Pardon the pun, but WTB has been on a roll developing really good gravel and all-road tires. The WTB Resolute builds on the success of the popular Horizon and Byway tires with a more aggressive tread pattern.
The Resolute is WTB’s all-condition gravel tire. The tread pattern features small, square knobs that are tightly spaced through the center to minimize rolling resistance with wide-set intermediate and sturdy side knobs to provide plenty of grip on loose and rocky terrain.
The shoulder knobs provide reassuring grip when leaning the bike through corners. Climbing and braking traction is similarly excellent. The square knobs grab and bite when hammering rocky climbs out of the saddle.
With the exception of the tightly-set center knobs, the Resolute’s tread blocks have plenty of room between them. As a result, the Resolute does a good job of evacuating mud, grass and sand.
The Resolute is available in the 700c size tested here as well as a 650b version. Both have a claimed width of 42mm. When mounted to my test wheelset with an internal rim width of 19.5mm, the Resolutes measured 43.5mm. They will balloon even further on many of today’s wider road and gravel rims.
Like many of the latest gravel treads, this bonus width is a double-edged sword — great if your frame has plenty of clearance, but a deal breaker if it doesn’t.
This pair of 700c Resolutes weighed in at approximately 450g per tire.
I set these tires set up tubeless with just a floor pump. The additional volume of the Resolutes meant I was able to run them at lower pressures than skinnier tires. I settled on running between 28–30psi, depending on the road and trail conditions.
The Resolute is a pure gravel tire, not an all-road tire. As such, it suffers from a bit of drag and hum on pavement but performs incredibly well on gravel and dirt.
If you’re looking for a tire that’s going to be ridden away from tarmac on gravel and even singletrack, the Resolute is a great option.
The Resolute is an outstanding all-condition gravel tire. It offers plenty of grip and has a casing that does a commendable job of balancing ride quality with durability. Its voluminous size will limit its use in some frames, but if it fits, it’s one of the best options available.
