Originally Posted by
chas58
That is so cool! You will be surprised at how fast you improve. Especially with a bike like that to inspire you. Get a Strava account and watch your increase in performance! I find that in the summer, I'm happy on 32mm tires on gravel - in the winter and spring I want more. But really, the biggest difference is what tire pressure the tires are comfortable at. You can reliably go 10-15psi lower going from 32 to 40mm.
FYI, ISO standards are 6mm clearance, so you can always go a little fatter if you want (if you are not worried about mud or riding on a broke spoke with a warped wheel).
Yep - set up my strava account for my first ride. I'm an engineer so I like data! I also picked up the Bontrager duotrap speed/cadence sensor (as there's a mount for it built into the frame) so I can capture that information with the rides. I don't have a bike computer yet so no read out of 'live' data.
Will be tracking down some dirt/gravel this weekend to see how it goes. Can't wait!