CX/Gravel Tire Test: WTB Nano TCS Light 40

Rolling resistance of the WTB has been recalculated on 2021-03-29 as we added support for 39 to 42 mm wide tires. The Nano has a casing width of 39.7 mm and has been moved from the 36-38 mm category (previously was 36-40 mm) to the 39-42 mm category.

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The WTB Nano is a gravel bike tire with a tread pattern that should be good for a broad range of conditions. When we compare it to the WTB Riddler that we tested a couple of weeks back, the Nano has a much more widely spaced tread pattern with much bigger knobs in the center of the tread.

When looking at the specifications of both the WTB Nano and Riddler (read our review), it's easy to see these are very closely related. The versions of the Nano and Riddler that we've tested (TCS Light) both use a tubeless-ready, single-ply 60 TPI casing, and Dual DNA compound.

We've tested the 40-622 "TCS Light/Fast Rolling" Nano with tan sidewalls. The version with tan sidewalls is a bit lighter which is why we choose it over the version with black sidewalls.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	WTB
Model	Nano TCS Light
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	W010-0692
TPI	60
Compound	Dual DNA
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	40-622
Specified Weight	497 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	50
Made In	Members Only
Available Sizes	40-622 (700x40c)

WTB Nano TCS Light 40 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	497 grams
Measured Weight	480 grams
Measured Width Casing	40 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	38 mm
Measured Height	40 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center	2.9 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.5 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	2.10 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	40 mm	40 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)	25.8 Watts CRR: 0.00773	29.6 Watts CRR: 0.00887
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)	28.5 Watts CRR: 0.00854	33.5 Watts CRR: 0.01004
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	23 Points
Total Puncture Score Sidewall	Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Sharp Needle	6
Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Members Only
Tread Total Tire Thickness	2.10 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	2.9 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

The WTB Nano performs reasonably in the rolling resistance tests when we take the tread pattern into consideration. Just like the WTB Riddler, the Nano gets a points reduction because of the sub-par puncture resistance of both the tread and sidewalls. If you do a lot of gravel riding and get cuts regularly, look for something else.

Rated 3 out of 5 as we think this can be a decent tire if you're riding somewhere where punctures and cuts are not that common. Visit our CX/Gravel overview page to compare for yourself and pick the best tire for your conditions.

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RATING: 3.0 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Recommended

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