28mm Tyres for Gravel?

Tim76 · 14-02-2023 1:24pm #1

Hi all. I’m looking to beef up my old endurance bike (Giant Contend) to take on a bit of lightweight gravel. The first thing I’m going to look at (and possibly the only thing) is the tyres. The rim brakes on the bike will be the limiting factor, so 28mm is the widest I can go. I’m veering towards a pair of Conti Gatorskins at the moment but if there are any only 28mm tyres out there that might offer better performance then I would appreciate any advice. Thanks!

Large bottle small glass · 14-02-2023 2:45pm

It's not optimal but on lightweight gravel they will work fine.

I'm going to switch to 650b wheels on my gravel bike(as I have them anyway) and I'm just wearing out the 700 gravel tyres I have.

I just left with one wtb raddler in the front but have an old 28mm Schwalbe durano plus on the rear. Really rugged and no issues.

I used them for years in road before and while not lively they are reliable.

You will get them cheap enough on Rose bikes and the like

Paddigol · 14-02-2023 3:33pm

Plus 1 on the Schwalbe Durano Plus over the Gatorskins. They are light years ahead of them on anything wet, and extremely hard wearing. I've been commuting on them for a few years, along crap N11 roads/ surfaces/ cycle lanes coated in debris/ wicklow back roads coated in chippings... only had one puncture, and that was due to a staple somehow perfectly piercing the tyre.

Macy0161 · 14-02-2023 4:45pm

iirc you can get gravelking slicks down to 28mm. The issue I ran into was the tyre volume as much as width when I tried to convert 2016 Defy Disc (albeit on the stock PR2 wheels).

Tim76 · 14-02-2023 5:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120239972#Comment_120239972

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120239690#Comment_120239690

Thanks lads. Will check out the Schwalbe Durano Plus.

Tim76 · 14-02-2023 5:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120240311#Comment_120240311

That's an interesting point. I hadn't really considered any volume increase, only width. I'm running PR2s as well with Shimano BR-R561 rim brakes - the manufacturer's state that both should be able to accommodate 28s but it could be tight if there is any substantial volume increase.

Macy0161 · 14-02-2023 5:18pm

You may have more luck than I did. It was actually the fork that I ran into the issue, so I did consider changing that. But in the end I went for a second hand canti cx bike!