Endurance road tires used to mean choosing between a heavy, bombproof training tire and something faster you'd save for good weather. Specialized's Mondo Folding Endurance Road Tire collapses that decision into a single tire, using a 120TPI 3-ply casing with puncture-resistant strips underneath a GRIPTON T2/T5 dual compound that Specialized also uses on its faster road tires. You get a clincher that installs with tubes, packs flat for travel, and rolls quickly enough that you won't feel like you're dragging an anchor on group rides.

The GRIPTON T2/T5 dual-compound layout puts a faster-rolling rubber down the center strip and a grippier shoulder compound where the tire loads up in corners. It's the same compound philosophy Specialized uses on the Mondo TLR that won Paris-Roubaix, just wrapped around a lighter, tubed-clincher casing instead of the reinforced tubeless-ready construction. The tread pattern keeps a fast-rolling center strip for pavement speed with textured shoulders for wet-weather cornering confidence, which is why this tire gets recommended for all-road endurance use where the pavement quality is unpredictable.

One thing to know before you order: this is the Folding version, which is a tubed clincher and not tubeless-compatible. If you're running a tubeless setup and want the same tread pattern, the Mondo TLR is the version to look at. The Folding Mondo is aimed at riders who prefer the simplicity of tubes, want a spare that packs flat in a jersey pocket, or need a workhorse tire for winter miles and shoulder-season training where a tubeless casualty would be more hassle than a quick tube swap on the roadside.... Read More