Tire options for gravel riding

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Noctiluxx
Posts: 1336
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2017 7:17 pm
Location: Southern California

by Noctiluxx

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.
Bianchi Oltre XR4, De Rosa SK Pininfarina, Trek Madone SLR, Giant TCR Advanced SL, Cervelo R5 Disk, Giant Revolt

Marin
Posts: 4035
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2014 11:48 am
Location: Vienna Austria

by Marin

Compass or Panaracer Gravelkings slick or "small knob".

by Weenie


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LionelB
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Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2008 8:09 pm
Location: Aix en Provence

by LionelB

Compass

Jengaback
Posts: 105
Joined: Thu Jan 29, 2015 9:17 pm

by Jengaback

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

stoney
Posts: 474
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:26 am

by stoney

I love Maxxis Ramblers 40mm on my 21 inner width MTB rims.

jemima
Posts: 270
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2011 12:36 am
Location: Perth

by jemima

The new Compass Antelope Hill.
Curve Grovel ti.

Noctiluxx
Posts: 1336
Joined: Tue Feb 07, 2017 7:17 pm
Location: Southern California

by Noctiluxx

Ordered a pair of Panaracer Gravel SK (Brownwall) in size 43mm. Thanks for your help!
Bianchi Oltre XR4, De Rosa SK Pininfarina, Trek Madone SLR, Giant TCR Advanced SL, Cervelo R5 Disk, Giant Revolt

Point
Posts: 255
Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2015 12:35 pm

by Point

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.
Road - Burls Custom Ti
All Year - Rove ST
Gravel - Carbonda CFR 696
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Marin
Posts: 4035
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2014 11:48 am
Location: Vienna Austria

by Marin

Noctiluxx wrote:
Fri Jul 06, 2018 4:09 am
I plan on doing long climbs on paved roads and then coming back down on fire roads.
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.

MikeD
Posts: 1000
Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2014 9:55 pm

by MikeD

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).

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WinterRider
Posts: 564
Joined: Tue Feb 05, 2013 2:46 pm

by WinterRider

Marin wrote:
Fri Jul 06, 2018 7:50 am
Compass or Panaracer Gravelkings slick or "small knob".
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

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FIJIGabe
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Location: The Lone Star State

by FIJIGabe

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.

Marin
Posts: 4035
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2014 11:48 am
Location: Vienna Austria

by Marin

WinterRider wrote:
Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:14 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.
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?

In my rolldown tests, they aren't that slow either, similar to Open Pavés, but the ride isn't quite as good.

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WinterRider
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by WinterRider

Marin wrote:
Fri Jul 13, 2018 10:03 am
WinterRider wrote:
Thu Jul 12, 2018 7:14 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.
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?

In my rolldown tests, they aren't that slow either, similar to Open Pavés, but the ride isn't quite as good.
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.

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. :roll:
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.

by Weenie


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Marin
Posts: 4035
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2014 11:48 am
Location: Vienna Austria

by Marin

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.

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