WTB’s taken one of their longest standing XC mountain bike treads and morphed it into a gravel road bike tire.
The new Nano 40c uses big volume and small knobs to provide both traction and comfort, all without slowing things down in a straight line thanks to the consistent center tread profile. From WTB:
“The inspiration for this tire actually came directly from this show one year ago,” stated WTB’s Product Manager, Chris Feucht in reference to Frostbike 2013. “We were blown away by the number of requests we received for a gravel tire last year so we took a long, hard look at our tire line and decided to use the Nano tread pattern as a starting point. We wanted something that would appease racers due to its speed and light weight, yet also appeal to those wanting comfort over the long haul. By simplifying the pattern slightly, we’ve actually created a more durable tire while maintaining speed and the unique Nano handling characteristics, making for a winner.”
UPDATE: These two models at launch are standard casings. Tubeless-ready TCS versions are in development and will come later in the year.
Sponsored rider Jay Petervary has been testing it, and Mike Varley of Black Mountain Cycles and Sean Walling of Soulcraft (both in CA) provided input on the design. WTB will sponsor the Trans Iowa Gravel Race in late April and Petervary’s own Fall Gravel Backyard Pursuit to show off the new treads. Grind past the break for options and weights…
Nano 40c Race
- Folding Aramid bead
- Lightweight Casing
- DNA Rubber
- 470g
- $49.95
Nano 40c Comp
- Wire bead
- Durable Casing
- DNA Rubber
- weigh 550g
- $31.95
Both will be available in April 2014.
