Tires for hardpack

[daker13]

Okay, I foolishly put a pair of 40x700c Clement Xplor tires on my new BMC monster cross. Very good tires, but this isn't a mountain bike (even though that's kind of how I'm riding it...).

I want to pick up a skinnier tire that can also handle the occasional dive down the town trails or run around the pump track... A 700c tire that has a little traction for hardback, but smooth enough for road general road riding. Probably a 28, maybe 32.

I thought this general question must've been asked 1000 times, but the only thing my search came up with was... maybe Gravel Kings?

[phoenix]

Maybe check out the Clement LAS or the Specialized Trigger. Both are a file tread tire and great on hardpack and will still provide some confidence when you venture off road.

[ColonelJLloyd]

I suppose it depends on how much dirt versus hardpack versus pavement you might see. Personally, I wouldn't be going "skinny" 28s on a monster cross frame. I'd look to the 700x44 Compass or maybe the BG RnR, 700x40 Gravel King or 700x45 WTB Riddler if you're averse to a slick.

[benb]

I've really loved my challenge gravel grinders. They have them in a 33. (I have the 38s.)

Really depends on what you're riding though.. there is probably no "one perfect gravel tire". On the looser stuff you really do want the big 40c/45c stuff if you're hammering. The file tread tires like the gravel grinder are faster on hardback but they won't get the job well as done if you're going up a 15% grade and all of a sudden the gravel is "loose" or a larger aggregate mix. Cornering is a bit of a different thing as there are lots of tire that are either slick or file tread in the middle but have more aggressive tread on the shoulder.

You really need to know exactly what you're riding.

[Luwabra]

I'd suggest a couple options.. the budget tire being the continental cyclocross speed. durable,cheap, fast on hard pack and hardsurface.

panaracer gravel king 32 slick blows up to just shy of 33 on a 23mm rim very shallow file tread basically a slick.

panaracer gravel king sk.. small knob version. this is my go to for a tubeless gravel tire. fast on all surfaces and knobby enough for out of the saddle climbs on dry loose gravel and loose corners. good luck.. lots of good options out there these are just the ones i have experience with..

COMPASS tires look amazing i need to try them.

[FlashUNC]

I saw Compass tires take on some gnarly stuff on Reno2Cino. They're more than capable for gravel grinding. Don't see the need for a super deep tread after that trip.

[Hilltopperny]

I run compass Barlow pass regular casing on my duende cross bike and they are my favorite tire ever. Plush and smooth even over the rougher stuff I occasionally encounter.

[JAGI410]

I run compass Barlow pass regular casing on my duende cross bike and they are my favorite tire ever. Plush and smooth even over the rougher stuff I occasionally encounter.

I agree. I love these tires on my daily driver CrossCheck. Gravel, dirt, whatever. Nice tire.

[veggieburger]

Check out the Kenda K-180. Heavy as all get-out, but inexpensive...and the tread is great. I have used the K180s on my commuter for a while and ride all sorts of junk on them.

[commonguy001]

The file tread Gravel Kings are pretty good but I also really like the MSO in 32. I think it rolls plenty good for that type of bike.

As also mentioned the Compass tires are big fat and roll well... I like those too although I always feel like I'm riding on fragile tires when I use them (not that I've had issues).

[TunaAndBikes]

I usually am too lazy to switch wheelsets so i ride my 32 slick gravelkings everywhere even on raudy trail and gravel.
If i had the $$ for compass, i would go down that route but i believe soma also has a pretty interesting option, check them out!

[Ken Robb]

Panaracer Paselas work well for me as a compromise hardpack/pavement tire. I think sizes above 700x28 have a little more aggressive tread pattern.

[taylor_walker]

I ran 40mm Schwalbe G-1s on my Eriksen gravel bike last summer, using it as a do-it-all road trip bike (road, mixed and dirt rides, including the Crusher in the Tushar). I found the G-1 to be a nice jack of all trades tire, perhaps what you want for your mix of riding.

https://www.schwalbetires.com/bike_tires/off-road_tires/G-One

Best,

tw

[scho74]

I do mostly road with some dirt and I've used:

Clement X'plor MSO 40
Kenda Slant Six 35
Panaracer Pasela PT 32
Challenge Strada Bianca 30
Panaracer T-serv 32
Schwalbe Dureme 32
Panaracer GravelKing 32

the Paselas have been the best combination of aesthetics, ride, durability, and affordability. However, I really really want to try these:

http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/components/tires-tubes-rim-tape/fairweather-traveler-tire-700x32.html

http://store.velo-orange.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/750x750/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/b/l/black_mounted.jpg

[tctyres]

Vittoria Hyper Voyagers are good in a 38mm if you want to stay on the fat side.

Also Soma Supple Vitesse are light and nice riding.

[DrSpoke]

I'm sold on the new Schwalbe Pro series which are, of course, tubeless. I run the Pro-One 23s and 25s on my road bike. On my gravel bike, my go-to tire is the S-One. At 30mm, they split the difference between 28 & 32s. They're only slightly big for pure road use though they roll well and have great traction on mountain descents. And the extra 2mm over a 28 is nice on the trails for the extra traction and bump absorption. My buddy used them on his Diverge for the Solvang Century last weekend. It was my training tire for the 2016 Belgian Waffle Ride - 100 mi paved / 45 mi dirt. For the ride, myself and most of my buddies actually used the Pro-One at 28c and it worked fine too. And both the 30 & 28 have been used by my buddy and myself on a lot of singletrack though, of course, not suitable for highly technical and/or rocky sections. Anyway, no qualms with recommending either.

[Johnnyg]

I like the Michelin Jets 32c

[weisan]

Specialized Roubaix pro 30/32

[estilley]

+1 for Compass. I did a massive dirt ride in the gorge this summer on the 35's. And while it probably wasn't ideal for that, there were some really loose sections, I survived.

So should be okay for the occasional off road!

Also did a week of pavement in Colorado and they were great.


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[TunaAndBikes]

http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/components/tires-tubes-rim-tape/fairweather-traveler-tire-700x32.html

http://store.velo-orange.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/750x750/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/b/l/black_mounted.jpg
They look a lot like gravel kings to me!

[559Rando]

They look a lot like gravel kings to me!
Expect to see more file treads. Especially on tires made by Panaracer. But it won't mean they're all the same. The devil's in the details.

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[YesNdeed]

I've been running Specialized Trigger Pro (2bliss) since the Crusher in the Tushar, and they have been great in terms of versatility and reliability. They roll fast on pavement for a 33, and I'm really impressed at the control and grip on hard pack and sandy single track.

[DRZRM]

Just picked up a set of the tubeless Schwalbe G-One gravel tires in 35. Have not mounted them so I can't endorse yet, but I'm optimistic.

[572cv]

I have been using schwalbe "Sammy Slick" for exactly these conditions. Very nice. Similar to some old Ritcheys I still have kicking around, knobs at the edge of the tread, cross hatch through the body.

[AngryScientist]

panaracers!

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LhAyQrUQQd8/V-V-j8px1OI/AAAAAAAACmE/ipKwKaphjRMj_up_MUZkPPiXHZ3d4dI2QCLcB/s1040/P1170816.JPG

[daker13]

They look a lot like gravel kings to me!

That's exactly what I thought.

[sandyrs]

Literally any high quality road tire between 28 and 35 mm. You can get a file tread cx tire with side knobs, but cornering on the road will suffer and it sounds like with your ratio of dirt to pavement, that wouldn't be worth it.