Gravel tyres width... advice?

[Wyatt Earp]

4 minutes ago, NicoR said:

 

Thank you.

 

Max clearance for 650b on my frame is 50mm.

Think I will go 45mm as my rim width is a bit on the narrow side.

If you are going to spend a lot of time offroad and mud etc..... go as wide as you can.

[coppi]

I run WTB tyres on my gravel bike..........never had a puncture or problem !

[Maniax]

1 hour ago, coppi said:

I run WTB tyres on my gravel bike..........never had a puncture or problem !

heard of them, but never attempted.  hows the rolling and grip?  what type/size you riding?

[TyronLab]

As with most things, girth shows worth! 

For shizzle though, tyre width is less of a factor in rolling resistance than compound, casing design and tread pattern is. The benefits of wider tyres far outweigh the downsides for real world applications. Go as wide as your frame allows.

[Jbr]

Didn't have time after registration today to go to evobikes. 

CWC had the cinturato H in 40x700 and 45x650b, they also had one of schwalbe allround that looked pretty nice, but also only in 40 for 700c, and only one..

[ChrisF]

35 minutes ago, Jbr said:

Didn't have time after registration today to go to evobikes. 

CWC had the cinturato H in 40x700 and 45x650b, they also had one of schwalbe allround that looked pretty nice, but also only in 40 for 700c, and only one..

 

What did you buy ?

 

 

Maybe call Janos at Evobikes and hear what they have in stock ....

[Jbr]

They don't seem to have much in stock I just ordered 2 Schwalbe allround from the SA importer, much cheaper than at CWC, unfortunately also only in 40c

[MORNE]

22 minutes ago, Jbr said:

They don't seem to have much in stock I just ordered 2 Schwalbe allround from the SA importer, much cheaper than at CWC, unfortunately also only in 40c

Too late now i know, Last time I was there they had a set of tan wall gravel kings in 50c on the shelf

[capediver]

14 minutes ago, MORNE said:

Too late now i know, Last time I was there they had a set of tan wall gravel kings in 50c on the shelf

Those are on my shelf now!!!😎

[Maniax]

She is looking flippen fantastic!  Will test on tarmac with tomorrow morning's fast training before work. and a proper mixed road 90km on Saturday.

[buckstopper]

Both my son and I have the R355 in medium. He has the stock wheelset set up with maxxis rambler 700x50's ( not yet available in mzansi). The Panaracers were not great. He used Pathfinders in the SwaRtberg 100 and did a 6h08 but didn't enjoy them coming off the pass. I run ramblers 40's, would probably go to 45s or maybe even 50s. The  R355 frame handles the 50s fine. I run the tyres at about 1.7-2 bar. Sure road tyres would be faster and lighter 

[capediver]

4 hours ago, Maniax said:

She is looking flippen fantastic!  Will test on tarmac with tomorrow morning's fast training before work. and a proper mixed road 90km on Saturday.

Looks awesome but can't make out what you decided to get....

[Maniax]

2 hours ago, buckstopper said:

Both my son and I have the R355 in medium. He has the stock wheelset set up with maxxis rambler 700x50's ( not yet available in mzansi). The Panaracers were not great. He used Pathfinders in the SwaRtberg 100 and did a 6h08 but didn't enjoy them coming off the pass. I run ramblers 40's, would probably go to 45s or maybe even 50s. The  R355 frame handles the 50s fine. I run the tyres at about 1.7-2 bar. Sure road tyres would be faster and lighter 

yeah pathfinders run great on tarmac and hardpacked gravel (although I have pushed their limits with gnarly stuff).... and thats about it.  

are you running 700x50?  that would be amazing.  Ive got the 40's on currently.  but if I can run 50's for Barberton that be awesome

[Maniax]

33 minutes ago, capediver said:

Looks awesome but can't make out what you decided to get....

its the 40's.  they didnt have the tan walls available in 45's.  so will test these.  might get the black wall 45's as well.  they are crazy cheap currently

[Maniax]

Ok..... I guess its time for feedback on my purchase.  The Pirelli Centurato M 40mm.  Ive ridden on tarmac, sand, gravel, stoney roads, jeeptracks, farmlands (no jokes) and very muddy roads (we are getting massive amounts of rain).  None of these gnarly bits would have been rideable with the Pathfinders.  They completely gave up traction with the slightest amount of sand or mud.

But, man, what a joy with the Pirelli's!  Many times I thought, its hike-a-bike time, but they just kept plowing through even the really gnarly stuff.  Where I did had to push, was where the mtb guys' also pushed.  Its due to momentum loss and not traction.  The one "puddle" we had to traverse was literally knee deep water and soft mud - and that's on a road.  crazy stuff.  

I really pushed the Momsen to its limits.  The one trip was 96km and took us 5 hours.  the other was about 65km and took about 3hours.  Comfort-wise no different from the 42mm pathfinders.  I rode them at 2.5bar at the back and 2 bar at front.  No punctures and nice and comfortable.

Where they did fall a bit short, was on rolling resistance on tar. The Pathfinders are much faster.  We have a tarmac loop that we ride early mornings before work.  My time dropped a bit, just from the tires being a bit slower.  Even my training partner were quite surprised (not as surprised as seeing my bike plowing through mtb terrain though).  But it just gives me a bit more training assistance I guess.  Have to work a bit harder and get a bit fitter to hit those PR's again.  

Would I have gone for the 45's I don't think it would have significantly changed the handling in the muck.  The 40's just would give up grip.  Maybe a bit more comfort, but after 5 hours on the bike I was not sore (definitely paste from depleted resources, but not bumped to shreds).  I would have lost even more speed on the hard stuff though, and I don't think I would have liked that.

But the loss of a bit of speed, is an easy trade for the grip gained.  Speed you can get back through training.  

So a big thumbs up for these bad boys.  Absolutely amazing.

[Maniax]

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