I currently have over 2,000 miles on a set of MSO 700x40 TR, and I am very pleased with their performance - as in NO PUNCTURES!! I run them tubeless on a set of HED Belgium. I ran them in the Almanzo 100, DK 200, Heck of the North and lots and lots of gravel training miles (note I have a 2nd wheelset with 700x30 road tires for non-gravel riding). I have no idea how they perform speed-wise compared to other tires, but they seem fast enough for me. And the fact that they havent flated in a race makes them faster than having to stop and fix a flat.
I will definitely be putting a new pair of Donnellys on my bike for 2019 - most likely another set of MSOs.
Just wanted to post a **thank you** for B.T. Direct's great service. Ordered two of these, arrived !one! day later. The first one wouldn't mount straight, pulled it off and the second one went on easy (I'm using tubes, btw.) Seems the tread of the first one was crooked, though it was *very* hard to see until you mounted & spun the tire. Just slipped by Donnelly's QC, I guess.
BTD sent me a prepaid return label same day that I asked, and I had the replacement tire in two days total - in holiday season no less. The replacement just went on easy & straight. Tires look very nice; haven't ridden 'em yet, will report back later.
I just built up a new gravel bike, but to save some $ I kept my road wheels...so I'm a little limited when it comes to going too wide, as I want to avoid any issues with my rims.
That said, though, I'm a huge fan of these tires. The 36 is, I guess, considered a narrow tire in the world of gravel, but it gives me a level of confidence that brings my off road riding to a whole new level.
On top of that, these tires are barely noticeable on pavement, which is an excellent thing.
Highly recommended.
I just built up a new gravel bike, but to save some $ I kept my road wheels...so I'm a little limited when it comes to going too wide, as I want to avoid any issues with my rims.
That said, though, I'm a huge fan of these tires. The 36 is, I guess, considered a narrow tire in the world of gravel, but it gives me a level of confidence that brings my off road riding to a whole new level.
On top of that, these tires are barely noticeable on pavement, which is an excellent thing.
Highly recommended.
Excellent tire. Rode it for SBT Grvl race and have gone through several as general gravel use tires. Have ridden the 40c and 36c versions of this. San Diego has tough rocky trails and need something that won't gash side walls if you ride hard. A slightly heavier than average tire because the sidewalls are so strong but result is no cuts. I passed tons of guys with flats on the sharp stuff on races. Great traction and fast on road. IMO 700x40c is the perfect gravel tire to go anywhere and Donnelly's are not going to leave you stranded.
Just finished a 200 mile bike tour in the hot and somewhat smoky Palouse in southeast Washington. These tires roll fast on packed gravel but a bit sketchy on the loose stuff. I'm very impressed on how well they roll. There pricey but I think you get what you pay for.
Got the MSO 40s in 700c, tubeless. Mounting was not overly difficult. One of my pair inflated directly from a floor pump, the other required the compressor. Sealed (orange) fine. So mounting experience was very good (DT Swiss aluminum hoops). Rode a couple fondos (and other rides) and they took the abuse well. The Fondo was especially abusive with lots of sharp basalt rock and steep climbs. I picked these specifically because of the anticipated conditions for the Fondo and I am impressed. They have pretty good traction as well and the center bar rolls pretty well on the pavement.
I have these on DT Swiss rims on a Lynskey Backroad frame used for commuting and touring. I like the feel and performance of the tires but with about 2000 miles on them the rear tire is already worn slick in the middle. For that reason I feel they are overpriced.
I've run other brands, but these feel more secure in dirt and loose gravel. I have dropped back down to 36mm now, and find even with that smaller tire I have better control on soft surfaces.
Used these tires (700x50c) on my Specialized Elite gravel bike and rode the the first phase of the Great Divide Ride from Banff, AB to Whitefish, Montana. Had about 45 lbs. of gear on bike (self supported). While I could have used a wider tire to handle the fast descents, these tires nevertheless performed exceptionally well. Never had a flat either-)
Without the gear on the bike I could have ridden almost as fast as on my mountain bike. Recommend these tires!!
Ran them tubeless with 35 psi at this year's Lost & Found gravel grinder. They provided reliable handling in the rough stuff, and were smooth on the pavement sections. No problems through a bunch of rocky sections where others suffered flats. I was very pleased.
