what is the fastest rolling gravel tire for mixed surface?

49 replies · 10,155 views

smoothmoose
210 posts
#41Jan 30, 2020, 11:34 AM
Not a lot of love on for the WTB Byway...but the new 700c versions are a solid contender for "all-arounder" if your all-around includes around 50% pavement or more...or smooth gravel.

Grannygear just posted his final review here:
http://ridinggravel.com/components/three-tires-from-wtb-byway-40mm-at-the-finish/

And it aligns exactly with my experience as well. Definitely my choice over the previous GravelKing Slicks.
2
AmericanTemplar
78 posts
#42Jan 31, 2020, 11:40 AM
I keep destroying Gravel King slicks way too quickly. Plus they are really hard to mount tubeless on the HED Belgium Plus rims. I do love the ride quality and the fact that they're super light and cheap. For most mixed terrain riding I prefer high volume slicks, since I would rather have a light tire that handles predictably on pavement and be a little more careful on dirt than the other way around.

Anyway, wondering if anyone has ridden the newer "Plus" version of the GK Slicks and how they compare to the standard version? I couldn't find any info on the Internet. Or any other recommendation for tires in the 38 to 40 mm range that have a good ride quality on pavement, mount easily tubeless, are close to the GK slicks in weight, but a little more durable? I've ridden the Compass/Herse tires and I love the feel but they're twice the price and they didn't work well tubeless for me.
0
Emilio700
56 posts
#43Feb 3, 2020, 1:07 PM
Update on the Maxxis Re-Fuse 700x40c after a ride on very rocky trails. Santiago Peak and main Divide in Socal. 160 lbs, 23mm internal width hooked bead carbon wheels, 35-38psi tubeless. Bottomed the rims a few times. Blasted down the rocky 13mile long descent at 12-25mph. Some of the sections have basketball sized rocks strewn through the trail. Went as fast as I could hang onto the bars. Figured I'd rather find the limits of the casing now and not in Emporia on May 31st. No flats, no tread or sidewall gashes. These tires are tough. Despite the burlitude, they roll at least as fast as 40C Ramblers. You feel that bit of extra weight when accelerating and changing speed but gravel racing isn't about accelerating. It's about trying not to accelerate.. and keep air in your tires.

As of now, they are my new tire of choice for everything except BWR which might be either 32C Re-Fuse or GP5000.

One of the tires is malformed when first installed, lumpy casing in one spot as if it had a tube with a knot or bead wasn't seated. Rode it a while to see if it would come straight. It didn't. Returning it for a replacement. The other one is perfect.
0
spencegill
23 posts
#44Feb 3, 2020, 3:10 PM
Gasman wrote:First off I’m new to the forum but also new to gravel (1 year). I come from MTB so take this for what it’s worth. I had a Salsa w WTB’s Nanos and wanted a faster rolling tire for the road and tubeless. I tried the WTB Byway and found it good on pavement but the transition from the smooth center to the knobs in the side made me feel VERY unstable cornering on gravel. Again I'm coming from MTB background so traction was more in my bailiwick. Sold the Salsa and built a Gorilla Monsoon with Schwabe Thunderburts Addix’s. Love them but have been intrigued by the G- Ones as the T a are a little noisy so I agree noise is lose of energy. I’ve always liked the G-Ones and recently had a chance to get a Sate w 650b-38 G ones and feel like they fly on pavement close to a road tire and I was surprised how well the cornered. I have a short steep hill that is my traction test and the TBs kill it but I feel I give up a little on the road. The G-Ones nailed the climb and the road. If I rode pure gravel im not sure the TB isn’t the best I’ve ridden (including slicks and various knobs). If I mixed road and trail I have yet to find something better then the G-One.
Which G-one specifically?
0
Gasman
53 posts
#45Feb 3, 2020, 3:22 PM
spencegill wrote:
The Slate has the All Around’s 40-584 are the 38’s (Microskin)..... They feel a little narrow to me but again, I’m used to MTB tires where 2” feels narrow! I may try the 2.25” version as I’m not racing. My Thunderburt Addie are great but a little chunky on the All City but thats more of a gravel / MTB. Ill use the Slate as a gravel / road so the G One may be perfect.
Which G-one specifically?
0
AmericanTemplar
78 posts
#46Feb 3, 2020, 3:23 PM
I ended up buying a pair of the Maxxis Velocita AR's. There's almost no information to be found about them on the net, so I guess I'll be the guinea pig. They're only a little heavier than the GK Slicks. Generally I'm a fan of Maxxis tires. I'll report back once I get some time on them.
0
spencegill
23 posts
#47Feb 12, 2020, 11:50 AM
AmericanTemplar wrote:I ended up buying a pair of the Maxxis Velocita AR's. There's almost no information to be found about them on the net, so I guess I'll be the guinea pig. They're only a little heavier than the GK Slicks. Generally I'm a fan of Maxxis tires. I'll report back once I get some time on them.

Any update on the Velocitas?
0
AmericanTemplar
78 posts
#48Feb 12, 2020, 12:18 PMedited
spencegill wrote:

Any update on the Velocitas?

I rolled my ankle doing trailwork on Saturday, so unfortunately I haven't had the chance to ride them yet. In the hand, they look and feel pretty similar to the GK slicks, though slightly more robust. I'll probably mount them in the next couple of days and see if I'm able to ride. Will post here as soon as I have more thoughts!
0
AmericanTemplar
78 posts
#49Feb 12, 2020, 4:35 PMedited
Well, mounting them was considerably easier than the GravelKings with no need for seating them with a tube first. Also, having handled them a bit more I'll say they definitely feel more supple than the GK's, though less supple than Compass Extralight tires. Also, they're huge and they look great. They're at 60 PSI right now and I'll probably bring them down to somewhere in the 30 to 40 PSI range once I take them out for a ride, but they should also grow a little as they settle, so the final size shouldn't be far off from the measurements that I'm getting right now. Overall they seem promising, but I'll report back once I get to ride them.
2
AmericanTemplar
78 posts
#50Feb 20, 2020, 12:44 PM
So, I've spent some time on the Velocitas both on and off road and overall I'm liking them! I did a 95 mile road ride on them last weekend. My friends were mostly on road bikes with skinny tires and I had no problem hanging with them. I weigh 180 and I have the tires set at 30f/35r, but I got a rim strike up front yesterday so I'm going to bump the front up to 32 PSI. On the first ride I had them at 35/40 and they felt too bouncy on rough sections. That's the pressure that I had been running on the GravelKing slicks, but these are quite a bit bigger. They've settled to around 41.5mm on HED Belgium Plus rims.

Anyway, I feel like it's generally pretty tough to be scientific about tire reviews. Like they "felt" fast, but I'm not sure if they were more or less fast than GravelKing's or Compass/Rene Herse. They're definitely bigger and it "feels" as though the bike doesn't handle with quite as much nimbleness as it did with the slightly lighter and smaller GravelKings. Climbing traction on dirt is good! Here's a little video that my friend took of me yesterday on a super steep and loose section that is really difficult even on a MTB with bigger tires and lower gearing: https://www.dropbox.com/home/Public?preview=98c418316aa64fde82eeacfd93d88bbc.MOV

I did take a spill on the descent yesterday from washing out in a tight and gravelly switchback, but hard to say whether or not it was on account of the tires, or it was more due to my speed and tight line choice. Overall, if these tires last longer than the GK's, I will be sticking with them, since they mount more easily and who doesn't appreciate a little extra volume. Also, I should mention that I get some toe overlap with these, which I didn't get with the GK's. But, no biggie in the real world.
1

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