Hey gravel experts- rim/tire question for you. I'm a little stuck with choice paralysis.
I have always used my cyclocross bike to ride on gravel, planning to do the same this year. However, I need new tires. Wondering if this is a good time to up my tire game. I'm running tubed on my OEM Roval 700×21 mm (external) rims. Ran 40mm tires in the past with good luck. Only issue I noticed is the "lightbulb" shape my 40's would get when riding (usually around 28 psi)
I'm frugal…cheap? But with some hero gravel events coming up- I know the importance of some fast rolling and relatively strong tires.
Which route would you go?
1- keep the old rims tubed and buy 38mm tires?
2- Tubeless? Bike shop confirmed they are capable of going tubeless
3- switch to TPU tubes (Rene Cycles swears they are lighter than tubeless)
Also, any recommendations for tires considering the smaller rim width? Clearance is not an issue.(Thanks Canti brakes).
Thanks in advance
by BlandyBerg
3 Comments
Rule of thumb: the fattest most supple tire that can fit will be the best for you.
Fat tires are only slow when rock hard. A souple 2.2″ will roll just as well as a hard 25c.
I forgot to mention options 4 and 5:
4: try and find a higher quality/wider rim gravel wheelset on Facebook marketplace or pink bike. I’ve had success with wheelsets since The stock sizing is a bit outdated.
5: buy a new gravel bike off bikesdirect- but…. I’m too cheap. You know it’s frugal when that’s my go-to bike dealer!
I have a set of 19mm internal wheels that I converted to tubeless with Gorilla Tape. I’ve run thousands of miles on 38, 40 and 42c tires. The 42s were probably a bit on the edge but they worked.
FWIW I got some wider wheels for my main gravel rig and the difference in ride quality is noticeable.