Review: WTB Byway 650B x 47c Tires

WTB started pushing the Road Plus thing with their Horizon. That was one of the first 650B tires to hit the mainstream. The idea is that a 650B x 47c tire has the same rolling diameter as a 700C x 30 tire, so it'll fit on the same bike. If you have clearance between the chainstays, that is. WTB has a web site that shows which bikes will fit Road Plus tires.

The first Road Plus tire, the WTB Horizon, was basically a slick tire. The company followed up with the Byway with a combination of all the treads you'd want on your tire.

The center is a slick for fast rolling. Then comes says ena cross-hatched pattern that WTB claims enhances cornering grip on pavement. Then come some diamond-shaped file pattern. And then there are some side knobs for grip when leaning deep into a corner.

One of our bikes was bought used with the Byways. The previous owner had installed the tires just before the sale, so they are the aftermarket model and not the OEM. It seems that with some tire makers, there is a difference between the two with a lower spec for the OEM model.

Our pair weigh 532 and 538 g each. That's neither light nor heavy among similar gravel tires. It's almost spot-on with the manufacturer's claims. The Byways are tubeless compatible, and they set up tubeless just fine. On our rims (23 mm internal), they measure 46.2 mm wide. On wider rims, they'd probably be exactly as spec'd, 47 mm wide.

The Byways feel fine on the road, too, but they're clearly not as fast as some of the better tires in this segment. Which isn't surprising, since this is basically an OEM tire that is built to a relatively low price, even if it's sold aftermarket. 

What about the tread profile? On pavement (yes, I know, this blog is called gravel&dirt but we all have to ride pavement once in a while) the Byway rolls fine and doesn't make much noise. At least on the straights. In corners it grips fine at first. But if you lean far enough to get onto the shoulder knobs it will suddenly break away. Maybe there just aren't enough knobs to support the weight?

On gravel, they perform fine, too. In mud they are useless. You'd expect that from a slick tire and the side knobs are too few and probably too shallow to do much.

Weight: 535 g (average)

Actual size: 46.2 mm (on WTB KOM rim 23 mm internal)

Bead: folding
Tubeless compatible: yes

Source: bike shop (aftermarket, not OEM model)

Cost: $ 59.95 (MSRP)

Web site: https://www.wtb.com/

Verdict: Trying to do everything the Byway doesn't do anything very well. It's a fine tire for most use but don't push it with challenging conditions. Maybe a version without side knobs would be better? As an OEM tire it's fine but the MSRP seems expensive for that is on offer.