How can you make tyres sound or seem exciting? I mean, it’s a black rubbery substance that wraps itself around your bike rim and gets you to where you need to go. Well, for the last 30 years, Bontrager and Trek have been working hand on bar in developing tyres (other parts too) and Trek bicycles. This has seen both companies develop tyres around newcomers, trail seekers and racers and now in recent times we see both companies draw a circle around “enthusiast”.
I’ve often asked myself the question, “how did I ever become an automotive enthusiast”? It’s a tough one to think about, but an enthusiast is born through a deep sense of passion, interest, or excitement towards a particular subject, activity or even brand. Usually, we get sucked into becoming one through personal experiences, exposure to new information, or even a desire to learn and grow. From what I see, this is exactly what Bontrager is aiming to do with a simple tyre range rename. It’s simple, but it works.
I don’t know about you, but for me, remembering something that is linked to a location, history or an event has always helped me remember a product or vehicle insanely—letters, abbreviations or both mixed with numbers have never felt right in my book or at least have never left a lasting impression. Coming from the motorcycle world, I’m used to hearing Trailmax, Rosso Corsa, Karoo, Sportsmart, etc, each tyre that I’ve just named represents a different manufacturer and class of bike, but it’s so simple to remember and easy to place into a category. It might not seem natural at first and may require some understanding, maybe even a Google or a sales guy to give you the lowdown, but with Bontrager being a brand that’s trying to grow enthusiasts through their products, I say well done and finally.
So, what names, compounds and classes can you expect from Bontrager’s latest range?
This year, we see six new names from Bontrager: Vallnord, Sainte-Anne, Montrose, Gunnison, Brevard and Galbraith. For the Bontrager riders, this might sound a little overwhelming, so let me try and break it down for you. The Vallnord replaces the XR1, Sainte-Anne replaces the XR2, Montrose replaces the XR3, Gunnison replaces the XR4/SE4, Brevard replaces the XR5/SE5, and Galbraith replaces the SE6.
For those looking for an affordable fast roller, the Vallnord is a good tyre for hard-packed conditions where grip isn’t really the primary focus, but rather speed and acceleration. You’ll find these tyres fit the more entry-level rider and bike, where the local trail down the road is calling your name.
The Sainte-Anne is a great fast roller for mixed conditions, making it a good all-rounder for those who don’t want to swap out for those rained out or badly maintained routes. It’s still not a Montrose in its grip levels and not as hardcore in its construction and puncture prevention, but it’s lighter and nowhere near being an overkill tyre for a simple or longer ride. In my opinion, without testing the Vallnord, I would say the Sainte-Anne will suit most SA bike trails best.
A good tyre in Bontrager’s lineup that sits right in the middle of their fast rollers and hard gripping tyres is the trail-ready Montrose. The Montrose is a tyre I would probably spend most of my riding with, enough grip for fast technical hard-packed riding and enough rolling resistance to not tire myself out on a longer ride. It also looks to have a more playful nature, where you can purposely lose grip for a quicker change in direction.
Also in the middle of it all, when it comes to versatility, but leaning more so towards harder trail and lighter style enduro riding and grip, is the Gunnison. For fast free riding and for those short blast XC races where the terrain gets rutty, rocky and muddy, the Gunnison is right at home, but then still good on the smooth and dry. The Gunnison is a tyre that’s ready for a full day’s ride as well as a full day’s abuse. I’d even say it’s almost worth going for the Gunnison over the Montrose if you are searching for grip and are willing to pay the price of losing some speed on the flats for the extra hard-charging grip.
Lastly, we see the Brevard and Galbraith, which are the enduro riders’ best friends and offer the ultimate grip and sidewall protection in Bontrager’s lineup. The Brevard has all-around trail tread for grip in mixed and loose conditions, while the Galbraith has an aggressive trail tread for grip in loose and soft conditions. Depending on what terrain you’re riding, it may be an either or decision when it comes to these two choices.
Without nerding out anymore over the tyres, lastly on the tread diagram, the photograph with all the specs, you’ll notice the abbreviated: XR, XT and SE. It’s super simple, and once you get it, it also helps you make your own mind up on the construction vs fast rolling vs grip wars. All Bontrager tyres labelled XR have just sidewall protection, XT offers bead-to-bead and apex protection, and SE offers sidewall, bead-to-bead, and apex protection—mainly just for the enduro riders.
On a side note: although Bontrager and Trek have a close relationship, Bontrager is by no means just a Trek bicycle tyre, otherwise, they should have just called themselves Trek tyres and called it quits.
Well, there you have it, Bontrager has a few new tyre options for this year, some new names, and is looking to inject some passion into their tyre lineup. So, if you are in the market for some new tyres, visit your local Bontrager dealer and bombard the sales staff with questions.
