Gravel Tire Musings and Sagan Dirt Fondo

[weaponsgrade]

I need to pickup a set of gravel tires for the Sagan Dirt Fondo and incoming Lobster. The tires I'm looking at right now are the 700x38 Schwalbe G-One Speed and the Compass 700x38 Barlow Pass. I hear rave reviews about the ride of the Compass, but also that they're a bit fragile especially the Extralight casing versions which I'll have to get because I want the black sidewalls. They're also a lot more than Schwalbes. I've had really good experience with the Schwalbe Thunderburts that I'm running on my 29er HT.

I have a 700x45 WTB Riddler sitting around. My thought is to pickup a set of the G-Ones or Barlows. If conditions for the Dirt Fondo are wet and muddy, then I'll run the Riddler as a front tire with a G-One/Barlow in the rear.

Comments?

I got the call from Sadoff yesterday to finalize my new disc gravel build. It's gonna be rad: steel, Enve gravel fork, 700x42 clearance, road-biased handling, low trail, third bottle mount, fender braze-ons, full housing for the RD, and top-tube guides for an externally routed dropper post. Yes, I decided to at least have the cable guides in place for a dropper. I was originally thinking rear rack mounts and top tube bag mounts, but nixed them for a cleaner look. I don't see myself throwing a rear rack on anytime soon. If so, there's always p-clamps even if they're not so elegant looking. I could see myself using a top tube bag occasionally . . . maybe. If so, I'd rather get one with straps so it could be switched between bikes. I also think I'd get annoyed at having a set of unused mounts staring at me while I'm riding. That's just me.

I'm going with Ultegra mechanical discs and have an RX800 RD. I still need to sort out the gearing. I've got a spare 50/34 road compact. The RX800 RD is rated for a 34T cog, but I've read of people running a 40T XT. That sounds really extreme. I'm thinking I'll get an 11-36 to use with my existing road compact; and if I later want lower gearing then getting a 48/32 subcompact.

[simplemind]

If you like the 700x38 sizing, I really like the Schwalbe G-ONE Allround. They are very supple and roll quite well. Have not used them in mud yet and for that I would think they're not the best choice, but that's why you also need a set of GK Muds or WTB Resolutes in your quiver.
I have spent a lot of time on WTB Resolutes in 650b. They are light, roll fast, and shed mud decently. If I don't know what the weather holds for the weekend, I grab these because they are so versatile and I can put fenders on my bike with 650b's.

[Spdntrxi]

June 8th now boys and girls...

May date was no good and the new date also happens to be no good for me.

[bigbill]

I don't know what the terrain will be like, but I'm a fan of 38mm Gravel Kings set up tubeless. Smooth rolling and reliable. I use a 36/46 6800 crankset with a long cage R8000 RD and a 11-32. The RD will take a 34 but I haven't been limited by the 32 yet.

[Lovetoclimb]

Couple of options not mentioned but good all around tires:

WTB Nano - 700 x 40 tubeless is one of my favorites and does not feel like it gives up much on pavement

Panaracer Gravel King (slick in 700 x 38) and (mild zest in 700 x 38 or 43)

Neither are so expensive as to make me think twice and I have personally had great reliability out of both. That being said I have seen enough WTB tubeless tires with sidewall weeping to caution people. Buy from a shop or site that will warranty them if it happens.

Also the Panaracers now come in colors!!! (https://www.panaracer.com/pickup/GravelKing-color.html)

[AngryScientist]

reading the guidance on the website:

The optimal bike choice in our opinion is going to be a CX bike with 38c or bigger tires, or a mountain bike hard tail.

Like any good, challenging gravel course, there is no single bike that will be best suited for the entire route. Bike strategy will be at play in the race. Some sections will benefit a mountain bike, while most will benefit a gravel bike. Rule of thumb: if your plan is to hammer and go as fast as possible, ride a gravel bike with 40c tires. If your plan is maximum fun, enjoy the ride and rally the downhills, pull out a fast and light mountain bike.

Badenough Canyon Road is being eliminated from the 2019 Course.


This course change will cause the event to favor cross bikes more so than the inaugural edition did. Mileage will slightly increase, but the course will get faster, and if conditions permit we'll be adding some elevation.

i'd go with these:

https://www.biketiresdirect.com/product/teravail-cannonball-700c-adventure-tire?v=700x38t&adl=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6JbC0JyZ4QIVyJCfCh0NxgCtEAQYASAB EgKuYvD_BwE

[Spdntrxi]

I don't know what the terrain will be like, but I'm a fan of 38mm Gravel Kings set up tubeless. Smooth rolling and reliable. I use a 36/46 6800 crankset with a long cage R8000 RD and a 11-32. The RD will take a 34 but I haven't been limited by the 32 yet.

when you say 34t, that means you have the longer version of the cage.. I have the Rx805 which is the clutched Di2 version also stated to take a 34... guess what it can take a 42.

[John H.]

I think Tahoe is too chunky for a Compass Tire.
700x40 WTB Nano is good, Maxxis Rambler and/or Ravager is also good.
Donnelley MSO has a nice and tough casing.

[jtbadge]

I've been running 6800 with an 11-36 cassette and 46/34 crank on my allroad bike, and the gearing is not quite low enough for fireroads in LA. I think going to a subcompact crank would do it, though, and I would prefer that greatly over an even wider cassette.

I will also echo recommendations for Nanos.

[scoobydrew]

I've gone through a couple of WTB Nano TCS (tubeless compatible version) on my bike and like them a lot. For me, the typical terrain are fireroads or trails with larger sized pebbles at times. Like others have mentioned, they roll relatively fast on pavement, but also wears down quick on pavement.