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I'm in a group of associates who replaced The 2.2 Conti and big Schwalbe tires with Fleecer Ridge in endurance or endurance plus casing. None of us would go back to a MTB tire nor have we experienced the rumors about quality or staying on rims. At the 55 mm width the Fleecers have cornering power but don't get MTB side lugs/knobs slowing you down. At higher speeds they feel less like pedaling at or pushing at a terminal velocity than racer type MTB tires.
My only complaints are price and tan or brown sidewalls.
ljsmith wrote:I find it funny the guy is asking about 2.4” tires and every answer is about 2.2” tires. Though 2.4” is a very large size for gravel, so you probably won’t get much response here. You’d be better off asking some bikepackers, that size (and larger) is much more popular in bikepacking.
Schwalbe Big Apple? Maxxis Hookworm? The similar big old Kenda model I forgot? There used to be a similar big Conti at least available in 26r just as craptacular as a RaceKing and the others mentioned here for dirt cornering. The faster plus tires would have some of the same failings without much edge hold and all of a sudden do unpredictable stuff like roll on a small stone or stick.
My experience with the Fleecer Ridge is without a defined MTB style edge it has enough space to hook up with dirt cornering and not have the unpredictable handling or all of a sudden washed out from under you tires.
Maybe I'm too much of a carver on MTBs and skis to not get how the large very round without much edge tires are good gravel tires? I have no complaints after wearing out a RaceKing but have a lot more confidence with the RH style knobby on gravel and they feel good overall. When I saw the Humptulips Ridge I thought a Rene Hearse DJ tire LOL.
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imwjl wrote:Maybe I'm too much of a carver on MTBs and skis to not get how the large very round without much edge tires are good gravel tires? I have no complaints after wearing out a RaceKing but have a lot more confidence with the RH style knobby on gravel and they feel good overall. When I saw the Humptulips Ridge I thought a Rene Hearse DJ tire LOL.
ccand51997 wrote:
That kind of explains the disconnect with different people's recommendation. In the high desert there is no 'carving.' If you try to take a turn anything other than slow and controlled, then your front tire washes out and puts you on your head. Especially if you share a lot of roads with ATVs. They make deep sand that no amount of tread can dig into. For me, the small side knobs of the Raceking dig in just enough to climb out of ruts. Since they are durable and faster than 99 percent of gravel tires, and I need float to get through sand, they work great. The alternative to deep sand in corners is a light dusting of sand over hard which also does not allow carving.
You clearly corner in different conditions.
The love some of us have for the RH knobby is exactly for what you describe. They do very well when ATV and other traffic knock out or mess up the fines. A lot of time road/trail like that gets loos small rocks and if it gets wet it becomes total f*ckry for the MTB racer tires that pack. The big RaceKings were more confidence inspiring that the very round Big Apple or Hookworm style but they packed when RH knobby tires don't.
Understand that I'd like a Rene Hearse alternative because I can't stand the to me stupid tan/brown sidewalls and the price. I've been doing MTB and gravel since before there were any products expressly made for it and that's how I found the RH knobby to be very good.
A fattie at near winter pressure works well in gravel you describe but the whole purpose for my getting Fargo first and then faster gravel type bike was because they work when the gravel is not nice. The plus bikes are also good for that but can't make time on nice surfaces as well.
shiggy wrote:How about the Schwalbe G-One Speed in 2.35?
ccand51997 wrote:
It is crazy they still advertise that tire as fast when testing has shown that the Speedgrip compound is super slow. Even their knobby tires using the Speed compound are faster. If you are going to go with a semi-slick for speed then just do the Conti Speedking Racesport. I have a couple and they are as fast as any road tire run at a reasonable pressure.
Guanzo wrote:I like low profile knobs not like this you mentioned schwalbe g one speed.
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