We ‘did’ the SDW at the weekend on ‘gravel bikes’. Mine has 35c Sammy Slicks on and I had loads of punctures, half snake bite, half normal.

I’m running them at 50 psi which is not enough not to pogo everywhere but also obviously not enough to prevent snake bites. The going was hard to concrete plus my ‘enthusiastic’ descending might account for all the pinch punctures…

It looks like I need more volume and an aramid belt. So what tyres for gravel around 700 x 40c with a puncture prevention belt please?

A puncture prevention belt won’t help with snakebites. 😆

Based on Dirty Reiver this w/e consensus seemed to be go tubeless and WTB Nanos seemed popular

@scotroutes hence the volume increase…

Yeah, I’m finding the Nano 40s to be really comfy on account of the volume but I’m not sure how puncture resistant they are on pointy gravel.

My tubeless schwalbe G-Ones have done two years DR200 duty with no punctures, only downside is that the rear is well worn down.

I’ve been on G One (40mm) for the last 4 months & no punctures yet, ride the South Downs regularly. Circa 50psi.

need to buy some 40’s this week – torn between g-ones and panaracer gravel sk

what are these though on the Open’s at Sea Otter? (i know they are 27.5″ tyres)

Are the G-one users both tubeless? I’m not set up for tubeless unless I ghetto it.

you can run them with tubes, but they are designed to run tubeless

I had G-one non tubeless on my bike when new, rode fine but had a puncture in the first week do bought some G-one evos set them up tubeless with tape and Stans and not had an issue since. They roll smoother aswell. I think the skinny tyres on gravelly bikes mean tubeless is even more advantageous than on mtbs.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the Conti Speedrides that came as stock on my Genesis CdA. 42c, not too heavy, RRP isn’t ludicrous. I’ve a friend who’s successfully set them up ghetto tubeless.

Have been run with tubes & without. No problems either way.

I have had a couple of Nanos die on me after being sliced by flint otherwise, in about 3,000 miles I have had no issues. Love them to death.

Once I cleaned the inside of the tyres up, the holes are not that bad….it is just the Stans that let me down. I prefer Orange Seal. Will be patching the ‘dead’ Nanos when I get round to it.

Tubeless – definitely.

V tire Rails

I’ve read some reports online that claim the Panaracer Gravel King SK rolls at least as well as the Schwalbe G-One Speed, but in addition it wears less quickly.

Worth noting the Panaracer sizes up large, the 32c comes in at ~35mm and the 38c comes in at ~43mm.

For something cheaper than the above, I’ve been very happy with my 38c Marathon Cross, currently £20 at PX. They are great all-rounders with excellent road performance when inflated to ~60/75PSI. I did get my first puncture in ~10 years recently on these, but it was really bad luck, a ~2cm screw managed to drill into the rear tyre between two of the large central “shields.” Might be considered a bit heavy by some at ~560g, shame they only do a wired bead version, but for half the price (or less) of G-Ones and Gravel King SKs.

I picked up a stonking Ebay bargain over the weekend that arrived today, a pair of brand new G-One Speed 29×2.35 Evo TLEs for £50, it almost seemed too good to be true for a chance look on the bay! 😯 8)
… Time to grab the FatNotFat wheels off the Wazoo and fit these bad boys and pop the Marathon Cross in the spares box for now, before the missus gets home! 😆

You need to at least give tubeless a try. I haven’t had one puncture or issue since converting to tubeless, including riding the Dirty Reiver last weekend.

Kenda Happy Medium Pro, 40c (although I’m using the 35c verdion).

I am suggesting five great tires which are as follows :

1. Continental Grand Prix 4 Season (25mm).
2. Panaracer Gravel King (28mm).
3. Rivendell jack Brown, Blue Label (33.33mm).
4. Clement X’PLOR USH (35mm).
5. Challenge Gravel Grinder Race (38mm).

After dozens of SDW traverses, I’m inclined to refuse to ride with anyone not running tubeless because they’re guaranteed to hold everyone up! Simply the biggest volume tyres you can fit would be my choice – tread isn’t really an issue in dry, summer conditions as its hard-pack with marbles.

@dovebiker Glad it’s not just me then…

Just swapped some Clement X’PLOR USH for WTB nanos. Both very nice fast tires. 1st run out on Nanos today. Think they are a bit slower than the X’Plor but much more volume so much comfier. Not used the nanos off road yet but the X’Plor were surprisingly competent in light mud.

I have a pair of Nano 40C with about ten miles on hNging up if you want. Drop me a PM, I can do a decent price. I have an Open UP, for me the nano 40c was too close to seat tube. Went tubeless, no punctures on S one, now G one speed, one puncture on g one on 650b but stans sealed it. Have also tried wtb tcs explorer and no punctures there as far as I know with tubeless.

I want to know what’s on those opens

I’ve just done a week in Wales on the new Megabite 38 from Ritchey. 410g, tubeless a treat, dual compound and the grip is way better (cornering and long climbs on loose to gras/ mud) than the nano, but roll just a little slower. I had them very low one day (rim knocking a few times) and didn’t burp. No punctures and thats a week of hammering on Bluestone, bog and thorns.
I have lots of tyres inc. 45c vee rails, but the ritchey gave some clearance for bog crossing.

Tang where did you get the Ritcheys from?

I got them given to me direct from Ritchey to test. However, I heard they have arrived in Europe so should be available from Ritchey dealers.
I’m not sponsored by them (ENVE yes though) but I knew the old versions and they are really good for where a lot of us like to take our drop bar bikes beyond cx. I don’t do endless gravel roads in the UK (I do like them) and as a mtb rider at heart I only ride roads to get off roads and end up on big hills or in the woods via lanes and filthy bridal tracks. Despite building a bike with plenty of clearance, 38c is great for the above ramble!

Cheers Tang

I am suggesting five great tires which are as follows :
1. Continental Grand Prix 4 Season (25mm)…

For the SDW? 😯

OK thanks everyone. I’m gonna try G-Ones and see how we get on. I’ve my eye on some old style Marathon 40’s as well if the G-Ones misbehave 🙂

if you fine a good deal post it up as they can be hard to find

https://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;product=143271;menu=1000,4,22,35

36 euros for g one tubeless……

Up and down the SDW most weekends on Landcruisers and not one puncture. Probably jinxed myself now.

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tyres/700-x-35-35622-schwalbe-gone-tubeless-easy-hs473-folding-tyre-700-622/

35mm I think. Only one of the 49mm in stock – I tried!!

actually trying to buy 49mm ones may have been the issue!

I looked at Landcruisers as one of our group had them and zero punctures. They’re a bit weighty though so I thought I’d try the lighter/dearer G-Ones first.

The standard Marathons are the real bargain. £9 per from Spa. I’ve these on my Exped Touring bike and have done masses of off road on it with zero (so far) problems. Not so good if it’s gloopy though probably.

My main gravel bike wheelset has tubeless 38mm G-Ones, and I also have a set of 40mm Nano Comps ghetto’d onto a spare wheelset.

The G-Ones have been superb on dry surfaces – hardpack, stony track, gravel road. I used them on last year’s Torino-Nice Rally and though I did get one puncture over the 770km I think I could have got that with any tyre. It was a small tear where the sidewall met the tread and the rocks embedded into the track were particularly pointy at that point.

They don’t have much tread though, so if I think it might be wet and gloopy out there I use the Nanos. Noticeably more rolling resistance on any road sections, which is the trade-off you’d expect.

Much as I rate the G-Ones, for the SDW I’d use my Nanos. There’s little tarmac and I’d feel more confident on the grass and chalk if it rained. Though the Comps I have hold air I’d look instead at the Nano TCS variant for the peace of mind that comes from having a proper tubeless bead.

@Heliuscc – i’d be interested in those Nanos if you still have them.
My email in profile is the best way to contact me. Thanks