Handmade tires occupy a different corner of the road tire market than the vulcanized options from Continental, Schwalbe, and Pirelli, and Challenge's Criterium RS Team Edition TLR sits near the top of that category. The Italian brand builds each casing step-by-step using natural glues and latex coatings applied to a 350tpi Corespun Cotton carcass, then wraps it in the SMARTPRIME compound and pairs the result with tubeless-ready construction. The Team Edition designation refers to the casing spec Challenge supplies to its sponsored pros — a step up from the standard Criterium RS in both thread count and compliance.

The 350tpi cotton casing is where the ride feel comes from. Cotton is softer and more supple than the polyester carcasses used in most vulcanized tires, which lets the tread conform to road surface irregularities instead of skipping across them. Challenge seals the cotton sidewalls to keep water out and extend durability, but the underlying construction still delivers the damping and grip characteristics that handmade tires are known for. If you've been riding a stiff, fast-rolling vulcanized race tire and want more compliance without giving up rolling speed, this is the tradeoff the Criterium RS makes.

The SMARTPRIME tread compound handles the performance side. Independent rolling resistance testing places the Criterium RS among the lower-resistance road tires on the market, and the compound holds grip in both dry and wet conditions. Puncture protection comes from the PPS Ganzo system — several densely woven layers of fabric sandwiched between the tread and casing — which addresses the durability concern that historically kept riders away from cotton-cased tires. Zylon beads improve load capacity at the rim interface.... Read More