You can't help but notice the quality of these tires when you first unbox them, very tight production tolerances with no discernable irregularities - even the excess rubber in the center of the tread is very
consistent. They do feel, stiff but it doesn't translate to a harsh ride. I think it is just a very dense compound. I just gave them a 40 mile maiden voyage on a typical late-Fall New England day with a mix of good, bad and truly horrendous wet roads and came away extremely impressed, such a great ride quality with loads of grip. The active comfort technology must be legit, these might be the best tubeless tires I've ridden to date as far as road feel goes - it's really like riding on clouds compared to many other race tires I've tried. They also feel very fast, honestly I could not detect the rolling resistance from these tires even on inclines and even though they are heavy-ish I didn't notice the weight. I didn't do any categorized climbs of course but a few steep ones anyway. Hopefully they will last me at least a few thousand miles, judging by all the 5 star reviews here and on other websites there appears to be a good chance they will.
I used these in 45mm version for Unbound 200 in 2024 and they rolled noticeably faster than the 40mm version I have used previously. I switched to the 45s to improve the ride and they did, although the North course at Unbound is rough and kicks my butt every time. (I've done it 3X and no DNFs) I did get a puncture on my front tire, but the sealant kept the tire from loosing pressure. Of course getting a puncture at Unbound is pretty much part of the game. I'll use them again in 2025 for the 200. I've finished DK/Unbound 200 6 times now and Terra Speeds are my favorite tire for that course and general gravel riding.
These are clearly a top tier tire and they score well at brr.com. Though, the rumors are true, they are a Challenge to mount. I've changed a lot of tires in my day and I'm a machinist so I have a "mondo set of tools". I set these on American Classic Hurricane alloy wheels. Doing this without inventing new cusswords or throwing things across the garage required: a stout pair of irons, a pair of small clamps to act as stops, Schwalbe tire lubricant, and no way were they going to seat without an air compressor. Prior experience with cantankerous tires helped a lot. Worth it? I think so!
The bike itself is a work of art. I have owned several different gravel bikes and I've never felt as comfortable and confident so quickly as I did on this bike. It has sharp, confident handling like a road bike, but can handle the trails as well as any rigid gravel bike I've ridden. It has that amazing distinctive Pinarello panache. The two areas I'd have preferred something different were the cassette/rear derailleur which didn't have the range I need for steep climbs, so swapped out to an AXS Eagle derailleur and MTB-range cassette. The wheelset is a great wheelset but I prefer riding lighter carbon wheels so those came off as soon as I got the bike.
