Pro racers have been asking us for a semi-slick—a tire that combines the speed of our slicks with the traction of our knobbies. They didn’t want a conventional semi-slick, but the same round profile as our other Rene Herse tires, for predictable cornering grip at all times—whether in a muddy gravel race or during a paved descent with ultra-fast hairpin turns.

So we went about reinventing semi-slick tires. It took three years of R&D and resulted in three new patents. The Corkscrew Climb semi-slick is named after the biggest climb of the SBT GRVL race in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Instead of distinct zones with different tread patterns, the slick tread transitions seamlessly into the side knobs, for better and more predictable grip as the bike leans into corners. The first row of side knobs is anchored on the center tread to stiffen the knobs for superior traction under extreme power—important when you sprint or climb out of the saddle and rock the bike from side to side. The knobs are arranged with our proprietary noise cancelling technology, making this tire almost eerily quiet for a gravel tire.

The innovations don’t stop there: The radius of the tread is significantly larger than the radius of the casing—effectively creating a tire that corners like a much-wider tire. This innovation also allows us to make the center tread thin and supple for ultra-low rolling resistance, while the tall side knobs provide superb traction when the tire sinks into the surface.

Together with our supple casings, the result is a semi-slick tire that’s faster than most slicks on the market. We don’t use the word ‘revolution’ lightly—try these tires yourself and tell us whether you notice the difference!