It’s Unbound weekend, and, as anticipated, there are many new, unreleased merchandise being noticed below professional riders and across the pits. However there are simply as many new merchandise being launched in tandem with the occasion. Working example, IRC simply launched seven new tires in its sales space on the Unbound Expo.
IRC is one in all many sponsors of this yr’s Unbound Gravel, and so they invited everybody to affix them at their sales space on Thursday afternoon to get a particular first have a look at the brand new tires and luxuriate in a cool beverage. Sadly, we weren’t there to take a look at the tires or get pleasure from a cool beverage in particular person, however we do have the small print on the brand new additions to IRC’s lineup.
New IRC Gravel Tires
As anticipated on the world’s greatest gravel occasion, 4 of the brand new fashions are gravel tires. In keeping with fashionable tendencies, two of the brand new fashions, the Boken G-Claw and Boken Professional, are on the broader facet of the spectrum. The brand new Boken Doublecross Gentle and Boken Gentle are based mostly on current fashions within the lineup, however with lighter constructions and tan partitions.
And there’s no greater stage to reveal the efficiency of the brand new gravel tires than racing at Unbound. IRC athlete Pete Stetina will likely be tackling the course on among the new tires. In response to Pete’s mechanic, Huge Tall Wayne, he’ll be working the brand new, fast-rolling Boken Professional 700x47c entrance and rear, however would possibly go for the Boken G-Claw on the entrance, relying on mud circumstances.
Boken G-Claw 700x50c
With gravel tires trending wider at an alarming fee, the brand new Boken G-Claw is a well timed addition to IRC’s lineup, which beforehand maxed out at 42c. IRC calls it “the final word crossover tire engineered for riders who demand velocity, grip, and sturdiness throughout any terrain.” And on condition that the most recent pattern in gravel tires is XC tires, it’s not too stunning that it seems to be loads like a really low-profile mountain bike tire.
In response to IRC, the Boken G-Claw “seamlessly blends the velocity of a gravel tire with the tenacious grip of an XC mountain bike tire.” Primarily based on the tread design, it seems to be prefer it ought to present loads of grip, however IRC says the low-profile heart tread minimizes rolling resistance. It looks as if it may very well be an important choice for riders who spend nearly all of their time driving tough surfaces and/or free circumstances.
The G-Claw is available in a 700x50c dimension solely with a 120 TPI casing, bolstered sidewalls, and a high-grip rubber compound. It has a claimed weight of 610 grams and retails for $65.
Boken Professional 700x47c
One other tire including width to IRC’s lineup is the brand new Boken Professional 700x47c. Not like the G-Claw described above, this plump tire has a wonderfully clean heart tread flanked by moderate-height shoulder knobs. That heart tread seems to be to be very fast-rolling, and IRC says, “This tire blends velocity, sturdiness, and luxury to ship distinctive efficiency on combined terrain.”
Primarily based on seems to be alone, the Boken Professional seems to be an important new choice for clean gravel or combined terrain rides that embrace equal elements paved and unpaved roads.
The Boken Professional is available in a 700c47c dimension solely with tan partitions, a 120 TPI casing, and is hookless appropriate. It has a claimed weight of 510 grams and a retail worth of $65.
Boken Doublecross Gentle TLR
Those that haven’t gotten on board the wider-is-better practice would possibly wish to try the brand new Boken Doublecross Gentle. IRC calls it “the final word gravel and journey tire.” With a design based mostly on the prevailing Doublecross tire, the Doublecross Gentle isn’t completely new, but it surely will get a lighter casing and tanwalls. The tightly packed heart tread and aggressive facet knobs seems to be to mix rolling effectivity and cornering grip.
IRC claims the brand new 120 TPI casing reduces weight by 9% whereas lowering rolling resistance. The sidewalls are bolstered and have a “puncture-resistant belt” to guard towards pinch flats, punctures, and cuts. The Doublecross Gentle makes use of the Boken Excessive Grip rubber compound and comes with tan sidewalls.
Just like the common Doublecross, the Doublecross Gentle is available in 700x38c and 700x42c sizes. The 38c weighs a claimed 470 grams, whereas the 42c is available in at 505 grams. They retail for $65.
Boken Gentle TLR
Just like the Doublecross Gentle, the Boken Gentle is a lighter model of the prevailing Boken tire. The Boken is IRC’s file-tread tire, with a low-profile diamond tread sample masking nearly all of it. That’s bordered by a row of bigger facet knobs for a bit cornering chew. Like different file-tread tires, the emphasis is on versatility and low rolling resistance.
The brand new mild, 120 TPI casing ends in a claimed 9% weight discount and elevated suppleness, which ought to assist enhance grip and rider consolation. IRC additionally included a puncture-resistant belt to the sidewalls to assist scale back the probabilities of flats.
The Boken Gentle comes with traditional tanwalls and is obtainable in 700x36c and 700x40c sizes. Claimed weights are 430 grams within the 36c dimension and 460 grams within the 40c dimension. They retail for $65.
New IRC Street Tires
Whereas not fairly as related to Unbound, IRC additionally launched three new street tire fashions. With the “revolutionary” sixth technology System Professional Sequence, the model claims “an astonishing 80% enhance in tire lifespan and a major 9.97% discount in rolling resistance, due to IRC’s progressive new compound and tread design.”
The brand new System Professional Sequence consists of three fashions: the System Professional TL RBCC, System Professional TL X-Guard, and System Professional Tubeless Prepared S-Gentle. All three fashions share the identical tread design and are available 4 widths, however every brings barely totally different efficiency attributes to the desk.
System Professional TL RBCC
IRC claims the brand new RBCC is the quickest tubeless tire in its historical past. With a 9.97% discount in rolling resistance in comparison with its predecessor, it definitely sounds fairly speedy. Due to IRC’s RBCC know-how and tread enhanced with RB ceramic particles from rice bran, it additionally gives a claimed “82% enchancment in put on resistance.”
The brand new System Professional TL RBCC has a 180 TPI casing and is appropriate with hooked and hookless rims. IRC claims it’s a true tubeless design that doesn’t require sealant. It is available in 4 widths, 700x25c, 28c, 30c, and 32c, in black and tan sidewalls. Weights vary from 270 grams (25c) to 360 grams (32c).
System Professional TLR S-Gentle
IRC put “mild” within the identify as a result of they need you to know the brand new S-Gentle is among the lightest tubeless-ready tires round. They could look an identical to the RBCC, however they’re notably lighter, with claimed weights between 50 and 60 grams lighter, relying on the scale.
Just like the RBCC, the S-Gentle has a 180 TPI casing and is appropriate with hooked and hookless rims, though it does require sealant. It comes with both black or tan sidewalls, and is obtainable in 700x25c, 28c, 30c, and 32c widths. With claimed weights ranging between 220 grams in 25c and 300 grams in 32c, these are some mild tires.
System Professional Tubeless X-Guard
The brand new X-Guard provides additional safety to offer extra puncture resistance and sturdiness. IRC says you’ll be able to experience extra and fear much less as a result of the X-Guard is the “final tubeless tire that eliminates the sealant problem and delivers unparalleled puncture safety.” That is achieved by means of the addition of IRC’s Puncture-Resistant Belt X-Guard for an additional layer of flat safety.
Like the opposite fashions within the new System Professional Sequence, the X-Guard has a 180 TPI casing and is appropriate with hooked and hookless rims. It is available in the identical 4 sizes, 700x25c, 28c, 30c, and 32c. The X-Guard puncture safety provides a contact of weight, with claimed weights starting from 305 grams within the 25c dimension as much as 405 grams within the 32c width.
Availability
The entire new gravel tires can be found now by means of the IRC web site. The brand new street tires are listed on the positioning, however don’t look like obtainable to buy simply but.
ircbike.com
