It sounds more like a company trying to market to a newly perceived niche market. They aren't presenting anything new, simply suggesting that the way it has been done in the past still has merit. For those of us who commute and otherwise ride cx bikes on the street with slick tires have already figured out what this article is trying to argue; so has anyone who rides an old Schwinn or Centurion or some such as an intentional choice over something newer.