[Sandwich]

I bought myself what is technically a CX bike, in the form of a Spec Crux, for commuting, winter road riding, and the occasional foray into gravel. I'm not sure what's on there right now, but I think there's room for up to a 40c tire if it were completely slick. I'm hoping to scoop up some tires that are good for wet road, shitty pavement, LIGHT gravel, and urban use. I don't want 8-ply gatorskinz, as most of my commute avoids really shitty shoulders and I would like to have a single set of tires for occasional winter jaunts as well as the commute without switching. I had panaracer pasela tires on my commuter previously, which were great but honestly may have been overkill for the 90% clear roads that i ride.

I've had my eyes on the Panaracer Gravelking slick 35c tires for a minute. I'd consider moving up to something a bit burlier if there's good rationale. Any other suggestions? It seems like everything else I find is heavier or more expensive.

 

[Toshi]

https://www.schwalbetires.com/Marathon-GT-365-11101204

622-37. A four season tire that you’ll never get a flat on

 

[amishmatt]

I avoid anything by Panaracer because every one of their tires I've had were oversized in bead diameter, making mounting a big pain in the ass.

The Specialized Roubaix is another possibility. I have set mounted (replaced Rene Herse Bon Jon Pass) that are labeled 32 but measure 36mm (on i25 rims) and have been very durable and long lasting. I ride them on everything from fast road to gravel and trails.

 

[two-one]

If you are sticking to easy gravel and road, I can also recommend the Continental Contact Urban. I'm running a 622x32 on my commuter, and so far it has been super fast and extremely durable.
Apparently faster than the Paselas too.

 

[sundaydoug]

I've got these in 700x45c and they roll surprisingly well. They also come in 700x40c and 700x35c.

Alluvium

The Kenda Alluvium Pro is a gravel bike and adventure tire that is both capable and fast with easy rolling center tread and confidence inspiring side knobs.

shop.kendatire.com

 

[Westy]

I have a set of the 35c panaracers. Not a lot of miles but they were actually rather tight to get on the wheels. Otherwise they do tire things well.

 

[Sandwich]

I've got these in 700x45c and they roll surprisingly well. They also come in 700x40c and 700x35c.

Alluvium

The Kenda Alluvium Pro is a gravel bike and adventure tire that is both capable and fast with easy rolling center tread and confidence inspiring side knobs.

shop.kendatire.com

So this is interesting…those aren’t really my cup of tea, but these are exactly what I’m looking for: https://shop.kendatire.com/collections/gravel/products/4titude-pro-gct?variant=46461619536163

I can’t find any reviews on them, at all, but if you;re happy with the casing and compound on your tires then these are probably the same but with a different tread pattern

 

[Sandwich]

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I think I’m narrowing in on a few tires. Turns out the tires I have now are Spec Trigger Pros in size 38. I think I’m going to try and settle on the 38-40 size tire, ideally in a mostly slick format. So, I’m looking at:

Conti GP Urban 35 (I don’t know if these are tubeless)
Conti AS TR 35c
Kenda 4titude 40c (one review says these run small)
Panaracer GK Slick 35 or 38

Looks like most WTB options are out due to leaking sidewalls, Challenge Strada Biancas are rad but expensive and I don’t know that I want to deal with the hassle, Rene Herse are expensive and a bit of a faff to install or keep alive. I’m ideally hoping for a tire that allows me to ride and train on the road in winter, then take it to commute on without switching wheelsets.

 

[Pesqueeb]

https://www.schwalbetires.com/Marathon-GT-365-11101204

622-37. A four season tire that you’ll never get a flat on

Pair of marathons on the single speed commuter. They've been pretty great in crappy conditions, both on the road and crushed gravel/dirt multi use path. Pretty bullet proof commuter tire that handles the crud well.

 

[amishmatt]

You mentioned Rene Herse... the Rene Herse Bon Jon Bass I was running were endurance casing and were super durable, ride over anything, and held air better than any tire I've ever had. The only issue I had with mounting them with them is the same I've had with everything else Panaracer, they're oversized at the bead. If you run another layer (or two) or rim tape, they install much easier.

But I vote Conti AS TR, because I'd like to see how they work for you.

 

[Sandwich]

You mentioned Rene Herse... the Rene Herse Bon Jon Bass I was running were endurance casing and were super durable, ride over anything, and held air better than any tire I've ever had. The only issue I had with mounting them with them is the same I've had with everything else Panaracer, they're oversized at the bead. If you run another layer (or two) or rim tape, they install much easier.

But I vote Conti AS TR, because I'd like to see how they work for you.

What's interesting is apparently the Rene Herse tires are made by panaracer, so that tracks. Maybe ya rims are just undersized! Lots of reviews stating what a bitch RH tires are to get onto rims. Maybe it's the endurance casing?

Contis are particularly interesting...they're the most expensive, but I run GP5ks on my road bike with zero issues. Got a sidewall gash on a long ride that retired one, but managed to not flat and noticed it only once I was home (those are tubed). They seem to be durable and long wearing, so I would imagine the same with the AS TR. What's neat is that bicyclerollingresistance measured the best wet traction of any tire, ever, from those which I would have thought would come down more to tire pattern than compound.

 

[SuspectDevice]

Slick gravel kings in 38 are one of the better tires, ever.

 

[jonKranked]

so i have a question about gravel vs CX tires........ earlier this year i picked up a cheap set of gravel tires to try something a little larger. like a dummy, i failed to check what the max operating pressure was, and it was only like 50psi. at my size this was just way too low. my CX tires have a max pressure of 80 or 85 psi. do all gravel tires run lower pressure? or just the ones i got?

 

[6thElement]

so i have a question about gravel vs CX tires........ earlier this year i picked up a cheap set of gravel tires to try something a little larger. like a dummy, i failed to check what the max operating pressure was, and it was only like 50psi. at my size this was just way too low. my CX tires have a max pressure of 80 or 85 psi. do all gravel tires run lower pressure? or just the ones i got?

Depends what they are, whether you're running tubeless/tubed and whether your rims are hooked or hookless if tubeless.

 

[jonKranked]

hooked with tubes.

 

[Sandwich]

so i have a question about gravel vs CX tires........ earlier this year i picked up a cheap set of gravel tires to try something a little larger. like a dummy, i failed to check what the max operating pressure was, and it was only like 50psi. at my size this was just way too low. my CX tires have a max pressure of 80 or 85 psi. do all gravel tires run lower pressure? or just the ones i got?

Most of what I have come across has been like 60psi max. I think I run around 50-60 PSI in my gravel/on road tires until I am fully set up tubeless and trust that i can make it home. I wouldn't hesitate to run 50psi in a gravel tire, and 80psi in anything over 28mm is nuts, IMO. I run 75-80psi in my 28mm road tires. (at 195lb)

 

[SuspectDevice]

Hooked with tubes you can run however much pressure you want.
How wide are your tires John?

 

[jonKranked]

Hooked with tubes you can run however much pressure you want.
How wide are your tires John?

My cx tires are 33, the gravels I got (wtb vulpine) are 36 I believe

 

[Sandwich]

Ended up with the Kendas. They are OK, I guess. Horrible to set up tubeless but they seem to roll pretty well and good grip in mixed pavement conditions- ie snow water ice gravel pavement. Unfortunatlely I got my first flat basically ever via a puncture delivered right through the center of the tread. Tubeless did not less, but once back home I found the leak which sealed OK with additional sealant. Pretty whelmed right now, but maybe there was just something horrible in the trail. It wouldn’t shock me if there was a little low-key sabotage from some NIMBYs in the area.