CX/Gravel Tire Test: Michelin Power Gravel 35

Michelin has been making some of the most popular and best performing road bike tires for a long time so we couldn't leave them out of the CX/Gravel section. The Power Gravel is currently their only tire in the CX/Gravel category but as it comes in the 33-622, 35-622, and 40-622 sizes, they cover a wide range of use cases from CX to gravel bikes.

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The Power Gravel is made up of a 3x120 TPI tubeless-ready casing with an extra layer of "Protek" puncture resistance material that runs from bead to bead. We really like CX/Gravel tires with reinforced sidewalls (+1) as this helps protect against cuts especially when used tubeless. The compound is Michelin's X-miles compound that is optimized to last a long time yet still has a decent rolling resistance and grip.

We've tested the 35-622 version as that is the perfect size for our mixed CX/Gravel category.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Michelin
Model	Power Gravel
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	474057
EAN	3528704740574
TPI	3x120
Compound	X-Miles compound
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	35-622
Specified Weight	380 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	73
Made In	Members Only
Available Sizes	33-622 (700x33c) 35-622 (700x35c) 40-622 (700x40c) 47-622 (700x47c)

Michelin Power Gravel 35 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	380 grams
Measured Weight	412 grams
Measured Width Casing	34 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	36 mm
Measured Height	32 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center	1.2 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.6 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	2.30 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	34 mm	34 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 (60 psi / 4.1 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 (50 psi / 3.4 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 (40 psi / 2.8 bar)	20.3 Watts CRR: 0.00609	24.1 Watts CRR: 0.00722
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 (30 psi / 2.1 bar)	23.1 Watts CRR: 0.00692	28.1 Watts CRR: 0.00842
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	42 Points
Total Puncture Score Sidewall	Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Sharp Needle	10
Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Members Only
Tread Total Tire Thickness	2.30 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	59 Points
Wet Grip Center	Members Only
Wet Grip Edge	Members Only
Measured Knob Height Center	1.2 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.6 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

We feel the Michelin Power Gravel is an excellent compromise between speed, protection, tire thickness, and knob height for a CX/Gravel tire. Rolling resistance is a bit higher when compared to the fastest CX/Gravel tires but you'll get better protection and knob height in return. We would be surprised if you had something to complain about with these tires.

If you've had troubles with cuts and punctures with other tires, the Power Gravel might be worth a try if you don't want to go all out on the most puncture-resistant CX/Gravel bike tires. Go to the CX/Gravel overview to compare against the other tires.

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RATING: 4.5 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Highly Recommended

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