Compass Cayuse Pass Tyres review
Do you want to reduce rolling resistance and increase comfort? Well a good quality tyre like the Compass Bicycles Cayuse Pass could be exactly what you need.
Words & Images - James Raison
Minimalist logos and a lovely gumwall look.
COMPASS
Compass are at the forefront of the wider-is-better tyre evolution and their research is often cited when discussing the topic. In short, their research has shown that wider, supple tyres at lower pressures reduce rolling resistance over narrower tyres at higher pressure. I've used a few of their tyres now and I'm a total convert.
CAYUSE PASS
The tyres themselves are a 26mm tanwall clincher. I choose the standard casing that tipped the scales at 220g, right in the ballpark with my standard Continental GP4000SII 25 mm. I fitted them to my Campagnolo Bullet 50 wheels, pumped them to 70-75psi and hit the tarmac.
Before I made them dirty.
The ride feel is immediately plush and smooth, as expected. It’s amazing how much a good set of tyres can completely change how your bike feels. Bumps and coarse surfaces no longer rattle, vibrate, and shake through the frame and into your body as much as normal. I love the smoothness.
Staring down at your front wheel you can actually see the flex in the sidewall of the tyre. That small amount of movement acts like a sort of micro-suspension. Some might freak out at that, but it’s fine once you’re used to it.
My test period included a flogging around Tasmania, a place with some mega climbs, gnarly road surfaces, bucketing rain and gravel. The Cayuse Pass were a fantastic tyre to battle the Tasmanian conditions with. So much smoothness gives confidence to tackle the adverse conditions.
Puncture resistance has been good. The only time I got a flat was in atrocious Tasmanian conditions when a small shard of glass worked its way through the tread. That's to be expected though. There aren't many tyres that can resist glass in wet conditions, and certainly none that you want to put on a fast bike I haven’t taken it easy on these tyres generally. They’ve been ridden in horrid conditions, on awful roads, and even some rough gravel.
Their subtle tread pattern doesn't reflect how grippy these tyres feel.
WRAPPING UP
I’ve used 3 different Compass tyres all on different now and I love the way they improve the ride quality of each of them. I went back to my 25mm Continental GP4000s II to compare them to the Cayuse Pass. They feel rough by comparison. I don't say that lighty, I think the Contis are brilliant tyres. That's just how good these Compass Cayuse Pass are.
It is a premium product that fetches a premium price. I purchased my set through Treadly Bike Shop for $90 a tyre. These aren’t a mass-produced tyre sold by ultra-competitive online retailers. They are fabulous tyres though. I've got a taste for high quality tyres now and there's no going back.
