
User submitted reviews
Review by MarcPerfect grip and super suppleby MarcPortlandTires are great for cross or gravel as long as it's not too muddy. Fast rolling on pavement and great grip on dirt/gravel roads. Really comfy running tubeless and can run lower pressures. Not too difficult to mount on tubeless rims and don't leak like WTB.
Reviewed 1/13/2023Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Marc was helpful/No, review by Marc was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
Tires are great for cross or gravel as long as it's not too muddy. Fast rolling on pavement and great grip on dirt/gravel roads. Really comfy running tubeless and can run lower pressures. Not too difficult to mount on tubeless rims and don't leak like WTB.
Review by PDX teacher bikerOut of the saddle in loosey goosey gravel...no problemby PDX teacher bikerCompetitive RacerPortland, OR9 of 10 customers found this review helpful.I just put these tires on my CX bike to get some rides in before the Oregon Stampede (130 miles, 70% GRAVEL). I am a 5'3 woman so I was reluctant to put this big of a tire on my bike for fear I would think it was too slow when not riding gravel. The tires feel fine on the road but they really do shine in gravel. After riding for a few hours in Forest Park (Portland, OR, gravel roads are fire roads) I was most impressed with how I was able to get out of the saddle and accelerate in gravel, especially up steep uphill grades, without that sinking in or spin out feeling at all. The tire also feels very secure through corners (even if one has to brake through the corner to avoid a dog that should be on a leash). On pavement, the tires feel faster than traditional cross tires. If I do any early season CX racing in dry conditions I would even consider leaving these tires on for racing.
Reviewed 8/25/2014Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by PDX teacher biker was helpful/No, review by PDX teacher biker was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
I just put these tires on my CX bike to get some rides in before the Oregon Stampede (130 miles, 70% GRAVEL). I am a 5'3 woman so I was reluctant to put this big of a tire on my bike for fear I would think it was too slow when not riding gravel. The tires feel fine on the road but they really do shine in gravel. After riding for a few hours in Forest Park (Portland, OR, gravel roads are fire roads) I was most impressed with how I was able to get out of the saddle and accelerate in gravel, especially up steep uphill grades, without that sinking in or spin out feeling at all. The tire also feels very secure through corners (even if one has to brake through the corner to avoid a dog that should be on a leash). On pavement, the tires feel faster than traditional cross tires. If I do any early season CX racing in dry conditions I would even consider leaving these tires on for racing.
Review by AnonymousGreat all around tireby AnonymousCycling EnthusiastOregonI use this tire to commute(20 miles a day) and also hit the logging roads nearby. Fast on the pavement and grippy on the hard pack.
Reviewed 1/18/2017Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Anonymous was helpful/No, review by Anonymous was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
I use this tire to commute(20 miles a day) and also hit the logging roads nearby. Fast on the pavement and grippy on the hard pack.
Review by Tinbender75Great Tire for Gravel, Road or Mud!by Tinbender75Cycling EnthusiastOklahoma City6 of 6 customers found this review helpful.When I got my cyclocross bike I primarily got it for gravel and after riding with the stock 32 tire on gravel I decided to try something different. The stock tires walked a lot on gravel and were slow when I was on the road. I read a review of the Gravel Grinders by Guitar Ted and decided to try them. I have rode about 500 miles on them and I love them. No more walking on gravel unless it is very loose. They are fast on the road as well despite their size due to the file tread pattern in the middle of the tread. I had a lot more control on mud as well with them. Mud does like to stick to the sides due to tread on the sides. I highly suggest them and I haven't found anyone who doesn't like them.
Reviewed 1/12/2015Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Tinbender75 was helpful/No, review by Tinbender75 was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
When I got my cyclocross bike I primarily got it for gravel and after riding with the stock 32 tire on gravel I decided to try something different. The stock tires walked a lot on gravel and were slow when I was on the road. I read a review of the Gravel Grinders by Guitar Ted and decided to try them. I have rode about 500 miles on them and I love them. No more walking on gravel unless it is very loose. They are fast on the road as well despite their size due to the file tread pattern in the middle of the tread. I had a lot more control on mud as well with them. Mud does like to stick to the sides due to tread on the sides. I highly suggest them and I haven't found anyone who doesn't like them.
Review by AnonymousGreat all rounder for all-road ridingby AnonymousCycling EnthusiastNew Hampshire4 of 4 customers found this review helpful.I ride lots of dirt roads and rail trails in New England. These are the best all round ones I've found so far (have ridden Vittoria XG, Maxxis Mud Wrestler, Clement MSO 40's). They are light for a 38mm, wide enough to avoid pinch flats, quiet and fast enough on pavement, and provide great traction on a wide variety of surface and allow you to stand on graveldirt hill climbs. They dampen the ride without being too bouncy.
Reviewed 9/6/2014Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Anonymous was helpful/No, review by Anonymous was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
I ride lots of dirt roads and rail trails in New England. These are the best all round ones I've found so far (have ridden Vittoria XG, Maxxis Mud Wrestler, Clement MSO 40's). They are light for a 38mm, wide enough to avoid pinch flats, quiet and fast enough on pavement, and provide great traction on a wide variety of surface and allow you to stand on graveldirt hill climbs. They dampen the ride without being too bouncy.
Review by Jeremy I love these tires! I always go with Challengeby Jeremy Richmond, VaChallenge never lets me down, they have a wide range of tires, some with gum wall options. The tread on the gravel grinders is just what I want between commuting on pavement or hitting off road.
Reviewed 3/9/2018Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Jeremy was helpful/No, review by Jeremy was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
Challenge never lets me down, they have a wide range of tires, some with gum wall options. The tread on the gravel grinders is just what I want between commuting on pavement or hitting off road.
Review by AaronNice rollingby AaronLincoln, NE3 of 3 customers found this review helpful.As the hosts of the unofficial Gravel Worlds, you'd imagine we've got plenty of gravel around Lincoln, Nebraska and we do. I settled on a 38mm set of these to roll on my CX to give me a little more width, but still roll well. They do their job well. Riding on pavement, they're smooth. Riding all types of gravel they handle well too.
Reviewed 9/17/2017Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Aaron was helpful/No, review by Aaron was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
As the hosts of the unofficial Gravel Worlds, you'd imagine we've got plenty of gravel around Lincoln, Nebraska and we do. I settled on a 38mm set of these to roll on my CX to give me a little more width, but still roll well. They do their job well. Riding on pavement, they're smooth. Riding all types of gravel they handle well too.
Review by Nick HNot for hookless rimsby Nick HCompetitive RacerSouthern California 5 of 5 customers found this review helpful.Hard to review these tires as they looked just the ticket for me, I was looking for a light, fast hard pack tire. Unfortunately I was about to mount them and on the sidewall in barely visible writing it says not for hookless rims. As I have hookless rims I had to return them. This was not stated on the website description or anywhere I could see. Why manufacturers hide this kind of information is beyond me, continental were the same with their road tires for a while too. Disappointing. Buyer beware.
Reviewed 10/10/2022Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Nick H was helpful/No, review by Nick H was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
Hard to review these tires as they looked just the ticket for me, I was looking for a light, fast hard pack tire. Unfortunately I was about to mount them and on the sidewall in barely visible writing it says not for hookless rims. As I have hookless rims I had to return them. This was not stated on the website description or anywhere I could see. Why manufacturers hide this kind of information is beyond me, continental were the same with their road tires for a while too. Disappointing. Buyer beware.
Review by AnonymousDescription is incorrect. There's no puncture protection. by Anonymous3 of 7 customers found this review helpful.So to start these tires are not described correctly on this website. There is no double puncture protection and the max psi is 53 not 80. The sidewalls are extraordinarily weak or I got a defective product.
Literally day one of riding on roads the sidewall got a puncture that can't even be seen by eye, and rendered the tires worthless since you can't really plug a sidewall. It's a shame that the tires are terrible and that I was misled by the description. Avoid at all costs.
Reviewed 9/23/2022Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Anonymous was helpful/No, review by Anonymous was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
So to start these tires are not described correctly on this website. There is no double puncture protection and the max psi is 53 not 80. The sidewalls are extraordinarily weak or I got a defective product.
Literally day one of riding on roads the sidewall got a puncture that can't even be seen by eye, and rendered the tires worthless since you can't really plug a sidewall. It's a shame that the tires are terrible and that I was misled by the description. Avoid at all costs.
Review by Dave Thin sidewallsby Dave Cycling EnthusiastTruckee, CA1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.Most of my rides on these tires have been great. The 42s have good volume, good traction, and great rolling speed on and off road.
That being said, the 2 times I've raced on these tires I've gotten flats in the sidewall. It's a huge bummer because I've liked these overall, but I can't trust them to perform when it matters most.
Reviewed 6/6/2023Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Dave was helpful/No, review by Dave was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
Most of my rides on these tires have been great. The 42s have good volume, good traction, and great rolling speed on and off road.
That being said, the 2 times I've raced on these tires I've gotten flats in the sidewall. It's a huge bummer because I've liked these overall, but I can't trust them to perform when it matters most.
Review by AnonymousExcellent budget tiresby AnonymousCentral Indiana5 of 6 customers found this review helpful.I've got a few hundred miles on these tires now-a pretty even mix of good aged chip & seal, fresh loose chip & seal, crappy patched and potholed chip & seal, and plush marble-sized river-rock gravel. I don't notice any real rolling resistance on pavement, and they stick like Velcro even in the really deep gravel. I haven't climbed much, but the bit of climbing I've done was fine and more importantly I had full control on the descent. I am running them with tubes at 55ish psi, haven't had any flats (punctures aren't likely here, no thorns or sharp rocks) and they do a pretty good job at smoothing out all but the worst bone-shakers. I'd definitely recommend these as a good all-around tire.
Reviewed 8/8/2018Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Anonymous was helpful/No, review by Anonymous was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
I've got a few hundred miles on these tires now-a pretty even mix of good aged chip & seal, fresh loose chip & seal, crappy patched and potholed chip & seal, and plush marble-sized river-rock gravel. I don't notice any real rolling resistance on pavement, and they stick like Velcro even in the really deep gravel. I haven't climbed much, but the bit of climbing I've done was fine and more importantly I had full control on the descent. I am running them with tubes at 55ish psi, haven't had any flats (punctures aren't likely here, no thorns or sharp rocks) and they do a pretty good job at smoothing out all but the worst bone-shakers. I'd definitely recommend these as a good all-around tire.
Review by Kahola KahunaGo To Gravel Tireby Kahola KahunaCycling EnthusiastFlint Hills KS25 of 27 customers found this review helpful.I live in Kansas and am from Emporia, the heart of Dirty Kanza and Flint Hills territory. I have used these tires thru 3 Dirty Kanzas, 2 Almanzos, 1 epic fail at Landrun(mud and weather, tires were fine) and countless other rides and races through Flint Hills Gravel. Two flats, both were pinch flats and totally my fault for running too low of pressure under my 190 lbs. About 53-55 PSI rear and 48 PSI front seems to keep me out of pinch flat trouble even in the Flint Hills Gravel. Rolling resistance is minimal on hard pack, yet traction remains great in the loose stuff. They do tend to wear a little fast, but at the price and weight well worth it. As a side note, on the two flats I did have, they go on and off the rims using no levers for a quick change under the stress of race conditions. In gravel cycling the tire of the moment always seems be in every conversation, but I have found no need to experiment or go tubeless with these tires around and will continue to run the Gravel Grinders.
Reviewed 5/16/2017Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Kahola Kahuna was helpful/No, review by Kahola Kahuna was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
I live in Kansas and am from Emporia, the heart of Dirty Kanza and Flint Hills territory. I have used these tires thru 3 Dirty Kanzas, 2 Almanzos, 1 epic fail at Landrun(mud and weather, tires were fine) and countless other rides and races through Flint Hills Gravel. Two flats, both were pinch flats and totally my fault for running too low of pressure under my 190 lbs. About 53-55 PSI rear and 48 PSI front seems to keep me out of pinch flat trouble even in the Flint Hills Gravel. Rolling resistance is minimal on hard pack, yet traction remains great in the loose stuff. They do tend to wear a little fast, but at the price and weight well worth it. As a side note, on the two flats I did have, they go on and off the rims using no levers for a quick change under the stress of race conditions. In gravel cycling the tire of the moment always seems be in every conversation, but I have found no need to experiment or go tubeless with these tires around and will continue to run the Gravel Grinders.
Review by JBComfortable, grippy gravel tire for SoCal conditionsby JBCycling EnthusiastSan Diego, CA2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.I use these tires set up with Vittoria Gravel Inserts and Orange endurance sealant - set up was easy, they hold pressure and do not leak sealant with this set up. On 24mm internal rims, these tires measure 47mm width and have a high volume with low weight. I can run lower pressures which makes for a grippy and comfortable set-up. They seem to roll as fast on the road as my previous WTB Byway 40mm (which were more like 38mm). In short, it seems like all upside: lightweight (especially compared to other tires in the *actual* size of 47mm), fast rolling, grippy, comfortable!
Reviewed 3/14/2022Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by JB was helpful/No, review by JB was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
I use these tires set up with Vittoria Gravel Inserts and Orange endurance sealant - set up was easy, they hold pressure and do not leak sealant with this set up. On 24mm internal rims, these tires measure 47mm width and have a high volume with low weight. I can run lower pressures which makes for a grippy and comfortable set-up. They seem to roll as fast on the road as my previous WTB Byway 40mm (which were more like 38mm). In short, it seems like all upside: lightweight (especially compared to other tires in the *actual* size of 47mm), fast rolling, grippy, comfortable!
Review by TKWorked well for meby TKOhio3 of 3 customers found this review helpful.Got these for my CX bike and a gravel race. Running them with latex tubes. Race had some single track with hills and some mud. Surprised how well the gripped. Have now been running them on pavement and see that my average speed is not much slower than on my road bike. No flats. Very pleased.
Reviewed 1/11/2017Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by TK was helpful/No, review by TK was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
Got these for my CX bike and a gravel race. Running them with latex tubes. Race had some single track with hills and some mud. Surprised how well the gripped. Have now been running them on pavement and see that my average speed is not much slower than on my road bike. No flats. Very pleased.
Review by MKExcellent all round gravel tire!by MKCycling EnthusiastWestern Massachusetts4 of 4 customers found this review helpful.This is my third set of these tires, I love them.
The first set were 33s, now I'm using the 38s. They are setup tubeless with Stan's Grail rims running at 40 psi rear, 38 psi front on a Trek Crocket (I'm about 170lbs).
I ride New England gravel roads, double track, cinder trails and single track and find the tires plenty grippy in all but the wettest conditions and tough enough for the bony single track sections. The tires have a supple ride feel and roll very well on those necessary paved sections that get to the next dirt segment.
Reviewed 10/29/2021Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by MK was helpful/No, review by MK was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
This is my third set of these tires, I love them.
The first set were 33s, now I'm using the 38s. They are setup tubeless with Stan's Grail rims running at 40 psi rear, 38 psi front on a Trek Crocket (I'm about 170lbs).
I ride New England gravel roads, double track, cinder trails and single track and find the tires plenty grippy in all but the wettest conditions and tough enough for the bony single track sections. The tires have a supple ride feel and roll very well on those necessary paved sections that get to the next dirt segment.
Review by AnonymousGreat Gravel Tireby AnonymousCompetitive RacerSpokane, WA2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.In the Spokane area, the gravel routes are usually unpaved county roads and summer roads between fields. They can be loose dusty sand or washboards with gravel used for chip seal (without the oil seal), packed out mud, or just plain mud, all within a few miles. Throw in consistent and persistent 10-14 percent grades and you'll have your work cut out for you. These tires and their file like tread perform great in all of the conditions. I've even used them on some CX before fitting a narrower CX tires. I weight about 200 pounds and ride this around 45 psi (38mm) back and a few pounds lower in the front. Had one puncture, through the tread, that didn't seal up great, but that was no fault of the tire. Big holes are big holes. They also roll great on the tarmac.
Reviewed 10/14/2021Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Anonymous was helpful/No, review by Anonymous was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
In the Spokane area, the gravel routes are usually unpaved county roads and summer roads between fields. They can be loose dusty sand or washboards with gravel used for chip seal (without the oil seal), packed out mud, or just plain mud, all within a few miles. Throw in consistent and persistent 10-14 percent grades and you'll have your work cut out for you. These tires and their file like tread perform great in all of the conditions. I've even used them on some CX before fitting a narrower CX tires. I weight about 200 pounds and ride this around 45 psi (38mm) back and a few pounds lower in the front. Had one puncture, through the tread, that didn't seal up great, but that was no fault of the tire. Big holes are big holes. They also roll great on the tarmac.
Review by BnystromLives up to it's name admirably!by BnystromCycling EnthusiastNashua, NH23 of 23 customers found this review helpful.I needed tires for a dirt road event in Vermont and after reading a lot of reviews, I settled on the Gravel Grinders. I wanted something wide, with reasonable rolling resistance on paved roads and hard-packed dirt, but aggressive edge lugs for cornering in looser conditions. This tire has all of that and excellent durability, too. I couldn't be happier with their performance.
FYI, at 174, I ran these at 50/55, frontrear and that was perfect on a hard-packed course. My 110 girlfriend ran them at 30/35.
Reviewed 10/4/2014Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Bnystrom was helpful/No, review by Bnystrom was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
I needed tires for a dirt road event in Vermont and after reading a lot of reviews, I settled on the Gravel Grinders. I wanted something wide, with reasonable rolling resistance on paved roads and hard-packed dirt, but aggressive edge lugs for cornering in looser conditions. This tire has all of that and excellent durability, too. I couldn't be happier with their performance.
FYI, at 174, I ran these at 50/55, frontrear and that was perfect on a hard-packed course. My 110 girlfriend ran them at 30/35.
Review by deebikerGo-to adventure tireby deebikerCompetitive RacerPortland, OR2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.This tire is my go-to tire from May-mid September. I opted for the Gravel Grinder after realizing that a 40mm MSO just didn't fit right in my bike. Sacrificed 2mm of width, but gained a hell of a lot of acceleration and versatility of use. Really like that I can use this tire for the early-season races and it's super-puncture protective.
Also, even though it's not technically a tubeless tire, it hooks up like a dream on both my Stan's NoTubes wheels and my DT Swiss rims on my Asylum Meuse.
Reviewed 10/13/2014Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by deebiker was helpful/No, review by deebiker was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
This tire is my go-to tire from May-mid September. I opted for the Gravel Grinder after realizing that a 40mm MSO just didn't fit right in my bike. Sacrificed 2mm of width, but gained a hell of a lot of acceleration and versatility of use. Really like that I can use this tire for the early-season races and it's super-puncture protective.
Also, even though it's not technically a tubeless tire, it hooks up like a dream on both my Stan's NoTubes wheels and my DT Swiss rims on my Asylum Meuse.
Review by Matt B.Terrible problems with Punctures, Flats, Tears. by Matt B.Daily CommuterBoise, ID4 of 7 customers found this review helpful.Of all the Gravel Tires I've tried, these are hands-down the worst for punctures. I had punctures in the sidewall right out of the box. B.T.D. graciously replaced that. I bumped up one star because I had no problems setting them up for tubeless... but I had sealant spraying out of both tires the first time I rode on gravel, so tubes in them after that. Even running tubes with sealant, I averaged approximately 1 puncture per 5 miles of gravel. By 250 miles, (6 tubes, 15 CO2s) inspecting the center track of the tire shows numerous small cuts. I have /never/ had this issue on other gravel tires. The Sidewalls are thin and supple and vulnerable to cuts. The Center track has small nubs, low rolling resistance and is vulnerable to cuts and punctures. The side knobs provide decent traction cornering, as long as that sidewall doesn't get cut. I don't know what they were thinking, but by me gravel is made of rocks which frequently have sharp points or edges. I /never/ rode these tires "off road" and rode 90% on smooth pavement.
Reviewed 8/5/2021Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Matt B. was helpful/No, review by Matt B. was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
Of all the Gravel Tires I've tried, these are hands-down the worst for punctures. I had punctures in the sidewall right out of the box. B.T.D. graciously replaced that. I bumped up one star because I had no problems setting them up for tubeless... but I had sealant spraying out of both tires the first time I rode on gravel, so tubes in them after that. Even running tubes with sealant, I averaged approximately 1 puncture per 5 miles of gravel. By 250 miles, (6 tubes, 15 CO2s) inspecting the center track of the tire shows numerous small cuts. I have /never/ had this issue on other gravel tires. The Sidewalls are thin and supple and vulnerable to cuts. The Center track has small nubs, low rolling resistance and is vulnerable to cuts and punctures. The side knobs provide decent traction cornering, as long as that sidewall doesn't get cut. I don't know what they were thinking, but by me gravel is made of rocks which frequently have sharp points or edges. I /never/ rode these tires "off road" and rode 90% on smooth pavement.
Review by Chicago JPerfection for commuter-training or Outright Gravel Road Racing!!by Chicago JCycling EnthusiastChicago IL18 of 21 customers found this review helpful.Prior to this I have been racing on Challenges high end open tubular Grifo XS in 33mm and soon its high end open tubular Gravel Grinder in 700x36mm tire. For training and commuting I do not want to burn through [$] high end tires when I can burn through the same tread for less than half the money and have an even tougher casing than the open tubular design saving them for race day! For training I have been riding every type of nail file tread pattern I could buy, My favorite up until this tire was released was in this order, Clement Las 33mm (actually a 36mm)for fast gravel country roads and finer gravel, or for rougher gravel Clement USH 35mm, Vittoria Pro XN 32mm(actually 30mm), Schwalbe Sammy Slick 35mm (actually a 31mm), and for rougher gravel and dirt Kenda Happy Mediums in 35mm or 40mm (both slightly undersized as well. I hope that Challenge continue to make Vulcanized Versions of its already top OT tires like The Grifo Pro now, as I wish they would make a Grifo XS 32mm vulcanized soon for my wife as this is her favorite tire! Do your self a favor and get this tire, it is the best!
Reviewed 7/18/2014Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Chicago J was helpful/No, review by Chicago J was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
Prior to this I have been racing on Challenges high end open tubular Grifo XS in 33mm and soon its high end open tubular Gravel Grinder in 700x36mm tire. For training and commuting I do not want to burn through [$] high end tires when I can burn through the same tread for less than half the money and have an even tougher casing than the open tubular design saving them for race day! For training I have been riding every type of nail file tread pattern I could buy, My favorite up until this tire was released was in this order, Clement Las 33mm (actually a 36mm)for fast gravel country roads and finer gravel, or for rougher gravel Clement USH 35mm, Vittoria Pro XN 32mm(actually 30mm), Schwalbe Sammy Slick 35mm (actually a 31mm), and for rougher gravel and dirt Kenda Happy Mediums in 35mm or 40mm (both slightly undersized as well. I hope that Challenge continue to make Vulcanized Versions of its already top OT tires like The Grifo Pro now, as I wish they would make a Grifo XS 32mm vulcanized soon for my wife as this is her favorite tire! Do your self a favor and get this tire, it is the best!