For a just the next week only, Challenge is making their extra-supple Pro-only Red Team Edition cyclocross tubulars available to any cross racer looking to up their tire game this winter. We’ve long known Challenge’s handmade cyclocross tires to offer some of the best low pressure grip on the market, while balancing multiple season durability and without quite veering into the crazy high price of most EU-handmade tires.
And while tubeless now rules for most mixed terrain mountain, gravel & even road riding, CX pros still rely on tubulars for the ability to run insanely low pressures, like the <20psi The Wyman Method taught us about setting up Challenge tubulars…
Challenge Pro-only Team Edition cyclocross tubulars, now available
Until now you needed to be one of Challenge’s sponsored professional racers to get ahold of their special extra-supple Red Team Edition tires, like these on Bombtrack–Hunt pro Gosse van de Meer’s World Cup race bike. But in the spirit of the holidays (and probably also the late & abbreviated CX race season where pros haven’t blown through as many tires this year)… Challenge is making them available to anyone who wants to glue up some extra grip.
The trick, the TE Red tubulars are only available from now until December 17, direct from Challenge.
What’s new, and what’s so special?
We’ve seen Challenge offer red mountain bike tubulars in the past, but the color itself isn’t going to make you faster – although arguably cooler. These new TE (Team Edition) tubulars feature a new S³ 350tpi sealed corespun cotton casing, with a 10% finer construction than their previous cotton TE tubulars I reviewed a few seasons ago.
The red coating is a waterproof bead-to-bead coating they apply to the cotton in the factory, to extend the life & looks of the tires, even racing in wet, muddy conditions and pressure washing your bikes. There is a non-pro clear TE version too, once these are gone.
Challenge Red TE cross tubulars – Pricing & availability
The $115 / 100€ limited edition Challenge TE Red CX tubulars are available in six tread patterns to suit racing in all-conditions, with Soft durometer natural rubber.
Pick from the classic all-conditions Grifo, the happy medium Baby Limus (my personal favorite for wet, grassy riding), the full mudder Limus.
Or choose file-treads for faster, drier conditions, like the aggressive sidewall Chicane, square-side knobbed Dune (my choice for mixed grass, sand & snowy racing), or the sand-specific Koksijde.
All are available only in UCI-friendly 700c x 33mm with seamless latex tubes sewn inside, and a PPS puncture protection strip under the tread. Order now to get decked out in red for the holidays and your Kerstperiode racing.
