Vittoria Terreno Dry Endurance

Vittoria Terreno Dry Endurance, the reinforced tyre for dry gravel.

Vittoria’s Terreno Dry Endurance tyres are, as the name implies, hard-wearing gravel tyres. If you want a gravel tyre that will keep you rolling on dry gravel trails, consider these. They are available in three widths for 700c tyres, 38, 40 and 44mm. There are also three sizes for 29ers and a 650b tyre, so that’s everyone sorted. I’ll be pairing a 38mm version with Vittoria’s Airliner Gravel insert, for the comfort and protection they offer.

120TPI carcass

Vittoria – and me – are hoping that the 120TPI nylon casing will “withstand the punishment of mixed-terrain cycling“. Nylon is a relatively durable material and using a high thread count keeps it supple while still strong. Weight for this tyre on my kitchen scales was 505g. There’s also a Lite version which weighs 450 for a 40mm tyre.

On top of the casing, the tread is made from rubber mixed with Graphene 1C. Vittoria says the Graphene “fills the gaps between rubber molecules, creating a reinforced structure that’s lighter, more efficient, and also more durable.” The Graphene also helps minimise rolling resistance and resists punctures better; is there no end to its abilities?

Fish Scale Tread

The tread pattern of the Terreno Dry Endurance is called Fish Scale. Apparently the design is meant to bridge the gap between file tread and low-profile knobs. The centre of the tread is filled with small hexagonal ‘scales’, that look good for dry riding. Vittoria say these are ‘ramped’ to reduce rolling resistance, while still having some bite for cornering and braking. Running my fingers over the tread the ramping is very subtle, so it will be interesting to see how they feel.

For cornering, there’s two rows of larger blocks that offer more grip. These come in two sizes, with the larger on the outside, so the grip should come in smoothly as you lean the bike over. Talking to other riders, they all remark how good the grip is, which is good news when heading out.

As I said I will be fitting Vittoria’s Airliners to these tyres, it makes a lot of sense when riding off-road. Being able to lower the pressure gives you more grip and a more comfortable ride. However that would then increase the chance of damaging your rims or getting a puncture. Putting an insert in will stop this and I’m a convert. Once the trails around here have started to dry out, I’ll take the Terreno Dry Endurance tyres out and let you know how they perform. Take a look at the Terreno Dry Endurance on Vittoria’s website.