The shop closes on Friday, 15.05. at 12:00 (CEST). Grab your Night Shift ticket while you still can.
For the Ultra we won't be able to open any more spots. We tried a lot to get short-notice approval for more participants, but the race against the authorities is one we didn't win. On the upside, we've learned a ton, so if we ever want to kick off a process like this again, we're well prepared for it. ;)
Today it's about tires. In gravel, no one really knows anymore. Too many models, everyone has an opinion, and once you find your way to bicyclerollingresistance, you won't be out of there for at least three hours.
Whether you finish your first Ultra or not won't come down to the tire. But if you feel like nerding out on something, the tire is a rewarding rabbit hole. So today we want to introduce four of them that we know well and ride ourselves. No partnerships, just our opinion.
Hutchinson Caracal Race. One of the fastest gravel tires we know, on tarmac as well as light gravel. Perfect for our Northern German terrain, as long as it doesn't get too muddy. The catch: grip is on/off. In the corner it either holds, or it doesn't. There's not much in between.
Continental Terra Speed. A lot of fun up here in the North. Great feedback in the corner, grip fades gradually, no nasty surprises. But: the sidewall is fragile. One wrong hit and you've got a dent in it. The tan-wall version even more obvious than the black one.
Specialized Pathfinder Pro. Similar to the Hutchinson, but noticeably more robust. A touch slower, the data backs that up. Thanks to the smooth tread, a solid companion if you spend a lot of time on tarmac with your gravel bike during winter.
Schwalbe G One RX Pro. The workhorse. Indestructible, endless grip. The tire to ride when your next goal is an Ultra tougher than Hamburg's Backyard. Or when you want to go bikepacking on serious terrain. You can simply rely on it.
So much for our guide through the tire jungle. Now have fun in the rabbit hole.
See you next time.
Rasmus, Jasper, David und Jan
