I have two mixed surface rides on mine. Mostly pavement of varying quality. They are super fast, faster than GKs or Maxxis Velocitas. I don't have any exact comparisons but I had my fastest 50 mile ride and fastest 30. I set a few PRs even towards the end of the rides on segments I had ridden over 200 times.
A bit heavier and way more expensive than either of the other tires, but thicc rubber. They set up tubeless easy once you get them mounted. Use some Voile straps to keep them on the rims til you get the beads in the rims.
DKeane wrote:I am literally putting these on now. OMG, these are near impossible to get on the rim.
Yep, zip ties or straps. Put part on, strap it in really tight. Work your way over a quarter of the wheel, strap it. Another quarter, another strap. End at the valve. The second side goes on easier.
I heard they take the form of a regular tire after being mounted.
For those wondering, they come flat like this so there's not a regular tire shape to hold them on a rim when mounting. EDIT- For those curious, they're just under 41mm on 25mm rims. Velocitas are 42. Never ran GKs on these rims.
I have posted this several times. I STRUGGLED to fire Challenge tires, even using their tire mounting tool. This video shows a technique that is not instinctive, but really is transformative. I have been using Getaway 40’s for the last 5 months and they are very good. Fast, capable, but in my experience they require lower than normal pressures.
stu wrote:Do you have an opinion after riding them?
Love em on the road. Set a bunch of PRs that were previously set on my old road bike with tailwinds and lately we've had 0 wind in Minneapolis.
Took them on a few different types of gravel too. They perform about the same as any slick, they're fine on hardpack or in a straight line, but if the gravel is deep you kinda fishtail. Deep gravel with turns made me make my own chamois butter.
I ordered the Strada Bianca Pro tube type in 36-622 on sale for $61 at Universal Cycles. I'm sure 40-622 would be better on some surfaces but I figured they would run a little big and I already have 45-622 Cinturato Gravel H for tougher conditions.
Mounting them was indeed a Challenge. I was able to get the first side on without tools or too much trouble. I found it best to have the tube completely flat since there's not much room before the tire is inflated. The second side was hard. The bead tended to move out of the channel in the rim and had to be constantly coxed back as I progressed spoke by spoke. I couldn't have done it without straps to keep the completed portions from popping off. I needed an old plastic bead lifter tool to get the last 20 cm or so over the rim. Putting a rag between my thumbs and the tires probably saved me a few blisters.
Fortunately I didn't damage either tube and a few strokes of the pump had them looking like actual tires. I didn't hear any pops but the beads were properly positioned by 45 psi. The tires measured between 38 and 39 mm wide and between 33 and 34 mm high on 25 mm (inside) rims right after being inflated to 60 psi (about 4 bar). I expect them to stretch a bit but I'll probably run them at lower pressures.
Also the tread is super wide. Cornering on the sidewalls will not be a problem.
I've ridden on these about 9 hours now, mostly on pavement of varying quality plus a little easy gravel and hard dirt. So far they haven't stretched, still about 38 mm wide on 25 mm (internal) rims at 40 to 45 psi.
I don't know about Bianca but the Strada part is right on. On pavement they're fast, quiet, and decidedly more comfortable than 32 mm GP5000s. I'd say they're similar to 38/40 mm GravelKing slicks but the herringbone tread doesn't follow road texture like the GravelKing file tread. And I haven't seen any tread cuts like all of my Panaracer-made tires tend to accumulate.
They're relatively narrow and quite round so on anything loose or soft they dig in and slow down. They are reasonably comfortable on gravel but don't give the cush of bigger tires. I haven't tested the off-road grip but I don't expect much.
It's way too soon to comment on durability but if they hold up they'll be good tires for bad pavement. The tube-type models are on sale now but the tubeless ones are expensive (a little less from European retailers).
Any further info after spending more time on these tires? I'm on the GravelKing Slick Plus 38 right now and they've been good in that they seem to be holding up better than the regular version or the Velocita AR. But, after looking at rolling resistance tests and seeing how much worse they are than the regular GK, I'm considering trying something else.
Doing an event with maybe 80/20 road/gravel next weekend (Fish Rock) and contemplating picking up either a pair of Strada Bianca 40's or GP 5000 32's. I'm guessing the GP 5000's will be faster, but the 40's will probably be a better all-rounder that will be of more use to me overall. Thoughts?
The GPs will absolutely be faster, but likely more prone to punctures. I find that when I get any larger than 32s, I want some tread for gravel (New England), because I am usually dealing with a looser surface. For most dirt roads around here a slick 30 works great.
I'm curious to try these from what I've read, and from some admitted bias because one of my fellow trail stewards in the area is the USA guy for Challenge. I've teased him about the tan walls but in case of their hand made models, that's just how it works. It's not like the carbon in the vulcanized models.
Mine have black walls but they are the 36 mm tube model. For me 36 mm is just wide enough for these tires to work on bad pavement, I think the 40 mm would be just as good there and better on other surfaces.
stu wrote:Mine have black walls but they are the 36 mm tube model. For me 36 mm is just wide enough for these tires to work on bad pavement, I think the 40 mm would be just as good there and better on other surfaces.
My Challenge associate said they could do black in other models but there's a labor issue when not the vulcanized tires, and for the handmade tires many buyers want to show or see that.
AmericanTemplar wrote:Any further info after spending more time on these tires? I'm on the GravelKing Slick Plus 38 right now and they've been good in that they seem to be holding up better than the regular version or the Velocita AR. But, after looking at rolling resistance tests and seeing how much worse they are than the regular GK, I'm considering trying something else.
Doing an event with maybe 80/20 road/gravel next weekend (Fish Rock) and contemplating picking up either a pair of Strada Bianca 40's or GP 5000 32's. I'm guessing the GP 5000's will be faster, but the 40's will probably be a better all-rounder that will be of more use to me overall. Thoughts?
I guess it would come down to how competitive you are. If you can run with the front group, I'd run the GP5000's and then be prepared for less desirable behaviors on the gravel sections. Pre-ride if possible. If you're mid-pack then I would probably stick with the GK+. As stated in the other thread, on my bike they're a few watts slower than GP5000 TL's on pavement, but faster on gravel and WAY more comfortable on both. As has been stated by others, at 200 lbs. I have to run more pressure in the GP5000's to protect my rims and this might be a factor. I can run substantially lower pressures in the GK+. At my age and place in the pack, comfort is at least as important to me as the last few watts of rolling resistance.
We have an 80/20 race in May here and I will be running the GK+, but I would like to try the Strada Biancha's at least for the data.
