Gravel bike on the (mostly) road – what tyres?

[Jacobus Louw]

Good day friends in cycling!

I currently ride a Titan Switch Elite Carbon gravel bike, with carbon wheels and 40c Panaracer Gravel King SK+ tyres. I find that I now mostly ride on the road, and quite often want to join group rides. The GKs are great all rounders, but their width and (semi) aggressive thread pattern may be causing an awful lot of rolling resistance. 

I stand before you to seek advice on what tyres, and what width to get. I'm thinking of the GK slicks, Vittoria Terreno Zero, etc. But could more aggressive road tyres be the answer?

I don't know. Send help pls.

Thanks in advance for ANY input.

Jakes

[Jewbacca]

3 minutes ago, JakesZA said:

Good day friends in cycling!

I currently ride a Titan Switch Elite Carbon gravel bike, with carbon wheels and 40c Panaracer Gravel King SK+ tyres. I find that I now mostly ride on the road, and quite often want to join group rides. The GKs are great all rounders, but their width and (semi) aggressive thread pattern may be causing an awful lot of rolling resistance. 

I stand before you to seek advice on what tyres, and what width to get. I'm thinking of the GK slicks, Vittoria Terreno Zero, etc. But could more aggressive road tyres be the answer?

I don't know. Send help pls.

Thanks in advance for ANY input.

Jakes

The Gravel King non SK are awesome. You won't go wrong there.

There is always a trade off when you're 'crossing genres', so just accept that and get the one that suits 80% of your riding.

[MORNE]

I have 50c Sk+ on my bike and i keep up just fine. I find they have acceptable road feel 

Edited February 15, 2022 by MORNE

[mistermcleod]

5 minutes ago, JakesZA said:

Good day friends in cycling!

I currently ride a Titan Switch Elite Carbon gravel bike, with carbon wheels and 40c Panaracer Gravel King SK+ tyres. I find that I now mostly ride on the road, and quite often want to join group rides. The GKs are great all rounders, but their width and (semi) aggressive thread pattern may be causing an awful lot of rolling resistance. 

I stand before you to seek advice on what tyres, and what width to get. I'm thinking of the GK slicks, Vittoria Terreno Zero, etc. But could more aggressive road tyres be the answer?

I don't know. Send help pls.

Thanks in advance for ANY input.

Jakes

Hey Jakes
Check out the Specialized Sawtooth. They have a great sawtooth pattern with no knobby bits, but still good grip. Tough too. I'm riding the 42mm on my CaadX, but they come in 38mm too. Rebecca, who won Sedgefield 500 this year was riding them, so they're super-capable on gravel, while rolling nicely on road.

[JulienR]

Check out the Specialized Roubaix tyres. They come in a 30/32 width. They are mostly road biased and can handle some pavement hopping/ very light gravel. I use them on my endurance road bike and keep up with road groups...the best thing is that the tyres cost around R400, are tubeless and come with a tan wall 😬

https://www.specialized.com/za/en/roubaix-pro-2bliss-ready/p/130434?color=228172-130434&searchText=00016-2165

[Danger Dassie]

Another the vote for the Sawtooth tyres. Good Year do a decent multiuse tyre as well and Benky Rides bring in the Donnelly brand which looks good and is well priced. 

One of my favourite all rounders is the Kenda Flintridge Pro. Good volume at 40c and the tread pattern has a centre ridge for fast rolling. Works well in most gravel conditions.

[TheoG]

22 minutes ago, Danger Dassie said:

Another the vote for the Sawtooth tyres. Good Year do a decent multiuse tyre as well and Benky Rides bring in the Donnelly brand which looks good and is well priced. 

One of my favourite all rounders is the Kenda Flintridge Pro. Good volume at 40c and the tread pattern has a centre ridge for fast rolling. Works well in most gravel conditions.

I'm also searching for "smooth" tyres.  But rather MTB tyres that will work on tar.  Continental Speed King looks like what I need but cant get anywhere in SA ....   .

[christovdw]

Maxxis makes the Velocita and the Receptor. Both pretty slick and available in 700x40c.

[Jacobus Louw]

48 minutes ago, JulienR said:

Check out the Specialized Roubaix tyres. They come in a 30/32 width. They are mostly road biased and can handle some pavement hopping/ very light gravel. I use them on my endurance road bike and keep up with road groups...the best thing is that the tyres cost around R400, are tubeless and come with a tan wall 😬

https://www.specialized.com/za/en/roubaix-pro-2bliss-ready/p/130434?color=228172-130434&searchText=00016-2165

Thanks JulienR – these look rather splendid. Can one run them tubeless without having to endure the controversy of running road tyres tubeless? 

[letsride]

Loving my Conti Terre Speeds

And they are one of the fastest "aero" gravel tires

https://www.swissside.com/blogs/news/gravel-report

[guidodg]

Schwalbe Thunder Burt

[Jacobus Louw]

9 minutes ago, TheoG said:

I'm also searching for "smooth" tyres.  But rather MTB tyres that will work on tar.  Continental Speed King looks like what I need but cant get anywhere in SA ....   .

I bought Continentals for my dad's MTB from EVO Bikes some time ago. Are you familiar with them? Based in Durbanville but mainly an online store. www.evobikes.co.za – give them a ring, maybe they can get it for you.

[Wayne pudding Mol]

1 hour ago, JakesZA said:

Good day friends in cycling!

I currently ride a Titan Switch Elite Carbon gravel bike, with carbon wheels and 40c Panaracer Gravel King SK+ tyres. I find that I now mostly ride on the road, and quite often want to join group rides. The GKs are great all rounders, but their width and (semi) aggressive thread pattern may be causing an awful lot of rolling resistance. 

I stand before you to seek advice on what tyres, and what width to get. I'm thinking of the GK slicks, Vittoria Terreno Zero, etc. But could more aggressive road tyres be the answer?

I don't know. Send help pls.

Thanks in advance for ANY input.

Jakes

I use SK50s and love them 

but like  @Jewbacca said, the standard Panaracers roll fast - I’m about to ride 2 road races on the 38 Panaracers 

these roll so fast I’m probably going to win the argus 

[JulienR]

19 minutes ago, JakesZA said:

Thanks JulienR – these look rather splendid. Can one run them tubeless without having to endure the controversy of running road tyres tubeless? 

I have had them on two sets of rims now and both of them were tubeless. They work fine...seated easily but one of my tyres on my current wheel loses a little bit of air so i need to pump them weekly...otherwise i am happy

[TheoG]

12 minutes ago, JakesZA said:

I bought Continentals for my dad's MTB from EVO Bikes some time ago. Are you familiar with them? Based in Durbanville but mainly an online store. www.evobikes.co.za – give them a ring, maybe they can get it for you.

Thanks, just checked, they dont have any speed kings in stock ...  

[Jacobus Louw]

3 minutes ago, JulienR said:

I have had them on two sets of rims now and both of them were tubeless. They work fine...seated easily but one of my tyres on my current wheel loses a little bit of air so i need to pump them weekly...otherwise i am happy

At them moment I'm seriously considering this because of the price. I can always get some chunkier tyres for when I know I'm going to do more serious gravel. I'm single so I spend my evenings in the garage in anyway