Bontrager is ramping up its RSL (Race Shop Limited) line for 2024. Trek is bringing more gear under the once-limited RSL moniker. “RSL” is replacing the “XXX” line of top-end Bontrager and Trek goods. We’ve seen it recently with the newest Trek Road shoes, which makes sense. Now its the new Bontrager RSL mountain bike tires.
Another thing that makes perfect sense is the new naming convention of these Bontrager tires. The team traded in the “XR2… “etc. for actual names of the courses and locations that the tires succeed on. Even more remarkable, you can tell the course’s demands just by the tire’s tread. Now, in case you’re not watching every World Cup like it’s the Super Bowl (like some of us) let me catch you up on the newest cross-country and trail treads from Bontrager.
Vallnord Andorra is an iconic World Cup location known for fast, dry racing. The new Vallnord design effectively replaces the Bontrager XR1 but maintains many features.
New RSL designs boast 220TPI casing with Bontrager XR protection and fast rolling compound. The overall weight is significantly less with the new Vallnord RSL 2.40 weight in at 623g vs the XR1 2.20 at 720g. Trek states the new Vallnord has nearly 20% more wet corning grip than the XR1.
The new Bontrager RSL cross-country line uses a dual compound with a fast-rolling center and medium tack.
If you know World Cup XC, then this name is very familiar. Mont Sainte-Anne is a staple of the World Cup circuit. Where the sharp rocks and endless roots aren’t even the worst of it. Riders contend with super steep climbs, mossy rocks, and lots of natural water from the soil.
The Bontrager RSL Mont Sainte-Anne replaces the XR2 as a Bontrager all-around tread. The trend, however, sees many updates from the previous iteration. It is adding more horizontal knobs for wet weather traction that are thin to conform around wet roots and rocks.
The Mont Sainte-Anne RSL is nearly 40 grams lighter than its XR2 predecessor and offers nearly double the puncture resistance. All this with a boost in dry and wet corning grip.
The Mont Sainte-Anne will be available in both RSL and Pro casings. The RSL boasts a 220TPI casing, while the Pro has 60TPI. Both have reinforcing XR puncture protective casings and Bontrager dual compound center and shoulder.
The Montrose name comes from the land of ride-it-all single-track. It is a place where you can find fast trails and ones that require skill in cornering, braking, and courage.
The new Montrose RSL replaces the XR3 trail tire. Bontrager describes the Montrose as a “fast-rolling trail tire,” but it’s a do-it-all tire. The casing is a supple 120TPI with a triple trail compound: medium center, soft shoulder, and supportive base.
Compaired to the XR4 the new Montrose RSL has double the tread puncture protectivity, and a slight uptick in side wall puncture protection. The wet corning grip is nearly the same at the XR4 Team Issue, but with an increase in dry cornering grip thanks to new sculpted knobs.
The Montrose should be an excellent performer like the XR3 it replaced. , bridging the gap between aggressive cross-country riding and fast technical trails. Unlike the cross-countries above t, the Montrose gets the more robust puncture protection casing. , helping and off sidewall cuts and pinch flats.
The Gunnison takes its name from the gateway to the most iconic rides. , with rails ranging from rocky desert terrain to high alpine classics. The design echoes that, with an aggressive design and options for riders looking for absolute performance and longer wear.
The Gunnison replaces Bontrager XR4 and SE4 tires, delivering an all-around trail tread that offers grip and speed in mixed conditions. The tire looses weight over, coming in about 55 grams lighter than the SE4 Team Issue. The newly tweaked design sees a increase in tread puncture resistance and a large up tick in wet corning traction.
For those looking for performance, the Gunnison RSL is 120tpi and the more robust Pro casing is 60tpi. The Gunnison is available in both XT and XR puncture protection offerings and a triple or dual tread compound.
The trail dual compound comprises a medium center and soft shoulder and is only available in XR models. The trail triple compound consists of a medium center, soft shoulder, and supportive base and is available only in XT models.
If you want to get more air into your tires faster (think tubeless setup), this new universal valve adapter from Trek offers a 300% increase in airflow.
The option helps for a more straightforward tubeless setup, less effort pumping (who needs arm strength anyway), and is virtually clog-free. This add-on is installed on any valve equipped with a removable valve core and has a built-in removal tool in the cap.
A full review of the Bontrager RSL cross-country tires is coming soon.
Trekbikes.com
Jordan Villella is the Racing Tech Editor for BikeRumor.com, specializing in cross-country mountain, gravel, road, and cyclocross. He has written about bicycles and bike culture for over fifteen years with no signs of stopping.
Before BikeRumor, Jordan raced professionally and wrote for MTBR and the now-defunct Dirt Rag Magazine. He’s covered the World Championships, World Cups, and everything in between — where he loves to report what people are riding.
Based in Pittsburgh, PA, Jordan coaches cyclists of all abilities with Cycle-Smart; you can find him racing bikes around North America and adventuring with his family.
For an inside look at his review rides follow him on Strava.
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Excellent move from Trek to change an easy to understand nomenclature to difficult to understand (to the layman) naming convention. Bravo!
@Jordan, you might as well remove the word “corning” from your phone’s text dictionary now.
I have a pair of the Vallnord RSL. Pretty low profile with nice corner knobs. Like big gravel tires! Mine weighed 628 and 638. They are at 57 and 57.5 mm (low 20s PSI) after two weeks of inflation on i24 rims. I noticed that the country of origin is Thailand for these when my other 3 pairs of Bontrager tires are from Taiwan. No idea how to confirm TPI since it’s not labeled anywhere. They are soft and crinkly.
Dude, what happened to the high-volume, fast rolling tires? Love me so 2.6” tires for endurance racing. XR2 was very good in this size, was really hoping for an XR3 in 2.6” for the front. Now you have to go to a trail tire to get the 2.6” width??
Do they still offer plus tires?
I know Trek is trying to reduce SKU’s, but tires is one place people want options.
I love the XR2 in the 2.6. I’ve been running those on my 2015 Krampus for a couple years after trying many different tires. The XR2 has been my favorite.
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