Rene Herse has today released its Humptulips Ridge tyre, an all-new 2.3in (54mm) wide 26in gravel tyre with a “dual-purpose” knobbly tread that the brand claims could give a new lease of life to classic mountains bikes.
The tyres have a widely-spaced blocky pattern that's consistent across the whole profile of the tyre, giving it a notably round profile.
According to Rene Herse, this makes for a tyre that “rolls as fast and corners as well as most slicks”. The same tread pattern is also used on some of the brand’s 650b and 700c tyres.
It adds that the tyres use a patented design that sees the layout of the knobs staggered such that, as they roll, “their frequencies cancel each other out”, resulting in a quiet ride that is “unlike any other knobbly tyre”. The pattern of the tyres is also claimed to shed mud and snow effectively.
As well as being an excellent candidate for those looking to convert their old mountain bikes to gravel duties, we reckon these could also find favour among the very smallest gravelistas where even 650b wheels can be too large.
The tyres are available in three different tubeless compatible casing options: standard (560g, $74), extra light (530g, $89) and endurance (560g, $89). All weights are claimed.
The tyres will ship from January 2021 and are available direct from Rene Herse Cycles or through its distributor network.
Oh, and for those wondering about where the name comes from, according to Rene Herse the tyres are named after the Humptulips ridge in the Olympic Mountains in Western Washington state, USA.
It says the name itself comes from a river that runs in the area and “is a Salish word that means ‘hard to pole’ – the river with its many logjams was difficult to navigate for the Salish in their canoes”.
Do you have a dormant 26er mountain bike that has been crying out for these tyres, ready to live its destiny as a do-it-all gravel wagon? Let us know in the comments.
