Gravel tire rolling resistance tested

[zaykay]

SS is an excellent mixed terrain tire. IMO more durable than Terra Speed, lighter and even though thread pattern does not not have center knobs the grip is very close to Terra Speed.

[tanhalt]

Possibly better tread longevity than a Terra Speed I guess? Anyone thinking a GK SS would be a good option for BWR (SD) should just go with Terra Speeds instead. Otherwise they should be on even faster tires.

My best BWR (SD) finish (relative to the field) was on Compass Snoqualmie Pass tires (EL front, regular rear). I don't think I'd ever run a tire with tread blocks of any sort for that...shit, I rode 26c Turbo Cottons (successfully) the year before that <LOL>

[OnTheRivet]

While we're on this topic, is there ever an occasion for the GK SS? Wet rock? Traveling? Brick road ride?

They're 2w slower than the slick and 1w faster than the SK on BRRs test. Seems like if they were more aero than a SK or Terra Speed, they'd be a decent BWR tire. I doubt they're more aero. I just can't figure out what they're for.
https://cdn.bicyclerollingresistance.co ... g-ss-3.jpg

I live in North County (San Diego) and ride BWR roads/dirt pretty regularly and done the event a handful of times, usually finish in the upper 10% barring incident. I'd never run more than a tubeless 28/30 road tire. Firt two editions I used Vittoria Paves with latex tubes, then tubeless, Hutchinson 28c, Schwalbe Pro 1 28c and GP5000 28c. Never had a flat.

[spdntrxi]

I think if you do BWR(sd) waffle course a 30/32 is ideal. I did the wafer which percentage wise is more dirt. Maybe the 35's slowed me down a bit, but I was there just for the experience. I felt like the 35s were handy in the sandy section as I had to yell at people to keep peddling or I was going to run them over.

[TobinHatesYou]

Possibly better tread longevity than a Terra Speed I guess? Anyone thinking a GK SS would be a good option for BWR (SD) should just go with Terra Speeds instead. Otherwise they should be on even faster tires.

My best BWR (SD) finish (relative to the field) was on Compass Snoqualmie Pass tires (EL front, regular rear). I don't think I'd ever run a tire with tread blocks of any sort for that...shit, I rode 26c Turbo Cottons (successfully) the year before that <LOL>

I agree. I was just saying that if someone is going to run a semi-slick like the GK SS, they may as well just run Terra Speeds, which are almost semi-slicks IMO. If I were to do BWR SD, I'd probably just do 32mm GP5K TR and pray for no sidewall tears.

[robeambro]

If you had a race such as this, with various terrains but none gnarly, what tyre model and tyre size would you reckon would be the right mix of speed and puncture protection? https://youtu.be/AQkqGdFRgXI

Organisers recommend bikes with "33c or more", which makes me think that there's no need to go for very fat tyres, but I don't know *anything* about gravel racing.

[fa63]

If you had a race such as this, with various terrains but none gnarly, what tyre model and tyre size would you reckon would be the right mix of speed and puncture protection? https://youtu.be/AQkqGdFRgXI

Organisers recommend bikes with "33c or more", which makes me think that there's no need to go for very fat tyres, but I don't know *anything* about gravel racing.

If you are not racing for the win, then just put some nice fat tires on your bike and enjoy the ride

I have done 20mph/32kph average speed group road rides on my Specialized Pathfinder Pro 42c tires, so they roll really well on pavement and they work awesome on gravel.

[robeambro]

If you had a race such as this, with various terrains but none gnarly, what tyre model and tyre size would you reckon would be the right mix of speed and puncture protection? https://youtu.be/AQkqGdFRgXI

Organisers recommend bikes with "33c or more", which makes me think that there's no need to go for very fat tyres, but I don't know *anything* about gravel racing.

If you are not racing for the win, then just put some nice fat tires on your bike and enjoy the ride

I have done 20mph/32kph average speed group road rides on my Specialized Pathfinder Pro 42c tires, so they roll really well on pavement and they work awesome on gravel.

Well I don't race to win because I don't have the legs for it, but I want to go as fast as I can and place as high as I can, and tyre selection will be by far the biggest contributor to that.

If I can do it on 32c tyres I could also use the road bike which means some 2kg less weight, but ultimately I don't mind.

I see that most people love Pathfinders so I'll keep them in mind.

[FlatlandClimber]

If the test of gravel and road tires is the same, how is the GP5000TL in 32mm this slow?
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.co ... 5000-tl-32

Edit: okay, they test Gravel tires with butyl tubes... which doesn't make any sense.

[Marin]

If the test of gravel and road tires is the same, how is the GP5000TL in 32mm this slow?

How is it slow? It's the 2nd fastest tire in the test, which is excellent

[FlatlandClimber]

If the test of gravel and road tires is the same, how is the GP5000TL in 32mm this slow?

How is it slow? It's the 2nd fastest tire in the test, which is excellent

It's a road bike tire with zero profile. I mean, it is only feasible for the lightest gravel and the hardest of hard pack. They test hardly faster than the much wider and knobbed Terra Speed, which is pretty surprising for me.


The GP5000TL with a tube tests 19.8W
The GP5000TL with sealant tests at 8.3W

Idk, I find that a crazy big difference.

[CarlosFerreiro]

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

[FlatlandClimber]

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".

[Karvalo]

Well I don't race to win because I don't have the legs for it, but I want to go as fast as I can and place as high as I can, and tyre selection will be by far the biggest contributor to that.

If I can do it on 32c tyres I could also use the road bike which means some 2kg less weight, but ultimately I don't mind.

I see that most people love Pathfinders so I'll keep them in mind.

I don't know what the percentags of different surfaces are but did you not see the sections of loose/rocky doubletrack on that video? I don't think you'd have much fun going over that on a road bike with 32s as part of such a long day in the saddle.

[robeambro]

Well I don't race to win because I don't have the legs for it, but I want to go as fast as I can and place as high as I can, and tyre selection will be by far the biggest contributor to that.

If I can do it on 32c tyres I could also use the road bike which means some 2kg less weight, but ultimately I don't mind.

I see that most people love Pathfinders so I'll keep them in mind.

I don't know what the percentags of different surfaces are but did you not see the sections of loose/rocky doubletrack on that video? I don't think you'd have much fun going over that on a road bike with 32s as part of such a long day in the saddle.

Even if it's gravel 32s?