There’s show swag, and there’s SCHWAAAG!

I was very lucky that when the new @silca_velo tyre range was unveiled at the Made show a couple of weeks back I was in the right place at the right time and able to ask the right questions of the right people and snagged a set of the incredible looking 32″ gravel rubber.

It took me a couple of weeks to get them hooked up because I wanted them to go on a new set of wheels I had in the pipeline – some 50mm deep carbon 32″ hoops on Hope hubs.

Today I got the wheels finished and threw the tyres on for a quick shakedown spin on the Pterodactyl. First impression was the casing seems very supple, which was borne our by them tipping the scales a hair over 700g each – very light for a tyre this size. On the 32mm internal rims they came up bang on spec at 2.4″ / 61mm at 28psi / 1.9bar.

Just a quick spin on my local test loop was all I had time for but my lord these things feel amazing. Soooo fast rolling and zippy. Surprisingly grippy too, though as we’re in full hero dirt mode at the moment and with the innate grip of 32″ maybe it’s not such a surprise.

They have a very rounded profile, even on these quite wide rims. Not much side knob to speak of, so the cornering transition feels great. They have a grippiness which feels more like you’re velcroed down rather than knobs digging in. In short, I’m very impressed so far!

Thanks to @souphorse and @jweinberg for making it happen!