For many of us, winter’s here. If you find yourself staring out into colder streets, your summer commuter tires aren’t the best option for when it gets cold, wet, and soupy. Bloomington, Minnesota’s 45NRTH knows cold and wet, and may have the perfect tire with Latkat – a commuter-specific tire to help you keep the rubber side down when road conditions are the opposite of ideal.
45NRTH says the Latkat offers predictable performance on cold, wet roads thanks to their Gripkraft rubber compound. Note that the Latkat is specifically a non-studded winter tire. If you want or need studs, check out their Gravdal or Xerxes tires.
The Gripkraft compound provides “extra grip and control in wet conditions, making LatKat the best road bike tire for winter conditions”. This tire should allow the rider to “stick” to the ground while carrying more speed with more confidence. In addition to the rubber compound meant for colder conditions, the tread pattern has a huge number of sipes and grooves to channel water, slush, and snow away from the tread blocks for increased grip.
The new Latkat is a 700c x 40mm, foldable, tubeless compatible tire that is optimized for a rim with a 20-25mm internal width. Latkat offers “bead to bead” puncture protection and runs a 60tpi casing.
New Latkat Features and Retail
Retail: $70
- Siped and grooved tread grips well in wet conditions
- Gripkraft winter rubber compound boosts performance on wet roads
- Tubeless-ready and supple ride quality, more grip. and weight savings
- 60 TPI casing
- Bead-to-bead puncture protection means you won’t be changing flats in the cold
- *Not recommended for power assist bikes as the additional torque and system weight can lead to premature casing wear*
- Always check with your rim manufacturer to verify rim and tire compatibility before assembly or use
