After moving to Vermont from San Diego area and riding and racing for 35 years I got a gravel bike. There are lots of gravel roads to ride. These Conti Terra Trail tires fit the bill. Also biketiresdirect has been my go to my tires.
The first 700C tubeless tires I've ever used, they mounted easily first time with a Blackburn Chamber on HED wheels. Average weight was 466 grams for the 40mm size. With my weight and on a steel frame, I run them at 45-50psi. These work well for loose gravel, trails covered in tree leaves and needles, sand-over-gravel spots and mixed surface, crowned dirt roads. The knobs are big enough and well-spaced, but I notice more resistance on smooth hardpack dirt roads than a tire with a smooth center strip. Really good all-around gravel tire.
I have the ProTection version and have ridden these for a couple hundred miles now, mainly tarmac, but some good miles on dirt and gravel too. The are probably not the fastest on tarmac, as can be expected from the aggressive tread,, but they still handle and corner well even then. For gravel and dirt, they seem fantastic. Wear and durability are still a question mark. I'll have to update in a few thousand miles. ?? I think these are my favorite gravel tires so far.
Good dry condition tires: They roll fast on dirt and pavement, have decent traction with no surprises in corners, they're relatively light and spin up quickly, and they're easy to mount (unlike some other Contis). The only downside is the casing is they can be susceptible to cuts.
I've put about 250 miles on these tires, about a 50/50 mix of paved roads and gravel, and they have performed great. They roll easy on the pavement, grip sufficiently in the dirt, and have held pressure set up tubeless. I haven't had them in wet or muddy conditions yet, so no comment there. I would highly recommend at this point!
These are definitely the best tires I've ever used on my gravel bike. In 40mm size, they are extremely easy to mount tubeless with a JoeBlow pump. No struggle, no fighting, they seat immediately. The traction on mixed surfaces is incredible. I've taken them on wet single track where no gravel bike has any business being, and they gripped like a mountain bike tire. On packed dirt and gravel they are very cushy and smooth. Conti has another winner with the Terra Trail.
