Challenge in essence

Challenge is a young and dynamic, family run brand, developing and producing Handmade tires for performance driven cyclists. In its own factory Challenge uses the very best sourced natural rubbers, combined with the highest quality silk, cotton, polyester and latex, to make unique high-end performing tires, via a Handmade production technique that to this date less than a hand-full of companies have mastered.

Supporting demanding world class athletes across the multiple disciplines of cycling has enabled Challenge to lead the industry with innovation and development specific to the particular needs for each segment. Handmade technology combined with the Innovation requirements of modern-day cycling, have created products which include very unique features offered throughout the entire line, for Pros and Enthusiasts alike at differing levels of skill to appreciate.

Bits of History

It all started when in the late 1990s the Clément factory was dismissed by Pirelli. It was a real shame to lose such a unique, famous, top end brand of handmade tubulars, raced on and ridden by many. Max Brauns saw an opportunity here and decided to take over the factory to see to re-construct and resume production of the special handmade tubulars so well appreciated in the market. Licencing the Clément name from Pirelli did not work out. After a few years of producing tubulars for other brands, in Y2000 Max and his son Alex decide to create a brand of their own calling it ‘Challenge’. The choice of the name was not random, but because creating a new high-end, handmade tire brand was going to be a real challenge!

Since being founded, Challenge has been a leading designer and innovator in handmade bicycle tires for performance driven cyclists. Producing high quality Handmade Tubulars and Open tires (Clincher tires) at its own factory in Thailand, Challenge benefits from the world’s best natural rubbers and natural latex at the source, there where they were grown.

By pairing high performing natural rubber compounds with casing options made from the best sourced Silk, Cotton or Polyester, Challenge has created supple, very high thread count (TPI), award-winning products across all road and off-road disciplines (Track, TT, Tri, Road, Gravel, CX, MTB) throughout the years.

With company and roots in Italy and other companies in Switzerland, U.S.A and Thailand, Challenge has grown and established its brand and is currently distributed in approx. 40 countries around the world. More members of the family have since joined the company which primarily still remains a family run business.