Gravel friendly 29” tyres

[Wannabe]

I once had Kenda Small Block 8's on my hardtail, they were crap on the trails, but brilliant on the hardpack/gravel/tar. I unfortunately gave them away when I went to more trail orientated tires.

Now that I've converted that same hardtail to a hybrid gravel bike, I want to fit another set of Small Block 8's in a 1,9 - 2.1 width, but I cannot find any anywhere.

So if you can find the above tires, you may want to consider them.

 

[Sepia]

Don't play with some of the other stuff around.  The last thing you want is rack failure! Grant is expensive but you get what you need and a PROPER rack. 

[Bub Marley]

16 hours ago, El Duderino said:

I just did the Ronde von Riebeek gravel race on my full suspension MTB. I don't have space, or a compliant wife for a third bike, so it had to do. I fitted a Panaracer GravelKing SK+ 700 x 50mm (2.0) on my 30mm ID 29er rim on the rear and a Maxxis Ikon 2.4 on the front. It was comfortable I found the combination rolled pretty nicely.  I will put the Panaracer on front and back for my next gravel outing. Great tyres...not cheap though. Go for between R890 and R1000.

 

would recommend them as gravel specific tyres on a 29er MTB.

 

15 hours ago, Nico van Loggerenberg said:

Race Kings or Thunder Burts. Will save a few watts on each side over Aspens

 

8 hours ago, dasilvarsa said:

If you want Long Life, Low Rolling Resistance and They Accept Plugs Without a problem.

Maxxis IKON 2.35 front and back. (Trident Tested)

Some of the modern compounds don't accept plugs too easily. They pop out after a while.

 

1 hour ago, TheoG said:

I'm keen to try Continental Speed King.  I have one waiting to be fitted but simply cant find another, they are extremely rare ...  

Would be awesome if I can find one before 94.7, I think they will run very nicely on tar on a MTB.

 

18 minutes ago, Wannabe said:

I once had Kenda Small Block 8's on my hardtail, they were crap on the trails, but brilliant on the hardpack/gravel/tar. I unfortunately gave them away when I went to more trail orientated tires.

Now that I've converted that same hardtail to a hybrid gravel bike, I want to fit another set of Small Block 8's in a 1,9 - 2.1 width, but I cannot find any anywhere.

So if you can find the above tires, you may want to consider them.

 

Thanks guys for all your suggestions. I’ll have a look around and see what is available around here and take it from there.

 

While doing some researching myself yesterday, I came across these:

 

https://www.vittoria.com/ww/en/tyres/mtb-xc/terreno

 

Anyone tried these out before?

[Wannabe]

Vittoria tires are an excellent brand, only tires I use now on my Mtb and roadie. 

I would imagine these should/could work as gravel only tires.

[Cardio Goth]

46 minutes ago, Bub Marley said:

 

 

 

 

Thanks guys for all your suggestions. I’ll have a look around and see what is available around here and take it from there.

 

While doing some researching myself yesterday, I came across these:

 

https://www.vittoria.com/ww/en/tyres/mtb-xc/terreno

 

Anyone tried these out before?

It's quite worthwhile looking at the Bikepacking Race Rigs series on Bikepacking.com to see what people are using: https://bikepacking.com/bikes/bikepacking-race-rigs/ - the most common options are Vittoria, Rene Herse and Maxxis

[Shebeen]

16 hours ago, Vishal72 said:

recently switched from Maxxis Rekon Race to Continental RaceKing Protection, can definitely say they're faster and feel more supple.

https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com

 

following this thread.

Conti Race king+ protection (locally freely available) looks to be my winner then on this. BUT how much can we really trust the testing?

i know it's standardized but metalplate is not sinkplaat!

here's the gravel list they seem only to go up to 42mm

https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/cx-gravel-reviews

[warick_wrx]

Just use what you have and get an aero helmet !

[Bub Marley]

5 minutes ago, warick_wrx said:

Just use what you have and get an aero helmet !

Skinsuit, aero helmet, aero bars and we good to go.

 

No rules in gravel right?

[Jewbacca]

12 minutes ago, Bub Marley said:

Skinsuit, aero helmet, aero bars and we good to go.

 

No rules in gravel right?

I think you have to have 'endless' aero bars (no pointy bits) and no elbow rests. 

But skinsuits and aero helmets are pretty common at the pointy end of these things in the states/Europe/Straya.

#marginalgainz only come into effect at a certain ceiling of performance that few of us clacking away on our keyboards here will ever hit.

I'm a jorts and T-shirt kinda Guy

[Spinnekop]

Any had a look at Goodyear tyres?

I am trying out a set of Eagle F1's (new generation) as well as the County Gravel tyres.
Will report back in due time........

https://www.goodyearbike.com/

 

[Vishal72]

3 hours ago, dasilvarsa said:

I got Sealant Leak on those @ the bead . Maybe you lucky.

been running them for the last 3 months on Mavic carbon rims, have not seen a single drop of sealant - using Joes sealant

hold pressure really well

Edited May 25, 2023 by Vishal72

[TheoG]

6 minutes ago, Vishal72 said:

been running them for the last 3 months on Mavic carbon rims, have not seen a single drop of sealant - using Joes sealant

hold pressure really well

Where did you buy please?

[Brighter-Lights]

+10 for Continental Race King Protection 2.2.

From a gravel bike perspective - When I got my gravel bike, I was disappointed at first as it wasn't much faster than my MTB. I've experimented with tyres on my gravel bike and here's what I found.

1) Gearing will make you overall faster than using different tyres - gives you a real advantage on rolling courses where you reach higher speeds on anything downhill.   

2) On a gravel bike, most of my fastest rides were on 650b x 2.2 Conti Race Kings, as in my area the gravel roads are rough and with 650b x 2.2 I don't have to hold back on downhills. With 700x40-45, I have to be alert constantly, or aim and pray - they are a bit faster on smooth sections, but slower on rough sections. I'm saying the difference isn't huge, unless you have perfectly smooth gravel where you can run 35mm slicks. 

3) Your MTB will be fine with fast rolling 2.2s and if not already - make a 10-52 cassette a future upgrade with a 38t chainring, or keep those as your 'gravel' setup, fast enough to change. 

4) A good leg day on my MTB is still faster than an average leg day on my gravel bike...

[WaldoZ]

3 hours ago, Bub Marley said:

 

 

 

 

Thanks guys for all your suggestions. I’ll have a look around and see what is available around here and take it from there.

 

While doing some researching myself yesterday, I came across these:

 

https://www.vittoria.com/ww/en/tyres/mtb-xc/terreno

 

Anyone tried these out before?

I'm on Aspens (2.1) at the moment but also looking for faster rolling tires. My rims won't fit gravel tires so narrow MTB ones is what I look at. This looks good. Let me know where you find stock.

Not really ideal for our winter and I would probably use the aspens if it rains but would have loved to try these at Ronde van Riebeek and even Gallows.

[Vishal72]

30 minutes ago, TheoG said:

Where did you buy please?

 

Protection (blackchili compound) version was sold out locally so got  them from Chain Reaction 

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/int/p/continental-race-king-protection-folding-mtb-tyre?color=black&wheelSizeWidth=29"+|+2.2"

 

alternatively bike24 :

https://www.bike24.com/p2266654.html

Shieldwall version seems to be available locally :

https://bike-addict.co.za/products/continental-race-king-shieldwall-29-x-2-2-tyre

[TheoG]

1 minute ago, Vishal72 said:

 

Protection (blackchili compound) version was sold out locally so got  them from Chain Reaction 

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/int/p/continental-race-king-protection-folding-mtb-tyre?color=black&wheelSizeWidth=29"+|+2.2"

 

alternatively bike24 :

https://www.bike24.com/p2266654.html

Shieldwall version seems to be available locally :

https://bike-addict.co.za/products/continental-race-king-shieldwall-29-x-2-2-tyre

Thanks, but I'm looking for "Speed King" not "Race King", they are sold out everywhere ....