Schwalbe

I've been running these tires (40mm) ever since they were introduced and have been very impressed with their performance and versatility. On tarmac, the unique center tread pattern is very fast and secure at high speeds. I often ride them on the road in late fall and early spring training rides.

On our "Cadillac" gravel in Chicago it is perfect for the crushed limestone trails. And even on more gnarly gravel, its side pattern provides enough grip to make those trails manageable (e.g., Driftless riding in NW Iowa, Unbound routes in Kansas).

I've found that the tires are quite sensitive to air pressure so you need to try different levels to dial in the perfect ride.

I didn't realize it, but I got 2,000 miles out of this tire all on the rear. If I rotated sooner I'd likely get more. Tire is supple and fast and does exactly what I want it to do here in Michigan. We don't have a lot of "chunk" so the gravel is smooth dirt with paved sections in between. Races are flat and fast and these provide enough confidence railing 90 degree corners. I run them on 19mm internal rims (despite what the industry tells me) and they pump up to 49mm. There isn't much road penalty as I've somehow taken some paved KOMs.

Picked up a a soft radial to use in PNW conditions. The radial design does what it promises - a very compliant tire but requires much more effort to get it off the ground compared to a standard casing. I still feel the side knobs need a redesign - they're a bit soft and highly siped and while they've not completely let go on me they don't inspire as much confidence as Maxxis or Continental tread patterns.

I shied away from tubeless for a LONG time. Didn't really get what the big deal would be, especially on a road bike. I recently built up a steel framed tourer for long distances on and off road. I went tubeless on that and it was an epiphany.

That experience made me rethink tubeless for my other bike; a Giant Contend AR3. Given that I ride the AR3 about 70% on road and 30% gravel, I decided to give these a try. Considering when I first got this bike, I road on teeth chattering 25mm tires pumped up to about 115 psi, it made sense that these would feel great. I had since moved onto 32mm running 70 psi, but the difference tubeless riding 48 psi front and 52 psi rear is immense.

They are very comfortable and forgiving over rough surfaces and I was shocked at how well they grip when cornering hard.

If you are on the fence about going tubeless, do it. And these tires won't let you down.