Taking on my first bikepacking race here soon. Route description says 200 miles of pavement, 300 miles of (rutted out, rocky) gravel, and ~30 miles of singletrack with some 40k feet of climbing.
I am racing on my full suspension XC MTB and am currently running Vittoria Mezcals. I love these tires for all things off-road riding, but I’m wondering if they’re gonna be my fastest bet for this race. Rene Hearse Fleecer Ridges catch my eye, but don’t know if they’re worth the money to swap out my Mezcals.
To be serious, I would find it difficult suggesting the best choice for such a long race because the terrain will change so much.
If you were a pro who could have different tyres for different sections then fine, but for one choice, pick something durable.
I think I’d trust those Vittorias. I’ve had Barzos on my bikepacking bike for a year now. Very reliable.
Rolling resistance is nothing compared to reliability.
Mezcals are mega fast anyway.
I will say that the Rene Herse knobbies are stupidly fast on pavement in a way that seems to defy the physics of knobbies. I’m switching my bikepacking rig from Mezcals to RH knobbies. Get the endurance casing and call it a day.