Gravel & Dirt

Our first two tire reviews have had a great response (and sparked quite some discussion online!) We appreciate all the constructive criticism and input. As we move forward, we've decided that we'll ask our readers which tires you want to be the next that we test here.  After the last tires didn't quite live up to my expectations, I'm back on my Gravelkings that are nearing the end of their life. So what's next? I've identified a few tires that claim to roll fast and handle a variety of conditions: The online discussions of the previous reviews almost immediately compared the tires we tested to the offerings from Rene Herse. So their Juniper Ridge is an obvious choice. Schwalbe's G-Ones have a good reputation, too. Their G-One Speed looks a lot like the Ultradynamico Cava except that the knobs are a little bigger, so they should squirm less. The G-One Allround seems to differ mostly with taller knobs which may be good for the occasional mud we encounter on ou...

After running middle of the road tires like the WTB Byways and Panaracer Gravelking SK I finally decided to splurge on some top end rubber. Especially the Gravelkings are fine tires, but they've got a puncture-resistant belt and so I wondered what it would be like to ride on tires without any protection. I don't get lots of flats so why not? Along came Ultradynamico creating a lot of buzz with their new tire offerings. Their tires are made by Panaracers, and they say their tires don't have any sidewall protection and that you need to be certified to ride them. It's probably a joke but a tire like the Gravelking but with a more supple casing and no protection layer seemed like something I wanted to try. Ultradynamico recommend the Mullet Protocol with their slick Cava on the rear and the semi-knobby Rose on the front. I opted for the Race casing. If I'm going to splurge why not go all the way? And the price is the same for their Race and Brevet models. In fact, the o...

WTB started pushing the Road Plus thing with their Horizon. That was one of the first 650B tires to hit the mainstream. The idea is that a 650B x 47c tire has the same rolling diameter as a 700C x 30 tire, so it'll fit on the same bike. If you have clearance between the chainstays, that is. WTB has a web site that shows which bikes will fit Road Plus tires. The first Road Plus tire, the WTB Horizon, was basically a slick tire. The company followed up with the Byway with a combination of all the treads you'd want on your tire. The center is a slick for fast rolling. Then comes says ena cross-hatched pattern that WTB claims enhances cornering grip on pavement. Then come some diamond-shaped file pattern. And then there are some side knobs for grip when leaning deep into a corner. One of our bikes was bought used with the Byways. The previous owner had installed the tires just before the sale, so they are the aftermarket model and not the OEM. It seems that with some tire makers,...