Best gravel tires| going fast and going far in 2024

Last updated: September 27, 2024

As the gravel scene grows so do tire options. In this article I provide a guide to make the selection process for gravel tires easy for you. I also give you a curated selection that I like for gravel biking and compile key specs for the best gravel tires all in one place.

I break up tires into Adventure, All around, and Race categories.

Adventure: These tires are for rough terrain and even occasional singletrack

All around: Your typical ride includes pavement mixed with dirt and gravel roads

Race: Finding the balance between weight, grip and speed. These are for setting your PR on race day.

Start with how and what you ride

Two primary factors you need to consider when selecting the right rubber setup:

Riding style - Are you training for your key race? Do you bring a light because your adventures may take you all day?

Terrain - Does your typical ride include mostly pavement with some unpaved sections, or do you head out to unknown terrain that may include rocks, mud, singletrack and anything in between? 

Key features of gravel tires

Tread Pattern - The tread pattern on gravel tires can vary significantly, with some almost completely slick (like the Panaracer GravelKing), to low-profile center strips with side knobs for efficiency while still providing some confidence off-road (ex. Schwalbe G One RS), all the way to a pattern that looks more like a mountain bike tire (enter the Maxxis Ravager). Our advice on tread patterns: Don’t assume that more slick equals faster. While that may be true on pavement, matching tread to your expected conditions makes all the difference. Riding a slick gravel tire at UNBOUND Gravel is like bringing a knife to a gunfight. 2024 men’s winner Lachlan Morton ran a 50mm Vittoria Terreno Dry up front with a 44mm Vittoria Mezcal (I run the XC Trail version on my mtb for f's sake!) in the rear.

Width - It’s not 2005, folks. Narrower does not equal faster. Experienced gravel riders continue to run wider tires with lower pressures. The 2024 UNBOUND Gravel women’s winner Rosa Klöser ran 45mm front and rear. Even then, she suffered a front puncture on a rock but overcame that to win an amazing nine-up sprint. Unless the majority of your rides are on pavement with only a rare gravel sector, then go with a minimum 38mm -- and that's only for smooth terrain. We recommend that most riders start at 40mm and go up to 45mm if you live somewhere with chunky roads or frequent mud.

Tire pressure and tubeless compatibility - As riders have gravitated toward wider tires, we’ve also seen a drop in the optimum tire pressure. This is even more so with tubeless setups. Understand that the sweet spot depends on rim width, tire width, terrain, and whether you are running tubeless. I recommend tubeless for anyone getting serious about their riding. Yes, it requires a little more maintenance and consideration, but it pays you back in comfort, control, and fewer flat tires. Assuming you are running tubeless, then a general rule of thumb for a 150-pound rider is 40psi for a 35mm tire, 36psi for 38mm, and 34psi for 42mm. Your optimum level will depend on your weight, wheel set and tire choice. I ran 40psi in my 40mm Panaracer GravelKing SS at the recent Grasshopper Ukiah Mendo Gravel Epic and I would have benefited from going wider and dropping a couple pounds of pressure. For Steamboat Roubaix I rocked a 40mm straight up GravelKing with 38psi because of the amount of pavement and knowing that the gravel was smooth. Even then I probably would have been better off going 42mm and losing a couple psi.

Rubber Compounds and Puncture Protection - Every tire manufacturer has a proprietary compound that claims to be supple, fast, and durable. You'll also see a lot of dual-compound tires. Typically this means there is a firmer rubber along the center for rolling fast and a softer rubber on the sides for hooking up. Don’t get lost in the details here. I recommend that you distinguish between a tire aiming to shave weight vs. something aiming to prevent flats. In most cases you want the latter, unless you can afford to pick up a new pair of tires for race day and don’t mind if you have to replace them before summer is over. I’ve been guilty of running the lightest Schwalbes on rough group-training rides only to be the guy on the side of the road hoping that my bacon strips come through for me. 

Bontrager Girona RSL gravel tire dual compound view

This illustration of the dual compound on the Bontrager Girona RSL GR shows the firmer rubber on the center strip and softer compound on the side knobs. (credit: Trek Bikes)

The full list

This table has my recommendations for each use case. 

UseTireMSRPSize / Width (mm)Weight (g)Max Pressure (psi)Threads Per InchCompound & Construction
AdventureSchwalbe G-One Ultrabite$62.79 40, 45, 50535, 610, 6256567Addix
AdventureMaxxis Ravager$70.00 40, 50485, 6866060SilkShield or EXO
AdventureVittoria Terreno Dry Gravel$47.99 35, 38707, 698 (yes they list their 35 as heavier)20Graphene-infused Nylon compound
AdventureDonnelly EMP$70.00 38,45484, 61860120
AdventureTeravail Rutland$78.00 35, 38, 42, 4735, 470, 540, 62080 (38mm) 70 (42mm)60Light and Supple and Durable options
All aroundSchwalbe G-One Allround$88.00 35, 40, 45420, 480, 5406567Addix
All aroundSchwalbe G-One Bite$79.95 40, 45480, 540, 5656567Addix
All aroundPanaracer Gravel King SK$59.99 32, 35, 38, 43, 50320, 380, 420, 490, 57060126ZSG Natural
All aroundMaxxis Rambler$70.00 38, 40, 45, 5060 TPI: 408, 478, 548, 649 120TPI: 376, 404, 490, 5926060 (more durable) / 120 (lighter)Dual compound
All aroundTeravail Washburn$63.00 38,42,47700g80 (38mm) 70 (42mm)60Light and Supple and Durable options
All aroundWTB Riddler$65.95 37,45465, 5605560Dual DNA
RaceSchwalbe G-One R$88.00 35, 40, 45445, 480, 5206567Addix Race
RaceSchwalbe G-One RS$88.00 35, 40, 45410, 445, 5056567Addix Race
RacePanaracer Gravel King SS$64.99 38, 30, 35, 40, 45310, 320, 380, 410, 48060126ZSG Gravel Compound
RaceBontrager Girona RSL$69.99 35, 38, 42420, 450 ,48050220Dual compound
RaceMaxxis Reaver$63.00 40, 45431, 49060120Dual compound

Our recommendations

The table below gives you specs on tires that we think represent some of the best options across the categories of Adventure, All Around, and Race. Because sometimes in a sea of options it is best to have someone decide for you, we are picking out one tire in each category to ease your anxiety and set you up to have your best days in the saddle. 

Best gravel tires for adventure:

You have multiple bags on your bike, lights, and enough water to cross the Sahara. Okay, maybe we're overstating, but if your goal is to explore places that simply can’t be seen with a car then we’re recommending the Maxxis Ravager. Aggressive tread, widths of 40 and 50mm, and the 60TPI dual compound with Exo Protection make this a great choice for romping over any terrain. The cut- and abrasion-resistant material added to the sidewalls is crucial for really rocky roads. The 40mm weighs in at 529g, which we find impressive for such a burly set of rubber. 

Maxxis Ravanger front view
Maxxis EXO Protection

An extra layer on the sidewall to guard against rocks.

Maxxis Ravager

  • Tubeless Ready
  • Available widths: 40mm , 50mm
  • Weight 529g (40mm EXO), 686g (50mm EXO)

Best all around gravel tire:

For rides that always give preference to gravel roads but accept that accessing them requires paved connectors, you can’t beat the Panaracer GravelKing SK. This tire rolls fast while still offering both center and side knobs. I've put hundreds of miles on this tire across pavement, smooth northwestern Colorado gravel, and chunkier dirt roads in Boulder and will keep going back to it. 

Panaracer GravelKing SK Tread
GravelKing SK construction pic.

Panaracer GravelKing SK

  • Tubeless Ready
  • Widths from 26-50mm
  • Weight 480g (40mm) 

Best gravel tire for racing

Whether your legs need to be as slick as your tire is up to you, but you’re building your season around some key events with the intent of putting down your best time. If this resonates then we recommend the all-new Bontrager Girona RSL GR. OEM brands may not be the first to come to mind when upgrading your treads, but I've had really good experience with Bontrager tires. My Trek Checkpoint SLR7 came with the Bontrager GR1. I found them to be supple and fast to the point where it was the only tire I rode for the first year on the bike. Trek claims the Girona RSL GR has a whopping 10% reduction in rolling resistance than the GR1! Torbjorn “Toby” Andre Røed won the 2024 Mid South gravel race on these, so they are proven winners. As I’ve talked about, you need to consider the terrain you’re racing on. If race day terrain is going to be really rough then you may want to go with something more aggressive, even if it isn’t marketed strictly as a race tire. For rolling fast on smooth to moderately rough gravel courses you won’t find a faster tire than the Girona RSL GR.
Bontrager Girona RSL GR gravel tire tread.
Bontrager Girona RSL GR gravel tire construction detail
Bontrager Girona RSL GR
  • Tubeless ready
  • Available widths: 35mm , 38mm, 42mm
  • Weight: 420g, 450g, 480g

Wrap up

It's great to have options, but I find the sheer number of gravel tires on the market overwhelming. Focusing on how you ride and what you want from your tire gives you a starting place to shop. I hope collecting some of my favorites in one place makes it easy for you to pick the next pair you take out, whether you are looking to go fast or go far - or both. You can't go wrong with any of the options covered here, so try something new and have fun!

Looking for more gravel gear? Check out our review of the Garmin Edge 840 cycling computer after using it for training and racing:
https://outdoorcrunch.com/garmin-edge-840/

About the Author Chris T.


Favorite Activities: All things bike (gravel, mtb, road, triathlon), Running, Telemark Skiing, Snowboarding, Hiking, Camping

Home mountain: Steamboat
Day job: Technology leader

Chris has an undergrad in computer information systems and an M.B.A. to help him in his quest to ski at least 90 days per year. He lives with his family in the mountains of Colorado.