CX/Gravel Tire Test: Ultradynamico Cava Race 42

Ultradynamico is a relatively small tire brand specializing in manufacturing "supple" tires. "Supple" tires have become quite popular among our readers, and they claim to provide a more comfortable ride by conforming better to the road surface. The Cava Race is manufactured by Panaracer in Japan, which is easily identified by the part number that's similar to other tires manufactured by Panaracer.

In this article, we'll be reviewing our test results of the 700x42c version of the Ultradynamico Cava Race tire, which has a different tread pattern compared to the 700x33c version (read our review). While the 700x33c version is better suited for road bikes, the 700x42c version is designed for gravel bikes and provides better traction on rough terrain.

The Cava Race tire is tubeless-ready and comes with a race compound that Ultradynamico claims offers superior grip in dry conditions. However, Ultradynamico itself indicates there's no sidewall protection, which means it may not be suitable for aggressive riders or loaded touring over sharp, rugged terrain.

We've tested the 700x42c Cava Race with the gray-colored tread. It's also available in the 700x33c, 700x38c, 650x48b, and 27.5x2.2 sizes.

Manufacturer Specifications

Manufacturer Specs
Brand	Ultradynamico
Model	Cava Race
Year	2023
Supplied By	Bought in store
New or Used	New
Mileage	0 km
Price Range	Very High
Buy At
Manufacturer part number	RF742-AX-UDCV-N
TPI	-
Compound	Race compound
Bead	Folding
ETRTO	42-622
Specified Weight	445 grams
Max Air Pressure (psi)	50
Made In	Members Only
Available Sizes	33-622 (700x33c) 42-622 (700x42c) 48-584 (650x48b)

Ultradynamico Cava Race 42 Test Results

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements

Size, Weight, and Thickness Measurements
Specified Weight	445 grams
Measured Weight	434 grams
Measured Width Casing	40 mm (un-round)
Measured Width Tread	41 mm
Measured Height	38 mm (un-round)
Measured Knob Height Center	0.2 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	1.5 mm
Measured Total Thickness Center (excluding knobs)	2.60 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	40 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)	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 (42 psi / 2.9 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 (33 psi / 2.3 bar)	18.9 Watts CRR: 0.00567
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)	22.0 Watts CRR: 0.00659
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	46 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	2.60 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	68 Points
Wet Grip Center	Members Only
Wet Grip Edge	Members Only
Measured Knob Height Center	0.2 mm
Measured Knob Height Edge	1.5 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

Our tests confirm the big difference between the 700x33c (read our review) and 700x42c versions of the Ultradynamico Cava Race. The tread pattern on the 700x42c version is thicker and rougher, and the result is a tire that rolls a fair bit slower, but it should be the better tire when it comes to off-road conditions and cut resistance of the tread.

When we compare the Cava Race 42 to tires from competing brands, it ends up in the middle of the pack with average performance in most of our tests. When looking purely at our test results, it's easy to spot tires that perform better, come with a friendlier price tag, and which we expect to be much more durable due to their stronger sidewalls.

Just like the 700x33c Cava Race, we can see some use cases where these would be excellent, but we recommend them only if you're into these kinds of tires and are willing to overlook their shortcomings.

RATING: 4.0 / 5
TEST VERDICT: Recommended

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