So a couple of months ago I posted my dilemma between purchasing a Canyon Grizl and Cannondale TopStone and asked for feedback/input. I got a lot of great advice and insight. In the end, I went with a 2022 Giant Revolt Advanced 2. I love the purchase!
So here is the new forum quandary: I’m considering the best tire set up for gravel riding and racing in the Appalachian mountains of WV and VA. Most of the riding I will do for rec or racing will be on legit gravel roads with little off-road trail or single track. I purposely chose the Revolt based on it’s less-slack geometry – climbing capability and snap. Most bombing or descents in my rides are easy to control. Therefore, I’m wondering about tires that provide the best roll-to-cushion ratio; the least probability of flats and pros/cons of a mullet set up. The factory tires are 700x38 (Giant brand) and aren’t impressive.
I ride Gravel King SK 700x43 on my Revolt Advanced. My roads are 70%gravel, 25% paved, 5% sand. Never had a flat. If I do a ride where I need more grip, I throw on some Ramblers.
I am a massive fan of the Goodyear Connector Ultimates…best gravel tire I have ridden. Versatile and at home on almost any terrain. My normal trails are packed sand / “kitty litter” and they hook up wonderfully…but I also used them at The Rift in Iceland last summer, which had almost every type of gravel imaginable (from soft packed gravel to very rocky / technical)…best thing I can say about the tires is that I never thought about them the whole ride.
That said, I am planning on riding Specialized Pathfinder Pro (in a 38) for SBT GRVL this year…they seem to be a good choice for “champagne gravel”, but I haven’t mounted them yet, so this could change.
Tires are really dependent on terrain. People love Gravelking SKs but in my area of North Texas there is a joke that when you see a rider on the side of the road holding a tire chances are its a Gravelking. I’ve been riding gravel for 5 years now and my only two punctures came on SKs. They are easy to mount and seat, relatively fast on pavement and light so if they work for you great. I tossed mine.
I currently have Maxxis Ramblers mounted. I find them to be a nice compromise between gravel grip and pavement rolling resistance. I have some Pirelli Cinturato H on the shelf I may use at SBT later this year. The Specialized Pathfinders are well liked - particularly if you have smooth roads or a high percentage of pavement. I may get a set of those for SBT. I have a set of Vittoria Terreno Drys that I have used and really like. They are popular in my area but note they say not to use with hookless rims (although I did without issue before I noticed the warning on the tire). I also had a set of Continental Terra Speed that I really liked. Fastest tire I’ve had on pavement with decent grip. My issue was dozens of tiny holes that seeped sealant all over the tire and they didn’t hold pressure well. I think they may have improved something as the weight specs went up I think.
Yup…Ramblers are also a very good all-around gravel tire. Used them at DK / Unbound in 2019.
I have had mixed success with those…definitely fast, but not great in terms of traction on the gravel I normally ride (packed sand / “kitty litter”). I actually pulled them off after I washed out on a tight corner…but will probably mount them on a spare set of wheels for early season road rides / light gravel duty.
Check out Teravail Cannonballs & Washburn’s as well as Terrene Elwoods. Have had great luck with these tires. Running Washburns on my Revolt 2 now and plan to buy more. Where I ride is mostly 50/50% gravel so the fast rolling center is ideal, but the nice corner studs give me confidence ripping it around loose stuff.
I would agree. I had the similar experience of sometimes “riding on marbles”. both with the Vittorias and the Gravelkings. That is the biggest difference for me with the Ramblers. Slightly more rolling resistance but better and more consistent grip. More confidence in corners on loose surfaces.
My rides really vary so I find an all-around tire best. Some rides are 95% gravel and some 50%. Sometimes smooth and hard packed and sometimes loose and chunky. Occasional washouts and rutted sections, etc. Hard to find the perfect tire.
Try the Goodyears…I bet you’ll really like them. Kinda similar to the Ramblers, but more consistent in turns re: traction, IMO. For me, Ramblers always felt like there was a “transition” area when leaning into a turn…
I raced Ramblers at the Iceman in Waco with zero issues. I’m in Houston and the GK SKs are great here. They’re significantly faster than the Ramblers when the road smooths out and you don’t need something that hooks up in corners.
Also important to note there is a difference between Gravelking SK and SK+. I’ve had zero problems with the SK+.
I currently have Ramblers, and while they do hook up better in a trail or something, for regular gravel I really don’t like them. I have the EXO version (comparable to the puncture protection of the Gravelking SK+) and I find the ride quality to be crap unless I run pressure very low. As soon as they’re done I’m going back to the Gravelking SK+.
All anecdotal of course. But it’s always important to make sure comparisons are between the various protection levels on the same tire.
Yes. North Central WV, just along the I79 tech corridor. I do a lot of gravel rides just to the east in the Allegheny Highlands. There are an abundance of unpaved, county roads to the east or west of I79. It’s a gravel rider’s circuit paradise.
