The Definitive NGNM Guide on Gravel Tyres

As the world of gravel expands, from riding on compact white roads to S2-S3 MTB terrains, we’ve been asked many times for suggestions regarding which tyres to get, how wide to get them, and how much to pump them.

We’ve already covered part of these issues in our blog The Definitive NGNM Guide to Gravel (published in 2021 and edited in 2024).

TYPES OF TYRES
As of today, technology has slightly shifted. The trends are now towards running wider tyres (unless you only ride on strade bianche), and manufacturers are now building frames to house 700c rims with 45-50mm tyres.

Whereas before, you were lucky if a gravel frame allowed to mount up to a 40mm tire, almost everyone is sizing up today.
This is excellent news because riding a wider tire means more comfort, stability, and traction when off-road, although riding on asphalt will be penalised.

But don't fret, there are tyres on the market that can achieve both good rolling resistance, excellent grip off-road, and decent performance in mud.

We’re huge fans of the Pirelli Cinturato M series, which has quickly become a favorite here in Europe among different types of gravelers because of its versatility.

Riding under the rain on muddy terrain is an art in and of itself. If one could swap tyres before, it’d be ideal, but even then, nothing is very effective in avoiding the mud piling up in those tiny spots between the wheel and the frame… let alone handling the bike well in those conditions.
No wonder athletes swap bikes so often in cyclocross races!
For us nonracers, the best bet is on using either an “all-around tire” or swapping to a “mud-specific” tire with very wide and grippy knobs.

Maxxis makes the Mud Wrestler, Vittoria has the Terreno Wet, and many other brands have their own mud & wet version. Please remember that these are weather specific tyres, and won't perform well in different conditions like dry and asphalt/gravel mix.

TYRE PRESSURE
The jury is still out on the ideal tyre pressure to apply to your bike.
The truth is that there isn’t a single number that works for everyone, and it gets complicated for the many variables to consider:

• terrain condition (smooth and rolling or rocky, and how large the rocks are)
• Weather conditions (dry or wet)
• Rider weight
• Tubeless or with an inner tube
• Front and back wheel.

SRAM has a nice tyre pressure calculator https://axs.sram.com/guides/tire/pressure to help you out, but you need to know all of the variables requested (i.e. the rim width, which will require a bit of searching on the net for your model)Enve also offers a static table; all numbers are expressed in PSI.

Regardless of the source, take these numbers as a starting point and experiment by finessing your ideal pressure number.
As a rule of thumb pump the back wheel slightly more, as it will bear most of the weight.
Running lower tyre pressure has the benefit of better controlling your bike, especially your front wheel. This wheel will smoothly go over the rocks and keep you in the saddle instead of bouncing you off.

Also, tubeless and tube setups run different tire pressures. Usually, with tubeless, you’re able to go lower in pressure than using a tube—not dramatically lower, but just a bit.
Check out this great video with Rebecca Rusch, who sums it up nicely and addresses some of the basics for riding on gravel safely. 

TUBE or TUBELESS
Lastly, the million-dollar question: Inner tube or tubeless?
Casey Wytaske from Hammerhead / Sram always suggests to make the leap and go tubeless, and she's showed us in a workshop at UWAG Friuli how easy it was to swap your tyres and going tubeless.

A tubeless set-up requires a bit more technique and a few more tools to carry, but the benefits are considerable: a smoother ride, lower tyre pressure, and self-sealing of minor punctures.
What helped tremendously was to learn this from a woman, as it suddenly felt more achievable.
Running a tubeless set-up is slightly different from running it with an inner tube, for the steps & tools needed.
But please know that repairing a flat by reverting back to using an inner tube is always possible especially if repairing the flat tubeless tyre is unattainable.

We'll dedicate a new blog on going tubeless; for now, let's say that if you're planning on riding on gravel, you can easily start with a clincher with tube, but it's mandatory to learn how to repair a flat, as you may find yourself in the middle of nowhere and in need to get up and rolling on your own. There are plenty of tutorials on Youtube, and you can try to remove the tube from your tyre and put it back at home on your own time!
Next time you're on the road, you'll know how to tackle the situation. :-)
 
Stay tuned for a dedicated blog on upgrading your wheel-set to tubeless!