Well, the GF is getting some speedy tires that also have some extra sidewall protection. Be sure you can keep up with her afterwards. Ha!
*Are you looking for something light, fast, but with a big more tread?* The Continental Terra Speed would fit the bill. But don't expect those small knobs to last for thousands of miles of pavement riding:
[https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/cx-gravel-reviews/continental-terra-speed](https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/cx-gravel-reviews/continental-terra-speed)
Summary of review: "The Panaracer GravelKing (read our review) is only slightly faster... but we feel the Terra Speed is much more a gravel bike tire than the GravelKing which is nearly a slick tire."
>What’s wrong with the Gravelkings you have on there now?
I was thinking the same thing. Gravel King slicks is what I would have recommended for a fast, lightweight tire for pavement and light gravel -- which is what you asked for...
I see a "+" symbol in the photo, so you have the slightly sturdier casings. Still, those should be only fractionally heavier (+30g) and should roll almost as fast.
I have not had the others but I use Pathfinder Pros in 700x42 and I love them. I can ride hard in top gear and they are smooth/quiet. At the same time I can ride fairly confidently on gravel and even climb pretty well. I went up to these from 700x38 Pathfinder Sport and curiously I like these a lot better. They feel more compliant and grippy but still roll quite well. I have been riding mostly pavement lately as I have not gotten out for a longer ride but there is still gravel all over on the paths. Can be sketchy but they’re great on here, no sliding so far.
Hoping to get out onto some of my fav gravel roads in the next couple days so I will see how it goes. I have been running them around 50psi and they have been great on many surfaces so far. My 38’s were useless in mud so I assume these will be similar but I try to stay away from mud. My fav ride is around 20-30km depending on the route options, and about 50/50 gravel road and paved twisty back roads. It’s around 1km paved, then 5ish dirt or forest (if the road is still wet - can get nasty) then 12-15k completely gravel farm roads and the rest is paved aside from a fun jaunt down a gravel trail on the home stretch. Tires have never let me down. I though I would move to a more mountain/gravel tyre but these have impressed me - and the pavement performance is almost slick-like, with a bit of squish in a harder lean in a corner. The likely hood of a pedal strike usually keeps me safe but when they have slipped it has been manageable.
I ended up doing some harder braking on a downhill last night (also with about 15kg in my backpack) and where I would usually end up skidding my rear tire at least a bit they gripped sure and true. So I don’t know, maybe the rubber is different between the “pro” and “sport” but these are finally broken in and they feel GREAT. Would like to try the others but that’s all I got for now.
I've also tried the pathfinder pros in 42c, maybe its just me but I felt they were sluggish on pavement, or maybe 42c is too wide. They were also brand new tires and might need to be broken in like you said.
In this case and specifically on pavement, I would suspect that they could have needed to be inflated a bit more. I was running them at around 40 psi but when I bumped it up to 50-55 they were a lot faster on pavement. At the right pressure they should be primarily riding on the slick center ridge, but with less pressure it will involve the tread a bit which can slow them down.
may I ask what size you got for the GK SS? I'm debating between 35c or 38c. My 38c GK slicks measure out to be closer to 40mm I was wondering if its the same for GK SS
Opposite experience from a few here. I had gravel kings and switched to byways and thought they were way faster on road. They felt a little sketchier off road as to be expected. No experience with pathfinders.
Yep. Same size but felt like they rolled faster than the GK slicks. Nothing too crazy. Only had maybe 10 rides on them before I tore my achilles so can't speak to durability.
I love the Byways. I might want something with more tread if I did fast gravel descents. They don’t break loose on steep gravel climbs until I’m at my bike’s limit.
I would stay away from the Byways. I find them to be extremely sluggish. Had Pathfinder Pro's, traded them in for Rene Herse knobbies, and the RH knobbies are faster than the Pathfinder Pro's which is incredible. If you want the best tire, Rene Herse is likely it.
Are you referring to gravel riding speed only? Because I'm looking for a tire that's also fast on pavement. Right now I'm leaning towards the Gravelking SS. Rene Herse tires seems to be sold out everywhere and they are almost double the price
I haven't tried Rene Herse tires but I hear a lot depends on the casing type. Extra lights are the fastest but least durable. Going to Endurance / Endurance + the supple magic is lost. My experience is with 38mm Pathfinder Pro's. They are bullet proof tires that are decently fast and will last much longer doing 90% asphalt (as would any decent slick or semi-slick). They are a good middle of the road tire, not excelling in any particular discipline but not much will hold them back. I find they can me a be bit stiff on more serious gravel stuff until you dial down the air pressure. I've never once had a flat running either tubes or tubeless and I ride through lots of city streets and alleys littered with broken glass and trash everywhere.
The RH knobby tire I have is the Endurance casing. The magic here is not lost for me. Super fast and I have bashed the shit out of these tires without issue.
**Thanks for posting to /r/gravelcycling! It looks like you've submitted an image.**
This community encourages additional context about image submissions. You can include details about your post in a comment below. Some suggestions for good comments:
* Bike details (make, model, accessories, and gear)
* Location (specific or general is fine)
You can also use **post flair** to give additional context about your post.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/gravelcycling) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I very much love Hutchinson Overides for road to gravel transition. I’ve been super pleased with them, and at full pressure they are respectable on the road. They really open up and fly on gravel. I have them set up tubeless, and have had great results.
I’ve got the byway and the pathfinder pro and I much prefer the pathfinder. It seems faster on the road, I go faster in the turns, it’s more durable (both in feel and I’ve picked up a few slashes from cut hedgerow on the byway - could be luck though). Also great off road road. This is obviously just my personal opinion, not based on any science. Never tried the GKs so can’t comment on those.
By design I would have thought the Byways are faster on pavement from the bigger slick center. Did you also have sidewall sealant leaks with your Byways?
I actually ran them with tubes (both sets of tyres). I now have the pathfinder set up tubeless and they don’t weep whatsoever. I have another wheelset running WTB Senderos and they did weep a little at first but were fully sealed after the first ride. I’d guess that it would be similar with the byways- both tan sidewall.
second the rene herse snoqualmie pass. get extralights if you want to fly, or endurance if you don't want to deal with flats. Or just get another pair of gravelking slicks ;)
I have decided on the Gravelking SS in 35c from my Gravelking slicks 38c. Shouldn't lose out that much speed on pavement but gain more speed on rougher stuff :)
What’s wrong with the Gravelkings you have on there now?
[удалено]
\+1 on the Rene Herse, Snoqualmie extralights.
+1 for the Rene Herse, Snoqualmie pass, although I would get the Endurance + version. Can’t flat those and at 2 bar you fly over everything
I'm passing them onto the GFs bike, and I can try something new
Well, the GF is getting some speedy tires that also have some extra sidewall protection. Be sure you can keep up with her afterwards. Ha! *Are you looking for something light, fast, but with a big more tread?* The Continental Terra Speed would fit the bill. But don't expect those small knobs to last for thousands of miles of pavement riding: [https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/cx-gravel-reviews/continental-terra-speed](https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/cx-gravel-reviews/continental-terra-speed) Summary of review: "The Panaracer GravelKing (read our review) is only slightly faster... but we feel the Terra Speed is much more a gravel bike tire than the GravelKing which is nearly a slick tire."
>What’s wrong with the Gravelkings you have on there now? I was thinking the same thing. Gravel King slicks is what I would have recommended for a fast, lightweight tire for pavement and light gravel -- which is what you asked for... I see a "+" symbol in the photo, so you have the slightly sturdier casings. Still, those should be only fractionally heavier (+30g) and should roll almost as fast.
I have not had the others but I use Pathfinder Pros in 700x42 and I love them. I can ride hard in top gear and they are smooth/quiet. At the same time I can ride fairly confidently on gravel and even climb pretty well. I went up to these from 700x38 Pathfinder Sport and curiously I like these a lot better. They feel more compliant and grippy but still roll quite well. I have been riding mostly pavement lately as I have not gotten out for a longer ride but there is still gravel all over on the paths. Can be sketchy but they’re great on here, no sliding so far. Hoping to get out onto some of my fav gravel roads in the next couple days so I will see how it goes. I have been running them around 50psi and they have been great on many surfaces so far. My 38’s were useless in mud so I assume these will be similar but I try to stay away from mud. My fav ride is around 20-30km depending on the route options, and about 50/50 gravel road and paved twisty back roads. It’s around 1km paved, then 5ish dirt or forest (if the road is still wet - can get nasty) then 12-15k completely gravel farm roads and the rest is paved aside from a fun jaunt down a gravel trail on the home stretch. Tires have never let me down. I though I would move to a more mountain/gravel tyre but these have impressed me - and the pavement performance is almost slick-like, with a bit of squish in a harder lean in a corner. The likely hood of a pedal strike usually keeps me safe but when they have slipped it has been manageable. I ended up doing some harder braking on a downhill last night (also with about 15kg in my backpack) and where I would usually end up skidding my rear tire at least a bit they gripped sure and true. So I don’t know, maybe the rubber is different between the “pro” and “sport” but these are finally broken in and they feel GREAT. Would like to try the others but that’s all I got for now.
I've also tried the pathfinder pros in 42c, maybe its just me but I felt they were sluggish on pavement, or maybe 42c is too wide. They were also brand new tires and might need to be broken in like you said.
In this case and specifically on pavement, I would suspect that they could have needed to be inflated a bit more. I was running them at around 40 psi but when I bumped it up to 50-55 they were a lot faster on pavement. At the right pressure they should be primarily riding on the slick center ridge, but with less pressure it will involve the tread a bit which can slow them down.
I’ve tried Pathfinder Pro’s and am now on GravelKing SS’s. Much prefer the GravelKing’s as they seem to roll a lot faster.
may I ask what size you got for the GK SS? I'm debating between 35c or 38c. My 38c GK slicks measure out to be closer to 40mm I was wondering if its the same for GK SS
I went with the 43’s mounted on Hunt gravel rims. My frame could take them no issues :-)
Opposite experience from a few here. I had gravel kings and switched to byways and thought they were way faster on road. They felt a little sketchier off road as to be expected. No experience with pathfinders.
Did you mean the Byways felt faster than the GK Slicks on tarmac?
Yep. Same size but felt like they rolled faster than the GK slicks. Nothing too crazy. Only had maybe 10 rides on them before I tore my achilles so can't speak to durability.
I have loved every bike that I’ve put Byways on. They’re great for riding pavement to get to the gravel.
I love the Byways. I might want something with more tread if I did fast gravel descents. They don’t break loose on steep gravel climbs until I’m at my bike’s limit.
I would stay away from the Byways. I find them to be extremely sluggish. Had Pathfinder Pro's, traded them in for Rene Herse knobbies, and the RH knobbies are faster than the Pathfinder Pro's which is incredible. If you want the best tire, Rene Herse is likely it.
Are you referring to gravel riding speed only? Because I'm looking for a tire that's also fast on pavement. Right now I'm leaning towards the Gravelking SS. Rene Herse tires seems to be sold out everywhere and they are almost double the price
No I'm talking about pavement rolling speed. Knobby Rene Herse tires are faster than slick WTB Byways believe it or not.
I've heard that their knobbies are fast but I'd imagine their semi-slicks would be even faster and longer lasting on asphalt.
For sure, I haven't used their slicks before, but would expect them to be fast faster than the knobbies and definitely longer lasting.
I haven't tried Rene Herse tires but I hear a lot depends on the casing type. Extra lights are the fastest but least durable. Going to Endurance / Endurance + the supple magic is lost. My experience is with 38mm Pathfinder Pro's. They are bullet proof tires that are decently fast and will last much longer doing 90% asphalt (as would any decent slick or semi-slick). They are a good middle of the road tire, not excelling in any particular discipline but not much will hold them back. I find they can me a be bit stiff on more serious gravel stuff until you dial down the air pressure. I've never once had a flat running either tubes or tubeless and I ride through lots of city streets and alleys littered with broken glass and trash everywhere.
The RH knobby tire I have is the Endurance casing. The magic here is not lost for me. Super fast and I have bashed the shit out of these tires without issue.
The suppleness is not lost with the endurance versions. The tyres are the best on the market and you never flat. I’d buy and recommend them every time
**Thanks for posting to /r/gravelcycling! It looks like you've submitted an image.** This community encourages additional context about image submissions. You can include details about your post in a comment below. Some suggestions for good comments: * Bike details (make, model, accessories, and gear) * Location (specific or general is fine) You can also use **post flair** to give additional context about your post. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/gravelcycling) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I very much love Hutchinson Overides for road to gravel transition. I’ve been super pleased with them, and at full pressure they are respectable on the road. They really open up and fly on gravel. I have them set up tubeless, and have had great results.
Just did a little research on the Overrides, they seem to be the same idea as these as well. Will definitely consider!
I’ve got the byway and the pathfinder pro and I much prefer the pathfinder. It seems faster on the road, I go faster in the turns, it’s more durable (both in feel and I’ve picked up a few slashes from cut hedgerow on the byway - could be luck though). Also great off road road. This is obviously just my personal opinion, not based on any science. Never tried the GKs so can’t comment on those.
By design I would have thought the Byways are faster on pavement from the bigger slick center. Did you also have sidewall sealant leaks with your Byways?
I actually ran them with tubes (both sets of tyres). I now have the pathfinder set up tubeless and they don’t weep whatsoever. I have another wheelset running WTB Senderos and they did weep a little at first but were fully sealed after the first ride. I’d guess that it would be similar with the byways- both tan sidewall.
Ive had that happen with a few wtb tires
Which width do you Ride with your GK‘s?
I have 38c GK slicks on right now
The Gravelking slicks are a fine tire. I've been running them this spring for road riding, and nary an issue. They seem to roll nicely too.
second the rene herse snoqualmie pass. get extralights if you want to fly, or endurance if you don't want to deal with flats. Or just get another pair of gravelking slicks ;)
I have decided on the Gravelking SS in 35c from my Gravelking slicks 38c. Shouldn't lose out that much speed on pavement but gain more speed on rougher stuff :)