CX/Gravel Tire Test: Continental Terra Trail TR 40

Together with the Terra Speed TR, Continental also launched the Terra Trail TR which is a more aggressive gravel bike tire made for more challenging conditions. On paper, the only difference between these tires seems to be the tread pattern but our tests show these tires are more different than you might think.

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What is also different is that the Terra Trail is only available in the 40mm wide sizes 40-622 and 40-584 while the Terra Speed (read our review) is available in both 35mm and 40mm wide versions. This once again indicates that the Terra Trail is intended for somewhat heavier conditions where grip is more important than absolute speed.

As we mentioned earlier, the specifications of both tires are almost the same and both tires use the well-known Continental off-road recipe: 3x180 TPI tubeless-ready casing, reinforced "Protection" sidewalls, and their "Black Chili" compound.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Continental
Model	Terra Trail TR
Year	2020
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	High
Buy At	Ad Amazon.com
Manufacturer part number	0101697
EAN	4019238027075
TPI	3/180
Compound	Black Chili
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	40-622
Specified Weight	445 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	73
Made In	Members Only
Available Sizes	40-622 (700x40c) 40-584 (650bx40)

Continental Terra Trail TR 40 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	445 grams
Measured Weight	452 grams
Measured Width Casing	37 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	40 mm
Measured Height	35 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center	1.3 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.3 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	2.00 mm
Measured Total Thickness Sidewall	Members Only
All size measurements are taken at low air pressure on a 17.8 mm inner width rim.

Rolling Resistance Test Results

Rolling Resistance Test Results
Inner Tube	None (30 ml sealant) (current protocol)	Conti Cross28 (160 gr) (test protocol)
Measured Width	37 mm	37 mm
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 66 psi/4.6 bar 33-35 = 60 psi/4.1 bar 36-38 = 54 psi/3.7 bar 39-42 = 50 psi/3.4 bar 43-46 = 46 psi/3.2 bar 47-50 = 42 psi/2.9 barHigh Air Pressure (54 psi / 3.7 bar)	Members Only	Members Only
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 55 psi/3.8 bar 33-35 = 50 psi/3.4 bar 36-38 = 45 psi/3.1 bar 39-42 = 42 psi/2.9 bar 43-46 = 38 psi/2.6 bar 47-50 = 35 psi/2.4 barMedium Air Pressure (45 psi / 3.1 bar)	Members Only	Members Only
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 44 psi/3.0 bar 33-35 = 40 psi/2.8 bar 36-38 = 36 psi/2.6 bar 39-42 = 33 psi/2.3 bar 43-46 = 31 psi/2.1 bar 47-50 = 28 psi/1.9 barLow Air Pressure (36 psi / 2.6 bar)	22.2 Watts CRR: 0.00665	26.0 Watts CRR: 0.00779
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 33 psi/2.3 bar 33-35 = 30 psi/2.1 bar 36-38 = 27 psi/1.9 bar 39-42 = 25 psi/1.7 bar 43-46 = 23 psi/1.6 bar 47-50 = 21 psi/1.4 barExtra Low Air Pressure (27 psi / 1.9 bar)	26.0 Watts CRR: 0.00779	31.0 Watts CRR: 0.00929
The CX/Gravel section is a multi tire size section, air pressures have been adjusted to the measured casing width. All numbers are for a single tire at a speed of 29 km/h / 18 mph and a load of 42.5 kg / 94 lbs. Use the formula: RR (Watts) = CRR * speed (m/s) * load (N) to calculate rolling resistance at a given speed and load.

Puncture Resistance Test Results

Puncture Resistance Test Results (higher is better)
Total Puncture Score Tread	35 Points
Total Puncture Score Sidewall	Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Sharp Needle	8
Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Members Only
Tread Total Tire Thickness	2.00 mm
Sidewall Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Members Only
Sidewall Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Members Only
Sidewall Total Tire Thickness	Members Only

Hard Surface Static Grip Test Results

Static Grip Test Results
Wet Grip Average	67 Points
Wet Grip Center	Members Only
Wet Grip Edge	Members Only
Measured Knob Height Center	1.3 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.3 mm
Grip in points = coefficient of friction * 100 CX/Gravel grip test rim width = 23.0 mm
Wet Grip Test and Off-Road Tires (info)

Conclusion

Our results show that the Terra Trail has a considerably higher rolling resistance than the fast Terra Speed (compare side by side here). The difference is so big that this can't be explained by the 0.2 mm higher knobs in the middle of the tire since the rest of the tire construction is the same. We've also seen these same differences in the test results between the Race King and Cross King mountain bike tires.

We are therefore once again convinced that although Continental specifies both the Terra Speed and Terra Trail use the "Black Chili" compound, these are not exactly the same compounds. We assume that the "Black Chili" compound as applied to the Terra Trail gives more grip but rolls slower than the version used by the Terra Speed.

We're disappointed Continental doesn't specify which exact compound is used because this would make it much easier to make an informed decision when choosing a tire. We expect Continental to use 3 or 4 versions of the "Black Chili" compound internally, all of which have different characteristics.

All in all, the Terra Trail is certainly not a bad tire. Look for yourself on the CX/Gravel overview page to see the differences between the other tires that we've tested to date.

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RATING: 4.0 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Recommended

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