Idiom

Hi everybody! Last month I got myself a 7.3 FX and have been riding it every chance I have ever since. Hadn't ridden a bicycle much at all since I was a kid and the last of those was a hardtail MTB, big difference. So far I haven't put myself in a terrain the bike can't handle but I've been trying to stick to roads and paved trails as much as I can. My big question is: what's a good tire for smooth riding on pavement as well as decent traction on gravel shoulders and crushed limestone paths? I know there's no magic tire that's ultra great at both but I'd like to hear what others think. Tires that came on it are alright but when the ground gets loose it can get a little interesting.

That's the bike, put an interchange rack/trunk on for all those necessities.

tl;dr What kind of tires y'all think should go on an FX?

Max C.

The WTB Terrainasaurus tire would probably be a good option. I use one as my rear tire and in the really deepish crunchy gravel I slide around when I hit it at speed (coming off hard pack) but remain stable and overall in control. It's a lot of fun to slide around in it actually haha. They also grip in the gravel decently well when accelerating but a knobbly tire is probably required for "great" gravel performance. At the same time they roll very nicely on the road and handle everything except deep mud like a champ.

They don't make the Terrainasaurus in the 40mm size anymore but they are available in 38, 37mm, and 32mm size. Google around and you'll find a few companies that carry them.

Here are some MTBR reviews.

The Club Roost Cross Tera and Michelin Country Gravel are also kinda interesting looking but you'll loose road performance.

frantik

a wider slick tire will give you more traction without significantly increasing rolling resistance

a tire with some "knobby" mtb-like tread will give you more traction in the gravel but slow you down on the road

i would go with a fat slick tire if you want to handle the most types of terrain while mostly staying on paved surfaces

TomChgo

Have Bontrager H2 Hardcase-Plus on my 7.3 FX. Versatile tire that rides great on both crushed limestone paths & asphalt road. It's marketed as a durable road tire suitable for wet or dry pavement with a smooth rolling center, and great cornering traction on bike paths.

jbchybridrider 

G,day mate these vittoria 28c tires are what I use for work. They are pretty much bombproof against punctures even riding straight over glass shards so can easily handle dirt work as long as the ground is not soft like sand.
Yet roll really fast on road and hold high air pressure. "highly recommended"
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Doohickie

I'm running Schwalbe Marathon Supremes on my commuter hybrid in 35 mm width. Slicks with just a little bit of tread, very smooth running. One part of my commute includes a curb jump and a short and not very steep climb on some loose gravel; the Supremes are fine for that. I've also used them through construction where the road was down to dirt and they were okay there, too.

edenooch

my hybrid came with some threaded kenda tires w that i switched out to michellin city i instantly noticed an increase in speed. i am always looking for more speed so i saw the schwalbe kojak