I switched from Conti GP4S 700x28c to Conti GP4S 700x32c last winter and I haven't looked back since. So much comfort and I really like how they look on the bike.
He also a former professional racing cyclist, who took over 90 UCI victories, four USA Cyclocross national championships, and the 2015 Pan American Championship during his career.
I know this is late, but back in the 90’s my old Gitane cyclocross bike only had clearance for griffo tubulars and Michelin cross clinchers at 700x28, pumped with a fear of pinch flats. Only my chiropractor knows the toll that took on my body. I recently pulled the bike back out and fitted a pair of 47(?) mm Continental Speed rides with a new fork. Holy Hanna Barberra! Jeremy was dead on about the smile on my face running full speed over rocky terrain! Thanks!
Also, those Continental GP5000 tires are amazing. I have an endurance bike with these tires in 32c. Definitely usable on 1.0 gravel even for an amateur like me.
I run 25c GP5000 on Gravel 1.0 😀 Wish my current road bike could fit larger tires though (25c is already a squeeze). Will probably want the next bike to support up to 35c.
I stick with slick 40 mm tires all the time, gives me comfort on crappy roads and can tackle trails and soft single tracks. Did bikepacking with my Maxxis Refuse 40mm and they served me well when the rail trail turned into a sand pit, then forest road, then nice smooth roads.
Ive found it depends as much on distance as it does on terrain. Terrain that feels fine on a 40mm tire at 35 miles may not feel so fine at 80 miles as fatigue sets in and it becomes harder to take those hits. On the big rides Ive been experimenting with 700x50s and the results have been eye opening.
It's about the sweet spot, which is different for everyone. On a tour, a 40 mm tire may be less stressful on the body, especially hands and wrists, due to less vibration. Even having upped to 32 mm CX tires from 28 mm road tires, I was in better shape all round after a long cycle. My next target is 40 mm.
Jeremy is obviously a natural in front of the camera. He also combines technical and presentation skills. His passion for the sport is palpable. And he sounds credible when he makes a comment or recommendation. No doubt the other GCN presenters will elevate their game.
That's what I run. I am 160lbs and keep pressure at about 40 rear, 35 front and really like the set up. Am now thinking about adding 700c wheels with 32 or 35mm tires for more speed when it a combo of tarmac and easy gravel to keep up with the guys. Would run something like the 32 mm shown in the video
Brought to you by Conti (TM). Fo real thoug, IMO 40s are perfect in my opinion - can handle nearly everything beside super rocky singletrack, and still light enough not to be super slow on pavement like a mtb style tire would be. Perfect for rides I do where I may do everything from pavement to mild singletrack in one go.
Love the Conti Speed Rides. Been on the same pair for more than two years and around 5,000 miles of mixed pavement, chipseal and gravel. Occasionally I'll try another tire for a few weeks but keep returning to the Speed Rides.
Jeez, Jeremy wasn't lying in his presenter video when he said he's one of those people with too much energy, it keeps you engaged. Great addition to the team!
I built a gravel bike this winter using an "open mold" GR029 framset. Tire choices fell between the Continental Cyclocross 35C tire and the 42C Speed Ride. I chose to go with the SppedRide's and am VERY happy with them. I ride everything from Paved Roads to Gravel 4.0 on these tires and love them on EVERY surface. I tend to run them with higher pressures (60PSI) and they roll well on pavement while doing a great job when the gravel gets loose. SpeedRides highly recommended and I can't believe I've not had a gravel bike before this. Very happy with this bike and these tires.
Thanks a lot, definitely what I was looking for. Just ordered a pair of Panaracer Gravelking SK+ 700/43c for my gravel race in October, following your advice (95% of gravel and no idea about the terrain)
Trying a lot of Gravel tires and for myself I made choice Specialized Pathfinder Pro 700x42c. This tires have the best rolling, smooth on gravel terrain.
I'm surprised you didn't even really touch on different treads and how they work on differing terrain. Could you please cover that in another video? I've been wanting to get gravel tires for my steel touring road bike, and while size is a no brainer (as large as can be fit), tread is. Especially when you're looking at less than ideal traction.
Same here..i have wtb resolute 650b 42 ans while absolutely brilliant on everything that Indian roads can throw at it and even off road stuff, it's sluggish when the roads become smooth and nice. Knobby treads if you ride is more than 60-70% is on unpaved roads, else go for semi slicks like Panaracer gravelkings or wtb byway
it depends - If you're touring, I'd guess smooth or semi-slick. Running a big slick tubeless with corresponding low pressure (30-40 psi) is plenty of grip if you're not rocketing around corners. If you've got luggage, more weight -> more traction. Knobs can only add grip on things like mud, dirt, and grass. If it's dry, even if your tire is glued to those rocks, its the rocks moving on each other that gets you loose. On the other hand, traction on the wet is going to cost you energy on the road. Panaracer's gravelking SS+ is the closest to a one-size-fits-all that I know of for touring.
Great video! For us mere mortals that only have one wheel set and also throw in commutes on paved I am running the Specialized Pathfinder Pro 38 with a heavy centre bead for fast rolling (and higher pressure on paved work days) and a progressively aggressive tread to the sidewall for grip on corners with lower pressure off road. A side note - the shop I work at only had one pro when I purchased so I grabbed a Pathfinder Sport for $30 and it has been great as a rear tire and easy on the budget vs $80 for the pro.
I have been watching cycling related videos on youtube for more than ten years. THis was the best presentation I have ever seen, you master the jargon, you are full of passion and you share experience. GCN can never fire you after this! Unless there is some hashtag metoo thing going on
Great presentation ! Another consideration is rim width and how the actual tires measure out when mounted. For example, on my Bontrager Aeolus Pro 3s with a 38c Schwalbe, the tire actually equivalent to a 41.1c inflated. My Scott Addict Gravel can fit up to a 40c. This combination works up front, but rubs on the rear. Conversely, a 37c WTB gravel tire has room to spare. Probably not as big of a deal on newer rigs.
Great video Jeremy and super useful! The thing is, in Mexico City, we ride a very mixed type of terrain. we start in the city in pavement, same as our road rides and then we enter a 4.0/5.0 to then cross some 2.0/3.0's then some 5.0/6.0's to get to the gravel 1.0/2.0's... The MTB and XC people just look us pass by in estrangement and I believe more and more with a little bit of envy haha... many MTB's are asking questions and wanting to learn more. As roadies we go fast on climbs with our gravel/cx bikes and then we end up going down in the same single-tracks as MTB's. It's super fun. Hope you come to Mexico soon and have a go! Cheers.
just returned from a ride with a group that included a lot of 5.0 . Everybody brought mountain bikes, i brought my gravel (wtb nano). It was extremely tough.
This video is spot on. I mostly ride terrain 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 on my specialized diverge. I ride with a 34c gravel tire up front at 50 psi and a 32c cyclocross tire in the rear at 60 psi. I ride 3 to 4 times a week and maybe flat once a month if I really miss the line while riding too fast. If you really know your trails and have good tires at the proper pressure you can ride a lot harder than you think.
I like my bikes like my face - symmetric :D But yeah, the Grevil looks somehow nice. I mean it looks pretty nice. And I want one, too. I think I need a Grevil :D
What a show. NAILED IT. It's your natural passion and enthusiasm that makes JPow so awesome. People want to buy on on that alone. Before JPow, I was a roadie thru and thru, now! Building up my first pure gravel bike (some where between a 2.0 & 3.0). Your influence is working...
@@rebellis13 As I said - up to Gravel 2.0 according to Jeremy's scale - 90% of my rides is tarmac, dirt roads and light gravel. But yes, roots happen sometimes and it's not a nicest thing to ride through it with 28c at 6 bars. But thanks to those 6 bars I haven't seen flat since march 2017 :)
I had some smoothish 95-psi kevlar-reinforced tires on my old chromoly triathlon frame that could handle pretty much anything other than loose sand, really large gravel or swamp. Any tire that can handle the roads four hours north of Toronto can handle the trails next to them. Fewer potholes and broken beer bottles on the trails.
Finally! A presenter for us gravel/CX riders to give us info that we need and embrace the fun of dirt. Hope to see more brands with gravel bikes (Trek, Niner, Salsa, etc). Glad to see him here! I've got 37c WTB Riddler on my Marin Gestalt X10 and descend tech trails. So...How Hard Can Jeremy Shred?
Brilliant video...brilliant presenting! Have to say though whoever was filming hats off to you! Going over the same terrain and a shot steady as a rock....or gravel.....
Great video! Here in the backwoods of WV you literally never know what a hollow/paved road might turn into. To keep the fun going its always a smart idea to over-tire unless you plan out every mile of your ride. Keep it a fast rolling tread so it isn’t a pig on the paved stretches 🤙
I've been using 700x42's. With just changing the patern, between smoth (Maxxis Roamer @ ~60-80psi inner tube) for road and X.1 to treaded (Continental CrossRidee @ ~45-75psi tubeless) for X.2 and beyond. Thinking on getting those Conti SpeedRide in 42 and a more road oriented tire in 32. Thanks for the (very) enthusiastic review.
Gravel 2-3, Gravelking 38c tubeless. Fine file tread, more or less a slick. Run on Mavic All Road Pro. Easy to fit, great ride. Gravelking+ has more puncture resistance Gravelking SK is small-knob tread. Then there's SK+ = small knob trhead with more puncture-resistance.
Nice to see tires that were available long before gravel madness started (I mean Cyclocross Speed/Speedride), which therefore are not marketed as "special gravel tires" for insane quadruple price.
I run Continental GP4000 25mm on the road which are good fun, then Panaracer Gravel King 38c on I guess '2.0', WTB Riddler 37 on '3.0' and 650b WTB Sendero 47c on anything else, plenty of confidence with those tyres!
I weigh 153lbs, I have had great overall success with Clement tubeless tubbies PDX & LAS. They can handle a whole range of terrain by adjusting the pressure. Amazing tires!
What an addition to the team JPow is, as a roadie who uses a gravel/Cyclo-cross bike without yet using the bike to it's full potential this video has been so informative for me, just another wheelset & big tyres away from taking my steed where it belongs...cheers GCN 👌🏻
Loving JPow. Loving my gravel bike, but quote of the day at 5:12, "if you are just going to go mountain biking, best to stick with your mountain bike."
Awesome video! I love, love, love my Conti Speedrides. I Commute on them during the week and get out along the river tracks on the weekend. They are fantastic on hard pack, but if you are dealing with sloppy terrain, you find their limits pretty quick.
Dropper post on a cross bike is also helpful in the bumpies you showed yourself riding in because a dropped seat is much better when standing for riding over uneven parts than jamming your arse with a high seatpost.
For Me at this point, it's between the Schwalbe G-One Speed (very expensive), the Panaracer Gravel King Slicks (somewhat less ridiculously expensive) and other equally slick gravel tyres. But that's because I like speed and don't like fire roads and gravel very much. I venture onto gravel from time to time, but much prefer the tarmac.
J Pows is phenomenal on camera. Nice of you to add a Yank to the team (we Yanks love him!) I love that he name dropped Anthony Clark too!!! Siiiiiiiiickkkkk!!! Great video.
Love the video as it pretty much fits in with what I found with my low to mid range boardman cx team (£800 now clearing at £500). Came with cheap Schwalbe 35c Rabid Robs, I swapped for 35c Sammy slicks (much better control and rolling), am now on the 40c (42) Smart Sam+ which are great on UK roads, park grass, warn out tarmac, tarmac, light gravel, sloppy muddy gravel, hard mud paths etc. Tread patterns on modern big tyres make them roll well enough and I never have to worry about whats up next. I run 50psi (I'm 93kg), the points people make about getting a mountain bike are all fair, but I've only got one bike and 40c seems to be the go anywhere I need with more than 1 hand position.
I use 650b x 40 Teravail Cannonballs (run tubeless) on my “all road” bike. Fast enough on the road to get to the trails, and smokin’ fast on my local XC mountain bike trails.
Great info, I'm searching for an all-arounder for my wife who isn't big into cycling. So instead of multiple bikes I intend to get her 1 bike with a couple wheelsets and tire selections
Great idea. Keep in mind to run even lower pressures if she is weighing less than in those examples. 10 % less weight (rider + bike) ---> ~10 % lower pressure.
I really like this video, and I believe it really is worth building upon. I love the video, love the format, and I really hope to see more content like this from this channel! It's clear Jeremy (GCN) is sponsored or has a relationship w/ Continental, and don't get me wrong, but there are tons of options out there that work just as well if not better. The used the Conti Speed Ride for quite a while and its still seeing use on my wife's bike, and I highly recommend it for a high volume Gravel 1.0 to 3.0. It's a light tire with a file pattern that rolls extremely well, and very compliant. However, unless they have new version w/ a better casting don't even attempt to do tubeless, it just will not work! I have experience with the Conti 5000s, but I really suggest for gravel to spend the extra money and get the TL (tubeless). These are serious one of the best if not the best all-road/road tubeless tire on the market, and they make them in 32c so those of you with bikes like the Cervelo C3's or Domane's and want to push tire volume, these absolutely should be considered! Something that steps it up a notch over the Conti 500s and gives you a little more off road chops is the Clement/Donnely X'Plor SDG or USH in 700x32 or 35c if your have the clearance. I've had great success getting even the non-tubeless version to reliably set up tubeless. However, the crown for the do-it-all tire 1.0 to 5.0 in my honest opinion is the Clement/Donnely X'Plor MSO in 40 or bigger if you have the clearance. I've had the normal non-tubeless version 40c set up tubeless for over 3yrs and thousands of miles without a puncture or leak that wasn't tape related. The dual compound hard-center rolls along fast and smooth on tarmac, and exceptional grip off road for a gravel tire. It was my go-to tire for a 350mi charity ride and all the training leading up to it......three years in a row on the same set of tires, and I'm still using them now! I cannot recommend them enough! There is also loads of evidence on the internet with reviews of these tires!
@@davidbristow7504 I suspect the video was sponsored in part by Zipp and Continental. But the information translates well to basically any tire, Continental gets some advertising, and we get a video. Fine by me!
This was informative, thanks. I use schwalbe sv17 inner tubes. They fit tires from 28 to 47 mm wide. Spare tube is sv18. It has same size range, but as it's thinner rubber, it takes less room in saddle bag.. I don't know if there are other inner tubes like that.. It's just that these I like most from what are available in local supermarket here..
The Conti, and tires like it with a subtle tread pattern are great on seal and off road on terrain that is pretty clean and dry. For terrain that is muddy, sandy or loose, you will be better off with a chunkier tread. There are dozens of choices. Do some research to narrow the list. . My current favorite is the WTB Nano.
For me the best option is always fast rolling in the middle with soft grippy knobs down the sides. Gives you enough grip in soft terrain and doesn't disappoint on pavement.
As others have said the looser the surface the knobblier the tread, with wet mud requiring the most aggressive of tread patterns. Also worth noting that tread pattern has a much greater effect on rolling resistance than tyre width or volume, so save the knobby tyres for when you need them.
Jeremy, that muddy track where you were describing it as a mountain bike trail-we would have just gone straight through that mud and water on our gravel bikes.....maybe because in the UK in winter which it is now mud is pretty much all we have..... I am running 700c x 43mm Rock and Roads currently or 32mm Vittoria Pro’s on tarmac.
I always choose the tires that are on the bike to ride. Not everyone has three wheel sets lying around. I for one only have 2 set :) One setup with studded tires and one w/35 mm tires
I have no interest in gravel riding. I'm either full roady or full mtb. Also nice to see Jeremy coming along as a presenter. He was a bit over the top on his first video. This was a very enjoyable and informative video with great delivery.
this video comes in the best timming ever ... great stuff but yet again there is a debate rolling around, 700 35 C or 650 42 B ... then... what is diferent in the bead for the letter change from A to B to C ... size matters? 700 over 650 or is 650 over 700 ... and how can I know if my frame and gears 105 on 700 would be better on 650 in the same 105 gears.
I like the idea of multiple tire sets for the kind of terrain you are going to be riding, but most of us just want to get on the bike and go. I am guessing Jeremy would recommend the biggest tires you can fit on your gravel frame. Which leads us directly to 700 vs 650.
What tyres are your go-to?
36-38c for gravel. id go larger if my frame had more clearance. for some brands, 36 and 38 are about the same width
my bike came with the same Conti Speed Ride 42 mm featured in this video
I ride 700x45 tubeless. Love em.
I switched from Conti GP4S 700x28c to Conti GP4S 700x32c last winter and I haven't looked back since. So much comfort and I really like how they look on the bike.
Unrelated topic, but could you do a video on what are the best available options for carrying toddlers on the bike, please/ Cheers
This guy is a born presenter, he's got all the subject knowledge and is a terrific communicator
I'm sure he was a highly successful used car sales dealer before he joined this team. :D))))
I can't fault him for the accent, but I'm no fan of æmæricæn "English". And that's to put it rather mildly.
He also a former professional racing cyclist, who took over 90 UCI victories, four USA Cyclocross national championships, and the 2015 Pan American Championship during his career.
@@LeoInterHyenaem you mean original English? Because that's what English sounds like before Brits changed accent.
I enjoy j-pow videos too.
What Mathieu Norry said!
I’ve been searching high and low for this information. Very well explained, no one else has put it together like this. Well done Jeremy and GCN.
35-38 semislick is ideal combination for road-gravel (light offroad). And most of us do that ride.
On plus side, they are great for commuting.
superb addition to the gcn team. every vid so far is very watchable and informative
I know this is late, but back in the 90’s my old Gitane cyclocross bike only had clearance for griffo tubulars and Michelin cross clinchers at 700x28, pumped with a fear of pinch flats. Only my chiropractor knows the toll that took on my body. I recently pulled the bike back out and fitted a pair of 47(?) mm Continental Speed rides with a new fork. Holy Hanna Barberra! Jeremy was dead on about the smile on my face running full speed over rocky terrain! Thanks!
Also, those Continental GP5000 tires are amazing. I have an endurance bike with these tires in 32c. Definitely usable on 1.0 gravel even for an amateur like me.
I run 25c GP5000 on Gravel 1.0 😀
Wish my current road bike could fit larger tires though (25c is already a squeeze). Will probably want the next bike to support up to 35c.
38C Gravelking, awesome tire...
@B2theM 1 I ride mostly road 80%, that is why I went for them. They are basically slick and fast rolling. Not Conti 28mm fast but not sluggish at all.
@B2theM 1 none, the basic version called just gravelking. Recently I was thinking of buying SS for more offroading.
From xc planning to try gravel. Thanks for this info!
I stick with slick 40 mm tires all the time, gives me comfort on crappy roads and can tackle trails and soft single tracks. Did bikepacking with my Maxxis Refuse 40mm and they served me well when the rail trail turned into a sand pit, then forest road, then nice smooth roads.
Ive found it depends as much on distance as it does on terrain. Terrain that feels fine on a 40mm tire at 35 miles may not feel so fine at 80 miles as fatigue sets in and it becomes harder to take those hits. On the big rides Ive been experimenting with 700x50s and the results have been eye opening.
Just curious, what bike are you running that has that kind of clearance? Any issues with toe overlap?
It's about the sweet spot, which is different for everyone. On a tour, a 40 mm tire may be less stressful on the body, especially hands and wrists, due to less vibration. Even having upped to 32 mm CX tires from 28 mm road tires, I was in better shape all round after a long cycle. My next target is 40 mm.
Rene Herse Bon Jon Pass 700cx35 - incredible ride, like you're on a cushion of air. Run 'em tubeless.
I am riding 32mm conti gp 5000 and it’s holding up great!
How was it? Do you ride in light gravel?
Great video, I run 700C 32 on the same Pinarello, smooth on light gravel fast on the road....
I could feel that JPow was almost channeling Sir Mix-a-lot with "I like big tires and I cannot lie"
Marcello Prattico, YES! I was thinking the exact same thing!😆
Go big or go home. 👍🏼
Big tires do look cool, though, don't they. One of these days I'm going to get me one of those fat bikes. 😍
Jeremy is obviously a natural in front of the camera. He also combines technical and presentation skills. His passion for the sport is palpable. And he sounds credible when he makes a comment or recommendation. No doubt the other GCN presenters will elevate their game.
650x47 WTB Byway, 40psi, tubeless. This has been the ideal set up for me on my gravel bike that I ride on everything from pavement to single track!
That's what I run. I am 160lbs and keep pressure at about 40 rear, 35 front and really like the set up. Am now thinking about adding 700c wheels with 32 or 35mm tires for more speed when it a combo of tarmac and easy gravel to keep up with the guys. Would run something like the 32 mm shown in the video
How about the tread pattern? Can you expand on that?
Brought to you by Conti (TM). Fo real thoug, IMO 40s are perfect in my opinion - can handle nearly everything beside super rocky singletrack, and still light enough not to be super slow on pavement like a mtb style tire would be. Perfect for rides I do where I may do everything from pavement to mild singletrack in one go.
Love the Conti Speed Rides. Been on the same pair for more than two years and around 5,000 miles of mixed pavement, chipseal and gravel. Occasionally I'll try another tire for a few weeks but keep returning to the Speed Rides.
Makes me want to get a gravel bike quite badly :D
Awesome video!
Jeez, Jeremy wasn't lying in his presenter video when he said he's one of those people with too much energy, it keeps you engaged. Great addition to the team!
I love the addition of the chart. Makes all of the explanations clearer.
I like this guy. He’s my new favourite on GCN. He could be the worlds best bicycle salesman. 😁
I love the energy of this guy! A bit hard to follow sometimes, but nice work bringing some 'America' to GCN! Cheers
I built a gravel bike this winter using an "open mold" GR029 framset. Tire choices fell between the Continental Cyclocross 35C tire and the 42C Speed Ride. I chose to go with the SppedRide's and am VERY happy with them. I ride everything from Paved Roads to Gravel 4.0 on these tires and love them on EVERY surface. I tend to run them with higher pressures (60PSI) and they roll well on pavement while doing a great job when the gravel gets loose. SpeedRides highly recommended and I can't believe I've not had a gravel bike before this. Very happy with this bike and these tires.
Thanks a lot, definitely what I was looking for. Just ordered a pair of Panaracer Gravelking SK+ 700/43c for my gravel race in October, following your advice (95% of gravel and no idea about the terrain)
My tire choice is Vittoria terrano. All three types are great.
Next best tire is panaracer gravel King
Trying a lot of Gravel tires and for myself I made choice Specialized Pathfinder Pro 700x42c. This tires have the best rolling, smooth on gravel terrain.
I'm surprised you didn't even really touch on different treads and how they work on differing terrain. Could you please cover that in another video? I've been wanting to get gravel tires for my steel touring road bike, and while size is a no brainer (as large as can be fit), tread is. Especially when you're looking at less than ideal traction.
Same here..i have wtb resolute 650b 42 ans while absolutely brilliant on everything that Indian roads can throw at it and even off road stuff, it's sluggish when the roads become smooth and nice. Knobby treads if you ride is more than 60-70% is on unpaved roads, else go for semi slicks like Panaracer gravelkings or wtb byway
search for a video titled "How to choose the right tread" not "How To Choose The Right Tyre Size For Gravel"
it depends - If you're touring, I'd guess smooth or semi-slick. Running a big slick tubeless with corresponding low pressure (30-40 psi) is plenty of grip if you're not rocketing around corners. If you've got luggage, more weight -> more traction. Knobs can only add grip on things like mud, dirt, and grass. If it's dry, even if your tire is glued to those rocks, its the rocks moving on each other that gets you loose. On the other hand, traction on the wet is going to cost you energy on the road. Panaracer's gravelking SS+ is the closest to a one-size-fits-all that I know of for touring.
Great video! For us mere mortals that only have one wheel set and also throw in commutes on paved I am running the Specialized Pathfinder Pro 38 with a heavy centre bead for fast rolling (and higher pressure on paved work days) and a progressively aggressive tread to the sidewall for grip on corners with lower pressure off road. A side note - the shop I work at only had one pro when I purchased so I grabbed a Pathfinder Sport for $30 and it has been great as a rear tire and easy on the budget vs $80 for the pro.
I have been watching cycling related videos on youtube for more than ten years. THis was the best presentation I have ever seen, you master the jargon, you are full of passion and you share experience. GCN can never fire you after this! Unless there is some hashtag metoo thing going on
Great video .We've just bought road bikes and found that some of the roads/paths have gravel so needed advice on tyres. This is a great help
Great presentation ! Another consideration is rim width and how the actual tires measure out when mounted. For example, on my Bontrager Aeolus Pro 3s with a 38c Schwalbe, the tire actually equivalent to a 41.1c inflated. My Scott Addict Gravel can fit up to a 40c. This combination works up front, but rubs on the rear. Conversely, a 37c WTB gravel tire has room to spare. Probably not as big of a deal on newer rigs.
Great video Jeremy and super useful! The thing is, in Mexico City, we ride a very mixed type of terrain. we start in the city in pavement, same as our road rides and then we enter a 4.0/5.0 to then cross some 2.0/3.0's then some 5.0/6.0's to get to the gravel 1.0/2.0's... The MTB and XC people just look us pass by in estrangement and I believe more and more with a little bit of envy haha... many MTB's are asking questions and wanting to learn more. As roadies we go fast on climbs with our gravel/cx bikes and then we end up going down in the same single-tracks as MTB's. It's super fun. Hope you come to Mexico soon and have a go! Cheers.
just returned from a ride with a group that included a lot of 5.0 . Everybody brought mountain bikes, i brought my gravel (wtb nano). It was extremely tough.
We've all been there!
This video is spot on. I mostly ride terrain 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 on my specialized diverge. I ride with a 34c gravel tire up front at 50 psi and a 32c cyclocross tire in the rear at 60 psi. I ride 3 to 4 times a week and maybe flat once a month if I really miss the line while riding too fast. If you really know your trails and have good tires at the proper pressure you can ride a lot harder than you think.
Jpow is awesome dude! Love that pinarello too! Beast!
It's a super nice from us!
Really a beautiful bike : love it !
Is JPow a regular now on GCN, that would be awesome. @@gcn
@@ericweaver3057 yes he does! Checkout his presenter video here, Legendary dude to say the least! ua-cam.com/video/Yzb35qj9dVE/v-deo.html
I like my bikes like my face - symmetric :D But yeah, the Grevil looks somehow nice. I mean it looks pretty nice. And I want one, too. I think I need a Grevil :D
You guys are totally in trouble if you have a presenter challenge! I think Jeremy will win!!!
Personal Notes:
2:12 Gravel 1.0
2:30 Gravel 2.0
2:48 Gravel 3.0
3:49 Gravel 4.0
4:29 Gravel 5.0
Start watching at 1:52 The camera in front didn't t move with the log. What the heck. Now you know one of the reasons why J-Pow was hired
Buzz Man I think it would be a gyro stabiliser mounted camera
@@-Flea yes, but what I meant he already has a lot of production knowledge down to the smallest details
Buzz Man got you, my bad
yeah, 10 years of producing his own videos (Behind the Barriers) has really paid off. There are some incredible shots in this one.
I agree, I run 40 c on my Crux. Single track, gravel and my winter rides if roads are not icy! Great video and explained well. 👍🏻
Nice one Mac Daddy!
Exactly what I needed to know...how big can I go on my Crux? Tx!
What a show. NAILED IT. It's your natural passion and enthusiasm that makes JPow so awesome. People want to buy on on that alone. Before JPow, I was a roadie thru and thru, now! Building up my first pure gravel bike (some where between a 2.0 & 3.0). Your influence is working...
I go through everything up to "Gravel 2.0" with Specialized Roubaix Pro 28c. Those 32c Continentals looks interesting :)
You doing rocks n roots with 28c? ;)
@@rebellis13 As I said - up to Gravel 2.0 according to Jeremy's scale - 90% of my rides is tarmac, dirt roads and light gravel. But yes, roots happen sometimes and it's not a nicest thing to ride through it with 28c at 6 bars. But thanks to those 6 bars I haven't seen flat since march 2017 :)
I had some smoothish 95-psi kevlar-reinforced tires on my old chromoly triathlon frame that could handle pretty much anything other than loose sand, really large gravel or swamp. Any tire that can handle the roads four hours north of Toronto can handle the trails next to them. Fewer potholes and broken beer bottles on the trails.
I love the roubiax pros I use them for road rides and my all arounders
I ride 27,5 x 2.2 Continental Race King Protect on my gravel bike, best thing ever.
Installed them 1 hour ago on the Bombtrack Hook Ext, so excited to test them out tomorrow
Finally! A presenter for us gravel/CX riders to give us info that we need and embrace the fun of dirt. Hope to see more brands with gravel bikes (Trek, Niner, Salsa, etc). Glad to see him here! I've got 37c WTB Riddler on my Marin Gestalt X10 and descend tech trails.
So...How Hard Can Jeremy Shred?
Brilliant video...brilliant presenting! Have to say though whoever was filming hats off to you! Going over the same terrain and a shot steady as a rock....or gravel.....
Great video!
Here in the backwoods of WV you literally never know what a hollow/paved road might turn into. To keep the fun going its always a smart idea to over-tire unless you plan out every mile of your ride.
Keep it a fast rolling tread so it isn’t a pig on the paved stretches 🤙
I only have 2 grades - 32C Gravelking for Dry & 36C X'PLOR for Not-Dry.
I'm 145lbs and run the Gravelkings at 35psi front, 45psi rear.
I've been using 700x42's.
With just changing the patern, between smoth (Maxxis Roamer @ ~60-80psi inner tube) for road and X.1 to treaded (Continental CrossRidee @ ~45-75psi tubeless) for X.2 and beyond.
Thinking on getting those Conti SpeedRide in 42 and a more road oriented tire in 32.
Thanks for the (very) enthusiastic review.
Gravel 2-3, Gravelking 38c tubeless. Fine file tread, more or less a slick. Run on Mavic All Road Pro. Easy to fit, great ride.
Gravelking+ has more puncture resistance
Gravelking SK is small-knob tread.
Then there's SK+ = small knob trhead with more puncture-resistance.
Nice to see tires that were available long before gravel madness started (I mean Cyclocross Speed/Speedride), which therefore are not marketed as "special gravel tires" for insane quadruple price.
I run Continental GP4000 25mm on the road which are good fun, then Panaracer Gravel King 38c on I guess '2.0', WTB Riddler 37 on '3.0' and 650b WTB Sendero 47c on anything else, plenty of confidence with those tyres!
I weigh 153lbs, I have had great overall success with Clement tubeless tubbies PDX & LAS. They can handle a whole range of terrain by adjusting the pressure. Amazing tires!
I'm not a gravel rider, but I was surprised and said, ".......OH, I have those Speedride tires!" lol!
GREAT presenting, Jeremy! Welcome to the family!
Buddy, KEEP MAKING THIS STUFF. Gravel has so much grey area, it's mind-boggling. Also, us nerds will never get enough info and input on tires.
What an addition to the team JPow is, as a roadie who uses a gravel/Cyclo-cross bike without yet using the bike to it's full potential this video has been so informative for me, just another wheelset & big tyres away from taking my steed where it belongs...cheers GCN 👌🏻
Cheers Gareth!
I salute you from my gravelking slick 38c
Super fast on road and very capable off road
specialized pathfinder pro is the best gravel tyre i have tried so far and i've tried a lot of tyres
I didn't get "tired" of watching this. Thanks!
Wahey!
great explanation with showing the different roads, Thanks. You are a tire scientist.
Loving JPow. Loving my gravel bike, but quote of the day at 5:12, "if you are just going to go mountain biking, best to stick with your mountain bike."
I have the gp5000 32 Use it for road and gravel running with 85psi pressure is the real variable
Awesome video! I love, love, love my Conti Speedrides. I Commute on them during the week and get out along the river tracks on the weekend. They are fantastic on hard pack, but if you are dealing with sloppy terrain, you find their limits pretty quick.
Dropper post on a cross bike is also helpful in the bumpies you showed yourself riding in because a dropped seat is much better when standing for riding over uneven parts than jamming your arse with a high seatpost.
Edition is going to another level! The video stabilization on gravel paths looks 👌. Jeremy looks great too!
Absolutely love 28c Conti GP5000 for the road bike and Conti Speed Ride 42mm for the gravel bike.
For Me at this point, it's between the Schwalbe G-One Speed (very expensive), the Panaracer Gravel King Slicks (somewhat less ridiculously expensive) and other equally slick gravel tyres. But that's because I like speed and don't like fire roads and gravel very much. I venture onto gravel from time to time, but much prefer the tarmac.
J Pows is phenomenal on camera. Nice of you to add a Yank to the team (we Yanks love him!)
I love that he name dropped Anthony Clark too!!! Siiiiiiiiickkkkk!!!
Great video.
Great explanation on tire size and also the chart that shows weight versus psi.
Love the video as it pretty much fits in with what I found with my low to mid range boardman cx team (£800 now clearing at £500). Came with cheap Schwalbe 35c Rabid Robs, I swapped for 35c Sammy slicks (much better control and rolling), am now on the 40c (42) Smart Sam+ which are great on UK roads, park grass, warn out tarmac, tarmac, light gravel, sloppy muddy gravel, hard mud paths etc. Tread patterns on modern big tyres make them roll well enough and I never have to worry about whats up next. I run 50psi (I'm 93kg), the points people make about getting a mountain bike are all fair, but I've only got one bike and 40c seems to be the go anywhere I need with more than 1 hand position.
Awesome video, really liked the road classification, water clear ;)
Nice one, glad to help!
I use 650b x 40 Teravail Cannonballs (run tubeless) on my “all road” bike. Fast enough on the road to get to the trails, and smokin’ fast on my local XC mountain bike trails.
Intro
0:39 Tyre Combinations.
Terrain Classifications:
2:09 Gravel 1.0
2:30 Gravel 2.0
2:48 Gravel 3.0
3:49 Gravel 4.0
4:29 Gravel 5.0
5:22 Tyre Selection.
8:17 Tyre Pressure.
10:28 Non-Scientific Tyre Pressure Guide
10:53 Conclusion and Personal Advice.
Great info, I'm searching for an all-arounder for my wife who isn't big into cycling. So instead of multiple bikes I intend to get her 1 bike with a couple wheelsets and tire selections
Great idea. Keep in mind to run even lower pressures if she is weighing less than in those examples. 10 % less weight (rider + bike) ---> ~10 % lower pressure.
Cracking idea, and good on space & the environment too!
Always good to see Jeremy on interwebs - great job!
Nice one Rob, more where this came from!
JPow is the awesomest. What an excellent presenter, and rider.
I really like this video, and I believe it really is worth building upon. I love the video, love the format, and I really hope to see more content like this from this channel!
It's clear Jeremy (GCN) is sponsored or has a relationship w/ Continental, and don't get me wrong, but there are tons of options out there that work just as well if not better.
The used the Conti Speed Ride for quite a while and its still seeing use on my wife's bike, and I highly recommend it for a high volume Gravel 1.0 to 3.0. It's a light tire with a file pattern that rolls extremely well, and very compliant. However, unless they have new version w/ a better casting don't even attempt to do tubeless, it just will not work!
I have experience with the Conti 5000s, but I really suggest for gravel to spend the extra money and get the TL (tubeless). These are serious one of the best if not the best all-road/road tubeless tire on the market, and they make them in 32c so those of you with bikes like the Cervelo C3's or Domane's and want to push tire volume, these absolutely should be considered!
Something that steps it up a notch over the Conti 500s and gives you a little more off road chops is the Clement/Donnely X'Plor SDG or USH in 700x32 or 35c if your have the clearance. I've had great success getting even the non-tubeless version to reliably set up tubeless.
However, the crown for the do-it-all tire 1.0 to 5.0 in my honest opinion is the Clement/Donnely X'Plor MSO in 40 or bigger if you have the clearance. I've had the normal non-tubeless version 40c set up tubeless for over 3yrs and thousands of miles without a puncture or leak that wasn't tape related. The dual compound hard-center rolls along fast and smooth on tarmac, and exceptional grip off road for a gravel tire. It was my go-to tire for a 350mi charity ride and all the training leading up to it......three years in a row on the same set of tires, and I'm still using them now! I cannot recommend them enough! There is also loads of evidence on the internet with reviews of these tires!
I think this video was more about the different widths. May have used all Conti just for clarity and continuity.
@@davidbristow7504 I suspect the video was sponsored in part by Zipp and Continental. But the information translates well to basically any tire, Continental gets some advertising, and we get a video. Fine by me!
@@jasonmcgrody9472 Yep, they're both channel sponsors which you can check in the video descriptions.
This was informative, thanks.
I use schwalbe sv17 inner tubes. They fit tires from 28 to 47 mm wide. Spare tube is sv18. It has same size range, but as it's thinner rubber, it takes less room in saddle bag.. I don't know if there are other inner tubes like that.. It's just that these I like most from what are available in local supermarket here..
WTB Riddler. 45mm in front and 37mm in back. 30 psi tubeless. CX bike with 1x11 Di2.
I'm tempted to mount exactly that setup. How happy are you with it?
Nice review. Empowers you. Know sizes to choose from. Just big enough for traveling rig.
Just another comment about how much we enjoy JPow and how great a presenter he is!
Cheers Bethany!
Apart from size, and pressure, what about tread patterns? Which works best for which situation?
I'm finding tread to be a personal preference. Volume is easy for most people to nail down. Tread not so much.
The looser the terrain (mud, sand, unpacked gravel) the more you will benefit from a knobbier tire.
The Conti, and tires like it with a subtle tread pattern are great on seal and off road on terrain that is pretty clean and dry. For terrain that is muddy, sandy or loose, you will be better off with a chunkier tread. There are dozens of choices. Do some research to narrow the list. . My current favorite is the WTB Nano.
For me the best option is always fast rolling in the middle with soft grippy knobs down the sides. Gives you enough grip in soft terrain and doesn't disappoint on pavement.
As others have said the looser the surface the knobblier the tread, with wet mud requiring the most aggressive of tread patterns. Also worth noting that tread pattern has a much greater effect on rolling resistance than tyre width or volume, so save the knobby tyres for when you need them.
Very well presented video Jeremy. Excellent overview for off road tires, light, medium and large gravel riding. Cheers GCN
I ride Continental AT ride 42-622, very good grip in the wet.
Jeremy, that muddy track where you were describing it as a mountain bike trail-we would have just gone straight through that mud and water on our gravel bikes.....maybe because in the UK in winter which it is now mud is pretty much all we have..... I am running 700c x 43mm Rock and Roads currently or 32mm Vittoria Pro’s on tarmac.
I always choose the tires that are on the bike to ride. Not everyone has three wheel sets lying around. I for one only have 2 set :) One setup with studded tires and one w/35 mm tires
I’m currently running 2.2x29 Continental Race Kings on my Lauf. They make 40s look skinny. I’m taking it to the White Rim in Moab next week!
Challenge
gravel grinder 36mm front
Almanzo 33mm rear
Both open tubular for on road and offroad use
Finally a video that gets through the hundreds of tires available for gravel riding. Great job Jeremy!
What a Difference from 28c to 38c on my 700c Cannondale Badboy - will try a 40c if it Fits Getting Tight Back There
I have no interest in gravel riding. I'm either full roady or full mtb. Also nice to see Jeremy coming along as a presenter. He was a bit over the top on his first video. This was a very enjoyable and informative video with great delivery.
He was like this in the first video he did with Si, too. Si looked a bit overwhelmed!
Very refreshing to see Jeremy as a new GCN presenter
Thanks j-Pow for making gravel and tire selection clearer.... great video... breaking it down into categories and the psi chart is a big help!
You answered all my questions of what to get with this video
"Fine Dude, I'll go" J-Pow has raised the bar for GCN presenters! way to demo the honed skills too!
this video comes in the best timming ever ... great stuff but yet again there is a debate rolling around, 700 35 C or 650 42 B ... then... what is diferent in the bead for the letter change from A to B to C ... size matters? 700 over 650 or is 650 over 700 ... and how can I know if my frame and gears 105 on 700 would be better on 650 in the same 105 gears.
This is a handy video I'm about to start doing some gravel rides and this has been invaluable cheers Jeremy !
I like the idea of multiple tire sets for the kind of terrain you are going to be riding, but most of us just want to get on the bike and go. I am guessing Jeremy would recommend the biggest tires you can fit on your gravel frame. Which leads us directly to 700 vs 650.
I got the opposite impression. This felt like a call for moderation with a lot of industry aiming for 40+ in this segment.
Well done and enjoyable !!! Now for wheel width / depths and inserts (possibly), to complete the wheel-equation