At the annual in-house exhibition of the Vittoria distributor "Fuchs-Movesa", the E-Goma caught my eye when I was looking at the range. I admit, I'm a tire freak and am somehow always on the lookout for even better products. Whether it was the gray-black look, the fact that it contains graphene (which I had never heard of before) or the tread pattern that looked fun and controlled that piqued my curiosity, I can't say for sure.

When the product manager explained that this was an e-bike tire, the "no thanks" was already on the tip of my tongue - because I don't have an e-mountain bike. But why shouldn't such a tire also prove itself on an all-mountain or enduro bike? The width of 2.4 inches is perfect, 1010 grams is fine for a robust tire, and why not mount an "Italian" on the bike? After all, they know a thing or two about speed, whether in cycling or motorsport.

What exactly is graphene?

Graphene is a nanoparticle of graphite - also found in pencil tips. This raw material enables significantly improved cleat strength, long-term durability and good wet grip. That sounds good on paper. In fact, the tire performed very well over the six-month test phase and showed very few weaknesses. We were particularly impressed by the fact that the E-Goma rolls surprisingly well despite its prominent lugs and a casing width of 60 millimetres - both on asphalt and off-road.

The coarse and soft lugs really bite into all types of surfaces, even in the cold and snow. It goes without saying that the tire doesn't win races on deep, muddy ground, but wet roots and stones don't make much of an impression on it. It also shines with good braking performance.

Air pressure skirmish

Compared to other enduro tires, the E-Goma is somewhat sensitive when it comes to air pressure. It is advisable to take some time to determine the optimum pressure. For me, it was 1.3 bar for my 70 kilograms with equipment. In addition to the good grip on all types of terrain, it also shines with very pleasant damping. Only on rough and rocky trails did I have to increase the tire pressure to 1.5 bar, as it tended to puncture. However, even more air pressure is not possible without losing grip and starting to bounce when riding hard.

Now the question remains as to whether it will prove itself for e-mountainbike use. I can't judge that conclusively, but if you choose the air pressure wisely, it can certainly handle the extra power well.

Conclusion

The E-Goma has proven to be the ideal tire for alpine trails and doesn't have to shy away from enduro use. The wide design and soft rubber compound provide plenty of traction and, thanks to the generous side lugs, it also knows how to bite into corners. However, it does not set any records in terms of puncture protection, which is not ideal for the additional weight of an e-mountainbike in rough terrain.

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