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For mixed surface work until last week I was using tubeless 38mm schwalbe g-one allrounds and frickin loved them. On Sunday I did a 50k cc sportive in Sussex after 24 hours of rain and it was a mud bath. Fortunately I'd bought a pair of 40mm Maxxis Ravagers, which coped admirably with the mud and rooty single-track, and in a lot of comfort.
Unfortunately on road and hardpack they were basically anchors and sucked my will to live - i can't deal with a tyre that slow despite the awesome traction and comfort.
Now I'm looking for a middle ground tyre between the g-one and the ravager. Im putting on a Redshift Shockstop stem so comfort is a bit less of a factor. Ideas I'm kicking around are:
Panaracer Gravelking SKs 35 or 38s - anyone ridden in mud - will I fall off?
X-ones (about a million varieties) but only found them in 33. Not saying I wouldn't go this small but I'm after endurance rather than cyclocross race pace.
Maxxis Ramblers (hear they aren't maybe up to much on mud and delicate?)
Michelin Power Gravel (can't find much on them)
Pretty much just want g-ones but with better wet/mud traction. Thoughts
WTB Nanos?
Do the g one bites so it, slightly different profile
I've got the GK SKs in 38. They're a great all rounder but will struggle in claggy mud due to closely spaced tread. Flip side is they're ok on the road. Decent on general off road.
If you've ever mountain biked with SB8s think those in claggy mud but worse.
Came here to recommend Namos too but see Colin ended the thread before it had a chance to get going.
Don't go for the Ramblers. I use them on my gravel bike and they are fine in dry conditions but sketchy in mud. Like you, I have some mud tyres but am looking for a sort of mid - mud tyre for general use. The Ramblers are not that tyre
WTB resolute 42mm.
Good in mud & fast on the road is moon on a stick territory, surely.
I have 40c TCS Nanos and if it's claggy for any distance they accumulate the mud on their shoulder / sidewall eventually bringing the back wheel to a standstill. Clement PDX's on the other hand, cut through the gloop without collecting any. Two very different tyres.
I guess it'll always be a compromise.
- but I'm interested to see if anything come up trumps.
I can confirm that Gravelking SKs clog fast in claggy mud. I stopped dead after less that 10m!
If you ride mostly clay mud then I reckon a narrower intermediate cx tyre would be best comprimise
I've just put on some Nanos, not as quick a G one all rounds but better in the mud, Resolutes are better in mud but not as quick rolling. For me Nanos are a good compromise and feel comfy. My commute is tarmac, towpaths and forest gravel / stoney roads.
For me Nanos are a good compromise and feel comfy.
They also behave completely differently depending on tyre pressure - more so than any other tyre I've experienced. High pressure and they'll fly on tarmac. Lower pressures and they become really comfy and grippy for rough/soft conditions.
Riddler 37mm?
I've run the Continental AT Ride (42mm but come up a little narrower) a lot and really rate them as an all rounder. Roll much better than they have any right to judging by the look of the tread. Work as well as anything in sloppy condirions, are quite light and pretty puncture proof. They are not rated as tubeless but when I contacted Continental, they advised that, unofficially, they'd probably run tubeless. Cheap at about £16 ea from the Germans.
Scotroutes, I assume pumped up you're just rolling on the centre ridge. I've got high 30s front low 40s rear.
If you've got deep pockets aren't the Compass Steilacooms supposed to be good in mud and fast on tarmac?
Oooofff - some strong posts this evening, thanks all much appreciated. Hot damn though, I think those Compass Steilacooms despite being mind warpingly expensive...they might be the ones. Mind you the Ravagers set me back over £80 delivered....damn damn damn. I'm limited to a measured 40mm on the back (2016 CAADX) so ... erm, pretty sure that means I can justify the Steilacooms...nice. This reads well: https://singletrackmag.com/gritcx/2018/05/10/reviewed-compass-steilacoom-tyres-the-perfect-uk-gravel-option/
Damn you Swanny!
My middle name is MOAS 😎
resolute 42mm measure 40mm IRL
How wide are your rims? Resolutes were my front runners until I read this review https://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/components/tyres/road/product/wtb-resolute-gravel-tire-review-51863/
I am running hunt 4 season gravels and I think they're 19 wide internally - any clue how wide the Resolutes might measure up? My frame runs 38mm g-ones that measure up to 40 and the Ravagers are 40 and looking at them I think they are prob forty but haven't applied a ruler to them.
If your frame can run 42 I would recommend these, I changed from Gravelkings to these and they are superb
https://www.cxmagazine.com/soma-fab-cazadero-42c-gravel-tire-review
How wide are your rims? Resolutes were my front runners until I read this review https://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/components/tyres/road/product/wtb-resolute-gravel-tire-review-51863/
I am running hunt 4 season gravels and I think they're 19 wide internally - any clue how wide the Resolutes might measure up? My frame runs 38mm g-ones that measure up to 40 and the Ravagers are 40 and looking at them I think they are prob forty but haven't applied a ruler to them.
I thought I saw a post about Ritchey Megabites but mightve confused that with a review (kinda tired) - they look pretty strong
Riddler 37s might be a really nice choice - great suggestion - good reviews, readily available, decent price and a little bit narrower so hopefully faster and lighter (offset by shockstop stem maybe?)...gonna read a few more reviews
Pulled the trigger on the 37 Riddlers because my next off-road event (Badlands Gravelcross) is on Sunday so I plan to fit them on Saturday. They look pretty decent all around (question mark over puncture protection and wear but I'll take my chances) and reasonable at £30/wheel.
Off topic but is there a way to quote posts on this forum (I'm using an iPhone)?
Slightly leftfield suggestion, what about one if these new fangled MTBs? Nice big 2.5 shorty or a 2.6 Mary, corners like ****! 😂
How wide are your rims?
23mm
Hunt's 4 Season Gravel Disc wheels are 20mm internal width (25mm external).
Panaracer GravelKing SK's in 38mm measure up to 40mm when inflated to 45psi on those rims (mine do anyway).
IME the GravelKings roll extremely well - far better on tarmac for instance than any gravel tyre has a right to, and downright F-A-S-T on trails and unmade tracks. They're supple, comfortable, and grip surprisingly well on dry hardpack... BUT:
- A mud tyre they are not (they clog very easily)
- Gravel Kings SK's are fragile (mine picked up several cuts within 3-4 weeks, not on the sidewalls, but on the main centre sections of the tread).
I love the way the GravelKings ride, but I'm looking elsewhere for my next set.
Tread pattern looks like it would roll fast on tarmac and grip well in mud. Does it?
This is why I bought a Cutthroat, so I could run a 29er mud tyres
Well the 37 Riddlers certainly do suck IMHO. Anchors! The 40 Ravagers are SUPER anchors so a bit better than those at least but still sap energy like a battery powered leach.
Those two sets are heading to eBay very shortly - don't suit my weak legs at all. Should've paid the big bucks in the first place and gone with the Steilacooms but better late than never - a pair in standard weight (tan walls only so i'm interested to see how they look on my CAADX) are on the way - hopefully they'll arrive tomorrow so I can test them out when I visit my mum in Devon this weekend.
Did I say g one bites already?
G-one bites were what I almost went for. I really trust Schwalbe's speed claims and I love my G-one allrounds - they rock until it gets wet off road. I read reviews of the bites and they could well be really good but one said that mud and off-camber work gets sketchy and off-camber kinda scares me when I don't have good grip from side knobbles. The Steilacooms weren't a whole heck of a lot loss expensive than the Bites and the former apparently flies both on and off road, and goes well in more muddy conditions so I figured rather than a third 'not quite' I'd go the whole hog and if they suck then I need to seriously realign my expectations! I guess the Allrounds have set my expectations so high that anything vaguely slow gets chopped immediately.
Slight thread hijack. Anyone know what the WTB Nano 40's actually measure? Cheers
I'm running WTB exposure 32c on my commuter bike now which has to tackle some very muddy bridleway over winter. This is a mixed use tyre with a slick middle and a slightly knobbly outer. I was running some 35c Conti Cyclocross tyres but I wanted to have less mud thrown up.
Time will tell if they are ok or not. I don't need to corner since the bridleway is straight but over some cobbles the 32c's felt a bit skittish. Might try and reduce the pressure a bit.
Robb1234, my nanos are 41 on 19mm internal rims. Winter conditions have finally begun locally, very impressed with the Nanos, quick enough for me on tarmac and seem decent in wet off road so far, seem very comfy as well. Good compromise tyre IMO.
What are the WTB nano's like for puncture protection does anybody know??
A friends just fitted Specialized Crossroads to his bike which seem to have a nice middle for hard stuff and knobbles for anything slippery on the edge, also available with Armadillo protection although they're heavy.