WTB Byway RS 50, Course 52 and Macro 54 Review: Are Big Gravel Tires Finally Fast?

Words by: Liam Woods

What Makes A Modern Gravel Tire Fast?

Gravel tires keep getting bigger, but does bigger automatically mean slower? Not anymore, at least that is the idea behind WTB's newest gravel lineup. The Byway RS 50, Course 52, and Macro 54 cover everything from fast pavement-heavy events to rough, mountain-bike-adjacent gravel, and all three use the same new high-volume casing with some interesting aerodynamic details molded into the sidewalls.

I have had all three tires since May and spent most of the summer on the Macro 54 and Course 52, including racing the Lost & Found gravel event in the Sierra Nevada. That gave me enough time to get beyond the parking-lot impressions and see whether these new tires are actually fast, predictable, and tough when the route gets properly rough.

"These new WTB tires blend more of what current gravel riding and racing is about: fast, aero, predictable, and still tough enough to ride 100 miles in the Sierra Nevada without flatting."

What's New With WTB's Gravel Tires?

WTB has always made gravel tires with plenty of traction and a reputation for durability. The tradeoff, at least with some of the previous models, was that they did not always feel as supple or as quick as the fastest modern race tires. This new family feels like WTB responding directly to where gravel has gone: bigger casings, lower pressures, faster tread patterns, better ride quality, and race-focused efficiency without throwing flat protection out the window.

The three models share a refined 120 TPI casing, full bead-to-bead SG2 puncture protection, and WTB's Dual DNA rubber. That compound uses a firmer, lower-drag center rubber for speed, with a softer, higher-friction rubber at the shoulders for cornering traction. WTB says the new construction also comes from updated manufacturing methods, tighter production tolerances, and new materials aimed at making the casing noticeably more supple than its previous gravel tires.

Left: Byway RS 50c. Middle: Course 52c. Right: Macro 54c

Shared Specs

• Three widths and tread patterns: Byway RS 50, Course 52, and Macro 54

• 120 TPI casing with bead-to-bead SG2 puncture protection

• Dual DNA compound with a faster center and grippier shoulders

• TCS tubeless-ready construction

• Designed around a 28 mm internal rim, with support for modern gravel rims from 25 to 32 mm internal

• Black or tan sidewall options

Aero Gravel Tires Are Apparently a Thing Now

The part you will notice before you even mount the tires is the texture on the sidewalls. WTB worked with Stromm, the company behind a very fast UCI-legal aero road bike, to add small trip strips and vortex generators to the tire casing. Those shapes are designed to manage how air separates from the tire and wheel, reducing the low-pressure wake behind them. It is nerdy stuff, but gravel racing has become fast enough that tire aerodynamics are no longer completely ridiculous.

WTB and Stromm tested the aero casing against an otherwise identical control tire without the sidewall features. Their real-world Chung testing at the Jerry Baker Memorial Velodrome showed claimed savings of 5.8 watts at 18.6 mph, 9.3 watts at 21.7 mph, and 13.8 watts at 24.8 mph. As always with aero numbers, the exact result on your bike will depend on speed, rim shape, wind, tire pressure, and plenty of other variables. I cannot tell you that I felt a six-watt sidewall feature while bouncing through Sierra gravel. But if the shapes add speed without hurting grip, suppleness, or durability, there is not much downside.

Meet the Three Tires

Byway RS 50: The Fast One

The Byway RS 50 is the pure speed option. It uses an almost slick center with very low transition tread and small shoulder knobs, so it should spend less energy deforming on pavement and hardpack while still giving you something to lean on when the surface gets loose. At a claimed 620 grams, it is also the lightest tire in the group.

This is the tire for riders whose gravel routes include a lot of road, smooth dirt, or long fast events where rolling speed matters more than deep loose-surface bite. The 50c volume still gives it far more comfort and margin than a narrow semi-slick, which is a useful combination for big days where the fast sections are interrupted by rough roads or hidden rocks.

Course 52: The All-Rounder

The Course 52 lands right in the middle, both in width and intent. A low chevron tread puts more working edges across the center of the tire than the Byway, but the pattern stays dense enough to roll quickly. WTB calls this the balance between outright speed and all-terrain capability, and that description lines up with my experience. Claimed weight is 635 grams.

If you want one tire for changing conditions, mixed surfaces, and normal gravel riding without overthinking every route, the Course is probably the easiest place to start. It has more bite than the Byway but does not carry the taller, wider-spaced knobs of the Macro.

Macro 54: The Rough Stuff Option

The Macro name started on the XC side, and the tread makes a lot of sense stretched across a 54 mm gravel casing. It has the most aggressive pattern of the three, with taller, more widely spaced knobs and enough tread wrapping toward the shoulder to feel confident in loose corners. Even so, the knobs stay low enough that it does not feel like you bolted a trail tire onto a gravel bike. Claimed weight is 640 grams.

This is the option for rough events, chunky forest roads, loose Sierra descents, and riders who treat a gravel bike like a rigid mountain bike. The extra casing volume also gives you more room to lower pressure for comfort and grip, assuming your frame has clearance for a true 54 mm tire.

On-Trail Performance: Macro 54 Front, Course 52 Rear

I have primarily been riding the Macro 54 and Course 52 this summer. I got them in May, put hundreds of miles on them, and also raced the Lost & Found gravel event with a Macro 54 up front and a Course 52 out back. I really liked that combination. The Macro gives the front end the extra volume and cornering confidence I want when the road gets loose or rough, while the Course keeps the rear quick and predictable without giving up much traction.

Having tested pretty much all of the latest and greatest gravel tires, I feel like I have a good understanding of how supple the really good ones are, how much traction some patterns have, and how easily others flat. The new WTB tires improve on what the brand has done in the past. Where previous WTB gravel tires often leaned hardest into traction and durability, this new line brings in more of what current gravel riding and racing is about: speed, aerodynamics, and ride quality, while still having enough traction and protection to ride 100 miles in the Sierra Nevada on dirt.

What stood out most was predictability. Neither tire did anything weird when the surface changed, and that matters more to me than a tire that feels incredible in one very specific condition. They held a line well, broke traction in a way I could read, and gave me enough confidence to ride them pretty damn hard at times. I did not flat either tire once during testing. That does not mean they are flat-proof, but a clean record over hundreds of real miles is worth more to me than a casing claim on a product page.

I cannot speak to the aero gains in any meaningful way from riding them. There is no moment where a tire suddenly feels 5.8 watts faster, especially on dirt. Still, those features do not appear to take anything away from the ride, and marginal gains are a lot easier to appreciate when the basic tire performance is already sorted.

Left: Liam Woods, Right: Tydeman Newman

First Impressions on the Byway RS 50

My time on the Byway RS 50 has been shorter, but I got a solid first impression. It is fast without feeling fragile. The huge, nearly slick casing rolls great, smooths out rough roads, and is a ton of fun to lean over and rip through corners. The shoulder tread gives it a more natural transition than you might expect when looking at such a bare center strip.

The Byway RS 50 would be a great choice for a fast and relatively smooth gravel event. Gravel Worlds Nebraska, Belgian Waffle Ride San Diego, or maybe Mid South all come to mind. The volume helps with traction, flat protection, and smoothing out the ride, while the slick tread and aero work make sense for events with long, fast sections. For me, I think the Byway RS 50 will find its way back onto my gravel bike for winter adventures and bikepacking missions where I expect a lot of road but still want enough tire for rough connectors and puncture-prone terrain.

What's Worldwide's Takeaway?

Are big gravel tires finally fast? Based on my time on these, yes. WTB did not just take an old gravel casing, make it wider, and add an aero story. The Byway RS 50, Course 52, and Macro 54 feel like three purposeful answers to three different versions of gravel riding.

The Byway RS is the choice for pavement-heavy routes and smooth, fast events. The Course is the versatile option that should work for the widest range of riders. The Macro is for rough roads, loose corners, and anyone who wants to push a gravel bike into terrain where a little more tire can save the day. My favorite setup so far is still the Macro 54 front and Course 52 rear because it blends front-end confidence with a quicker rear tire in a way that feels right for aggressive mountain gravel.

Overall, I have been super impressed with WTB's latest tires. Between these new gravel models and last year's Peacekeeper and Macro 2.4 releases, WTB is not only gaining traction, but also speed.

This article was written / authored by Liam Woods. Liam has been in the bicycle industry for over 10 years as a racer, professional mechanic, service manager and as of late, media and content creator. Liam has ridden thousands of different bikes, ridden countless components, tested endless MTB apparel of all kinds and written reviews on it all. He's a key piece to the Worldwide Cyclery "All Things MTB" content creation puzzle. He also makes consistent appearances on the Worldwide Cyclery YouTube channel and Instagram.