New to gravel bikes and have tires questions
08-23-21, 05:01 PM
#1
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New to gravel bikes and have tires questions
I have a Norco Search gravel bike with a 45.5 frame. I've been riding it around northern Minnesota and Wisconsin and am happy with the bike and the fit. I ride about 50% gravel/forest roads and 50% somewhat ratty pavement. The tires are Maxis Ramblers 27.5 x 1.5. They seem so so. The rims are NOX Skyline 275 carbon rims. I do not know the width of the rim, it isn't marked. In the winter I live in Tucson. I am thinking of getting some road tires for this bike to ride the loop that encircles the city. My road bike in Tucson has 650c wheels with 23mm Continental 4000s tires. I get occasional flats. Tire recommendations? I think it would be nice to ride a bike with fatter tires. Price not relevant unless it is not commensurate with quality. Are Rene Herse tires too prone to flats? Tubes? Tubeless?
08-23-21, 06:59 PM
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Are your rims tubeless compatible?
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08-23-21, 07:31 PM
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Rene Herse tires come in multiple levels of thicknesses. The extra light ones are the smoothest and fastest, the thicker ones are more puncture resistant. Choose what you want.
Tubeless flats less frequently than tubed.
Tubeless flats less frequently than tubed.
08-23-21, 07:46 PM
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I have a Norco Search gravel bike with a 45.5 frame. I've been riding it around northern Minnesota and Wisconsin and am happy with the bike and the fit. I ride about 50% gravel/forest roads and 50% somewhat ratty pavement. The tires are Maxis Ramblers 27.5 x 1.5. They seem so so. The rims are NOX Skyline 275 carbon rims. I do not know the width of the rim, it isn't marked. In the winter I live in Tucson. I am thinking of getting some road tires for this bike to ride the loop that encircles the city. My road bike in Tucson has 650c wheels with 23mm Continental 4000s tires. I get occasional flats. Tire recommendations? I think it would be nice to ride a bike with fatter tires. Price not relevant unless it is not commensurate with quality. Are Rene Herse tires too prone to flats? Tubes? Tubeless?
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08-23-21, 07:56 PM
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IF you ride where there is a lot of broken glass, thorns and tire wires in your path then the Rene Herse tires may not be as durable as you desire. If you do not ride in a lot of that then a Rene Herse tire in 35 or 38 mm is a fantastic choice. The Challenge Strada Bianca is a great second choice. Tubeless is far more flat resistant...
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08-24-21, 03:09 AM
#6
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The filetread ReneHerse are really nice riding tyres; especially in the extralight.
The tanwall extralight are a little more prone to weeping sidewalls than the black.
Standard casing (or Endurance) would be the more sensible choice, as they don't have the 'paper' thin sidewalls.
Or just run tubes in any option.
Their filetreads have around .7mm thicker rubber at the centre than the filetread GravelKings.
You'd have to check your smaller Search frame to see what max 650b it can take.
The tanwall extralight are a little more prone to weeping sidewalls than the black.
Standard casing (or Endurance) would be the more sensible choice, as they don't have the 'paper' thin sidewalls.
Or just run tubes in any option.
Their filetreads have around .7mm thicker rubber at the centre than the filetread GravelKings.
You'd have to check your smaller Search frame to see what max 650b it can take.
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08-24-21, 12:38 PM
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08-24-21, 12:49 PM
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Checked out the Challenge Strada Bianca. Unfortunately, not available in 650b. Not a lot of choices out there.
08-24-21, 01:56 PM
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There are tons of 650b tires to choose from.
As for running them skinny...why? I get your bike is on the small end of things, but a 650x48 is roughly the same as 700x32 for overall diameter. Running a 42mm or so tire would give you cushion and be relatively light as well as fast.
As for running them skinny...why? I get your bike is on the small end of things, but a 650x48 is roughly the same as 700x32 for overall diameter. Running a 42mm or so tire would give you cushion and be relatively light as well as fast.
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08-24-21, 02:42 PM
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08-24-21, 02:54 PM
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Truthfully, I thought all models are 'Search XR' regardless of if they are steel, carbon, or aluminum. So I guess its a Search XR in that all of them are that? Maybe thats current models only though- again, I dont know since I am not the OP.
A minute of searching shows the OP's bike is a 2018 Norco Search XRS Rival. Max tire size is 650b x 47. To be clear, that is also the max tire size for all current Search XR bikes in steel, carbon, and aluminum.
https://www.norco.com/bike-archives/...rch-xrs-rival/
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08-24-21, 07:09 PM
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Not sure why you are asking me which bike the OP has. The OP didnt specify and I dont know the OP.
Truthfully, I thought all models are 'Search XR' regardless of if they are steel, carbon, or aluminum. So I guess its a Search XR in that all of them are that? Maybe thats current models only though- again, I dont know since I am not the OP.
A minute of searching shows the OP's bike is a 2018 Norco Search XRS Rival. Max tire size is 650b x 47. To be clear, that is also the max tire size for all current Search XR bikes in steel, carbon, and aluminum.
https://www.norco.com/bike-archives/...rch-xrs-rival/
Truthfully, I thought all models are 'Search XR' regardless of if they are steel, carbon, or aluminum. So I guess its a Search XR in that all of them are that? Maybe thats current models only though- again, I dont know since I am not the OP.
A minute of searching shows the OP's bike is a 2018 Norco Search XRS Rival. Max tire size is 650b x 47. To be clear, that is also the max tire size for all current Search XR bikes in steel, carbon, and aluminum.
https://www.norco.com/bike-archives/...rch-xrs-rival/
08-24-21, 07:21 PM
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big fat slicks might be fun
08-25-21, 10:40 AM
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The tires are Maxis Ramblers 27.5 x 1.5. They seem so so. The rims are NOX Skyline 275 carbon rims. I do not know the width of the rim, it isn't marked. In the winter I live in Tucson. I am thinking of getting some road tires for this bike to ride the loop that encircles the city. My road bike in Tucson has 650c wheels with 23mm Continental 4000s tires.
The Conti 4000s are crazy fast - insanely fast tubless 32mm in the 5000 version (although a nightmare to mount often). Don't know if you can find any pure race tires in 32mm for 650b.
I've ridden 23-25mm for years (decades). Occasionally get punctures. But the 32mm tubeless variety are pretty much mount and forget for me (not that they last that long). That, and at 50psi, they are a LOT faster than the 23mm tires at 100+ on the junk asphalt we have around here.
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08-25-21, 12:45 PM
#16
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Well, the rambles are going to be as fast as anything anyone suggested here. Hard to do better than that. Heck, some of my conti slicks aren't any faster than that.
The Conti 4000s are crazy fast - insanely fast tubless 32mm in the 5000 version (although a nightmare to mount often). Don't know if you can find any pure race tires in 32mm for 650b.
.
The Conti 4000s are crazy fast - insanely fast tubless 32mm in the 5000 version (although a nightmare to mount often). Don't know if you can find any pure race tires in 32mm for 650b.
.
You think the ramblers are fast on pavement? They don't feel fast on pavement to me, but I know feelings don't mean much. The tires would exclusively be used on pavement, of varying quality.
08-25-21, 02:17 PM
#17
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The RH 42mm is somewhat faster in my view than their 48mm.
You can still get the coloured Gran Bois Hetre for tubes which I think come in a 38mm.
And a smaller 36mm? 'Col de ???' something? tubed tyre model also.
Never tried the GB, but have read they ride stiffer than RH.
You can still get the coloured Gran Bois Hetre for tubes which I think come in a 38mm.
And a smaller 36mm? 'Col de ???' something? tubed tyre model also.
Never tried the GB, but have read they ride stiffer than RH.
08-25-21, 02:54 PM
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Contis don't come in 32s for 650b, widest is 28 and that is likely too narrow for my rims.
You think the ramblers are fast on pavement? They don't feel fast on pavement to me, but I know feelings don't mean much. The tires would exclusively be used on pavement, of varying quality.
You think the ramblers are fast on pavement? They don't feel fast on pavement to me, but I know feelings don't mean much. The tires would exclusively be used on pavement, of varying quality.
.The GP5000 - now those are noticeably faster. At 30mph we are talking 24 watts vs 60 watts - so that is noticeable (given that I'm averaging about 200 watts, but doing a fair amount of that over 300 watts).
