Challenge

I've raced with Challenge tubular tires forever but decided to give these a shot. I can say that they ride very, very similarly to the tubular version. Honestly not sure I could tell the difference if I did a blind test.

Very grippy on grass (wet or dry) and less prone to fold-over like some tubular tires so cornering is very precise.

I did have one get a sidewall puncture from a rock strike that wouldn't seal. I ended up having to use an internal patch and relegate it to a training tire. Otherwise they seem to be fairly durable.

Like others have said these are *extremely* difficult to mount. I bought the Challenge tool and didn't think it was much help. Only way I could mount is using a Tyre Glider. With some patience and effort you can get them on. Overall way easier than gluing up a tubular. Once they're mounted, removing and remounting is WAY easier.

I just used these for a 240 mile gravel race with all the types of (dry) gravel. I had to slow down a lot to safely take turns, but it was worth it for the low rolling resistance on the straightaways. They're also nice and fast on the road, though slippery on wet pavement. I will be keeping them around for long rides in dry weather. I would not recommend them for races that require fast turns. If I could have these tires with side knobs for turning, they would be perfect.

Installation was difficult the first time due to the wire bead, but it was reasonable with two people and two tire levers. Subsequent removal and remounting was very easy.

Got these because I didn�t want to shell out 120$+ for gp5000s (the best road tire imo).

Compared to the gp5ks, the challenge Strada pro TLRs:

-Mount much easier

-Lose air rapidly (flat after a few days, needed to keep adding sealant every other week or so to get them to confidently hold air for a day of riding. I do ride 2 bikes though, so perhaps riding them more frequently would keep the sealant more distributed and thus keep the tire better sealed)

-Are true to their sizing (gps always end up being another 1-2mm bigger than advertised).

-Grip great, but I have yet to ride anything close to the the grip of the gp5ks- next level confidence. These are top notch, though. Zero issues/worries on corners and/or fast descents.

-puncture resistance is the same. I live in a city, so glass is common along with punctures that no tire could withstand.

-weird note, these leak some odd liquid after adding sealant. It�s not sealant, but it�s not water either. No clue what�s up with that. Unsure of any effects from it (maybe contributing to my need to add more sealant).

I�d pick gp5ks over these any day if priced similarly, but for 70ish a pop, these are just fine if you can deal with the quirks. The ease of mounting is pretty big though. Those gp5ks have put me in dark places mentally several times.

Yes, they are hard to mount, but not as hard as some here say. Took me 15 minutes to figure it out, and I am not very smart. The tire is supple, fast, and comfy. I used to ride Rene Herse tires (there is no comparable ride feel IMO...the extralights are simply amazing feelwise), but they were a pain to mount and always lost air over a day or two. I finally gave up on them. The Strada Bianca has most of the plusses and not nearly as many minuses. I think I have found my new favorite tire.