Best Gravel Tires for Different Conditions 

I’d add the venerable Panaracer Gravelking SK’s to the 80/20, 50/50 list for sure.

Ditto on the Rene Herse knobby types of various sizes, the Specialized Pathfinder Pros, and Cazaderos are great tires. Honestly, I have tried at least over a dozen of the most popular gravel tires on bikes ranging from the 3T Exploro, Topstone, Salsa Cutthroat, and the new Supersix Gravel SE. If I had to pick an all around tire, it would be be the Pirelli Cinturato M. I’ve used this in 650x50, and 700c in both 38 and 45…fast rolling, great grip, sheds mud and when aired down, good sand traction, aired up, fast on the road.

I've been running Gravelking SS rear and SK front tires on my gravel bike. I find this the perfect 60/40 combo for road and hard pack dirt/loose gravel.

Love these kinds of videos from Russ. Thanks!

I just switched to Specialized Fast Trak 2Bliss tires and LOVE THEM. Thanks!

The Pirelli Cinturato M for a 50/50 mix is a good one to try. I'm partial to La Ron's Ultradynamico Mars tires for the chonk.

Your channel is responsible for my 650b experiments with my current disc gravel/all road bike. Road the summer on 700×40 tires. Got a used set of 650b wheels. I got a $45 American Classic Kimberlite in 47mm width. Found out that my rear chainstays clear max 44mm with about 1.5mm space on either side. But the fork clearance was more than enough. Actual width on 24mm internal width is really 48mm. Nice tires! They even hold air for a few days without sealant. Ended up with a Gravelking SS in 650x42 for the rear. Will try the out this weekend to see if I might go to the 650b side... Thanks for the inspiration!

I ride 80 % hero gravel and little to no roads. I wanted something like the Byways but bigger and found my dream tyre in the Continental SpeedKing 27.5 X 2.2 .

Completely agree with the American Classic recommendation tires and have them on my Evergreen now. I also feel the Panaracer GKs are an amazing value too

150k congrats man

I ride my Cotic Cascade dropbar ATB with the great Teravail Rutland light supple version in size 29x2.2. I also have ridden the Rene Herse Fleecer Ridge for about ~6000+ km / 3700 miles. I really liked the Fleecer Ridge but due to part shortage and the steep price I went with the Rutland. Never had regrets. The RH FRidge are defintly more supple but the Rutland absolutly have more grip and not any slower on tarmac. I ride gravel and green and blue singletrack here in flattest country in the world, and avoid tarmac as much as possible. Solid video again Russ, keep them coming!

It obviously never rains where you are! Thanks for doing this one.

Loved the pathfinders that came on my bike , when I couldn't get new ones because they were out of stock , the shop guy suggested the Sawtooths , they are a great tire , fast and grippy ! Will definitely buy these again

I recently switched my Diamondback Haanjo from the Stock Kenda Flintridge tires to Vittoria Terreno Dry in a 38C. After some rainy weather. I rode it through some mud and deeply soaked grass Sunday. I was surprised to find that these tires meant for dry conditions never once lost traction. I don't recall if you have ever reviewed those, but I was impressed. My other gravel bike has the infamous Gravelking SS tires on it.

I have been loving the Panaracer SK+ 26”x2.1” on my dropbar converted Specialized Hardrock Sport. I do 20/80 (gravel/paved).

All about the Gravelking SK over here. Such a great tyre!

For a long time, Byway used to be my daily-driver tires for my gravel/commuter bike. Then switched to GravelKing SS. Now, I'm using the Homage tires setup as tubeless. For chunkier trails, I swap tires to a Cinturato Gravel M (650b x 50mm)

For sealed roads and dry dirt tracks I'm using Marathon Supremes (50-559) on an exped tourer and RTPs on an ATB. Neither of these are good on mud/grass but Humpties are, as well as being excellent on sealed roads. IMO these are great all-purpose tyres for year-round use.

I'm riding WTB Venture in 27.5x47 on my new gravel bike. Was little limited in choice due to availability. Riding a mixture of surfaces (all these in one ride) in the Scottish autumn: slick silt; fine, loose gravel; broken golf-ball gravel; slick (not deep) mud; broken & smooth tarmac. Great grip in all the offroad conditions, a bit light on suspension on the chonkier stuff yet fast, quiet rolling on the tarmac. Short of muddy singletrack, I'm going to be happy sticking with these as an all-surface, all-road tyre. Not particularly expensive, either.

The WTB Byway is a great tire. Even in it's 34mm incarnation, it does well on "hero gravel" and beyond (if you enjoy an under-biked feel). It is the tire I use for the infamous Deerfield Dirt Road Randonee (D2R2). I have taken it on loaded tours where its smooth rolling, durability, versatility and easy mounting are appreciated.

Once I have my favorite 700c gravel tires mounted, barring a special event I’ve entered, I find it too tedious to swap them out, so the 80/20 road/gravel tires are what stay on. If a ride is rougher, I let some air out. I even have a second wheelset, the stock ones, that I could put the beefier tread on but then I decide I like the main ones too much and don’t bother. Sometimes I spin out or fishtail, and it’s fun. But I also just got my first hardtail with 27.5x2.6 tires so that’s for more tread-worthy adventures. This is a golden age for tires! Thanks for the rundown!

Who doesn’t love talking tires?! Thanks Russ

My go to tires are the Panaracer Gravelking SK's and schwalbe thunderburt but I am planning to add to my collection the Gravelking SS.

My favorite tires are the specialized pathfinder pro. They are fast on the road and provide grip on dry hardpack.

Appreciate the budget nod to American Classics. Had a wobble problem with a Wentworth model and they sent out a new replacement. Yes they’re a little heavier than premium brands but they’re super durable and were easy to set up tubeless. Also they look the part in tanwall which was most important 😅

Love my set of Cazadero as well as my G Ones.... However one that I use for the chunk is the Schwalbe Smart Sams. Center Ridge rides fast on hard pack yet side knobs are aggressive for loose aggregate

I’m a big 650b fan. I ride pavement roads to connect, gravel, double track and singletrack. 30/70. The Bruce Gordon Rock N’ Roads are my favorite. I don’t know what they weight but they offer a lot of grip even when muddy or loose over hard dry. I agree that tires are seasonal and terrain specific usually but this tire has really impressed me with the variety of terrain types it can handle very well.

Oh yea fully agree with the byway and I ride 80/20 just like you said.

Thanks for giving a good over performing low budget option for people that love riding that have limited $$$.

I have American Classic "Udden" tires in 700c x 50mm (actual width is 48mm on a 21mm internal width rim) on my gravel touring bike. They look a lot like the Cazadero. I ride a good mix of good and bad pavement, gravel, forest service roads, and light single track. They do acceptably well on everything, enough so that I wouldn't want a tire any more specialized.

Only in 29er but the Conti RaceKing protection black chili is my go to. In 2.2 less than 600 grams, great grip, roll like mad, and very durable. Usually relatively cheap as well.

Made the switch from WTB Byway to supple casing Teravail Washburn. Similar tire but I found tubeless setup on Washburn much easier and the ride a bit more to my liking. On third set of Washburns (daily commuter) and they wear well until a point and then a pretty rapid decline.

Jumping in to give another reccomendation to the American Classic tires, and also to dispell the rumor that they are heavier than the competition. AM Classic Aggregate 700x40. - 480grams Scwalbe G-One Bite 700x38 - 485grams AM Classic Udden 700x40 - 520grams Teravail Cannonball 700x42 - 520grams(Light and Supple) - 545grams (Durable) AM Classic Wentworth 650x48 - 605grams Rene Herse Juniper Ridge 650x48 - 525grams (Endurance casing more accurately reflects similar durability to the AM Classics in my experience.) And the Rene Herses are $92! Vs the $45 Am Classic. AM Classic Time Keeper 700x28 clincher - 235grams Continental GP5000 700x28 clincher - 235grams The notion that AM Classics are heavier than every other brand is an opinion often spouted by those who have not tried or even looked at these tires closely. In most cases they are the same weight as their competition, Rene Herse being the rare exception. I'll take a pair of AM Classics for $90 any day of the week.

I really enjoy Teravail Rutland as an allrounder. It not sluggish on pavement (I found them more lively than GravelKing SK+ though they have more beefy casing, so it's not fair to compare), but offers plenty of grip on loose or wet terrain. While it's not as agressive as Ehline, it checks almost all the boxes for me, so I can enjoy my bike with a single wheelset and tire (650b x 47 wrapped around Hunt Adventure Sport). Also, they are supple and setting up tubeless was a breeze -- I didn't even use compressor, or tubeless pump with a chamber.

I wish they were more readily available, but the Conti Race Kings in 26x2.1 are my poor-man’s Humptulips. I use them tubeless on my daily commuter for 80/20, but they are great all the way up to Chonk. Tough, durable, and ride great tubeless.

You have to try the Donnelly Strada USH. It's easily the fastest, grippiest, most durable gravel tire for road-gravel mixed rides that I've ridden. They have a strong sidewall though so you have to run the pressure low for suppleness.

I think the Rene Herse Hurricane Ridge is the best all around gravel tire. The speed on pavement is quite good. The tread pattern is great on all dirt surfaces I believe.

I'll throw Michelin Protek into the ring. I used them training for my first STP ( 7 days of 100+ miles that year :O ) and afterwards for commuting. I ran 26"x1.85"(47c) at 55/60 PSI and replaced them with the 35c version for commuting. They are cheap. $24 full price each at REI a few years ago. They have a reflective strip on the sidewall. Having survived being hit twice, I'm all for being more visible on the road, (dark, rainy Seattle area roads). On pavement they are FAF, coasting (because with 36-11 I just can't pedal that fast) on long downhills with good pavement I hit 50mph on a few occasions, the lower pressure with big inverted tread tires felt like I was cornering on rails, even on some sketchy dirt. Handled chunky pavement and potholes like pros. On flat roads they rolled fast as well. Because they have an inverted tread, you get very little buzz or the squirminess you get from an isolated center ridge or knobby tires. Really good performance on gravel and dirt. They float over deep 3/4" gravel and sand. Good traction on chunky rain slicked forest service roads (aka "kinderkopf" central) and rail trails. The directional inverted tread had surprisingly good traction on everything except really snotty mud, wet roots/forest detritus, and wet sloppy snow. Braking was also very good. I put ~2500 miles of mixed gravel/trail, road, and city riding on the first set before I replaced them (they still had life, just too heavy for commuting, I traded them in for $10 parts credit each) I had less than 10 flats during that time, a safety pin, granite shard, giant wood splinter, machine screw, something small and sharp that gave me a single pin prick through the centerline of both tires. The bad: They are very heavy, especially the 47c. Very noticeable on punchy or long uphill climbs. The difference between the 47c and 35c was about a pound a tire!

I choose my tyres for what I'm the worse at of trail I'll be hitting. Usually it's more technical climbing.

I have a set of Ehlines on my bridge club :)

I use inexpensive CST tires. They serve me just fine. Of course, a lot people hate them.

Looking forward to the René Herse DURABLÉ (PLP Special Edition) ATB TIres. Make it happen!

One of the beauties of cycling is it's simplicity. All this fine tuning of tyres is over complicating it. Just ride the tyres you have, or can get in your local bike shop and deal with whatever surface you come up against, no other tyre will make that much difference difference.

Doo-ra-blay! Totally made my day haha

Interesting video - think only one I’ve used (WTB Sendero - which is good but since swapped out) and one other I’ve heard of. There rest seem a little random to me and no mention of Pirelli Gravel H or M tyres which I think the latter is the best all rounder I’ve tried so far. Just show how wide the gravel tyre market is I suppose

Cintratto gravel H for me has the best all round capabilities of any tyre I've tried, its great off road on all types of surface and rolls well(but not the fastest) on tarmac, I'd take more grip off road than top speed any day... Honestly its a brilliant tyre and comes in 700/650 from 35 up to 50 I believe. Definitely worth a try if you haven't yet, I've not wished for anything else since I got them.

the BYWAY is my go too but the sidewall is very week.

40 Gravel front, 32 road rear. This is the best allround "urbanish" setup for me

Nice job god bless

Running 40c pirelli cinturato gravel s at front and maxxis ravagers rear, for winter single track/fireroads. Love the cornering grip, but mud traction is meh.

Surprised the Pirlelli Cinturato Gravel M tire isn't on any of your lists. I ride in the 35mm version, and it rolls way faster than you'd think possible on pavement (not road tire fast, but darned close) - yet still does great on gravel. (Wish they made it in a 38 though...)

I have been playing around with tires recently, and found Continental Race Kings to be surprisingly good if you can fit them (they still market these 2.0" tires to MTBer's?).

I don't really like WTB tires (and not only tires). Because of often quality issues, size issues. A lot of my friends complain. Personally I only tried WTB Resolute. OK tire, but terrible on the tarmac. And the knobs wears quite fast. And this is common issue with gravel tires. I have Teravail Rutland light and Supple, an the central knobs on the rear tire lasts only for 1-1.5k kilometers. But my friend have the durable version. And not surprisingly, the rubber including the knobs are much more durable too. Overall I like these tires and would recommend light and supple on the front wheel, and durable on the rear. I can compare them with the Maxxis Ikons, which I currently ride. Similar knob pattern and knob height. But much more supple.

Love my Vittoria Mezcal 27,5*2,25. For what kind of tires they are they roll really nice and quite on Asphalt. Also pretty supple but not bouncy while climbing. I get why they are really popular among ultra racers.

I have a lot of thoughts on tires, as do you....both valid! However, I find out on any ride that, the tires I am running are never the perfect tires. Set up for gravel...hello wet clay. It's all part of the fun. With that being said, I find it interesting that both cyclists and manufacturers seem to subscribe to the idea that running the same tire on both front and back is an optimal situation. With out trying to sound old (back in my day), panaracer had a great idea in the early 90's with the Smoke/Dart combo. The rear tire optimizes on what the rear tire needs to do...push. The front tire needs to optimize on what it should do.....direct the pushing from the rear. I would like to think that would be a fun combo on rough roads or trails on what ever you maybe riding. Love the channel keep up the great work! Next time your riding Southern California lets ride, have some beers and talk shop. Maybe bring that Old Shovel guy too! 😁

Russ, what would you recommend for an all around tire, to work reasonably well in any conditions from road to chonk? An adventure may take you across that full range. Specifically, what do you think about the Pirelli Cinturato gravel M?

I have those terravail eh lines on my Surly Ghost Grappler and they are fantastic. HOWEVER, what kind of tire could I switch to if I want to ride a 50/50 ride, smoother less buzzy on the road. It's a 40mm rim so I think I need a 55mm (2.2") tire minimum. It's a 27.5 (650b)

My riding is like 80% tarmac 20% wet grass/mud! I have ended up with some Vittoria Terreno Mix (mostly because they were very cheap) but I think really any move you make towards mud compromises the tarmac aspect. To me gravel itself is much closer to tarmac than mud so I don't worry about how my tyres handle loose stones etc. The roads in Scotland are a high % gravel and broken glass anyway so pure road tyres are never much fun.

Is it possible to apply car tire spray on my bike tire to keep them cleaner for longer period?

If you can fit at least a 2.1" in either 27.5" or 29" i am very keen on the schwalbe thunder burts. for a mtb tire those have a laughable tread, but for gravel use they are very allroundy and comparable to something like a schwalbe g-one bite grip wise, but with a bit more side lugs for when it gets muddy. they roll almost silent and fast on tarmac (i dont notice a difference to the old super fast g-one speeds and they are so much faster than for example a maxxis rekon race and still noticably faster than a gravelking sk) and easy to set up tubeless. i actually think those are one the best tires for gravel use and still wonder why schwalbe does not offer them in a downsized 40-45mm gravel version for all riders that cant fit mtb sizes. i use the super race version and never had problems, for all that want a bit more cut resistent sidewalls (its much less of an issue on those bigger tires i find) there is a super ground version which should roll almost as good but offers more cut resistance.

What is that cool front pannier rack you’re using at 0:29?

The perfect tire is the one under in that moment

I just ordered a poseiden redwood with a few upgrades I’m coming from the MTB world ,so I plan on doing more chunky singletrack with some gravel rides that aren’t to long. Do you recommend the teravail ehline on that bike?

hello! how is your lantern attached to the side of the fork? 0:15 second video. thank you!

How about the Bruce Gordon Rock’n Road? I’ve never tried them but interested.

In terms of availability Maxxis is easiest to get where I am, a lot of these brands you mention would cost a mint to get shipped here on the peninsula. Have you ever tried any of Maxxis' gravel tires? I think Rambler and Receptor are billed as gravel ready. My ATB has some cheapo mtb tires and feels overtired, just wondered if you or anyone in your community has experience with them

Personally I think 100% smooth tire on my gravel bike works just fine (Panaracer GK slicks). Riding chunky conditions is really only limited to width. Mind you on my monster cross I run enduro tires, an MM upfront in fact. So I guess you might say I have a split personality where tires are concerned. Or that if you really need tread, you need lots of it and the casing to go with. These in between tires are kind of pointless IMO.

I wish the cazadero came in 2.1inch

Rene Herse are CRAZY SPENDY. I don't think for someone who wants to try out gravel and has no idea what supple can be, I'd start with something more affordable than going baller and shelling out 90+ USD for a single tyre. ;) Start with a set of panaracers (~30 € over here)

What 26” rims are you using?

And just like that Soma Cazadero’s are sold out!

Hi, what is this light'support at 0:15 ?

Ive ridden dozens if not a hundred different tires over the years. I had a pretty big collection. Enough that I'm often giving them away. Gravel, 'cross and mtb. I often get free tires as take offs from the shop I wrench at. Lots are 1/2, even barely used. I don't get it! Nobody wants em and they go in the dumpster otherwise. I can get nice pro deals, but free tires are always pretty groovy! Ive never really cared much what tires I rode to thrash on trails as long as they were reliable on long remote backcountry rides. I'm always saying 'it's the rider, not the freakin bike'. Clement has been my favorite brand for decades since I raced on silk tubs long ago. But I'm not racing much anymore. Sew ups are incredibly awesome but allow me to go faster than is wise for a family man. Recently I tested a customer's bike with new wheels I built and the RH knobbies. These tires blew me away with their smooth speed, buttery comfort and perfect traction. Getting close to tubs here. I felt a bit guilty that I paid full retail price for two 42s and a 55mm when I have a huge pile of 1/2 used tires in my garage. After several hundred miles, I think I got a great value for this extravagant spending! Now I'm hooked. I'm starting to clean out my garage and give stuff away. I want 26" RH knobbies for my dirt dropped old hardtail. As soon as I can wear the 700s out, I've gotta try a mixed pair of Ronnie's Ultra D's. Maybe I'll expand my horizons and try wine tasting too!

What about sugar sand? I'm struggling to find a 650 by max 50/1.9. I'd estimate 60% sugar sand, 30% dirty chonk, 10% paved.

I was shocked at how fast a 29 x 2.25 Vittoria Mezcal rolls on tarmac/hardpack. Faster than a 29er XC Terreno Dry, which, by looking at the tread pattern, is also surprising.

How would the Teravail Ehlines compare to a similar sized Maxxis iKon? Anyone tried both tires before?

How do the Terevail Washburn tires in 700x42 compare to Specialized Pathfinder Pro tires? I recently purchased a set of Washburns, but struggled over whether to get them or the Pathfinder Pros.

Which casing of the Rene Herse do you use/like on the chonk?

Any recommendations for a tyre if you have to deal with lots of muddy conditions?

What works on sugar sand that is not squirmy on pavement?

Hi Russ, I've been thinking of trying the Rene Herse "dual-purpose knobbies" as an all around tire since they are suppose to be fast rolling on pavement as well as on the rough stuff. What was your experience with them on pavement ?

I picked up the American Classic Uddens for an all rounder build and they handle nicely compared to my 700c 44mm ByWays. Not as grippy as my 38mm Terravails. Can't beat the price either.

Anyone have a clear winner for cornering grip on wet tarmac / hard pack?

Two words: RAT TRAP PASS! As long as its mostly dry, its an incredible tire. All time favourite!

I'm pretty new to cycling, is gravel tire different from all terrains?

I run 26 x 1.75 Michelin Country Rock on a Kona chromoly hard tail.... awesome super fast tire...I'm way faster on the trails with these... great for on road and off road just short of mud... knobby tires are for mud riding and motorcycles... not typical riding... if your slipping it's because of your riding style... just my opinion... 😃

WWJD? What would Jan do?

Russ: if you’re riding mainly off-road and your bike can fit big meats… Me whose bike came stocked with 2.35’s: sweet this one’s for me! Russ: …then you should get these 2.3” tires. Me whose bike currently has 2.8’s: oh. damn.

Anyone use, Challenge, Strada Bianca TLR?

Why recommend the washburns when the pathfinders are better in every way? Edit: including price

In smooth conditions 650b? No, sorry

Those American Classics are trash. Have tried two different pair (Kimberlite and Aggregate). The rolling resistance is ridiculously bad (Cinturato H roll much MUCH faster than the Kimberlite and they grip WAAAAY better than the more aggressive Aggregate) and they ride like rocks even at 30psi on 40mm widths. Not to mention they don't like to hold the bead when they deflate meaning if you have a puncture that lets out all the air, you're going to have to reseat the bead....not fun in the field. No way, no how I'd recommend American Classic tires.

Schwa"bl"e? I guess that's like ma"r"scapone. I hope you're doing that intentionally, and I just missed the previous times that inside joke's come up???