Continental Terra Speed Gravel Tires

On the Polygon Bend R5 gravel bike, the 1x13 speed Campagnolo Ekar groupset will be installed, along with a new wheelset. The stock wheelset is a 650b wheelset, while the new Fulcrum Rapid Red 300 wheelset is a 700c wheelset. In this case, the stock WTB Venture 47 tires in 650b size cannot be used as it is a different size.

This gives me the freedom to choose a brand new set of 700c gravel tires. As the Bend R5 frame can fit a 650x47 mm wide tire, I was very confident that it can also fit a 700x40c gravel tire. This is from my previous experience on the Cervelo Aspero, where I used both 700c and 650b wheelsets.

I have heard many good reviews of the Continental Terra Speed gravel tires, which is why I decided to try it myself. It is claimed to roll well on tarmac, yet has a knobbly pattern that grips well on loose dry gravel.

Continental Terra Speed TR, which stands for Tubeless Ready.

This variant has a 40 mm width, which is similar to the WTB Byway tires that I tried previously.

Recommended rim internal width and estimated tire circumference are shown.

This is the folding variant which saves quite a bit of weight over wire bead types. It is also easier to install onto the rim as the bead is more flexible.

This tread pattern has tightly spaced blocks along the centreline for reduced rolling resistance, and widely spaced knobs near the edges for better grip on rough terrain.

Weighs 451 grams per tire, which is a decent weight for a 40 mm wide gravel tire. Weight comes from the tubeless ready construction, and also the weight of the rubber blocks on the tread. Lighter tires will require puncture protection or grip to be sacrificed.

Looks good when mounted onto the Fulcrum Rapid Red 300 wheelset!

Pumps up nicely to a rounded shape, so that the knobs nearer the sides only come into play when cornering or on rough terrain.

Understated appearance, but this wheelset with these tires should perform really well on dry gravel.

At this point in time I had not tried the tires on a gravel ride, but I like how it looks. It also goes onto the rim fairly easily. Inner tubes were used at this point, as I did not want to commit to using sealant for a tubeless setup yet.

The next post, which is also the last post on the Campagnolo Ekar groupset on the Polygon Bend R5, will show the completed gravel bike and all the components on it.