Challenge Tires Getaway: At The Finish – by Guitar Ted
I posted back in January that by March I would have a final verdict on the Challenge Tires Getaway model, and I am fulfilling that promise today. I have had sporadic time on the tire since the last post until recently when the weather finally broke here. With Spring coming fast, here is a final look at this very interesting tire.
The tubeless performance, by the way, has been top-notch with the Getaway. Perhaps only the recently reviewed Hutchinson Touareg is better in this regard. There were times the bike sat for more than a week at a crack and when I checked the Getaway tires they always were holding a reasonable amount of air. Good stuff there! Perhaps the Challenge Tires sealant has something to do with that as well. Either way, this is an impressive tire in this regard.
But so what? How does the Getaway do in mud, on soft roads, or over snowy patches on roads? Well, that question has been answered for me. It does really well, if you want to know. I was actually a bit surprised that the lower knob height the Getaway has managed to tractor me through some thick mud. Through snowy patches, the peaked crown of the Getaway knifes through to harder ground and this was a pleasant surprise. The supple casing helps with traction as well.
At The Finish: The Challenge Tire Getaway is an interesting tire that makes riding gravel a fast, more comfortable affair. It is not cheap, but the expense is well worth it, in my opinion, because the Getaway has that unique combination of speed, comfort, durability, and traction that is hard to come by. It also is a light weight tire for its size. You cannot ask for much more.
Given that the installation process was about as difficult as it gets, I still give this tire high marks. If you are racing, or if you want a great tire that makes riding to gravel and dirt roads more fun and speedy, this is your tire. True to size, supple, and tough with that GANZO PPS puncture protection layer, the Getaway is also easy to live with. That air retention quality making this tire less of a hassle to deal with on a day-to-day basis, thanks to the tire casing made with the CORAZZA ARMOR technology. Considering the size of the Getaway, this tire is highly recommended for any gravel bike with limited clearances.
For more information on Challenge Tires see their website here: https://www.challengetires.com/
Note: Challenge Tires sent over the Getaway tires, Smart Bead Seating Tool, and Smart Sealant for test and review to Riding Gravel at no charge. We were not paid, nor bribed for this review and we strive to give our honest thoughts and opinions throughout.
I almost gave up. But use this technique (counterintuitive at first) and it is a revelation. Really.
https://youtu.be/RpCAlIzzr1c
No argument Challenge tires are fantastic cross tires, the only concern I have is traction from their natural rubber on wert pavement! I had a Challenge 25 mm road tire just wash out from under my front wheel on some damp pavement on a mild downhill curve at 40 MPH… slid 40 or 50 yards until a guardrail stopped me, and fractured my fibula… that was a looong 11 miles back home. Since then I only used thier cross tires for cross. Got a set Gravel Grinder 36mm open tubulars and wiped out on some packe gravel with a light coating of loose over hard. Those were the only 2 times I crashed on road or gravel in the last 10 years. So, my question is did you ride on wet pavement on them? Did you corner a bit aggressively on wet pavement? I’m hoping the wider contact patch may help on the pavement , because I really want to like these tires.
@William Gibson – First of all, I hope that you return to 100% health and have a speedy recovery. Sorry to hear about those stack-ups you’ve had there.
Secondly- your question: Well, here’s the thing- Around here, one simply does not ‘corner aggressively’ on wet pavement. It’s a sure-fire recipe for crashing. Why? Well, due to automobile traffic there are plentiful opportunities here for oil slicks, debris, and we won’t even mention the state of pavement here. And as a follow-up- I know ‘aggressive cornering’ can mean different things to different people. What I am talking about is full-bore, crit style cornering. Race speed cornering.
I did ride the Getaway tires in snow and on wet pavement, but again- I wouldn’t dream of doing any really aggressive cornering on them in those conditions, or anything even approaching that. The same would go for any tire around here, really. Why would I? I am not racing, and I can “pick my battles”, so to speak. If I should desire to really lean over in a high speed corner situation, I’m going to do that where it makes the most sense. Not when it is wet, because I don’t think that is wise. Your mileage may vary.
And anyway, I was most concerned with gravel performance for that test, not pavement. So, even trying to push those tires beyond their limits on pavement wasn’t even on my radar.