CX/Gravel Tire Test: Rene Herse Orondo Grade Extralight 31

The Orondo Grade is Rene Herse's latest tire, and it's not just a new tire but an entirely new design. As far as we know, the Rene Herse tires haven't changed much over the years, but with the increasing popularity of tubeless road bike tires, it looks like a new design was in order. We're not sure if more tires with the new design will be introduced, but for the 31 mm size of the Orondo Grade, it seems to make the most sense.

The Orondo Grade is now Rene Herse's smallest tubeless-ready tire, as their tubeless lineup previously started with the 700x35c Bon Jon Pass. Rene Herse does carry smaller tires, but the 26, 28, and 32 mm sizes are not tubeless-ready. The significant change with the Orondo Grade is that this tire now supports a maximum tire pressure of 90 psi / 6.2 bars, while their bigger counterparts with the classic casing design can only go up to 60 psi / 4.1 bars when used tubeless.

To support this higher air pressure, the Orondo Grade comes with an extra-strong bead material and a "high tech" liner on the inside of the tire that makes the casing much more airtight and increases its strength. The downside of this new design is the higher weight, specified at 325 grams for the 700x31c Orondo Grade in the extra light casing, while the bigger 700x35c Bon Jon Pass with the classic extra light casing comes in at just 310 grams.

Enough about specifications. Let's jump over to the test results and see how this new Rene Herse casing design compares to their classic tires and the competition!

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Rene Herse
Model	Orondo Grade Extralight
Year	2024
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	Very High
Buy At
Manufacturer part number	RF731TC-SX-CP
TPI	-
Compound	-
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	31-622
Specified Weight	325 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	90
Made In	Members Only
Available Sizes	31-622 (700x31c)

Rene Herse Orondo Grade Extralight 31 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	325 grams
Measured Weight	341 grams
Measured Width Casing	31 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	31 mm
Measured Height	28 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center	0.1 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	0.2 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	2.80 mm
Measured Total Thickness Sidewall	Members Only
All size measurements are taken at low air pressure on a 17.8 mm inner width rim.

Rolling Resistance Test Results

Rolling Resistance Test Results
Inner Tube	None (30 ml sealant)
Measured Width	31 mm
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 66 psi/4.6 bar 33-35 = 60 psi/4.1 bar 36-38 = 54 psi/3.7 bar 39-42 = 50 psi/3.4 bar 43-46 = 46 psi/3.2 bar 47-50 = 42 psi/2.9 barHigh Air Pressure (66 psi / 4.6 bar)	Members Only
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 55 psi/3.8 bar 33-35 = 50 psi/3.4 bar 36-38 = 45 psi/3.1 bar 39-42 = 42 psi/2.9 bar 43-46 = 38 psi/2.6 bar 47-50 = 35 psi/2.4 barMedium Air Pressure (55 psi / 3.8 bar)	Members Only
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 44 psi/3.0 bar 33-35 = 40 psi/2.8 bar 36-38 = 36 psi/2.6 bar 39-42 = 33 psi/2.3 bar 43-46 = 31 psi/2.1 bar 47-50 = 28 psi/1.9 barLow Air Pressure (44 psi / 3.0 bar)	20.0 Watts CRR: 0.00600
Rolling Resistance Real tire width in mm: 30-32 = 33 psi/2.3 bar 33-35 = 30 psi/2.1 bar 36-38 = 27 psi/1.9 bar 39-42 = 25 psi/1.7 bar 43-46 = 23 psi/1.6 bar 47-50 = 21 psi/1.4 barExtra Low Air Pressure (33 psi / 2.3 bar)	23.2 Watts CRR: 0.00695
The CX/Gravel section is a multi tire size section, air pressures have been adjusted to the measured casing width. All numbers are for a single tire at a speed of 29 km/h / 18 mph and a load of 42.5 kg / 94 lbs. Use the formula: RR (Watts) = CRR * speed (m/s) * load (N) to calculate rolling resistance at a given speed and load.

Puncture Resistance Test Results

Puncture Resistance Test Results (higher is better)
Total Puncture Score Tread	49 Points
Total Puncture Score Sidewall	Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Members Only
Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Members Only
Tread Total Tire Thickness	2.80 mm
Sidewall Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Members Only
Sidewall Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Members Only
Sidewall Total Tire Thickness	Members Only

Hard Surface Static Grip Test Results

Static Grip Test Results
Wet Grip Average	65 Points
Wet Grip Center	Members Only
Wet Grip Edge	Members Only
Measured Knob Height Center	0.1 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	0.2 mm
Grip in points = coefficient of friction * 100 CX/Gravel grip test rim width = 23.0 mm
Wet Grip Test and Off-Road Tires (info)

Conclusion

The Rene Herse Orondo Grade is slower than we expected from a Rene Herse tire with the extra light casing. However, the new inner liner adds a lot of strength to the tire compared to the 700x44 Snoqualmie Pass with the classic extra light casing. The Orondo Grade was also much easier to set up tubeless and held air well, even at the highest air pressures.

Rene Herse tires are not for everyone, and if you're used to Rene Herse's tire lineup, the Orondo Grade requires a reset. The extra light casing has been beefed up, and it seems to have moved up somewhere between the old "Standard" and "Endurance" casings. If you're into Rene Herse tires and like a more user-friendly tire, the Orondo Grade looks like a good improvement.

RATING: 3.8 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Recommended

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