Since using the WTB Venture 50 TCS Tires that came with my Kona Sutra LTD, I have got to know how well they perform and what type of terrain they are best suited for. After testing them for over the last 6 months on a number of different types of roads I have come to a fairly conclusive summary.
So you are after a gravel tire for your gravel grinder? There are a number of different gravel tires on the market to choose from. When choosing the tire best for your gravel bike. First you must identify what type of gravel riding you will be doing and how often? For example, do you plan to ride loose gravel over 80% of your rides and tarmac the rest of the time? Or single track for 60% of the time and the rest gravel roads?
Having a fair idea for what type of terrain your ride will help choose your preferred tires. The Venture gravel tire from my own experience is best on fast and loose gravel roads while not slowing on tarmac. But the seem to underperform when riding up super steep mountain passes and really rough and rocky single track sections.
You may need to let some air out of the tires to climb steep and loose gravel sections. As these tires struggled to gain traction and spin out. Which was annoying at times. As my riding evolves I seem to be riding more MTB trails and singletracks. But also gravel and tarmac too. Which is why I am now opting for a MTB tire to get the job done.
But if you just need a tire for strictly gravel riding and tarmac. This tire is perfect! It is super fast. With very minimal rolling resistance on tarmac. I barely noticed any difference compared to road bike tires to be honest.
Due to the tires design you get a fairly well distributed tread pattern along the centre of the tire which helps with faster rolling. But you can also attack gravel corners with aggression and still stay on the bike without coming off. Thanks to the higher sidewall tread on the outside edge of the tire. Digging into the surface and gaining traction to propel you forward.
The 50 mm Ventures that I have on my bike also add extra suppleness to the overall ride. Reduction ride vibrations and allowing for some room to even get some air and land comfortably. Which is always some fun!
Honestly it feels like you are floating on clouds with the larger tire diameter when compared to smaller tires like 700c x 35 mm. The WTB tires have a all-terrain (wilderness trail bike) tread and a very wide tread pattern. Some users have said, they “ran them at 50 PSI while climbing a 9% graded dirt path. Over the 1.5km, I only had slips twice”. This is near their max recommended tire pressure. (So fairly pumped up.) And I can attest that I have experienced some similar occurrences.
I am very happy with how well that wilderness trail bike tread pattern is holding up. I have probably ridden a good 1,000 km on these tires. From a mix of fully geared out bikepacking gear on bike to just a casual ride on some local trails. And the tread seems to look rather new still.
If you are riding at 25 to 30 km/h with full tire pressure on tarmac roads it is perfect! Some have mentioned that bike control gets a little shaky, “above 45 km/h at 50 psi”.
So if you are hoping that these tires will turn your gravel bike into a mountain slaying beast. Sorry to break it to you but, that’s not happening. WTB do market these tires as “a truly set-it-and-forget-it gravel tyre for riders who demand traction across a wide variety of terrain.” However it didn’t take long for me to realise that they have their limits. And they lost traction when riding for example on wet and slightly muddy single tracks.
In dry, mixed terrain conditions they hold up very well. But if it is wet the tires struggle to perform well at all. They are attracted to mud, so much so. That you end up with clunky ‘mud’ tires in some really muddy conditions and deems the tires useless in such conditions. Even on wet tarmac roads riding with these tires should be done so with caution as it can be different at times to gain enough grip.
What about punctures? I have only run these tires with tubes and not set them up tubeless. Have had no real punctures. Okay I had one! But this was a hardcore minority. It was when riding the Vic Divide in 2020. With a few kilos of bikepacking gear and sending it down a extremely rocky single track section. I landed the front well, driving it hard into the sharpest rock on it’s condensed and hard corner. Puncturing the tube due to brute force.
Other than that nothing. No punctures riding on conditions that these tires are actually more suited for. Which is impressive! Making these tires good enough to stand up to the abuse a tire can expect on a ad-‘venture’. And they have stood up to just about everything I threw at it! And trust me I really pushed these tires to the extreme. Some of the Vic Divide route is hardcore and is actually a route recommended for only mountain bikes. But these ‘gravel’ tires still did a good enough job to get me to the finish.
So are these tires for you? In my opinion these are great if you are looking for a all-terrain gravel tire for your summer riding. If you plan to ride; gravel roads, tarmac and forest single track. They hold up very well for these types of terrain. And I highly recommend them for this.
But if you see more MTB trails and wet conditions in your riding. Then you might want to pass on these ones. But I am impressed with how long I have had them on my bike. As they just about service all my gravel riding needs.
WTB Venture 700 x 50
$53.95
Pros
- Fast rolling on gravel and tarmac
- Comfortable and supple
- Aesthetically appealing (especially in tan)
- Durable and puncture resistant
Cons
- Not so good in wet and muddy conditions
- Struggle to hold up on extreme MTB trails
About The Author
