavement tire for smooth control over untamed roads. Grippy for aggressive riding, this tire provides the control and durability demanded by gravel, dirt, rocks, mud, whatever.

The Tangente Course G40 is a wide (40mm) tire designed for control, which in gravel translates into higher overall speed. In developing this tire, Zipp began with a chevron center-tread pattern for speed which transitions to an inverted soccer cleat design and added XC-style knobs on the edges for the ability to dig in when you need it. Durability was crucial.

The tire’s casing and bead-to-bead puncture protection strip navigates the fine line between supple and stiff so that grip and performance do not suffer while making an incredibly durable gravel tire. The tire’s 40mm width was carefully selected to be most effective with its tread pattern while also fulfilling riders’ evolving preferences for wider tires for gravel events and off-pavement riding. It’s just what you need for gnarly all-day riding. It performs exceptionally well with Zipp’s widest and most versatile rim, the 303.

The Tangente Course G40 was tested extensively by riders including long-time Zipp-sponsored pro Jeremy Powers. “The tires are bulletproof, not a question in the world. If I was going to ride in Iceland again, this is the tire I would take with me. It has excellent grip. It plows over big chunky rocks and is just fine off-road,” Powers said.

MSRP $ 65.00 | € 72.00^* | £ 64.00^*
*Includes VAT

“The tires are bulletproof, not a question in the world. If I was going to ride in Iceland again, this is the tire I would take with me. It has excellent grip. It plows over big chunky rocks and is just fine off-road.” -Jeremy Powers

Zipp Tangente Course G40 Gravel Tire Features:

• High-performance gravel and adventure tire
• Aggressive cornering side knobs for excellent control
• Fast-rolling center section
• Bead-to-bead puncture protection strip 30-65 psi
• Tubeless Ready, tube compatible
• ETRTO 40-622 (700x40c)
• 127 TPI
• Tan sidewall
• 465g

Tangente Butyl Tube With Aluminum Presta Valve

Along with this tire, Zipp also is introducing the Tangente Butyl Tube with Aluminum Presta Valve 37mm (use with Tangente Valve Extender and Wrench), 700×35-42. This provides a convenient back-up for road or trail-side, or an alternative for those not yet running a tubeless setup.

The Tangente Course G40 gravel tire is tubeless ready for use with sealant, but it also is compatible with tubes. Product: SS-TNGT-TB-A1

MSRP: $ 19.00 | € 19.00^* | £ 17.00^*
*Includes VAT