Earlier this year Bontrager updated its XC and trail tyre lineup with a suite of brand new tread patterns, freshly concocted rubber compounds and updated casings. Given the significant departure from the XR1, XR2, XR3 and XR4 models, Bontrager also treated the new tyres with unique names and graphics to help differentiate them from its previous offerings.
So far we’ve had experience with the speedy Sainte-Anne tyres on the Trek Supercaliber, and the versatile Montrose and Gunnison combo on the Trek Top Fuel. Nick has also been been testing a pair of Gunnison tyres on his Santa Cruz Tallboy.
Rounding out the lineup (ha!) are two new tyres that are designed for heavy-hitting and trail and enduro riders; the Galbraith and Brevard. These replace the existing SE6 and SE5, which we’ve found to be reasonable performers albeit not the stickiest or toughest options out there. Bontrager is aiming to address those shortcomings with updates to the tread design, casing layup and rubber formulation. As with their lighter weight counterparts, they’re also treated to fresh graphics to give them a visual point of difference.
Over the past few weeks we’ve been testing out four of the new tyres. We’ve got a Galbraith and Brevard SE tyre combo on the Trek Slash+ as well as a Brevard XT pairing on the Top Fuel. Here we’ll be diving into the details behind the new tyres, and how they’ve performed on the trail so far.
Bontrager Galbraith SE Tyre
- Sizes: 29×2.5in
- Weight: 1,444g (29×2.5in)
- Price: $119.99 AUD (each)
The Galbraith SE is Bontrager’s toughest and most aggressive enduro tyre. It technically replaces the outgoing SE6, but it’s important to note that it is considerably heavier duty. Available in just a single 29×2.5in size, the Galbraith tips the scales at a confirmed 1,444g. That’s a significant increase over the 1,150g SE6 that came off the front of the Slash+.
Designed for loose and soft conditions, the Galbraith SE gets an updated 2-2-2-3 tread pattern with slightly wider spacing through the centre to help clear mud and debris, along with deeper side knobs for increased cornering bite. The rubber is updated with Bontrager’s new Trail Triple Compound. This sees a firmer 60a base rubber that’s overlaid with a medium 54a rubber for the centre tread, and a softer 45a rubber for the shoulder knobs.
Much of the weight gain boils down to the new casing construction. Compared to the old SE tyre with its dual layer 120tpi carcass, the new SE casing switches to a 60tpi material and it adds a butyl apex layer to boost pinch-flat protection. Along with sidewall and bead-to-bead protection layers, the new SE casing is notably thicker and stiffer. This makes it a little harder to install compared to the thinner and more flexible SE6, but it was still pretty straightforward to fit to the Bontrager Line Pro carbon wheelset.
On the trail, the sturdier casing provides improved support with the Galbraith SE offering greater resistance to folding under high loads and big impacts. We were able to drop pressures by 2psi, which improved the grip and feel without making the front end feel vague. The new lugs and softer rubber have elevated cornering grip across our loose and rocky test trails, though we’re yet to encounter any slop to play in and really test out the new compound in the wet.
Bontrager Brevard SE Tyre
- Sizes: 29×2.5in & 27.5×2.5in
- Weight: 1,231g (27.5×2.5in)
- Price: $119.99 AUD (each)
Designed as an all-round enduro tyre for mixed and loose conditions, the Brevard SE is a faster rolling option compared to the Galbraith. It replaces the outgoing SE5 tyre and features a near-identical tread pattern that bears a close resemblance to a Maxxis Minion DHR II. The ramped centre tread helps to reduce rolling resistance, though wide back edges aim to maintain braking traction. As such, we fitted one on the rear of the Slash+ paired to the Galbraith SE up front.
The Brevard SE receives the same Trail Triple Compound with a layer of softer 45a rubber for the shoulder blocks. It also gets the new SE casing with the dual 60tpi construction and three levels of protection. There’s a bead-to-bead layer for puncture protection, sidewall inserts for general support, and butyl apex inserts to ward off pinch-flats.
The result is a notably heavier tyre that weighs a confirmed 1,231g for the 27.5×2.5in size we’ve been testing. Compare that to the 1,037g SE5 that it replaced, and it’s clear there’s a lot more meat in the new Brevard SE.
As with the Galbraith SE, fitment required a little more attention due to the stiffer SE casing. However, it certainly wasn’t impossible even when combined with a CushCore E-MTB tubeless tyre insert. The extra protection allowed us to drop pressures down to just 21psi in the rear of the Slash+, and so far our Brevard SE test tyre has managed to ward off a number of hard rock strikes with impressive ease. There’s noticeably less squirming under load compared to the old SE5, making for a sturdier feel that’ll suit hard-chargers well.
Bontrager Brevard XT Tyre
- Sizes: 29×2.5in & 27.5×2.5in
- Weight: 1,123g (29×2.5in)
- Price: $119.99 AUD (each)
The new Bontrager Brevard is available in two casing options. There’s the heavier SE tyre we have fitted to the rear of the Slash+, and the lighter weight XT tyre we have fitted front and rear on the Top Fuel.
The Brevard XT shares an identical tread pattern to the SE version, and the two tyres share exactly the same Trail Triple Compound rubber. Both are suited to front or rear use in mixed and loose conditions.
The key difference is under the hood, with the XT casing being lighter and more supple overall. Bontrager achieves this by switching to a singe layer 120tpi construction that’s combined with bead-to-bead puncture protection and butyl apex inserts. With less material in the casing, the Brevard XT is up to 190g lighter per tyre.
Our 29×2.5in test tyre came in at 1,123g, which is still quite substantial for an aggressive trail tyre. To put it into perspective, that’s heavier than a Maxxis Minion DHR II with the EXO+ casing, though about the same as a Continental Kryptotal Rr Enduro tyre.
We fitted a pair of Brevard XT tyres to our Trek Top Fuel test bike, where they replaced the Montrose and Gunnison combo. The increased rotational mass has slowed down the acceleration somewhat, but it’s also led to improved stability at speed and a general feeling of confidence across rocky terrain. We’ve been able to reduce pressures, which has improved traction, especially under hard braking at the rear of the bike.
The suppleness of the XT casing is noticeable over the heavier SE version. The Brevard XT tyres conform well to the ground, offering a smooth and nicely damped ride quality that quietens down general trail noise. Some tyres in this weight range end up feeling overly stiff due to their focus on puncture protection, but Bontrager has ensured the Brevard XT remains compliant and supple. It’s a nice combination with the aggressive tread pattern and soft rubber compound.
Also impressive has been their durability. Despite putting a chunk of miles into these tyres, each is showing very little signs of wear. That’s good news given they’re not inexpensive at $119.99 AUD per end. On that note, we have seen the price gap narrowing between Bontrager and the likes of Maxxis and Schwalbe, but early impressions indicate the new Galbraith and Brevard tyres are a significant step up over the previous SE6 and SE5.
