What is the Best Gravel Bike Tire?
What makes a good gravel tire? Does the best gravel tire depend on how I ride? How wide / narrow should my gravel tire be?
These are good questions. Let's answer them. The most important factor in deciding which gravel tire to ride is . . . (wait for it) . . . terrain. In other words, are you riding your gravel bike on pavement for your commute? Or hard packed dirt roads? Or gravelly singletrack? Or muddy cyclocross races? Once you know where you spend the majority of your gravel bike time, then we'll be able to figure which gravel tire is best for you.
1) Terrain = Tire Width. The basic calculation is as follows:
The rougher the terrain, the wider the tire. The smoother the terrain, the narrower the tire. A really fat gravel bike tire will essentially be a mountain bike tire of 2.1 inches wide which performs well on really loose gravel, snow & ice, mud, and other sketchy terrain. A narrow gravel bike tire will be more on the cyclocross side of 31 mm and would be suitable for road riding, commuting, and generally smooth surfaces. And then there is everything in between. Generally speaking, the average gravel bike tire will be about 40mm for all around gravel riding. (And the beauty of disc brakes on gravel bikes is that you can ride super skinny tires, or really fat tires, depending on how you feel . . . the old rim brakes didn't allow for the clearance needed for wide tires).
2) Terrain = Tire Tread. The basic calculation is as follows:
The rougher the terrain, the knobbier the tire. The smoother the terrain, the smoother the tire. If you're mostly commuting on your gravel bike to work on pavement, then you could get away with riding road tire slicks (which have no tread at all). But if you're riding loose gravel roads, muddy trails, or snowy paths, you'll want some knobby tread on that tire. If you're looking for a middle ground between commuting and gravel roads, many companies make a lovely gravel tire with knobs and tread on the outside for traction, and a slick path down the middle of the tire to lower rolling resistance. More on that below.
These are good questions. Let's answer them. The most important factor in deciding which gravel tire to ride is . . . (wait for it) . . . terrain. In other words, are you riding your gravel bike on pavement for your commute? Or hard packed dirt roads? Or gravelly singletrack? Or muddy cyclocross races? Once you know where you spend the majority of your gravel bike time, then we'll be able to figure which gravel tire is best for you.
1) Terrain = Tire Width. The basic calculation is as follows:
The rougher the terrain, the wider the tire. The smoother the terrain, the narrower the tire. A really fat gravel bike tire will essentially be a mountain bike tire of 2.1 inches wide which performs well on really loose gravel, snow & ice, mud, and other sketchy terrain. A narrow gravel bike tire will be more on the cyclocross side of 31 mm and would be suitable for road riding, commuting, and generally smooth surfaces. And then there is everything in between. Generally speaking, the average gravel bike tire will be about 40mm for all around gravel riding. (And the beauty of disc brakes on gravel bikes is that you can ride super skinny tires, or really fat tires, depending on how you feel . . . the old rim brakes didn't allow for the clearance needed for wide tires).
2) Terrain = Tire Tread. The basic calculation is as follows:
The rougher the terrain, the knobbier the tire. The smoother the terrain, the smoother the tire. If you're mostly commuting on your gravel bike to work on pavement, then you could get away with riding road tire slicks (which have no tread at all). But if you're riding loose gravel roads, muddy trails, or snowy paths, you'll want some knobby tread on that tire. If you're looking for a middle ground between commuting and gravel roads, many companies make a lovely gravel tire with knobs and tread on the outside for traction, and a slick path down the middle of the tire to lower rolling resistance. More on that below.
All that said, below is a list of Gravelution.com's favorite gravel bike tires:
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WTB Resolute
(65% Gravel & 35% Road) 
The WTB Resolute is a no-nonsense gravel tire with a relatively aggressive tread pattern that features small square knobs that become more compact in the middle of the tire to minimize rolling resistance. If you'll be spending more time on gravel than on pavement, then this is the tire for you.
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Maxxis Rambler
(50% Gravel & 50% Road) 
The Maxxis Rambler is another great gravel tire with compact tread down the center to decrease rolling resistance and the hum of pavement. This tire is quicker and lighter than its counterparts with a less aggressive gravel tread. This tire is a good option if you'll riding on gravel and pavement. (Fun Fact: The Maxxis Rambler is the tire that Rebecca Rusch has ridden to win the Dirty Kanza).
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Kenda Flintridge Pro
(90% Gravel & 10% Road) 
The Kenda Fintridge Pro tire strives to balance speed with puncture protection. The tread design has cool (odd?) rectangle tread down the middle (again to reduce rolling resistance) with gnarly knobs on the side, and reinforced sidewalls to guard against sharp rocks. This tire is busy looking, but it's a great gravel tire.
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