IRC Boken Double Cross 42mm - Kansas City, USA
I used the WTB Riddler 37’s for 3-4 years around the Midwest on all kinds of gravel including Unbound. I switched last year over the IRC Boken Double Cross 42’s and I love them. They seem more durable and I do not sense any loss of speed on the fast stuff.
I have the actual pair of 45s he tested and they are lovely tires. They can handle fairly low pressure. Not much reason to ever go bigger or more aggressive unless you are on mud, rocky, or loose conditions.
If mtb tyres count, do road tires count as well?
My friends are surprised each time how well I can keep up
I have the 34mm on my road/endurance bike. They’re bliss for rough Flemish roads. But I wouldn’t take them to field gravel roads, which can get rowdy and need more volume.
GravelKing X1 R-Line TLR 700x45, they measure 48 on DT Swiss GRC1400 wheels with 24mm inner rim width. Riding Felt Breed carbon, official tire clearance 50mm, well known to have space for more but I feel this is enough for my mostly dry riding.
Previously had GravelKing semi slick and then small knobs, both in 43mm on Cube aluminium fitness bike that probably also had space for~50. When I switched to Felt tried Tugo Thundero 48mm, badly punctured front tire after ~3000km due to my own fault, they surely could have handled much more and they were probably better than GravelKing on rougher terrain but I like the lively feel of GravelKing more, especially as about half of my kilometers is touring on asphalt.
I like BRR as a first source of information, but for gravel I think @John_Karrasch’s testing is more relevant. My takeaway from using both sources is that when comparing tires of the same actual size, BRR’s testing lines up quite well with John’s, but the benefits of more volume do not show in drum testing.
These are ten year old NOS source at this point… I tested them last year right before sea otter.
pretty fast but not as much as you’d expect. I’ve still got my second pair so can do pavement soon since i missed that before
Is there anything on the market that comes close to this weight?
One more vote for the Tufo Thunderos.
Labeled width: 44
Frame clearance f/r: 50/45
I chose them after scrolling through byciclerollingresistance.com and loved the tubeless setup (they hold air for days without sealant), the price and the durability
Remember weight isn’t everything; in fact a few tens of grams here and there, while you ‘might’ feel it, a little, will have next to no effect compared to rolling resistance.
I’d never heard of these tyres, and so given the high vote count for them in this thread, I went looking. Not available in UK it would seem (at least not without ordering from EU).
Have been running S-Works Pathfinder for two years with ZERO punctures, and it’s been great for rolling resistance and grip across any dry surface I’ve ever ridden. Noticed dry rot -tread peeling off casing a couple of weeks ago on one of them, and just order a Caracal Race in 40mm. Plan to mount on front to see how it measures on my rims, and see how it performs in general. At that point, will decide on another of the same model & size vs. the same model in 45mm for the front, a Thundero, or a Schwalbe GS One Pro for a mullet setup.
Yeah, but those Maxxlites are 200-300g lighter than all other 50-622 tires on the market. Weight isn’t everything, but that much rolling weight per wheel is a lot.
Sure thing I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing that either. But the 4mm add so much. I had the 34mm before and they feel closer to a 25mm than a 38mm (volume doesn’t grow linear etc)
I agree 100%.
In general i ride Schwalbe G one RS (pro) in 45mm on a 45mm clearance bike. They‘re very fast on gravel, decent on the road, don’t completely suck in mud and are surprisingly durable. In general the best gravel tire i have ever ridden and the only one i recommend to people
i also added a Schwalbe G One RX in 50mm as a front into the rotation and that makes me very happy currently. It’s still quick as a front, fast turns are grippier, it’s a little more comfortable but you pay a penalty on pavement.
And for audax stuff with some gravel in it as well as pavement based bikepacking i also use a set of 38mm Schwalbe Pro One
In the gloopier months I like the Specialized Terra in 45 (frame fits ups to 47). Grips well, not too heavy, seems to be fast rolling given the level of tread and very reasonably priced.
In the summer it’s a Tracer, also specialized, in 45. Most of the same reasons as above apply. Because I’m in Scotland didn’t want something with a smooth centre as even in the depths of summer there’s a decent chance you want something with a bit of bit, plus I ride a lot of single track.
I’m surprised also - by far the most commonly used gravel tire I’ve seen in varying regions across the US.
I see our lord and savior ThunderBurt has been mentioned already.
Im currently on 29x2.25 Super Ground variants. My Curve Big Kev is rated to 2.35in, but I’m using a 2x setup and the 29x2.25 Burts leave me ~5mm clearance to a GRX front derailleur.
All the tests say it’s as fast as anything on dirt. I’m sure there’s an aero penalty, but they’re comfy, grippy enough, and allow some float on soft surfaces where selections are sometimes made. I’m in the Rockies and it’s not uncommon to end up ‘underbiking’ whether it was intended or not.
I’m fairly tire nerdy, and am using Rene Herse Fleecer Ridge 700x55 in my Landyaghtz with clearance for 2.25
I’m playing with Pirelli XC RC 2.4” on my Trek CheckOut with allegedly only 2.25 clearance. They are fast and less sketchy on loose than some of the similar tires
I ride enough to wear out a lot of tires, so the Rene Herse line and Specialized Pathfinders often find their way onto my bikes since they will get up to 6000km from a rear tire