Challenge is a family business that has been exclusively developing and producing handmade bicycle tyres since 2000. Its roots lie in Italy: when Pirelli dismantled the legendary Clément factory, founder Max Brauns seized the opportunity to continue the artisanal production of tubulars.
Together with his son Alex, he built Challenge into a specialised tyre brand with its own factory in Thailand, close to the source of the best natural rubbers and latex.
Each handmade Challenge tyre is built step by step by experienced craftsmen, using cotton, silk or polyester casings and high TPI values. This process, controlled worldwide by fewer than a handful of manufacturers, results in a suppleness and ride feel that machine-vulcanised tyres cannot match.
Challenge has built its reputation largely in cyclocross. The brand equips some of the strongest CX teams and individual riders in the world, including Baloise-Trek Lions. Multiple world, European, and national championships have been won on the Grifo, Limus, and Chicane. This close collaboration with top athletes drives product development: profiles such as the Flandrien and Koksijde have directly emerged from feedback from riders at the highest level.
The range covers road, gravel, cyclocross, and track. Models such as the Grifo, Criterium, Strada Bianca, and 4 Stagioni are established references in the peloton. Recent innovations include hookless compatibility, the SMARThydro compound for wet road surfaces, and an Easy-Fit bead profile that noticeably simplifies tubeless installation.
ROAD
Challenge builds road tyres for cyclists who feel the difference between an industrial product and craftsmanship.
The road line combines high TPI casings with proprietary compounds such as SMARTprime and SMARThydro, developed for low rolling resistance and grip in varying conditions. From lightweight racing tyres to robust all-season tyres: each model is handmade with the same attention to suppleness and road feel. The 2026 generation introduces hookless compatibility and an Easy-Fit bead profile that noticeably simplifies tubeless mounting. The line includes the Criterium RS, Strada, 4 Stagioni, and Elite — with widths ranging from 25 to 38 mm, available as clincher, tubular, and TLR.
4 Stagioni
All-conditions tyre focused on cut and puncture resistance without a "dead" tyre feel. The XP construction offers bead-to-bead protection, while also providing low rolling resistance and clear wet weather grip.
Elite
Entry into handmade road performance: intended as the "first real upgrade" to a smoother casing and a livelier riding feel, with a practical mounting approach (Easy-Fit Shape) on the PRO versions. In addition to PRO, there is also an XP variant for those who want extra protection within the Elite line.
Strada
All-conditions road tyre for long days on the road: a round profile that “smooths” rough asphalt, with a construction that combines control and low rolling resistance. Within Strada, there is a clear choice between handmade PRO (more casing feel/ride comfort) and vulcanized (price/value, robust daily use).
Criterium RS
Pure road race focus: speed, grip and low rolling resistance with the typical “supple” feel of a handmade construction. The line is available in Team Edition (TE) with corespun cotton casing, and is aimed at riders seeking maximum efficiency and control in a modern race setup (TLR/Hookless compatibility is also explicitly provided for the TLR variant).
CYCLOCROSS
Challenge is one of the most decorated tyre brands in cyclocross. Multiple world and national championships have been won on Challenge tubulars, from the sandpit of Koksijde to the muddy fields of Zolder.
The CX line features seven tread patterns that cover the full spectrum: dry sand, frozen courses, hardpack, wet grass, varying conditions, and deep mud. The top versions are built with 320 TPI corespun cotton casings and the SmartSoft compound for maximum traction at low pressure. The range includes the Koksijde, Dune, Chicane, Grifo, Flandrien, Baby Limus, and Limus, available as tubular and TLR, in 30 and 33 mm.
Koksijde
Focus on sand and loose surfaces, as a pure competition version. Available as Team Edition tubular in 33 mm.
Dune
Even more pronounced sand profile, with multiple "level" choices in casing/series for competition use.
Chicane
Faster, versatile CX profile for variable courses, with a choice between vulcanized (RACE) and handmade (PRO/TE).
Grifo
The classic all-round cyclocross choice with the widest range of variants: from wire bead/vulcanized to PRO/TE/Ultra in tubular and TLR.
Flandrien
“Transition” profile in the line-up, with extra cornering traction. Available as PRO TLR and as tubular in TE and Ultra.
Limus / Baby Limus
Limus + Baby Limus form the mud/soft-conditions family for cyclocross. Baby Limus is the faster, less extreme mud choice; Limus is the pronounced mud tyre for maximum grip and self-cleaning in heavy, sticky conditions. Within the family, the range progresses from Vulcanized TLR to Handmade Pro, TE, and Ultra.
Gravel
From fast gravel roads to technical singletrack in the mud: Challenge covers the entire gravel spectrum with five models of increasing aggressiveness. The line builds on the same handmade construction as the road and CX tyres, featuring the gravel-specific SMARTplus compound for higher durability and shock absorption on rough surfaces.
Each tyre is designed for a specific type of terrain and condition, from herringbone profiles for hardpack to tall knobs with an open design for mud and rocky terrain. The range includes the Strada Bianca, Almanzo, Gravel Grinder, Getaway, and Gravine, with widths from 30 to 45 mm.
Getaway
Daily "fast gravel" choice: focused on a wide mix of hardpack, intermediate gravel, and firm-to-loose dirt. The family combines a vulcanized TLR base option with handmade PRO, plus an XP variant for those who want more protection within the same tread logic.
Gravine
More aggressive gravel tyres within the range, designed for moments when the terrain becomes rougher and extra grip matters. There are two versions: PRO and XP, both available as handmade TLR.
Gravel Grinder
All-round gravel tyre with a wide range of applications: from training miles to fast rides, with a choice between vulcanized (practical, robust) and handmade PRO (more comfort/control through casing).
Almanzo
Gravel profile as a niche choice in the range: a clear “one-off” within the collection, for riders who specifically target this tread concept. Available as a handmade PRO clincher.
Strada Bianca
All-road / fast gravel: designed for poor asphalt sections, hardpack dirt, and fine to fast gravel, with an emphasis on efficient rolling while still providing adequate protection. Within the family, the same logic applies as with road: handmade PRO (more casing feel) alongside vulcanized (more price/value and robustness).
Step-by-step construction with natural adhesives and latex coatings on flexible carcasses; natural rubber tread retains properties without vulcanisation.
Cyclocross focus with a competitive edge.
The cyclocross lines have been developed from competitive use, with profiles and constructions that prioritise pressure sensitivity, traction, and control on varying surfaces.
SMARTplus is designed for gravel/rough terrain with increased cut resistance and longer wear, ensuring that the profile edges remain sharper for control for a longer period.
Victories in the Tour de France, Giro, Vuelta, Paris-Roubaix, World Championships, European Championships, and the Olympic Games. From Merckx and Hinault to Pogačar and Van Aert.
Puncture protection without making the carcass 'stiff'.
PPS structures act as an extra layer between the tread and casing; PPS Ganzo adds more security through a heavier single-layer construction.