while we’re talking tires…good compromise between gravel and slick?

[Judd]

@ian74 148768 wrote:

Yes.

Everyone is going to die.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dkel]

@DismalScientist 148766 wrote:

Other than studs for ice, I don’t change tires depending on the season. Am I going to die?

No, but you will inevitably be grouchy.

[Lt. Dan]

@Judd 148773 wrote:

Everyone is going to die.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

but not all of us truly live.

[hozn]

Wider makes sense to me! But I can’t see any value in knobs and knobby tires are less grippy on wet pavement, as a rule. Maybe if the leaf bed were very thick the knobs might find their way through to contact asphalt … ?

A tire with rubber designed to grip well in cold temps is not a bad idea this time of year, as Emm points out.

[Raymo853]

Mounted my Sector 32 tires. They are a little smaller than the 32c Roubs. Assume they might plump up a bit overnight.

The left one below is the Sector

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[hozn]

Let us know how they fare. I have heard nice things about the Sector/Secteur 28, so I imagine those apply here too. The $100+ price was a bit steep for me back when I was looking at the 28s, but probably one can find them cheaper now.

[Raymo853]

Wow. I was very upset with my Sectors today, until I learned what I ran over. I ran over a puncture plant that produces goat heads. No bike tire can handle them. Even motorcycles and cars are at risk.

Luckily I had just added sealant. After digging all 20 plus goat heats out, both tires sealed up and are fine.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[Raymo853]

Suspect I will post to this thread every six months for years.

I bought two pairs of Panaracer Gravelkings SKs, 35s and 40s. I love them both. I have used both for commuting, gravel riding, and super rocky degraded washed forest roads. They have been amazing. Rolls great on pavement, handle gravel and dry trails perfect, and really encourage my leaning over in turns on pavement and gravel. Makes me sad I did not get dedicated gravel tires earlier.

Photos of the 35 vs 40. The 40 is wider, but most of the extra size seems to come in volume, which I like. The 40 is on a bigger rim, an Easton Heist 27 internal vs a Stans Arch EX2.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]15461[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]15462[/ATTACH]

[Raymo853]

Suspect I will post to this thread every six months for years.

I bought two pairs of Panaracer Gravelkings SKs, 35s and 40s. I love them both. I have used both for commuting, gravel riding, and super rocky degraded washed forest roads. They have been amazing. Rolls great on pavement, handle gravel and dry trails perfect, and really encourage my leaning over in turns on pavement and gravel. Makes me sad I did not get dedicated gravel tires earlier.

Photos of the 35 vs 40. The 40 is wider, but most of the extra size seems to come in volume, which I like. The 40 is on a bigger rim, an Easton Heist 27mm internal, vs a Stans Arch EX2, a 23.5 mm internal?.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]15461[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]15462[/ATTACH]

[UnknownCyclist]

You know, if you have enough to drink, you can’t tell any differences between tires.

[vern]

This is an amazing thread. After carefully reading all of the posts I decided to order a pair of Specialized Roubaix Pro 2BR tires for routine commuting on my new cyclocross bike, that is, until the snow starts flying.

[Raymo853]

@Raymo853 165409 wrote:

Suspect I will post to this thread every six months for years.

I bought two pairs of Panaracer Gravelkings SKs, 35s and 40s. I love them both. I have used both for commuting, gravel riding, and super rocky degraded washed forest roads. They have been amazing. Rolls great on pavement, handle gravel and dry trails perfect, and really encourage my leaning over in turns on pavement and gravel. Makes me sad I did not get dedicated gravel tires earlier.

Photos of the 35 vs 40. The 40 is wider, but most of the extra size seems to come in volume, which I like. The 40 is on a bigger rim, an Easton Heist 27 internal vs a Stans Arch EX2.

The 40s did get bigger after a few rides, like way too big. I went back to the 35s and the 40s are going to be saved for really crazy gravel/single track rides. The 35s are just perfect, would be spot on for anything out near Leesburg.

[hozn]

@Raymo853 166599 wrote:

The 40s did get bigger after a few rides, like way too big. I went back to the 35s and the 40s are going to be saved for really crazy gravel/single track rides. The 35s are just perfect, would be spot on for anything out near Leesburg.

I rode a set of the 43mm version of these tires for a bit. I think the 35mm might have felt nicer — probably lighter.
– The volume was nice and the traction felt marginally better than my go-to G-One tires.
– They definitely rolled slower (stiffer sidewalls?) than the 40mm G-One which at the end of the day made me always want the G-One tires.
– On my third off-road ride I got a nasty puncture right in the center just riding along — to big to seal. This probably would have happened on my G-One tires too, but it spooked me off so I won’t bother replacing the tire that had the big puncture. (I’ll probably repair the tire and give them away to someone that wants to try big-volume gravel tires.)

So my thoughts are that the GravelKing SKs are great value if you want to walk into a bike store and buy tires. If you are willing to order from overseas then you can get the G-One Allround tires for around the same price. IMO/IME the G-One is a nicer tire if pavement is involved in the ride and they work great for off-road riding too. Not great for muddy conditions, but I rode them at the very muddy Hilly Billy Roubaix and would use them again for that. They also worked great at Monster Cross when I dropped the pressure down to 25/30 psi (at the price of my rims, sadly, in that case).

[Raymo853]

My 35 Gravelking earned more affection from me yesterday. On a short ride each tire ended up with a dozen or so goat heads. Pulled them all out, heard a short hiss each time and all the holes sealed quickly.

Of course my affection may be better reserved for fresh Stan’s at twice the recommended amount.

Sent from my B3-A20 using Tapatalk

[Raymo853]

Shoot, my Gravelkings left me down on a ride. The sidewall got cut be a rock while on tame single track. Was my fault as I failed to follow my advice, go over rocks, not around. This is my first sidewall cut in years which is insane with my attraction to rocks.

Lots of the sealant came out. Had to tube it. May try to patch up side wall or may just get some G Ones.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[Author]

Posts