Originally published at: Challenge Tires 2026 Road Range: Handmade Tires That Actually Work for Real Riding - Slowtwitch News
I, like lots of folks, have a love hate relationship with the Challenge Tire brand. GREAT tires, even if they are sometimes super hard to get on and off. (If you know, you know.) And, because of this love/hate relationship, we have written about the brand a lot.
We have a whole series on our YouTube channel on this. We filmed those video’s because the first time I have got a pair of Challenge Tires it took practically an entire day to put the darn things on. I was so annoyed about the lack of instructions I told the rep: “If you make the trip, I will make the video.”
Fast forward a couple of years. Challenge has finally listened to the community’s feedback, which, to me, is the most positive of the ROAD range updates. But let’s first dive into what those updates actually include.
The 2026 road range includes three lines: the new 4 Stagioni XP, the updated Strada Pro and the refreshed Elite Pro. What’s interesting here isn’t just that Challenge updated some tires. It’s that they’re doubling down on something most companies have abandoned: handmade construction. Also, they really have fixed a lot of the issues around getting the damn things on and off.
SOME BEGINNER BASICS
Before we start to dive in to some of the specific details, let’s go over a couple of tire basics.
Handmade Tires – Involves a construction process that is not 100% machined. There are a lot more human hands and eye contact involved in the process, which leads to less tooling. This allows Challenge to honestly claim that there is more oversight with the final product.
Tubular Wheels – Wheels with specific rims that allowed tubular tires to be taped, or glued, directly to the rim itself. These became very popular in professional racing (many years ago) because you could run a much higher tire pressure.
Tubular Tires – The tires that went on those tubular rims/ wheels. They were also called “sew up” tires – the tire encased the inner tube and was then glued or taped to the rim.
Hooked Wheels – A traditional bike wheel rim design that includes an inner lip “hook” that helps to keep the tires in place.
Hookless Wheels – A wheel design that removes the “hook” from the inner lip of the wheel. This tech is claimed to offer a number of improvements, but comes with tighter requirements (mostly around tire pressure) to ensure a safe ride.
Tubeless Tires – Tires that are used on specific rims that don’t include an inner tube and require tire sealant.
Clincher Tires – A tire that requires an inner tube.
TPI – Threads Per Inch. Tires can usually be placed into four buckets when it comes to thread count. The more threads, the more supple (soft) the ride will feel. TPI can be a tricky choice for riders: “How can I get the best performance for my use case?”
- 30-60 TPI (Commuter tires – strong, heavy and “bullet proof”)
- 60-120 TPI (Mid-range tires)
- 120-220 TPI (Performance tires with more protection)
- 260-320 TPI (Premium tires meant to go super fast, but are more likely to get a flat)
TPI – is one of many factors you need to consider when it comes to choosing a tire. Material and rubber compounds make a big difference as well.
For more information about the compounds used in Challenge Tires click here.
For more information about hookless rims, please see our page here.
CHALLENGE’S NEW TIRES AND UPGRADES
4 Stagioni XP – A Tire for When Conditions Actually Suck
The only “new” product in the line is the 4 Stagioni XP – Handmade TLR. Named after the four seasons (Stagioni is Italian for “Seasons”), this tire is built for the riding most of us actually do — all the stuff we generally see on training rides, especially during the shoulder seasons, or over wet roads with lots of debris.
Here’s what Challenge did: they utilized their handmade construction (which means generally high TPI casings and that supple feel riders obsess over) and added serious protection, without creating a tire that felt like you were riding a brick.
The compound is called SMARThydro. Challenge claims it’s as fast as the rubber used on their race tires, but with better traction in wet conditions. I don’t have a roller test to back that up, but I can tell you the tire doesn’t feel sketchy on polished pavement, or when you hit those slippery conditions you can get on a fall/winter morning around a corner.
The protection system is bead-to-bead. (In other words for the entire tire.) Challenge calls it XP-level protection with two layers and can be found in some of their gravel tires as well.
- Corazza Silver reinforces the sidewalls
- Corazza Gold adds a tightly woven layer across the entire casing for cut protection
This is the first time Challenge has brought this level of armor to their road category. It matters because most of us aren’t riding perfect roads. We’re riding roads with gravel on the shoulder, potholes and debris that’ll easily slice a race tire.
The bead is new. Challenge redesigned it for hookless (TSS) rims, which means better air retention and more predictable tubeless installation. They’re also using what they call an “Easy-Fit Shape” — basically a mold-formed profile that pre-rounds the tire. Instead of wrestling with that second bead, the tire naturally clears the drop zone. If you’ve ever cursed while trying to mount a handmade tubeless tire, this matters. And, yes, we tested this, and it’s no BS. This was the first time we have ever been able to put a Challenge tire on a wheel without a lever tool.
This is a true hookless tire featuring new tire tech. The tire sizing starts at 28 mm and goes up to 38 mm.The casing is 260 TPI SuperPoly, so it’s supple enough for long rides, but durable enough for rough roads and winter conditions. They are available with either black or tan sidewalls. The current MSRP on these are $99.99 USD
Elite Pro – Handmade Performance Without the Premium Price
The Elite Pro is Challenge’s new “accessible” option. It brings handmade construction at a lower price point, without losing the qualities that make handmade tires feel different from mass-produced, vulcanized tires. The tire is TLR and clincher, but not hookless, compatible. We asked why not – according to Challenge it came down to the price point.
The casing is 220 TPI SuperPoly, with Challenge’s standard SMART compound. It’s not as fast as the company’s SMARTprime compound, and not as wet-optimized as SMARThydro, but it’s durable and still has that handmade feel.
Easy-Fit and wider sizes. This tire features the same mounting improvements as the rest of the 2026 line. It’s available in 28C, 30C and 32C sizes.
As mentioned, it is available in TLR and Clincher options.
- Handmade TLR
- Handmade Clincher
This is the gateway option for riders who want to try a handmade tire, without committing to the higher price, and wear rate, of premium tires.
USD $64.99 Tubeless
USD $54.99 Clincher
Strada Pro – The Everyday Race Tire That Doesn’t Hate You
Challenge says the Strada is the company’s most popular road tire. The 2026 Strada Pro – Handmade TLR/ Hookless/ Clincher is for riders who want race-tire speed, but need something reliable enough to ride every day. These tires have always been awesome to ride, but a complete “challenge” to install. Until now. There are two new upgrades:
1 – Compound and Puncture protection.
2 – Easy Fit added.
The compound used is SMARTprime, which is Challenge’s fastest road rubber. It’s sitting on a 300 TPI SuperPoly casing, which gives you that handmade suppleness, without feeling fragile. The tire has a rounded profile and low rolling resistance, which is what you want if for long days or racing.
Puncture protection through PPS Ganzo, which is a multi-component fabric used under the tread. Compared to the standard PPS used on the Elite Pro, it’s lighter and more advanced. It’s not as burly as the 4 Stagioni XP, but provides better “protection-per-weight.”
Sizes up to 35 mm: Challenge is acknowledging the attraction to wider tires, but is still offering a 25C in the range that also includes: 28C, 30C, 32C and 35C
TLR and Clincher options
- Handmade TLR for modern Tubeless and Hookless wheels
- Handmade Clincher for tube setups
That matters if you’re running older wheels, or just prefer tubes.
USD $89.99 Tubeless/Hookless
USD $79.99 Clinchers
What Challenge Did
Across all three lines — Elite, Strada and 4 Stagioni — Challenge made technical updates that solve the problems they have with fit.
1. Easy-Fit Shape across the lineup. Mounting handmade tires has always been a challenge. The new mold-formed profile makes it easier to seat beads and get clean tubeless setups, without sacrificing suppleness.
2. Hookless-optimized construction for some models. Hookless rims are commonplace on mid- and high-end wheels. The 2026 bead designs, especially on the 4 Stagioni XP, show that Challenge gets it (sort of) — as of right now the ELITE Pro is NOT hookless compatible.
3. Purpose-driven compounds.
- SMARThydro for wet weather
- SMARTprime for race-level speed
- SMART for everyday durability
Each one serves a different rider and application.
4. Expanded widths
- 25–35mm for Strada Pro
- 28–32mm for Elite Pro
- 28–38mm for 4 Stagioni XP
This puts Challenge right in line with the current market — 28 – 32 mm is the new road standard. The new range also gives some of us the extra size we want for some longer, exploring rides.
5. Handmade construction across price points. From the accessible Elite Pro, to the reinforced 4 Stagioni XP, everything is still handmade.
What This Means
What I like about companies like Challenge is they’re small enough to move fast, but have been around long enough to know better. The 2026 road range doesn’t just provide incremental updates — Challenge is modernizing its design, while maintaining the handmade difference riders care about.
The 4 Stagioni XP brings real-world durability without killing ride quality. The Strada Pro is still the benchmark for everyday premium performance. The Elite Pro gives riders using hooked rims an entry point to try handmade tires, without the premium price tag.
For cyclists who care about grip, feel and protection — and who ride in conditions that aren’t perfect — Challenge’s 2026 road range is a solid option. It’s built for every season, every road and riders who give a damn about how a tire feels.
Like almost any tire, make sure you check that these will be compatible with the wheel you plan on riding. Challenge just made it a lot easier to find handmade performance tires that meet modern standards — tubeless, hookless and wider sizes.