While modern tires are designed to be fast-rolling and versatile, we still appreciate a good race-day tire that stands up to hard-packed gravel and the flowing backroads we're itching to ride. The Washburn 650b Tire is, in a word, practical. It'll treat us right when we're racing, but also when we're taking a spin up on that gravel loop or commuting to work. The center slick minimizes rolling resistance for increased speed while cornering traction comes from the transition knobs and spaced raised side lugs.