WTB Launches Its Toughest Gravel Tire Yet
WTB announced today that all of their gravel tires measuring at least 37mm wide are now available with a 120tpi casing and their all-new SG2 puncture protection. SG2 is the brand’s new ultra-thin nylon protection layer insert that provides bead-to-bead coverage. WTB claims that the additional protection layer provides 33% more sidewall protection and 17% more tread protection compared with their standard 60tpi offerings, while seeing a nominal weight increase of 5-10% across the tire lineup.
The nylon fibers of the bead-to-bead insert also have a flat profile, which reduces the amount of rubber needed to fill the gaps between fibers compared to traditional protection layers with round fibers. The increased fiber-to-rubber ratio should help to increase puncture resistance while the reduced rubber content minimizes weight and improves the liveliness of the tire due to decreased overall casing thickness. While SG2 is primarily a puncture protection layer, its tightly woven fibers also improve air retention, which prevents seeping at the sidewall and helps maintain pressure between rides.
“Rather than simply adding a layer of puncture protection to our 60tpi gravel tires and calling it good, we set out to increase durability while also improving ride quality and minimizing weight. Not willing to settle for anything less than optimal, we analyzed lab test data and put thousands of miles on a myriad of different casing and puncture protection configurations before we finalized our current specifications.”
WTB’s new protected SG2 gravel tires are available exclusively with black sidewalls with an MSRP of $69.95 each.
Learn more and get your own set at WTB.com
ENVE’s new HEX gravel tire promises all-around performance with fast-rolling efficiency and exceptional traction on mixed terrain. We dive into what's so unique about the hexagonal tread block design and why ENVE brought nano-particles to gravel tires.