CX/Gravel Tire Test: Specialized Tracer TLR 40

Specialized has recently revamped almost its entire tire lineup, and the do-it-all Tracer also received a huge update. The Tracer's tread pattern is as versatile as can be and should be a good choice for almost all gravel bike conditions except for those conditions where you need the absolute maximum amount of off-road grip. We can also see this tire working well when mixed front/rear with the Specialized Pathfinder or Terra TLR.

We can already tell you that the new Specialized gravel tires are completely different, with all the important aspects changed: casing, compound, and tread pattern. This is unsurprising since these tires now come from a different factory in another country. We already tested a similar construction Pathfinder TLR in both the 40 and 45 mm sizes, and weren't fully convinced the new construction was an improvement.

The Tracer TLR comes with a 60 TPI casing, and it's important to note a significant change when compared to the old Tracer Pro 2Bliss Ready: the BlackBelt anti-puncture strip has been removed. Removing the layer of Blackbelt looks to have resulted in quite a significant weight saving, as the specified weight of the 40 mm Tracer TLR is now 460 grams, while the old 42 mm Tracer Pro 2Bliss Ready came in at 525 grams.

The compound is Specialized's Gripton T5, the fastest version of their Gripton compound available today. The original Gripton compound was one of the best available at the time of its release, around 2016. While it was still competitive, the new Gripton T5, T7, and T9 compounds probably offer better specialized performance.

The tread pattern has also been revised, giving the Tracer TLR a much more modern look. Also new is that the standard sidewall color is now tan instead of black. As far as we can see, only the 700x45 size is available in either black or tan sidewall versions, while the 40 and 50 mm sizes are available only with tan sidewalls.

We've tested the 40 mm version of the new Tracer TLR and will compare it to the new 40 mm Pathfinder TLR (read our review) and a wide range of similar tires from competing brands.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Specialized
Model	Tracer TLR
Year	2026
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	High
Buy At
Manufacturer part number	00025-4341
EAN	19662520798
TPI	60
Compound	Gripton T5
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	40-622
Specified Weight	460 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	65
Made In	Pro Data
Available Sizes	40-622 (700x40c) 45-622 (700x45c) 50-622 (700x50c)

Specialized Tracer TLR 40 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	460 grams
Measured Weight	426 grams
Measured Width Casing	38 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	39 mm
Measured Height	Pro Data
Tire Circumference	Pro Data
Measured Knob Height Center	1.3 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.1 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	2.20 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	38 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 (54 psi / 3.7 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 (45 psi / 3.1 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 (36 psi / 2.6 bar)	21.1 Watts CRR: 0.00632
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 (27 psi / 1.9 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	28 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	2.20 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	70 Points
Wet Grip Center	Pro Data
Wet Grip Edge	Pro Data
Measured Knob Height Center	1.3 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	2.1 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 Specialized Tracer TLR is an average-performing tire that ends up in the middle of the pack in most of our tests. The main weakness is the puncture resistance of both the tread and sidewalls, and we consider that an important aspect, especially given that Specialized dropped the BlackBelt anti-puncture layer on the new Tracer TLR. If you were used to the old Tracer Pro 2Bliss Ready, this can be a big deal.

When compared to the competition, we see many tires from other brands that perform better in our tests. We only recommend the Tracer TLR if you already own Specialized equipment and want to go all-in on Specialized.

Compare the Specialized Tracer TLR and Pathfinder TLR on our comparison section.

RATING: 3.8 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Recommended

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