Two years ago, the term “gravel bike” had barely come into use; now, there’s nary a shop that hasn’t encountered – and even embraced – the category. Word of this “new” sport is spreading quickly among cyclists – from those whose friends are inviting them to their first gravel grinders, to those who are drawn to the appeal of a car-free riding experience that’s not hard-core mountain biking.
To go along with the explosion in gravel bikes, one of the fastest growing segments in bicycle sales currently, CST Tires has developed three gravel-worthy new products, the Detour, Convoy, Tirent tires, all of which were introduced at Interbike 2018 last month in Reno. These models join the CST Pika, a longstanding favorite. Read on for descriptions and availability information:
The CST Pika tire is a dirt road tire that’s built for the changing terrain of a weekend gravel tour, or even a commute. It features ramped center knobs and U-shaped shoulder knobs, the combination of which allow for fast, smooth forward riding and confidence and traction when turning. Available in 700×38 with a wire bead, the CST Pika is equipped with dual compound tread. It features CST’s Exceptional Puncture Safety (EPS) technology, which is a layer of poly-fiber material between the tread and casing that prevents objects from penetrating the casing to puncture the tube.
The newly launched CST Tirent is a 700x40c dirt and gravel tire designed in the most popular width for gravel riding. Based on CST’s B-Fast mountain bike tire and also equipped with dual compound tread, the Tirent is a performance-minded tire with a tread pattern that offers low rolling resistance for enhanced speed. Its shoulder knobs are spaced apart more widely for traction. The Tirent has a wire bead and it also features CST’s EPS technology.
Coming to market in early 2019, the brand new CST Detour tire is great for hard-packed dirt roads and pathways. It’s a fast-rolling, high-volume and lightweight tire that’s a perfect complement to a commuter or gravel bicycle. A reflective sidewall stripe helps make the rider more visible and ensures greater safety in low light conditions. The Detour, offered in 700x38c sizing, also features wire bead and dual compound tread. The tread pattern is great for traction in wet conditions, whether riding on dirt, grass, or pavement.
Finally, the CST Convoy tire rounds out the 2019 offerings from CST. The Convoy is a tire that’s engineered for the new generation of versatile all-road and gravel bikes and it has optimized tread across three different widths: 32, 38, and 50c. The tread pattern has evenly spaced knobs for a consistent and connected feel in a range of conditions from “kitty litter” gravel to chunky stone. As with its gravel siblings, the Convoy tire features a wire bead and CST’s EPS technology.
CST Tires are available from all major bike shop distributors. The Detour, Convoy, Pika and Tirent are a low-cost and high-impact tire solution for your gravel-riding customers.