Created as a collaboration with retailer Wester Bike Works, the new Vredestein Gran Fondo Tricomp took everything they liked about the “race” worth Fortezza Tricomp tires and made them a bit more durable and a bit more affordable.
According to their rep, the tires are based on the original Tricomp and use their 120tpi poly/cotton casing and Sportex Polyamide puncture protection layer. What’s different is the rubber on the outside, which “achieves the holy grail of tire design: A long-wearing tire with superior handling and cornering characteristics in both wet and dry conditions.” WBW says they and many of their customers were finding that even though the Fortezza version was considered a race tire, it was surprisingly durable…just expensive. So, this version leaned even more in the long-wearing direction and brought the cost down to about $65 per tire. As of this posting, they’re on sale for about $46.
Jump down for weights, details and pics…
The tread pattern uses a dotted center line and slants on the edges. The center section has a firmer, more durable compound and the shoulders are a bit grippier. Both are very shallow. It’s available in both 23c and 25c widths, and both are light:
The 700x25c tires we received to test came in at just 232g each. Claimed weight for the 23c is 226g. For a tire built to last, that’s respectable. We’re saving these for a pretty special bike that’s on its way, so check back later this fall for first impressions. In the meantime, you can nab your own exclusively at WBW.
