GravelNerd on Nostr: Congrats on trying something new! I would say that tire width is the most important ...
Congrats on trying something new!
I would say that tire width is the most important metric to look at for getting some stability on the trails. You didn't mention what the trail is made of (sand, dirt, fine gravel, rocks, mud, etc) but that would dictate what kind of tire tread that would give you the best traction.
I am going to assume that it is mostly hard with some loose stuff in the corners. If that is the case you would likely prefer tire that has very small nubs (almost like a road slick)
I would go as wide you can fit in your bike frame up to 40mm. Even 30-32mm will make a large stability difference.
The other factor is tire air pressure - lower is better on trails but if you have tubes, lower will give you pinch flats. This is why tubeless has gotten so popular. You can run much lower pressure in a tubeless tire. This was the biggest game changer for me a few years ago. So much more comfort and control on the trails and not any slower on the roads.
As for brands, I have tried many and am fond of Schwalbe Gravel One and Pirelli Cinterello H. There are many great tires out there and people get very passionate in defending brands.
Hope this helps!
Ride on!
I would say that tire width is the most important metric to look at for getting some stability on the trails. You didn't mention what the trail is made of (sand, dirt, fine gravel, rocks, mud, etc) but that would dictate what kind of tire tread that would give you the best traction.
I am going to assume that it is mostly hard with some loose stuff in the corners. If that is the case you would likely prefer tire that has very small nubs (almost like a road slick)
I would go as wide you can fit in your bike frame up to 40mm. Even 30-32mm will make a large stability difference.
The other factor is tire air pressure - lower is better on trails but if you have tubes, lower will give you pinch flats. This is why tubeless has gotten so popular. You can run much lower pressure in a tubeless tire. This was the biggest game changer for me a few years ago. So much more comfort and control on the trails and not any slower on the roads.
As for brands, I have tried many and am fond of Schwalbe Gravel One and Pirelli Cinterello H. There are many great tires out there and people get very passionate in defending brands.
Hope this helps!
Ride on!