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Looking for a gravel, dirt tire , road tire for cross bike
Last Post 12/30/2014 03:27 PM by Kenny Gonzales. 9 Replies.
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Ride On

Posts:537

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12/14/2014 07:25 PM
Looking for tire recommendations for a ride that is about 1/3 gravel, dirt, road. No real sharp turns just straight roads.
Hoshie

Posts:134

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12/14/2014 10:33 PM
Ask a simple question....

OK, depending on tire clearance on your bike, since it's a fair amount of pavement I'd offer this up:

1) If a little (not a lot) mud or low traction type conditions, otherwise, fairly straightforward but you need some knobs down the center tread for grip, I'd go for either a quality cross tire like a Challenge Grifo, Clement MXP, or Schwalbe Racing Ralph.

If it's pretty gravelly, and you can fit extra width, many like the Clement MSO at 40 is a wider tire that rolls well on pavement.

I personally really like the Racing Ralph and the cheaper variant of the Challenge Grifo. The Ralphs in 35s are very good. The fancy Grifos are for racing (and flat easily).

Last thing, if it will be wet, difficult, of the ones mentioned above, the Grifos are best.

2) If it's is mostly fast dry and not very technical conditions, and you can fit a wider tire, I'd highly recommend the Challenge Gravel Grinders. It's a std file tread with side knobs and lots of width at 38. You will roll well on pavement, but plenty of volume for the bumpy parts. If you want less volume than a 38, then any quality file tread will do fine - some include the Kenda Happy Medium, and both Challenge and Clement have a model or two. Always get 33s for "cross tires", wider the better imho.

Right now, I train using the Gravel Grinders on my cross bike and am happy to roll on the street with them - love 'em and very forgiving. I also do lightly technical singletrack on them quite frequently. The mountain bikers tend to take notice, and I get a real kick out of it.

Good luck.

J
Ride On

Posts:537

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12/15/2014 06:16 AM
Ok you talked me into the Gravel Ginders..... To funny though, they just happen to be out of stock in the first 6 places I looked on line.
huckleberry

Posts:824

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12/15/2014 11:05 AM
Been looking for the Challenge Gravel Grinders also.

If anyone finds them available - please post!

Thanks

Chris
vtguy

Posts:298

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12/15/2014 11:45 AM
I've had good luck with Continental Speeds.
longslowdistance

Posts:2881

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12/15/2014 03:23 PM
Ditto huck.
Hoshie

Posts:134

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12/15/2014 11:48 PM
That's funny - well, it's a good tire but not sure they are magic! I do like mine though.

Anyway, the Clement LAS is an alternative if you can't find the GG's - similar tread pattern (ie file tread down center, some side knobs). And, most guys say they measure a bit wider than 33s.

Caveat - I have not ridden that tire, so can't speak from personal experience but they are a popular choice for the less technical courses here in SoCal and most of our racing is in dry conditions.

And, there are so many good tires. You can tell I have some faves, but if you look at the different tread patterns, it's hard to go too wrong if you stick with a good brand and decent price point.

The real pricey cross tires are not what you want for extended mixed use riding. The cotton sidewall racing Challenge tires, Dugasts, etc have hand laid treads, and very supple silk or cotton casings which are amazing in a tubular or high end clincher, but a low mile, flat factory producing nightmare for what I am guessing you want. They are like my pro ballet dancer ex girlfriend - when good, oh so good, but when bad, just crazy bad!

J
longslowdistance

Posts:2881

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12/16/2014 08:56 AM
Had some pretty good luck with the old gray sidewall Hutchinson Piranha tubeless, light and fast, but a huge pain to mount. Learning about these alternative "just right" tire options has been a revelation for me.
Since the Piranhas wore out I've alternated between heavier, slower tires like pasellas or (my fave) Michelin pilot sports, and light tires like the Compass offerings from the Bicycle Quarterly guys. The Compass tires are light and ride sweetly, but to borrow Hoshie's term are flat factories.

Looking forward to trying the Clements or Gravel Grinders. When found. 
Any recommendations for 120 vs. 60 tpi? (More is not always better, kinda tire specific)
Ride On

Posts:537

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12/22/2014 03:28 PM
Ok going with the Continental Cyclocross Speed Clincher Tire since I can't find the challangers in stock any place
Gonzo Cyclist

Posts:568

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12/30/2014 03:27 PM
been using the IRD Crossfire, roll good on paved, good on gravel, and also very good on MTB trails, it's an old Panaracer Fire tread design, hooks up very nicely. Made in Japan, high quality stuff, easy to set up tubeless
We sell Clements also, some of these are pretty good, really like the PDX tread, Vredstein makes a decent tire.
Conti's are good, Ritchey's work well, roll very fast on paved, and hook up nicely once the pavement ends
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