Issue #015 Review

WTB Venture Road TCS in review

Not exactly a promising start: the second-heaviest tire in our test didn’t impress with its rolling resistance or puncture resistance in our lab test. Does the WTB Venture Road TCS turn it around in our practical testing?

WTB Venture Road TCS | 542 g | € 54.95 | Manufacturer website

The WTB Venture doesn’t just feel slow. According to our rolling resistance test, it is. Acceleration is okay but this gravel tire remains the slowest and most tiring tire in our group. If you like to cover large distances on easier terrain on your gravel bike or use it for a swift commute, you should look for a different tire. However, in corners, the Venture shows what it’s capable of. It’s the only tire that lets you generate more grip as you start to slide out by actively weighting it. The massive shoulder knobs make it the downhill tire of the gravel world and will offer gravel newbies lots of confidence on descents that they haven’t previously dared to venture down. The WTB tire also brakes powerfully and slows you down securely without losing traction, regardless of the terrain you are on. No other tire in our test offered the same feeling of security on descents as the WTB Venture Road TCS. In contrast, its damping felt a little too linear. Lower the pressure to increase comfort and the tire will bottom out quickly, basically guaranteeing your first puncture.

Conclusion

The WTB Venture Road TCS is a tire with character and soul and a great choice for riders with a dropper post on their gravel bike. Downhill, you’ll be able to let it rip! Apart from that, don’t expect to be travelling quickly, as the high rolling resistance means you’ll be travelling at a relatively leisurely pace.

Tops

  • massive amounts of cornering grip
  • good braking performance

Flops

  • rolls slowly
  • limited comfort

Made in China | Tested size 40-622 | Tire width in mm¹ 36.3 | Tire height in mm¹ 33.6 | Tire height + test rim in mm² 57.6 | Weight 542 g | Price € 54.95
1 messured dimension with 2.5 bar. 2 Test rim: Stan’s NOTUBES Grail 622 x 20.3 C (Rim height 24.5 mm)


For more information head to:

In our introduction of the best gravel tire on test you can’t just find our most interesting findings and our overall conclusion, but a good view on all tires tested.

All tires on review: Continental Terra Speed (click for review) | Continental Terra Trail (click for review) | MAXXIS Rambler SilkShield TR (click for review) | Panaracer GravelKing SK (click for review) | Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H (click for review) | Schwalbe G-One Allround Evolution (click for review) | Schwalbe G-One Bite Evolution (click for review) | Specialized Pathfinder Pro (click for review) | Teravail Cannonball Light & Supple (click for review) | Vittoria Terreno Dry (click for review) | WTB Riddler TCS Light/Fast Rolling (click for review) | WTB Venture Road TCS (click for review)


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Words & Photos: Benjamin Topf, Philipp Schwab