Anyone running them? I have a new set of Conti Terra Speed 45m but I’m heading toward a race with lots of sand and some chunk. Looking at a set of 50 mm Terra TLR which apparently fit well in a Crux. Sounds like width ends up being 48 mm on 25 id whereas Conti Terra Speed are more like 44…
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I would also like to know. As a die hard of the old Pathfinder Pro 42’s who wants a MTB tire but cant fit it, the 50m looks interesting.
Well I went and got some Terra TLR and slapped em on my Terra CLX ii and they inflate to 48 mm. Seeing reports they stretch to almost 50. Chain stays will be tight. They feel faster rolling than the Rene Herse Manatash Ridge 44c and Gravel King SK 43c I’ve used lately. Handling feels different and bike feels taller.
I tried a 2.1 up front (fast track) and a 42 out back. It could not corner. Same problem or was it just cause mine was a frankin bike that had way to slack a head angle? Also what wheels are you running for internal rim width?
Roval Terra CLXii, 25 mm id
I just mounted up 50c Tracer on Reserve 40/44 GR rims and they measure 49mm. Honestly so far (albeit only two rides in) they feel amazing. I was a die hard pathfinder fan and that’s all I ran. I did like the Cont Terra speed for awhile but realize how harsh of a ride they were now after trying Tracer and Pathfinder 47s. Anyway I’m racing 75 miles on them and will report back but so far so good. S
Also I ride a crux and this is curing my desire to go by a bike with 2.1+ clearance (for now…)
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Are you riding the wild horse? I wanted tracer but could only find Terra in SLC. They feel pretty fast though…
From the race reports I’ve seen, the Specialized team riders seem to be picking the Tracer over the new Pathfinder for most of the gravel races, so it seems they have confidence in them. I think Beers was on Pathfinders for BWR Cali, but back on the Tracer for Traka.
Yeah good to know. Also cool picture. I am soo ready for them to update the Crux into a gravel SL8 cause why not? I recon an SL8 with 2.2 in tire clearance would be a killer of a bike if not just kinda cool.
Yall think the center of the pathfinder is still faster? I almost think its what adds to puncture protection. Makes the main part you roll on a solid thicker piece of rubber.
I think there are tons of gravel SL8 on the market already. Crux should stay light, snappy, and simple.
Where are the said Gravel SL8’s? I would defiantly consider it as my next bike if the tire clearance was reasonable (does not need to be able to fit 2.2) and was aero
Oh I don’t know, any of the infinite array of integrated front end, aero gravel bikes on the market? Super 6/x, Grail, Mog. Here’s a CN article with about a dozen:
I think the crux geo could change ever so slightly to work better with bigger tires and handle steep descents. From my one ride on the 50c id say the handling is blunted. It is a cross bike still, after all. But it works great with 42-45mm, and I’d hate for it to lose its all-arounder characteristics; it’s just such a great road bike with its light weight and sharp handling, and “gravel” is really “all road” for most ppl I think. 2.2 are cool these days if you want to go really fast on the rough but I’m not sure it makes a huge difference for the every day rider to go much bigger than 45.
Ended up ordering 45 Tracers today to replace a cracked Caracal. I’ll run the Caracals for smoother stuff, but as fast as they roll, they just don’t have the grip on loose surfaces.
Yeah it could definitely affect your bikes handling. That big difference in size front to back will slacken your HA while also increasing your front wheel/tire diameter. Both of those independently will increase your bike’s trail but both together will have an additive affect and even further increase your trail.
Increased trail == slower, more MTB-like handling
What do you the net effect on handling is from increasing both tire sizes? Have only done one ride on the new set up; about 6 miles of chunky dirt road, about 15 miles of pavement, and about 35 miles of flat or ascending rail trail with some kitty litter but no real need for bike handling. So not really a great test; not sure if it’s geometry-related or if it’s just the Terra TLR tread is not nearly as grippy as gravel king or Rene Herse…
Not sure if wild horse is a race or if you are asking if i ride horseback lol… but no I didn’t not race that..it was a local Midwest race
Also I had back to back races this weekend of 75mi and 100mi (silly on my part I am exhausted) and I can unequivocally say the 50C Tracers are awesome! I don’t think its a coincidence mostly Specizlied athletes are running these (and winning). If the gravel is chunky I can def see myself con’t to opt for these over the Pathfinders. They fit in the Crux too (running Reserve 40/44 GR with 27mm internal) and measure ~49-50MM. Would put a 45MM in back if muddy but no frame rub that I can see occurred this weekend. They felt great and I was following a guy with Thunderburts down some chunky descents and was passing him. Might have just been difference in skill but I felt very confident on the Tracers. They felt pretty quick on paved sections too. Overall I can honestly say I am no longer searching for a gravel bike that can clear 50mm+ after this. My next frame will absolutely be able to clear 2.2s but I will happily wait until the market catches up and we have more options that are reasonably priced (ie. not ENVE/Allied)
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I mean it’s hard to say exactly what the difference would be. But it would likely be less of a difference than just changing the front because your HA would largely stay the same if you change both. But you would also raise your BB a bit more by changing both. So that would raise your CG a bit and affect handling.
Yeah also hard to say. I haven’t ridden either the Rene Herse’s or the new Specialized but purely based on looks the Spec is much lower profile tread which theoretically wouldn’t turn as well on gravel. But in a more ‘slippy’ way vs the ‘difficult to turn’ way of the geo changes.