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Challenge Gravel Grinder Race Tire

ChallengeGravel Grinder Race Tire(Return to Product Page)

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(61 customer reviews)
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User submitted reviews

Review by Matt B.

Terrible problems with Punctures, Flats, Tears.
rating
by Matt B.
Daily Commuter
Boise, ID
4 of 8 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 8/5/2021
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Review by Anonymous

good traction, comfortable on road and gravel, problems with punctures
rating
by Anonymous
Cycling Enthusiast
Boise ID
1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.

I have the MTB on the dirt so the gravel bike actually spends much more time on the road. Road performance is nice -- the mostly flat central tread is quiet and doesn't rob your speed on the pavement. Cornering on gravel and hardpack is great thanks to the corner knobs. 5 stars so far. But the few stretches of gravel I've had them on invariably ended in punctures -- I am now running tubes in both front and back. The pair of tires currently has about 150 miles on them, with less than 5 miles gravel, and I've had punctures in each. For a tire /named/ the "Gravel Grinder" I can't help but be dissatisfied.

My search for the "perfect" tire for my gravel bike continues.

Reviewed 11/27/2020
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Review by Jeff M

Excellent gravel tire for all conditions
rating
by Jeff M
westchester, NY
2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.

This tire is outstanding in its ability to provide reliable traction on loose gravel, hard pack, single track and pretty much anything you throw at it while somehow feeling road race tire fast and supple on pavement. It�s been literally perfect for everything I do on it. I highly recommend this for anyone seeking a gravel/cyclocross tire you never need question or think about. I don�t even bother changing it when taking the gravel bike on a road ride as it rolls fast. A great choice after many disappointments prior.

Reviewed 9/18/2020
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Review by Anonymous

Nice Tire
rating
by Anonymous
norcal

These tires are a good choice. They set up easily. I have used them for a few dry CX races and run them at low pressure and they perform well. They are also nice on a graveldirtpavement ride at a higher pressure of 35-40 psi. They roll well and have good cornering qualities. I have over 500 miles on them and they are wearing ok.

Reviewed 1/16/2020
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Review by Anonymous

Product as advertised.
rating
by Anonymous
New England

Great for gravel, and not a hinderance on the road.

Reviewed 5/8/2023
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Review by Anonymous

Good pavementgravel tires
rating
by Anonymous
Cycling Enthusiast
Enterprise, OR
2 of 3 customers found this review helpful.

After riding with these tires for a few weeks I am quite pleased. I ride probably 75% pavement and 25% gravel and appreciate the fast rolling qualities of this tire with ability to ride at a variety of pressures depending on conditions. So far so good!

Reviewed 10/8/2018
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Review by runningisfree

Durable, versatile tire for all season use
rating
by runningisfree
Cycling Enthusiast
Wayne, PA
2 of 3 customers found this review helpful.

I use on my cross frame which doubles as a commuter. I pump up tire to 65 psi and it gives a comfortable ride.

Reviewed 7/20/2017
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Review by Anonymous

Sweet, tough tire for Hoosier gravel
rating
by Anonymous
Cycling Enthusiast
Louisville ky
2 of 3 customers found this review helpful.

Originally went w the 33s for tackling the (awesome!) Hoosier National Forest roads. Loved the tires but found them too narrow for some of the loose gravel. Bumped up to the 38s and they are perfect. Expertly manage the slime of sloppy lime dust but also do a better job of floating over loose gravel. Excellent on dry hard packed gravel and tough enough for the occasional bit of singletrack. Roll nicely over paved sections. About 1000 miles without a flat. Have tried them tubeless but the sidewalls leak too much - not sold as tubeless so that's fair. Great tire!

Reviewed 6/24/2017
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Review by Aaron

Near perfect for use with my CX bike on gravel & mixed surface rides.
rating
by Aaron
Cycling Enthusiast
Lincoln, ThereIsNoPlaceLikeNebraska
3 of 3 customers found this review helpful.

I live in the city with streets and paved bike paths, but I'm at the edge of town with gravel section roads stretching to the horizons through farmland. These tires have been a welcome upgrade over the stock 33mm tires that came on my Specialized CruX. Smoother rolling center tread, knobby on the edges to bite in the loose and chunky gravel, and enough volume to lower my pressures for a smoother ride. Near perfect.

Reviewed 6/6/2017
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Review by Anonymous

Excellent tire for fast gravel riding in all but muddy conditions
rating
by Anonymous
Cycling Enthusiast
Lawrence, KS

Great, light gravel tire, rolls fast, stable in corners.

Reviewed 1/6/2017
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Review by Anonymous

tis is a fast gravel tire
rating
by Anonymous
Cycling Enthusiast
iowa

many 100 mile rides no problems yet

Reviewed 12/26/2016
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Review by Gravel T

Solid Gravel Tire
rating
by Gravel T
Seattle
7 of 7 customers found this review helpful.

I purchased these after experiencing reliability issues with another tire. I found myself riding hard-core gravel and wanted a tire that could withstand the punishment, but still provide good rolling resistance on pavement. For me, it was between these and the MSOs. I ran the Gravel Grinder Race for 8 months with acceptable results.

A few notes Tubeless performance was unsatisfactory. This was disappointing, but they were not sold as tubeless ready, so what can you do? This is the main reason I don't run these anymore, and why i gave only 4 stars. Another observation is those larger side knobbies. To me, they seemed like a distraction. I did not like the way they felt underneath when they engaged. It felt like the tire changed its characteristics whenever in a hard cornering situation (which is where I want it to be the most consistent). Get rid of the side knobbies, they're dumb.

The tire looks good, rolls well, and is reasonably tough. It's a good alternative to Clement MSO or even USH. Do not expect to run these tubeless. I found they wore a little faster than I'd hoped for.

Reviewed 12/4/2016
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Review by Addison

Great Gravel Tires
rating
by Addison
Pendleton

These are exactly what I was looking for. Great for my gravel bike.

Reviewed 9/26/2022
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Review by Carl

Running this Tubeless - so far so good - DK will be the ultimate test
rating
by Carl
Cycling Enthusiast
Rochester, MN
1 of 2 customers found this review helpful.

I set these up tubeless with Stan's no-tube cyclocross kit on standard rims (Mavic Front, Powertap alloy rear), and have been playing with various pressures between 20 and 40 psi. Have done one long race (107 miles) in Minnesota, and lots of training. Will be riding this in the Chino Grinder (Arizona) this weekend, the AlmonzoRoyal 162 next week, and the DK in June. Hoping the lower pressure will allow all of these to run a bit better than with tubes and higher pressure. So far so good. I'll update if I have any problems.

Reviewed 5/3/2016
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Review by Dick Dastardly

My go to gravel tire for 4 years
rating
by Dick Dastardly
Cycling Enthusiast
NEMO
0 of 1 customers found this review helpful.

I have been using this tire since 2016 in the DK 200, Almanzo 100 (twice), Cuban Gravel Crisis and the Tour of Hermann Gravel Challenge to name a few. I finally went tubeless and ordered the TCS this time.

Reviewed 11/24/2020
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Review by mike

Great all around tire
rating
by mike
Competitive Racer
Lenexa, Ks
7 of 7 customers found this review helpful.

I use my Specialized Crux as a cross-gravel-secondary road training bike and put a lot of miles on the bike. I wanted a good gravel tire that would be able to handle a wide range of terrain and still roll well on the road. This tire has been the perfect tire. No problems with punctures, easy to run low pressures for rough roads, good traction, and rolls well on pavement. The width is very nice and the key to this tire. On 25mm rims the tire measures around 40mm and that is key in its ability to maintain traction on really rough gravel roads. The side knobs are nice when you corner as you start to slip and then they kick in and you get the much needed traction. I have not used this tire tubeless.

Reviewed 8/25/2015
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Review by Gravelmeister

Excellent for everything from rocky gravel to pavement!
rating
by Gravelmeister
Cycling Enthusiast
Tennessee
13 of 13 customers found this review helpful.

I trained on these for several months and several thousand miles - mostly on pavement - leading to this year's Dirty Kanza 200. Then, I mounted a new set for the race itself. On pavement, these tires run fast. I did group rides on pavement with my roadie friends and stayed in the lead group. No problems. In fact, I still hold an 8-mile paved Strava KOM with these tires and couldn't beat it last weekend on my 25mm road tires on my road bike. In the Dirty Kanza 200, I think these are the perfect tire. Excellent in all conditions, including loose gravel, big gravel, sandy dirt, and the rough, rocky descents of DK. Very stable. Excellent traction. Always lively. And NO FLATS! I weigh 170 and I used 5055 inflation pressures.

Reviewed 7/29/2015
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Review by GravelK

Seems like a great tire but questionable quality control
rating
by GravelK
Cycling Enthusiast
Syracuse, NY
8 of 9 customers found this review helpful.

Many people rave about this product but I had a disappointing experience. One of my tires had a bulge that was big enough to be noticeable from bike-mechanics' eyes, and annoying when riding on a paved road. Otherwise, they felt like a great choice for gravels with a very supple feeling and a good balance of low rolling resistance and traction (but I only rode 60miles with them). Thankfully, the customer service at BikeTriesDirect.com provided me with Clement MSOs as replacement (because these were already sold out) right away. I am very happy with MSO. If you choose these tires over MSO (and I can see there are a few reasons to do so - slightly narrower profile (better tire clearance), lighter weight, familiar tread patterns (for CX cyclists), etc, I would make sure the tires are perfectly round before riding.

Reviewed 6/1/2015
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Review by Anonymous

Fast and dependable
rating
by Anonymous
Midwest
4 of 4 customers found this review helpful.

Put 400 miles of gravel under them so far and no flats. They are fast rolling and corner well with the large side knobs. Surprising grip while climbing on gravel. The sidewalls are supple and the tires feel great at the recommended 45psi

Reviewed 5/29/2015
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Review by Anonymous

Terrific all-around tire
rating
by Anonymous
Cycling Enthusiast
Pennsylvania
4 of 4 customers found this review helpful.

These are the best tires I've found for riding gravel and dirt roads. They have a tall/narrow profile so they take a lot of the edge off the roads but still roll pretty fast. I can feel the weight when climbing but otherwise don't feel much slower on these than I do on my road bike running 23's. Not good in mud, but good enough on dry singletrack as well.

They do wear somewhat quickly on pavement, rotated after about 500 miles. But I haven't found a tire with any kind of tread that doesn't.

Reviewed 4/24/2015
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