Gravel racing has spurred on the rapid development of the genre, with discipline-specific parts rolling off production lines at pace. And while there’s been a lot of focus on aero frames, wheels and clothing lately - it’s the gravel tyre that is fast becoming one of the most debated components on the bike.
After all, as the only contact point with the trail, skimping here can be one of the most costly mistakes you can make. Continental is no stranger to creating fast, plush rubber for all disciplines, and its latest Terra Competition is the German brand’s latest cheat code for off-road speed.
The dedicated gravel race tyre is another string to the Terra range bow, which already contains the Adventure, Trail, Speed and Hardpack.
Here is a tyre that’s designed to improve aerodynamics on various terrain, “built for riders who want to push the limits and blur the line between road cycling and gravel exploration”, according to the German brand.
Compared to the 35mm Terra Speed, the Competition in the same width and Race variant is almost 70 grams lighter and, according to Continental, reduces rolling resistance by 17%.
Its tread pattern is said to be optimised for “ rough tarmac, compressed soils, and light gravel in dry to moist conditions”, with a centre strip for straight line speed paired with shoulder knobs for off-road traction. While this makes it well suited for the ‘light gravel’ that many races take place on, it should also be a good fit for any all-road bike.
The Terra Competition comes with two casing options: Race and Trail. The Race casing is used alongside Continental’s Rapid compound, which is aimed at producing a tyre that accelerates quickly and delivers maximum speed. The Trail casing uses the Grip compound, which as the name suggests is best suited to off-road conditions that demand more traction and greater durability; the one-ply construction is said to offer improved compliance and puncture protection.
Both options use Continental’s famous BlackChilli compound and feature a textile breaker for protections against punctures. Each model is tubeless ready and compatible with hookless rims.
The 700c tyres are offered in three widths: 35mm, 40mm and 45mm. Claimed weights for the three sizes are 345g, 420g and 270g respectively.
Prices start at £59.30 / $76.26 per tyre.
