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In the beginning, the bike existed, but there were only a few tyre options: When the gravel bike slowly established itself in 2015, the few manufacturers mainly used cross tyres or mountain bike tyres. This may make sense for certain types of terrain, but not for a bike that needs to roll well on different surfaces. The German manufacturer Schwalbe (see interview) was an early adopter of this trend and now offers eight special gravel tyres alongside its cross tyres. After that, there was no stopping the market. Virtually all manufacturers now have dedicated gravel tyres in their range. In this article, we present two tyre models from each of seven different manufacturers - enough choice to make every gravel rider happy and suit their preferred terrain.
How important is the width of the gravel tyres?
The wider the tyre, the more grip it offers and the more comfortable the ride. A wider tyre also tends to have less rolling resistance. The additional weight due to the width of the tyre is negligible, but the handling of the bike becomes more sluggish. With a wide 45 mm tyre, you no longer have the same road bike feeling on the handlebars. However, if you opt for a significantly wider tyre, you have to make sure that there is enough space in the fork and rear triangle. It is therefore important to check this in advance.
Why is a knobbly tyre a gravel tyre?
The bike comes from a road bike, so it is logical that the weight of the tyre also plays a role. Tyres for 28-inch wheels with a width of 40 mm weigh between 380 and a good 500 grams. In comparison, the popular Schwalbe Marathon as a 28-inch tyre with a width of 37 mm weighs around 750 grams. It is understandable that the race-oriented gravel tyres are the lighter ones. This is achieved not only through high-tech, but also by using less material. However, this also means that the race tyres do not have the highest puncture protection or a particularly robust tread.
The compound, i.e. the rubber formulation, of each tyre type has to overcome several challenges today. On the one hand, it must offer good grip on tarmac and therefore have a certain softness. On the other hand, however, it should have low rolling resistance and run smoothly - this depends not only on the arrangement and shape of the lugs. The tyre should also not wear out too quickly and therefore last a long time. Tyre manufacturers now have these conflicting requirements well under control.
Carcass
Of course, other factors, such as the carcass, also influence the criteria mentioned. This fabric is responsible for keeping the tyre in shape and preventing it from bursting when inflated. Have you ever ridden a tyre for too long? The visible white threads are part of the carcass. The fineness of the threads influences how easily the tyre rolls. The denser the threads, the less the tyre flexes and the better it rolls. This is particularly important for road bike tyres. Simple road tyres normally only have around thirty TPI (threads per inch), while gravel tyres often have around 67 TPI and road tyres can even have twice as much thread fineness or more.
Different profiling
The smoother a tyre is, the easier it runs - even on uneven terrain. For this reason, racing gravel tyres often have a smooth or only slightly profiled tread. Manufacturers place blocks on the outer edges of the tread to ensure cornering safety on rough terrain. Generally speaking, the coarser and more angular these rubber blocks are, the better the tyre will hold corners on soft ground. If the surface is generally softer, the tyre also needs lugs in the centre. The larger the surface area of these lugs and the lower they are, the better the tyre runs on asphalt - but the worse off-road.
Tubeless tyres: Advantages and disadvantages
Tubeless tyres are currently very popular and for good reason: compared to tyres with inner tubes, they offer better smooth running and handling quality. In addition, tubeless tyres can be ridden with less pressure, which makes for a more comfortable ride. Many cyclists also swear by the fact that tubeless tyres are less prone to punctures.
However, there are three things that need to be taken into account: The use of tubeless sealant in the tyre ensures a tight seal. However, it can lead to a messy situation in the event of a puncture. If a tube has to be retracted, there's a chance you'll get more than just your hands dirty.
The second problem is that the sealing milk is not able to close a hole that is too large. In such cases, you can either insert a tube or carry out a repair with a rubber plug. These rubber plugs, also known as tyre sausages, are intended to seal the hole together with the sealant. Unfortunately, this type of repair is often not long-lasting.
But number two shows that tyre wear can be high under these conditions and high-quality gravel tyres are expensive. As a rule of thumb: Tubes are still the best choice for wide use and commuting, while sporty gravel riders can also be satisfied without a tube. Tubeless systems made of TPU or similar materials are an alternative. These are significantly lighter than conventional butyl tubes and reduce the flexing of the tyre, but they cost around three times as much as conventional tubes and are often difficult to repair permanently.
Interview with Jakob Maßen: "Gravel is a matter of interpretation"
TOUR: What distinguishes gravel tyres from classic trekking tyres?
Jakob Maßen: A gravel tyre has to master other challenges and is therefore much more complex. It has to be lighter and run smoothly despite its often coarser tread. The carcass is therefore more complex. Puncture protection is not achieved by using more rubber, as this would add too much weight; special puncture protection inserts are required. Depending on the area of use, a special tread pattern is also required that can cope with softer surfaces.
TOUR: And the difference to cross tyres?
Jakob Maßen: We have an official limit of 33 millimetres - in UCI races the tyre must not be wider. In addition, we usually have a coarser profile here. Smooth running on tarmac, on the other hand, plays a subordinate role.
TOUR: For which applications are gravel tyres available?
Jakob Maßen: Gravel is a matter of interpretation. A semi-slick tyre makes sense on well-developed forest and woodland paths, especially if a lot of road riding is involved. But our range also includes MTB-like trail tyres. With the Overland, we also have a robust and low-wear tyre in our range especially for bikepacking and commuting. There are now also tyres for gravel racing. Our G-One R, for example, has been given a road bike casing for this purpose, which makes it roll particularly smoothly and ensures low rolling resistance.
TOUR: Are there also differences in the rubber compound?
Jakob Maßen: Yes, tyre manufacturers are now able to reconcile the three requirements of abrasion, rolling resistance and grip quite well with the compound - everyone has their own secret recipe.
TOUR: Which tyres are suitable for most situations?
Jakob Maßen: Good compromises are tyres with a relatively dense tread, such as the G-One Allround and the G-One R. Such tyres are well suited for 50/50 road and forest trail use.
The gravel tyres at a glance
Continental Terra Trail
- Width: 40 mm
- Weight: 440 g/in 40 mm
- Puncture protection: Conti ProTection
- Price: 64,95 Euro >> available here
The Terra Trail is a popular classic among gravel tyres. It is specially designed for riding on gravel and forest ground and has integrated puncture protection.
Continental Terra Speed
- Width: 35-45 mm
- Weight: 455 g/in 40 mm
- Puncture protection: Conti ProTection
- Price: 64,95 Euro >> available here
The Trail's brother is a true all-rounder and masters almost all of his sibling's skills. But it has another advantage: it is even faster. However, its profile is somewhat more delicate and therefore not quite as durable.
Gravel tyres: Maxxis Rambler
- Width: 38, 40, 45, 50 mm
- Weight: 410-490 g/in 40 mm
- Puncture protection: EXO (side panel) or SilkShield (all-round)
- Price: 59,90 Euro >> available here
The Rambler is a tyre that offers good grip on asphalt thanks to its closely spaced centre lugs. When cornering on forest ground, the tyre handles particularly well with its coarse side lugs.
Maxxis Reaver
- Width: 40, 45, 50 mm
- Weight: 435 g/in 40 mm
- Puncture protection: EXO (side panel)
- Price: 59,90 Euro >> available here
The Reaver is ideal for tarmac roads and dry forest tracks, but less suitable for muddy conditions. With its speed, it is perfect for fast gravel adventures.
Michelin Power Adventure
- Width: 30, 36, 42, 48 mm
- Weight: 450 g/ (42 mm)
- Puncture protection: ShieldTechnology
- Price: 62,95 Euro >> available here
The all-rounder is ideal for adventures on firm terrain and tarmac. Commuters in particular can benefit from this versatile bike.
Michelin Power Gravel
- Width: 33, 35, 40, 47, 50 mm
- Weight: 490g/in 40 mm
- Puncture protection: ShieldTechnology
- Price: 59,95 Euro >> available here
Here, too, we have an all-round model that is particularly suitable for off-road terrain. The narrow mini lugs nevertheless ensure an easy run on firm paths.
Pirelli Cinturato Gravel RC
- Width: 35-622, 40-622, 45-622
- Weight: 460 g/in 40 mm
- Puncture protection: Techwall Gravel (side and tread)
- Price: 69,90 Euro >> available here
The manufacturer of the racing tyre promises easy straight-line stability and good grip in corners. However, the tyre could reach its limits in muddy conditions.
Pirelli Cinturato Gravel RC X
- Width: 700x35, 700x40
- Weight: 560 g/in 40 mm
- Puncture protection: Techwall Gravel X and bead-to-bead protection layer
- Price: 74,90 Euro >> available here
Pirelli recommends the use of the tyre with an enhanced bead-to-bead protection layer for demanding conditions. This tyre is specially designed for high speeds.
Schwalbe G-One RS
- Width: 35, 40, 45 mm
- Weight: 445 g/in 40 mm
- Puncture protection: V-Guard, Super Race
- Price: 74,90 Euro >> available here
The G-One RS offers the lowest rolling resistance of the Schwalbe Gravel tyre range and thick side lugs for cornering on soft terrain.
Schwalbe G-One Overland
- Width: 40, 45, 50 mm
- Weight: 515 g/in 40 mm
- Puncture protection: Super Ground carcass
- Price: 64,90 Euro >> available here
A versatile tyre that is suitable for both trekking and commuting and is convincing on asphalt and firm dirt roads.
WTB Nano TCS
- Width: 40 mm
- Weight: from 470 g/in 40 mm
- Puncture protection: SG2 and Race
- Price: 62.95 Euro (without puncture protection from 54.95) >> available here
WTB all-rounder: This tyre combines small, closely spaced lugs with strong side blocks to offer the best of both worlds.
WTB Vulpine TCS
- Width: 36 and 40 mm
- Weight: from 381 g/in 40 mm
- Puncture protection: SG2
- Price: 62.95 Euro (without puncture protection from 54.95) >> available here
The specially designed centre strip of the WTB tyre ensures optimum speed on asphalt and dry forest paths. Thanks to its fine tread pattern, no mud sticks to the tyre.
