What gravel tyres for Race to the Sun?

[NeoOne]

Hubbers 

I need your advice. Anecdotal or otherwise, for what gravel tyres to run for the Race to the Sun. On the proviso that it stays dry and hardpacked. I have a claimed max tyre clearance claim of 42mm rear and 45mm front on a 2019 Cannondale Super X. I raced the 2023 version and even on my Cannondale Scalpel my wrists were itching from the vibrations of the corrugations. The organisers have promised a safer, much smoother backend to the 2025 race. On the ‘23 event I got dropped on the tar section by “little girls and old boys” on gravel bikes (no I’m not a masogynist -I’ve been dropped by many, many a female, including Ashleigh Moolman (before she became a Pasio) and TRT pensioners) - it’s flowery language for getting dropped real HARD, on the black top. 

Which gravel tyres offers fast rolling 8/10, 6/10 sketchy-at best- cornering, lightweight 8/10 with a decent  7/10 puncture protection?

My shortlist assuming size 40-42;

-Panaracer Gravel King SK+

—S-Works Pathfinder 2Bliss

-Pirelli Cinturato M

-Sawtooth 2Bliss

 

Thanks

Edited May 8, 2025 by NeoOne
Added important criteria

['Kaze Pete]

BicycleRollingResistance.com ?
Do not see anything sawtooth though

['Kaze Pete]

The real question is how the above translate into real world use!

[Jbr]

no sketch cornering, there's one section that's rough where i lost pressure in both front and rear tyre. I would advise something like pathfinders TLR 45 if you don't have a lot of clearance, or Tracer 50 if you do. Both durable tyres that wont puncture on the first rim strike, and roll super fast. I won my cat last year on getaways pros with inserts. Inserts saved my race as I did 3/4 of the race on very low pressure, I didn't have a puncture I never understood why. With such low elevation it's worth using the inserts and loads of sealant just in case.

Edited May 8, 2025 by Jbr

[NeoOne]

1 hour ago, 'Kaze Pete said:

BicycleRollingResistance.com ?
Do not see anything sawtooth though

So YouTubers Dylan Johnson and Drew Dillman both rate the Pathfinders over the Cinturato H and Schwalbe GS Ones for fast hardpacked stuff (but they also prefer the 2.2 width). For the muddy, rocky stuff they say Conti Race King 2.2 and Schwalbe Thunderbird 2.1. It looks like the consensus is Pathfinder, if the weather plays nice else put some drop bars and my GRX comps on my old faithful 8 kg Giant XTC Advanced and hope for the best!

[NeoOne]

1 hour ago, Jbr said:

no sketch cornering, there's one section that's rough where i lost pressure in both front and rear tyre. I would advise something like pathfinders TLR 45 if you don't have a lot of clearance, or Tracer 50 if you do. Both durable tyres that wont puncture on the first rim strike, and roll super fast. I won my cat last year on getaways pros with inserts. Inserts saved my race as I did 3/4 of the race on very low pressure, I didn't have a puncture I never understood why. With such low elevation it's worth using the inserts and loads of sealant just in case.

Maybe we swap timing boards then I get the Strava adoration! Thanks for your input. Will run Pathfinders on the day

[TheWild]

@NeoOne I’m where you were last year trying to choose tyres. How did the Pathfinders end up working out?

[Michael S]

With no idea on race to the sun, I see one can now get 50mm pathfinders which are very intriguing. 

[TheDogShow]

I would suggest 50's. I run 50mm Tracers with inserts. They're super fast and the extra width, low pressure that you can run at with inserts are all positives for speed / comfort combination in my view at Race to the Sun. Reality is that too wide tyres are not what's going to make you get dropped. The fatigue from running too narrow tyres over a long and corrugated route will though.

[fatcyclist]

I'll be running a 45c Kenda Krusher front, and 40c Pirelli Cinturato M at the rear. The Cannondale Topstone I have rubs with a 45c tyre in the rear. So far it has been a comfortable combination.

Edited February 19 by fatcyclist
...terrible spelling

[NeoOne]

On 2/18/2026 at 9:11 PM, TheWild said:

@NeoOne I’m where you were last year trying to choose tyres. How did the Pathfinders end up working out?

Quick storytime:

The sale of the Cannondale fell through 3 days before the race. In a nutshell- Seller offered almost the whole bike for the price of a frame when answering messages on a Saturday night (probably warm van die braai) and got remorseful when sober on Monday. When I was not overly grateful and bowing and begging he was not happy.
 

Wednesday before the race, I meet William Bush. Tell him my tale of woe and got an awesome Trek Checkpoint SL5 from @Dunkeld Cycles . The rear tyre clearance was way more. I easily slotted Spez Pathfinder 45mm in front and rear and loved how this bike climbed. I beat my previous best by 30 minutes. My previous best was on a Cannondale Scalpel weight 10,3kg. The Trek at 8,4 kg felt like an e-bike when climbing. It climbed effortlessly . Just so much easier and the 2kg difference rolled so fast on the flats.

The Specialized tyres were amazing. Never under-tyre’d . Never washing out on turns. No need for foot out to counterbalance once. Just ran out of cramp eaze after handing it to a fellow rider with 40+ km to go. The last 10 km is no longer easy tar roads, it’s gravel roads that have been graded parallel to the tar road run up towards Sun City. So keep your Cramp Ease for yourself. 

[Jbr]

I’d run airtrak 2.2 front and tracer 50 rear on my crux for that race. Ran getaway’s 50 when I raced it two years ago, but punctured once and more more less ran on the inserts for most of the race.

[TheWild]

Thanks for the full account! I think I am going to give them a go this year as well.