Gravel tire rolling resistance tested

[Marin]

The difference between road & gravel *for me* is mainly the width.

I don't need as much puncture protection offroad because there's less glass and car tire casing wire offroad, and I prefer a slick (center) tread because it works almost as good on loose-over-hard gavel roads as do small tread blocks.

The Challenge Strada Bianca is just a fat road tire - and a pretty fast one. No reason it shouldn't be in the same ballpark as a GP 5000.

[tritiltheend]

A pressure diffiernce of 44psi vs 100psi as well as the tube/tubeless.

10.3W at 60psi (https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.co ... comparison)
Vs.
16.7W @55 or 14.7W @66psi (https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.co ... 5000-tl-32).

So basically a ~5.5W penalty per tire.
That's the difference between the fastest road tires and fast winter tires.

Just saying I am not impressed that one of the fastest road bike tires is not the fastest "gravel tire".

You're comparing apples to oranges. Due to the quirks of their protocol, you need to be very careful about comparing wattage across categories. The 10.3 wattage number is with a latex tube, the 16.7 wattage number is with a butyl tube, which adds significant resistance. The gravel test would have needed to use latex tubes to be comparable.

I'm not a member so only can see the low pressure results at 33 and 44 psi. In the test comparing the 32C Conti with the gravel tires, it actually did pretty well considering it's being compared with wider tires. At 30mm actual measured width those two pressures are lower than optimal for rolling resistance.

I guess I need to join BRR to get the full results, but the supposed disappointment in the performance of this tire is due to the the quirks of their methodology, and wider tires having a rolling resistance advantage at lower pressures. Plus the Challenge Strada is a very fast tire that just happens to be wide.

[petromyzon]

Even if it's gravel 32s?

A lot of it depends on how confident you are. People used to ride crazy stuff on tiny tyres but for me a big carcass and low pressure is the only way to go if it's loose and rocky. Otherwise I'd spend the whole day convinced I was about to fall off. Tread is good for sand and mud.

I'm sure testing of various new large, low pressure tyre designs will give more insight in to various aspects of tyre construction e.g. the relative impact of puncture belts and supple casings. Still quietly convinced that if Conti made a GP5000 that measured 40mm inflated it would be very fast without a butyl tube.

[robeambro]

Even if it's gravel 32s?

A lot of it depends on how confident you are. People used to ride crazy stuff on tiny tyres but for me a big carcass and low pressure is the only way to go if it's loose and rocky. Otherwise I'd spend the whole day convinced I was about to fall off. Tread is good for sand and mud.

I'm sure testing of various new large, low pressure tyre designs will give more insight in to various aspects of tyre construction e.g. the relative impact of puncture belts and supple casings. Still quietly convinced that if Conti made a GP5000 that measured 40mm inflated it would be very fast without a butyl tube.

I see what you mean. To be honest I don't know if I need confidence unless there's technical descents - I don't think I would be scared of falling off when on the flats.
I think I might just go for my gravel bike and keep the current GK 35's. I want to swap my carbon wheels onto the bike but I don't fancy having to do the whole tubeless shenanigans just for one race (the gravel bike gets so little use currently that it's pointless to faff about with tubeless), so probably I shouldn't put anything larger or else I'll pinch flat every five minutes.

[spartacus]

Can anyone see the results from the velonews test?

[Marin]

Can anyone see the results from the velonews test?

Someone in the comments said the Specialized won, but I'd like to see the results too. I'd buy the article but I'm not gonna subscribe just for that

[USAisDOA]

Can anyone see the results from the velonews test?

Someone in the comments said the Specialized won, but I'd like to see the results too. I'd buy the article but I'm not gonna subscribe just for that

Anyone know where the specialized bike tires are manufactured?

[Marin]

Anyone know where the specialized bike tires are manufactured?

Some (Turbo Cottons?) were made in the same place as Vittoria - probably Thailand. I suspect Vredestein are also made there, since they have a tire that's very similar to the TCs.

Would really love to know more, and who else has tires made there!

[Miller]

Even if it's gravel 32s?

A lot of it depends on how confident you are. People used to ride crazy stuff on tiny tyres but for me a big carcass and low pressure is the only way to go if it's loose and rocky. Otherwise I'd spend the whole day convinced I was about to fall off. Tread is good for sand and mud.

I'm sure testing of various new large, low pressure tyre designs will give more insight in to various aspects of tyre construction e.g. the relative impact of puncture belts and supple casings. Still quietly convinced that if Conti made a GP5000 that measured 40mm inflated it would be very fast without a butyl tube.

I see what you mean. To be honest I don't know if I need confidence unless there's technical descents - I don't think I would be scared of falling off when on the flats.
I think I might just go for my gravel bike and keep the current GK 35's. I want to swap my carbon wheels onto the bike but I don't fancy having to do the whole tubeless shenanigans just for one race (the gravel bike gets so little use currently that it's pointless to faff about with tubeless), so probably I shouldn't put anything larger or else I'll pinch flat every five minutes.

Is there such a thing as 'gravel' 32s? I don't think there is. Anyway, to the point, you'd be nuts to ride Dirty Reiver on 32mm slicks. There can be a great variety of surfaces and a narrow slick tyre will be wrong for almost all of them. It will sink into drifts of gravel, it will feel like hell in big rocks, and you'll be going nowhere in mud. You need a minimum 35mm treaded tyre, more would be better, and you MUST run it tubeless unless you enjoy swapping tubes all day. I did the first DR in 2016 when I was already on tubeless: I have never seen so many people changing tubes by the trailside as that day. I did it again in 2019 and there were still a lot of people who hadn't got the memo. I would advise taking DR seriously, it's a big tough ride, the weather will be a factor, and you need a setup that is hassle-free so you only have to concentrate on managing your own body.

2019


2016, the infamous ford

[jfranci3]

"Gravel" 32c are called Cyclocross tires. So yes.

To the larger point, the penalty for running to big of a tire is no where near the penalty for running too small of a tire. Running too big of a (fast) tire might cost you 8w (pair 32c GP5k to 38cTerraSpeed) rolling and 5w aero at an appropiate pressure on the road.

If you're doing any offroading, you're not using a GP5K - so there really isn't a RR penalty (compared to something to might actually run - GK/CorsaControl / Gone Speed etc) and the aero pealty 30c slick to 43c knob on an aero rim(dt swiss GRC marketing) is 15w @45kph. The penality for running too small of a tire is ~15w as soon as you hit a less than ideal surface to infinite when you start sinking into the dirt or lose traction. If the avgerage speed of the race is under 30kph, the gravel tire is a no-brainer.

In my experience on the road/gravel/smooth dirt trade off:
-Smooth hard groomed dirt roads slightly dampened (basically asphalt) - was riding with a guy with ~30c tires, an XC mtb, and I was on 43c tires. All seemed equally efficent until as the road tire deformed the surface a bit. As soon as there was a dusting of sand on the surface, the road bike disappeared backwards.

-BWR San Diego - you see these guys on 28/30c tires win it. I was packing to ride the route on my vacation. I thought it must be something I could do on my g-one speed 30c (I packed a set of 38c tires anyway). NO. They do it for the 15w road-aero - the first 15miles are paved and downhill (avg 50kph), because they are 65kg, and because they are keep their momentum up on the steep hills. An XC mtb tire would have been significantly faster off road than the 38 tires I had there. If you're not going for the win, you'd probably be much faster on a 38c.

[mathias720]

I am currently looking at a new set of tire for my crux.
currently running gravelking SS 38. Looking at changing to Terra speed 40mm or RH steilacoom(extra lite)
both should give more grip, but cant figure about the rolling resistance, of the steilacoom in extralite casing vs. GK SS? anyone tried both.
currently leaning to RH because of the weight.
all the test i find of Reneherse is of the endurance casing.
riding will be gravel with maybe 10-20% asphalt.

also for the reneherse steilacoom.
is the extralite Tan lighter than Extralite black.
i know for some companies(most) the tan version is lighter than black even though they always state same weight for both colors on their sites

[takolino]

I have a pair of black Steilacoom Extralight brand new. One weighs 397g and the other weighs 388.

[yinzerniner]

I am currently looking at a new set of tire for my crux.
currently running gravelking SS 38. Looking at changing to Terra speed 40mm or RH steilacoom(extra lite)
both should give more grip, but cant figure about the rolling resistance, of the steilacoom in extralite casing vs. GK SS? anyone tried both.
currently leaning to RH because of the weight.
all the test i find of Reneherse is of the endurance casing.
riding will be gravel with maybe 10-20% asphalt.

also for the reneherse steilacoom.
is the extralite Tan lighter than Extralite black.
i know for some companies(most) the tan version is lighter than black even though they always state same weight for both colors on their sites

Terra Speed has been tested throughout as the fastest or second fastest tire, with very low weight but also very high wear and little puncture protection. Modest tread, and with little asphalt should last a decently long time.
Gravel King SS has very little tread, and will roll slower but most likely have better flat protection. Also last longer and cost less.
RH is VERY high priced with great looks and ride feel but won't roll as fast as Terra Speed, poor flat protection and high cost. The variations in manufacturing will account for more weight difference than black vs tan sidewalls.

So to break down the three choices:
-Brain says Terra Speed
-Wallet says Gravelking
-Heart says RH

[JasperTT]

Tread, puncture resistance, threads per whatever, what about skill? A good cyclist picks their line and will circumnavigate many a problem with line choice. Terra Speed every day if you have skillz!

[spdntrxi]

I like my Terraspeeds..