On the heels of three Terreno cyclocross/gravel tires last year, Vittoria now has a dedicated slick gravel tire in the forthcoming 37mm Terreno Zero. The tubeless tire with reinforced sidewalls has a center tread similar to the Italian brand's Corsa road tires but with short, hexagonal shoulders knobs.
BikeRadar’s Josh Patterson and I raced these tires at the Land Run 100 gravel event in Stillwater, Oklahoma on Vittoria’s new Elusion Carbon Disc wheels, which will come in a choice of 30mm and 42mm depth rims and rim- or disc-brake models. We will publish a feature and video on this fantastic event and the variety of gear used soon.
Vittoria’s Terreno line previously included three models: the file-tread Dry, the toothy Wet, and the middle-ground Mix.
“The Zero is one click down from even a Terreno Dry,” said Vittoria’s USA marketing manager Ken Avery, who designed the tire.
Unlike many marketing managers, Avery has been designing tires for over a decade, going back to a number of Maxxis models like a few of the Minion DHF.
The Terreno Zero’s hexagonal knobs are slightly angled in the rotational direction, which Avery says makes for speed when rolling but traction when braking.
Inspiration from the shape came from the molecular structure of graphene, the marquee strengthening material in many Vittoria tires. Hexagons also happen to interlock tightly.
The 120tpi casing has an extra layer of sidewall protection plus a puncture-protection belt under the tread.
Vittoria does not yet have a published weight or price for the Terreno Zero.
The forthcoming Vittoria Elusion Carbon Disc wheelset similarly does not have a set weight or price, but it will likely be in the $1,200 range and launch in July. The bed of the rim (19mm internal width) is asymmetric for ease of tire mounting.
Stay tuned for a feature on this year’s Land Run 100 – but in the meantime, you can enjoy this mud-fest photo feature from our friend Jason Sumner from the 2017 edition.
