Admittedly, coming from the Pirelli M45 - the RC45 should be faster. But, I didn't realize how much faster a "fast" tire is. So then the testing was on...Ramblers, Terreno Dry, M, and the Conti RK have all been "tested" on my varied gravel test loop. RC's beat them all handily. I will admit the Dry's felt amazing - a compliance I absolutely loved, but it definitely scrubbed speed. So it comes down to this - if you have a bike and geometry that allows you to "get away with" a speed tire, try the RC's. If you are tentative in the gnar/chunk or have a bike that is not all that stable, be safe and ride a grippier tire.
These are not easy to get on the rims. I didn't do them myself, I had a local shop mount them for me and the mechanic (he's a master) struggled to get them on. I had the tubeless fail 3 times after sitting, but the 4th time was the charm. I really like these tires for my winter riding and switched from the usual Conti 5000's because those are not durable enough for winter riding. I have about 500 miles on them and really like them, ordering a second set now.
The Quarq TyreWiz 2.0 Air Pressure Sensor for Presta Valve is an improvement over version 1. There is no "wrong side" to view the indicator light, the risk of leaks due to slight manufacturers' variations of threads of the valve stems eliminated.
However, the adhesive strip material that bonds the body to the wheel does not work well with the curve of the road carbon wheel. Also, threading the inflator unto the stem has loosened the securing nut which caused me to lose a canister of CO2 on leaks at the Tyrewiz.
I still have in on my road wheels. Just gets a little getting used to.
These are really good tires. I ride year 'round in mostly hot/humid weather and also in the winter down south. I travel for work and bring my bike lots of time especially to NYC for 60, 70, or 80 mile rides. I run tubeless and use Orange Seal regular and Ive had great results. Yeah, punctures happen especially in urban riding (Jersey City, NYC, etc.) but if you keep your sealant level up, inside of tires clean, and don't over pressure, these tires have wonderful longevity. Also, they corner nicely and generally ride well. I have no need to explore tubeless ready tires any further after the GP5000 TR. If you are a nut about maintenance (which you should be) and keep track of your tires and mileage these should be good for 4000 miles before you get to the bottom of the wear indicator although I wish I could get any tire to the bottom of the wear indicator. +1 for the GP5000 TR.
