Should you put Mountain Bike tyres on a Gravel Bike?

Are wider tyres better on your gravel bike? To find out I went big and fitted some mountain bike tyres to see if they improve the performance or not
3T Exploro review • NEW 3T Exploro Ultra i...
Fairlight Secan • My Perfect Gravel Bike...
Best Gravel Bike Tyres • My guide to choosing t...
Buy Vittoria Barzo tyres tidd.ly/3yyINE6
Supported by Saddleback
Sidi shoes bit.ly/3tjQ8UP
Sportful clothing bit.ly/2NLNw1t
HJC helmet bit.ly/3sRiB2Z
Follow me:
Instagram: / davidjarthur
Twitter: / davearthur
Facebook: / justridebikesvideo

[@stevevarga8621]

Great video, finally someone who recognizes the many benefits of wide tires. I’ve been on 2.1 or 53mm tires for 3 years now and they are a huge advantage on the rougher roads I prefer. If I could add a few points to your very informative video. 1) Tread patterns add much more friction to roll resistance then the actual width of the tire does. 2) You don’t need a really aggressive tread pattern to enjoy 99% of the rough roads/trails. Soft wide rubber with a modest tread does a shockingly good job of getting you through some really sloppy and rough terrain. From my experience you can dial back on the aggressiveness of the tread pattern and still have a great ride but in so doing eliminate a few of the negatives on your list ie excessive roll resistance, weight and mud clearance. From what I see in the video your conditions are very similar to mine and for that reason I’m suggesting you could dial back on the size ie 2.25 to 2.1 and get a smoother tread pattern. The tires you are using are more appropriate for a full on mtb that would be going way faster and on much more difficult terrain then you would do on a gravel bike. If you dial back your tread pattern a bit you’ll notice that they roll about the same as everyone else’s normal gravel tires yet still offer all the benefits of the bigger tires with very minimal negatives. It’s all about finding the sweet spot for your terrain.

[@discbrakefan]

I think this just highlights the versatility of a big clearance gravel bike. You can put road, gravel or MTB tyres on it and use it for all different types of riding.

[@ElevationEveryWeekend]

I’m a fan! As someone who rides 29+ on my “gravel/adventure” bike, this concept has a lot of merit if you’re not racing or doing the Strava KOM game.

[@jonpoon3896]

It’s super fun. I had some 2.1 tires on my Secan and they expanded to 2.25. Rolls over everything. Great for bikepacking

[@vlbz]

That's some serious speed in the woods on that bike. Big thumbs up.

[@valeriesorrells]

I have considered getting wider tires for my gravel... but I LOVE LOVE LOVE riding my 29 stumpie in the woods. It's a totally different experience. So I keep each tool for it's intended uses.

[@HKRoad]

Very interesting David. Did my first single track on an Open Up with 650b x 2.1” last night and was amazed at the tyres’ performance. In fact, I think I’m going to just leave these on the bike from now on. Nipping around on 700 x 38 has been fun. But the versatility of the wider tire and the fact that the drop off in speed on road was substantially less than I’d expected are total revelations.

[@nickmetcalfe4536]

Great video content as usual, the production and presentation skills here are top notch.Interesting topic as well, love your stuff. Nick-Brisbane, Australia.

[@tomv6350]

Great explanation, thanks. Looks like the right tool for the job on some of the rougher roads you ride. My take was to try to pick the fastest xc mtb tire. RR is on par or better than most all smaller gravel tires. There is an aero penalty at 2.2 wide but not too impactful at 17mph. My local routes are similar, and my gravel bike with 650b x 2.2 race kings is fun, smooth and fast. For me, better than my carbon xc hardtail.

[@jmdrstv]

Raceking 2.2 Black Chili protection…magic. Cant recommend it enough. Best of all worlds.

[@markwright8030]

Very informative video. Keep up the good work 👍👍👍👍👍

[@TerryNutkins3]

I live in between the Peak District and Sherwood Forest, In one direction I have miles of smooth flat trails and in the other; lots of hilly, rocky, old limestone roads, I ended up converting a 27.5 hardtail mtb into a 29er gravel bike just for the rockier routes, took a bit of trial and error to figure out what tyres were best, ended up with Vittoria Mezcal, similar tread pattern to WTB Nano but a hell of a lot cheaper

[@niceup1177]

man, you really build yourself a super dope bike with that highend steel frame, carbon fork and cheeky suspension through stem and seatpost and now, tires. it looks so much fun to ride and still fast enough. thanks for sharing, excellent video!

[@wiggle]

Quality watch that one! Cheers Dave 💪

[@michiganstate149]

As someone as far towards MTB over gravel/road, I do appreciate these big tires for gravel...but...IMO, you are getting the worst of handling from a drop bar bike with the rolling resistance of a mtb. Volume and comfort can be similar with a less aggressive but still wide tire, think a 2.1-2.3" Mezcal, Icon, Aspen or Recon Race. A Barzo is close to that, but the fastest rolling MTB XC tire you can get I think would be the best for this setup.

[@seanbolton]

I have been riding 700c x 50mm Panaracer SKs on my Secan. Definitely wider is better on the typical mix of 'gravel' surfaces we get in the UK.

[@davidmolloy5220]

Great video as always, David. Keep up the great work. I am thinking about getting a Strael or a Secan (based on your reviews) but am undecided between the two. I live in London - terrible roads - and am thinking about commuting to work - about 15 miles. This would be my main bike.

[@Dcully]

I use my mountain bike for the rough stuff and gravel bike for gravel and road, between both I'm sorted but can't decide which I enjoy more😁

[@katherinefrost5808]

Of course, terrain will define what tire size/tread is necessary. I am not sure if you have reviewed CushCore in a previous video. I am new to gravel riding, but I change my wheel size, tires and tread pattern based on the terrain. I recently tried CushCore inserts during the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder (which I used Pathfinder Pro 42's). It was a huge improvement. However, I think a 45 or 47 tire would have been more comfortable.

[@bitgeist21]

That is some pretty impressive single-track, Sir! Love the footage 🙂 Great analysis as well!