Originally Posted by
79pmooney
I just went to see what tires I could fit on my road bike. I'm comfortable riding 28c road tires on fine gravel but Cycle Oregon is offering one of its gravel options this year where the stones are 1 to 2". It looked like I could get a 38c Pasela on the front. Fully expecting to have to deflate the tire, I went for it. Throwing the caliper release off was not quite enough. But popping the Tektro (Cane Creek? - I forget which this bike has) lever release and I had clearances to spare. Lots. And this on on pretty skinny rims, ~20 mm outside width. I suspect a 45c would go in inflated. The calipers are simply Shimano Ultergra? 105?. I picked them up used and never learned the model.
Now I do have a feature that helps clearance although that was never considered when I did it. My levers are road V-brake. Less leverage, more cable travel so they sit further off the rim. (V-brake levers to get the bigger, more comfortable hoods and drop the power for more predictable braking on mountain descents. I love e'm.)
Ben
Remember that you can overdo tire width. If you are riding through deep sand or gravel you have a lot of surface area showing. I put 32's on my gravel bike and they feel sort of too wide. I'm 6'4" and 185 lbs. While most of the trails around here are pretty hardpack there are sections of loose gravel. We tend to ride off the side of the trail where there is grass and no gravel in these areas.