Continental is pushing more and more into the gravel race scene, and now they just announced very competitive gravel race options. The Continental Terra Competition is a new performance-tier gravel tire aimed at fine gravel and some tarmac. It’s most definitely not an “all-around” gravel tread, but it works damn well in a wide range of conditions. On paper, the new Terra Competition is best for hardpack, light gravel, and rough tarmac. The Terra Competition sits just above the Terra Speed in outright efficiency, but for some its gonna be hard to handle.
The Concept: Road Speed Meets Light Gravel
The Terra Competition is designed to blur the lines between road and gravel, targeting fast multi-surface riding. Compared to the Terra Speed, it trims weight, reduces rolling resistance, and refines tread shape with aerodynamic considerations in mind. The tread pattern reflects that goal.
The tread design leans heavily into speed without outright abandoning control. A nearly continuous center section keeps things rolling fast and smoothly on the road or hardpack. The low-profile knobs trim rolling resistance, but they have a slight tooth. If you squint your eyes, you can see some GP5000 in there – slightly. As you tip the bike into a corner, more pronounced shoulder knobs come into play. These shoulder knobs aren’t fully independent, but they offer speed and plenty of ground contact. The Terra Competition also features a well-integrated siping system that helps clear water and debris, maintaining traction in mixed conditions.
The shape is round, and it feels very natural on the road and at high speeds. However, the rounded overall profile isn’t just for looks. Continental claims it’s shaped to smooth airflow and reduce aerodynamic drag as speeds start creeping north, as they tend to do when you’re racing (hopefully).
Two Casings – Two Compounds
If you’ve been following Continental Tires lately, you’ve noticed they are offering their newest offering in two treads and two compounds. I love these two threads for their mountain bike offerings, and it makes perfect sense to bring them over to the gravel side of life. Continental claims the updated casing saves up to 68g in weight compared to Terra Speed in comparable sizes, and yes, all compounds use Continental’s BlackChili compound technology – in case you were wondering.
The Terra Competition comes in two constructions:
Race Casing
Lighter and more supple, designed for gravel and cross-country speed. Tubeless Ready, hookless compatible, foldable aramid bead, reinforced sidewalls, and crown.
Trail Casing
Slightly more robust for mixed terrain and down-country use, maintaining tubeless compatibility and reinforced construction. Both casings incorporate a textile breaker beneath the tread for improved puncture protection.
Compound options include:
- Rapid Compound – optimized for acceleration and rolling efficiency.
- Grip Compound – tuned for improved traction and damping on rougher surfaces.
Terra Competition Sizes, Weights & Pricing
- Weight: 345g (35mm width, 700c), 420g (40mm width, 700c”),
470g516g *actual (45mm width, 700c) - Available in 700 x 35mm, 40mm, and 45mm, and in Race and Trail casings
- Price: 68.95€ / £59.30 / $76.26
Internal testing at Continental shows up to 17% lower rolling resistance versus Terra Speed Protection (thicker casing) in controlled drum tests, along with aerodynamic drag reductions across yaw angles from −20° to +20°.
Ride Impressions: Fast First, Confident Second
I’ve logged lots of time on the new Continental Terra Competition tires. I’ve also ridden them in nearly every possible condition. My first experience with the Terra Competition was at Big Sugar, arguably the perfect condition for these tires. I opted for the 45mm sizing. I figured it was enough volume to add some suspension in the rocky bits and should take the edge off the potholes.
The Big Sugar course offered super hard-packed gravel and dirt (on the course inspection day… not race day), and it paired excellently with the fast-rolling tread of the Terra Competition. I felt confident going from road to dirt to gravel, all with just enough grip to keep me fast but without skidding around in the corners. When I did enter a corner hotter than advised, I was confident in the tread on the Competition. They have enough bite to keep you upright and offer little bites of grip when crunch time comes.
On The Pavement
On pavement transitions and hardpack, the tire rolls more like a wide all-road tire than a traditional gravel tread. There’s minimal center tread buzz, and when you step on the pedals, it responds cleanly. Out-of-corner accelerations feel sharp, especially compared to more protection-heavy gravel options. In high-speed road-like conditions (think bombing down some switchbacks or high-speed chicanes), the Terra Compeitions react like a road tire. Yes – there is some lag if you’re coming off your road race bike, but if you’re coming from a gravel tire of the same width, these will feel slightly more natural in the corners.
The Race Casing lives up to its billing. It’s supple without feeling fragile. Small chatter and washboard sections are muted, and the tire tracks smoothly through rough patches without transmitting excessive vibration. Compared to Terra Speed Protection, the Terra Competition feels more responsive and slightly more lively under power – with a bit less of that “armored” feeling.
That said, I did not ride the Terra Competitions for the torrential rain race day, but I left Big Sugar with a solid impression of Continental’s newest gravel race tire. But I would reserve the full impressions for when I get to take them on my local trails, on the not-so-dry Pittsburgh winter roads.
Less The Perfect Conditions
When I received my samples of the Continental Terra Competition tires, we were in the midst of a full-on snowpocalypse on the East Coast. It was not the best time to test what we consider a dry-weather tire, but the show must go on…
I mounted them to a set of the new ENVE Foundation all-road wheel with a hookless bead and a 25mm internal rim width. They measured to 44.82mm, ever so slightly under the 45mm billing.
When the pavement was finally visible, I took the Terra Competitions out in the cold temps. On the road, they were everything I remembered from my miles in Bettonville: fast, smooth, road-like. I made my way to some gravel that wasn’t covered in ice, and the Competitions held steady. The terrain was a mix of gravel, with frozen bits of ice and larger patches. Now, I wouldn’t call this a snow or ice tire, but it held up. It reminds me of running a Challenge Dune on snowy, icy cyclocross races – more contact is a good thing.
When I hit the sun-soaked sections of gravel, the icy bit thawed into water and turned to mud. I didn’t find my wheels slipping (though I was fairly cautious), and the Terra Competitions still held their ground. I would not call them an all-rounder, especially compared to the Terra Speed, but they will get you through a lot.
On the slippier sections, especially on the climbs with deeper loose gravel, the Terra Competition can use some babying. Stand up and dry to attack, you’re gonna slip out unless you’re magic on the bike. That said, these are dry conditions race tires; they’re not trying to be an all-arounder.
You can get used to the grip on the tarmac and slight gravel that you go all out of the saddle up a climb, and you might chirp the wheel. However, if you know the terrain, anticipate traction loss, and use good form, you’ll be fine.
Aero & Stability
Continental’s aerodynamic claims are backed by internal wind testing. While that’s difficult to quantify outside the lab, the rounded profile pairs well with modern gravel or all-around rims, especially the ENVE Foundations I paired the tires with. At higher speeds, especially in crosswinds, the front wheel feels calm and neutral, but I never found myself in a full-on echelon moment during my test period.
Price, so there’s the kicker, and it seems to be the same thing I feel over and over when reading spec sheets. Yes, these are race tires, and race tires have a performance price. For these tires, you’re paying $76.26 / 68.95€ / £59.30, and that’s a heck of a lot for a gravel tire. But if that big race, setting PR’s, and equipping yourself with the best, will make you confident, these are for you.
Final Thoughts
The Continental Terra Competition is a fast-rolling, super-fast dry-to-wet (only on hard-packed) gravel tire. They offer an excellent ride feel, paired with just enough “extra speed” to have some fun. They are not an all-season gravel tire, and if you’re looking for an endurance option, I’d steer you towards something in the Continental line with more protection and at a lower price. Lighter construction, reduced rolling resistance, refined tread, and aero-conscious shaping all point in the same direction – faster races. If your gravel calendar rewards sustained power over technical terrain, this tire makes a strong case, especially if you’re racing in dry conditions.
The Continental Terra Competition purpose-built race option — and it rides like one.
Check out the full line at: Continental-tires.com
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