CX/Gravel Tire Test: Rene Herse Bon Jon Pass TC Extralight 35

The Bon Jon Pass was the first Rene Herse (back then, still branded Compass) that we tested, and that was over 6 years ago. At that time, we tested the Standard casing (read our review), and now we will look at how the Extralight casing performs compared to the competition.

In all that time, very little has changed about the Rene Herse tires. Our 2024 Rene Herse Bon Jon Pass with Extralight casing, which we purchased last month, still has Compass branding on the side of the tire, which indicates these are essentially the same tires. Therefore, a further introduction of these tires is not necessary.

In 2018, we didn't yet have a CX/Gravel section, and we tested the Bon Jon Pass as a touring bike tire. Unfortunately, it isn't easy to directly compare the standard casing and Extralight casing, but if you are a Pro Member, you can use Pro View, where you can compare all 380+ tires we have tested over the years.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Rene Herse
Model	Bon Jon Pass TC Extralight
Year	2024
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	Very High
Buy At
Manufacturer part number	RF735TC-SX-CP
TPI	-
Compound	-
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	35-622
Specified Weight	310 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	90
Made In	Members Only
Available Sizes	35-622 (700x35c)

Rene Herse Bon Jon Pass TC Extralight 35 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	310 grams
Measured Weight	296 grams
Measured Width Casing	36 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	35 mm
Measured Height	34 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center	0.2 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	0.2 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	2.40 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)
Measured Width	36 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
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
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)	18.1 Watts CRR: 0.00543
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)	21.1 Watts CRR: 0.00632
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	Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Members Only
Tread Total Tire Thickness	2.40 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	64 Points
Wet Grip Center	Members Only
Wet Grip Edge	Members Only
Measured Knob Height Center	0.2 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	0.2 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

The Bon Jon Pass with Extralight casing performs about as we expected. However, we see surprisingly little difference between the standard casing and Extralight casing versions of the Bon Jon Pass, but this could be the result of the long time between the tests. The Snoqualmie Pass, which we have tested in all casing versions (Rene Herse Casing Comparison), showed much more significant differences.

The most significant advantage of the Extralight Bon Jon Pass is its low weight. The Rene Herse tires in the Extralight casing are the lightest tires on the market when you consider the weight-to-volume ratio, and in addition, the tires are also tubeless-ready.

RATING: 3.8 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Recommended

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