Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 12,548
Likes: 797
From: Middle of da Mitten
Bikes: Trek 7500, RANS V-Rex, Optima Baron, Velokraft NoCom, M-5 Carbon Highracer, Catrike Speed
Not necessarily a recumbent issue; but you don't need FAT (3-5 inch wide) tires to ride gravel. Most MTBs with 1.75-2.1" tires do gravel just fine. You don't need the fatties until you get into deeper snow or soft sand; and even then there's a limit to how much benefit they have.
PS this is a dead thread. OP has obviously moved on.