Gravel Grinding Review Of The Michelin Power Tire

Active Gear Review is supported by its audience. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

First Take On The Michelin Power Gravel Tire

I have had good luck with Michelin in recent past. My road bike sports the Michelin Pro Endurance. They’ve survived some fairly aggressive urban peleton riding as well as the myriad of bike paths I have traversed. I have a very versatile adventure bike, and intend to put these guys to good use this summer in Colorado’s Rocky/Gravel Mountains.

A tubeless set up is ideal, so don’t forget your sealant.

A Closer Look At The Michelin Power Gravel Technology

The Bead 2 Bead Protek is what makes this tire stand out. It’s a thin layer that protects the entire tire casing. I have taken this tire on some technical mountain terrain. I do bring the tire pressure down a good bit, and am able to absorb some of the rocks, bumps, and drops. Having said that, I am always a bit weary of sidewall cuts when I hit the granite Rocky Mountains. To date, no issues there yet, so the Michelin Power Gravel Bead 2 Bead have stood up to the test.

I am a big fan of saving money, but with time and experience I have learned that quality will outweigh my frugal side. Hence, spending a few dollars more for something that will outlast the cheap stuff is totally worth it. The Michelin Power Gravel have an exclusive X-Miles compound rubber which increases the tire’s lifespan. I always feel it is a real gamble to push the life of a tire, but do plan on pushing these to the limit to see what kind of life I can get out of them. I’m not even close to seeing any decline, so that report will have to wait.

Taking The Michelin Power Gravel Out On The Road, Trail, Gravel, Single Track, Dirt, Etc.

To be honest, my bike does tend to see a bit more asphalt road and concrete path than it really should. Getting to the good dirt and gravel sometimes takes a bit of sacrifice, but is always worth it in the end. I do believe it does tend to wear my tires down a little faster than I’d like, but I am excited to see how many miles I’ll be able to get out of these Michelin Power Gravel tires.

This is the point where I start to rave about this particular tire. The Michelin Power Gravel’s block design tread may seem simple. On the contrary, the versatility and varying terrain I have taken them on has been wide ranging. When I’ve been on hard surfaces, they are surprisingly smooth and without noise. On hard packed dirt, they’ve performed well, but where they absolutely shined was the more gravelly and chunkier road surfaces.

Fun first ride with the Boulder Flat Iron’s as a backdrop.

Testing: One, Two, One Two

The first test on these tires was part of a ride experience put on by the Michelin PR team. It presented an opportunity to get some insight, and go for a ride up and around the iconic Boulder network of roads, trails, and climbs. I had installed the tires the night before, and they went on quite well. With a bit of extra pressure they popped into place without much fuss. Boulder is pretty awesome from a biking standpoint. The roads are wide with shoulders, and in really good shape. Getting onto the dirt and gravel roads presents another element, and the open space single track trails provide for some intense climbing and fun descending. A good experience, and the Michelin Power Gravel handled the mix of terrain like a pro.

One ride, and I pretty much saw every flat surface I can think of.

One of my ‘home” course rides is the 25 mile Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge. The perimeter loop is jam packed with every surface you can imagine. It is straight, but the long views are magnificent. I think the multitude of surfaces is what the Michelin Power Gravel tire is intended for. The gravel portions is where I realized optimal performance as the tire seemed to be cutting right through. The best part is that I did not experience any power loss. I maintained a solid pace throughout my ride, and even snagged a couple of trophies (Strava Speak for fastest time on a particular segment).

Riding above tree line in high alpine is the pay-off

My best push it to the limits experience came on a high altitude ride West of Buena Vista, Colorado. We were camping at the base of several Fourteen Thousand foot peaks, and I wanted to go explore some jeep roads and trails by bike. I realized the beauty of these tires as I was coming back down a rough gravel road at speeds exceeding 30 mph, and a lot of heavy wash boarding. I maxed out at 36 miles per hour, and did not get rattled. With the pressure down around 25-30, the tires never lost grip, and absorbed those bumps beautifully.

30+ miles per hour, and these tires worked like a charm.

Final Thoughts On The Michelin Power Gravel

Michelin has a wide variety of tires, and the Michelin Power Gravel is a new addition to their line up. I am impressed with the time I’ve spent on them thus far. They are very versatile by being able to tackle all the road and trail surfaces. The technology seems solid, and should provide for a fairly good tire lifespan. I can usually push my tires to 1000 miles depending on the use, and I hope these will hit that mark as well.

The MSRP for this tire is around $49.99 which is a pretty good sweet spot for price.

For more information on these and other Michelin tires, please visit www.rei.com/michelin.