Tire options for gravel riding
Moderator: Moderator Team
Hey guys,
I have a rigid Giant 29er with Stans Arch EX MB wheels. Right now I use the bike mainly as a commuter. Its a fantastic bike with XT 1x11 and weights 21 LBS with 1.95 XC tires. I was thinking of making it a fun gravel bike. What tubeless 29''/700c tires would you recommend? We have tons of gravel roads out her and I plan on doing long climbs on paved roads and then coming back down on fire roads. I was looking at either 29" MB XC tires in the 1.8"-2.1" range or 700C 40mm fast rolling gravel tires. What do you think.
I have a rigid Giant 29er with Stans Arch EX MB wheels. Right now I use the bike mainly as a commuter. Its a fantastic bike with XT 1x11 and weights 21 LBS with 1.95 XC tires. I was thinking of making it a fun gravel bike. What tubeless 29''/700c tires would you recommend? We have tons of gravel roads out her and I plan on doing long climbs on paved roads and then coming back down on fire roads. I was looking at either 29" MB XC tires in the 1.8"-2.1" range or 700C 40mm fast rolling gravel tires. What do you think.
Bianchi Oltre XR4, De Rosa SK Pininfarina, Trek Madone SLR, Giant TCR Advanced SL, Cervelo R5 Disk, Giant Revolt
Compass or Panaracer Gravelkings slick or "small knob".
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Of you're sticking to dry gravel and tarmac compass 100%. If you might encounter some mud that is anything other than bone dry I'd suggest something with a bit more tread. I've got some vittoria terrenos on the way having ventured too far from the beaten path on my compasses and getting a bit scared
I see you've made a purchase, but for anyone else looking I can't not recommend the Clement X'Plor MSO 120tpi tyres. I run the 40mm version on my do it all cx/gravel bike and the tyres are great on tarmac, gravel and mud.
Didn't notice this before, but this is the wrong way round - you want to do the climbs on fire roads where there is no traffic, and then bomb down on tarmac
That way you can do long rides without close passes by cars.
I've been using Compass Snoqualmie Pass tires. Awesome on pavement and gravel. If you're riding loose dirt, a tire with knobs would be better, like the WTB Riddler. I have the Riddlers too, but the Compass tires are much better on pavement and they are better quality tires too (the Riddlers have a snake bend in the tread).
- WinterRider
- Posts: 564
- Joined: Tue Feb 05, 2013 2:46 pm
The 'Gravel "kings"--->dogs' are very slow tires. Recommended as 'tubeless compatible'.. that is a joke. Sidewalls too flexible to inflate under any normal condition (this w tubeless desingated rim)... tubed their passable.
Just... sssllllloooowwww. Ordinary 15 buck tires sold for 3x that.
Litespeed 2000 Appalachian 61 cm
Litespeed 1998 Blue Ridge 61cm
Fitness rider.. 1 yr from seven decades age.
That is my story and I'm stick'n to it.
Litespeed 1998 Blue Ridge 61cm
Fitness rider.. 1 yr from seven decades age.
That is my story and I'm stick'n to it.
I use Clement/Donnelly Tubeless MSO's (700x36). They make several sizes (and have tubeless and non-tubeless varieties, so be careful). The only complaint I have about them is inconsistency in centering the tread (this is an issue they're aware of). I bought a set for my wife through REI and when I saw this, I took the tire back and had it replaced. My tires don't have the issue, thankfully.
Madone 9 - https://bit.ly/2Nqedbn
Emonda SLR - https://bit.ly/2UK5FP8
Crockett - https://bit.ly/2Xem4sk
Emonda SLR - https://bit.ly/2UK5FP8
Crockett - https://bit.ly/2Xem4sk
I don't know, mine were the only set ever that inflated with a hand pump. You aren't using tubless ready rims though, right?WinterRider wrote: ↑Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:14 pmThe 'Gravel "kings"--->dogs' are very slow tires. Recommended as 'tubeless compatible'.. that is a joke. Sidewalls too flexible to inflate under any normal condition (this w tubeless desingated rim)... tubed their passable.
Just... sssllllloooowwww. Ordinary 15 buck tires sold for 3x that.
In my rolldown tests, they aren't that slow either, similar to Open Pavés, but the ride isn't quite as good.
- WinterRider
- Posts: 564
- Joined: Tue Feb 05, 2013 2:46 pm
Kinlin 22T.. tubeless rims which I believe meet the UST standards. My issue is a situation where the bead needs to be reset roadside... sidewalls are too flexible for reliable re-inflation in that scenario. IE: once used (mine at ~1400 mi) the sidewall becomes stretched.. Panaracer's 'tubeless compatible' is IMO off the mark.Marin wrote: ↑Fri Jul 13, 2018 10:03 amI don't know, mine were the only set ever that inflated with a hand pump. You aren't using tubless ready rims though, right?WinterRider wrote: ↑Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:14 pmThe 'Gravel "kings"--->dogs' are very slow tires. Recommended as 'tubeless compatible'.. that is a joke. Sidewalls too flexible to inflate under any normal condition (this w tubeless desingated rim)... tubed their passable.
Just... sssllllloooowwww. Ordinary 15 buck tires sold for 3x that.
In my rolldown tests, they aren't that slow either, similar to Open Pavés, but the ride isn't quite as good.
Contacting Panaracer CS w the issue the reply would not address this issue.. their rep was a textbook case of how NOT to deal w a CS issue. That rep stated
on narrower rims the psi limit was 55 psi.. nothing on the site states this.. the figure stated is 60 psi. LSS.. this tire must generate allot of blowoff complaints via users.. which is NOT my issue. But how 5 psi can be critical to not blowing off is ridiculous. Consider this scenario: one stops for a cup during a ride parking said bike south side of the cafe on hot asphalt.. the sun beating down making the parking area very warm/hot. 1/2 hr later when the ride resumes I guarantee the reading on the tire psi is then much above the 55 psi reading recommended.
If I found 5 psi critical in my application the tires would not be in use.. not on my bikes. I have not found this .. my last/final setup on NON tubeless rims prevents this. In their now used condition they will not inflate reliably for use like new condition.. CO2 blast is required and that can miss. Nothing I want to ride away from home base.. and most use a sealant that is not compatible w CO2. So my set of Dogs sits in the garage... awaiting a return/refund of my funds.
Compass tire website.. a Panaracer product marketed to deeper checkbooks.. shows tire blow offs on their site. https://janheine.files.wordpress.com/20 ... =640&h=480 This seems comic to me .. but does emphasize the design/constructed weakness of the Panaracer tires per 'tubeless compatible'.
IMO long rollouts separates tire quality .. the Gravel 'Dog' simply rolls like one.
Short indoors tests in a parking garage lack the initial boost/speed to get more meaningful data. My roll out tests run to .448 mi for the best tires.. the Dogs where 345 feet behind this figure.
The Gravel Dog sidewall becomes too flexible once used to enable reliable reinflation roadside on tubeless rims w the grooved center that facilitates easier mounting. It be a tubed tire.. why it's recommended tubeless is IMO irresponsible. Just ordinary corporate greed and arrogance. 15 buck tire selling for 3x that.
Litespeed 2000 Appalachian 61 cm
Litespeed 1998 Blue Ridge 61cm
Fitness rider.. 1 yr from seven decades age.
That is my story and I'm stick'n to it.
Litespeed 1998 Blue Ridge 61cm
Fitness rider.. 1 yr from seven decades age.
That is my story and I'm stick'n to it.
Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓ Broad Selection ✓ Worldwide Delivery ✓
www.starbike.com
That's not a Gravelking in the Heine pic.
Roadside reinflation with a hand pump is a fantasy IMO, if the tire deflates you put a tube in.
Roadside reinflation with a hand pump is a fantasy IMO, if the tire deflates you put a tube in.