zpl

FWIW I just put 700x43 Gravel King SK's on my Trek Checkpoint ALR5 and I measured them at 39.5mm width with a digital caliper @ 40 psi. I believe they'll round out more on wider rims. My Checkpoint has 17mm inner-width rims as a reference point.

bjn74

I just picked up the new Domane as my only bike for all-road/gravel use. Comes with 32c tires. Only had it less than a week and haven't had the chance to go find some gravel yet. Will try this weekend (in Dallas, so need to research to find some not too far away). Am trying to work out what tires to replace the 32s with. I'm currently planning on going 38 and tubeless after I get some use out the current tires. There's just so much information out there about tire sizes for mixed use. I'll be 80% paved roads but want to go find gravels and smooth single track.

32c tire labeled as 80psi and that's what it was set up as. I have no experience with tire pressures yet, but will probably reduce it to about 60 when I go find some gravel. I'm assuming that will still be fine for paved use.

Caliper

I use the Berto Tire Pressure app. It takes bike and rider weight plus tire size and bike style (ie: rider position/weight bias) to give recommendations. It has worked surprisingly well for me on both pavement and gravel, even if the pressures seem far lower than you're used to. The only limitation I've seen is it only works up to 50mm tires, but that's not an issue on the Domane.

TimothyH

So I'm interested in the title of this thread. How is this a "Big change for graveling?"

At the risk of an argument about the meaning of the phrase "gravel bike", isn't this just an endurance road bike which can take wide tires?

Seatmastpost and downtube glovebox aside, how is this a "big change" from anything out there? When I think of "big change" for gravel I think of Traildonkey 3.0 and Salsa Cutthroat.

Sincerly asking. Not trying to challenge.


-Tim-

Chi_Z

because the previous domane can only fit 35mm max thus it is not really a gravel bike, the new domane can easily fit 40mm so now it is actually a gravel bike. I have seen it fit up to 44mm but with minimal clearance.

HTupolev

Trek's new Domane will change gravel cycling forever!

ToppDogg

I'm hoping Ben Delaney does a review on it soon.

TimothyH

Well, this gets into the semantics of the term "Gravel bike." If 40 mm tires make this a gravel bike then it is is a big change for Trek but not necessarily a big change for gravel.

Assuming what you say is correct, that it is an actual gravel bike, why would I want it above any other gravel bike?

I really feel like this bike appeals to roadies more than to people who consider themselves gravel riders. I'm not saying it is a bad bike, just that most gravel riders looking for a serious gravel rig wold not consider this as such.

Maybe it does all boil down to semantics. I don't know.


-Tim-

HarborBandS

I like the Domane, but agree with your observations on the thread title. Here, I'll edit the title:

Trek Domane Released - Big (Tires) Changes (Good) for Graveling

chas58

Semantics, maybe. In my opinion, it is a big change for the Domaine, not a huge change for graveling.

Its interesting the way "gravel" changes bikes (mostly in a good way).

There are long, low, slack bikes for people who want their gravel bike to handle like a mountain bike
then there are bikes like the domain, which are what "road" bikes should have been all along - versatile all road bikes. (realistically, we had this in the 70's, but then along came aluminum and carbon fiber...)

I don't know about you, but I have been looking for a road bike for decades. My last road bike was a mid-70's Schwinn 5 speed. The road bike industry was selling us 10 years ago were crap. Tight tolerances, small tires, super stiff. Where I live, I can't ride them on the road without high risk of a flat (or breaking something). Its only recently that the bike industry has given us something that is actually more rideable than a mountain bike on the roads around here.

TimothyH

Oh, I get this.

I've a friend who has a 2nd house up in the mountains accessible only by a one mile gravel road. He is mainly a roadie but keeps a Diverge at that house for reasons similar to what you describe - it is simply more rideable vs a traditional road bike. I'll bet a grande latte that he is looking at the Domane.


-Tim-