Best jack-of-all trade tires?
08-20-20, 07:14 PM
#26
Anywhere I roam
You said Jack of ALL trade
This thread will go on for infinity, but I’m not going to mess around... The best jack of ALL trade tire is Surly Knard. They make them in just about every tire size. Prove it to yourself, you will become a believer.
08-21-20, 11:53 AM
#27
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08-23-20, 11:03 AM
#28
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Not really intended for gravel but I just scored a new pair of Rivendell Jack Brown 700 x 33.3 tires, made by Panaracer, for a fraction of their price on the Riv website. My bike will probably not see much gravel, anyway, but I do have a couple of blocks of gravel road by the railroad track so I'll test them out there and see how they do.
08-24-20, 12:10 AM
#29
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Posted before about my Schwalbe Marathon Plus tire but here is a new rebuild of one of my Gravel bikes and I am using Schwalbe Big Apples
08-24-20, 02:01 AM
#30
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So, I've done 165 miles on the big 50mm GK SK+s and the verdict is... I love them.
They feel slower, but at 40-50PSI I have had no trouble beating Strava records I've set on this same bike with 40mm XPLOR MSO tires @80PSI, or - get this - getting very close to records set on pavement on my road bike on 28mm slicks @ 100PSI. I am running with tubes.
I usually average 15+ MPH on the road bike over 20+ miles (sure, might be slow for some), 13-14 MPH on the gravel bike. These tires didn't really change my avg gravel speed. I did a 20mi all-pavement ride averaging 14mph.
Now, on the straightaways they kind of feel slower, but they really shine in curves. Whatever marginal speed losses there might be are completely eclipsed by the huge amount of confidence and comfort these provide, which is exactly what I was looking for - I got them for mostly single-tracky trails. Not sure whether it's the low PSI (run them at 30 on hardpack) or the large contact patch, but I could just point the bike straight and roll over everything in the path, even sandy or rooty areas where with the MSOs I had to slow down a bit and carefully pick my line. Traction was about the same as the MSOs - plenty for my needs.
Had the bike with me on vacation and did an impromptu 50mi daytour with my wife; I was carrying all our stuff in panniers. Had no problem keeping up with her and didn't feel beaten up by the rough pavement at the end of the ride like she reported she did (25mm slicks at 100PSI).
If you do more pavement or smooth/packed gravel riding, then 40-42 and a slimmer tread is probably enough. I might go for a lower PSI tire maybe - the MSOs are a bit harsh even at the lowest end of 50PSI. I was looking for comfort here, but if you want speed, maybe the GOne or Ramblers are the way to go - I have not tried them.
When you've got nice hardpack, you can handle it even on 28mm tires, GKs don't offer much here
On loose sandy terrain, or coarser/rougher gravel/dirt you'll be more comfortable and can perhaps corner better than on narrower tires
This is the kind of stuff I got the 50mm for, where I would not want to go with the MSOs and if I did, I would have to pick my lines very carefully. The low-PSI GKs just rull over this stuff like nobody's business and soften the bumps.
Nope, bring a fatbike. I didn't feel like dropping the pressure wicked low to test riding at the tide line, but at 30PSI the contact patch didn't seem wide enough, the tires would slide sideways in the wet sand.
Bonus pic: after riding in swampy muck
The one issue to complain about is that the rear tire is already showing some casing separation, that is probably from the loaded ride on pavement, which, admittedly, is pushing the boundaries for this tire
These were also a huge pain to get on the rims.
So, I've done 165 miles on the big 50mm GK SK+s and the verdict is... I love them.
They feel slower, but at 40-50PSI I have had no trouble beating Strava records I've set on this same bike with 40mm XPLOR MSO tires @80PSI, or - get this - getting very close to records set on pavement on my road bike on 28mm slicks @ 100PSI. I am running with tubes.
I usually average 15+ MPH on the road bike over 20+ miles (sure, might be slow for some), 13-14 MPH on the gravel bike. These tires didn't really change my avg gravel speed. I did a 20mi all-pavement ride averaging 14mph.
Now, on the straightaways they kind of feel slower, but they really shine in curves. Whatever marginal speed losses there might be are completely eclipsed by the huge amount of confidence and comfort these provide, which is exactly what I was looking for - I got them for mostly single-tracky trails. Not sure whether it's the low PSI (run them at 30 on hardpack) or the large contact patch, but I could just point the bike straight and roll over everything in the path, even sandy or rooty areas where with the MSOs I had to slow down a bit and carefully pick my line. Traction was about the same as the MSOs - plenty for my needs.
Had the bike with me on vacation and did an impromptu 50mi daytour with my wife; I was carrying all our stuff in panniers. Had no problem keeping up with her and didn't feel beaten up by the rough pavement at the end of the ride like she reported she did (25mm slicks at 100PSI).
If you do more pavement or smooth/packed gravel riding, then 40-42 and a slimmer tread is probably enough. I might go for a lower PSI tire maybe - the MSOs are a bit harsh even at the lowest end of 50PSI. I was looking for comfort here, but if you want speed, maybe the GOne or Ramblers are the way to go - I have not tried them.
When you've got nice hardpack, you can handle it even on 28mm tires, GKs don't offer much here
On loose sandy terrain, or coarser/rougher gravel/dirt you'll be more comfortable and can perhaps corner better than on narrower tires
This is the kind of stuff I got the 50mm for, where I would not want to go with the MSOs and if I did, I would have to pick my lines very carefully. The low-PSI GKs just rull over this stuff like nobody's business and soften the bumps.
Nope, bring a fatbike. I didn't feel like dropping the pressure wicked low to test riding at the tide line, but at 30PSI the contact patch didn't seem wide enough, the tires would slide sideways in the wet sand.
Bonus pic: after riding in swampy muck
The one issue to complain about is that the rear tire is already showing some casing separation, that is probably from the loaded ride on pavement, which, admittedly, is pushing the boundaries for this tire
These were also a huge pain to get on the rims.
it would seem too many people are dissuaded from riding a stretch/road/path because their wheelset/tires isn't/aren't perfect for it and they turn around/reroute.
granted, you won't be setting any land speed records. the point is you can generally get through on imperfect tires if you pick a good line and keep it in an
easily spun gear. do i want to take ny conti gp 5000's or michekin pro 4 endurances off road? generally, no. am i willing to take cheaper tires ($15-$20) that i'll replace
soon enough anyway off the paved road for 5-40 miles on a single ride (with flat repair capability)? yes.
Last edited by diphthong; 08-24-20 at 02:12 AM.
08-24-20, 08:13 AM
#31
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I wouldnt look to a thick Marathon touring tire or a Big Apple for any extended riding around here, really. The Marathon line has some great options that I would probably consider, but it is so confusing that it isnt worth my time sorting through all the different tires they label as 'Marathon' to find one that I want.
I dont think 'jack of all trades' when I see a baloon tire.
08-24-20, 09:06 AM
#32
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I do not think balloon tire with this, It rides well and works for anything but slippery mud. Not much different from a large MTB tire. Air it down for rough stuff and pump it up for smoother road surface.
If it were bouncing for you maybe your pressure was off.
If it were bouncing for you maybe your pressure was off.
08-25-20, 09:25 AM
#33
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Schwalbe G-1's in 38c would be my choice. I've got about 3k miles on a couple of bikes set up with these and I love them for all around use. I've ridden some nasty singletrack on these and 38c works just fine. I run 45psi (tubeless) if I'm doing all gravel, or 60psi for road use.
08-25-20, 10:07 AM
#34
Full Member
I find that the G1 all-round works just fine for pavement. I run them tubeless, and if I know I'm doing an all pavement ride I'll air them up to 55psi and they roll great. I've ridden road rides with others on full road bikes and had no issue keeping up. For the money, the all-round works fine for my and I don't see the benefit of paying so much more for the G1 speeds.
