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Cyclocross and Gravelbiking (Recreational) This has to be the most physically intense sport ever invented. It's high speed bicycle racing on a short off road course or riding the off pavement rides on gravel like : "Unbound Gravel". We also have a dedicated Racing forum for the Cyclocross Hard Core Racers.

Wiki list of Gravel tires

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Old 10-20-16, 07:39 AM
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Wiki list of Gravel tires

It might be a good conversation starter to list tires that meet the general requirements of use on gravel roads. Since there are so many variations of gravel, the list can include lightweight tires in smaller sizes or mountain bike tires in Monstercross sizes and everything in between.

If you are using a tire, please post a brief summary and review.

1) Schwalbe G-One tubeless: 40-584, 35,40-622
2) Clement X'Plor MSO: 32,36,40-622 60&120tpi
3) Clement X'Plor USH: 35-622 60&120tpi
4) Challenge Gravel Grinder: 36-622 Open Tubular, 33,38-622 clincher
5) Challenge Strada Bianca: 30-622 O/T, 33-622 clincher
6) Challenge Parigi-Roubaix: 27-622,
7) Panaracer Gravel King SK: 32, 35, 40-622
8) Panaracer Gravel King: 28,32-622
9) Panaracer Pasela: 700x28, 32
10) Kenda Happy Medium: 32,35,40-622
11) Kenda Small Block 8: 32,37-622
12) Maxxis Rambler 40-622
13) Surly Knard: 41-584, 41-622
14) Specialized Trigger Pro: 38-622
15) Specialized Trigger Sport: 33-622
16) Continental Cyclocross Speed: 35-622
17) Vittoria Revolution: 50-559, 584, 622!
18) Vittoria Adventure Trail: 37,40-622
19) Vittoria Terreno Dry, 31,33 and 40mm
20) WTB Riddler: 37,45-622
21) WTB Exposure: 30,34-622
22) WTB Nano: 40-622
23) Hutchinson Override 35, 38-622

Here are a few sample data points to include;

size: diameter and width, bonus points for actual measurements
tread pattern: slick, semi-slick with some texture, small knobs for dry conditions, deeper knobs for soft or damp conditions, etc
construction: tpi, flat protection, tubeless ready, etc
performance on pavement
performance on firm and smooth gravel
performance on deep or soft gravel
durability
ride
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Old 10-20-16, 07:52 AM
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I'm running 26 inch wheels on my gravel grinder. The list of tires is obviously smaller for 26 inch wheels than 29ers. Some of the Kenda tires come in 26 inch flavors but they're not easy to find online.

I like pasela t serv protite tires which comes in a 26 x 1.5 and a 1.75 (although it measures a little narrower than spec).
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Old 10-20-16, 09:20 AM
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Clement MSO: https://clementcycling.com/xplor-mso

size: 700x40, about 40.2mm wide
tread pattern: tightly packed small knobs for mostly dry conditions
construction: 120 tpi, flat protection
performance on pavement is excellent, like most touring tires this size with secure cornering on wet or dry pavement.
performance on firm gravel is excellent, with excellent cornering and braking
performance on deep or soft gravel is very good with good control and sufficient volume over rough surfaces. Excellent braking in soft conditions. Cornering performance and float on soft surfaces is limited by the lack of bigger knobs on the shoulder.
durability: good so far
ride: smooth and plush



Clement USH https://clementcycling.com/ush

size: 700x35, about 34mm wide
tread pattern: small file tread on the shoulder for dry conditions with a dense pair of center blocks for pavement speed and durability
construction: 120 tpi, flat protection
performance on pavement is excellent, like most road bike tires
performance on firm gravel is excellent with very good cornering grip on a hardpacked fine gravel
performance on deep or soft gravel is deficient, float and traction is limited, it's only 34mm wide.
durability: very good so far
ride: smooth and plush
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Old 10-20-16, 09:37 AM
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Clement Xplor MSO 40mm 120tpi

They are relatively light, relatively comfortable, and havent given me a flat yet. Probably 500mi of use so far, 90% on gravel thats anywhere from tight packed in dirt to loose and sloppy.
I use tubes, so no idea on tubeless.

They measure 40 when mounted on H Plus Son Archetype rims which are 23mm wide on the outside.
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Old 10-20-16, 10:16 AM
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Challenge Parigi-Roubaix: Paris-Roubaix PRO

size: 700x27, about 29.5mm wide
tread pattern: textured pattern like a road bike tire
construction: 300 tpi, flat protection, non-vulcanized open-tubular construction can be fragle and flat prone
performance on pavement is excellent, it's ultra fast open tubular road bike tire
performance on firm gravel is very good, good cornering and traction and ultra fast rolling
performance on deep or soft gravel is not safe or recommended
durability: below average but could last 1500 miles
ride: ultra smooth and plush
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Old 10-20-16, 03:24 PM
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Kenda Happy Medium: 700x32. Kenda Tires | Bicycle | Happy Medium Pro

size: 700x32, about 32.5mm wide
tread pattern: file tread in the center and small blocks on the shoulder
construction: 120 tpi, flat protection
performance on pavement is sluggish, cornering is not secure
performance on firm gravel is good, with good traction but slow going
performance on deep or soft gravel is safe but not outstanding
durability: below average but could last 1500 miles
ride: moderately good

Kenda Small Block 8: 29x1.9. Kenda Tires | Bicycle | Small Block Eight Pro

size: 29x1.9, about 47.5mm wide
tread pattern: tightly packed small blocks in the center and wider spacing of the small blocks on the shoulder
construction: 120 tpi, flat protection
performance on pavement is sluggish, cornering is secure, the tire feels slow and heavy
performance on firm gravel: good traction but slower rolling
performance on deep or soft gravel is excellent and almost foolproof
durability: average, could last 1500 miles
ride: moderately good
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Old 10-20-16, 06:57 PM
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Maxxis Re-Fuse TR (tubeless)
size: 700x32, mounts to 34.5mm on 23mm internal rim
tread pattern: fine file tread
construction: 60 tpi, dual-compound, bead-to-bead flat protection
performance on pavement is very good, both dry and wet
performance on firm gravel or is good, with good traction. Excellent on hardpack.
performance on deep or soft gravel/sand is... not recommended
durability: averaging 3,000 miles per rear, predominantly road miles. Have not had a single flat.
ride: excellent
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Old 10-22-16, 10:33 PM
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This is a very helpful thread.

I am new to riding gravel and bought a Masi cxgr about 2 months ago. As it's name implies, it's meant to be both a cx and gravel bike (I bought it for gravel grinding; I have no interest in actual cx). The stock tires are 35 mm Kenda Slant Sixes, which as far as I can tell are something like a cross between the Small Blocks and Happy Mediums.

Anyway, my impression is that they are really quite slow both on pavement and gravel, though I admit I have little basis for comparison, and so I'm thinking about swapping. My rims won't take a tire smaller than 35 mm. This list has given me several ideas for further investigations, maybe starting with the Clement X'Pior.
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Old 10-23-16, 08:39 PM
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Challenge Gravel Grinder Race 38

Size: 700x38
Tread pattern: diamond with knobs on the side
Construction: 120 TPI
Performance on pavement: A bit of rolling resistance as you might expect, but not bad at all for an off-road tire.
Performance on firm and smooth gravel: Excellent
Performance on deep or soft gravel: Good
Durability: I'm a clyde, and I've put 700 miles on mine so far, still going strong. I am just starting to see a bit of wear on the rear. No flats so far.
Ride: Excellent on dirt, gravel and grass. Good for cyclocross, except for wet mud and sand

With that said, the only similar tire I can compare to were these cheap $20 Ritchey 32c cyclocross that were horrible by comparison. The Challenge tires roll better over all surfaces and are much more durable.
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Old 10-25-16, 09:15 AM
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Bontrager CX0

size: 700x38, about 37 mm wide. Also available in 700x34
tread pattern: small knobs in center, larger knobs on the edge
construction: 120 tpi
performance on pavement: excellent, very fast tire
performance on firm gravel: excellent
performance on deep or soft gravel: very good. Just OK in mud though.
durability: below average. Mine are almost completely bald in the center after ~2500 miles. Above average flats.
ride: smooth and fast

Panaracer/Pacenti Pari-Moto

size: 650x38, about 37 mm wide. Also available in 650x42
tread pattern: smooth, just a light herringbone
construction: 120 tpi
performance on pavement: excellent, very fast tire
performance on firm gravel: excellent
performance on deep or soft gravel: good; wide/supple enough to float on top of most surfaces. No tread, so no good for mud.
durability: Surprisingly, above average. Only 2 flats in ~2000 miles.
ride: plush and very fast

Compass Stampede Pass

size: 700x32, about 31 mm wide.
tread pattern: smooth, just a light herringbone
construction: 120 tpi
performance on pavement: excellent, very fast tire
performance on firm gravel: very good
performance on deep or soft gravel: Just OK, not wide enough to float. No tread, so no good for mud.
durability: Only ~50 miles in, so no report.
ride: very fast

Panaracer Gravel King SK

size: 700x32, about 32 mm wide.
tread pattern: small 1 mm square knobs
construction: 120 tpi
performance on pavement: good, fast tire
performance on firm gravel: excellent
performance on deep or soft gravel: Good, not wide enough to float. Decent tread.
durability: Only ~50 miles in, so no report.
ride: fast. The mini-knobs make it ride a tiny bit slower than a smooth tire, but make it much more confident in gravel.

Schwalbe Thunder Burt (Evo Liteskin)

size: 26"x54, about 52 mm wide. Also available in 27.5" and 29" diameters, in 54 and 57 mm widths, and with different casings/protection/tubeless.
tread pattern: small 2 mm square knobs, larger edge knobs
construction: 120 tpi
performance on pavement: good, fast for its size but a little squishy in hard turns (that's what you get at ~35 psi)
performance on firm gravel: excellent
performance on deep or soft gravel: excellent, plenty of float.
durability: Only ~100 miles in, so no report.
ride: fast. The mini-knobs give it good enough traction for occasional mud, but it's still a very fast tire for its width.
The Thunder Burt is one of the most popular tires for Dirty Kanza because it has good width and traction but not much rolling resistance.


I concur with others regarding the Challenge Gravel Grinder Race tires; I've ridden them a little bit and they seem great.
They're going back on my gravel bike after 'cross season. I put on Challenge Limus Pro Open tires for the couple cyclocross races I'm doing.
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Old 10-28-16, 08:56 AM
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Originally Posted by MinnMan
This is a very helpful thread.

I am new to riding gravel and bought a Masi cxgr about 2 months ago. As it's name implies, it's meant to be both a cx and gravel bike (I bought it for gravel grinding; I have no interest in actual cx). The stock tires are 35 mm Kenda Slant Sixes, which as far as I can tell are something like a cross between the Small Blocks and Happy Mediums.

Anyway, my impression is that they are really quite slow both on pavement and gravel, though I admit I have little basis for comparison, and so I'm thinking about swapping. My rims won't take a tire smaller than 35 mm. This list has given me several ideas for further investigations, maybe starting with the Clement X'Pior.
Why do you think your rims won't take thinner tyres? I was under the same impression based on a chart on Sheldon Browns website, but thanks to help from guys here, I actually ran 24mm tyres.
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Old 11-06-16, 05:48 AM
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700x45 WTB Riddler


Size: 700x45 measures 44.5mm on a Velocity Dyad rim

Tread pattern: small, short knobs at the center with deeper knobs on the shoulder for traction and float.

Construction: unknown tpi, unknown flat protection, I'm using tubes.

Performance on pavement is moderately fast with moderately low rolling resistance. Cornering on wet pavement could be problematic with the knobs on the shoulder potentially sliding on sharp turns

Performance on firm and smooth gravel is excellent, the tire rolls fast with enormous traction

Performance on deep or soft gravel is excellent with plenty of float and stability. The tire is secure on off-camber surfaces even while cornering. Heroic 35mph turns on loose gravel roads felt as safe as a good 29er tire

Durability in unknown but the tire is robust

Ride is moderately supple but is not as plush as the 120 tpi Clement tires.
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Last edited by Barrettscv; 11-07-16 at 08:10 AM.
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Old 11-06-16, 06:58 AM
  #13  
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I have 2
Schwalbe Big Apples, 700x50
nice soft plush tires with a large tread but not very deep, have been able to ride in lots of dry surfaces from light coverings of sand to large rocks. wet pavement is great but mud sucks

Panaracer Tour Gard and Tour Gard plus
700x32, 37, 42 all great tires had 1 flat with many 1000km
rides nice with great traction in all but slick mud.
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Old 11-07-16, 05:22 AM
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Continental Speed Ride: 42-622 (700x42 nominal). Wire bead version with reflex white stripe. Specs list 3/84 TPI, 495 gr.

These are the street oriented variation of the Continental Cyclocross Speed (35-622) and look identical, other than width and sidewall graphics.

Like the Cyclocross Speed, the wider Speed Ride has the same diamond file primary tread with some outer knobs to grip in deeper rough and soft stuff. Continental's hype claims it's a "fast semi-slick", but that's just silly. It's nowhere near a slick, but it is a smooth and quiet rolling tire and a good compromise for street and dry gravel, chat trails or grass. Occasionally I ride rough grass and pasture. It's fine as long as the ground is no worse than damp.

I ride 'em around 50 psi on a rigid fork Univega mountain bike. I weigh 160. Conti says the tires can handle up to 85 psi but I haven't tried higher than 60.

Third and best set of tires I've tried on this bike. Rivendell likes 'em too. Good tires for chat trails and gravel (worst I've ridden is a railroad embankment lined with large, sharp edged ballast gravel), dry grass and rough pavement, smooth rolling on good pavement too.

On the minus side, the diamond file tread pattern picks up small pebbles which might accelerate wear and flats. So far, so good after one month. Continental says the Speed Ride has a puncture resistant layer. That, plus the slightly wider size, might account for the slightly heavier weight (495 gr vs 420 for the 700x35 Cyclocross Speed).

Updating 1/21/2017
After several weeks on the Conti Speed Rides on my 1992 Univega mountain bike I still like 'em and would consider the narrower Cyclocross Speed tires for a gravel/all around bike.

Great on wet and slippery pavement, mud-slick puddles, and riding open fields on our single one-inch bit of snow this winter.

Two flat so far, only one related to the quirk of the diamond file tread trapping debris. First flat was a huge hunk of broken glass, shaped like a diamond, hidden under leaves -- it would have flatted any tire. The glass punctured into the tread enough to shred a couple of fibers of the flat resistant shield, but it hasn't suffered any additional damage.

Second flat, a week or so ago, was a tiny shard of glass wedged between the diamond file tread. Just barely nicked the tube. Overall, not bad. I'd expected more flats from this quirk, but so far, so good.

Would buy again for an all around hybrid and light gravel/trail riding bike. Good value.

Last edited by canklecat; 01-21-17 at 10:40 AM. Reason: ficks tie-pohs
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Old 11-28-16, 02:58 PM
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Conti GP 4-season 32mm
Acxtual size: 32mm true to size
tread pattern: slick
construction: 110 tpi, flat protection strong for a road tire (double vectran breaker belt), not particularly tubeless ready. (Note: Conti lists is as 330tpi, but it is actually 110tpi x 3 belts.
performance on pavement: Excellent. At 17 watts rolling resistance and only 320 grams, I find this tire as fast as my race tires when I’m doing non competitive riding.
(road tires tend to range from 10-22 watts resistance, touring tires from 17 – 33 watts
performance on firm and smooth gravel: Work great!
performance on deep or soft gravel: worthless in deep soft terrain or on wet non paved terrain
durability - TBD
ride – Excellent.

Comments: Work excellent on road or dry hard pack. Smooth ride, light, accelerates very well. No complaints.
The 32mm size took me years to find for sale outside of Germany. I finally found them on amazon, although the 622-32 tire is listed as a 32 inch tire. Go figure…

continental bicycle Grand Prix 4-Season

Picture



Continental Gatorskin 32mm
Actual size: 31mm (folding) 30mm (wire)
tread pattern: slick
construction: 60 tpi, not particularly tubeless ready. (Note: Conti lists is as 180tpi, but it is actually 60tpi x 3 belts.
performance on pavement: good. At 19 watts rolling resistance and only 360 (w)/400(f) grams, they are not bad (road tires tend to range from 10-22 watts resistance, touring tires from 17 – 33 watts)
performance on firm and smooth gravel: Work great!
performance on deep or soft gravel: worthless in deep soft terrain or on wet non paved terrain
durability – May never wear out. I find the wimpy cloth sidewalls wear out before the tread does.
ride – A bit harder than the 4 season due to a thicker, stiffer tread, and less supple sidewalls.

My32mm tire on dirt:


Kenda Kwick 30mm
Actual size: 28mm
tread pattern: chevron center with deep lugs on side.
construction: 60 tpi, not particularly tubeless ready. Have a nice smooth ride, probably due to the fact that they seem to have no puncture protection.
performance on pavement: good and fast. Biggest drawback is that I can’t corner hard on them due to the lugs on the sides.
performance on firm and smooth gravel: Work great!
performance on deep or soft gravel: too narrow to float, but the side lugs do bite a little in sand, dirt, mud, grass.
durability – I have never seen a tire wear down as fast at these. A month or two of commuting made the center of the tire very smooth.
ride – supple.

Comments: About the only thing nice I can say about these is that they are small enough (fattish 28mm) to fit many road bikes (short to medium reach caliper), and will work great on a lot of gravel roads on a road bike for those that can’t fit anything larger. $12.95 – great tire for the price! (jenson USA)> They are light and fast and ride well, but its just an odd size for a tire with lugs.

Kenda Kwick Tires - Clincher Reviews - RoadbikeReview.com
Kenda Kwick Tire > Components > Tires > Dirt Tires | Jenson USA
Kenda Tires | Bicycle | Kwicker Pro

Picture

IRC Mythos XC Slick

IRC TIRE BICYCLE TIRE OFFICIAL SITE |COMMUTER | MYTHOS XC SLICK

I don’t think they make this in 700c anymore, but they are great for a large cross/gravel tire. I’ve had these for years (way before the term “gravel” became widely used), and they are great. The concept of a high volume (42c) tire with minimal center tread and some good lugs on the side for bite, is wonderful. I have used 42mm tires (26x1.95”) for a fast mountain bike tire, and they also work great on a 700c gravel bike. This specific 700x42 tire is light, fast, easy rolling, and can do any terrain other than mud. The lower pressure and wider footprint help a lot. 42c is a good size for a light fast mountain bike tire, and works great on more difficult gravel routes. I can only fit a tire this big in my front fork, but that extra bite and floatation is what I need at the front. With these on a cyclocross bike, I can do the same trails I ride on a mountain bike, and still ride home at a brisk pace.

Picture:

Last edited by chas58; 11-28-16 at 03:02 PM.
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Old 11-28-16, 03:16 PM
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Some Key sites for tire research:

Good info on rolling resistance and puncture resistance:
Tour/E-Bike Tires Rolling Resistance Reviews

40mm gravel tires: 700×40 Tire Roundup | GRAVELBIKE

Best gravel road tires (part 1 and part 2)
Best gravel road tires tested ? part 1 | Road Bike News, Reviews, and Photos
Best gravel road tires tested ? part 2 | Road Bike News, Reviews, and Photos

Schwalbe G1 and X1
https://roubaixcycling.cc/tag/schwalbe/
Review: Schwalbe G-One | road.cc
If you can fit the Schwalbe G-One tyres in your frame, you should get some. As genuine all-rounders they're impossible to beat right now: fast rolling on tarmac and properly capable off-road. They're really, really good.

Maxxis Rambler:
Maxxis Rambler Tire Review | Gravel Cyclist: The Gravel Cycling Experience
The Maxxis Rambler is my 40mm gravel tire (tyre) of choice. They are tubeless ready – yes, real tubeless! – no messing around, easy to mount, roll fast and corner with confidence.

Review: Maxxis Rambler 700 x 40c Gravel Tire - Light and Fast
Maxxis calls the Rambler’s tread a “gravel-specific tread pattern,” and so far, we’re liking it on gravel and dirt roads, trails and grass. Don’t be surprised if you see one of us also racing them when it’s dry this cyclocross season.
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Old 11-28-16, 04:01 PM
  #17  
ThermionicScott 
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I had those Kenda Kwick 700x30s on a bike for a couple years. Aired down, they weren't horrible on grass or light gravel. But once I clipped off the knobs and let them wear smooth on cement, they turned into surprisingly good road tires. Now that cyclocross has moved on to larger tires, the Kwicks do seem like an odd size.

Just for funzies, here's how they looked once I decided to retire them. The rear was paper-thin.
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Old 12-09-16, 01:51 PM
  #18  
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Maxxis Rambler 40c and 38c tubless

Size: 40c, actual measurement at 37mm
Size 38c: actual measurement 34mm
tread pattern: small knobs for dry conditions
construction: 120 tpi, flat protection, tubeless ready.
performance on pavement: excellent. Similar to road tires.
performance on firm and smooth gravel. Excellent – easy to transition from dirt to grass to pavement
performance on deep or soft gravel: Not bad.
durability
ride: reputed to be compliant for a tubeless tire. The don’t feel particularly firm or harsh to me, but it is winter time.

I’m impressed with their speed. With a 4mph tail wind, I was easily doing 20mph. The tread knobs are not much rougher than much of the asphalt I ride on when commuting, so they probably don’t hold the tire back much. Doing hard cornering, they transitioned easily from asphalt to grass to asphalt. I spun them up to 24mph and did a fast hard corner on asphalt, and they stuck like a road tire. I was leaned over hard on the side tread blocks, and only then could I hear them slightly complaining. Much, much more inspiring than a knobby tire that gets all squirrely when cornering hard on asphalt.

The ride did not seem to be any better than my 32mm Continental 4 seasons, even though I am running them at about ½ of the pressure. But then again, it was freezing outside, and I had tubes in them. Maybe with warmer weather and tubeless I can do a better comparison of the rambler to those lovely continental tires.

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Old 12-10-16, 09:09 AM
  #19  
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Ritchey Speedmax 700x32:

Good traction off road/gravel paths and pavement. They roll really nice on pavement if you pump them up. They work well in a pinch for a road ride if you don't have time to switch wheels. No traction issues so far on or off road. These tires are reasonably priced too (you can find em for $20 a tire)..
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Old 12-10-16, 08:23 PM
  #20  
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The Panaracer Gravelking SK has been mentioned. As well as the SK, it comes in a smooth tread. I liked the SK in 32 and the smooth tread in 28. Thought I would try the smooth in 32. Bummer! They only measure 29+ on my Open Pros. Barely wider than the 28s and they weigh substantially more.
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Old 12-11-16, 04:08 PM
  #21  
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Kenda Kozmik 50-622
Easy tubeless install on velocity aileron rims. Decent on pavement, great on gravel, especially loose stuff.

Specialized Renegade control 29x1.8
Easy tubeless install. Poor on pavement, quick wearing, good on gravel.

Specialized Sawtooth 42-622
Easy tubeless install. Great on pavement. Good on gravel. The best all round tire I've tried. I wish they made one a little wider.
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Old 12-18-16, 08:33 AM
  #22  
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Another list here:

Gravel Tires - Riding Gravel's Reference Guide
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Old 12-18-16, 11:02 AM
  #23  
shelbyfv
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After being inflated for a week, my 32mm Gravelkings have still not grown beyond 29mm. I would return them but I asked my LBS (owner friend) to special order them and I hate to bother him again. I emailed Panaracer to complain but I doubt I'll hear back. Sucks.
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Old 12-19-16, 10:38 AM
  #24  
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I feel your pain.

Tire sizing is crazy. I have a 28mm Continental 4000s and 32mm Gatorskin that have are the same size.
And, a pair of 28 and 25mm Michelin Pro4 tires that both measure 27mm. I bought the 28 to replace the 25mm because I wanted more volume....

My 38mm & 40mm Maxis tires above measure 34mm and 37mm.
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Old 12-19-16, 11:11 AM
  #25  
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Yep, you would think they would have some consistency for the same tire. Imagine my disappointment as I had perfectly good 28 Gravelkings on the bike and another new pair in the drawer. Paid more than usual (LBS) for the 32s and they aren't any bigger.
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