So... having been limited to 35mm tyres by my beaten-up, disintegrating Dirty Disco's limited clearances, I'm now contemplating something more voluminous on my new build, say, 700 x 45mm or 50mm for a bit more cush / traction.
Mostly ride in the Peak, on and off road, generally rocky and hardpack rather than mud and sludge and cratered back lanes I tend to run Schwalbe G-One AR currently, but I'm sure there are plenty of maybe better alternatives.
Ideally would be tough, fast rolling on and off road, go up easily tubeless, not cost insane amounts of money, not feel too wooden or heavy. I could, of course, simply go for bigger G-One ARs and I'm sure they'd work fine, but there must be better out there.
Mrs BWD has both Hutchinson Touaregs and Goodyear Connectors, which I could probably borrow for a try, but our riding styles are somewhat different and her feedback is limited to the 'round and black' sort of take. Also both get reviewed as being a bit stiff and lifeless.
Anyway, thoughts appreciated.
My experience is 45c WTB Riddlers - light, easy to tubeless, fast, just about enough grip, bit fragile and 50c Maxxis Ramblers - noticeably slower, noticeably grippier and more comfortable. Also easy to tubelsss
I use 43mm Panaracer gravel kings on my Camino, ticks all of your boxes.
I keep meaning to have a go with the Vittoria gravel range. Their mezcal 2.1s get used a lot by folk doing the sort of riding I do, but I just don't have the space in the frame.
I can recommend the WTB Byways in size 47 for a comfy and fast rolling ride.
I used Schwalbe Ultra Bite if I'm going somewhere where I need more grip and can suffer worse rolling resistance.
If you can't fit mezcals I'd go 47mm cinturato M or 50mm Goodyear connector or peak 45 for slightly more aggressive tread
Michelin Power Gravels. Tick every box and can be had for £30-40. I've worn mine out now (still without a single puncture) and will definitely replace with the same.
All reviews online are positive.
Thanks guys, it's all a mystery to me. I shall do some review reading and some more pondering...
I use Mezcal 2.1 on the ISO; not sure if they'd fit in the Camino though. I use WTB Resolute (42mm) on the "fast gravel" bike. The Mezcal's are like a fast MTB XC tyre. whereas the Resolutes are faster still but much lower on comfort enhancing volume and grip. Maybe something in the middle?
Ideally would be tough, fast rolling on and off road, go up easily tubeless, not cost insane amounts of money, not feel too wooden or heavy.
My stock answer for these threads is always Vittoria Terreno Dry, and you've perfectly summed up the compromise Vittoria have achieved with that tyre. I only wish I had the clearance for the 45mm.
Go grey sidewalls if you want tough, I've still managed to puncture them but only by being a lummox and e.g. trying to double up rocky waterbars or something equally over ambitious 🙄
I am a fan of the Continental tyres - currently have Terra Hardpack as I am mainly on road and forest/estate tracks. I have had a pair of Terra Trail on my old bike for a few rides off-road and they were also great. Great puncture protection compared to mrs_OAB's WTB TCS Riddlers - she has had 6 punctures with them on two different bikes/sets of tyres in a year, wheras I have had one pinch puncture with various Conti touring and gravel tyres in 5 years....
It really all depends on what you consider to be gravel when riding. If it's just forest roads, cycle paths and road and front end turn in grip is not something you're going to worry about get what we used to call a semi slick. If you're going to use it on old school XC trails which can be really muddy at certain times of the year (i.e. all this year so far) then get something with a bit of bite, at least up front.
G one allround on mine and my wifes bikes. 42 and 47. fast and grippy.
For dry summer hardpack (I knoiw, huge ask given this year's weather so far!), if you can source them, a 50mm set of Marathon Supremes.
Alternatively, check out the newish Panaracer variations, lots showing at Merlin.
700 x 50 Goodyear Connectors for me too.
I’ll jinx it now but never punctured them and they did the Badger Divide happily last year.
As much as i used to love gravelkings, i can't say anything good about the 38mm SS i chucked on a bike, pretty much consistently punctured requiring plugs/attention pretty much daily on a 10m commute, compared to the 38mm torreno zero which punctured once needing pumping up until the sealant did its thing over many dozens of the same commute, or the G ones in 45mm which i haven't seen any issue with over maybe 10 commutes and plenty of proper gravel riding
I recently picked up a pair of Kenda Honey Badger XCs for the gravel bike but not had chance to try them yet. Look like they'd fit the bill and cost buttons from Banana Industries
Cheers for all the suggestions. I reckon about ten different recommendations, which means either you're all totally undiscriminating or there are quite a few gravel tyres that will do roughly what I need. I shall now proceed to buy some that are utterly useless, because that's how the world works, but cheers for all the recs 🙂
Got Goodyear connecters on one bike,( love them) cannonballs on another, even better!
Terreno Wet front, Terreno Dry rear. Magic.
Had the same thing with my Disco so that's now my road bike and I have a Camino. 50mm small knob Gravel kings are great although they won't go under the conventional guards which 45s do
I found this an interesting watch
I find my Conti Race King 2.2 protection better in every way compared to my 43mm Gravelking SK. Faster, more comfort, better grip, better braking, just feels safe. Different bikes but the Graveking wheelset is 1600g compared to 1850g for the Contis. This is on tow paths and bridleways.
Cinturato in whatever flavour suits.
