Tech Week: 4 new tires for gravel and road

Published October 27, 2022 01:42PM

WTB Vulpine 40

Many people will tell you that 40mm is the sweet spot for gravel tires, perfect for just about anything, and the size you’ll want to rock if you aren’t changing tires to match a given event or ride’s terrain and parcours. Apparently a lot of people were telling WTB that as well, because the brand is now making its Vulpine gravel tire in a 40mm in addition to 36mm, owing to “popular demand.”

The Vulpine 40 is focused on delivering a speedy experience with a nearly uninterrupted centerline tread designed to mimic the tread of a road tire for rolling efficiency. But it’s an adept all-around gravel tire as well thanks to small side tread for extra grip through corners. Bumping the volume by 4mm adds more comfort to the tire and makes it more capable on more kinds of roads.

Schwalbe G-ONE Overland

This tire’s for the adventurers, commuters, and riders who want to just ride without having to worry about their tires. Schwalbe made the G-ONE Overland with extreme durability at the forefront. On a bikepacking adventure, or commuting to work, when fixing a flat means unpacking bags or being late, you want to avoid punctures at all costs. That’s why the German brand borrows its Super Ground carcass from its mountain bike tire range to deliver high puncture protection with three carcass layers under the tread and a continuous Snakeskin fabric. That high level of durability also makes this tire ideal for e-bikes.

The Overland features a closed center tread and concise outer lugs that provide cornering grip when the terrain gets loose or more challenging. Available in three sizes: 40mm, 45mm, and 50mm.

Hutchinson Tundra

Sometimes gravel calls for tackling mud or rocky terrain head on. For those days Hutchinson has tapped into its mountain bike tire experience to create the Tundra. The French brand refined its tread pattern to make a tire that sheds mud quickly and grips to the terrain. At the same time, even amid all the technical sections, gravel rides usually involve plenty of hardpack or tarmac. Hutchinson designed the tread to not lose speed in those tamer sectors. Right now, 40mm and 45mm versions are available, with a 50mm to follow in 2023.

Panaracer Agilest

The foundation of Panaracer’s new line of road tires, the Agilest is a road tire designed for all road and weather conditions. Panaracer focused on achieving its ideal combination of performance, puncture resistance, and grip along with low rolling resistance, something the brand calls the “Panaracer Ratio.” A new ZSG Agile Compound helps the tire remain consistent throughout a wide range of temperatures for a similar ride no matter the weather report.

Panaracer also makes the Agilest in multiple variants, including a TLR tubeless ready version, a lighter version, and a more durable version called the Duro. For the standard Agilest, there are four colors available as well as 23c, 25c, and 28c widths.