bikemig 

I know, all the action is with 700c tires. Still I have a road bike built around 26 inch wheels that I'd like to use for checking out some gravel roads but the tire pickings look a bit slim. Any suggestions of tires I should check out?

Squeeze

I'm using 26" x 1.75" Forte Gotham tires from Performance Bike. I ride them on pavement quite a bit, but also on fine gravel and mild singletrack and they seem to work fine. The rear tire will spin in mud, but when it's dry, they seem like as good and fast a tire as any, and I've been riding mine since 2013 with zero flat tires here in goathead burr country.

Bonus: they're really cheap

Drawback: they're pretty heavy, and gravel purists (is there such a thing?) may scoff since they don't say "GRAVEL-PRO 5000" or whatever on them.

Forté Gotham ST Road and Mountain Tires, 700 x 32, 700 x 35, 26 x 1.75

ThermionicScott 

If they don't need to say "gravel" on the label, any number of 26" tires would do the job. MTBs are what people rode on gravel roads before "cross" bikes nudged in.

bikemig 

Sure but I don't want a MTB knobby tire since this will be used on and off road. Some tires are in betweeners and that's what I'm looking for.

2old

Sunlite Hybrid Nimbus Tires 26" X 1.375 <$10 @ Amazon --- disclaimer - I haven't used them, but plan to.

bmthom.gis

Look for a semi slick, like this Panaracer Mach SS Semi-Slick 26" Tyre | Chain Reaction Cycles

justin1138

I've used the Michelin Country Rock's for about 75% road/25% dirt on my old mountain bike before adding a Free Radical to it and dedicating that bike to full blown kid hauling duty. You obviously loose a lot of traction compared to a more standard knobby, but for smoothish surfaces they do pretty well. And they're cheap!

DogBoy

I'm using Serfas MTBHP TIRE. Link is to 29er tire but I have them on my 26" bike. Photo of the tread here:


This is my bike with them on a gravel ride

Andy_K 

It depends on what the off-road part of your mix looks like.

I used a set of 26x2.0 Kenda Happy Mediums for a tour of the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal this summer. The GAP is mostly wonderfully manicured crushed limestone and the Happy Medium was a lot more knobby than I needed there -- slicks would have done. The C&O is mostly dirt that can get muddy and rutted in places, depending on recent weather. The Happy Mediums were great there.

I've used the Michelin Country Rocks in the past. They're a great tire for the price, but they're pretty stiff tires with a very square profile -- not great for cornering on pavement.

Tim_Iowa

Schwalbe Super Motos are fantastic on road and gravel, if your bike can clear a 2.35" tire. They're faster than a fat 26er tire should be. I have a set that you could borrow to try out. They're only $32 here.

I just swapped the Super Motos out for a pair of Schwalbe Thunder Burts, which are a little lighter, a little skinnier, and have little knobs.
I can't fit a 2.35" Super Moto in the rear of the above bike anyway (it's pictured with a 2.1" ITS MK2), it can fit the 2.1" Thunder Burt.

Ronsonic 

I've been using the Kenda K-Rad for general purpose road and gravel and grass and patches of sand.



Rolls smooth and hasn't flatted on me yet.

badger1

Choose your preferred width:

https://www.compasscycle.com/product...tires/26-inch/

Done.

bikemig 

I appreciate the offer but the bike can't handle anything wider than a 2 inch tire. It's a '93 B'stone XO-2. I'm currently running 26 x 1.5 pasellas but I'd like something a bit wider and more flat resistant:

Tim_Iowa

Gotcha. Very nice bike! I'm a big fan of Bridgestones, especially the purple ones.

Honestly, any wide tire can work well for gravel. My Rivendell does great on smooth 1.5" / 38 mm 650b tires, as does my Foundry on light knobby 38 mm 700c tires.

Can you fit 2" tires with the fenders? Or more like 1.75"?

bikemig 

Thanks for the compliment; I like how this bike rides a lot.

Probably only a 1.75 with fenders but I think I'll remove them. I've used this bike more in the past as a commuter/general rider.

1.5 is pretty fat; I was thinking more about puncture resistance and tread patterns. I like tires with a file tread and knobbies on the side. Kenda makes the happy medium; Schwalbe the Sammy slick. Neither is too bad weight wise either. But the width may be an issue. I guess the other option is the schwalbe supreme touring, 26 x 1.6. That's a smooth tire but it has a nice wide cross section; puffy tires are good for mixed surfaces.

The pickings are slim for 26 inch mixed use tires though.

Maverick 13330

speaking of 26" K-Rad tires.. For the last 2months, i did 2 century and a 70miles race on my Giant STP2. I only bought it used from a friend though it was barely used, being a 10 year old one im afraid that racing it next season wont give a me confidence on its wire bead area and might give up on me in the middle of no where.
im planning to bring a spare/replacement tire.. I know that the rim is a bit wide(1.3") that seats K-rad 2.3" rubber.. Question is, will a 1.95 or a 2" tire fit on my rims? Thanks.

.Cricket

I run 26x1.9 on my shortie Vaya, and have been looking at the Schwalbe Blackjacks. Anybody use those? The look pretty cheap now. Schwalbe Black Jack 26" MTB Tyre | Chain Reaction Cycles

rforcen

i'm tuning a 26er gravel:

kuota mtb frame
2.0" raceking tires
3x9 friction shifters
trp spyre breaks

IdahOger

I ended up with Schwalbe Marathons on my 26" gravel drop bar bike and they have worked out far better than I expected. There are a few trails I ride with some looser sand and steep loose gravel sections where a more aggressive tread would be better, but those are a very small part of what I ride and I can manage. In fact, last night I was noticing how smooth and quiet the ride was with these tires.
When these wear out I will probably get some more supple Compass tires.

colorondo

What width 26" Schwalbe Marathons are you using? And at what pressure do you run them at for for gravel riding?

IslandTimePE

I ran Continental Contact Travels on my 26" gravel/dirt bike all last summer. I believe width is 1.75". Plenty of traction on dirt (no so much sand) and also ran well on paved surfaces. Zero flats.