Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
Inspired by the recent release of their first semi-slick, the Corkscrew Climb, the new Rene Herse Poteau Mountain tires are another option from the boutique tire brand that looks to walk the line between grip and low rolling resistance. For all the details on this new tire, dive in below…
Named after the roughest and most remote part of the Arkansas High Country Race, the new Rene Herse Poteau Mountain tires combine big knobs with a thin, fast, and smooth center tread for consistent cornering performance. Per Jan Heine, owner and operator of Rene Herse, “The biggest problem with conventional semi-slicks is the abrupt transition from the smooth center to the knobby edges. One moment, you’re riding on the slick tread. Then you lean the bike into a corner, and suddenly you’re on the knobs. That’s especially problematic when you’re on pavement. To eliminate that problem, we’ve designed a seamless transition between slick and knobby tread. The first row of knobs is anchored on the center tread, which also makes them stiffer for better power transfer and less flex. After all, flexing of rubber costs energy—that’s the reason why (most) knobby tires are slower than slicks.”
The most interesting and distinct feature about their semi-slick design is that the radius of the tread is significantly larger than the radius of the casing. According to Jan, it creates a tire that corners like it would at a much wider width. With the tread being larger than the radius, it also allows them to make the center tread thin and supple for ultra-low rolling resistance, while the tall side knobs provide superb traction when the tire sinks into the surface.
Though Jan had expressed doubts about the use of semi-slick tires before, it’s interesting to see the brand extend its design toward these kinds of tires with two widths in their new semi-slick tread pattern. Rene Herse has made the 700 x 48mm Poteau Mountain tires available in four casings: Standard (530 grams, $84), Extralight (470 grams $98), Endurance (550 grams, $98), and Endurance Plus (580 grams, $109).
For more on the Poteau Mountains, visit ReneHerseCycles.com
Further Reading
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