WTB Riddler in review

The WTB Riddler represents the beginnings of gravel bikes more than most gravel tires. With a classic tread pattern consisting of narrow but tall knobs and an all-road character, the tire makes a good first impression. We put it through the wringer in our group test to find out if it can back that up with its performance.

**WTB** Riddler | 471 g | € 54,95 | Manufacturer’s website

WTB stands for Wilderness Trail Bikes, and the Riddler falls right in line with the ethos, not just promising to feel at home on gravel. As an all-rounder, the tire should also excel on big adventures in the wilderness, and on the trails. And the Riddler has conquered a large part of the market with this approach, even making it a popular choice amongst some of the big name bike brands. It’s understandable, at least when going on first impressions. The evenly spaced tread pattern looks like it should be fast and grippy. It’s also available in a standard black or tan wall option, allowing you to match and enhance the look of any bike.
But the Riddler isn’t just visually appealing. It also fits perfectly, popping onto the rim and seals tubeless with ease.

Is this still all-round? – WTB Riddler

Thanks to the closely spaced centre tread and pronounced shoulders, the WTB Riddler offers plenty of traction on gravel roads and through fast corners. The tire also copes well with easy trails where it benefits particularly from the aggressive shoulders knobs. Unfortunately, the fun ends as soon as things get wet, at which point the Riddler loses traction on all types of terrain. In terms of compliance, the Riddler falls somewhere in the middle – not bad, but not great either. Its efficiency isn’t good at all, generating 21.9 W rolling resistance, placing the tire amongst the least efficient in the test field. It’s a shame considering the Riddler’s promising looks. To our regret, the same can be said about the tire’s puncture protection, performing below average in terms of both puncture and pinch resistance.

Tire Characteristics

intended use

asphalt/hard pack
trail

rolling resistance

slow
quick

pinch protection

low
high

puncture protection

low
high

handling in wet conditions

slippery
grippy

Conclusion

Unfortunately, the WTB Riddler can’t deliver on its promise, however good in theory. That said, it clearly belongs in the all-round category, as it’s a lot of fun on both asphalt and gravel, and it performs well on the trails, too. However, the Riddler can’t handle wet conditions, and it also fares rather poorly in terms of efficiency and puncture protection.

Tops

stylish design with tan walls
a lot of fun in dry conditions

Flops

very inefficient according to lab results
not the best puncture protection
minimal grip in wet conditions

For more information head to: wtb.com

In our introduction of the best gravel tire on test you can’t just find our most interesting findings and our overall conclusion, but a good view on all tires tested.

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Words: czajac Photos: Jan Richter