Racing the Panaracer GravelKing at the 2024 Steamboat Roubaix
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.
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.
| Use | Tire | MSRP | Size / Width (mm) | Weight (g) | Max Pressure (psi) | Threads Per Inch | Compound & Construction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adventure | Schwalbe G-One Ultrabite | $62.79 | 40, 45, 50 | 535, 610, 625 | 65 | 67 | Addix |
| Adventure | Maxxis Ravager | $70.00 | 40, 50 | 485, 686 | 60 | 60 | SilkShield or EXO |
| Adventure | Vittoria Terreno Dry Gravel | $47.99 | 35, 38 | 707, 698 (yes they list their 35 as heavier) | 20 | Graphene-infused Nylon compound | |
| Adventure | Donnelly EMP | $70.00 | 38,45 | 484, 618 | 60 | 120 | |
| Adventure | Teravail Rutland | $78.00 | 35, 38, 42, 47 | 35, 470, 540, 620 | 80 (38mm) 70 (42mm) | 60 | Light and Supple and Durable options |
| All around | Schwalbe G-One Allround | $88.00 | 35, 40, 45 | 420, 480, 540 | 65 | 67 | Addix |
| All around | Schwalbe G-One Bite | $79.95 | 40, 45 | 480, 540, 565 | 65 | 67 | Addix |
| All around | Panaracer Gravel King SK | $59.99 | 32, 35, 38, 43, 50 | 320, 380, 420, 490, 570 | 60 | 126 | ZSG Natural |
| All around | Maxxis Rambler | $70.00 | 38, 40, 45, 50 | 60 TPI: 408, 478, 548, 649 120TPI: 376, 404, 490, 592 | 60 | 60 (more durable) / 120 (lighter) | Dual compound |
| All around | Teravail Washburn | $63.00 | 38,42,47 | 700g | 80 (38mm) 70 (42mm) | 60 | Light and Supple and Durable options |
| All around | WTB Riddler | $65.95 | 37,45 | 465, 560 | 55 | 60 | Dual DNA |
| Race | Schwalbe G-One R | $88.00 | 35, 40, 45 | 445, 480, 520 | 65 | 67 | Addix Race |
| Race | Schwalbe G-One RS | $88.00 | 35, 40, 45 | 410, 445, 505 | 65 | 67 | Addix Race |
| Race | Panaracer Gravel King SS | $64.99 | 38, 30, 35, 40, 45 | 310, 320, 380, 410, 480 | 60 | 126 | ZSG Gravel Compound |
| Race | Bontrager Girona RSL | $69.99 | 35, 38, 42 | 420, 450 ,480 | 50 | 220 | Dual compound |
| Race | Maxxis Reaver | $63.00 | 40, 45 | 431, 490 | 60 | 120 | Dual 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.
An extra layer on the sidewall to guard against rocks.
Maxxis Ravager
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
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.
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/
