Vittoria Syerra Review: What Is A Downcountry Tire?

compose Logan Watts
time Oct 12, 2022
comment 15

There are dozens of great bikepacking tires on the market in all shapes and sizes. Still, we’re always on the hunt for tires that are more durable and that perform well on mixed surface rides. After all, that is what most bikepacking routes are. The latest breed of tire may be a good fit are in the downcountry category, a subgenera that the mountain bike industry created for bikes that are in between cross-country race rigs and burly enduro trail bikes. While this middle zone sounds like it would tick a lot of boxes, and improve durability and traction over light XC tires, we had to put it to the test. So we picked up a pair of the Vittoria Syerra for review.

Vittoria presents the Syerra as a lovechild of their Agarro and Mazza tires, making it a versatile, speedy tire that’s suitable for a wide range of surfaces and terrain. The Syerra is based around a fast-rolling center tread pattern and generously sized side knobs for a quick corner engagement. The Syerra comes in a single size (29 x 2.4″) and uses their tubeless-ready casing, supported by their Anti Pinch Flat sidewall inserts, which Vittoria claims make it more durable than a classic cross-country tire without a noticeable effect on weight. To find out how all those claims held up, watch Neil’s review below, then scroll down for more on the Syerra and other downcountry tires.

More Downcountry Tires

The Vittoria Syerra is one of only a handful of tires to come out in this category. The only other tires we’ve found that are classified downcountry by the manufacturer are the Schwalbe Wicked Will and the Maxxis Forecaster. The Wicked Will comes in a variety of sizes, but the Forekaster is similar to the Vittoria Syerra in that it only comes in a single size, 29 x 2.4″. All that said, there are others that may tread in the same category, including the venerable Maxxis Rekon or the Teravail Ehline, which they claim has “more traction and durability than traditional XC tires.” If you have a recommended tire that falls in between XC and Enduro, let us know in the conversation below.

• Tire Size: 29 x 2.4″
• Color: Black
• Actual Weight: 802 and 833 grams
• Place of Manufacture: Taiwan
• Price: $70
• Manufacturer’s Details: Vittoria.com