Notices
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.

About tires and performance.

Old 07-05-17, 05:16 AM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 234
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 97 Post(s)
Liked 10 Times in 7 Posts
About tires and performance.

I've been enjoying gravel riding for a couple of years on my rigid fork mountain/trail bike using 2" wide tires on it WTB Nine Line 29er's. Handling is great with these, I never felt like I lost control at any time, any speed.
Watching some guys on their cyclecross bikes I wonder if I would get better performance (rolling resistance, speed) using narrower cyclecross tires?
gilpi is offline  
Old 07-05-17, 05:24 AM
  #2  
FLIR Kitten to 0.05C
 
Marcus_Ti's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Posts: 5,331

Bikes: Roadie: Seven Axiom Race Ti w/Chorus 11s. CX/Adventure: Carver Gravel Grinder w/ Di2

Mentioned: 30 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2349 Post(s)
Liked 406 Times in 254 Posts
Depends on what you're riding on. Hardpack dirt, you can ride narrow tires and go faster for free. Dumped pea gravel, the exact opposite-and even your 2" tires might not be enough.
Marcus_Ti is offline  
Old 07-05-17, 06:09 AM
  #3  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 234
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 97 Post(s)
Liked 10 Times in 7 Posts
Mostly hard pack dirt with gravel.
gilpi is offline  
Old 07-05-17, 06:28 AM
  #4  
Full Member
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 275
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 493 Post(s)
Liked 281 Times in 162 Posts
Originally Posted by gilpi
I've been enjoying gravel riding for a couple of years on my rigid fork mountain/trail bike using 2" wide tires on it WTB Nine Line 29er's. Handling is great with these, I never felt like I lost control at any time, any speed.
Watching some guys on their cyclecross bikes I wonder if I would get better performance (rolling resistance, speed) using narrower cyclecross tires?
First off, there are many reasons beyond tire selection that create differences between a cyclecross performance and your MTB, including you versus them.

Having said that, clearly bike tires have a broad range of performance features and you should be able to find a tire that meets your needs - perhaps rolling resistance, puncture resistance, mileage, or price. Have a look at bicyclerollingresistance.com to find some good information and comparisons.
Tony P. is offline  
Old 07-05-17, 12:03 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Seattle
Posts: 4,261
Mentioned: 41 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1971 Post(s)
Liked 1,297 Times in 629 Posts
Originally Posted by gilpi
I've been enjoying gravel riding for a couple of years on my rigid fork mountain/trail bike using 2" wide tires on it WTB Nine Line 29er's. Handling is great with these, I never felt like I lost control at any time, any speed.
Watching some guys on their cyclecross bikes I wonder if I would get better performance (rolling resistance, speed) using narrower cyclecross tires?
CX racers aren't fast because their tires are narrow (on many courses the riders would actually be using wider tires if UCI rules didn't prevent them from doing so), they're fast because their riders are fast and they're likely in a more aerodynamic posture than you.
"Cyclocross"-specific tires are usually targeted at biting into mud. Some are alright on hard surfaces, but if you're not dealing with much mud, you'll usually get better performance with something more along the lines of a road tread. At least slick-ish down the centerline.

A tire being wide doesn't hurt its rolling resistance on hard surfaces. Actually, the rolling and suspension characteristics of a tire tend to improve when it's made wider; the caveat is that the weight and aerodynamic profile go up a bit.
But even out to very considerable sizes, this doesn't make for huge performance differences. The 53s on my gravel bike are built like high-performance road tires, and while it's a very heavy build that accelerates and climbs slightly slower than my "normal" road bikes, it holds speed rolling along pavement just as well as they do. And having the tires be wide is very nice on bumpy or loose gravel surfaces, since they roll well even when set at quite low pressures.

If you're doing loose pebbly stuff and dry hardpack, a wide road tire like a Compass Snoqualmie Pass might be neat.
If you're concerned about cornering on wet spots and want something slightly more aggressive, maybe something like a Continental Speed King.
If you're chewing through lots of mud, then maybe look at cyclocross tires, or at MTB tires intended for mud.

If you really want to go narrow, and you're not doing much mud, I'd still aim for a road-ish tire like a G-One or Gravelking. But since it sounds like you're using MTB rims, be careful with the PSI if you do that; they're not necessarily designed to withstand the pressures that people pump narrow tires to for road riding, should you decide to do that.

Last edited by HTupolev; 07-05-17 at 12:12 PM.
HTupolev is online now  
Old 07-05-17, 12:40 PM
  #6  
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Fort Collins, CO
Posts: 92

Bikes: DEAN Duke titanium soft tail, DEAN Torrys titanium gravel bike, Merlin Telluride titanium tandem

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 30 Post(s)
Liked 48 Times in 16 Posts
I use Maxxis Rambler 40 mm tires. They're great in gravel, roll nice on pavement or hard pack. Probably not good in mud but I haven't been there yet. I recommend them.
mtn_cyclist is offline  
Old 07-05-17, 02:52 PM
  #7  
Have bike, will travel
 
Barrettscv's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Lake Geneva, WI
Posts: 12,392

Bikes: Ridley Helium SLX, Canyon Endurance SL, De Rosa Professional, Eddy Merckx Corsa Extra, Schwinn Paramount (1 painted, 1 chrome), Peugeot PX10, Serotta Nova X, Simoncini Cyclocross Special, Raleigh Roker, Pedal Force CG2 and CX2

Mentioned: 46 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 910 Post(s)
Liked 288 Times in 158 Posts
There are a number of gravel tires available in the 700x40 to 700x50 sizes that perform well on firm, dry surfaces. most of these will roll faster than a knobby 29er tire.

Schwalbe G-One tubeless: 40-622
Clement X'Plor MSO:40,50-622 60&120tpi
Kenda Happy Medium: 40-622
Maxxis Rambler 40-622
Surly Knard: 41-584, 41-622
WTB Riddler: 45-622

I'm using the 700x45 WTB Riddler with good results.

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.
__________________
When I ride my bike I feel free and happy and strong. I'm liberated from the usual nonsense of day to day life. Solid, dependable, silent, my bike is my horse, my fighter jet, my island, my friend. Together we will conquer that hill and thereafter the world.

Last edited by Barrettscv; 07-05-17 at 03:04 PM.
Barrettscv is offline  
Old 07-22-17, 05:25 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 234
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 97 Post(s)
Liked 10 Times in 7 Posts
Thank you guys, lots of good information!
gilpi is offline  
Old 07-25-17, 10:28 AM
  #9  
Full Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 427
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 220 Post(s)
Liked 31 Times in 17 Posts
Originally Posted by gilpi
Mostly hard pack dirt with gravel.
With this in mind, what width tire would you chose for 80/20 road vs gravel? Subjective, I know, but I would chose anything between 32-35c...
RockiesDad is offline  
Old 07-25-17, 12:03 PM
  #10  
Senior Member
 
shoota's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Stillwater, OK
Posts: 8,128
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1871 Post(s)
Liked 689 Times in 467 Posts
Originally Posted by rockiesdad
with this in mind, what width tire would you chose for 80/20 road vs gravel? Subjective, i know, but i would chose anything between 32-35c...
32 Gravelkings, Clement Strada LGG, or, if your gravel isn't too fierce, just any ol' road bike tire.
__________________
2014 Cannondale SuperSix EVO 2
2019 Salsa Warbird

Last edited by shoota; 07-25-17 at 12:07 PM.
shoota is offline  
Old 07-25-17, 12:30 PM
  #11  
RJM
I'm doing it wrong.
 
RJM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,875

Bikes: Rivendell Appaloosa, Rivendell Frank Jones Sr., Trek Fuel EX9, Kona Jake the Snake CR, Niner Sir9

Mentioned: 85 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9742 Post(s)
Liked 2,812 Times in 1,664 Posts
Cyclocross tires are great for riding on something like a rails to trails route (think Katy Trail here), hardpacked dirt paths, grass (I think they excel at this), mud, and even small gravel over hardpack that isn't too deep. They aren't the best for descending steep fireroads with deeper pea gravel though, being only 33 mm wide. For that stuff, wider tires are more confidence inspiring.


I ride 33s over everything though, even though it may not be the best choice. On the stuff with the deeper gravel that will swallow a thinner tire like a cross tire, I just slow it down to controllable speeds. A bike with a quality 33mm tire will still handle quickly, be able to ride over most stuff I would encounter on a drop bar bike, and just be fun.
RJM is offline  
Old 07-25-17, 12:32 PM
  #12  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Seattle
Posts: 4,261
Mentioned: 41 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1971 Post(s)
Liked 1,297 Times in 629 Posts
Originally Posted by RockiesDad
With this in mind, what width tire would you chose for 80/20 road vs gravel? Subjective, I know, but I would chose anything between 32-35c...
Depends on the gravel.
HTupolev is online now  
Old 07-26-17, 01:13 PM
  #13  
Senior Member
 
chas58's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 4,863

Bikes: too many of all kinds

Mentioned: 35 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1147 Post(s)
Liked 415 Times in 335 Posts
I just bought Schwalbe’s fastest tire – based on rolling resistance. They are 60mm wide, but have less rolling resistance than their fastest road bike race tires. The only down side is weight (and possibly aero). Knobbies can be slow, but big tires are not necessarily slow.

Originally Posted by mtn_cyclist
I use Maxxis Rambler 40 mm tires. They're great in gravel, roll nice on pavement or hard pack. Probably not good in mud but I haven't been there yet. I recommend them.
+1 I agree.
Originally Posted by RockiesDad
With this in mind, what width tire would you chose for 80/20 road vs gravel? Subjective, I know, but I would chose anything between 32-35c...
I use 28mm road, 32mm road/moderate-gravel, and 40mm Gravel.
It really depends on what tire pressure I want (speed vs absorbing shock-obstacles)
chas58 is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
johngwheeler
Cyclocross and Gravelbiking (Recreational)
15
11-13-19 05:00 PM
johngwheeler
Cyclocross and Gravelbiking (Recreational)
100
10-22-18 12:15 PM
emalvick
Hybrid Bicycles
28
05-04-17 01:15 PM
Mysterious Lady
Hybrid Bicycles
18
06-22-11 07:16 AM
Seijun
Hybrid Bicycles
8
07-07-10 11:43 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.