Which Gravel Tire Should You Choose?

Need assistance figuring out which tire to mount for your upcoming gravel race or ride?Below we provide more details on the tires in our gravel line. The keywords give you the tires attributes in a nutshell. For further insight, we reached out to Challenge-sponsored pros to get their take on the tires. Because we know you love races and rides, we described regions or courses for which the tire is suited. We hope this allows you to better envision the tires’ capacities and strengths.

STRADA BIANCA Keywords: Fast, Smooth, Comfortable

The Strada Bianca is suitable for poor pavement, packed dirt, dry gravel, or a mixture of all of these. The tires are designed to provide comfort by absorbing bumps and maximize speed via their herringbone tread pattern.Our Pro Says: “Strada Bianca is a fast slick tire perfect for road-gravel mixed rides, especially when the gravel is hard packed and dry. I used the 45mm Strada Biancas in several races last year. The tire’s width allowed me to ride with really low pressure. They absorbed everything, making for a super smooth, really fast ride!”Courses/Regions: They are well suited to Scandinavian gravel, when the roads are smooth and fast. Consider Nordmarka in Oslo, Birkebeineren in Lillehammer, or Halmstad and Bergslagen in Sweden. Equally, they would do well in their namesake: Strade Bianche!

GRAVEL GRINDER Keywords: Fast Rolling and Aggressive Cornering

The Gravel Grinder is for rolling along at speed while cornering with confidence. Its construction combines a fast-rolling diamond center with aggressive shoulder knobs. When the tire is upright, the diamond center offers little resistance, allowing for high speeds. However, when you lean the bike over to turn, the side knobs hook the ground for traction.Our Pro Says: “They are lightweight and the feel is great. They are my preferred tire for fast gravel on a wet day. They are perfect for courses with hard gravel roads but lots of turns. You get the extra grip on corners while not compromising the speed.”Courses/Regions: Gravel Grinders are often the tire of choice for Northern European gravel like Halmstad UCI or FNDL GRVL, both Scandinavian races that have mostly fast but also variable gravel.

GETAWAY Keywords: Fast, Versatile, All-Around
Getaway from the pavement on the versatile Getaway. This tire is designed to handle hardpack, gravel, loose, and rocky soil; in other words, many of the conditions you might face!Our Pro Says: “They are fast, great handling, but also work well when a section has chunkier gravel. They are good all-around tires for riding or racing courses with some more challenging conditions.”Courses/Regions: For example, The Traka, which takes on the paved roads, gravel roads, and trails surrounding Girona. Consider also the terrain of Northern Europe where it gets a little muddy.

GETAWAY XP Keywords: Durability, Robust, Rougher Terrain
Getaway XP retains the versatility of the Getaway but acknowledges that some conditions are tougher than others! XP stands for extra protection. The tires maintain the supple feel of handmade construction with the addition of enhanced sidewall protection. This offers great protection against punctures when facing chunky gravel and rocks.Our Pro Says: “The Getaway XP are a good option for courses with a huge variety of terrain, as they are fast and handle well, but have increased puncture protection. The durable construction does add weight over the Getaway, but if a course makes you worry about punctures, then Getaway XP is your go-to!”Courses/Regions: They are a good option for The Rift Gravel Race through the dark lava fields and highlands of Iceland, and equally good for Unbound with Kansas’ notorious chunky gravel.

GRAVINE Keywords: Aggressive, Versatile, Dependable
The Gravine is the most aggressive tread of the Challenge gravel line-up. It is suitable for the most severe, rugged gravel terrains. Taking inspiration from our knowledge in cyclocross, we increased the height of the lugs for enhanced grip through muddy sections and over more rocky terrain. An open-tread design encourages mud/dirt shedding and self-cleaning of the tire.Our Pro Says: “The Gravine is the tire I use when I know the going might get tough. Perhaps the weather has been wet and the course has muddy sectors. I know that I can trust the Gravine’s tread to get me through. Likewise, there are those days where I get off the beaten path. The Gravine can safely take me from gravel to muddy forest road and back again.”Courses/Regions: The Gravine tires are equally at home in the wet conditions of Northern Europe as well as the rocky conditions of Spain. Challenge-sponsored team Sartoria Gravel used the tires to great success at this year’s Traka.
GRAVINE XP Keywords: Robust, Dependable, Aggressive
Sharing the tread of the Gravine, the Gravine XP offers more robustness via enhanced sidewalls. The tire is designed to take you places where others can’t, pushing the boundaries of gravel further, encouraging new adventures.Our Pro Says: “The Gravine XP allows me to push my gravel bike to its limits with confidence. I can feel sure of the traction as well as protection from flats. Because of the enhanced sidewalls construction, the gains some weight, but that’s a small price to pay for a tire I can trust in the worst conditions!”Courses/Regions: Wherever your gravel bike and sense of adventure wander!Think of Rasputitsa in Vermont, a notoriously wet spring race that has sectors off of the gravel and into the muddy woods.

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