Off to the side, in the rougher, unexplored outskirts of Vittoria’s tent at Interbike’s Outdoor Demo, we found a new gravel tire that appeared content to leave the traveled path to Vittoria’s better-known road bike offerings.
Vittoria’s new TNT Tubeless Adventure Trail 700x38c gravel tire. © Cyclocross Magazine
The new tire (price and availability still unknown), looks like it at least checks the boxes in terms of the latest trends in gravel tires (don’t miss our massive round-up of gravel tires and larger-volume cross tires in Issue 29).
The new Adventure Trail tire is marked 38c, but the ETRTO size is listed as 40-622, so it certainly has some volume.
Vittoria’s new TNT Tubeless Adventure Trail 700x38c gravel tire. © Cyclocross Magazine
The tire is also adopts Vittoria’s TNT (Tube / No Tubes) technology, is sealant compatible and has sidewall reinforcement for tubeless use.
Vittoria’s new TNT Tubeless Adventure Trail 700x38c gravel tire. © Cyclocross Magazine
The company emphasized TNT’s sidewall reinforcement is key for serious gravel racers who may often find themselves miles from civilization and in a precarious situation should they tear a sidewall. The casing is 120 tpi.
We also took a peek at the company’s new Revolution tire series. Although aimed mostly at commuters, the Revolution tires offer a unique, fish-scale tread that aims to accomplish quite a bit and could be interesting for hardpack dirt road riders.
Vittoria’s new Revolution series of tires with their fish scale tread look to be ideal commuter and hardpack dirt tires. © Cyclocross Magazine
The “cuts” in the tread allow the casing to flex more than one with solid rubber (see CXM’s suppleness test in Issue 28 to see how select clinchers are tubulars performed in our tests).
The tread offers directional grip. Run your hand one way and it feels smooth, but the ramped knobs offer grip and traction going the other way (think braking traction). The cuts in the tread also channel water away from the center.
The tread will come in mountain bike (2.0″) sizes and also in 700c sizes of various widths, including 28, 32, 35, and 38c widths. Some models have reflective sidewalls and all are wire bead.
It’s an interesting enough concept that we’re hoping to see them on higher tpi, folding casing versions.
More info: vittoria.com
