Together with a revamped line of gravel tyres, Specialised has rolled out a brand new model of the Mondo, its tried-and-true endurance tyre. The brand new Mondo has a revised tread sample and sidewall development to create a contemporary tyre for endurance using on and off asphalt.
The new Mondo is a part of a rising subsection of tyres finest described as “thick slicks.” Previously, this class consisted of both touring tyres or gravel tyres, however now, with street bikes providing larger clearances and the rising reputation of gravel bikes, there’s new demand for tyres which might be, by all intents and functions, street tyres with an additional handful of millimeters.
But, these millimeters could make fairly the distinction in enhancing the trip really feel throughout a number of several types of surfaces, whether or not it is a significantly moist street the place decrease strain is required, uneven or gnarled pavement or mild, hard-packed gravel. The Mondo, like related choices from Pirelli, Rene Herse, Continental, or Enve, has been designed exactly for that want.
Whereas it is just being dropped at market now, the tyre has undergone intensive testing on the highest degree of sport, together with the 2024 Paris-Roubaix, the place Lotte Kopecky rode them to victory throughout the notorious cobblestones. It has additionally been noticed at Strade Bianche, and State-side, the 35mm model was ridden by Specialised gravel execs on the early-season gravel races, which had been extra pavement-heavy.
Lotte Kopecky on her solution to successful the 2024 Paris-Roubaix Femmes on Specialised Mondo tyres
(Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)
Here is what’s new:
- Extra sturdy and puncture-resistant—a robust “anti-puncture” slayer of reinforcement beneath the supple rubber tread sample and a brand new “mesh” patterned sidewall guard present a lot improved sturdiness.
- Quicker rubber on the core – as an alternative of utterly prioritizing sturdiness on the expense of pace, the Mondo retains the Gripton T2/T5 twin compound that has been developed for the quicker street tyres within the Specialised line-up.
- Gentle weight – weighing in at 310g for 28mm, 330g in 32mm and 360g in 35mm, honest marks that put it across the center of the pack for related endurance tyres.
The Mondo is available in two variations:
– The Mondo TLR is a extra sturdy tubeless possibility that’s obtainable in 28, 32, and 35mm widths, and comes with a pricetag of $80 / £70
– the Mondo Folding, is a extra stripped down clincher selection, which is available in 26, 28, or 32mm width and retails for $55 / £45.
First Experience Impressions
(Picture credit score: Logan Jones-Wilkins)
We acquired the brand new Mondo tyres a couple of weeks prematurely of the product launch in each 32mm and 35mm widths. The 32mm tyres instantly discovered a house on my fastened gear commuting bike, with tubes, whereas the opposite set went on some Enve 5.6 wheels as part of a long-term evaluation of the highest “thick slick” tyres available in the market.
The primary actual check was setting the 35mm Mondos up tubeless at dwelling with out an air compressor. With these Enve rims, I’ve had a few 50% success charge, however extra usually than I like, I’ve needed to make the trek of disgrace to my native bike store to assist me out. Fortunately, the Mondo match simply onto the edges with a crisp snap coming at solely 35 PSI.
Aesthetically, the sidewalls stand out with their new “mesh” design and criss-cross sample that seems like sandpaper beneath my thumb. In comparison with most sidewalls that really feel nearly silky, this roughness instantly confirmed promise as sidewall cuts are at all times my worry when using slick tyres throughout tough terrain.
Whether or not the sidewall mesh is profitable over an extended testing interval stays to be seen. I’ve solely logged a pair hundred miles on the Mondos, however the idea is intriguing.
Proper off the bat, the Mondo tyres jumped out as a robust performer on the street for a tyre of its dimension. Round my dwelling roads of Phoenix, Arizona, the pavement alternates between being immaculately easy and uneven. Particularly, the native climb up South Mountain has seen higher days. Whereas the gradient can be conducive to a pure light-weight street bike, the tarmac makes the climb and descent a tough trip with commonplace street tyres.
(Picture credit score: Logan Jones-Wilkins)
The Mondos appeared to strike the appropriate stability of being mild and quick sufficient to really feel like a climbing tyre but additionally sturdy, with the appropriate tread and quantity to soak up the bumps and imperfections of the floor. In the long run, utilizing these tyres yielded my second-fastest time up the climb, only some seconds off my private finest from 2017, when the street was nonetheless in higher form, and I rode it aboard a climbing bike full with race wheels and 25mm tyres.
Thick slicks, nonetheless, aren’t reserved only for the pavement, nonetheless chunky. To actually put the tyres via their paces, I went into the grime with the identical bike, wheels and strain. On the 35mm width, I ran 42 and 44 PSI within the entrance and rear, respectively, and the tyres carried out effectively on the gravel and easy trails of Papago Park in Tempe. The place the bolstered tread construction helped the Mondo retain pace on the street, the reconfigured sidewall gave it the dynamism to deal with the rocks and unevenness of the completely different numerous surfaces.
The Mondo just isn’t a purpose-built gravel tyre, however that has extra to do with its dimension relatively than its make-up. From a primary impression, the Mondo appears to hit the appropriate stability between pace on the street and management on mild gravel, which places it proper close to the highest of its class.
To place it merely, this is not your father’s endurance tyre. The Mondo is one other instance of how the class of tyres is altering with higher all-around choices for a broad spectrum of riders and using surfaces.
