Gravel Grinder News: Continental Announces New Terra Competition Tires

Continental Terra Competition (Image courtesy of Continental Tires)

Continental Tires has just announced an addition to the Terra line of tires for pavement to off-road riding. The newest tire in this range is the Terra Competition tire. 

Designed for riders wanting to go from pavement to gravel and light off-road rides, the Terra Competition features a new tread design which enhances performance in terms of speed and aerodynamic efficiency. 

The Terra Competition will be offered in Race or Trail casings with the highly regarded Black Chili rubber compound. 

Engineers at Continental have worked to make the Terra Competition Continental's fastest tire in the gravel category. The tread design is optimized for rough tarmac, compressed road surfaces, smooth dirt, and works best in dry to moist conditions. 

Image courtesy of Continental Tires

From the press release:

Alexander Haenke, MTB and Gravel Product Manager, Continental Tires, said: “We set out to create the Terra Competition for riders who don’t want to choose between road speed and off-road capability. As more riders mix surfaces and push performance, the demand for a fast, yet versatile tire continues to grow. Terra Competition delivers that balance, combining efficiency on tarmac with the confidence needed when the route turns to gravel.” 

The Terra Competition specs:

Race Casing: Rapid Compound, textile breaker layer for puncture protection, Black Chili compound, tubeless ready, safe for hookless rims.  

Trail Casing: Grip Compound, Robust, one-ply construction, textile breaker layer for puncture protection, Black Chili Compound, tubeless ready, safe for hookless rims. 

The first gravel tire optimized for aerodynamic efficiency. The Terra Competition in its 700c X 35mm size in the Race casing can save up to 68gms with the 35mm tire weighing a claimed 345 grams each. The 700 X 35mm Race version also shows a 17% reduction in rolling resistance over the same size Terra Speed tire, according to Continental. 

• Optimized tread design for reduced drag and increased efficiency across all-road applications
• Weight: 345g (35mm width, 28"), 420g (40mm width, 28"), 470g (45mm width, 28")
• Available in 700 x 35mm, 40mm, and 45mm and in Race and Trail casings
• Pricing:  68.95€ / £59.30 / $76.26

Available now through authorized Continental Tire dealers.  

 Thanks to Continental Tire for the information and images provided for this report.

Road Bike Trends Toward "All-Road" Territory

GP5000's now available in 700 x 35mm (Inage courtesy of Continental Tires)

 Maybe you are a reader here who does not pay attention much to the latest trends in road bikes. That would be understandable if you are a regular here because I do not cover road bikes much, or at all during many months. I may make a mention here or there, but by no means do I tend to bring a lot to the table in regard to this category of bicycle. 

However; I feel this is going to be changing soon now due to where road bikes trends are heading. Just this week Continental announced a 700 x 35mm GP5000 tire. A tire which, just not that long ago was only available in up to a 28mm width. Pirelli has already breached the mid-40mm barrier with one of the their road bike tire models. Vittoria just announced a 700 x 32mm road tire this week as well. 

Trek Madone (Image courtesy of Trek Bikes)

It is also rumored now Trek is considering opening up tire clearances for the next generation of their Madone aero bike. If, say, one could put a 700 x 40mm+ tire in a Madone with confidence, well, does this make a Madone a gravel bike? 

It is a fair question. Take as an example what my parameters for a gravel bike were when I was talking about building a custom gravel bike in 2010. 

I wanted, amongst other things, 700 X 42mm tire clearance. With fenders. Now, since some road tires are being released in nearly this width, and in the case of Pirelli, beyond, how does a road bike from 2026 measure up as a possibility for what I wanted in an "all-roads" bike back in 2010? 

Well, frankly the Madone sucks as an all-road choice from the standpoint of geometry. Another Trek bike is much, much better, and it is the Domane. Current maximum tire size on a Domane is 700 x 38mm. So, I'll use this model as my cross-reference to what I was looking for in an all-roads bike back in 2010. 

The Domane features two of my critical geometry desires well. The bottom bracket drop is listed as being a healthy 78mm in my size 58cm. The head tube angle is listed at 72°. The chain stays are listed at 425mm.

In 2010 I was hoping for a 71.5° head tube angle, something in the realm of 72mm - 75mm bottom bracket drop, and 435mm chain stays. So, the Domane is tantalizingly close. Very close. And if Trek also opens up the tire clearances on the Domane, well.....that's a viable all roads bike right there. 

I'm sure other brands are looking into this trend or the tire makers would not be making such big road tires. It kinda blows my mind when I think about all the customers who balked at 700 x 25mm road tires in the 2010's. Wow..... What a sea change! 

So, yeah. You might start seeing "road bikes" showing up on this page in the near future if this trend continues as I am seeing things go. 

Thursday News And Views

Dylan Johnson's Leadville bike from 2025. (Image courtesy Johnson's social media)

Thursday News & Views? What the....!!!

(You'll see why tomorrow) 

Life Time Bans Drop Bars At Two Of The Grand Prix Events:

Last weekend news circulated on the internet concerning a new rule for Life Time Events Grand Prix series. This six event series is split between MTB and gravel events. 

Last year a few Pros and top athletes were noted trying out drop bars at the Leadville 100, traditionally seen as a MTB event. 

Now those drop bars are banned by Life Time at the Leadville event and at the penultimate event in the series, Little Sugar, in Arkansas. Perhaps Life Time is trying to preserve the half and half nature of their series by denying the usage of drop bars making the MTB events look like MTB events. Life Time stated this was being done to ensure "riders safety" and "course compatibility". Interestingly, Chequamegon is the only MTB event allowing drop bars. 

Later on it was revealed the riders of the Grand Prix asked for this ban. The thinking was the cost to have multiple bikes for specific course uses was detrimental to those in the series who could not afford a fleet of race bikes. Fair enough. Then don't say it was for "rider safety'" and then let that be the headline, because clearly this wasn't the case.  

Rider safety? Speaking of 'rider safety'....So, what about riders using their fork crowns as a grip area to get an aero advantage, even going so far as to mount remote shifters to actuate their electronic drive trains? (See 2025 women's Leadville winner, Kate Courtney)  

The miscommunication by Life Time had to be rectified by a media story later on clearing up the mess. Does this sound like a logical way to run PR for an event? I don't know, but I still think this has a lot to do with how this series upped the ante' in prize purses and how this affects perceptions of this event series. In the end, it is a small thing to most riders. And it looks silly on the part of Life Time Events. 

BMC Roadmachine One (Image courtesy of BMC Bikes)

While Gravel Tires Get Thicker, Road Bikes Creep Into Gravel Territory:

N.Y. Roll and I discussed this recently, and I think it is an underrated topic in cycling. Road bikes (All-Road Bikes?) are becoming what was once considered a "gravel bike", twelve years or so ago.  

Think about this, the |"original" gravel bike, the Salsa Warbird, which debuted for the 2012 selling season, was only able to handle a 38mm tire with adequate mud clearance. You could squeeze in a 40mm tire, but just barely.  

Contrast this with the BMC Roadmachine, a bike which can easily clear a 40mm tire with a 1X drive train, yet is considered a "road bike". (All-Road Bike?)  My prediction is these bicycles are on the cusp of becoming the next "secret weapon" in gravel racing. 

Many gravel events don't require 50mm and wider tires. Many road conditions in many places are easily ridden on bicycles with 40mm tires. If, as is suggested by the wider tire gravel pundits, the MTB-width tires on gravel are faster, why wouldn't we see this happen in pro road racing, where cobbles and yes - even gravel - sectors exist in some courses? 

Don't be surprised when you hear about some Pro gravel racer showing up on a "traditional" road bike (All-Road Bike?) at some big gravel event someday soon.  

Continental Terra Adventure Reflex (Image courtesy of Continental Tires)

Continental Releases Terra Adventure Reflex Tires:

Continental announced on Tuesday their new model in the Terra range of tires called the Terra Adventure Graphite Reflex. 

Essentially, this is a Terra Adventure tire with a reflective strip on the sidewalls. This provides better visibility to other road users in low-light and dark conditions. Perfect for the racer who lines up for a dark morning start, or for adventurers who ride in darkness many times. 

I reviewed the Terra Adventure, sans reflective stripes, in my post HERE.  

TideAce Carbon 32"er.(Image courtesy of TideAce)

The 32" Watch - TideAce Carbon 32"er Frame:

I received a tip the other day to check out this carbon frame for 32" wheels. It is from a Chinese brand called TideAce. You can see their webpage for it HERE.  

Comments: I'm not familiar with this brand but my source tells me it makes stuff for other brands you may have heard of, so this isn't some oddball product with little engineering behind it, is what my takeaway was from this.  

It was kind of funny, because my source said "Now (N.Y. Roll) will have to "eat more crow". (IYKYK) Because he said something about waiting to see if a carbon 32"er would come out later on. Well, obviously, it already has happened. 

And look at the price! My goodness, but seriously under 1K for a carbon 32"er? Ya gotta hand it to these Chinese brands, they don't sleep on a way to make a buck! 

Gravel Worlds Claims Largest Prize Purse To Be Offered In Gravel Racing:

On Wednesday, an announcement went out from Gravel Worlds which claims the event will offer the largest cash payout in gravel cycling. The $150,000.00 purse is to be fully funded through Goodlife Nutrition. 

Last year the prize purse was $100,000.00 so this is a significant increase. It should be noted this new, higher amount is to be distributed through the Pro fields, evenly between men and women. This surpasses any Life Time Event and one would assume the race will become a significantly important event now for anyone trying to make a living racing gravel. 

Also notable is Gravel Worlds now having controlled intersections for their main 150 mile event. There will also be more law enforcement present than ever before. This should alleviate any issues with regard to riders risking life and limb trying to stay ahead in the Pro fields by darting across uncontrolled intersections. Faster amateurs will also benefit as the time windows for the intersection controls do not end with the passing of the Pro fields.  
 

That's a wrap on this week! If you aren't freezing to death, getting iced over, or digging out from a snow storm, try to ride your bicycles this weekend! And thank you for reading Guitar Ted Productions! 

Continental Terra Adventure 700 x 45mm Tires Review: Final Verdict

The Terra Adventure was surprisingly good in mud.

Note: Continental Tires sent Guitar Ted Productions two Terra Adventure 700 X 45mm tires for test and review at no charge. Guitar Ted was not paid, nor bribed, for this review. All opinions are Guitar Ted's.

This will be the final word on Continental's Terra Adventure tires I have been testing over the past few months. The previous update can be seen by clicking HERE. Another link in the post referenced there will take you all the way back to the beginning of the test. Please refer to those articles first before asking any questions as I may have already covered what you are wanting to know in those articles.

Now, on to the final opinions on these new Terra Adventure tires from Continental!

I'm going to break down my impressions in two categories: Things I Liked, and then Things I Did Not Like. Then I will have some final comments. First up will be the.......

Things I Did Not Like:

• Initial Tire Width. While these Continental tires followed my experiences with the brand in being undersized according to claimed width by Continental, they did eventually stretch out to be 45mm, or a little wider. I'd prefer it did not take as long to realize the claimed width. In my case, it wasn't that big of a deal. However; if you were to buy a set of Terra Adventure tires for an upcoming event, expecting a certain width as stated on the casing, and then found out these tires take a while to realize this stated width, it nay not align with your expectations. So, this is kind of a negative in my opinion.
• Air Retention: This is tricky because air retention can be influenced by several things which have nothing to do with the tire. Rim tape, valve stems, and sealant type all have an effect on the outcome. So, all I can say is these tires with Orange Seal weren't very impressive as far as air retention goes. I know my tape jobs and my valve stems are good. In fact, I had two different valve stems on this wheel set and this did not deter the loss of air, nor did they improve air retention, so...UPDATE 1/19/26: The air retention issue seems to have rectified itself. After a few rides post review, I noted much better air retention and this has persisted over the months since this review was posted. So, it perhaps just takes time for the casings to seal up..
• Whiskers: Those mold release "whiskers" on these tires are ridiculous. They probably have a negative effect on aero and grip, but this is negligible, most likely. More annoying than anything. 

 Things I Did Like:

• The Ride Quality: For an aggressive tire tread pattern, the Terra Adventure is very smooth. The damped quality of the casings was phenomenal. These tires are also conspicuously quiet for having the type of tread the Terra Adventure tires have. This was something I remarked about during every ride I did with these tires. No matter the surface.
•  Grip: On dirt, sandy dirt, pea gravel, and pavement these tires exhibited an impressive ability to grip in corners. I was very impressed by how I would have to go ridiculously fast into a corner to get these tires to start to give up on tacky, buff single track and service roads. Well, faster than I'd feel comfortable with, let's just stop there, I guess. I was never the less surprised at how grippy the Terra Adventure tires were though, and this with seemingly little speed penalty, which is noteworthy.
• Great All-Around Tire: I'll dive into this more with my final remarks, but for an aggressive tire as this one is, I wasn't necessarily expecting the Terra Adventure to measure up to all situations I wanted to ride in. 

Final Verdict:

Short answer: I love this tire! Longer Answer: Okay, as hinted at with my final point above, the Terra Adventure seemingly has no real weakness when it comes to multi-surface riding. I wouldn't necessarily chose it to ride a paved century, but let's be reasonable here.

My feeling is this tire is perfect as the tire for any multi-surface event, or riding you may want to do. For instance, we have an event in Iowa called CORE4, which features pavement, gravel, single track, and dirt roads. If I were to tackle this event, I'd choose the Terra Adventure over anything else I've ever tried for gravel. This even does better than my old WTB Resolute tires at all-around riding.

The Terra Adventure even hints at being pretty good in mud, which I found surprising. So, as far as all-around riding, including pavement, dirt, or gravel, goes, the Terra Adventure has taken a spot at the top for tires which I would recommend to anyone doing this sort of riding. If you have more focused needs, such as pavement-heavy courses, or finer gravel courses, then yes - There are better tire choices out there for you. But for everyday, all-conditions, ready for anything riding? This is the tire I'd ride.    

Continental Terra Adventure 700 x 45mm Tires Review: Update 2

 Note: Continental Tires sent Guitar Ted Productions two Terra Adventure 700 X 45mm tires for test and review at no charge. Guitar Ted was not paid, nor bribed, for this review. All opinions are Guitar Ted's.

Not quite a month ago I posted the first update to this review. I wanted to do two things after the update. One - I wanted to switch wheel sets to one with a wider internal rim width. Second - I wanted to do some more dirt and single track testing with these tires. Their aggressive tread and intended use seem to call out for this sort of a test, in my opinion.

I have had the chance to do both since the last update, so in this update I will give my opinons on how the Terra Adventure responded to a different wheel set and how I found their performance to be on dirt and single track.

The Wheel Change: If I had to choose a "standard" for gravel cycling wheel sets, I'd likely look at 24mm - 25mm inner rim width as that "standard". I'd have liked to have put the Terra Adventures on a wheel with 25mm inner rim width, but all I had available to me at this time was a Irwin Carbon Aon 35 wheel set with 24mm inner rim width rims.

So, a one millimeter wider inner rim width. Whatever.... But you know, it did make a difference. Using 30psi, I now measure one tire at juuusst over 45mm and the other a bit under. So, I am confident in saying the Terra Adventure tires would end up being 45mm+, eventually, on 24mm - 25mm inner rim width rims. Plus, I think you could afford to go to something wider, say in the 27mm - 28mm inner rim width range, because the Terra Adventure has a pretty significant 'crown' to them, which a wider inner rim width would flatten out a bit.

The Terra Adventure has a very damped quality which is great on chunky, loose gravel. 

Gravel and Single Track Performance: The Terra Adventure was put to the test on gravel, naturally, and while the damped quality of the casing was very much appreciated, the high-crowned casing caused a bit of a nervous, looser feeling on loose, chunky crushed rock road. Again, putting this tire on a rim with a wider inner rim width might help smooth things out in this area.

 I thought the tread pattern was nothing which held me back. I suppose a smoother tire with a more supple casing might prove to be faster, but if I was looking for a tire which could go off-road, on dirt, and even single track? I'm okay with how the Terra Adventure handles gravel roads.

And speaking of single track, if you have the will to go fast on your drop bar bike in the woods, I think you'll find the Terra Adventure is up to the task. Keeping in mind this is a 45mm tire, and the knobs are not huge. Obviously there are limitations, but on smooth, buff single track? I think you might find yourself faster on the gravel bike fitted with Terra Adventure tires than you are on a mountain bike.

The grip these tires have on dirt is really quite good, but I wouldn't probably go with quite the same speed and gusto on loose over hard pack or chunky, rock infested single track, so choose wisely here. Most of the time you'd be better off with an actual mountain bike, but the Terra Adventure is capable on dirt in the right situations. Fortunately, our river bottom single track is perfect for this tire, so I enjoyed using them on our dirt trails.

So Far... I like this tire a lot. It has one of the best feeling casings I've been on in a while. On our typical gravel roads, it does a good job. It would likely be great on wider rims than I am using, so this is something to consider with the Terra Adventure.

I really was impressed by the dirt/single track performance. If I had one bike, and I had to use it on both gravel and dirt, I would opt for a drop-bar gravel bike that could fit the 50mm Terra Adventure and ride everywhere. The grip is pretty good, and while it is not a single tracking all-around tire, it can hold its own on dirt.

I'm using Orange Seal for sealant in these tires and I am noting the tires do not hold air pressure as well as some of my other set-ups do. Just something to note. Otherwise living with the Terra Adventure tires is pretty easy.

I'll have a final verdict in my last update on this review in a month or so. 
 

Continental Terra Adventure 700 x 45mm Tires Review: Update 1

 Note: Continental Tires sent Guitar Ted Productions two Terra Adventure 700 X 45mm tires for test and review at no charge. Guitar Ted was not paid, nor bribed, for this review. All opinions are Guitar Ted's.

 
The Continental Terra Adventure tires were introduced a little over a month ago HERE for review. Please check that post out for all of my impressions and the technical side regarding these gravel tires. In this post I will give my testing impressions of this aggressively treaded gravel tire from my riding on various surfaces ranging from pavement, dirt, and all sorts of gravel types.

I'll also get to my opinions on the width question later in this review, but for now, I wanted to share my mostly good impressions on this tire. It does several things quite well.

First of all, at lower pressures, it runs so smoothly with a damped quality which is very nice. In fact, I thought the tire was going flat after having ridden a stiffer tire for a bit on the same bike. (I am swapping wheels and tires for another story here on the blog) This smoother ride quality enhances comfort and reduces the amount of chatter reaching my hands to a great degree.

Continental doesn't talk much about what is going on with this casing or the rubber used, but whatever it is, I like it. I could not ask for a better feeling at the handlebars or saddle while riding these tires. For what it is worth, (which I would caution you is probably not much) I run these at 30psi. However; my pressure should not be yours and vice versa. There are a lot of reasons for this, but this is not the article for that discussion. (Read THIS if you want to dive into the subject.) 

These tires are also extremely quiet. I was very surprised by this as any gravel tire with an aggressive tread design usually has a singing quality on pavement. Not so with this tire. It makes a sound, but it is very subtle. 

Continental is using the "3-3-4 Center Stud tread design here. This is something borrowed from their XC MTB line of tires which is supposed to give you great low rolling resistance without compromising traction or braking as the shoulder knobs are angled for better grip.

What this means in reality is that the central rows of knobs account for the contact patch while riding in a straight line. The cornering knobs are almost on a different plane, or stepped down, from that centralized section. It is almost as if the central section, which is about 30mm in width is the "main riding portion" of this tire, and the rest is only applicable in deeper grounds or in turns where you would lean the bike over.

This works great on hard pack and on dirt where I was railing corners with a confident level of grip most gravel tires do not display. If I were running single track which was more dirt than not and pretty buff, this would be a great tire to consider.

However; this same characteristic works against the Terra Adventure when the gravel gets loose and chunky. The minimal amount of tread hitting the gravel, coupled with the rounded "C" profile of the tire on my 23mm inner width rims, makes for a nervous handling bike. A tire with a flatter profile would handle this sort of gravel much better, and not want to push rock aside and "hunt for the path of least resistance".

Okay, so now let's talk about this tire and the claimed width. Continental sells this as a 45mm tire. I have yet to reach this width with the tires I have being a bit less than 44mm wide each. Now, yes - On a wider internal width rim this tire might eek out a 45mm width. I'd be a lot more comfortable calling these 43mm tires than I would 45mm tires and the volume of the casing speaks to a 43mm tire more than it does a 45mm tire as well.

I know this Terra Adventure is a "sample of one", but I also have been testing tires since 2005 and mounting hundreds, if not thousands, of Continental tires over the span of a 30+ year career as a bicycle mechanic. My experience tells me this is commonplace for Continental tires to be "undersized" for their stated width. Use this information as you will. All I am saying is this undersized characteristic Continental tires have does not surprise me in the least.

So Far... From the viewpoint I would use for a 43mm tire, the Terra Adventure is a great tire for dirt, hard pack, and it rolls 'okay' on pavement. Deeper grounds in terms of sand, loose rock, or the like, can upset this tire and cause some handling quirks. Soft ground, some mud types, and wetter gravel (as long as the base is hard) would be fine with this tire. Surprisingly it lets loose of packed in soil pretty nicely. However; I'm still skeptical this tire would make a good mudder tire.

The ride quality is very good. Maybe one of the most damped tires I've ever used on gravel. If only the casing was not quite so rounded. Perhaps a wider inner rim width would solve a couple of issues here. This is something I think I will try now with the Terra Adventure. Look for a new update in about a month.

Brown Season: The Freshies

Escape Route: Sergeant Road bike path.

The Continental Terra Adventure tires I have in for review needed to be ridden, and with Friday being a nearly windless day, (what?!), I decided to ask myself, "What better time to go than now?" The answer: There is no better time than now.

So, out came the 3/4's Twin Six bibs, my longsleeved Bontrager wool jersey I've had for years, and my Twin Six wind vest. I put half a plastic shopping bag around each foot and wore my old Giant MTB shoes.

It was around 50°F, so it wasn't 'warm', and with a mostly cloudy sky, I had little help from the Sun. As it turned out, I was dressed perfectly. The Conti tires were aired up to 30psi, the water bottles were filled, and I was off to find Petrie Road's Level B section to test these knobby little tires.

Spring-time gravel road maintenance has begun. Great!

The farmers are readying their toys for Spring play-time.

Well, I found out I hit the "gravel jack-pot" on the first stretch of gravel of the day. The County has hit Aker Road hard with the freshies. Deep, loose, fresh ground and crushed rock. Mmmmm.... The Noble GX5 was darting and slipping around on the white rock. Dust was being kicked up by passing cars and made the dust look like thunderheads, but I was fortunate in that every car and truck slowed to make sure I wasn't too blinded.

Taking a break at "The Usual Spot".

Once I passed by Hudson, Iowa, to my right, Aker Road cleared up. A little bit!

That fresh gravel was jarring. I expected sooner or later we would be seeing this happen. It is about the time when farmer's are getting ready to plant and the County likes to get its 530 miles of gravel squared away before their heavy equipment hits the gravels. 

Where the dirt begins on the East side of Petrie Road's Level B section.

There is usually water here all year long, but with the drought it has been hit or miss.

Level B roads, the good ones, change periodically. Petrie Road's Level B section is no different. Right now it is rough and rutted out. We haven't had a ton of moisture around here, and you would think things couldn't get too tore up, but they are right now.

I was remarking to myself how it was back when we ran Trans Iowa v12 through this road and it was super-smooth. I think it was in the best condition I'd ever seen this section of road be in. Now, it should be said that a certain landowner adjacent to this section of dirt road would like nothing more than to have the County declassify it to a C Level road and have it gated off. So, this landowner has let their end of this road "go to hell" and they even took down the street sign on their corner along with the Levl B warning sign so it looks more like a farmer's lane. Maybe someday this farmer will get their wish, but it is still open to traffic in 2025.....

The first hill on the East end.NOTE: This shot is from a similar vantage point as the header (as of 4/14/25)

Headed down to the last bit which is flat, riddled with ruts, and in Summer, overgrown with weeds.

I was picking my way through trying to avoid the ruts, the decomposed clay, which sucks yoiur wheel in, and the mud where it was prevalent. On the West end, near where "that farmer lives", it gets real gnarly with really deep ruts, mud, and water. I was 50 yards from the West entrance when I finally made a wrong move and dumped myself unceremoniously on my left side.

I was laughing. I almost made it and, well.....darn it!  I got back up still chuckling to myself, remounted, and got to the end with no further issues. A quick look at the Terra Adventure, to see how much mud stuck to it, and I was off on my way back North on Holmes Road.

I don't notice this erratic too often, but it appears this farmer is stacking more rock on it.

Freshies on Aker Road. The right side by the ditch was way smoother!

I was out almost two and a half hours. It was a good ride and I learned a lot about the new tires. (I'll post again on those soon.) I was happy it wasn't windy and at least I felt pretty good once I got back home. Now I just need to get out more consistently and keep stacking those pennies.

Friday News And Views

WCS Mountain Adventure Fork (Image courtesy of Ritchey Design)

 Sea Otter Edition of the FN&V:

Today marks the second to last day of the Sea Otter festival at Laguna Seca Raceway. Here is the first item from Sea Otter for today from Ritchey design.

Ritchey design Releases Mt Adventure Fork, News On A Tom Ritchey Book:

 Today Ritchey Design released news on their new "WCS Mountain Adventure Fork". A carbon fiber fork meant to adapt 120-130mm hard tail 29"ers to full-rigid status. This fork is in a similar vein as the recently announced Wilde "Future Proof Fork".

Featuring rack and fender mounts, internal dynamo lighting route, accessory mounts on each fork leg, and capability to handle a tire up to 2.4" wide, this fork should find a home on bikepacker's rigs. It is light,as well being made from carbon, so the overall weight is listed at 565 grams with an uncut 1 1/8th to 1 1/2" tapered steer tube. Boost spacing should accommodate most modern MTB wheels. No price was listed for the WCS Adventure Fork in the press release but the fork is at Sea Otter in the Ritchey booth. Available from April 15th onward.

Image courtesy of Ritchey Design

Furthermore, Ritchey Design is proud to announce a new book detailing the story of Tom Ritchey's life in "cycling history, professional triumphs and rebounds from near devastating mishaps".

Ritchey is starting a Kickstrater to fund this project. Early adopters will be in for access to (depending on donor level) a choice of a special limited edition of One Ride Away, a discounted from MSRP standard edition or supporter shirt with their purchase.

Comments: The Adventure fork is interesting in that it has a tapered steer tube and is made from carbon fiber. The tapered steer tube would be a non-issue with any other brand, but Ritchey typically eschews this type of steerer saying the straight steer tube designs lend a better ride quality to rigid forks.

I think carbon forks are not that big of a deal when it comes to knocking about on a trail bike or for bikepacking, but a certain element of the cycling world does still have reservations when it comes to carbon. Of course, there are choices, so maybe these folks are more of the type which would choose the Wilde offering. 

Sea Otter Switches To Gravel:

Today the big event will be the kick-off to the Life Time Grand Prix series for 2025. Instead of the traditional XC MTB event, the riders will now be doing a "gravel race", although some of the course will be essentially from the XC event.  (??)

The riders will be taking on the 88.8 total miles on a loop course which is done three times. Prizing has been increased over 2024, so each event in the Grand Prix will now have a purse of  $30,000.00 evenly split between the Men's and Women's fields. That should spark some pretty motivated racing, if this is how you are funding Life through 2025.

Comments: It should be noted the series will also add a XC MTB event at the end of the series with the new "Little Sugar" mtb event which will be the penultimate event in the series which ends with the Big Sugar gravel event. Both of those events happening in Arkansas. 

This new "gravel" event at Sea Otter is kind of weird in that the terrain is super-hilly, but is dirt, pavement, and pretty tame looking gravel not unlike what we have around town here in our alleys. Obviously, they are doing their best to find some kind of a course and honestly, it looks tough. So, we'll see what folks think, but I saw the course preview on You Tube, and the climbing is no joke. Good luck to all that take this on.

Image courtesy of Continental Tires

Continental Introduces New MTB Tires:

Continental released information on three new tires for its MTB range which replace the Race King, Mountain King, and Trail King models. I will only be focusing on the new "Dubnital" XC race tire as it has direct crossover to gravel usage.

The new Dubnital has a fast, lower block tread and features Continentals "Rapid" or "Grip" compounds depending upon the model chosen. Then you can choose between Trail or Race casings. Trail being the tougher of the two with Race being the lightest. These come in black wall or Conti's "tan" wall. Sizes are listed as all 29"er with one exception in black wall/Trail casing/Grip compound for 27.5"ers. Prices are around 67 to 74 bucks each depending upon the model's features.

Comments: I think the go-to tire here would be a Rapid compound, Race casing Dubnital in the 2.20" size, while a Fargo rider might opt for the wider 2.4 in a Trail casing. But either way, these tubeless ready, hookless bead compatible tires look to find a home on many a gravel oriented bicycle's wheels. 

Image courtesy of Niner Bikes.

Niner Bikes Introduces the O.R.E. RDO Gravel Bike:

Niner Bikes announced a new model this past Monday. It is called the "O.R.E. RDO, in their typical acronym nomenclature. This model's name stands for "Off Road Explorer Race Day Only". The RDO part generally confers the carbon frame material in Niner's range.

The marketing on this bike is pointing straight at the mountain biker who is looking for their first gravel bike. A 69° head tube angle mated with a longer front-center establishes what Niner thinks will be an "at home feel" for the avid mountain biker coming over to gravel. Furthering the MTB-like appeal the O.R.E. RDO is suspension corrected for a 40mm travel gravel fork.

The bike will be available in a few complete build options and as a frame and fork in two colors. Frames start at $2,500.00. 

Comments: A "mountain biker's gravel bike". How many times has this line been used for a gravel bike by a predominantly MTB oriented company? I was a bit dismayed to see only 50mm tire clearance and a 70mm bottom bracket drop. That is not very progressive in this current evolution of gravel bikes, but it isn't terrible. I really scratch my head though when I see high bottom brackets like this, especially when short crank arms are all the rage with MTB'ers these days. That's a T47 bottom bracket, by the way. I like that.

These claims of having this "forward thinking geometry" make me laugh when I look at my Honeman Flyer with geometry that is similar in many ways to this bike and comes from the 1930's. Ha! 

Image courtesy of Velo Orange

Growtac Equal Friction Shifters:

Velo Orange released information on Tuesday for their new Growtac Equal Control Levers. They are friction shifters, which means you don't have any indexing - no 'clicks'. Essentially a rider moves the lever until the chain makes its 'shift' and then the rider can adjust, or 'trim' the derailleur, until the chain is centered over the gear selected. Front derailleurs are infinitely adjustable so rubbing chains can be a thing of the past.

It might sound hard, but once you get the hang of it, (yes- there is some skill involved and a learning curve), it becomes second nature. I used a friction shifting bike as a commuter for several years and it is amazing how 'in-tune' you get to the system over time.

Another bonus: You can mix and match previously unmatchable components. SRAM Eagle derailleur, eight speed cassette, and a triple crank with a Campy front derailleur? Yep. As long as the chain tension can be maintained by the rear derailleur, you are good to go with a friction shifter. 

The Growtac Equal levers are also available as a brake lever only. This makes 1X or single speed set-ups possible without having a need for the shifting bits. The levers look great, and the word from Velo Orange is that they work quite nicely with mechanical disc brakes. You can read more HERE from Velo Orange.

Comments: I am honestly kind of excited about these levers. But holy-moly, the price isn't cheap! At $212.00  per shift lever and $125.00 for each brake lever, these will test your commitment level to friction shifting! Still, a very cool alternative to have available. 

Image courtesy of Allied Bikes

Allied Bikes Debuts Able With Big Tire Clearances:

Allied dropped this new Able bike on Tuesday of this week which features clearances for up to a 57mm 29"er tire.  Boasting "gravel racing geometry", the bike has a 70.5° head tube angle, a 74° seat tube angle, and an 80mm bottom bracket drop.

Due to the massive bottom bracket drop Allied warns Able owners to not use any tire smaller than a 700 X 45mm. This is perhaps a first. A recommendation for minimum tire size! 

Able bikes are ready to be ordered and you can also get a frame set. A frameset will set you back a cool $4,500.00 for the base model and options can take it up from there. (And it isn't even a Made in the USA frame!) More information can be seen on Allied's site HERE. 

Comments: Woo! That is a large tire clearance! Drop bar MTB? Hmm.... I do like the geometry. Raleigh had a bike very similar to this several years ago. I forget the model's name but it was a quite displeasing shade of brown! Anyway, nothing new here in terms of the geometry, so saying things like "gravel racing geometry" is but another phrase from the Book of Marketing Chutzpah.

And yeah.....that's a lotta money for this bike!

That wraps up this FN&V. If I find more Sea Otter stuff to post I'll run another article tomorrow, maybe..... Get on those bikes and Ride!

Continental Terra Adventure 700 X 45mm Tires: Review

Note: Continental Tires sent Guitar Ted Productions two Terra Adventure 700 X 45mm tires for test and review at no charge. Guitar Ted was not paid, nor bribed, for this review. All opinions are Guitar Ted's. 

A little over a week ago Continental Tires announced their most aggressive gravel tire in the Terra line - The Terra Adventure. Arrangements were made for a set to come here and be reviewed. Since the narrowest size was a 45mm, and the others were 50mm and 55mm, I opted to have the 45's sent, since most of my current gravel bikes don't take really big tires. Once they arrived direct from Continental's tire factory in Koblenz, Germany, I got busy and have the following introduction for your reading pleasure.

What It Is: The Terra Adventure is meant for the toughest gravel tracks, rough dirt roads, steep, loose climbs, and rowdy descents, (within reason). Inspiration for this tire was drawn from Continental's XC MTB line, and it shows.

The central tread area is a pattern Conti calls "3-3-4 Center Stud", while the shoulder tread design is angled for better cornering grip. The compound is "balanced" for the best all-around characteristics shining on loose terrain to hard pack. The casing is a single-ply design constructed for the best characteristics of rolling resistance and toughness.

Of course, the Terra Adventure is tubeless ready and it is also hookless rim compatible. Once again, it comes in 700c X 45mm (tested), 700 X 50mm, and 700 X 55mm in black side wall or Conti's "tan" side wall. Prices are 61.95€ and $69.95 USD.

First Impressions:

These tires came in nice, recyclable cardboard boxes. I appreciated this and I did recycle them after I removed the tires. The tires have copious mold  "whiskers" which sometimes can make a tire like this perform poorly out of the box on pavement and harder surfaces. So, I will not be reporting on this aspect of the tires until those burn off the casings which should take a few longer rides.

The many knobs and their depth are very unusual for a gravel tire. I can think of a few with similarly deep knobs, but they all had bigger blocks (Pirelli Cinturato M) or wildly different tread patterns (WTB Nano 40 and Maxxis Ravager) WTB's 650B Sendero was also a pretty knobby gravel tire, but a completely different diameter.

So these tires from Conti are not necessarily a new thing, but they are a niche of gravel tires which is not common. With Continental offering these larger sizes though, it points to use on bikes like the Salsa Fargo, Cutthroat, and bikes like the Mason In Search Of, or that new Ridley bike, the Ignite GTX.  A slew of newer gravel bike designs which will take up to a 50mm wide tire would also be a choice for use with this Terra Adventure tire.

The casings and rubber compound both felt like high-quality materials were used, which one would expect from Continental. Another thing that I expect from Continental is an overall width after mounting which is not matching what the hot patch on the sidewall says. Would the Terra Adventure be an outlier, or would it follow in a similar vein to most of my Continental tire experiences? 

Measurements & Mounting:

I decided to put this pair of tires on the WTB CZR i23 wheels which are carbon and have, as the name suggests, a 23mm inner rim width. This narrower rim width would have  a slight effect of making the Terra Adventure tires a bit more rounded in profile and probably a bit narrower than they would be on 25mm inner rim width rims or slightly wider rims than that.

The tires fit fairly tightly, but I was able to mount them by hand without tools. The Terra Adventure tires also aired up without removing the valve cores with my SILCA Terra pump. Before I mounted the tires I weighed them, and immediately after mounting at 40psi I measured them for width. I also rode them for about a half an hour then remeasured after 24hrs of being mounted. Here is what I found:

Weight: 530/526 grams

Width of Casing After Mounting: (40psi) 42.69mm / 42.56mm.

After 24hrs and Test Riding: (40psi) 43.6mm/43.7mm

Comments: The weight is fine. I mean, there are a lot of knobs there, so you should not expect a really light tire due to this. On the other hand, the width is less than I would have guessed. I was prepared for this tire to not be quite 45mm wide, but just under 44mm after 24hrs? And at 40 psi, which is higher than I'll actually be using them at? (Lower pressures will yield narrower measurements) That was a surprise. 

As stated earlier, it has been my experience over the course of 30+ years working as a mechanic and reviewer to find Conti tires to be less wide than stated. Sometimes they stretch and get there, sometimes not. We will have to wait and see after these tires break in to re-measure and find out what these end up being for width. 

So Far... The Continental Terra Adventure promises XC MTB-like performance for your gravel bike. Meant for hard pack dirt, looser terrain, and gravel for the most part, I do not expect to find these tires to be stellar pavement goers. I have test ridden them and I can find no glaring traits, either negative or positive, to report as of yet.

I plan on doing the normal gravel and dirt road testing, but with regard to this tire's intentions, I also will be riding some single track to see if any kind of MTB-ish performance can be squeezed out of these Conti tires.

The Terra Adventure tires mounted very easily, in my opinion, on the WTB CZR rims, and aired up with a floor pump using no out of the ordinary tricks. This was impressive and welcomed.They look great, and the weight seems okay for such a knobby tire. While Continental says the tire has a durable casing, and it did feel pretty beefy, you have to wonder about sidewall cuts on a tire with a MTB bent to them like the Terra Adventure.

I'll be back in a month or so with another update on these aggressively treaded gravel tires. 

New Podcast Drop

 Hey, just a quick post this morning before the next bit of embargoed news goes live today. 

N.Y. Roll and I posted up another episode of the Guitar Ted Podcast HERE last Friday. Check it out for our takes on where we think tires, drive trains, and event participation is going. 

Also, it should be noted here that Sunday's post, is pretty much of the same vein concerning trends in gravel cycling. If you missed reading it, hit the link.

Ironically, we spoke about the new Continental Terra Adventure tires for gravel on the podcast which were announced recently. I say "ironic" because when I arrived home from recording at the Stone Castle Estates there was a box from Koblenz, Germany with two brand spankin' new Continental Terra Adventure tires inside of it. 

So.... Look for the introduction on these tires to hit probably tomorrow, (Wednesday), unless some late-breaking Sea Otter madness happens. 

Speaking of Sea Otter: Once again there is another post going up later this morning so make sure you check back for that. Also, it is highly likely that this week's FN&V will be all Sea Otter related. Stay tuned...

Gravel Grinder News: Continental Terra Adventure Tires

 Note: All information and all images courtesy of Continental Tires.  

Continental's most aggressive gravel tire, the new Terra Adventure

Continental has released news today regarding an addition to its Terra range of gravel tires. The newest tire also is Continental's most aggressive gravel tread suitable for rough roads and even of-road trails.

Dubbed the Terra Adventure, this tire will come in a 700 X 45mm width with 50mm and 55mm widths as well, making this tire suitable for adventure riding and long-distance gravel events where comfort and control are desired over speed and aerodynamics.

The Terra Adventure features a tread pattern inspired by Continental's XC MTB line. All options provide sidewall and center reinforcement for puncture protection and feature state-of-the-art tubeless-ready technology. The Terra Adventure is hookless bead compatible. Prices for the Terra Adventure are set at 61.95€ and $69.95 USD. Available currently from many online and brick and mortar retailers. 

Comments: This introduction is interesting from the standpoint of a few other developments in adventure riding, one of which will appear in a couple of days from a European based brand. Another development being the new Fox 34 Step cast 130mm travel XC fork. 

While drop bar MTB is nothing new, and "adventure" style bicycles and accessories have been around for nearly two decades already, European brands are starting to trend toward this as being something new. You'll see a new term coined soon which reflects this shift from "trekking", which was the traditional Euro style of "adventure biking", to this swing toward MTB-ish styling and marketing. 

Again, here in the USA this all may seem a bit 'ho-hum', and old news. However; it appears that marketing for some companies, like Conti and other Euro brands, are trying to tap into the ultra-distance and "adventure" side of the gravel craze. This makes sense because "gravel", or more correctly, crushed rock roads, do not feature heavily in the European network of roads and pathways. Not like it does here and especially in the Mid-West.

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Chris King

 News Of More Speeds And Plastic Tubes Today

Chris King Announces Gen 4 Hubs:

The venerable component company, Chris King, has announced an evolution to their hub range. The new Gen 4 hubs feature the same style drive system but it is now compatible with all current drive types without needing to be completely different for each type. 

The streamlining of the drive and axle systems will reduce costs in manufacturing, and this will be passed down to consumers as a lowering of the retail price. Not only that, but now drive systems can be changed by consumers at a lower cost. For instance, it used to cost $380.00. Now, riders using Gen 4 hubs will pay only $80.00 for a switch to a different drive system. 

For more details see Chris King Precision Components site HERE. 

Comments: This is good news for Chris King fans or anyone that might want to support the brand. As long as the durability and quality control remains at a high level, this should help the brand going forward. 

I like Chris King stuff, but whoo!  They are an expensive brand to get into. Their Ring Drive system is pretty bomber though and I found that the hubs are very worthwhile as an investment into a component that you can maintain and keep going for years and years. That even despite heavy abuse. The press release even stated that the free-coasting resistance has been lowered with the new Gen 4 design, so that's even better news.

Image sourced from Google

Shimano Rumored To Be Introducing 13 Speed Wireless Dura Ace Soon:

It's all over the internet - Shimano's long rumored move to 100% wireless shifting is going to happen and with that will come an extra cog. Thirteen to be exact.

Shimano has often filed patents just ahead of releases of new group sets and with Dura Ace needing a refresh it makes sense that this might happen. Additionally, the Tour de France often sees new groups introduced unofficially, or officially, and so this rumor lines right up with that. 

Comments: As I have oft told the story here, I will not delve into the full details, but I have been aware that Shimano has had working group sets up to and including 14 rear cassette speeds since 2010, (or before that, most likely). That they would periodically march out something new with an extra cog out back is not a surprise to me. 

But at some point you reach a place of diminishing returns and\or a place where no further technical advances can be made within the current parameters. Keeping in mind that 130mm rear spacing,(excepting the road disc specific142mm) has been around since the late 1980's for road bikes and you can probably guess that something will have to change radically for any further additional gears past 14 speeds. 

Can that happen? Will that happen? I would guess that we will know the answer in less than ten years from now. It's a no-brainer that we will see 14 speed cassettes in my opinion. This jump to 13 will last a few years, maybe five, and then you will see the 14's coming out. And what about SRAM? 

Stay tuned next week for more on their offering. 

Gravel Amplifier: Prairie Burn 100 -

Next month, on June 8th, the Prairie Burn 100 and 5K run will occur, starting in Downtown Grinnell, and utilizing the fantastic gravel roads surrounding the area. 

This year the loops are all new. That's right - loops. You will ride approximately 25 mile loops each ending back in Grinnell and if you want to continue, you can, or you could just hang and have some fun with the other activities scheduled for that event in Grinnell. Those include a beer garden, food trucks, a farmer's market, and live music by the Surf Zombies.

To learn more, see their website:  https://www.prairieburn100.com/event-info Registration is $50.00 and you can sign up HERE. 

Note: I have no affiliation with this event and I do not benefit if you use the links from here in any way.

Continental Tires Gets Into The TPU Tube Game:

Continental announced on Wednesday that they now have a range of TPU tubes for 700c tires and wheels ranging from sizes that will work with 25mm all the way through to 29"er sizes. 

Their TPU material and construction of the tubes is all done in Germany using the highest quality materials and processes. This is reflected in the use of clear TPU which Continental also claims is free from imperfections that can occur when TPU is dyed. You can read the full press release on Conti's website HERE. 

Comments: One thing that surprised me about TPU in general is something I saw on the press release that stated that "TPU tubes must never be used in conjunction with rim brakes. Excessive heat exposure can lead to a sudden loss of air pressure." I don't recall seeing this stressed regarding TPU tubes before and it comes as something of an alarm to me as I run a TPU tube in my Karate Monkey which has rim brakes currently. Something to consider there if you have long hills or will be riding in such an area and you have rim brakes and TPU tubes.

That's a wrap for this week. Have a great weekend and Happy Mother's Day to those who celebrate that.