CX/Gravel Tire Test: Michelin Power Gravel (v2) 40

We already tested the 35 mm version of the Michelin Power Gravel back in 2020 and found it to be quite a strong performer in our tests. Michelin recently released a "v2" version of the Power Gravel that comes with some undisclosed changes that we're hoping to make more apparent. We've tested the 40 mm version of the Power Gravel, making it harder to compare it to the 35 mm "v1" Power Gravel.

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We've taken a long look at the (limited) specifications of the current Power Gravel (v2) lineup, and one of the few changes we noticed is that the specified weight of the 35-622 version (read our review) has gone up from 380 grams for the "v1" version to 405 grams for the current version. Even though our 2020 sample of the Power Gravel 35-622 already came in at 412 grams, it might indicate the tire has been made a bit beefier somewhere.

Wehen mounting the tire, we also noticed that the bead circumference has increased as the 35-622 "v1" version we have here fits extremely tight around the rim (we heard this from some others as well). The 40-622 went over the rim edge much easier, and it might indicate that the "v2" version has been modified in this area.

The Power Gravel is available in the 33-622, 35-622, 40-622, and 47-622 sizes. On top of that, the 47-622 is also available in a version with light colored sidewalls.

Let's look at our test results of the 40-622 "v2" version and compare it to the 2020 35-622 "v1" Power Gravel to see if we can spot some other changes.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Michelin
Model	Power Gravel (v2)
Year	2022
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	High
Buy At	Ad Amazon.com
Manufacturer part number	263789
EAN	3528702637890
TPI	3x120
Compound	X-Miles compound
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	40-622
Specified Weight	490 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 (v2) 40 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	490 grams
Measured Weight	495 grams
Measured Width Casing	39 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	40 mm
Measured Height	38 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center	1.5 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.5 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	2.50 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	39 mm	39 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 (50 psi / 3.4 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 (42 psi / 2.9 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 (33 psi / 2.3 bar)	21.9 Watts CRR: 0.00656	25.7 Watts CRR: 0.00770
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 (25 psi / 1.7 bar)	25.0 Watts CRR: 0.00749	30.0 Watts CRR: 0.00899
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	50 Points
Total Puncture Score Sidewall	Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Members Only
Tread Total Tire Thickness	2.50 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	61 Points
Wet Grip Center	Members Only
Wet Grip Edge	Members Only
Measured Knob Height Center	1.5 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.5 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

When we compare the "v2" Power Gravel 40-622 to the "v1" Power Gravel 35-622, our test results show that the 40-622 version performs better in the puncture tests, but rolling resistance has gone up. There is also a slight difference in the knob height in the center of the tire, where we see knob height has gone up to 1.5 mm from 1.2 mm.

Unfortunately, we didn't compare the "v1", and "v2" versions of the Power Gravel in the same size. It might be possible these differences must be attributed to the change in tire size instead of the specific tire version.

When we compare the latest 40-622 version of the Power Gravel to the competition, we're a little less excited about the Power Gravel. We've tested a lot of other CX/Gravel bike tires since the test of the original Power Gravel back in 2020 and have found some other tires to perform a bit stronger.

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RATING: 4.0 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Recommended

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