09box

How would a road bike with 700x28 gravel tires work as a gravel grinder?

MileHighMark

Absolutely.

Here's mine:

09box

What tires do you use?

MileHighMark

Hutchinson Sector 28, Panaracer Gravelking and Pasela, Schwalbe Durano.

chriskmurray

I REALLY love my Panaracer Gravel Kings, they ride great and have not got any cuts yet.

CharlyAlfaRomeo

Depends on the size and firmness of the gravel you'll be riding on.

mack_turtle

for the kind of gravel terrain I have ridden in central Texas, that sounds miserable. YMMV.

Tim_Iowa

Depends on your weight and the surface.

Weight:
If you're skinny, you may be able to do fine on skinny tires. Personally, I'm #225 and I find 28 mm almost too skinny for pavement, let alone gravel. I can ride 38 mm tires but vastly prefer the 60 mm Super Motos on my gravel bike.

Surface:
If the gravel in your area is hard packed by cars and relatively fine, then skinny tires may be ok. In the loose gravel around Iowa (.5"-1" crushed lime rock), my friends and I prefer wider tires than that. 38-40 mm seems to be the sane minimum here.

Try it! If these tires get you further away from civilization, then you're winning. If this is the widest your frame will fit, then that's the best you get... until you buy another bike that fits wider tires.

jtbadge

Yep. Depends on weight, but more importantly, what your local gravel is like. Around here, you can have super fine crushed limestone, or inch-plus-wide rocks within the same stretch of road. Best to be prepared with something fatter.

unterhausen

here in Central Pennsylvania, you would hate yourself using 28mm tires. And get really good at fixing flats. When I rode gravel in Virginia, I used to use my racing bike with tubular tires. It all depends on how often they dump gravel on the roads and how they were made. The Pennsylvania roads are made with a base layer of very large gravel, which pokes through occasionally. So pinch flats are a fact of life unless you have larger tires. OTOH, if all you can fit is 28mm tires, it's probably worth it.

Richard8655

For years I rode my cross bike with 700x32's on local hard pack gravel paths. It was ok but with occasional sliding, jolts on bumps, and skids. Last year changed to 700x38 and what an improved ride and experience. Bumps absorbed beautifully with no noticeable increase in rolling resistance. Less likely for blowouts as well.

pizzamania

If you are just wanting to try out some gravel riding without having to invest in another bike, go for it. It can be done, and you can most certainly have fun.

However, having ridden a substantial number of gravel miles on 700x28s, I have to say that fatter tires are in every way better for all the gravel I have ridden on. I now ride 700x41s are they are faster and more comfortable regardless of what the gravel is like.

So, don't let lack of clearance keep you from riding gravel, but be aware that it isn't the ideal set up.

thehammerdog

Thats what I been using this season so far so good just completed 20 miles of pure rail to trail path, no problems but I was beat up after the ride. I need to go bigger but bike will not allow. I am trying to create a new beast for the gravel...

09box

Bianchi Alfana 1999 51cm Campagnolo Triple Pearl White Campy + Continental Tour Ride Touring/Commuter Bike Tire 700 x 28c Black Bikewagon


Does anybody think this 700x28 Conti would fit on this Bianchi road bike?

Wilfred Laurier

I ride 32mm tires and I find them a bit narrow for the gravel around here - doable, but not ideal.

09box

The percentage of road/gravel I do is probably 80/20. Could I get by with a 28 if only doing occasional gravel?

MileHighMark

Probably. If the gravel is really deep, you may have some issues, but if it's relatively hard-packed, you should be OK.

ThermionicScott 

+1. The proportion of road/gravel is irrelevant -- it all comes down to what kind of gravel it is.

09box

The extent of what I do is maybe a well packed rail trail or an occasional gravel road that isn't too gnarly.

daddywarbucks

My gravel bike has a 36 on the front and 32 on the rear; best of both worlds IMO.

09box

Would this Shogun be able to swallow some 28's or 30's?:

54cm Shogun 1000 Road bike

ThermionicScott 

If the tires on it are 23mm, no way.

09box

If its a 23mm, would a 25 be pushing it?

RPK79

I run 30s on my road bike / gravel grinder, but I would have done 28s if I found a tread pattern I liked in that size within my budget.

ThermionicScott 

Hard to say with those pictures. The bike has short-reach brakes, and it doesn't look like there is much spare clearance to me.

If you can check it out in person, bring along a couple allen wrenches (like 2mm, 3mm, etc) to gauge the clearance from the existing tires to the chainstays and the brake calipers.