Anyone with back-to-back Hurricane Ridge to Resolute experience?

13 replies · 2,889 views

300hp
14 posts
#1Sep 30, 2020, 3:08 PM
Let me be the first to say I have too many tires. My drop bar 29 is currently set up with new generation Race Kings (really excellent), and my gravel bike has two wheelsets ready to drop in: one with Barlow Pass endurance (about 2.5k miles on them this season, reliable and excellent on Michigan gravel except when they try and kill you); and one with Hurricane Ridge, standard casing. I'm running 20mm IW Mavic wheelsets for both.

When I run knobbies on the gravel bike, I'm typically riding 50-60 mile loops, about 40 miles of hardpacked gravel, and the rest of designated fast MTB trail. The Hurricanes are about the best singletrack tire I've ever used on a gravel bike, except for when I'm poking holes in them. On paved roads particularly, and on hardpacked gravel, I find them a bit draggy. Yes, I know Jan says they're basically as fast as a slick, and on long sustained fast stretches, I disagree. I'll also add that my Hurricanes measure the exact same size as my barlow pass (~40mm). I'd take some extra volume for sure.

So, I'm willing to give up some braking traction and mud performance for more glide and less resistance on the way to the trail. I really like my gravel bike to be snappy and encourage out of the saddle smashing.

Anyone switched between Resolutes and Hurricanes, done some roll down testing or ridden the same loop, and care to comment on the differences between?

Thoughts appreciated!

Best,

H.
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chas
1,305 posts
#2Oct 1, 2020, 4:01 PM
You mean WTB resolutes?

In MI (especially today) the gravel roads I ride are smoother than asphalt with all the chloride they just put down.

in the 40mm size, I've used Terraspees, G-Ones, Ramblers.

If I'm doing a decent amount of single track, I'll use Schwalbe Furious Fred (minimal tread) or Thunder Burts. The TB roll pretty well in a straight line, although they are draggy on paved corners. They do the trick for me in gravel or on single track though.
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300hp
14 posts
#3Oct 1, 2020, 4:19 PM
chas wrote:You mean WTB resolutes?

In MI (especially today) the gravel roads I ride are smoother than asphalt with all the chloride they just put down.

in the 40mm size, I've used Terraspees, G-Ones, Ramblers.

If I'm doing a decent amount of single track, I'll use Schwalbe Furious Fred (minimal tread) or Thunder Burts. The TB roll pretty well in a straight line, although they are draggy on paved corners. They do the trick for me in gravel or on single track though.

Chas: my bike (Crockett) clears a 700x42. It won't clear a 650b thunder burt (I tried). I've run terra speeds and think they're one of the best for our gravel roads, but they're small (37.5ish actual) and not quite enough for what I have this wheelset for. If you're from the lower part of the state, I'll ride gravel up to island lake, ride the full trail, ride over to brighton rec, ride some trail, and gravel back to Ypsi.

G-one bite, and the new 700x45 ramblers are also in the running.
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32x20
5 posts
#4Oct 1, 2020, 6:37 PM
Funny, I came here to write a similar post (but opposite). I’ve got a bald resolute rear and just sliced the front resolute on some single track (sealant would’ve sealed it had I topped it off in the last six months). Wondering if the claims of more traction and less resistance that Jan makes are true.

Ive had experience with various gravelkings (sk, slick, 35s-43s) nanos, etc, and have settled on resolutes as the best gravel tire for me. They’re very smooth riding and I think at least as fast as GKs while having a little more bite in the loose-over-hard conditions typical in mid-Colorado. Never ridden Rene Herse/Compass though. My Resolutes don’t have a protection layer, but I’ve generally had good luck if I remember to keep sealant in them. I’m easy on tires and wheels, though. On pavement they make a little more noise than a gravelking but they’re surprisingly fast and corner confidently.

As a reference point, 90% of my riding is dirt and dry, and I like to take the ‘road’ bike on single track now and again for fun. I don’t have a skinny tire bike, so these are my tires for paved mountain passes when I feel like doing that, too.
What casing hurricane ridge do you have?
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shiggy
404 posts
#5Oct 1, 2020, 8:47 PM
300hp, have you tried the HR front, BP rear?
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300hp
14 posts
#6Oct 2, 2020, 7:26 AM
32x20 wrote:
As a reference point, 90% of my riding is dirt and dry, and I like to take the ‘road’ bike on single track now and again for fun. I don’t have a skinny tire bike, so these are my tires for paved mountain passes when I feel like doing that, too.
What casing hurricane ridge do you have?

So, I've had alot of Compass tires since they've come out....32mm (too may flats at necessary pressure); 650bx42 (perfect for a rando bike, what got me hooked); 38mm original standard casing (smooth, fast, tubed, no flats, lots of wear in 1500 miles); Steliacooms (standard, tubed, sluggish for our fast dirt and not enough volume for my use); Barlow Pass (38mm) endurance casing (the most versatile, best performing, durable, and best wearing tire I've used) and Hurricane Ridge 42mm* (standard casing, 200 miles, great braking, amazing climbing traction, maybe too much for my desires)

Having played with the casing of both the Resolute and the Hurricane Ridge back to back, they're really, really different in every way. The Resolute casing is thicker but still super pliable, and if you take knobs into account, there is less material under the main contact part of the tire. The casing of the Resolute is unique to WTB, and in my opinion, different from anything else out there. I don't know if that's good or bad, but it's what I want to find out!

shiggy wrote:300hp, have you tried the HR front, BP rear?

SHIGGY you bloody legend. I have not tried that combo. Then reason is climbing traction on singletrack climbs on my cross/gravel bike. With the gearing on that bike and punchy rooty little climbs in MI, I can get surprisingly far on the Hurricane Ridge, but when they give up it's instant and stem-slamming.

I've done a decent ride with a Terra SPeed/Hurricane Ridge combo and that was a dramatic increase in speed and still acceptable climbing, but I really would like something larger than 37mm-ish for a 4 hour day of riding all the things
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32x20
5 posts
#7Oct 2, 2020, 9:41 AM
300hp wrote:The Resolute casing is thicker but still super pliable, and if you take knobs into account, there is less material under the main contact part of the tire. The casing of the Resolute is unique to WTB, and in my opinion, different from anything else out there. I don't know if that's good or bad, but it's what I want to find out!
Thanks, that's interesting info. Looking at weights and all the thin casing claims I figured the Resolute must have a fair amount less rubber in the tread. My resolutes do weep a bit of sealant as they age and flex, so I'd be hesitant to go thinner, and I certainly don't want slower. Maybe I'll stick with the Resolutes for the next set!
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300hp
14 posts
#8Oct 2, 2020, 9:44 AM
My Hurricane Ridge were well over 500g each if I remember correctly. And when I say "thicker" regarding the Hurricane Ridge, the casing is thinner, but the tread are basically solid rubber knobs. It's a super interesting tire, and unbeatable in the right conditions (sand, mud, moon dust)
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Volsung
878 posts
#9Oct 2, 2020, 3:41 PM
if you don't mind the weight, try the new 120 TPI reinforced Resolutes. They seem like the best of both worlds.
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chas
1,305 posts
#10Oct 5, 2020, 7:48 AM
300hp wrote:

Chas: my bike (Crockett) clears a 700x42. It won't clear a 650b thunder burt (I tried). I've run terra speeds and think they're one of the best for our gravel roads, but they're small (37.5ish actual) and not quite enough for what I have this wheelset for. If you're from the lower part of the state, I'll ride gravel up to island lake, ride the full trail, ride over to brighton rec, ride some trail, and gravel back to Ypsi.

You are doing all that on a gravel bike? Sweet! Yeah, terraspeesd are kinda small for that. I found a 50mm Rambler at our LBS (I didn't even know they made that), and the 45mm version looks to be good too, as I've loved the 40mm and 38mm versions for a light and fast tire.

I do a route rather similar to that - Graveling up to/through Bald mountain, doing a loop of Addison Oaks, and then hitting parts of Stoney on the way back. a 50mm Thunder Burt works well for me (measures about 48mm on 22ID rims) as a light and fast tire that works on road/gravel/single track (dry).
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300hp
14 posts
#11Oct 5, 2020, 9:49 AM
Chas: I think my rides would be like the Massive Fallout up your way, but cutting out the bits that would be no fun at all on drop bars.

chas wrote:

You are doing all that on a gravel bike? Sweet! Yeah, terraspeesd are kinda small for that. I found a 50mm Rambler at our LBS (I didn't even know they made that), and the 45mm version looks to be good too, as I've loved the 40mm and 38mm versions for a light and fast tire.

I do a route rather similar to that - Graveling up to/through Bald mountain, doing a loop of Addison Oaks, and then hitting parts of Stoney on the way back. a 50mm Thunder Burt works well for me (measures about 48mm on 22ID rims) as a light and fast tire that works on road/gravel/single track (dry).
1
thumper88
198 posts
#12Oct 5, 2020, 1:27 PM
Its not a direct help, but Ive bounced between Terra Speed and Resolute for maybe eight races or fast gravel rides over 100 miles. If its smooth and there’s a lot of pavement, the Contis have a slight edge.
But in roll down testing on pavement and gravel I found negligible difference on pavement and maybe small edge to Resolute in Class 2 but nothing I could measure on gravel.
The Thunder Burts in liteskin -- the race day only ones -- were also of a muchness on pavement with slight edge in gravel over Contis.
Pretty clearly in everyone’s testing the Contis are super fast, so my takeaway is the other two tires aren’t going to be a huge encumbrance to riding. Sorry can’t be more precise.
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300hp
14 posts
#13Oct 5, 2020, 3:54 PM
thumper88 wrote:Its not a direct help, but Ive bounced between Terra Speed and Resolute for maybe eight races or fast gravel rides over 100 miles. If its smooth and there’s a lot of pavement, the Contis have a slight edge.
But in roll down testing on pavement and gravel I found negligible difference on pavement and maybe small edge to Resolute in Class 2 but nothing I could measure on gravel.
The Thunder Burts in liteskin -- the race day only ones -- were also of a muchness on pavement with slight edge in gravel over Contis.
Pretty clearly in everyone’s testing the Contis are super fast, so my takeaway is the other two tires aren’t going to be a huge encumbrance to riding. Sorry can’t be more precise.

Thumps,

This is a HUGE help, thank you! I have about 1k miles on a set of Terra Speed so I'm familiar with them. I think for a race scenario they're probably the best hardpack tire out there. While a Rene Herse may have a slight edge in rolling speed, you really have to ride them where they want to go, take corners wide, and avoid mud holes. Riding in a pack where I had to react to riders around me, I'd take the terra speed every time because I find it has substantially better manners. If it came in a true 42-44mm it might be THE tire.

Your rolldowns are exactly the info I was looking for. Looks like I'll pick a set up and do a gravel-roll down test this weekend.

Many thanks
H.
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Koyote
288 posts
#14Oct 7, 2020, 8:56 PM
I run the Resolutes and love 'em, but they run wide: on my 19.5mm rims, my current pair of Resolutes are each a tad over 44mm wide.

My friend, who owns a shop and gets to try everything, told me that the Resolutes are faster than the RH Hurricane Ridge tires.
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