TJtheWrecker

I'm 6'4' & 196 lbs, I ride a 2021 Specialized diverge carbon and currently I run stock Specialized Pathfinder Pros (38mm) at 65 PSI.

These feel rough on anything other than road and jump abruptly on bumps. Looking for recommendations on how I can improve this.

My bike has clearance up to 47mm on 700c so looking for a happy medium on road vs gravel comfort for my size and weight.

Elvo

Tubeless

Rides4Beer

Tubeless and a lot less pressure. I'm 185lbs and run 40mm at 30-40psi depending on the terrain, I'll run 45/50psi if I know it's going to be all pavement. I've gone as low as 28psi on really chunky gravel (sections that probably needed a mtb lol).

I would go 40-45mm (always good to leave room for mud/debris), def tubeless, and then play with pressure and see what works for you, prob start around 45psi and work your way down.

Random11

I'm using Schwalbe Marathon Plus 38s on my Diverge. I like the tires. I'm not necessarily recommending them, but I got them to try to cut down on flats. (I had 6 flat tires in 2019, and so far, zero flats in 2020; I hope I didn't just jinx myself.) I weigh 170 and with those tires ride with 80 pounds on pavement and 50 pounds off-road. I had a very comfortable 28 mile ride this morning, all off-road, running 50 pounds in both the front and rear tires.

pipeliner

You are abusing yourself for no reason.

I’m 240 lbs and run 28/38psi on 45c tires. I wouldn’t even consider running anything but tubeless and for comparison sake, I run 50/60 on my 32c tubeless road tires. These are on 23mm and 19mm internal width rims respectively.

BluFalconActual

I weigh 185 and run 42's tubeless at 40 psi.

u235

I have the regular green marathons and the ride resembles a frozen garden hose compared to others in the same size range
Comfort does not really change at all over a wide range of pressures either. Not knocking the tire at all. Just an observation. I never had a flat in them and it appears they never wear out.

u235

I am a fan of tubeless all around but that being said, you do not have to specifically go tubeless to get comfort. I've used some of my tires both ways and the difference was minor and if I was doing it blind, I probably wouldn't know. You can obviously run lower pressures and not risk a pinch flat but you can get comfort with tubes with the right tire and size at reasonable pressures too. I did notice some comfort difference after adding protective liners to my tube only Conti SpeedRide 42. I was able to compensate with less pressure but it is different than without them.

TJtheWrecker

Most of you recommend going tubeless and reducing pressure. So I will try that!

Kapusta

With 38s at your weight I think you can easily go with 45/55 front/rear. Then try lower if you want.

Rides4Beer

Exactly, it's not so much the tubeless itself that adds comfort, but the fact that you can run low pressures without pinch flatting. There's no way I'd run 30-40psi with tubes, wouldn't make it a mile down the trail. lol

TJtheWrecker

It is remarkable what a difference going down from 65 PSI on 38 (with tube) make going down to 55PSI. Tires feel a bit flatter but much less jumpiness and greater comfort on gravel.

As for the heavier singletrack stuff, considering going up to 45mm or 43mm Riddlers.

u235

My only tubed tires left are the previously mentioned Speedride 42. I am hugging 200 and I ride 35/40 front and 45/50 rear. Never had an issue so far and those tires are relatively thin (although they do claim a protection layer). I ride a lot of "gravel road" gravel, various but a lot of a thin layer over a rough hard packed layer and about as rough as gravel roads can get. Deceiving because you can maintain some decent speed because of the underlying hardness but very rough as you hit almost immovable pieces of surface gravel. There is no give in the surface at all and I often shoot pieces of it across the road. I do have liners in them but I don't think that helps with the gravel, it was more for a very unique situation with the tread. It is a finely spaced file tread, at about their mid wear life, sharp fines get caught in between the file tread and fester and eventually put tiny pinholes in the tube. The liners seem to help with that.