Vittoria’s new TNT Tubeless Adventure Trail 700x38c gravel tire. © Cyclocross Magazine
We’ve had two previous looks at the Vittoria Adventure Trail TNT Tire, with a quick look at an early prototype last year at Interbike, and again this year at Sea Otter 2016.
We now have our hands on a set, and have weighed them, ridden them and have some initial impressions.
Vittoria has taken a conservative approach to its gravel tire, equipping it with good volume and sturdy, albeit not light construction. In comparison, Maxxis, with its Rambler gravel tire, went for a smaller volume, much lighter offering.
Vittoria’s Adventure Trail tire is listed at 38c but sits on a casing marked with an ETRTO size of 40-622. Inflated on a wide 22mm internal rim, it measured 39mm at 30 psi.
The TNT casing Vittoria uses has sidewall reinforcement, useful for protecting against rock cuts, whether you’re riding high or low pressure. The casing, listed at 30 tpi, isn’t particularly supple, but remains quite air tight, with little visible seeping or air leaks.
The Vittoria Adventure Trail measured out at 39mm in the cyclocross Magazine offices on a 22 mm internal width rim. ©️ Clifford Lee / Cyclocross Magazine
On the scale, our tires weighed 568 grams, about 23g more than the popular WTB Nano 40c tubeless gravel tire. That’s also a whopping 184g more than the narrow but featherweight 120 tpi Maxxis Rambler with EXO casing.
Vittoria’s new Adventure Trail TNT gravel bike is listed at 38c, and weighs a burly 568 grams. © Cyclocross Magazine
The bead is relatively tight, and snaps into place on tubeless rims, and with sealant, has held air quite well overnight.
The Ride
The tread has a relatively smooth, thick center tread that rolls easily on smoother services. On bumpier terrain, you can tell you’re not riding the most supple tire, but the TNT casing and bead (if set up tubeless) allows you to reduce the pressure to offset the stiff ride without much fear of burping.
On looser, steeper terrain, you have to pay some attention to weighting your rear tire to avoid slip, but that’s always the compromise of a smooth center tread. Fortunately, with moderate knobs on the shoulders, the Vittoria TNT Adventure Trail tire has decent bite in the loose dirt and gravel corners to keep you upright.
Vittoria Adventure Trail 700 x 38 rubber rolls smoothly and has decent bite in loose corners. ©️ Clifford Lee / Cyclocross Magazine
In rocky terrain, we escaped without a cut, burp, or visible tread wear. Being able to ride home certainly earns critical points in our book, and being able to ride for miles and miles without needing to be replaced is a nice bonus and adds to the value of the tire. The Adventure Trail comes from the company’s urban line of tires, which explains the durability and heft, but we’d love to see a higher-end version with a lighter and more supple casing for the weight weenies among us.
But if you’re not a gram counter and are looking for a durable, long-lasting tubeless tire for mixed terrain riding, gravel racing or an adventuresome commute, the Vittoria Adventure Trail TNT tire should make your short list and is worth a look.
Vittoria Adventure Trail TNT Tire Specs:
Weight: 568 grams
Width: 38c 40-622mm list, 39mm on 22mm internal width rim
Casing:30 tpi TNT with sidewall reinforcement
MSRP: $49.99
More info: www.vittoria.com
