CX/Gravel Tire Test: Specialized Pathfinder TLR 45

Specialized has recently revamped almost its entire tire lineup, and the Pathfinder is the first tire we've tested from this new series. The Pathfinder Pro 2Bliss Ready has long been one of our website's most popular semi-slick gravel tires, so we are not surprised that the new Pathfinder TLR quickly gathered enough Pro Member votes to get tested.

We have already tested the 40 mm version of the new Pathfinder TLR, which means we already have a very good idea about the performance of the new Pathfinder. We don't expect the 45 mm version on test today to show any big surprises, but we've seen other tires where the tread thickness and knob height have increased on the larger versions of the same tire.

Please jump over to our review of the 40 mm version of the new Pathfinder TLR (read our review) if you want more details about the construction, compound, and what's changed when compared to the previous generation Pathfinder Pro 2Bliss Ready.

We're going to compare the 45 mm Pathfinder TLR to the 40 mm version and the 47 mm Pathfinder Pro 2 Bliss Ready (read our review), which we tested in 2024. We'll also compare it to a range of 44-47 mm gravel bike tires with similar specifications or performance.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Specialized
Model	Pathfinder TLR
Year	2025
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	High
Buy At
Manufacturer part number	00025-4493
EAN	19662520793
TPI	60
Compound	Gripton T2/T5
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	45-622
Specified Weight	520 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	65
Made In	Pro Data
Available Sizes	35-622 (700x35c) 40-622 (700x40c) 45-622 (700x45c)

Specialized Pathfinder TLR 45 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	520 grams
Measured Weight	501 grams
Measured Width Casing	42 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	43 mm
Measured Height	39 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center	0.0 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	1.8 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	3.40 mm
Measured Total Thickness Sidewall	Pro Data
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	42 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 (50 psi / 3.4 bar)	Pro Data
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 (42 psi / 2.9 bar)	Pro Data
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 (33 psi / 2.3 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 (25 psi / 1.7 bar)	Pro Data
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	Pro Data
Tread Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Pro Data
Tread Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Pro Data
Tread Total Tire Thickness	3.40 mm
Sidewall Puncture Force Sharp Needle	Pro Data
Sidewall Puncture Force Blunt Needle	Pro Data
Sidewall Total Tire Thickness	Pro Data

Hard Surface Static Grip Test Results

Static Grip Test Results
Wet Grip Average	76 Points
Wet Grip Center	Pro Data
Wet Grip Edge	Pro Data
Measured Knob Height Center	0.0 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	1.8 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 45 mm version of the Pathfinder TLR performs very similarly to the 40 mm version we previously tested (read our review). We notice some marginal differences on the 45 mm version; it rolls slightly faster and has a somewhat thicker center tread and higher edge knob height. The sidewalls are even weaker than the 40 mm version and much weaker and thinner than the old Pathfinder Pro 2Bliss Ready.

When we compare the new 45 mm Pathfinder TLR to the old 47 mm Pathfinder 2 Bliss Ready, we see that the new Pathfinder is more performant in the rolling resistance department and is lighter. Those improvements come at the price of less wet grip, edge knob height, and sidewall strength. We're not convinced of any overall enhancements, as this looks more like a "retuning" of the tire's performance, and we would have liked to see some more solid improvements.

RATING: 3.8 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Recommended

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