chaadster

While very many will see the title of this thread and think there is nothing interesting about a bicycle tire whatsoever, given the amount of tire talk that goes on across the forum, I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one entertaining something of a rubber fetish. For those who relish the aroma of a fresh tire or enjoy the tender tickle of vent spews, this thread is for you.

While it’s pretty much true that I buy new tires just for the sake of getting new tires, I do also try to understand the components which make one tire better suited for my needs and make informed buying decisions. Most recently, after agonizing over tread patterns for days in an effort to find the perfect winter tire for my gravel bike, I settled on Ultradynamico Rosés. I of course wanted some tread blocks for extra stability and traction in slick mud and packed snow, but I also wanted a tire that’d roll dry pavement decently since I’m neither on dirt nor snow and mud all that much during the winter.

One thing about them which I didn’t realize until I actually got them in hands is what seems a clever little design feature to reduce rolling drag: the leading tip of the delta blocks in the center are drop-pointed! That is to say, when the delta blocks are oriented to point in the direction of travel, the pointed tip of the block is lower the center or trailing edge of the block. I assume that smoothes the contact patch transition from off one block and up onto another. Maybe it also reduces buzzing and vibration for the same reason.

I haven’t ridden them yet and dunno what the feature is for or whether it works or not, but it does keep my mind engaged as I sit here huffing the outgassing rubber.



Ultradynamico Rosé drop-point center blocks detail

Koyote

For a minute, I thought I had wandered into the wrong forum again.

But seriously, I would have a hard time buying tires from these guys. Just a little too twee for me.

veganbikes

But the Continental people look so angry "buy my tires or I will kill you".

ThermionicScott 

Interesting observation! I wonder if the arrow points in the tread might have been full-height in the prototypes, but made the tire feel squirmy.

Their ad copy for the similar "Mars" tire calls it a "Continuous ramped center delta for a fast roll when propelled, and confident braking traction when modulated"



Yes, they be hipsters, but they're having a lot of fun with bikes.

bargo68 

I would never buy tires from guys who look like an England Dan and John Ford Coley cover band.

Or maybe I would......

canklecat

Helga and Gertrude are totally judging you.

They hand make my GP Classics personally for me. With those aprons and scowls I trust them to make sturdy, technically correct Teutonic tires. If I ever visit the Nurburgring for a cycling event, this is the appropriate tire.

Rolla

Darth Lefty 

On a Minion DHF/DHR2 combo the ramps are in opposite direction front and rear so the rear bites in pedaling and the front bites in braking

chaadster

These are not direction-indicated, so it would be the same if one just flips the rear tire orientation, no?

TiHabanero

Honestly, there is nothing new about the slopped front of the center knobs. Been around for a long time. The tires look as though they will be fine for most snow and dirt conditions. Have fun on them!

chaadster

I’m not surprised if that’s true; I’ve been out of the knobby game for almost two decades!

Which examples would you point to? It can be hard to tell from pictures; as I said, I didn’t even realize these were built that way until I saw them in person.

TiHabanero

Small Block Eight is the first one that comes to mind. Specialized has them, too along with many others.

prj71

I don't smell my tires and they don't tickle me in all the wrong places.

Weirdo.

chaadster

Yes, I see! The execution is quite a bit different on the Small Block 8, isn’t it, with a much steeper, more abrupt ramped transition from the casing to the knob. I wonder if the effect is then diffferent; perhaps on the Kenda the ramp is more to stabilize the block rather than the ramp reducing rolling resistance?

Neat stuff, in any case! I think it’s so interesting how tires feel and perform differently depending on their design and construction, even in the world of relatively similar looking road slicks!

chaadster

[creepy sneer] At least, mine is a victimless perversion. [/creepy sneer]

ThermionicScott 

There's no wrong places to be tickled by a tire in this thread.

freetors

Not, they're not. Not unless you are actually running one of them backwards from it's marked orientation. Both of those tires have the ramps on the leading edges to help them roll a bit faster, which comes at the expense of climbing traction.

gringomojado

When outgassing stops, it is time for new tires!
gm

Hiro11

Most any MTB tire has ramped knobs these days.

I'll bet these tires are made by Panaracer like Compass/Rene Herse, Soma and (formerly) Rivendell tires. I'll also bet they're pretty good, like those tires.

Having said that, I really can't stand that Ultraromance guy. He's painfully pretentious and self-important in social media and interviews. Also,he stole his entire style from Rivendell.

tyrion

I smell the tires.

Darth Lefty 

You are right. I was thinking of the siping. Here is a cookie.