Home > Bike Types > Gravel Bikes

Donnelly EMP gravel tire now shipping, ready for gnarly roads

donnelly EMP gravel road bike tire with knobby tread pattern for loose over hard conditions
7 Comments
Support us! Bikerumor may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

First shown as a prototype at Interbike, the new Donnelly EMP gravel road bike tire is officially shipping. Named after Emporia, Kansas, it’s a nod to that area’s explosive gravel cycling scene and the Dirty Kanza event.

The tire is their most aggressive tread pattern yet (for gravel, anyway) and features a full but small knob grid across the majority of the top surface. The sides are bolstered with taller, longer cornering knobs to prevent washing out in the turns. The design is a blend of their MSO (center knobs) and BOS (side knobs), combined to give it more bite in any direction.

donnelly EMP gravel road bike tire with knobby tread pattern for loose over hard conditions
All photos ©Donnelly Cycling.

donnelly EMP gravel tire weights and widths specs

Underneath that tread cap is a puncture protection layer, too. The EMP is available now in 700×38 tubeless ready ($72) and 60tpi folding bead ($47) versions. Claimed weights are 484g for tubeless, and 460g for the regular version. Next spring, they’ll add 700×45 sizes for both versions, too.

DonnellyCycling.com

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

7 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
arp
arp
5 years ago

This looks like a good option for dry, loose conditions. Mud, maybe not it’s thing. I’m surprised they didn’t also release this in a 650b version. Most of Donnelly’s other tires are offered in that size. Maybe that is still to come.

Noah
Noah
5 years ago
Reply to  arp

I emailed them about it earlier this year, and they said they didn’t have any plans in the works for a 650b. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Dinger
Dinger
5 years ago
Reply to  arp

650b is dwindling rapidly, now that there are gravel frames that clear larger 700c tires and makers like Donnelly, Terene, Bontrager, Panaracer and others are offering lots of choices in 700 x 38-45c. It’s playing out in a similar way to how it did in MTB. Riders have figured out that the larger wheel diameter is faster.

Rob Holloway
Rob Holloway
5 years ago

what do people think of their gravel frameset?

MGK
MGK
5 years ago

He hooked me up with some tires after my Clement’s failed me. Great customer service, called me himself. The company was just purchased and rebranding/building Donnelly.
I’ve got lots of miles on these gravel tires set up tubeless, ZERO problems! I’d easily purchase another set.

TheStansMonster
TheStansMonster
5 years ago

Hopeful for a 33c version of these – they look like they would be a way better option than the LAS as a low profile CX tire, or at least fill a gap between the LAS and MXP

SeeSeenYour
5 years ago

The side knobs aren’t defined enough for CX racing. Also, this tire wouldn’t shed anything from it’s tread.

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.