Continental’s Terra Adventure gravel tyres see the gap between gravel and MTB narrow

Continental has just released its latest gravel tyre, the Terra Adventure. Like many, it has followed the trend for wider rubber for gravel, but interestingly, the brand has borrowed a lot of tech from its MTB ranges to create something robust and optimized for real-world riding on a variety of terrain, and not just racing.

Designed to complement the existing Terra range, it's a more aggressively treaded option pitched towards bikepacking and, somewhat obviously, adventure riding. Quite what 'adventure' covers is, of course, open to interpretation, but it's an interesting option that bridges the gap between Gravel and MTB. It could be the perfect rubber for those like me in areas where most trails are rough and rocky - a far cry from the champagne gravel often depicted in press launches.

Continental’s Terra Adventure gravel tyre design and construction

The Terra Adventure heavily relies on the popular existing range of XC MTB tyres used by Tom Pidcock and Pauline Ferrand Prevot. It has tough casings and a tread pattern that takes cues from various tyres to give a good mix of corner grip and improved traction on the rear for climbing and braking.

The tread features strong, angled, and slanted shoulder knobs for improved corner and off-camber grip, and the 3-3-4 center stud design (the knobbles are in lines of 3-3 then four across the center of the tyre) should provide plenty of traction for climbing and braking. They also have angled the knobs, so they are chamfered to reduce rolling resistance whilst rolling forward, but feature a square edge to dig into soft terrain when braking and climbing. All of these features are widespread for XC MTB, but they are relatively rare in the gravel world, which is obsessed with width above all else.

The tyres feature a single-ply casing, with additional reinforcement in both the sidewall and under the tread, which, although a bit heavier than a true race tyre, does offer more protection from punctures and pinch flats. In line with the trend for wider rubber, the Terra comes in 45, 50, and even a 55mm, which is close to a true MTB 29 x 2.2 size. Not many bikes currently have room for such wide rubber, though we expect plenty of bikes coming that will have room for such voluminous tyres, and they could be the perfect option for anyone wanting to make their MTB more gravel-friendly.

Available in black and transparent or brown sidewall versions, they are tubeless and compatible with hookless rims. Size-wise, they are designed to the current ETRTO standards, and widths are based on using a rim with a 23mm internal measurement. I fitted my 45mm test tyres on the Mavic Allroad SL wheels I reviewed previously, which feature a 25mm hookless internal and measure 44.2mm.

Continental’s Terra Adventure gravel tyre first ride impressions

Mounting was as straightforward as I've come to expect, and they inflated quickly with a standard track pump and a reassuring pop. To be honest, I rarely have issues fitting a vulcanized style tubeless tyre these days, though cotton-based ones can still be troublesome occasionally. I went for the 45mm as my Cervelo Aspero test bike doesn't have enough clearance for anything bigger on the rear, though I suspect I could have gotten away with a 50mm in the front for some extra cushioning.

One thing I did notice was that Continental’s suggested gravel tyre pressures are on the high side, with 45-60 psi being indicated on the sidewall. I honestly can't remember the last time I rode an off-road tyre that high, so I went with my usual 35psi starting point for these, which worked well, given plenty of grip and compliance but still rolling well. Pressure is, of course, a personal thing based on weight and trail conditions, and I will continue to experiment with it as I think the strong casing used here will work well at lower pressures.

For a tyre with proper knobbles, it rolls surprisingly well. I’ve tested more MTB-orientated tyres like the Schwalbe G-One Ultrabites before, which, though offering tonnes of grip, do feel noticeably slower on smoother terrain, but these manage to avoid the feeling of riding through treacle well. The extra tread also gave me an instant confidence boost in technical singletrack, opening up more line options and the ability to push harder in corners. Obviously, it's not MTB levels of grip and throwing it into stuff, but it's certainly more of a controlled feeling than the sensation of just hanging on for dear life that some slicker rubber choices give you with dropped handlebars.

Considering the tread depth and more robust construction, they are surprisingly light, too, coming in at 527g, which goes a long way to explaining the surprisingly spritely performance they give. As an adventure tyre, it's unlikely we will see these winning races, though, on a wet or particularly rocky event, we could see them used, especially on the front for those who would want more grip on a technical course like the Traka or Grinduro events.

As the name suggests, these are primarily adventure and Bikepacking tyres. In fact, Continental-sponsored Gravel Pro Paige Onweller had the voluminous 55mm versions on her Trek Checkpoint, which she has set up for such things. She said she loved the extra grip they provide and the security and peace of mind the extra protection provides for longer rides.

I was lucky enough to give the tyres a go on the fantastic trails of Tuscany with the guys from Massa Vecchia, and have started to put a few miles on them already on the less glamorous but no less awesome local trails and roads of the Peak District, so keep your eyes peeled for a full review.

Continental Terra Specs

• Brand: Continental
• Model: Adventure Terra
• Price: £TBC / €61.95
• Use case: "Adventure riding, bikepacking, and muddy loose gravel trails."
• Casing: Trail casing, reinforced single-layer construction, tubeless and hookless compatible
• Compound: Grip
• Weight 700x45c - 540g, 700x50c - 620g, 700x55c - 730g
• Sidewall colors:
• Black: 700 x 45, 50, 55
• Tan: 700 x 45, 50, 55