Originally Posted by
DC_Cycle
Hi All:
I have a 2021 Specialized Diverge Elite E5 (
info) that works great as a gravel bike. However, I'm doing lots of long (75+ mile) paved rides these days and every little bit of speed would help me.
As a simple step, I'm thinking of changing out the current stock Specialized Pathfinder 700x38C gravel tires for road tires. Any thoughts on whether road tires would buy me a noticeable difference in ride speed on pavement? If so, any recommendations on which tire models and widths to try for someone with only so much money to spend? I've seen in another post that people generally like the
Vittoria Corsa Control 30mm and Grand Prix 5000 32mm.
What pressure are you running the Pathfinders at? The tread is good on that tire for gravel, but the carcass of the Sport is pretty harsh (60tpi). Upgrading to the Pro tire would be a huge improvement, but for long road rides...
Have you considered a large volume slick, such as the Specialized Roubaix Pro 30/32? My first true gravel bike—and now do everything/commuter—Diverge Mk1 came fitted with those, and I’ve tried lot of other tires and kept going back to them because they offer the best balance between durability, puncture resistance, and rolling resistance IME. I run them tubeless at 45psi, and they are plenty comfortable for Imperial Century plus rides that might/might not cover all sorts of surfaces despite being “road” routes. They are hard to source these days, but they are out there.