Vittoria Terreno Zero gravel tyre launched

You don’t need me to tell you that gravel, adventure and allroad is the biggest trend in cycling right now, with more new bikes and products being launched than we can shake a stick at. The latest new product is Vittoria’s very first tyre developed for this market, the new Terreno Zero.

Vittoria has pulled expertise from its cyclocross and mountain bike tyre ranges into its first dedicated gravel tyre. Vittoria proudly tells us the “Terreno Zero has been designed treasuring the experience and technology of Vittoria cyclocross range Terreno - which encompasses Terreno Dry, Terreno Mix and Terreno Wet models - but adapted in order to match gravel usage requirements.”

Looking at the tyre more closely it’s clear it has opted to design a tyre that is going to deliver good rolling speed on the tarmac and hardpack roads and trails, with angular shoulder knobs for cornering grip in the loose. It’s clear it’s aimed at people who ride a lot of road and a little bit of gravel.

- 16 of the best gravel and adventure tyres — 30mm+ tyres for go-anywhere riding

The transition between the smooth centre section and the hexagon-shaped blocks is quite dramatic; it’ll be interesting to see how that feels when you lean the bike over in the corners.

The tyre is made from the graphene compound the company developed a few years ago for its road tyres. Vittoria reminds us that the compound provides improved “speed, grip, durability and puncture resistance” but we’ll be the judge of that when we get our hands on a pair for testing.

It’s available in a tubeless-ready version using Vittoria’s TNT (Tube/No Tube) technology used on its mountain bike tyres, with a 120 TPI nylon casing construction which is reinforced to provide additional puncture resistance and durability.

Vittoria is being conservative with the size range, with a choice of a 700x37mm or 650x47mm to choose from. It’s a shame there’s not a 40 or 42mm option for 700c wheels as that is the real sweet spot for gravel and adventure riding in my opinion, and there’s a lot of good choice at the moment. Pricing is the same for each, €48.95.

Don’t rush to the shops just yet, the new tyre isn’t available until 15th October. More at www.vittoria.com/eu/gravel-tyres