Road/gravel bike tyre size

[jimmyhardtail]

so after building a few mtb frames I am now having a stab at a gravel bike. The one thing I'm not sure of is tyre size. I have a road bike with 25mm tyres and I have a set of 40mm slicks that I am going to build the frame around. My question is, if you could fit any size slick to your road/ gravel bike for tarmac riding, what size would you go for?

[Rigardt@Scott]

so after building a few mtb frames I am now having a stab at a gravel bike. The one thing I'm not sure of is tyre size. I have a road bike with 25mm tyres and I have a set of 40mm slicks that I am going to build the frame around. My question is, if you could fit any size slick to your road/ gravel bike for tarmac riding, what size would you go for?

As large as you can fit, with a slick tread pattern.

[Baracuda]

Many reviews recon there is a sweet spot around 38c (36-40). Between comfort and drag. I have the 38 Gravelking Panaracer slicks and they fantastic.

[Pure Savage]

Have 47 and really enjoy them on the dirt

[Monark]

50c

[Mongoose!]

Been using these (set up as tubeless) for over a year now with no problem at all
 
Chaoyang Viper 29 X 1.5 Shark Skin Tyres
 
My CAADX is a leisure road bike and never goes offroad
 
At 3 bar they feel like a sofa on tar   
 
was so impressed with them that I bought a second pair for future use
 
Excellent value for money

 

 

 

[bertusras]

if you could fit any size slick to your road/ gravel bike for tarmac riding, what size would you go for?

 

I'm running 40C (closer to 45C) FARR DOT gravel tires on my gravel bike, and 32mm Gatorskins when I put it in road trim. I wouldn't go larger than 32mm to be honest, and I'm only running them at 4 bar which makes for a pretty plush ride (but boggerall grip on the dirty stuff I found out last week).

[Jewbacca]

I dunno.... I found bigger wasn't better.

 

When I had a 700c gravel bike I settled on 38c Gravel King SK and ran 32c road slicks.

 

I found 42c gravel tires a drag on tar, 40c a happy medium and 38c at 2.8 bar a sweet spot.

 

But now I have 20 x 1.5 slicks at 3 bar which do everything and they are fantastic

[Shebeen]

I dunno.... I found bigger wasn't better.

 

 

I've heard enough already

[mecheng89]

42c WTB skinwall is the shiznit

[Roguemeister]

I've only ever wanted 45c/50c at Holla trails on some very deep sand...

 

If I was to stick to tar and gravel roads, I would most likely go 32c or 38c gravel kings

[arendoog]

I pump my hard-tail,s tires to 3 Bar, lock my fork ,grab her by the bar-ends and then i call her a Gravel bike 

[Baracuda]

They need to be tan walled or it just ain't a proper gravel bike.