Introducing Hatcher Pass 700C x 48 mm
When we asked Lael Wilcox which tires she needed for bikepacking, the Fleecer and Oracle Ridge dual-purpose knobbies were the result: great traction on loose and muddy surfaces (and snow), but fast and grippy on pavement. Plus quiet thanks to our noise cancellation technology. These tires cover the multitude of conditions that Lael (and everybody else) encounters during the Tour Divide or the Silk Road Mountain Race. They are perfect for adventures where you don’t know what lies ahead.
Lael loves the knobbies, but there are times when a smooth tire is preferable. For the Oregon Outback, she ran the 700C x 55 Antelope Hills – basically a smooth version of the Fleecer Ridge. “How about a smooth all-road version of the Oracle Ridge?” she asked, “That would be perfect for one my favorite climbs in the world. Hatcher Pass is very near Anchorage. It’s where I completed my Everest Challenge (above). The front side of it is paved and leads to Independence Mine (an abandoned gold mine that is now a state park). The backside is dirt. In August and September there are plentiful fields of wild blueberries near the top.”
Lael continued: “A smooth 700C x 48 mm tire would be perfect for that pass.” How could we not? Especially since we knew that Lael isn’t alone in wanting that tire: Her Specialized Diverge is one of a whole new crop of all-road and gravel bikes with clearance for 48 mm tires.
Now we’ve got the new Hatcher Pass 700C x 48 mm tires in stock, in Standard, Extralight (tan) and Endurance casings. We can’t wait for Lael and Rue to send us photos of the new tires on Lael’s favorite pass!
We also got more of our incredibly popular 650B x 55 mm Umtanum Ridges. The first two shipments sold out within days – let’s hope this one lasts a bit longer. In addition to the Standard, Extralight (tan) and Endurance casings, the new tires now are available with the ultra-tough Endurance Plus casing. They’ve got the same dual-purpose tread as the 29″ Fleecer Ridges. They also feature our noise cancelling technology, so they don’t just roll and corner like a slick, they also don’t sound much different.
The latest shipment also included other models that had been out of stock, like the ever-popular 26″ x 2.3″ Humptulips Ridge knobbies (above, Lael and I on the tire’s namesake mountain pass) and the 700C x 42 Hurricane Ridge Endurance Plus. We’re excited to keep you rolling on great tires into the shoulder season and beyond.
Photo credits: Rugile Kaladyte (Photos 2, 3, 6)
