Life In The Saddle

For me, the gravel bike is everything. My skinny tyre road bike has been hung up for over a year, and my gravel bike is used for road based commuting, weekend blasts, shopping trips and bikepacking adventures. I have two gravel bikes: the Kona Private Jake and the Kona Sutra Ltd. The Private Jake is now my commuting rig, and I have been hunting for a tubeless tyre that offers speed, stability and all weather grip, both on the asphalt and for occasional off-road riding. In the Hutchinson Caracal tyre, I think I have found it. The Caracal is a 'fast' gravel tyre. It has a slick central strip, with small side knobs for added grip when cornering. The central strip allows you to roll quickly on light gravel and road based rides, and when you do lean the bike over, especially loaded, the lugs provide respectable grip. Venture offroad in wet conditions and you might be looking for more grip, but for fast summer trails without too many rocks, the Caracal is ideal. Hutchins...

Hutchinson bicycle tyres have taken me across continents, to the podiums of mountain bike races in the Italian Dolomites, and now it seems they are set to conquer the gravel scene… " Touareg " means ' free folk '—it is the name of a nomadic tribe in the Sahara Desert. The French brand Hutchinson Tires selected that name for this tubeless gravel tyre because of its special ability on rugged (mostly dry) off-road trails. This is a gravel bike tyre for back-of-beyond adventures. Hutchinson Tires maintain a build quality level that from my experience is second-to-none. They were one of the pioneers of tubeless bicycle tyre technology, way before it became mainstream; over the years they have perfected the balance of protection, weight, grip and immaculate fit that is sought after in all tubeless set-ups. The Touareg tyres are a mixed-surface gravel tyre, intended to be used primarily on dry and loose terrain. The tread pattern is a file-style arrow pattern that strikes...

The Washburn gravel tyres from Teravail are designed to be a fast-rolling gravel tyre; built for dusty hard-packed summer trails, but also at home on the backroads and cycle paths of a city commute or mixed-surface cycle tour. The Washburn tyres feature a slick central strip that minimizes rolling resistance for greater speed. On the sides, transition knobs and raised side lugs then help to supply cornering traction and grip. I have been testing the 700 x 38c version of the Teravail Washburn, and have been impressed by the speed, light weight (600 grams), durability, and the resilience to punctures. I have been running the tyres tubeless at around 42/45PSI pressure. The Washburn proves to be the ideal tyre for real mixed-surface summer riding. They feel fast on the road but can also manage the rough stuff—finding traction on loose gravel and compacted mud. My testing has been mostly on dry summer trails, and I can foresee that the Teravail Washburn would struggle if things were to get ...

There is no question—the Schwalbe Pro One Tyres are the best tubed bicycle tyres I have used to date. When combined with the new Schwalbe Aerothan Inner Tubes, the Pro One offers the feel, performance, and superlight weight that I have only experienced before in tubular or tubeless road tyres. Schwalbe are not afraid to tout that they are onto something completely unique here. The Pro One tyres are the showcase of their unique new Souplesse construction, while the Aerothan Tubes are a revolution in tube production—created entirely from a plastic polymer. So, what is this new tech? How does it improve performance and comfort? Review – Schwalbe Pro One Road Tyres (Tubed Version)  The Schwalbe Pro One Road Tyres combine three of Schwalbe's unique technologies; to create a tyre that outperforms its predecessors and competitors by a significant margin.  The first of these technologies is the Souplesse Carcass Construction. This development aims to supply the 'feel' of...

Plugging or repairing a large hole or cut in a tubeless bicycle tyre can be a necessity when the opening is too large for the tubeless tyre sealant to clog. The Pro Bike Tool Tubeless Tyre Repair Kit is a neat tubeless tyre plug system, housed in a compact metal canister. I once wrote a feature on ' How To Make Your Own Tubeless Plug System ' – that system worked well, but it was rather flimsy and eventually broke after repeat use. The homemade creation was based on the tried-and-tested design of most tubeless tyre repair plugs though, and this Pro Bike Tool one is a great example. The Pro Bike Tool Tubeless Tyre Repair Kit is a simple system: you insert a sticky plugging strip into the open needle end, and then push the needle into the hole or cut in the tyre. As you pull the needle out, the plug strip remains in the hole. Then, you just spin the wheel and the sealant clots around the plug. The Pro Bike Tool system is housed within a neat metal canister, which avoids t...

The new WTB Raddler Gravel Tyres are the bigger brother of the well known WTB Riddler Tyres. They feature larger knobs and side lugs for improved grip and better traction on loose or muddy trails. On my recent XPDTN3 Algarviana bikepacking adventure in Portugal, I put the 700 x 40c tyres through their paces on the challenging terrain of the Algarve. I have used the WTB Riddler tyres in 38c volume on a number of test bikes over the past few years. For light pea-sized gravel, they deliver the perfect balance between fast rolling speed and traction on forest tracks and dry dirt trails. Where the Riddler begins to struggle though, is when the rock size increases to more fist-sized gravel, or when the mud and slippery roots increase in number. This is where the Raddler enters… The WTB Raddler uses larger depth knobs and larger side lugs, to provide more grip and traction for the tyre. The slightly larger 40c volume also provides more cushioning from impacts, and more comfort on rough...

Road bike tyres are getting bigger, and better. The new 30c Eagle All-Season Tubeless Tyres from Goodyear Bicycle Tires are a superb endurance riding option. I have been testing them out over the last month, here is my review... I remember being one of the first riders in Team Wiggle (back in 2013) to make the switch from 23c to 25c tyres. The added comfort and grip was an obvious benefit, and has very little penalty in terms of added weight; as well as even some suggestions of lower rolling resistance from the larger diameter tyre [ read this past post for some insights ]. In the following years I switched from 25c to 28c on my road bike and moved from 33c up to 40c diameter tyres on my gravel bike. The benefits of larger volume tyres when riding long hours on mixed surface terrain are huge, and far outweigh the downsides (in my opinion). With this progression in mind, I was keen to test out the 30c diameter road-focussed Eagle tyres from Goodyear; an even larger volume of road...

I have a fond association with the Hutchinson Tires brand; in 2014 I spent a week in Provence with the product development team testing their Toro and Squale MTB tyres . The French brand has evolved their range significantly over the last few years, and the release of the new Overide gravel-specific bike tyre promised to be an interesting and (from past experience) superb mixed-surface bicycle tyre. Hutchinson Tires were the pioneers of tubeless technology and designed some of the world's first tubeless road tyres; capable of taking the high pressures required for asphalt riding. Tubeless tyres have really come into their own with the growth of 'Gravel' riding though; because of their inability to pinch-flat, and the dramatically increased grip and comfort that can be achieved even on low volume tyres. I have been testing the Hutchinson Overide 38c gravel tyre on my 3T Exploro for the last few months, and they are proving to be a superb summer gravel riding option. ...

There are few things that stop me from riding my bike. Icy roads though, instil fear into my mind. Cycling with spiked tyres on a bicycle is something that I have never explored before; but on realising they could provide the solution to the risk and fear associated with ice covered roads and trails, I was interested to test them out. I have been riding the Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro MTB tyres in some challenging conditions, to see if they deliver… I decided that the roads of the Isle of Wight did not provide enough of a testing ground to explore the capabilities of the Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro. So, to find out what they were able to offer, I headed to the frozen land of Norway, in January. Three days of 'Ice Biking' started from the city of Oslo. It wasn't long after rolling (noisily) off the ferry from Denmark that we found our first ice rink bike paths. Normally, the sheet ice spread across these paths would have me wincing in fear; but, miraculously, I had traction… ...

A gravel biking tyre is distinctly different from a mountain bike or a cyclocross tyre – it should be at least 40c in volume and have a tread pattern that is capable of handling both rock strewn trails as well as gravel and sand. The new Goodyear Connector Tubeless Tyres are a great example. I fitted the Goodyear Connector Tyres to my 3T Exploro – set up tubeless on a set of Stan's NoTubes S1 Crest wheels. They were quick to mount up and felt robust and well made from first inspection. The tread pattern on the Connectors is a fine 'micro-diamond' design, and not as aggressive as some gravel tyres that I have tested, such as the Vee Tire T-CX, or the WTB Nano. The clear virtue of this is that the tyres are notably faster rolling and better for asphalt and light gravel sections than many, though predictably it does mean traction is slightly lower on slippery and loose surfaces compared to more aggressively knobbly competition. The added volume in a gravel tyre means it ...

I first tested the Schwalbe G-One gravel tyres when they were released in 2016 – the original version was 700x35C in profile, and performed well on light gravel paths and hard-pack trails. The new Schwalbe G-One Bite tyres are 700x40C and feature the micro-dot tread pattern 'pumped up'; they sit at the top of a three tier Schwalbe G-One range; promising a tyre suitable for more challenging trails and 'Gravel'. I have been testing the new Schwalbe G-One Bite tyres on my Kona cyclocross bike; set up tubeless on tubeless specific rims. They mounted up easily using a compressor pump (I use the Lezyne Pressure Overdrive Pump ). Out on the trails, I have been pushing the Schwalbe G-One Bite to their limit – seeking out trails strewn with drops, fist-sized rocks, and tight berms. I was keen to see if the new larger volume G-One model was more resilient to pinch-flats caused by sudden impacts, as well as keen to test their capability on corners and off-camber descents. ...

Selecting MTB tyres for cross country racing and riding always seem to be a compromise to me; a delicate balance between grip and traction for technical sections, versus the need for light weight and fast rolling performance. The new Racing Ray and Racing Ralph combination from Schwalbe promises to overcome the compromise, and deliver on both fronts; through specific tread designs for front and rear wheel. Schwalbe Racing Ray - Front Tyre The Racing Ray tyre is a new addition to the Schwalbe line-up, and a new name in the house. It is designed specifically for the front wheel, and features forwards angled tread lugs to provide improved cornering, braking, and handling. The Racing Ray is pitched as an all-round tyre, capable of both dry conditions and wet mud. It achieves this because the open tread pattern allows debris to be quickly shed from the tyre's surface, therefore providing continued grip and confidence. Out on the trails this late summer I have encountered both mois...

I am an advocate of the benefits of going bigger, when it comes to road cycling tyres. Greater volume means more comfort, more grip, and research suggests very little increase in rolling resistance. As a result, I was pleased to be testing the 28c version of Vee Tire Co.'s Road Runner tyres this autumn; this is the largest size tyre that will fit into most standard road bike frames. The Road Runner is pitched as a do-it-all road tyre: providing grip, puncture protection, and longevity. With my riding focussing largely on endurance challenges, it appeared to be a good fit. Despite a relatively low thread-per-inch of 90 TPI, the Road Runner promises traction from first inspection; the rubber compound feeling tacky to the touch. The low thread count does mean that the tyres are relatively quite heavy, at 280 grams for the 28c version. But, the added rubber in the casing translates into greater durability, and puncture resistance. Out on the road, the Road Runner feels sure-f...

Vredestein is one of the oldest names in tyre manufacturing; established in 1908, the Dutch firm are a specialist in road racing tyres. The Vredestein Fortezza Senso Xtreme Weather road tyres are their all-weather, all-season offering. The Fortezza Senso Xtreme Weather tyres are designed to offer reassuring grip, great puncture protection, and long ride comfort; perfect for winter riding, or endurance riding. They achieve these three performance attributes through specific rubber compounds, tyre carcass reinforcement, and added tyre volume. I fitted a set of Xtreme Weather tyres in July, for my #5MaratonasChallenge in the Dolomites. That probably sounds like over-kill; but the reassuring grip, and confidence inspiring handling of the 28c model, made them ideal for the mountains. The tyres excelled in everything I threw at them. The 120TPI (thread per inch) casing provided a supple feel and added grip. The 'Full Protection' technology prevented any punctures, even on a fe...

I rack up a serious number of miles commuting on the bike, and the search for the perfect tyre choice is an ongoing pursuit. Cyclocross tyres offer that extra grip and off-road adventure capabilities; but they are slow on tarmac. Narrow road tyres are more likely to puncture (especially with a pannier load), and they are less likely to grip in challenging winter conditions. With the tubeless Roll-DIAC Tyres from the Vee Tire Company though, I think I might have found the solution. The Roll-DIAC is the same tyre as the 'Rain-Runner' in the current Vee Tire range; but it will soon be released in this new guise, featuring a larger 30c volume option (as tested here). The tyre promises exceptional grip and puncture protection, in all conditions. Easily mounted up tubeless, using the Lezyne Overdrive Pressure Pump and Effetto Mariposa Caffelatex Sealant , the tyres looked good quality from the outset. Out on the road, the tyres are impressively fast. The relatively light c...