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SEVEN DAY CYCLIST
CYCLING, BUT NOT USUALLY RACING
LATEST UPDATE: DECEMBER 11th
HOW DO WE DECIDE OUR OVERALL RATINGS FOR PRODUCTS WE REVIEW?
WTB Exposure Road Tubeless Tyre
30x700 340g £55 each
The WTB Exposure 30mm Road Tubeless Tyre are the narrower of the two-size range, which we’re told are aimed at gravel riders looking for something tarmac specific during the week. No quibble here, but I reckon this lends them nicely to ‘cross builds, hybrids and in the bigger, 36mm section there’s scope for light/ weekend touring.
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Pros: Low rolling resistance, compliant ride, handle well wet or dry.
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Cons: puncture resistance generally good but less dependable than some.
Specification
£55 buys a 60 tpi casing with a pressure range between 35 and 65psi. A smooth centreline and “hatched” edges are designed for sprightly acceleration, cruising prowess, and cornering confidence on rougher surfaces. On paper hallmarks of a dependable commuting cum everyday tyre. However, relatively thin, supple sidewalls and similarly svelte 340g girth continue the sprightly, dare I say, spirited persona.
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Getting a tyre that accelerates, rolls and handles in good proportion, while still offering reliable puncture resistance is no mean feat. In my experience, most of this genre strike a good balance, albeit with compromise somewhere - often when it comes to puncture repelling belts. WTB have gone for their SG2 belt, which is essentially a nylon weave, running bead to bead, theoretically protecting casings and sidewalls from cuts and flats.
Staying with the sidewalls a moment, these are available in black, or the slightly retro tan walls (which I am very taken with and allegedly save a few grams). Once upon a time 28mm tyres were common on faster tourers and many of our pure-bred road bikes sported 20-23mm. In the last 15 years or so tourers have got beefier- 38-40mm, while 28-30mm isn’t particularly unusual on road bikes.
Test Bike/Contexts
I was originally offered the tourer typical 36mm, which would’ve been fine for Denise, my Dawes based gravel build but I was having too much fun exploring byways and bridlepath. I was seeking something more spirited and engaging for my fixed gear winter/trainer, which will accommodate 32mm comfortably, though the rear triangle entertains 35mm at a push.
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I was also curious to see how they compare to Schwalbe’s One 365, which as the name suggests is a lightweight four seasons’ training tyre.
Mine is a 28mm version with a 67tpi casing and their puncture repelling Raceguard technology-essentially a double layer nylon belt covering the centre strip. 85-105 psi operating pressures are a bit steeper, dare I say roadie. That out the way, I’ve run the WTB Exposure with a TPU and Butyl tubed setup, since I’m not 100% comfortable with tubeless. Silly I know, since the technology has been common to cars and a lesser extent, motorcycles for donkeys.​
Fitting 4.25/5
I’d heard some suggesting they struggled to mount theirs and approached them from this perspective. However, to my shock, they literally slid aboard this Halo Evura with minimal effort and only my thumbs. You will need a single tyre lever to scoop them off, mind.
Ride Quality/Handling 4/5
I tend to default to the upper end of a tyre’s pressure range and steadily taper down until I find my personal sweet spot. Then of course, I wanted the closest comparator with Schwalbe’s One 365. Even at 65psi, the WTB Exposure deliver an incredibly swift but moreover, compliant ride.
This was particularly palpable with the TPU tube, which shouldn’t come as a surprise but didn’t lag far behind with the humbler, midpoint butyl. Though not skyscraper high, the fixed’s 78-inch gear can be a little tricky on the climbs, but the Exposure’s light and lively persona added some sparkle and encouraged me to ascend like a mountain goat.
True to claims, the supple casings ironed out the invasive rippling from washboard tarmac, rumble strips and lumpier pock marked lanes. Admittedly, the Vecnum FreeQUENCE Suspension Stem plays a small but significant part, but I felt fresher after several hours at 20mph that I do with the otherwise very dependable Maxxis RE-Fuse, which feel a little direct at the higher pressures. These characteristics encouraged some spirited blasting along the winding backroads and some seriously big grins.
Despite a prolonged (and welcome!) dry spell through July and August, I’ve had to navigate localised flooding when descending at a decent lick. This (and of course, the first rains after a long dry spell) will flush spent diesel and trace oils from the verge, making some sections decidedly dicey.
True to claims, and while you don’t toss caution into the wind, the Exposure’s textured shoulders have a leechlike quality, giving ample feedback and inspiring confidence. This was particularly true five miles from home after a day’s outing when mental fatigue was beginning to creep in. Wet, greasy mud and cow pats were a little more taxing.
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The Schwalbe lost traction sooner but credit to both, they give plenty of feedback, giving a sporting chance of gently correcting matters. For me, 60psi seemed my sweet spot, although I’ve dipped them to 55 when faced with an extended section of muddied lane. Similar story when crossing wet iron works but again, a surprising amount of feedback.
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Worth noting that a fixed drivetrain allows more nuanced scrubbing of speed. Either way, I’ve never gone rubber up and back under control, found myself smiling at the experiences. Round town, the compliant, grippy nature and low rolling resistance make for exciting, yet predictable getaways and their responsive, flickable nature meant reliable, split-second sweeps around holes, glass and similar hazards.
Puncture Resistance/Durability 3.25/5
A single, slow flat in 600miles, caused by a deeply burrowed and very sharp hedge clipping, picked up on a very wet late September outing. I wasn’t completely surprised, since Denise and the WTB Evo had succumbed in identical conditions, ditto the Schwalbe One365. As an aside, the Maxxis Re-Fuse went 1200miles before a flint breached its belt. Given I’ve defaulted to the upper pressure range, I wasn’t surprised by the lack of obvious wear, especially around the shoulders. Difficult to say long term but to date, no staining of the tan walls, which can happen, exposed to wet, greasy roads and that cocktail of spent lubes, derv etc. I've also resisted any urge to scrub them with the Oxford Tyre Scrub.
Value 3.25/5
£55 is at the upper end but by no means outlandish. Schwalbe One 365 is slightly cheaper at £51 and seems a capable four seasons lightweight tyre. It’s also available in 25, 28 and 30mm widths, which is arguably more road orientated. Then of course, the puncture repelling belt only covers the centre strip. Soma Shikoro KV (now £50.81) are available in 23,28, 33, 38 and 42mm catering for adventure touring builds, cyclo cross and of course, gravel bikes.
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They’re very quick off the mark and similarly compliant. The 38mm section also cope with hardpack. The 38mm came up slightly smaller (36mm at 85psi) and at 464g each, they may be a touch portly for some tastes. Specialized All Conditions Armadillo Elite boast 120tpi casings and “the most flat resistant tire available”. Greater bias toward road duties, they’re available in 23,25,28 and 32mm. The Maxxis Re-Fuse TR Folding tyre are another tubeless ready worthy choice for those seeking a relatively quick but dependable tyre. Available in 28, 32, 35 and 40mm, the ride quality, at least with the 32mm at higher pressures might be a touch direct for some tastes.
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Steve was very impressed by Pirelli Cinturato Velo TLR Reflective Tyre. His were the 28mm version but they’re also available in 32 and 35mm. Bead to bead puncture resistance is further bolstered by a nylon breaker strip and they’ll also manage some light gravel duty, too. However, at £66.99 they’re a big jump pricewise.
Summary
Allowing for the fact some of us are more puncture prone than others, lighter models can be much faster, but in my experience more vulnerable to sharps. I’ve been generally impressed by the WTB Exposure. They’re, quick, compliant and seem durable.
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There’s always some trade-off between speed and durability. Models such as CST Xpedium, or Kenda Kwick Journey KS Plus are ultra dependable, but weighty, which can give a slightly stodgy ride quality, tempering an otherwise sprightly bike. The Exposure give plenty of sparkle but also seem reasonably dependable. On balance, if frame clearances allow, I’d steer you to their 36mm stablemates, especially if you’re looking to do some lightweight touring, or take the odd meander along unmade roads or hardpack.
Verdict 3.5/5 compliant, engaging and generally dependable tyres for general riding
Michael Stenning
PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 2024
