Continental’s latest addition to their gravel race tire circle of relatives – the Terra Journey – leans on mountain motorbike tire tech to tackle ever-tougher racing. No longer most effective is the brand new Conti Terra Journey tread design obviously influenced by means of fast-rolling however succesful XC tires, or even introduced in XC widths. Continental additionally without delay applies the very same MTB development to construct a difficult and grippy gravel tire for all-around using and racing.
Plus, Conti even adapts their contemporary, easy MTB tire labeling that makes it tremendous smooth to select the very best tire at a look. And now this even hints at new quicker gravel tires that might be coming very quickly…
Continental Terra Journey technical gravel motorbike racing tires
(Pictures/Cory Benson & Grzegorz Radziwonowski)
This new Continental Terra Journey gravel motorbike tire is supposed to fill within the hole between gravel and mountain motorbike racing. And admittedly, it even blurs the strains a bit of with an open tread design that’s glad in cushy or rainy stipulations, and sizes as much as 700c x 55mm which is successfully a 29×2.1″ MTB tire.
Continental describes the brand new Terra Journey as a shift to supporting gravel riders heading into extra various off-road terrain, whilst keeping up road-like potency for the ones unavoidable stretches of tarmac.
What’s new?
The tread is the obvious shift for the Continental Terra gravel circle of relatives. Whilst it seems to be lovely competitive for a gravel tire in renderings, the brand new Terra Journey remains to be a low-profile gravel racing tire design with knobs which might be just a few mm tall. It includes a 3+3+4 heart block structure with a most commonly steady centerline for speedy rolling, however sufficient room between the lugs for self-cleaning.
Take a more in-depth have a look at the ones knobs despite the fact that, and the MTB inspiration is apparent.
The tread trend makes use of in a similar fashion blocky-shaped lugs like their MTB tires. The lugs all function stepped designs with further edges for extra grip. And the ones larger shoulder knobs get each sipes up best for added grip and buttressed facets for cornering give a boost to. It’s all carried out at a small scale in comparison to a path tire, however a lot of the similar mountain motorbike tire design ideas are there.
Then, the brand new Terra Journey without delay copies the newest Conti MTB sidewall labeling, filling in as much as 4 dots & as much as 3 hexagons to notice rubber compound and casing reinforcement, respectively. Actually, the development of the Terra Journey isn’t if truth be told new in any respect.
The cast heart dot plus one forged outer dot method the similar Grip compound as at the mountain motorbike. A rubber that’s fairly cushy for a gravel tire, but nonetheless turning in instant, environment friendly rolling blended with rainy stipulations grip.
The only forged hexagon method Path casing, which is a large textile breaker subject matter for puncture coverage below the tread, plus an additional sidewall reinforcement layer that extends all of the manner from the bead as much as the breaker.
So, how does it trip?
Off-Street Gravel Using Overview
I’ve most effective had the brand new 45mm Terra Journey tires for roughly per week, however have nonetheless controlled to present them a forged shakedown – each on gravel roads and a mixture of mountain motorbike trails. I’m using the 45s that Conti envisions for mild & instant gravel using (claimed 540g), however are lots large for just about any unladen rides.
If you’re venturing into bikepacking, that’s the place the 50mm is most likely very best suited (claimed 620g). And go away the massive 55mm model (claimed 730g) for critical off-road journeys or ultra-distance backcountry racing.
My normal feeling to this point is that the middle tread does roll smartly, even with the sticky Grip rubber that comes without delay from MTB. And I’ve already smashed some deficient carbon rims on rocks, and are available away with none hassle because of the Path casing.
The tire provides nice grip on hardback and cushy loamy trails, and predictable cornering in free gravel and even dust. And whilst it packs up to start with with dust as any small knobby will do, a second on laborious floor once more and it sheds dust in reality smartly.
Can I additionally simply say, I’m psyched that Continental now offers the gravel tires the straightforward logical sidewall labels that we already now from their path & gravity tires. This makes it really easy to identify at a look what applied sciences are in a given tire, with out studying heaps of lengthy textual content at the sidewall. I will even see it on this whole ebike picture.
There’s even the useful observe that this was once designed for a 23mm interior, tubeless hooked (crotchet) rim and you’ll be able to use it from 17-27mm interior rims. And now, Continental even writes the tire measurement in large, easy-to-read numbers, as smartly.
Sneak Peek of a quicker Terra Festival tire!
That common labeling additionally offers us a forged sneak peek on the subsequent tire that may sign up for the Conti Terra gravel circle of relatives. The packaging for my Terra Journey tires obviously lists a brand new Terra Festival tire on the reverse finish of the road-MTB spectrum – to be had in 35mm, 40mm & 45mm.
Plus, it most likely will get a more moderen, lighter Race casing (no colored-in hexes) and a quicker Speedy rubber compound (most effective the forged heart dot) since either one of the ones are new too. No respectable phrase on what this possibly semi-slick gravel tire will seem like or when precisely it’ll come. However obviously, it’s no longer a long way off because it’s already in this new Terra Journey’s packaging!
Continental Terra Journey – Pricing, choices & availability
The brand new Continental Terra Journey is available in 3 hookless tubeless-ready sizes: 45mm, 50mm & 55mm. Conti figures by myself in search of narrower tires will need one thing quicker, and the rest wider could be happier with an actual MTB tire. It additionally is available in 3 colours – choose from vintage clear Conti brown-wall, the lighter-colored unfashionable tanwall, or just right previous all-black.
All variations proportion the similar development & rubber and are e25 ebike-rated. So, they every promote for a similar 62€ value. Get them now out of your native Continental tire sellers, international.
Continental-Tires.com/Bicycle
