The Challenge STRADA BIANCA Tire

Let’s first start off with a little consideration of the history of bicycle innovation, some developments stand out so significantly that riders divide their memories into “before” and “after” those changes were adopted. Modern cyclists might recall their first bike with electronic shifting, disc brakes, or 1x gearing. Older cyclists might remember the arrival of threadless headsets or the move of shifters from the downtube to the handlebars. Yet, in the entire history of cycling—stretching back about 150 years to when the high-wheeled penny-farthing gave way to the safety bicycle with equally sized wheels—perhaps the greatest watershed moment was John Dunlop’s invention of the pneumatic tire in 1887. Bicycles with air-filled tires became faster, safer, and more comfortable. Rides and races that were once unimaginable suddenly became possible, and bicycle tire technology helped lay the foundation for the automotive and aviation industries we know today.

What does this have to do with the 36mm Challenge Strada Bianca Pro TLR under review here? Simply that Challenge Tires as a pretty cool history. It began in the 1990s when Pirelli acquired the Clement bicycle tire brand, shut down its European factories producing handmade racing tires, and moved production to Thailand. The founders of Challenge acquired both the model names and the original factory, continuing to produce and sell handmade tires. This continuation maintained a strong link to cycling’s past. Clement’s history goes back to around 1800 when they began manufacturing as the French licensee of Dunlop’s pneumatic tires. Their products were raced at the highest levels throughout the 20th century by legends like Eddy Merckx and Jacques Anquetil. 

Challenge tires differ from most other premium road and gravel tires found in bike shops or online listings in their construction. Most modern tires are vulcanized: the woven plies forming the casing are coated with rubber or synthetic compounds, shaped, and then cooked in a mold. This process melts the materials together, forming the tread and forcing the tire into a toroidal (donut-shaped) form under heat and pressure.

Handmade tires, such as those from Challenge, follow a different process. Originating in the world of tubular tires—beloved by racers for their elusive ride quality despite their inconveniences—these tires are assembled without heat. The casing fabric, with a higher thread count (like the sheets in a luxury hotel), has minimal rubber embedded in the weave, keeping it supple and flexible. Instead of being formed in the tire mold, the tread is bonded or glued to the casing for perfect alignment.

As a result, the tire comes out of the box shaped like a cylinder rather than a torus. The tread’s diameter matches that of the beads. If a bicycle tire can be called beautiful, a Challenge tire certainly qualifies: the sidewalls are a warm, yellow-tan; the tread, labels, and bead lines are exactly  parallel; and there’s no excess molding material.

Mounting the Strada Bianca Pros without levers took some time and effort—and raised a couple of blisters—but was well within my amateur skill set. I centered the tire over the wheel, seating one bead at a time starting opposite the valve and ensuring the bead sat in the rim’s center channel. If the final section of bead was too tight, I simply went back around to work it deeper into the channel. Once both beads were on, tubeless setup was straightforward using a floor pump with an air reservoir—no compressor required. I seated the tire dry, then injected sealant through the valve stem. Both sealed easily with 3–4 ounces of Truckerco sealant. This setup holds air perfectly for the duration of a ride but softens after a few days in the garage.

I tested the Strada Bianca tires on my six-year-old Santa Cruz Stigmata during several 15–25-mile rides on pavement and smooth gravel in Utah in July. At over 200 pounds, I found 45 psi offered the best combination of speed and comfort, with no bouncing or squirm in corners. While I’ve long used similar pressures on knobbier, heavier gravel tires, riding a wide road tire at this pressure was a revelation.

Though they perform well in objective tire tests, these tires truly excel in more subjective qualities. Challenge has long been praised for supple, sensitive ride characteristics, and my experience matched that reputation. At the right pressure, the tires were exceptionally smooth and comfortable while still transmitting subtle road feel through the bars, pedals, and saddle. I felt confident pushing to the edge of grip in corners, and when I stopped pedaling, the lack of rolling resistance was striking. I took pleasure glancing down during climbs to watch the spin of the perfectly aligned file tread on the front tire.

I believe aesthetics matter in cycling. Bicycles and their components are shaped by the technology, culture, and history behind them—and those connections influence how we feel about what we ride, just as much as any measurable performance gains. I enjoy the Strada Bianca tires both for their ride quality and for the deep historical lineage they represent. Even the difficulty of mounting them becomes less of a chore and more of a ritual, akin to old racers aging tubulars in their cellars and carefully gluing them to rims, all in pursuit of the ideal ride.

In closing these tires have been around for a couple of years and they are true to others opinions. They are a great option for those that are going the route of N+0 and taking advantage of gravel tech and just getting a 2nd set of wheels but still want to hit up both dirt and road on a ride.

CURRENT SIZE &TECH OF THE TIRES

Sizes 700x30C, 700x33C, 700x36C, 700x40C, 700x45C, 650x46C

SERIES: PRO

CASING: Super Polyester 260TPI

COMPOUND: SMARTplus

PUNCTURE PROTECTION: PPS2