Press Release: WTB Expands Road Plus with Two Increasingly Capable Tires

“WTB is proud to announce two new Road Plus™ tires designed for terrain ranging from loose gravel to rocky trails. The progressive Venture 47 and Sendero 47 tires build upon the Road Plus™ concept by carrying drop bar riding even further into the dirt, where conditions are increasingly unpredictable and diverse. WTB introduced Road Plus™ in 2016 to expand drop bar capabilities beyond pavement without compromising performance on the tarmac required to get there. The increased volume over most preexisting 700c tires improved traction and came with a smoother ride that made the overall riding experience more comfortable and, to put it simply, fun. These two new Road Plus™ tires now promote leaving the pavement behind.” – WTB

“Venture 47 is our most versatile Road Plus™ tire, delivering optimal performance across the widest range of conditions. The supportive centerline tread provides traction on hardpack terrain while the countless working edges of the intermediate ridges grab hold on gravel or dirt. Two rows of outer knobs provide additional cornering confidence and sidewall protection in loose or rocky conditions.”

“Inspired by progressive gravel events along the lines of Grinduro, the Sendero 47 provides an aggressive tread pattern in the high-volume Road Plus™ format, combining drop bar efficiency and mountain bike traction. We continually strive to innovate not only the products we make, but also where and how they allow us to ride our bikes. As we found ourselves riding our drop bar bikes on increasingly aggressive terrain, we designed the Sendero 47 to keep up”

“Introduction of the Venture and Sendero tires completes the Road Plus™ family,” stated Johs. Huseby, WTB’s global OEM sales manager. “The Venture is the next step beyond the Byway in that it’s covered in grippy, low-height tread that grabs in gravel and dirt, while still rolling fast on hard surfaces. The idea behind it is 70% dirt/30% pavement. The Sendero is the most aggressive tire in the family, but still remains true to the original Road Plus™ concept of being efficient on hardpack surfaces. One look at the tread pattern though and it’s clear its usage shines through when you start shredding down the trail (thus the name). Yup, I said it…shredding on a gravel bike. Within the Road Plus™ family, we now have a complete offering from fully smooth to completely knobby and everything in between.”

“All WTB Road Plus™ tires feature our Road Plus TCS™ casing, which pairs the supple ride characteristics of a single-ply tire with the reliability of our TCS™ tubeless technology. The Sendero 47 has a production weight of 568 grams, while preproduction samples of the Venture 47 come in at 573 grams. WTB suggests mounting them to rims with inner widths between 23-25mm in order to maximize the benefits of high-volume Road Plus™ tires.”

“Both the Venture 47 and Sendero 47 share the same price as previous Road Plus™ tires and have MSRPs of $67.95. The Sendero 47 will be available next week at WTB.com or can be ordered through your local bike shop. The Venture 47 will be available winter 2018. WTB will be displaying both tires at the Grinduro gravel event in Quincy, California this weekend.”

Venture 47 650b

• Usages – Adventure Road – Gravel – Bikepacking
• Conditions – Pavement – Hardpack – Dirt – Gravel – Loose

“Venture 47 is our most versatile Road Plus™ tire, delivering optimal performance across the widest range of conditions. The supportive centerline tread provides traction on hardpack terrain while the countless working edges of the intermediate ridges grab hold on gravel or dirt. Two rows of outer knobs provide additional cornering confidence and sidewall protection in loose or rocky conditions. Venture 47 is the tire of choice when the destination is unknown but you’re sure to encounter a variety of terrain along the way.”

“The well-rounded capability of the Venture 47 can’t be credited solely to its functional all-around tread pattern. The high-volume approach of Road Plus™ provides an increased footprint over traditional gravel tires of narrower width. The increased footprint of the Venture 47 allows for more working edges of the tread to always be in contact with the terrain. Can’t be bothered by swapping tires depending on the terrain and conditions? The all-terrain tread design of the Venture 47 is complimented by the increased traction and suppleness of tubeless, high-volume tires to make it the most versatile Road Plus™ tire in our line.”

Sendero 47 650b

• Usages – Adventure Road – Gravel –  Trail – Bikepacking
• Conditions – Hardpack – Dirt – Gravel – Loose – Wet

“Sendero is for those who believe sending it shouldn’t be limited to mountain bikes. As the first Road Plus™ tire designed solely with dirt in mind, the Sendero combines drop bar efficiency with the capabilities of an aggressive tread pattern. Ramped center knobs minimize rolling resistance while substantially spaced outer knobs ensure footing in loose terrain. Sendero was designed to be an aggressive tire without compromise. Looking to ride mountain bike tires on your drop bar bike? The Sendero is for you.”

“Simply put, the Sendero is for rides when you wish your drop bar bike had mountain tires on it. Sendero 47 was inspired by progressive gravel events along the lines of Grinduro, where its aggressive tread pattern compliments the high-volume Road Plus™ format to combine drop bar efficiency and mountain bike traction. We continually strive to innovate not only the products we make, but also where and how they allow us to ride our bikes. As we found ourselves riding our drop bar bikes on increasingly aggressive terrain, we designed the Sendero 47 to keep up.”

Riding Images

WTB