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SEVEN DAY CYCLIST
CYCLING, BUT NOT USUALLY RACING
LATEST UPDATE: NOVEMBER 18th
HOW DO WE DECIDE OUR OVERALL RATINGS FOR PRODUCTS WE REVIEW?
WTB Nano TCS Tyre
700x40c 499g each £60
The WTB Nano TCS Tyre is their faster rolling, tubeless ready model. One that WTB market as “an endurance racing and touring tyre blending speed with efficiency”. Once upon a time dual purpose meant the worst of both worlds, but 600 mixed terrain miles down the line, I’m inclined to say they meet the design brief, doing a decent job in both contexts. That said, their 50psi maximum means there’ll be a little slower over metalled road compared to some.
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Pros: Reliable performance on all surfaces, compliant ride quality, tubeless compatible, competitively priced, good puncture resistance.
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Cons: Greater rolling resistance than some over metalled roads, limited choice of sizes, seem vulnerable to hedge-clippings.
Specification
These are a 60tpi folding, tubeless ready, dual compound model which follows the cross-county mountain bike tyre in gravel size narrative. A stiff compound runs the centre strip and is designed for rapid progress on hard surfaces, the softer shoulders to provide traction when cornering on loose surfaces. Continuing this narrative, the centre strip follows a uniformly spaced raised V pattern, which WTB says minimises rolling resistance, while their relatively tall profile is designed to provide bite.
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Pressure range is what I’ve come to expect from tubeless ready designs- 25 to 50psi, which gives plenty of scope for most conditions. Greater traction when climbing off road is an obvious benefit but also bodes well for icy and generally dicey winter roads. Ours were the gravel typical 40mm, which in my view is a sensible default (although some may prefer something narrower, others a little portlier). There’s also a 29 x2.1 version. Oh, and if you’re on a tight budget, there’s a 30tpi base model for £35.
Test bikes/contexts
A bit of a no brainer choosing “Denise”, my gravel build . A good thousand miles down the line, I’ve concluded 40, or 42mm strikes the best balance of compliance, speed and mud clearance. Sure, I could technically whack bigger rubber in but doing so would present clearances hassles, especially with the SQR Tour en tow.
For the first three hundred miles, I paired ours with a 40mm Maxxis Ravager, another tubeless ready mtb to gravel model promising much the same characteristics and performance. The Ravager have a slightly higher operating pressure (30-60psi), but I ran both tyres like-for-like to get the fairest view.
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Ours have been tested between May and July. I’ve gone the tubed route, because it’s my preference and alternated between butyl and TPU types. Fitting was straightforward but more stubborn than the Maxxis Ravager. The tight beads bode well for tubeless setups but proved stubborn in tubed format with a deep 31mm. While it’s possible to persuade them aboard with a couple of long handled resin tyre levers, this Crank Brothers Speedier Tyre Lever makes this infinitely easier.
Ride Quality/Handling 3.75/5
From the outset, the WTB have given a very plush, compliant ride, even at their 50psi maximum, although on tarmac, they’ve proved a little slower on the uptake, pitted against the Maxxis, run at comparable pressures. Get them up to speed there’s no buzz, or whirr of the sort associated with cross country mtb rubber, nor do they require much effort to keep them on the boil. I’ve had no issues cruising for 2 hours plus, solidly traversing country lanes at a steady 17-18mph.
Blind bends with overgrown foliage being the only reasons I didn’t press harder. However, turn the cranks in anger-I was up to 23, 24 refreshingly quickly. Welcome traits, especially on rides where there’s road work to do before hitting the unmade stuff. Hit the dirt and a more spirited, yet predictable persona kicks in.
Quick along the singletrack, the side knobs also offer plenty of bite and crucially feedback- never felt as if I’d go rubber up, or indeed coax them offline at 25mph. Compliance, even allowing for Denise’s elastomer seat post and a tubed setup has been close to magic carpet territory along rutted bridlepath and pock marked sections and the grip, even at 50psi has been much better than I was expecting.
Like for like, the Maxxis Ravager cut a slightly quicker dash through the gloop True to genre, along boggy bridlepath, the centre strip has filled with mud, but the side knobs were still doing their thing, and both shed impacted mud and dung with surprising efficiency when I’ve hit a relatively firm, dry section. Dropping the pressures to 30 will buy some extra comfort and more significantly grip, say on a slippery climb, descent or rogue tree root and could be a godsend in the middle of winter.
Especially when ice is thrown into the mix but again, during our test, I’ve never felt any loss of traction with a sprightlier 40-45psi inside. In tubed guise at least, this was the sweet spot for mixed terrain duties. At 30psi and tarmac bound for a few miles, though there wasn’t any hint of squirm (even when trying to cajole it) the rolling resistance was palpably higher, although nothing I couldn’t live with, say following a roadside, mini pump recovery several miles from base.
Characteristics that also lend them to general winter riding - say on an adventure tourer with the suitable clearances, or indeed a gravel build thar earns its keep as a commuter cum trainer during the week. At 45-50psi, the WTB’s characteristics are well suited to the concrete jungle, ironing out the inevitable lumps and bumps that we miss from to time. Similarly, passage across wet ironworks, such as railway crossings and inspection covers were similarly dependable, reinforcing the all-terrain and extended touring narrative.
Puncture Resistance/Durability 3.75/5
Allowing for the fact we’ve not been in hedge cutting season and have only done 600 miles, I wasn’t surprised by being puncture free, regardless of riding contexts. I’ve done a fair few urban miles too and haven’t rushed to brush the casings, having ridden through shards of glass and similarly rogue sharps at junctions, along shared use paths etc.
No cuts, or similar damage either but anecdotally, aside from finding that nail or hole with your name on it, I’ve found better quality rubber holds its own to at least 1200 miles before the odd flint or similar claims its first flat.
During this phase, I’ve deliberately left mud, dung and similar impacted detritus in situ to see if this would trap stones, flints and similar. Then along came clipping season and with it, three flats-all caused by razor sharp thorns.
Value
£60 is competitive by genre standards, although there are a few popular models for similar money and available in a wider range of sizes. The Maxxis Ravager is arguably the closest comparator and has a slightly higher-pressure range, making for slightly swifter acceleration and rolling resistance over asphalt.
Puncture resistance comes courtesy of the marque’s silk shield, designed to offer defence against sharps without overly tempering the ride quality. It also shares the downside-only being available in 40mm section.
Panaracer Gravel Kings are something of an icon, some might say institution in gravel circles. £64.99 is a few pounds dearer but these are 127tpi, tubeless ready and available in 30, 40 and 45c, which caters for everything from older touring bikes being repurposed, more traditional cyclo crossers and of course gravel/adventure audiences.
£65.99 buys Pirelli Cinturato Gravel Classic. This is another model designed to perform universally well in hard, loose and muddy contexts. They’re another tubeless ready model, with a slightly higher specification (127tpi) and available in a wider range of sizes (35,40 and 45c) which may entice a wider audience.
However, on paper at least, Specialized Tracer Pro 2Bliss and Pathfinder could give the Nano a good run for your hard earned-both are £45 The Tracer is technically closer to a cyclo cross tyre in DNA, which may suit those with tighter clearances. They’re a 60tpi tubeless ready model designed with 20% road and 80% dirt duties and available in 700x33, 700x37, 700x38 and 700x42c.
The Pathfinder Pro 2Blis is another tubeless ready model designed with 50/50 road and trail duties, which is arguably closest to the WTB Nano. However, the Pathfinder are 120tpi available in a wider choice of sizes than the Nano – 32, 38, 42 and 47c in 700 and a 650bx47. There’s also a choice of black, or tan walls. Halo GXC Gravel 700c £59.99 (reduced to £47.99) are another multi surface 60tpi casing designed for four seasons riding. The tread pattern follows a similar narrative to the WTB Nano, the Maxxis Ravager and others discussed here. However, they’re only available in 38 or 42mm.
Summary
The WTB Nano TCS are another very competent and capable gravel tyre that perform very well on all surfaces. In common with this genre, there are some compromises. They are slightly slower over tarmac than others I’ve tested and run long term, which, I attribute to their supple casings and lower operating pressure. This wasn’t a deal breaker for me, given their sprightly, yet highly dependable off-road character, but could be a consideration if you’re doing a lot of tarmac miles too.
I’d cautiously agree with WTB’s assertions of their touring credentials, too but think bike packing or other lightweight/weekend genres, not kitchen sink. Again, where frame clearances allowed, their compliant, grippy and relatively quick personas means they’ll double as reliable, engaging choices for adventure touring, or gravel cum commuter builds that serve year-round.
Verdict: 3.75/5 Capable tyres for mixed terrain duties but single size may be a turn off.
Michael Stenning
PUBLISHED OCTOBER 2024
