Some fruit falls from its towering parent with a supple ripeness, bruising and splitting asunder on its way to the forest floor. The luckiest woodland creatures feast on fermented flesh for an autumnal euphoria. Other trees drop their bounty in a more robust form, ready to be packed away for winter. The Warwick tires from Teravail similarly tumble and roll with a broad variety of casing firmness and grip durability.
The Teravail Warwick is available in 2.3″ and 2.5″ widths that span either diameter with three casing thicknesses, two grip compounds, wrapped in tan or black sidewalls. They don’t quite match the Maxxis level of variables, but that’s quite a mound of choice. I tested the 29×2.5″ size with the middle “Durable” casing and stickiest “Grip” tread compound. These soft circles weigh a little over 1,300g each and retail between $70 and $90 depending on the tread and carcass.
This “Durable” middle-child casing feels like the ideal amount of support and puncture protection to match the gripping capabilities of the Warwick tread pattern. It’s akin to Schwalbe’s Super Trail casing in terms of rebound feel at speed and stone-stopping power.
I mounted these tires on my Cotic SolarisMAX hardtail and have yet to notice a puncture with 23psi at the tail and 20psi at the tip. Teravail recommends mounting two of these same tires, as I have, or throwing the burlier Teravail Kessel up from for a full-enduro setup.
If these were going on a full-suspension bike with spicier intentions I would opt for the heavier Ultra Durable casing out back and this Durable thickness under the handlebar. For my 120mm shredtail, this combo fits just right.
I don’t always get along with notably directional tread patterns like these, but the Warwick quickly got on my good side. The ramped center tread feels quite fast under pedal power for a tire this heavy, and the lugs’ squared-off trailing edges bite well for confident braking.
I’ve been surprised by how good these tires feel on technical climbs, grabbing hold of damp rocks and roots where some others will slide toward the low line. For the steepest descents, this tire doesn’t offer quite enough braking bite, and if it did the lugs would be tall enough to slow it down under pedaling power. As it stands, the Warwick hands us a solid balance.
A row of buttressed knobs lines the Warwick’s shoulders and they’re all quite sturdy feeling despite the softer rubber. Again, given the stated “aggressive trail” intentions of this tire, the shoulder lugs are up for the job. They hold on well in flat turns and softer off-camber dirt, and the transition from center to shoulder tread feels natural — if largely unnoticeable. There’s no “oh shit” moment between traction and slip, and instead, the breakaway point of gripping and drifting is comfortably manageable with this tread. Of course, they’ll let loose on wet roots and rocks when your weight is balanced on those shoulder lugs, but if you regularly ride in the wet you’ll already know that’s coming.
Speaking of soggy, the Warwick will spin nicely through a muddy forest. There’s ample space between the lugs to let them clear out soil and get back to work, and the lugs are just tall enough to find some traction through a substantial amount of clay buildup. If they’re anything like some similar tires I’ve tested they should also play well with deep dust, though it will be several months before that can be confirmed.
These tires won’t get you drunk like branch-ripened food might, but they do allow for festive fun in a different way. Well, I reckon you could pour whiskey in them instead of sealant and occasionally stop for a quick valve misting. Regardless of your tire liquids, this tread is a great option for all sorts of trail fun. Depending on the pitch of your favorite trails and how you ride them the Warwick could be a fantastic all-year tire, or a great rear end tread paired with something more aggressive.
Pros and cons of the Teravail Warwick tires
Pros
- Feel fast for their weight
- Great fit for “aggressive trail” riding
- Loads of options
Cons
- $70-90 is a plie of cash for tires
- Why only black or tan sidewalls?
Where to Buy
- Price: $70-90
- Available from Worldwide Cyclery.
