Bontrager rolls out new mountain bike and gravel tires

After years with its numeric tire naming system, Bontrager is switching things up to roll out six new tires. There are all-new treads to go with the new names, too. Four mountain bike and two gravel tires carry names that tap into the legacy of the sport around the world, from Quebec to Italy.

Two cross country race tires are named for iconic venues on the World Cup circuit, Mont-Sainte-Anne and Vallnord. Two trail tires, Montrose and Gunnison, are named for famous riding areas.

On the gravel side there are two new treads. Girona for faster roads and the Betasso for more “aggressive” gravel.

While those names differentiate the different treads clearly, Bontrager is keeping us on our toes by changing how they note level and construction of tire. Both gravel and mountain bike fall in line with much of Bontrager and Trek’s naming for product level. Comp, Elite, Pro and RSL replace the outgoing Comp/Expert/Team Issue. Bontrager adds a new “XT” trail construction to the mountain bike line.

 

From Sainte-Anne to Montrosse: Bontrager re-writes mountain bike tire line

Bontrager’s refresh of its mountain bike tires focuses on the XC and trail end of its line. The new tires replace the XR1-4 range of the existing range. The gravity-focuses SE5 &SE6 remain unchanged for now. There are two cross country tires, the Sainte-Anne and the Vallnord. And two trail tires, the Gunnison and Montrose.

The new tires come in a 29×2.4″ width, with an additional 29×2.25″ option for the Sainte-Anne and a 27.5×2.4″ Gunnison for the mullet bikes out there.

Sainte-Anne

Replacing the XR2, Saitne-Anne uses a tread designed to suit the iconic Quebec World Cup venue. Perpetually wet rocks, technical course and endless roots requires a more versatile tire. The Sainte-Anne comes in either a 220 t.p.i. RSL casing or 60 t.p.i. Pro casing. Like the Vallnord, it comes with XR puncture protection, tubeless ready casing and the XC dual compound rubber.

Vallnord

Fast rolling for hardback conditions, the Vallnord comes in a 220 t.p.i. RSL casing. It adds XR puncture protection and tubules compatibility with a dual-compound rubber that uses a harder compound for the centre knobs for faster rolling and softer side lugs for more traction cornering. Bontrager says it drops weight versus the XR1 it replaces while improving puncture protection and cornering grip.

Montrose

For trail riding in hardpack or fast conditions, the Montrose focuses on mixing rolling speed with braking traction. It comes in a 120 t.p.i. RSL casing but upgrades to XT puncture protection, compared to the XR in the two cross country tires. It also uses a triple-compound trail rubber, with a medium centre tread, soft shoulder lugs and a harder, supportive base layer. Bontrager focuses on improving tread and sidewall puncture resistance over the XR3 Team Issue that the Gunnison RSL replaces, while bringing it close to the cornering capabilities of the XR4.

Gunnison

The all-rounder Gunnison tread comes in a range of casings and compounds to cover a broad range of conditions. It comes in RSL or Pro level, XT or XR puncture protection and dual compound or triple compound rubber and is tubeless compatible. The Gunnison’s large, widely-spaced lugs provide traction in a range of loose and mixed trail and weather conditions. A tire for when you don’t know where the ride will take you.

Gravel: From Italy to Colorado

Bontrager is keeping its gravel release comparatively straightforward. There are two tires. A fast tire for smoother surfaces and a tougher tire for venturing slightly further off-road.

Girona

The Girona replaces Bontrager’s GR1 tire. It aims to cover a range from hardpack to mixed conditions. It uses a very fast-rolling centre line with increasingly tall lugs as you move outward towards the shoulder. A dual compound rubber also shifts from hard to medium firmness as you move out from the centre. It features bead-to-bead puncture protection of its GR casing and is tubeless ready.

Bontrager offers the Girona in a Pro (60 t.p.i.) or RSL (220 t.p.i.) casing. There are also three sizes (35mm, 38mm and 42mm) and two colours (black and black/tan). Bontrager says the new tire is better in basically every way than the GR1.

Betasso

In contrast to the Girona, the Betasso covers a range of gravel conditions from mixed to loose and rough. Bontrager only offers an RSL Betasso, and in a wider range of three sizes: 42, 45mm and 50mm. It ups the protection, adding sub-tread puncture protection to the Bead-to-Bead layer. It uses a gravel dual compound rubber and is tubeless ready. It is, like the Girona RSL, available in black or black with tan sidewalls.

The full range of Bontrager tires are available from Trek and Trek dealers now.  The Pro-level tires are $70, while the treads go for $95. You can find out more about the gravel tires from Trek itself. The company also has some handy tips for choosing mountain bike tires.