Terrene Chunk Tire
Stated Width: 29” x 2.3”
Measured Dimensions (on a 26 mm internal width rim)
- Knob width: 61.5 mm (2.42”)
- Casing width: 60 mm (2.36”)
Casing: Light
Blister’s Measured Weight: 876 g
Mounted to: Evil Following / Enve M60 HV
Recommended For: Trail / All-Mountain
MSRP: $70 (tested)
Reviewer: 5’9” 155 lbs
Locations: Whitefish, Montana
Days Tested: 10
Terrene is one of a few tire companies that have emerged in the past year or two, and they’ve hit the ground running with everything from a fat bike tire to a gravel grinder. Last fall and this spring, I put some miles on the Chunk, which is a knobby tire aimed at the Trail and All-Mountain crowd. Most of my time on the Chunk came as Montana was experiencing record-setting moisture, so while I had a few dry days, I also got more opportunities than I really wanted to see how the Chunk handled slick greasiness.
Sizes and Options
The Chunk is available for both 27.5” and 29” wheels in a 2.3” width, and it’s also available as a plus tire in a 27.5” x 3.0.
In each size, it’s available in both a “Light” casing (which is what I tested), and a “Tough” casing. The Light iteration gets a single-ply, 120 tpi casing with an aramid bead, while the Tough casing uses a 60 tpi fabric and incorporates “TekShield” flat protection, which appears to be an additional layer that runs bead to bead, but isn’t quite as heavy as a full second layer of fabric.
Depending on the tire size, bumping up to the Tough casing adds around 100 – 200 g.
All versions of the Chunk use Terrene’s dual-compound rubber, which has 62a center knobs, and softer 51a side knobs. Those rubber compounds put it pretty squarely in the “all around” category, with a middle-of-the-road approach to balancing grip against rolling resistance and durability.
Every Chunk tire is designated as tubeless ready, and I had good luck with them. With a quick squirt of sealant, they mounted up without any fuss. I’d also say they were nicely tight — tight enough that I think burping them is unlikely, but not so tight that I hated life when trying to get them on or off the rim.
The Tire Design
There are two things that stand out about the Chunk. First, it’s a fairly high-volume tire. It measures considerably larger both in tread width and casing width than 2.3” tires from most other companies — I’d say it’s more in line with a 2.4” or 2.5”. And it’s not just the width. The Chunk is a relatively tall tire, and on tight frames, clearance could potentially be an issue. Its height plus the width mean that the Chunk has a lot of volume.
On the upside, that means you might be able to get away with running slightly lower pressures with the Chunk, but on the downside, that can make the tire feel a bit squirmy in corners. It’s also worth noting that, in the Light iteration, the Chunk is a respectably light tire. It’s pretty average among 2.3” tires, but when you factor in that the Chunk is quite a bit bigger than those, the weight starts to become noteworthy.
The second noteworthy aspect is that the Chunk is a fairly knobby tire, and those knobs are relatively widely spaced. They’re big and blocky, without any ramps or gentle edges to help with rolling. If you’re looking for a fast rolling tire that bridges the gap between an XC race tire and something more trail oriented, this isn’t it. But if you’re looking for a tire that puts traction and mud-clearing abilities as priorities, the Chunk fits that bill.
The Ride, Durability, Etc.