Moonnerd

I have a wonderful vintage Bottecchia team road bike with narrow rims that doesn't get as much attention now that there is a new bike in the house. I have two ideas for it... I could turn it into a fixed gear, or I could get wider wheels and put 28s on it.

I am not a racer, and I live in flat and windy west Texas. Alot of the roads around here are dirt and gravel. Would 28s be enough for that? If so, I would go that route. But if I need at least 32s for the dirt and gravel, then I would convert it into a fixie and get a CX bike in the future. What do you recommend? Thanks for any ideas!

mechBgon

It depends on the gravel in question. Firmly-packed gravel roads, yeah, as long as you don't try to corner too hard on fast descents, etc. The deep stuff can be sketchy even on mountain-bike tires.

cuda2k

^ ^ this. If the dirt/gravel roads are fairly firmly packed, 28's are probably enough if you're not descending/taking fast corners. I would worry about rocks and such getting thrown up and tearing up the paint on your vintage frame though. If it were me, I'd turn it into a fixie, taking caution not to do anything to it that couldn't be reverted to original in the future, keeping all the parts stored as well, and getting a proper off-roader for the rough stuff.

Moonnerd

Thanks guys. Cuda - thats a good point about the vintage paint.

Campag4life

If the gravel is anything loose...I live on a dirt road with gravel thrown down, then 28c tires really aren't very good for any distance. I have a 29er shod with 28c randy tires...I call it my hotrod towny...and I only ride it down my road to get to the smoother stuff. It goes down the road but not that great.
32c minimum...knobs preferred. A 29er with clearance and big apples if living on gravel roads is probably best...and I prefer a flat bar for that kind of riding as well. As to gravel kick up...just use Bikesaver tape on areas susceptible if you prize your paint job...sold by Colorado Cyclist...I put it on all my bikes.
Because you don't have wider tire clearance, I would take that frame and make it a fixie or single speed...or maybe 1 X something...can even do an internal rear hub with single chainring if you want gears. I like gears personally.

ColinL

gravel is definitely a catch-all term; there are many types of road and trail surfaces that can broadly be called 'gravel'.

you don't need knobs for most gravel. for hardpack and shallow loose-over-hardpack file tread works best. it has a lot less rolling resistance than any knob.

microknobs are not necessarily fast-rolling. a continuous center contact area is most important, and a lot of microknob tires like the kenda small block 8 lack this.

you need knobs on the shoulders if you're going to corner in anything loose. ritchey speedmax cross is a great 700x28 gravel tire.

topflightpro

OP, having lived in West Texas, you should be fine on 28s. I rode all over the place out there - caliche, gravel, sand - on 23s with no problem. In most places out there, the roads tend to be dry and packed. You should be fine.

pallen

I agree with the others here - I ride on crushed limestone, packed dirt and fine gravel pretty often with 28s. You start getting into that golfball sized gravel and things get sketchy though.

Seattle Forrest

I've done gravel rail-to-trail "roads" on 28 mm cross tires. But not terribly fast.

alexaschwanden

I have ridden on gravel with my with 25c gatorskins, not best handling but do-able.

adrien

you should also think about tread. If most is mostly packed dirt (so it's almost like paved), then slick is good. I tend to throw on touring tires with a tread (conti touring plus 28s in my case) for wet weather an/or more loosely packed stuff. It makes some difference in how much the bike "floats" on the gravel before it sinks in, and that can make the difference between a fall and catching it.

halfspeed

Although I like 32s, gravel is definitely doable on 28s and even 27s.

halfspeed

Good information here. This poster is spot on.

Phantoj

32 is much nicer than 28 for gravel, IME...

ColinL

yeah, but you usually need a cross or touring bike to fit that. 28s fit on some road bikes, and I assume they fit for the OP since he's asking about that size in particular.

Campag4life

That's the point. The OP is trying to retrofit the wrong frame for riding on gravel.
Plain truth is, the OP's bike isn't the best for gravel period. 28c independent of tread or construction, or not ideal for any loose gravel. They are perfectly fine for crushed limestone or hard packed dirt however. I know because I live on a gravel road and own a 28c bike.
Minimum is 32c...wider is better for loose gravel...something in the 2" range is ideal. The volume of the tire and footprint and lower pressure completely changes comfort level and control. No pot holes?..or very few? Ride rigid with high volume tires. Riding my 29er down my road with Nanoraptors versus 28c...transforms the bike in terms of control and comfort.
OP...unless your roads are packed down, and you are going to do rides of any length, you need a wider tire than what you can fit on that frame. Your choice tho.

halfspeed

Nope. That's just not true. 32mm may be preferable, but I've ridden gravel on 28mm tires and they work. I also know at least one rider who wins 100+ mile gravel road races on 28mm tires. 28s are also common at the Iowa spring classics and, of course, the professional Strada Bianche is ridden on 28s. And no, I'm not talking about crushed limestone. I'm talking about this:


As for the OP, what is limiting the tire clearance? Is it the frame itself or the brake calipers? If the latter, the Tektro R539 brakes can be a big improvement. It's certainly worth a try to see if 28s work for you or if you can get enough clearance for 32s.

ColinL

I agree with halfspeed. 32c is not a real 'minimum', that's absurd. And while it's nice to tell the OP he needs a whole new bike, I think his plan has some merit and tires cost far less than a new (or used) bike just to meet this mythical 32c goal.

djb

along with halfspeed, Ive ridden 28s on roads like in the video a fair amount and for those conditions, its ok. I guess it comes down to how much you will be on dirt like that. If its most of the time, and if its more loose stuff, wider will be easier, more comfortable and a bit more forgiving. Thats the great thing with a cheap or used cross frame, you have all kinds of options of tires and less worry about dinging your "nice" frame.

Phantoj

If the question is whether to put 28mm tires on a "wonderful vintage Bottecchia" or to subject it to the fixie treatment... go with the 28's!!!

prathmann

I'd suggest the OP just buy some 28mm tires and put them on the current wheels on his bike. Then go ride on some of the roads in his area. People vary so much in what they consider to be an acceptable ride that getting opinions on what tire width is needed for different conditions is pretty worthless.

Campag4life

What a joke. I live on a gravel road. Have had a number of different tires on my 29er. 28c tires 'SUCK' on a gravel road. I can fly down my gravel road on my roadbike with 23c tires as well at 25 mph if I want. It sucks even worse. We aren't talking about racing. We are talking about riding for any length. A large volume tire at a lower pressure is a MUCH better solution than a higher pressure narrrow tire with small footprint that spits gravel out like rifle shots. Love this. Classic 41.

ColinL

Your world is black and white. The starkest example of this is what you think vs. what anyone else / the rest of the world thinks.

Doesn't mean that the rest of the forum is dumb.

Commodus

Wider is better on gravel, that's for sure. That said, my route home is about 40% gravel, and I trundle along okay on 28s. I mean I don't really have to think about it very much, I just ride normally.

They are an acceptable compromise if you still want a bit of zip on your paved sections. Now if you are going out on a primarily gravel trip, yeah get some wider tires and you'll be happier. How wide? Depends on the gravel!

Brian Ratliff

If you are doing a lot of gravel riding, a cross bike is much better than a road bike. You can do gravel on a road bike, but it kind of sucks if the road is even just a little loose. I would give the bigger tires a try; if not to your liking, then fixie. As long as you don't make any frame modifications, you can switch drivetrains and tires back and forth at will. Perhaps you'll end up with a big tired fixie for gravel...