There are a number of unassuming pieces of kit that always outperform their appearances: Cactus’ indestructible fleece pull over, Continental GP 4000s in 25c, or that plastic spork you got for Christmas all those years ago that you still use all come to mind. The Teravail Rampart is also a subtle, unassuming tyre that shines in its own quiet way.

Teravail call these their “All-Road Plus” tyres, and they come in the classic black-on-black (no trendy tan sidewalls here), and we tested the a-ok size of 650b x 47c in “Light and Supple”. If I could nitpick here for one second, the “Teravail” logo (which looks great with the inverted colors) doesn’t line up on both sides of the tyre, making it mildly annoying if you like obsessively centering the logos on the valves. They’re tubeless compatible, and mounted up easily without needing an extra boost, either from your friendly (if a bit confused) petrol station, or those new-fangled extra tubeless pump things.

Life has gotten in the way a little bit while testing these tyres, and I’ve probably spent the most time on these commuting while dreaming of adventures. They’ve definitely inspired me to take the off-road option home more often than not. I have not had a single flat in the last few months, but I do think it’s time for a tubeless goo-refresh.

The most recent actual riding I did on these was a 2-day jaunt that went from the road, to beachy-gravel, to un-rideable deep sand, back to more gravel, more road, and some cruisy singletrack mixed in.

To be honest, they’re pretty good on the road, but the “Light and Supple” moniker is a little bit optimistic. At 45psi, they ride more like a very sturdy road tire that is quick enough for a frisky group ride if you’ve got the legs. Gravel (or rougher roads) though, is really where this tyre really sings. The casing that’s too stiff on the road makes me feel more secure as I muppet into drifty situations, and the higher volume helps dampen that crunch to help with the longer distance. They perform surprisingly well on singletrack, but if you’re after something more on the off-road spectrum, something like this Maxxis option is probably more what you’re looking for. Bonus points: like your favourite work boots, these tyres look their best when dusty.

I see the Ramparts as the perfect tyre for someone who spends more time on the road, but wants something ready to go whenever they’re inspired. I’ve ridden most surfaces this summer so far, and have only found the tyres wanting when straying just that bit too far into singletrack territory.

These tyres might not always shout about what they can do, but they always whisper “…adventure!” at just the right time.

Visit Cyclewerks website for more info.