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The only touch point that a bicycle has with the road is the tires. So why compromise the feel of your wonderfully-expensive bike by using a lesser tire?

Challenge tires can help reduce shock and reduce rolling resistance, leading to an overall more comfortable, faster and longer ride! Some of this is achieved by using a certain type of rubber or rubber compound. Challenge manufactures tires where natural rubber drips from the trees – we don't use artificially produced petroleum-based rubber and then harden it with heat.

But of great importance is also the type casing used in combination with the quality rubber tread.

A high-end, flexible casing provides more grip as it allows more tread adherence with the ground.

A high-end, flexible casing provides more comfort due to greater shock absorption.

A high-end flexible casing provides more speed, as its greater adherence provides lower rolling resistance

Better grip and handling, more speed and comfort also allow for a longer lasting ride.

The density of the weave of the casing is expressed in TPI (Threads per Inch of material), the greater the TPI count, the finer the thread and denser the weave.

A greater TPI count casing is actually the more supple and flexible but also stronger at the same time. Throughout time suppliers have been able to deliver higher and higher grade thinner threads which have made it possible for manufacturers using these improved threads, to go from a maximum weave of 260/300TPI to nowadays 320TPI and up. Challenge ranges from a ‘low’ of 220TPI to the higher +1000TPI.

The more supple & flexible the casing, the more comfort and most of all the more adherence and grip to the road, therefore achieving the most speed.

Challenge has maintained natural properties of the rubber and suppleness of the casing by opting for the so called “Handmade manufacturing process”. This process avoids vulcanization (very high heat treatments) which would otherwise dry up, harden and mostly eliminate the fine properties of the natural rubber and would also stiffen the casings. The ‘Handmade’ process preserves the properties of natural rubber intact as well as the suppleness of the casings, allowing for unsurpassed adherence of the tyre, guaranteeing an optimal and confident bike handling for enhanced safety especially when cornering.

To understand what makes Challenge Handmade tires special, it's necessary to cover the basics of bicycle tire construction. To make a standard vulcanized tire (including expensive high-performance models) nylon mesh is dipped in a bath of butyl rubber and then calendared (squeezed) between big steel rollers to create the casing. Because the thread count is low (up to about 60TPI maximum), there are big spaces between threads filled with stiff, bouncy butyl rubber. The final casing is about 70% nylon and 30% butyl rubber. The casing is then combined in a mold with the butyl tread rubber and vulcanized (heated) into the final shape. These tires are durable but not particularly supple or high performance.

The process is quite dirty due to its high reliance on non-renewable resources like petroleum-based rubber.

Challenge handmade tires combine comfort, performance and grip in a way other tires can’t match. Unlike tires mass-produced through industrial vulcanization – a process that relies on heavy machinery and minimal labor to heat-mould synthetic butyl rubber and nylon into a tire shape – handmade tires are assembled step-by-step by experienced craftspeople. High quality natural glues and latex coatings are applied to ultra-supple casing materials like silk, cotton, or polyester. The natural rubber tread is moulded and attached with no vulcanization required – the materials maintain their superior characteristics. The result is a small-batch tire with a ride feel that is simply on a different level.

Using natural rubbers and adhesives to coat and assemble high quality fabric casings is a much greener process than vulcanizing tires.

The undeniable performance of Handmade Tires put us on the map, but the bottom line for a lot of riders (including us from time-to-time!) is cost. The RACE Series focus is value – It's tough to beat the durability, good performance and low cost of vulcanized construction. We work with proven factories in Asia to bring iconic Challenge tread patterns and compounds to more riders.

BUT WHY ARE CHALLENGE VULCANIZED TIRES $60 WHILE THE COMPETITORS CHARGE UP TO $85 OR MORE?

That's a very good question and it's down to Marketing. If you only make vulcanized tires, you have to make some of them sound really, really special to create a full range, but they're all made more or less the same way.

Nylon casings can be moulded in thread counts up to 60TPI (threads per inch). Claimed nylon thread counts of 120 or 180TPI are really just describing a 60TPI material overlapping two or three times in the casing. Our 60TPI superlight nylon casings are comparable in performance to the best tires offered by our competitors - add our iconic tread patterns and a tread compound optimized for performance and the result is a vulcanized tire with excellent compliance and quality that is more affordable than our handmade offerings.

Tubulars, in almost every use-case, perform and feel better than any clincher or tubeless system and are much more secure. The tradeoff of increased setup time may be worth having a top-quality tire that is fixed directly to the rim. Tubulars are the predominant choice of top athletes on the Track or Cyclocross when extremely high or very low pressures are required.

Challenge has always aimed for a tight-fitting TLR tire – It is only this interface between the tire and the rim that keeps you safe. With the release of ETRTO and ISO tubeless tire standards in 2024, many companies are now producing TLR tires with a much tighter fit, particularly with the growing popularity of TSS (hookless) rims where inattention to compatibility or air pressure guidelines can result in a tire wrapped around your fork and a lot of road rash.

YES, BUT IT SEEMS CHALLENGE IS EVEN TOUGHER TO MOUNT

It is true the tight fit along with the naturally flat shape of our handmade TLR tires can require a different mounting technique. Some tire and rim combinations are easy, while others might require a tire lever and a bit of patience. To give yourself the best-possible chance, refer to our Installation Video and you'll make more progress in less time. Taking the initial step to get the tire completely over the rim before attempting to seat one of the beads will have you riding sooner.

• You can run them at lower tire pressures without them burping or coming off the rim
• Tubulars provide a 10+% lighter weight wheel/tire combination requiring less energy to bring them up to speed, less energy to keep them at speed, provides a faster climbing system, and allows them to be a bit more responsive in changing terrain
• Tubulars don’t require rims with beads that can be damaged on rough terrain, thus less worry about your tires staying on the wheel after impacts
• The rounder tire profile, wider pressure options, and lack of beads that limit the tires movement, results in a tire that can flex better over undulating terrain improving comfort and control on longer rides and rough courses
• Can be ridden after a significant loss of air which is safer when riding on higher speeds as this allows you to bring the bike back into control before stopping
• Replacements can be easier to install on the course. With TLR clinchers, you need compressed air to lock the beads against the rim and might need a second air canister or to use a pump to then set the ideal inflation level. Once you get the tubular installed, you only need to inflate once to set the desired air pressure.

UPGRADE TO TUBELESS TUBULARS FOR GRAVEL

• As with TLR tires, Tubeless Tubulars allow the use of a tubeless sealant which can quickly repair small punctures while riding
• Tubeless Tubulars allow the use of plugs to repair punctures that are too large for sealant to fix.

The short answer is probably yes, for most riders. The natural rubber compounds in our treads remain softer and more fun to ride because they are not heat-hardened to the casing in a moulding (vulcanizing) process. This will translate to perhaps a 20% reduction in tread lifespan.

BECAUSE WE LOVE STUFF LIKE THIS, HERE IS AN OLD-SCHOOL STORY FROM BELGIUM

In January 2013, the Belgian woman’s team CHALLENGE sponsors reported multiple cuts on many CHALLENGE training and racing tires. They had some similar problems with other brands in the past, but now it seemed much worse. We felt this was strange because our second, larger (meaning both more and bigger riders), men’s Belgian team was riding the same tires and were not reporting any problems. We went to the men’s team training camp in Calpe, Spain to investigate this problem (along with having other technical discussions).

Immediately when we brought up the problem in front of team management they looked at me incredulously and said, ”What? You do not know that you need to apply vinegar to the tires before riding in this “season of the little stones”?” I could not have been more stunned.

They then patiently described (like to a child) that “everyone in Belgium” knows that in the “winter” (which in Belgium is the standard three months plus two months on either side when you can get “winter” for two hours on any give day) you need to take special precautions against tire cuts.

The state trucks that sand or grit the roads plus heavy rains that wash dirt from the fields combine to dump many small, sharp stones and pieces of glass into the roads. Cars then spray the stuff to the sides of the roads where cyclists are forced to ride through it. Average people know you need thick, heavy, hard tires on your commuting bike to keep from getting flats. Riders and mechanics for professional teams are all taught at a young age that you must treat racing tires with vinegar every two to three days during “winter” (or when “winter” suddenly reappears).

“Vinegar.” I said again, patiently, “Vinegar.” I thought they are pulling some old Belgian joke, which would be fine, but I did not want to pass along the joke before I understood I alone bore the brunt of the joke. “Yes,” they said, “You must wipe the tires with vinegar, any cheap vinegar, to clean the sticky oils from the tread and “dry out” the surface of the natural rubbers.” I know that vinegar is an astringent that will dry oils from your skin so I let them continue.

“The small sharp stone or glass may still stick in the soft rubber but after using vinegar the centrifugal force of the spinning tire will be sufficient (with the less sticky tread) to throw the sharp object out of the tire. The problem only comes when the sharp object stays in the tread and continues to cut, deeper and deeper.”

Hmmm… fortunately a mechanic walked into our meeting at that moment so I told my manager friends to stay quiet and I asked the mechanic how he kept the sharp stones or glass from cutting racing tires. He said, “Well, of course, I must apply vinegar to all of the tires every day or two before riding in the “winter” season.” Normally in Spain or Italy or southern France it is not a problem but he heard from other mechanics that this year, with winter snows heavier and further south, they needed to use the same process in these areas.

OK, the mechanics and managers were all in on the joke but I needed one more check. That night at dinner I chose one of the younger Belgian riders who came from a cycling family and asked him the same questions. He said his father taught him the same story when he was 12. Vinegar.

Long story short, if you want to have all the incredible performance - low rolling resistance, cornering and traction – that the Pros enjoy with Challenge Handmade tubulars but do not want to get a bunch of cuts or punctures, simply keep a rag handy and wipe your tires with vinegar every couple rides in that “season of the small stones”.

Challenge Handmade Tires are made with the highest quality materials and processes. Like a fine wine, they must stored and treated with care to have a long life and provide the highest level of performance, comfort and control. After being ridden in mud they should be washed with a light detergent with a soft brush and fully dried prior to being stored in cool, dark, dry room (yes, like a wine cellar). Handmade tires should never be stored wet or for long hours in direct sunlight or high heat.

HOW SHOULD I STORE MY TUBULARS?

Unpack and inflate Challenge tubular tires as soon as they are received!

Challenge tires shipped by ocean freight typically come in a large square box where the tires are stored in a round state, partially inflated. Air shipments typically come in a rectangular box with the tubular tires folded. This is done to reduce air shipping volume and cost.

Due to the handmade nature of these tubular tires and the continual curing of the glues used in production, we ask that tubulars be removed from the rectangular shipping boxes immediately and inflated to approximately 20psi/1.4bar. Failure to perform this step can affect the glue bond in the areas where the tire has been folded to fit in the shipping box. Prolonged storage in a folded state can lead to tread separation at the fold and potentially also lead to the latex inner tube sticking to itself affecting the roundness and ride quality of the tire.

Ocean freight shipping box: 70x70x25cm (28x28x10in)

Airfreight shipping box: 95x32x32cm (37x13x13inch)

Do not store Challenge handmade tubular tires folded or hanging from hooks/bars.
As with the folded state mentioned above, hanging tubulars from a hook, or bar, could lead to folds that affect the juncture of the tread and casing as well as leading to the latex inner tube sticking to itself.

Do not remove tubular tires from their individual bags.
Some Challenge tubular tires come individually wrapped in a bag to help with curing and protect the tire. To inflate, the valve can be carefully pressed through the plastic and then slid back into the plastic after inflation.

Store tubulars in a dry, dark area.
Moist air can inhibit glue curing leading to premature tread separation and/or formation of mold that shortens the lifespan of cotton or silk casings. Prolonged exposure to UV rays (sunlight) will dry the rubber materials used in both the tread and the casing reducing the lifespan of the tire. To prevent premature cracking of the tread or casing, store tires in a dark area such as a warehouse, basement or garage, away from windows and sunlight and potentially supported by use of dehumidifiers during the humid part of the year. Do not leave your tubulars or bike with tubulars outside in direct sunlight for prolonged periods.

Artisanal products require special care.
Challenge tubular and open tubular tires are high performance products combining special materials using labor-intensive processes. Unlike the common vulcanized clincher, special care and handling is required to help the materials and the glues properly cure. Adherence to the steps and warnings mentioned above will prolong the life of these tires and provide customers with an optimal experience.

GRAVEL GRINDER

It's important to focus on "Y" shaped outer knobs.

Most of our athletes prefer to mount the tires with the leg (bottom) of the "Y" pointing forward so that this portion hits the ground before the open portion of the "Y".

You can run these the other way around with the open end of the "Y" hitting ground first if you desire more traction. However, it will be slower when cornering.

Many cyclocross treads are directional. Note: “Forward” refers to the direction of the tread when looking at the top of the tire, and will be the same as how it touches the ground.

GRIFO

The Grifo can be used in different directions to achieve different results. If you point the arrow < < < of the tread forward the tire rolls faster.
If you turn the tire around with the arrow pointing backwards > > > the tire has more grip but added rolling resistance.

The rear tire is usually more suited to switching directions. Have fun trying different orientations for different conditions.

LIMUS/BABY LIMUS/CHICANE

For these tires it is advised to have the long arm of the "Y" pointing forward and the open V shape of the Y pointing back “ ˂ “ on both the front and rear tire.

The tire in this direction has less drag or rolling resistance. Additionally it also sheds dirt and mud better on the road, so that maximum grip is once again obtained. Using the tires in this direction on both wheels also ensures optimal grip.

TEAM EDITION Series (TE/SC/RS) weigh more due to the additional waterproof coating. Though this may add a few grams to the tire, the combination still provides a more supple ride and higher performance than our SuperPoly PRO Series tires.

The corespun cotton used in the TE casings absorbs more latex than our polyester casings. To protect corespun cotton and ULTRA Series silk tires we apply a special waterproof bead-to-bead coating in our factory. The sealant keeps the casings lighter, more supple, and extends their life. This Challenge sealing layer replaces the need to seal at home with aftermarket products.

Note: all CX tires should be gently washed with mild soapy water and a soft brush, then thoroughly dried before storing. If and when the outer threads start to show through the casing the sidewall should be sealed again after it is cleaned and dried.

The differences between an inexpensive cruiser tire and a top-performing road racing tire are fairly noticable, but selecting between high quality options is a subtler task.

We give you our suggestions here.

Need assistance figuring out which tire to mount for your upcoming gravel race or ride? Or perhaps you're selecting a "daily driver" that needs to perform well everywhere.

We give you our suggestions here.

The right choice depends on several factors and is influenced largely by riding style.

Here are some great suggestions from our professional CX athletes and mechanics.