Single speed/fixed gravel wheels

[tellyho]

I know that wide rims are fashionable and I own many. However, I'm not convinced they're necessary or make much of difference, aside from cosmetics or vertical clearance. In your case, I think you can mount up pretty much any reasonable width gravel tire on those rims just fine. For several years before the advent of wider rims, I ran 38s on Aksiums just fine on my CAADX.

[mcfarton]

Originally Posted by Pastashop

In 2021, I put well over 2,000 miles on a SS or fixed gear, riding dirt / gravel roads. Around here, a 40-50 mile ride nets about 2,000 ft of elevation gain, so running out of low or high was rare.

Tire- and wheel-wise, I ran everything from 26 mm to 42 mm, clinchers and tubulars, smooth and lightly knobby, on rims from 19mm external to 25 mm external, aluminum and gravel. (Yes, I have issues. Isn’t that why we’re here?) For me, 33-36 mm with light knobs was a nice sweet, but everything depends on the kind of terrain you ride and how often things get soupy / freshly graded. The same dirt roads on some days were lovely on a 26 mm clincher, and other days or season I kind of wished for more than a 36 mm tubular or 42 mm BSP.

My reco would be to get a sense of the widest tire your frame will fit with at least 4-6 mm of clearance on either side / top (“Very small rocks?..”), and just put those tires on your current wheelset. (Actual vs. labeled tire width will depend on the tire / rim combo, of course, but it’s not going to be off by more than 3 mm, IME.) Panaracer Gravel Kings, smooth or SK are a great place to start, and I run inner tubes, just because I’m used to that, and on numerous occasions I had to bail out my pals who ran tubeless that failed for one reason or another.

It took me a few rides initially to figure out the gearing and cadence, but invariably I landed between 70 and 76 gear inches (accounting for tire size), with cranks from 165 to 175 mm. I played around with that for fun. Occasionally I would have rides where I’d spin up to 220 rpm for half a minute on a couple of downhills, but it was mostly comfortable rpm and cruising at 15.5-17.5 mph average for the 40-50 mile dirt ride.

Finally, I would say that, if your terrain permits it, you may find it more enjoyable than regular multi-geared bikes. I do.

I will start with some 33-36 tires. I do still want a nicer wheel set. And it might come to that. I will rope a close friend to go with me on my first try and he knows the local gravel roads.


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[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by mcfarton

I will start with some 33-36 tires. I do still want a nicer wheel set. And it might come to that. I will rope a close friend to go with me on my first try and he knows the local gravel roads.


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Bitex fixed/free hubs laced to Velocity Quill using Sapim silver Race spokes-$540plus ship..

Made to order and you can pick the hub color.

https://www.bikehubstore.com/Bitex-TKR10-p/tkr10.htm

[thirdgenbird]

This thread has me thinking about building up a single speed. My frame has vertical dropouts, but maybe running a tensioner will be a pro. Easy wheel removal, automatic chain tensioning even with a gearing swap, and no readjusting brakes due to a wheel position change.

[mcfarton]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Bitex fixed/free hubs laced to Velocity Quill using Sapim silver Race spokes-$540plus ship..

Made to order and you can pick the hub color.

https://www.bikehubstore.com/Bitex-TKR10-p/tkr10.htm

I was waiting for you to post. I will keep this in mind.


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[mcfarton]

I think that I narrowed my tire search down. I think I will try the vittoria terreno dry g2.0 gravel tire.

Now I am confused on which one with my wheels. I am not setup tubeless. I don’t think that I can setup tubeless. Do I want the tnt model or the foldable? I know I don’t want the wire

None of my bikes are tubeless so this all kinda confuses me still.


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[Hilltopwalters]

In my view, single speed gravel is infinitely more fun than geared. It's just a bigger challenge over all and if you have to get off and run, well, that's fine because hiking is fun too. I did a ride in December 65miles/6000ft of climbing on a 46x20 and it was a dream. Certainly difficult on the climbs at times but you just ramp up as hard as you could and then coast and ride chill everywhere else. Ended up being my favorite ride of the year.

[RFC]

My gravel SS with 32mm tires. Perfect for the canal trails around here.

IMG_4512r by Robert Copple, on Flickr

IMG_0403r by Robert Copple, on Flickr

IMG_0414r by Robert Copple, on Flickr

[Pastashop]

Originally Posted by mcfarton

I think that I narrowed my tire search down. I think I will try the vittoria terreno dry g2.0 gravel tire.

Now I am confused on which one with my wheels. I am not setup tubeless. I don’t think that I can setup tubeless. Do I want the tnt model or the foldable? I know I don’t want the wire

None of my bikes are tubeless so this all kinda confuses me still.


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The 33 or the 38?.. Anyhow, I would go for the folding version, as it’ll be slightly lighter than a wire bead. The TPI count on that tire isn’t anything special, but it is a very decent tire, and the volume is high enough that it’ll feel fine enough.

I’m betting your current wheels use hooked rims, so less of a worry about the tire staying on, etc. For now, I wouldn’t bother with getting your wheels to run tubeless.

If anything, I’d get a couple of high quality inner tubes - maybe even latex inner tubes - along with those tires, and enjoy the smoother ride. If the tire is tubeless compatible (which almost all modern tires are), it’ll slow down the air leakage from the latex tube, and you might be able to go more than a couple of days without pumping them up.

Enjoy!

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by mcfarton

I think that I narrowed my tire search down. I think I will try the vittoria terreno dry g2.0 gravel tire.

Now I am confused on which one with my wheels. I am not setup tubeless. I don’t think that I can setup tubeless. Do I want the tnt model or the foldable? I know I don’t want the wire

None of my bikes are tubeless so this all kinda confuses me still.


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TNT is what allows you to choose tubes or tubeless.

[mcfarton]

Originally Posted by charliedid

TNT is what allows you to choose tubes or tubeless.

It says something about sidewall protection on their website. I would like the 38s. I want at least 35s. I guess I will call my lbs tomorrow when they open and start by asking what can I even get.


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[charliedid]

Originally Posted by mcfarton

It says something about sidewall protection on their website. I would like the 38s. I want at least 35s. I guess I will call my lbs tomorrow when they open and start by asking what can I even get.


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TNT = Tube no Tube

[mcfarton]

Originally Posted by charliedid

TNT = Tube no Tube

makes sense.


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[AngryScientist]

Before you buy anything, are you certain the rear spacing is 120? I dont know how old that frame is, but i it looks like a road frame, and that would not be common road spacing, right?

[mcfarton]

IMG_1596.jpg
I am not sure what is common


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