Vittoria makes four different Terreno tires for gravel and cyclo-cross use: the slick center Zero, the cut slick Dry, the angled bar tread Wet and this centerline and shoulder tread Mix all-rounder. It’s well-priced, rolls and wears well, and it grips in most conditions if you ride to its strengths. The weight and feel of the tire make it more of a do it all bomber than a responsive racer though.
The Mix features Vittoria's TNT casing and comes in 31, 33 and 38mm versions. We tested the latter, which actually blows up to 41mm on 25mm internal-width rims. While it needs a bit of thumb power for the first fit, it seals easily and securely without having to pump in too much air pressure. It’s okay to run sub-20 PSI if you use an insert like Vittoria’s Air-Liner, and we haven't noticed any stress or abuse marks on the tire. We’ve had the same results with a pair of Terreno Dry’s, which we've been running for over a year. While there’s no specific puncture layer listed by Vittoria, the crown of the tire is reasonably thick, and the Terreno family’s thorn and slash resistance is okay if not outstanding.
The Mix uses a centerline tread bar and arrow tread that looks a lot like the legendary Challenge Grifo CX tire. Keep the pressure up to keep the tire rounded, and it rolls along that center spine well on harder surfaces. As soon as it starts to sink into the surface, or you drop the pressure, things slow down. The center arrows paddle an impressive amount of braking and driving traction even in deep slop, and the inline segments help tracking in similar conditions. While centerline treads always make us worry about roots, the Graphene infused G2.0 compound is enough to cope well when trees are trying to trip you up.
You need to corner with an aggressive amount of lean to engage the single row of shoulder knobs, which are on the far side of a noticeable slip gap that will catch out tentative turners. Get your hips and Scandi flick working though and you can keep the power down and speed up through properly wintery conditions. That makes the smaller tires useful for cyclo-cross too, and the 33mm is nearly 100g lighter than its bigger counterpart.
Verdict
The 38mm Terreno Mix is a hefty tire, which means it doesn’t accelerate easily, and - like the other Terreno tires we’ve used - feel damped and solid rather than floated and buoyant. If you’re not racing or sprinting out of corners but just want a fit and forget tire for every terrain that won’t ruin you on the road, the Terreno Mix is a very good option. The Graphene compound noticeably extends the lifespan of the tires, which makes the competitive price even more of a bargain.
Tech Specs: Vittoria Terreno Mix tire
- Price: $53.99/£46.99
- Weight: 512g (38mm)
- Sizes: 31, 33, 38mm
