wheelsmcgee

Title says it...I'm looking for some tires for my gravel bike. I'm currently running 700x30 kenda kwicks and they're a little narrower than I'd like for some of the chunky loose gravel I encounter.

Requirements:

• Tough/durable. I hate fixing flats like everybody, but especially want to avoid getting stranded in the middle of nowhere with a catastrophic sidewall tear or something similar.
• I don't care as much about weight/speed, at least not at the expense of being durable.
• They will be used on pavement too, but again, they don't have to be particularly fast on pavement.
• 35-40mm, preferably close to 40. 40mm is max for the back, but i can go a little higher in front

I've heard good things about Schwalbe Marathon hs428 or Clement MSO and USH, anything else I should look at?

BigC_82

Panaracer Gravel King and WTB Nano are good options

NormanF

Schwalbe Dureme, WTB Freedom Ryder, Schwalbe Mondial and Ritchey Speedmax are all-around tires.

GravelMN

Schwalbe Smart Sam in 40 or 45mm. I've used them a lot and they only come up short in mud or soft sand. They're great on decent gravel, packed single track, and turf. They have enough tread to handle moderately loose stuff but still roll well on pavement.

jeffpoulin

Continental SpeedRide. Cheap, light, & durable. The 700x42s folding tires are 420g and measure to about 38-39mm. The 700x35s are 350g and measure about 33mm.

They're terrible in mud, though, so if your rides are wet, then look for something with knobs. If your rides are mostly on dry dirt and pavement, these tires are great.

Barrettscv 

Schwalbe tires have a well deserved reputation for trouble free and durable service. I have multiple Schwalbe tires, I've never had a flat on mine and they never show much wear, even after a two thousand miles. They are not the lightest, smoothest or fastest tires, but will be an improvement over the Kendra Kwik and will be ultra reliable.

Newer Schwalbe models are smoother and faster than prior models, research these for pavement and firm gravel: Marathon Almotion HS 453 | Schwalbe North America

hig4s

Maxxis Overdrive come in 700/38 and have Kevlar belts. My wife's bike has them and seem good on pavement and decent for mild unpaved stuff.

wheelsmcgee

Thanks for all of the recommendations everyone. Having now read reviews for most of the tires listed thus far, quite a lot of them could work for me. It might come down to what I can find and in what widths.

bbbean 

I couldn't be happier with my Clement X'plor USH. The perfect mixed surface tire, IMHO. Check out a few reviews. I've been running them on my cross bike since the end of cross season last year, and they still look like new. No flats, plenty of traction.

Canadian_giant

Clement LAS 700X34's, I love mine. A fast, light tire with decent grip on hardpack and loose gravel. Awful on mud but that's the tradeoff, no tire can do it all.

jtbadge

WTB Nano 40c Race.

chriskmurray

I really like both the Panaracer gravelkings but the 40's will not be out until Dec. The Comet from Panaracer is a great all arounder, a little tougher yet slightly slower than the gravelking but a bit more versatile. At $35 for a folding bead it is a great deal too.

Hypno Toad

+1

I picked up a set of X'plor after hating my tires during the 2015 Almanzo 100. I rode the X'plor for some single track riding and the Westside Dirty Benjamin - they have been great. And I will be running them for my first ever CX race tonight... I'll report back after the race.

FlashBazbo

Let me put in a word for the Challenge Gravel Grinder. They are 38mm wide, have file tread in the center for great speed on pavement and civilized gravel, plus knobbies on the edges that make the tire work well in the difficult stuff. I rode them in this year's Dirty Kanza 200 and they performed great. Plus . . . no flats.

Darth Lefty 

A couple of years ago I bought some Schwalbe Delta Cruiser tires (because Lovely Bicycle liked them, don't tell anyone) and lately I've finally had a bike to put them on. They seem pretty heavy and hard. Inexpensive, though.

BluesDawg

Specialized Trigger is a good tire for gravel and some road. Many width options in 60tpi wire bead, 33 or 38mm 120tpi 2Bliss Ready. They run narrow.

tFUnK

Lots of file tread tires being recommended here, and they all seem to receive positive reviews. I run Conti Speed Rides myself 700x42 (39 mm actual width mounted on 23 mm wide rims) and I'm mostly happy with them. A few hundred miles later, I think they are a good mixed-terrain/compromise tire but not enough bite on some of the looser stuff, and I've not taken mine through any rock gardens, yet, so I can't comment on how well the sidewalls will hold up. If you are willing to sacrifice some speed on the pavement for durability and loose-gravel performance, you might be better served by something with a little more aggressive tread.

Hypno Toad

Yeppers, the X'plor were great on CX. Course was varied grass, long grass, soft soil, and hard packed turf. Good control, comfortable, fast (for me).

bbbean