Review; Ritchey Speedmax Tires

Cyclocross and gravel tires are tricky. It’s a rabbit hole I’ve been traveling down since I start logging lots of miles on my Giant TCX in November, and so far the best tire I’ve found is the Ritchey Speedmax. Now I’ve been riding cross country mountain bikes since my childhood, and the Ritchey Speedmax has been around for a while. I remember throwing a pair of them on 26″ hoops for a vacation in Cape Cod and shredding sandy trails, mud bogs, and long asphalt trails all without a care in the world back the early 2000’s.

I picked up a pair of Ritchey Speedmax Comp 35c tires in December, and I’ve logged about 600 miles on them since. I have raced a cross race, gone on road rides with friends and commuted on these tires, and in general, they’ve performed admirably. The long and short of it is if you need *one* tire to run all the time, this is a fantastic option. The Speedmax’s have some shortcomings in loose stuff and mud, they aren’t as quick as slicks on the road and hard gravel, and the rubber is soft so flat risk is moderate.

The Good: Since I’ve installed the Ritchey Speedmax Comp tires, I haven’t worried about tire selection at all. The bike is always ready to ride, on any surface and in any condition. The tread design is fantastically grippy while simultaneously easy to push on pavement. These tires must be run in a specific rotation direction, and when run correctly they bite well up steep dirt trails, and brake exceptionally well. Don’t try running them the other way around; that works on some mountain bike tires for better grip in the back, but not in this case. They can do single track, cyclocross, gravel trails, and roads, as well as any pavement you need to traverse to find more interesting terrain.

The Bad: Flats are common if you’re logging miles on the road. I had a flat every 200 miles or so, and all were from glass or metal which poked straight through the casing. There is no significant puncture protection built in, so I’ve actually thrown in a pair of lightweight tube guards (I don’t care about the extra weight). Most gravel tires are softer rubber in order to provide better grip, but this does lead to a risk of puncture, and the Speedmax is no exception. They also leave something to be desired in muddy conditions, specifically during cross races. File tread designs give up grip for low rolling resistance, so this is to be expected, however, it’s never pleasant when you’re climbing and the back tire slips under load.

If you’re looking for one tire to run on an adventure bike, and want to ride without ever thinking, “I can’t get through that, my tires aren’t good enough,” then the Ritchey Speedmax could be the tire for you. They’re pretty cheap to boot, running about $25 a tire on several online retailers towards the end of last year. Gravel and cross tires are getting better all the time, but the Ritchey Speedmax is a hold over tread design that unlocks any trail and road without ever concerning the rider. If you’re setting up a do-it-all bike, check them out.