Tires - Schwalbe Thunder Burt 2.1
 

I've been REALLY liking the 40mm Tufo Gravel Swampero/Thundero combination I've been using recently, but info from folks like wide-tire pimp, Dylan Johnson, has me curious about whether wider is better for the way I ride.

I've had a pair of Schwalbe Thunder Burt 2.1s taking up space in my tire drawer for a while (they were on my MTB when I bought it, but were quickly replaced with something wider and knobbier). Out of curiosity, I mounted the TBs on my second set of gravel wheels, and it turns out they fit in my Niner RDO frame just fine. I wouldn't want to run them in muddy conditions, but for dry riding, there's enough clearance for my comfort. The TBs have one of the best ratings (lowest Crr) for MTB tires on BRR. The data says they're a lower Crr than the Thundero gravel tire. Of course this doesn't take into account aerodynamic or weight factors, but it has my interest enough to give it a try. A concern is how well the front tire will grip in soft/loose conditions. My front-end Swampero has been great in that regard, so was my previous Pirelli Gravel M. This is a factor that matters a lot to me. I didn't use them for long enough on my MTB to get a feel for what they can do.
https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/v/..._nc_sid=10d13b
https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/v/..._nc_sid=10d13b

I plan to ride them tomorrow on one of my local "happy hour" after-work rides. I'll let y'all know how it goes.

I used to LOVE those tires in 650b size. They were standard issue on the Ibis Hakka. I had tons of grip and comfort. The only negative is that they wore out VERY quickly (soft compound). I think my version had the blue stripe, FYI...

Wear could be a factor that will make a difference in my feelings. Being that this is my gravel bike, they will see a fair amount of pavement.

First impressions...For tires of this size, they roll surprisingly well once up to speed. The heavier weight was noticeable when accelerating, but so was the flywheel effect once they were spinning quickly. In the dirt, I found myself taking less discerning lines across ruts and other rough patches than I would on my usual gravel tires, relying on the squish and robustness of the wider tire to keep things under control. I didn't get a lot of time to push the limits of control, but on a short fireroad descent and some fun, twisty singletrack, I didn't have any grip issues, despite the sparse treat of the Thunder Burt. On a steep, loose climb, I had a wheelspin issue on the rear when standing, but a slight rearward weight shift sorted it out. Overall, my impression is that the 2.1 Thunder Burt is a viable option as a gravel bike tire for people with the frame clearance to handle them. I can't say that they're clearly faster than my 40mm Tufos, but I did not get the impression that they are clearly slower, either. With all tires, it's about finding what works best for the way you ride.
https://dgtzuqphqg23d.cloudfront.net...-2048x1536.jpg
https://dgtzuqphqg23d.cloudfront.net...-1536x2048.jpg

All that said, my test ends here. I discovered that in my initial fitting of the tires, the bead was not completely seated against the rim, but rather holding on to the center channel. With the tire fully-seated, it's wider than it originally looked, and leaves only about 1mm of clearance in my chainstays. That's less than I'm comfortable with, even in dry conditions.

Thanks for sharing your first impressions. The Burt’s (in 650B) are on my short list for next tire to try. Looking for something to help expand my route choice.