Description:

What makes a gravel tire truly fast, grippy, and bulletproof — all at the same time?

In this exclusive deep-dive, we sit down with Oliver Kiesel, Senior Technology Product Manager for Bicycle Tires at Specialized, to talk tire tech, performance gains, and what’s next for gravel in 2025.

🔧 From rubber compounds and casing construction to rebound, damping, and durability — we break down how tires are actually built, and what trade-offs go into chasing the perfect balance.

🚀 Plus, Oliver walks us through three brand-new tires in Specialized’s 2025 lineup:

• Pathfinder

• Tracer

• Terra

You’ll learn:

• What makes each tire unique — beyond just tread patterns.

• Which conditions each one is designed for.

• Why the new Pathfinder is faster, grippier, and still ultra-robust.

• Why wider might mean faster, backed by rolling resistance testing.

• How to nail your tire pressure for performance and comfort — and what happens when you miss the mark.

Whether you're a gearhead, racer, or just want to get the most out of every ride, this episode is packed with insights from one of the most respected minds in cycling tire innovation.

👉 Don’t miss this inside look at the future of gravel tires.

🎙️ Note from Thomas: And hey — apologies for my English! But if you’re a fan of “The Julekalender,” you’ll probably find this episode just fine too 😉