Front/Wide, Rear/Narrow - Gravel Tire options

[Wayne77]

I'm currently spending a lot of time agonizing about the best tires to use for some competitive gravel events I have on the calendar, including the Crusher. I am really liking the cornering feel (in loose conditions especially) I get with a wider tire with just slightly more aggressive tread with a smoother rolling lower volume tire in the back. I realize the front wide / rear narrow combo is overkill for a lot of the gravel rides out there, but it seems to work well for me.

Currently I am running a setup I think works great, but is on the heavy side: 650B Maxxis Tread Lite 2.1 (595g tire) up front with a WTB Byway 47mm in the back (535g)..still slightly heavy-ish compared to some other 650B offerings. That said, I am worried about working too hard to keep this combo rolling well on a 20 mile pavement section in an upcoming race. The Maxxis TL does seem to have good asphalt rolling resistance for a 2.1 tire, but I'm hoping to be in one of the lead groups on this section and don't want to work significantly harder than my peers in the pack...so I'm definitely interested in keeping rolling resistance at the top of my criteria.


Here are the options I've narrowed down (I am staying with 650B for now). For these options my key parameters are Front: a little more tread, but still very fast rolling for a wider tire, weight. Rear: minimal tread, VERY fast rolling, weight. What do you think of these possible combos (I do have some technical sections with loose conditions on many of my rides so sometimes a 2.1" up front works very well)

Front: Schwalbe Thunder Burt 2.1 (480 g), Rear: WTB Byway *Anyone know how the rolling resistance of the Byway compares to other high volume gravel tires?*

Front: Schwalbe Thunder Burt 2.1 (480 g), Rear: Schwalbe G-one Allround 38c (420g). I'm attracted to the Schwalbe for the rear tire because I've heard it has class leading rolling resistance yet has a little more tread than the Byway. A lot lighter than the Byway as well.

Front: Terrene Elwood Light 47mm (430 g), Rear: WTB Byway or the Schwalbe G-One options above.

For the rear I'm also looking at the 48mm Compass Switchback Hill (478g)

Or maybe same/same instead of front wide, rear narrow? Schwalbe G-One front and back (lightest combo by far..290 gram savings over my current Maxxis TL / WTB Byway combo). Sacrifice a little front traction for better rolling resistance and probably as little better traction in the back since the Schwalbe has the smaller knobbies and the center of the Byway is quite smooth.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Thunder Burt 2.1 EVO Liteskin are awesome even on pavement. Perfect tubeless setup and hold pressure like nobody's business.

I'd go with the Thunder Burt front and rear or a SBH in the rear if you just feel like doing that. I use both tires and I'm sure the SBH EL rolls best, but the Thunder Burt is legit; killer tire. Compared to either of those tires the Byways are dogs and stiff.

[veggieburger]

You going to have enough tread in the back to make it up loose hills? Depending on conditions, I might opt for the G-one in the back..

http://tusharcrusher.com/wp-content/uploads/walkofshamecoldcrush.jpg

[Wayne77]

Thunder Burt 2.1 EVO Liteskin are awesome even on pavement. Perfect tubeless setup and hold pressure like nobody's business.

I'd go with the Thunder Burt front and rear or a SBH in the rear if you just feel like doing that. I use both tires and I'm sure the SBH EL rolls best, but the Thunder Burt is legit; killer tire. Compared to either of those tires the Byways are dogs and stiff.

Any durability or flat protection issues with the Liteskin version? Do you know how the TLE version (which appears to be optimized for tubeless setup) compares?

I checked the Schwalbe Website for more info and I'm getting lost in all the designations and categories these categories...Liteskin, TLE, EVO, Pacestar etc... If anyone can provide the lowdown on which to go for that would be great.

[Wayne77]

You going to have enough tread in the back to make it up loose hills? Depending on conditions, I might opt for the G-one in the back..

http://tusharcrusher.com/wp-content/uploads/walkofshamecoldcrush.jpg

Good point, I've already had issues with the Byways going up steep climbs (not surprising)..especially where there is a hard surface covered by a thin layer of loose gravel...just like the Col de Crush. I even had traction issues with WTB Riddlers on that climb last year. It gets pretty steep in sections where you want to get out of the saddle, but you spin out if you do.

[bigbill]

I'm running a 38mm Gravel King in the front and a 35mm in the rear. For me it provides a little smoother ride, is wider for the occasional patches of sand, and IMO, the bike handles better.

[owly]

I'm surprised you're sticking to 650b at that width/weight for a race.

Anyway, I run a combo of ThunderBurt lightskins up front and either an extralight SwitchBackHill or a Terrene Elwood light in the back, depending on how steep and loose its going to get. Sometimes I'll run the ThunderBurt at both ends if I'm planning on some slow rock crawling in a mixed condition ride.

The new ThunderBurt has the Addix compound; adding a little weight across the range.

The ThunderBurt rolls very well on paved surfaces. In my opinion a little faster than the Elwood tread pattern.

[Wayne77]

Thanks - very helpful. The main reason for the higher volume 650B is that the course includes sections with a lot of washboard, has several sections with loose gravel, a very steep descent with switchback turns, etc. Of course there’s plenty of nice smooth gravel and some asphalt too.

I'm surprised you're sticking to 650b at that width/weight for a race.

Anyway, I run a combo of ThunderBurt lightskins up front and either an extralight SwitchBackHill or a Terrene Elwood light in the back, depending on how steep and loose its going to get. Sometimes I'll run the ThunderBurt at both ends if I'm planning on some slow rock crawling in a mixed condition ride.

The new ThunderBurt has the Addix compound; adding a little weight across the range.

The ThunderBurt rolls very well on paved surfaces. In my opinion a little faster than the Elwood tread pattern.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Any durability or flat protection issues with the Liteskin version? Do you know how the TLE version (which appears to be optimized for tubeless setup) compares?

I checked the Schwalbe Website for more info and I'm getting lost in all the designations and categories these categories...Liteskin, TLE, EVO, Pacestar etc... If anyone can provide the lowdown on which to go for that would be great.

None with mine and that includes some rooty, rocky singletrack. Schwalbe revamped their line last year making subtle changes to some tires, bigger changes to others and creating a new naming scheme. I haven't taken the time to sort it all out as I haven't shopped for Schwalbes since then.

Mine are the lightest ones they offered at the time. Somewhere around 440g actual, IIRC. Way back in 2017 when I bought these Schwalbe offered a "tubeless easy" variant which I gather had stiffer sidewalls and could be setup tubeless by someone who didn't really know what they were doing. Mine are not that variant but setup tubeless easy and, as I said, hold pressure as well as any tire I've used.

I'd just get the lightest T Burt version they offer, honestly.

[Hilltopperny]

I’ve run thunderburt tl snakeskins on my old rigid mtn bike and they were great on and off road and currently am running the g-one allroad on my Drifter. Both are great tires and I could see running the thunderburt up front and g-one in the rear if you wanted a bit fatter in the front with a knobbier tread.

You can’t go wrong with either tire, but the g-one allroad is definitely a bit better tread for riding pavement and still does its job on dirt and gravel.


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[hobbanero]

if you are spinning a Riddler it may just be too steep to stand. In loose dry terrain, tread has limits and you just need the right gearing to be able to climb in the saddle and keep weight over the rear tire. And if you do stand, keep your hips back.

[jtbadge]

I'm running a 38mm Gravel King in the front and a 35mm in the rear. For me it provides a little smoother ride, is wider for the occasional patches of sand, and IMO, the bike handles better.

Aren’t the 35 and 38 GravelKings the same tire?

[p nut]

I just put on G-One's on my bike. No dirt rides yet, but on pavement, they roll very well. As well as the Panaracer 40mm slicks they replaced. I'll see how they do on dirt. I see you're in Utah. I'll be heading up AF Canyon and riding through UTV/Jeep torn roads up that way. I do have a feeling I'll be wishing for more cush. If so, I'll give the Terrene's a shot. I have the 700c Elwood's on my other bike, which have performed very well.