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The Best Gravel Bike Tires of 2023

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One of the simplest, most effective, and most affordable ways to improve the quality of your gravel rides begins right where the rubber hits the dirt road – or, the gnarly singletrack, roots, mud, hardpack, crushed gravel, sand, or pavement. And if you’re like many gravel cyclists, you may encounter all of the above during a season, or even during a single, epic ride.

The good news is that tire manufacturers have created an incredible range of tire models for every flavor of gravel imaginable, and each comes in a variety of widths, casing constructions, and weights that allow you to choose the ideal tire for the kind of gravel that you ride most often.

All those choices can also make selecting a tire overwhelming, especially if your budget limits you to buying new treads once in a blue moon.

We’ve selected some best gravel tires available in 2023 and tested them over hundreds of miles in a variety of real-world conditions to make it easier for you to choose. So, whether you prefer rail trails, smooth dirt roads, old logging roads, flowy singletrack, or routes that mix pavement with your dirt, you can find the ideal fit for your unique riding style below. To compare the models we tested at a glance, check out our comparison chart. And if you’re just getting into gravel cycling or are ready to switch from the same old tires you’ve always used, check out our buying advice and FAQ section at the end of this article.

The Best Gravel Bike Tires of 2023

Best Overall Gravel Bike Tire

WTB Raddler

Specs

  • MSRP $65.95 ($76.95 w/ SG2)
  • Size tested 700 x 40
  • Weight 522g
  • Intended use Mixed gravel, hardpack, loose and wet terrain
  • Available sizes 700 x 40 and 700 x 44
The Best Gravel Bike Tires of 2023

Pros

  • Great grip in wet and dry conditions
  • Superb, supple ride quality
  • Puncture protection
  • Fast rolling
  • Versatile

Cons

  • On the heavy side
  • Not ideal for muddy conditions

If you’re searching for a “Goldilocks” of a gravel tire that can reliably handle a huge range of conditions with confidence, the WTB Raddler belongs at the top of your list. While the competition in our best all-arounder category was especially close, the Raddler stood out for its rolling efficiency, superb grip, and supple ride quality through all kinds of gravel, along with its surprisingly decent manners and handling on pavement.

One of the things we loved most about the Raddlers was how little we actually noticed them on our test rides. And that’s a good thing because you’re more likely to notice tires when they don’t perform well — washing out on loose corners, spinning out on climbs, bouncing on washboard, or buzzing over asphalt. But the Raddler consistently delivered a sure-footed performance and a great feeling ride that put it at the top of the class.

Fast-rolling yet grippy, the Raddler is the “radder” version of WTB’s popular Riddler. Currently available only in 700c, the Raddler comes in six versions, including 40mm or 44mm width, with options for casing construction and sidewall color. We tested the Raddler 40mm in black, with a supple 120 threads-per-inch (tpi) casing and WTB’s SG2 (Slash Guard) bead-to-bead puncture protection, weighing 522g. Only the 120tpi casing versions feature SG2, which adds some grams over their 60tpi counterparts, but we feel the added protection and more supple 120tpi casing is your best choice for both ride quality and ruggedness.

The tread pattern is similar to the Riddler, with small, tightly bunched, faster-rolling center knobs and taller/wider outer lugs for cornering – but the Raddler’s tread is deeper, more aggressive, and should last longer. On our most varied gravel routes, it transitioned from wet to dry to soft to hardpack and back again seamlessly, without jarring changes in the quality of handling, traction, cornering, braking control, or speed.

Despite the Raddler’s beefier tread, it also felt smooth on pavement, with only a hint of the noise you’d expect from such an aggressive tread. In addition to great handling on hardpack and loose gravel, it sailed through softer terrain with straight-line tracking, solid cornering, and ample grip for climbing and braking on steeper hills. In thick “peanut butter” mud, the tightly packed tread can get jammed up, but it clears quickly and maintained enough bite to get us through an occasional muddy stretch of trail. 

WTB says the Raddler “is an excellent choice for unpredictable roads or trails where traction is key, but efficiency is of utmost importance.” We couldn’t agree more.

Check Price at REI
Best Budget Gravel Bike Tire

Continental Terra Trail

Specs

  • MSRP $72.95 (easy to find on sale for less)
  • Size tested 700 x 40
  • Weight 460g
  • Intended use Hardpack, gravel, loose over hard
  • Available sizes 650 x 47, 700 x 40
The Best Gravel Bike Tires of 2023

Pros

  • Supple casing and ride quality
  • Puncture protection
  • Handling in hardpack and loose gravel

Cons

  • Grip in soft, muddy conditions

The Continental Terra Trail checks all the boxes in the growing and super competitive market for all-around high-performance gravel tires: Light, super responsive, and reliably capable across a range of off-road conditions, as well as on pavement. Bonus: You can often find them for less than $50 on sale, a great bargain for a top-end tire.

The Terra Trail gets its supple, gravel-absorbing ride, along with a good deal of punction protection, from its 180tpi casing and ProTection sidewall protection. Continental’s race-proven Black Chili rubber compound also adds grip, speed, and durability. The results: An all-arounder that’s hard to beat for its combination of performance and value.

We tested the 700 x 40 version with black sidewalls, weighing 460g. The tread pattern is similar to Continental’s even lighter, more racy Terra Speed, but the knobs are also deeper, and more grippy and durable. The result: A tire that rolls especially well on both hardpack and loose gravel conditions, where they hold a line, corner, and handle higher speeds with predictable ease and added confidence. We found their handling less certain on matted, wet leaves and very soft, muddy conditions, where they tended to slip on steeper, off-camber hills and corners.

On pavement, the Terra Trails are smooth-rolling and grippy, although we did notice that the moderately aggressive tread produced a faint buzzing sensation on smooth, fresh asphalt. The added puncture protection and the sturdy Black Chili compound also means they are robust enough for E25-rated e-bikes.

If your rides are mainly off-road and cover a wide range of gravel, the Continental Terra Trail provides a great riding experience at a bargain price.

Check Price at Competitive CyclistCheck Price at Jenson USA
Runner-Up Best Gravel Bike Tire

Panaracer GravelKing SK+

Specs

  • MSRP $75
  • Size tested 700 x 43
  • Weight 540g
  • Intended use Gravel, dirt or rough pavement
  • Available sizes 26 x 2.1, 27.5 x 48, 53, 700 x 28, 32, 35, 38, 43, 50, 29 x 2.1
The Best Gravel Bike Tires of 2023

Pros

  • Super supple ride
  • Great for mixed surfaces
  • Smooth rolling on pavement
  • Easy tubeless set up
  • Puncture protection

Cons

  • Loses grip in mud
  • Not the lightest

Read enough gravel tire reviews, and you get the impression that the Panaracer GravelKing SK+ is the standard by which other gravel tires are measured. And with good reason. They are among the most popular gravel tires, having been around since 2016 and gaining an almost cult-like following for their supple ride quality and predictable handling.

Compared to other all-around tires, the GravelKing SK+’s tread may look mild-mannered and sort of old-school – with a center section of small, evenly spaced, tightly packed square knobs, bordered on the shoulders by longer, low cornering lugs. But don’t let the simple looks fool you. The SK+ outperformed our expectations both on road and off and were the most comfortable tires overall in our tests – making them an especially solid choice for long, epic rides and varied conditions.

Panaracer says its “Zero Slip Grip rubber compound sticks like glue in corners.” We certainly agree. Along with the wider, compliant casing, the GravelKing SK+ delivered solid traction on leaves, slippery roots, loose dirt, and chunky old logging roads. While they aren’t ideal in deep mud, where the small knobs tended to get packed, on pavement the SK+ felt like riding a dedicated road slick, although with a small sacrifice in speed.

For our test, we chose the 700 x 43, weighing in at 540g, which is respectable for such a large volume casing built with Panaracer’s bead-to-bead ProTite Shield+ punction protection. Panaracer’s supple 126tpi AX-Alpha Cord casing gives the GravelKing its famously supple ride and additional resistance to cuts. While there are lighter versions of the GravelKing, the added puncture protection and wider 43mm casing are well worth a few more grams. Panaracer also makes it in sizes including 26 and 27.5-inch wheels, as well as a large range of widths for 700c to suit your preferences.

If you’re looking for a reliable, proven winner for all-around gravel cycling, the Panaracer Gravel King SK+ is a great choice.

Check Price at REI
Best High Performance Gravel Tire

Maxxis Rambler

Specs

  • MSRP $70.00
  • Size tested 700 x 38
  • Weight 376g
  • Intended use Hardpack, loose over hard, dry dirt roads
  • Available sizes 650 x 47, 700 x 38, 40, 45, 50
The Best Gravel Bike Tires of 2023

Pros

  • Race-winning performance
  • Lightweight
  • Fast-rolling
  • Superior grip
  • Puncture protection

Cons

  • Not ideal in mud
  • Slight buzz on pavement

When testing tires in real-world conditions, it’s important to use highly sophisticated, technical terms to describe them. For the Maxxis Rambler, ours would be, “These things are sweet!”

The Rambler was our favorite high-performance tire by a long shot. With handling in all conditions that is on par with our favorite overall tires, the Rambler stands out as a race-worthy all-arounder with its light weight, low rolling resistance, and consistent grip across rapidly changing terrain.

It’s no surprise to us that the 200-mile Unbound Gravel, the world’s most competitive gravel race, was won by Keegan Swenson on a set of Ramblers in 2023, which featured the race’s toughest conditions ever.

The Rambler is Maxxis’ most popular gravel tire and is available in a whopping 17 varieties, including 650B or 700, 38c to 50c wide, and 60 or 120tpi casing. While Keegan rode the 700 x 40 at Unbound, we opted for the 700 x 38 with Maxxis’ EXO cut-and abrasion-resistant sidewall protection – the lightest version of the Raddler at a remarkable 376g. 

Like other all-around tires, the Rambler tread features tightly packed center knobs designed to roll fast on hardpack, with beefier cornering knobs at the sides. But its small center knobs are also dimpled, or indented, giving them a suction cup-like look and fantastic grip in even the sketchiest conditions. As with other all-around models, it struggles in the deepest mud but seemed to shed it quickly and maintained grip on slippery, wet trails better than some others in its class.

Tire weight is critical when selecting a high-performance tire, but so is protection from punctures and cuts, and Maxxis has you covered with EXO, which protects the sidewalls. The tire is also available with Maxxis’s slightly heavier SilkShield protection, which runs bead-to-bead. Either are great choices, and the huge range of options in the Maxxis Rambler lineup will allow you to fine-tune your race-ready ride. 

Check Price at REI
Best Gravel Tire for Adventuring and Bikepacking

WTB Resolute

Specs

  • MSRP $65.95 ($76.95 w/ SG2)
  • Size tested 700 x 42
  • Weight 565g
  • Intended use Hardpack, dirt, loose, wet
  • Available sizes 650 x 42 and 700 x 42
The Best Gravel Bike Tires of 2023

Pros

  • All-weather performance
  • Supple ride quality
  • Great grip, braking and cornering control
  • Puncture protection

Cons

  • Heavier weight
  • Slower rolling on pavement

There is something about the smooth rolling, comfortable, and grippy quality of the WTB Resolute across all the conditions that found us wanting to shut off the GPS and phone, toss the itinerary and just ride wherever the gravel or pavement and our whimsy took us, for days on end. You get the sense that the Resolute will get you there, and back, hassle-free, no matter what your route or the weather brings.

At 42mm and with a 120tpi casing, the Resolute’s larger, plush casing delivered outstanding ride quality. They are at the wider and heavier side of the tires that we tested, at 565g, but they felt much lighter and nimbler than expected, thanks to WTB’s fast-rolling rubber compound and its thin, flexible SG2 puncture protection. The tire comes in three other varieties, all 42mm wide but with the choice of 650b or 700c sizes and 60 or 120tpi.

Its tread pattern consists of small, square knobs packed more closely and aligned along the center and spaced more widely toward the sidewalls, helping these tires to roll fast on hardpack, hook up when cornering, and climb well on loose, rocky terrain. The relatively open spacing of the knobs also sheds mud well. Like the other WTB tires we’ve tested, we found these very easy to mount and set up tubeless with a tubeless pump.

The WTB Resolute is designed as an all-around, off-road tire, and they were acceptably quiet and smooth on pavement as well, although not the fastest rolling. Simply put: The Resolute is a tire that loves adventure. And it is our choice for the long haul, off-road, and year-round.

Check Price at REI
Best Gravel Bike Tire for Hardpack and Pavement

Maxxis Receptor

Specs

  • MSRP $70.00
  • Size tested 700 x 40
  • Weight 417g
  • Intended use Pavement, hardpack, light gravel
  • Available sizes 650 x 47, 700 x 40
The Best Gravel Bike Tires of 2023

Pros

  • Fast-rolling
  • Lightweight
  • Quiet, smooth ride

Cons

  • Not for rugged off-road conditions
  • Poor traction in loose conditions

In no small part, the tremendous growth in gravel biking over the past decade is due to a cool quirk: people began to realize that these bikes designed for dirt roads — with their fatter tires, more relaxed frame geometries, mountain-climbing gears, and rugged components – also deliver an incredibly smooth, fun and capable ride on pavement. That’s where the Maxxis Receptor comes in.

In fact, if you live where the pavement is cracked, potholed, and showing its age, a gravel bike with the right tires can offer a big improvement in ride quality, durability, and safety over your old road bike and its skinny, slick tires. They can also open up entirely new cycling routes that switch from asphalt to hardpack dirt and back again, which you might have avoided on a road bike.

If you’re looking for a tire that can transform your gravel bike into a road warrior, check out the Maxxis Receptor. This semi-slick tire is designed especially for pavement and hardpacked dirt, with a fast-rolling, supple ride and a construction that can also handle light off-road duties. It would also be an excellent bike touring tire, capable of handling full loads and rougher roads.

The Receptor is available in 650b x 47 or 700 x 40, with added EXO sidewall protection and a supple 120tpi casing. We tested the 40mm version with a black sidewall, weighing just 417g. The tread pattern features very shallow, diamond-shaped nubs across the center that transition to slightly deeper tread and low cornering lugs on the sides. On the roads, the Receptor feels super light, agile, and responsive, yet corners like it’s on rails – riding much like a high-end road tire.

Off-road, the Receptor handles smooth, compacted dirt with equal ease, comfort, and impressive straight-ahead speed. Not surprisingly, the fine tread is prone to washing out on loose gravel, around dry sandy corners, and over rocky, rooted, or rougher terrain – conditions it isn’t really designed for.

If your gravel bike is primarily a road machine that occasionally takes you onto compact dirt roads and rail trails, the Maxxis Receptor is an excellent choice.

Check Price at REI
Best Gravel Tire for Dry Conditons (and more)

Vittoria Terreno Dry

Specs

  • MSRP $61
  • Size tested 700 x 38
  • Weight 490g
  • Intended use Hardpack, dry, compact dirt
  • Available sizes 650 x 47, 700 x 31, 33, 35, 38, 45, 47, 50, 54
The Best Gravel Bike Tires of 2023

Pros

  • Fast rolling
  • Light
  • Great on hardpack
  • Better-than-expected in wet conditions
  • Fair price

Cons

  • Braking on loose gravel and sand

You’d expect that a review about a tire with “Dry” in its name would begin by describing how it handles in dry conditions. And the Vittoria Terreno Dry certainly excels on dry, compact dirt. We’ll get to that. But what blew us away is how well these “dry” tires also handled the frequently wet, slippery loose gravel conditions of northern New England during a summer of record rains and floods.

It wasn’t unusual to approach slimy roots and slick little uphills on a test ride, thinking, “Get ready to bail.” Yet, time and again, the Terreno Dry held firm and slip-free. So, although they wouldn’t be our go-to tire for mainly loose or wet conditions, you can count on the Terreno Dry to keep rolling well if your dry hardpack ride suddenly gets hit by a downpour or covers a section of wet logging road.

On dry, compact dirt, they handle like a high-end road tire – fast-rolling, compliant, and capable at high speeds, yet remarkably grippy and compliant. Cornering is predictable and solid on dry hardpack, but use caution when braking and also in wet or loose conditions, where they are apt to wash out or slide.

With a supple 127 tpi casing, the Terreno Dry comes in 650B and 700c, with 15 choices for width and casing construction, ranging from 54mm to 33mm wide. We tested the 700 x 38 tubeless with Vittoria’s TNT bead-to-bead puncture protection, weighing 490g. The same tire with TLR casing, which provides protection only under the tread, weighs slightly less at 450g.

The Terreno Dry’s “fish scale” center tread consists of tightly packed hexagon-shaped nubs that transition into more aggressive and deeper cornering lugs on the side. Built with Vittoria’s grippy yet durable 3C Graphene rubber compound, the little nubs work together to grab gravel from complex, multiple angles and edges simultaneously, giving the Dry impressive Velcro-like grip that performs well outside its stated range.

If you’re looking for a fast, light dedicated tire for dry conditions that’s capable of getting you through occasional wet, slippery stretches, the Vittoria Terreno Dry is a tire to grab you – and the road.

Check Price at REI
Best Gravel Bike Tire for Wet and Muddy Conditions

Pirelli Cinturato Gravel S

Specs

  • MSRP $84.90
  • Size tested 700 x 40
  • Weight 550g
  • Intended use Soft, wet and muddy terrain
  • Available sizes 700 x 40, 45, 50
The Best Gravel Bike Tires of 2023

Pros

  • Phenomenal grip
  • Muddy, soft conditions
  • Durable, long lasting

Cons

  • Heavier weight
  • More expensive

Mud comes with the turf if you ride gravel a lot, and during some seasons and depending on where you live, it can be unavoidable for weeks, even months. The Pirelli Cinturato Gravel S was designed for times and places like these, with fantastic grip and rugged construction to get you through the sloppiest of conditions.

In fact, you could have a little fun on a rainy day by seeing if you can get the Gravel S to spin out on a steep, slick gravel climb that would defeat other tires. It will be a challenge. Their uncanny grip easily topped any other tire in our testing – so much so that it took us a while to get used to how well they handle slop, wet leaves, and loose, slimy boulders. (And 2023 brought A LOT of rain to northern New England, flooding many communities along with roads and trails.)

If you’re an avid mountain biker, the Gravel S will feel happily familiar, with ride quality and trail manners that feel more like a high-performance cross-country mountain bike tire than a lighter, all-purpose gravel tire. Its SpeedGRIP rubber compound is tweaked from Pirelli’s MTB-specific SmartGRIP compound to offer better rolling resistance. And for the casing, Pirelli combined its road and MTB TechWALL technologies to create a unique, bead-to-bead puncture layer for gravel.

The 700c-only Gravel S comes in 40, 45, or 50mm widths, all 60tpi. We tested the 40mm version, listed at 540g. That puts it on the heavier side for a gravel tire, which should be expected given its beefier tread and sidewall protection.

Riding, we found the Pirelli Cinturato Gravel S performs best in its element: soft, slippery trails and muddy conditions. As you’d expect, it is not nearly as supple, nimble-feeling, or fast-rolling as an all-around gravel tire – a tradeoff that is well worth considering if you’re looking for a tough, great-gripping tire that can handle the most challenging slop and mud.

Check Price at Competitive Cyclist
Best of the Rest

Schwalbe G-One Overland

Specs

  • MSRP $88
  • Size tested 700 x 40
  • Weight 515g
  • Intended use 50/50 road and off-road, hardpack
  • Available sizes 700 x 40, 45, 50
The Best Gravel Bike Tires of 2023

Pros

  • Durable
  • Smooth rolling
  • Great for commuting and rough roads
  • Suitable for E-bikes
  • Good for hardpack

Cons

  • Mud handling
  • More rigid ride quality
  • More expensive

If your day-to-day commuter bike moonlights as a gear hauler, kid carrier, and gravel grinder on nights and weekends, the Schwalbe G-One Overland is a great one to have in your wheelhouse. Think of the Overland as the durable, reliable, do-everything SUV of gravel tires: Sturdy, smooth rolling on pavement, predictable and yet sporty enough to handle off-roading duties on the moderate-to-milder side of the gravel scale.

The Overland is a nice addition to Schwalbe’s popular G-One line, with features designed to handle the heavier loads, higher speeds, and braking forces of e-bikes and loaded touring. Available in 700×40, 45, and 50mm, it is built with a stout 67tpi black casing and Schwalbe’s grippy and long-lasting Addix Speedgrip rubber compound.

We tested the 700×40 version. Weighing in at 515g, it is on the heavier side for an all-around gravel tire, but it also felt fast rolling and comfortably smooth on pavement thanks to its tightly packed directional tread blocks; while its more pronounced side knobs hold firmly on paved and hardpack corners. The Overland is not intended for soft, wet, or muddy trails, but it handles smoother crushed gravel roads, hardpack, and sand with much more confidence than slick or file-tread tires.

One strength that really stood out for us was how nicely the Overland rolled over lousy pavement, from potholed and cracked city streets and construction zones to rough, chip-sealed country roads. When traffic forced us to choose a sketchy line through chopped-up asphalt or pushed onto the soft road shoulder, we were pleasantly surprised to feel confident, comfortable, and safer on the Schwalbe G-One Overland.

Check Price at Jenson USA

Vittoria Terreno Mix

Specs

  • MSRP $61
  • Size tested 700 x 38
  • Weight 500g
  • Intended use Mixed gravel, cyclocross
  • Available sizes 700 x 31, 33, 35, 38, 45, 50
The Best Gravel Bike Tires of 2023

Pros

  • Fast rolling on dirt
  • Handling in mixed conditions
  • Hardpack cornering
  • Durable
  • Fair price

Cons

  • Rigid feeling
  • More sensitive to tire pressure

The Vittoria Terreno Mix is a versatile, do-it-all tire that sits in the middle of Vittoria’s popular cyclocross series, and it has gained in popularity on the gravel scene as well, with a wide range of widths and casing options for added durability and ride quality.

As the name implies, this is a great tire for variable conditions, one that you could easily leave on your wheels year-round without feeling like you “need” another tire. (But doesn’t everyone need more tires, and bikes, for that matter?)

In our tests, the Terreno Mix lived up to its reputation as a fast-rolling, sturdy tire off-road in all but the softest, wettest conditions, and they rolled smoothly and quietly on the pavement as well. There are eight varieties of the Mix, from 31 to 50mm wide, all 120tpi, with cut-resistant TNT, foldable or rigid casings depending on the size tire you choose. We tested the 700 x 38 with TNT casing, listed at 500g. 

More than any other tire we tested the ride quality of the Mix changed noticeably depending on tire pressure. Using an online tire calculator – such as Silca’s Pro Tire Pressure Calculator — we began at the recommended pressure and found that the Mix offers good, but not remarkable, performance over varied gravel conditions, with a sluggish feeling on hardpack and dry ground.

But with just a little more air – adding around 5 psi – they immediately felt faster rolling and more responsive. Likewise, when we lowered the inflation a few pounds, the grip and handling in wetter, softer conditions went from “meh” to “amazing,” especially on corners and slippery grass. It was like having two entirely different tires in one – and that’s a great thing if you’re comfortable making small inflation adjustments and have an accurate tire pressure gauge.

Vittoria’s Graphene 2.0 compound offers a nice balance of speed, grip, and durability, and adds confidence if you suddenly encounter a rough, sketchy patch on your ride. Not surprisingly, the Vittoria Terreno Mix also delivered superb performance on rail trails, which are generally dry, compact dirt with occasional stretches of sand, crushed stone, and loose, pebbly gravel.

Check Price at REI

Gravel Bike Tires Comparison Chart

Tire Model MSRP Size Tested Weight of Size Tested Intended Use
WTB Raddler $76.95 (w/ SG2) 700 x 40 522 grams Mixed gravel, hardpack, loose, dry, wet
Continental Terra Trail $72.95 700 x 40 460 grams Hardpack, loose over hard, gravel
Panaracer GravelKing SK+ $75 700 x 43 540 grams Gravel, dirt, rough pavement
Maxxis Rambler $70 700 x 38 376 grams Hardpack, loose over hard, dry
WTB Resolute $76.95 (w/ SG2) 700 x 42 565 grams Hardpack, loose, dirt, wet, dry
Maxxis Receptor $70 700 x 40 417 grams Pavement, hardpack, smooth gravel
Vittoria Terreno Dry $61 700 x 38 490 grams 50/50 on/off-road, hardpack
Pirelli Cinturato Gravel S $84.90 700 x 40 550 grams Soft, wet, muddy
Schwalbe G-One Overland $88 700 x 40 515 grams 50/50 paved/off-road, hardpack
Vittoria Terreno Mix $61 700 x 38 500 grams Mixed gravel, cyclocross
Gravel bike in front of a small waterfall
Oh, the places gravel bike can take you, especially if you’ve got the right tires for the job. (photo: Jim Graham)

Why Should You Trust Bikerumor?

The crew at Bikerumor is literally obsessed with all things cycling. Not only is it our job to report on the latest news, tech, and products across all disciplines, but we also love to ride bikes of all kinds. Many of us were riding gravel before it was even cool, while others jumped on the bandwagon as it has steadily gained popularity over the years. Either way, we’re always seeking the best gravel bikes, components, and tires to enhance our experience and enjoyment on our rides. And, if you’re looking to upgrade your riding kit in other ways, we also have comprehensive reviews of protective gear like the best mountain bike helmets and road bike helmets, footwear like the best mountain bike shoes, and apparel like cycling bib shorts.

For our gravel bike tire buyer’s guide, we tasked Jim Graham with testing and comparing ten different tire models. Jim lives in southern central New Hampshire, where an abundance of excellent gravel riding is accessible from his home or just a short drive away. An avid outdoor adventurer for the past four decades, Jim enjoys human-powered exploration, whether that’s from the saddle of his gravel or mountain bike, clicked into a pair of cross-country skis, or laced up in a pair of trail running shoes. He often participates in endurance events including gravel grinders and cross-country ski races. After many years working in journalism and higher ed communications, Jim is enjoying early semi-retirement and the ability to spend even more time pursuing the sports he loves. He is currently spending time working on his house, volunteering at nearby sporting events, and taking on some freelance writing projects for various outdoor publications, including for us at Bikerumor.

After selecting a diverse assortment of ten of the best gravel bike tires on the market, each model was thoroughly tested over the course of several months. Each set of tires was mounted on Jim’s personal bike and ridden on test loops that included everything from pavement, smooth gravel roads and rail trails, to chunky New England logging roads. As expected in the northeast in the summertime, the weather ranged from hot and dry to exceptionally wet and sloppy, providing ample opportunity to try each tire in every condition imaginable. Each model’s performance was assessed and analyzed, allowing us to zero in on our favorites and those that excel for specific reasons.

Jim Graham's gravel bike tires test bike
Review author, Jim Graham, put all the tires in the review through their paces on the back roads of New Hampshire on this trusty steed. (photo: Jim Graham)

Buying Advice: How to Choose Gravel Bike Tires

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you begin looking for gravel tires and with good reason. Among just the 10 tire models that we tested, there are more than 100 options for width, casing construction, puncture resistance, and weight. Below, we break down the key points that can ease your buying decision.

Why gravel tires make a difference

A gravel tire that is designed for the type of surface and conditions that you ride will make for a better overall experience – giving you a more comfortable, sure-footed, capable, and safer ride. And that means that your gravel rides will also be more fun and hassle-free. 

In the same way that different tires for cars and trucks are designed for driving on highways, going off-road, hauling loads, or racing Formula 1, gravel tires come in a range of choices for optimal performance based on how and where you ride your bike.

Where to begin

Answering two key questions will help put your search on fast-forward:

1. What type of gravel do you ride — most often?

Most gravel cyclists we know will cover a huge range of conditions and terrain on their rides, from gnarly singletrack to compacted dirt roads and rail trails to pavement. The good news is that modern, high-quality, all-purpose gravel tires can handle most conditions beautifully. Our all-arounders offer a great one-tire solution for a wide variety of terrain and conditions, from wet to dry, mild to gnarly.

But let’s say you ride only, or maybe 90% of the time, on just one type of surface – compact dirt roads, rail trails, boggy logging roads, rough city streets, or smooth pavement, etc. There are also plenty of options for tires designed to work best in certain, more narrowly defined conditions.

Thankfully, specialty gravel tires usually perform “adequately enough” on conditions outside their intended range. A mud-specific tire, for instance, will be okay on pavement, even though it will feel slower, heavier, and noisier. Likewise, a smoother, faster rolling tire will do okay if you end up in loose or chunky conditions, although you’ll want to ride less aggressively in those conditions than you would on a knobbier tire.

Looking over the handlebars at a gravel road
A major factor that should influence your gravel bike tires purchase decision is the terrain and conditions you encounter most often. (photo: Jim Graham)

2. Will they fit your bike?

Wheel size is an obvious factor, but the primary consideration here is width. Many road bicycles and even cyclocross frames are too narrow to fit wider gravel bike tires. Make sure you know what width tire your bicycle frame can accommodate before you buy. Don’t know, or aren’t sure if you’re measuring the tire space in your frame correctly? Your local bike shop can help you out, and can also offer recommendations for tires that work best in your area.

Factors to consider

Tire Width

For gravel, 700c tires come in a range of widths from around 30mm up to about 50mm with 650b/27.5-inch tires maxing out around 2.1 inches. Generally speaking, tires that are around 40mm wide are the most popular. Width-wise, this puts them at the sweet spot between narrower road bike tires, usually around 28mm or less, and wider mountain bike tires, around 59mm. Being wider, and therefore having more air volume, than road tires means gravel tires can be run at lower air pressures — which makes them more compliant, or softer and more comfortable feeling, and better at absorbing the roughness of dirt and gravel roads. At the same time, being narrower than mountain bike tires means that gravel tires generally roll more easily and quickly over dirt roads and rough pavement.

Riders seeking a more comfortable, forgiving ride, or who ride rougher surfaces or lose conditions will often opt for wider tires. The added width creates a larger volume of air and a more “plump” tire that can more easily absorb feedback and impacts and the larger contact patch will generally provide more traction on loose or mixed surfaces (depending on the tread design). On the flip side of that coin, those riding on smooth surfaces primarily can often benefit from the faster rolling properties of a narrower tire that has a smaller contact patch. Again, how wide of a tire you can fit on your bike will be a limiting factor here, although many modern gravel bikes are designed to accommodate tires up to around 700 x 50mm both front and rear.

The hot patch on the side of a gravel bike tire
The width of tire you choose will depend on your needs/wants, but also what can fit on your bike. The size is almost always printed on the hot patch on the sidewall of the tire. (photo: Jim Graham)

Wheel diameter

The most popular size wheels and tires for gravel biking are 700c, the same size as most modern road bike wheels. Many tires are also available in 650b/27.5” size, which typically allows a gravel bike to run even wider/higher volume tires than on a 700c wheel. Some bikes are made to work with one size wheel or the other, while many can work with either wheel size depending on your needs and wants. It goes without saying, but we’ll say it anyway, when choosing tires, they need to match the wheel size you have.

Weight

In general, lighter tires are faster. Weight-wise, gravel tires are usually lighter than mountain bike tires and heavier than road bike tires. It is worth mentioning that wider tires are generally heavier than their skinnier counterparts, and that features like more robust casing constructions and knobbier treads can also add to the weight of a tire. While the differences in the weight of gravel tires don’t vary as significantly as mountain bike tires, it can still be noticeable given the tire’s location on the outside of the rim. Known as rotational mass, a heavier tire can feel more sluggish when accelerating and slow you down slightly over the course of a long ride or extended climb. For this reason, racers and long-distance riders will often be more concerned with the weight of their tires than recreational riders.

Comparison shot of three different gravel bike tire treads
The tread designs of gravel bike tires vary significantly depending on their intended use. Pictured above from left to right, the Pirelli Cinturato Gravel S for muddy conditions, the Continental Terra Trail for all-around use, and the Vittoria Terreno Dry for dry conditions. (photo: Jim Graham)

Tread

Gravel tires come in a wide range of tread patterns and rubber compounds that are optimized to provide the ideal balance of grip, speed, and durability. In general, beefier treads with deeper, widely spaced lugs and knobs will grip better in soft, loose, and/or muddy gravel conditions. Lighter, or semi-slick, treads will usually roll more easily and quietly on hardpacked dirt and pavement.

But tread alone isn’t the only determiner of grip or speed. We’ve found that some tires with beefy-looking treads are surprisingly smooth and quiet on pavement. Likewise, some tires with semi-slick tread patterns handle soft, slippery conditions better than we expected. This is why our gear reviews at Bikerumor focus on riding in real-world conditions and cyclists with many years of experience.

If your riding consists primarily of a mix of pavement and smooth hardpacked dirt road conditions (or your gravel bike plays double duty as a road bike), then a smoother, faster-rolling tread design like the Maxxis Receptor may be the best bet. If your gravel routes include surfaces from pavement to rough gravel and everything in between, an all-around tire like the WTB Raddler, Panaracer GravelKing SK+, or Continental Terra Trail will likely have you covered. And, if you know you’ll be experiencing specific conditions, like mud, for example, then a muddy conditions specific tire like the Pirelli Cinturato Gravel S will perform best.

Threads per inch

At their most basic, tire casings are made of several layers of finely woven fabric that are impregnated and covered in rubber compounds, often with an additional layer of puncture-resistant material. Bonded together, these layers give a tire its shape and ride quality and can add protection from cuts and punctures. In general, casings with more threads per inch (tpi) – around 120tpi or higher – are more compliant and lighter, giving a more comfortable, supple, and faster-rolling ride quality. Heavier casings, around 60tpi, are usually sturdier, heavier, and more durable. But you can also find the same model of tire in a 120tpi casing that actually weighs more than its 60tpi counterpart, often due to the addition of a layer of puncture protection on the 120tpi version. Every tire manufacturer lists details of tire weights, casing options, puncture resistance, and tread compounds for each model of tire they make.

Adding sealant while seating a tubeless gravel bike tire
Most modern gravel tires are designed to be run tubeless, which requires the addition of tire sealant when installing them on your wheels. (photo: Jim Graham)

Tubeless or inner tubes and compatibility

The long-running debate over using inner tubes vs tubeless will probably rage on the Internet as long as bicycles have tires. Truthfully, either option works just fine. When it comes to selecting gravel tires, the first and more important thing to know is if they will be compatible with your wheels and rims. 

Tubeless tires have been around for some time, and if you aren’t already familiar, they don’t use an inner tube to hold air, hence the name tubeless. Instead, they rely on a sealed, tubeless-ready rim, the casing of the tire, and some tire sealant to maintain air pressure in the tire. Given that tubes are/were the most common point of failure when getting a flat, tubeless tires have resulted in a lower frequency of flat tires while also allowing them to be run at lower pressures which enhances comfort and control. This is not to say that tubeless tires are impervious to flats because they certainly are not, it is just generally much easier to pop an inner tube than a tubeless tire.

Most new gravel tires are tubeless-compatible and will also work with inner tubes. But it’s wise to double-check to make sure they’ll fit your rims before you buy. If in doubt, check with your local bike mechanic.

All of the tires in this review are tubeless compatible and were mounted tubeless on a Stan’s Grail and/or Hunt Gravel Race Wheelset (22mm internal width), using a Schwalbe Tire Booster, with either WTB TCS Sealant or Orange Seal Endurance sealant. A standard floor pump would likely work for most of them, or a Tubeless Booster pump like the ToPeak JoeBlow Booster or the Bontrager TLR Flash Charger. All were easily mounted and seated easily as well, without significant sealant leakage, although several had to be re-inflated a time or two before they held air pressure well overnight. None of the tires experienced punctures or significant sidewall cuts during our testing.

Frequently Asked Questions About Gravel Bike Tires


What are gravel tires exactly? How do they differ from a regular road bike tire?

Gravel tires are designed to be more rugged, with special treads, casings, and rubber compounds that make them grip, corner, brake and handle better overall in a range of off-road conditions. They vary dramatically depending on the conditions they are intended to be used in, but most have significantly knobbier tread designs than a smooth road tire that is optimized to roll fast on pavement.

Gravel tires are also usually wider than road bike tires, which allows them to be inflated to lower air pressure. Besides making gravel tires feel a little softer if you squeeze them with your hand, the lower pressures mean that gravel tires act like shock absorbers – and are better at soaking up rough pavement and gritty, pebble-strewn, and uneven gravel roads and trails. The result is that gravel tires give a smoother, more comfortable, and even faster ride over rough surfaces than a narrow, higher-pressure road tire.


I’m intrigued by gravel cycling, but not ready to buy a new bike yet. Can I just use gravel tires on my regular road or mountain bike for now?

Absolutely. Assuming they fit your current wheel rims and frame, installing gravel tires on your road or mountain bike can be a great way to check out the gravel biking scene. Just remember: It’s critical that your tires are compatible with your rims. Installing tires that aren’t designed to fit your rims can be dangerous — so PLEASE check with your local bike shop if you have questions!

Another important factor to consider if the tire clearance of your frame. If you are attempting to use gravel tires on a road frame, for example, it is highly likely that it has less tire clearance in the fork and seat/chainstays than on a gravel bike. Therefore, you may need to opt for gravel tires that are on the narrower end of the width spectrum.


Should I use inner tubes or run my gravel tires tubeless?

Most gravel tires work just fine either with tubes or tubeless. Again, tubeless compatibility may be obvious for your wheels/rims but check with your local bike mechanic about your wheels if you are unsure. There are plenty of people out there who prefer one over the other. However, we’re huge fans of running gravel tires tubeless, which allows tires to be run at lower pressures, improves the overall ride quality, and decreases the frequency of pinch flats (pinch flatting a tube is typically much easier than pinch flatting a tubeless tire).

If you’ve never done it before, mounting tubeless tires and filling them with sealant can be tricky and frustrating at first. The process is generally a bit easier with a special tubeless booster pump, such as the Bontrager TLR Flash Charger, Lezyne Pressure Over Drive, and Topeak Joe Blow Booster, or a tubeless tire inflater tank, like the Schwalbe Tire Booster. If you’re uncertain about going tubeless – or wonder if it’s worth it — your local bike shop or cycling club can help. Once you go tubeless on gravel tires, however, we think you won’t want to back to tubes. 


How do I determine what tire will work best for the type of riding I do?

Like any other discipline of cycling, choosing the right gear for gravel riding depends on the type of riding you do and the conditions you encounter most often. Be realistic. It’s easy to dream about riding epic, gnarly off-road routes, but if your typical day-to-day rides are more likely to find you commuting on pavement or splitting your time between the tarmac and smooth gravel paths, you would probably be better off with an all-around tire that can handle light-to-moderate gravel instead of something more aggressive. Likewise, if you ride exclusively on dirt, there are models designed for smooth conditions, rough terrain, loose soils, mixed conditions, and wet/mud.

In general, tires that are optimized to work for specific conditions will sacrifice performance in other areas, so it can be beneficial to have different tires if you ride in wildly varying conditions.


There are so many options in tire width, casing, weight, and tread. What’s the single most important one to consider?

Fit! We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: A tire has got to fit your frame and wheels first before you start to zero in on the other nuances of each model. After that, casing construction, width, and tread are about equally important. For bikepacking, a tire that’s wider than 40mm will generally hold up better under load and give you a more comfortable ride. Tires narrower than 40mm will typically be better on roads and smoother, dry gravel. Puncture protection is especially important on rough gravel and where you’ll encounter thorns, flint, shale, broken glass, and other sharp things. Tread design, of course, is important for grip. For most gravel riders, we feel the least important factor is weight, unless you will be focused on racing and fast-paced rides. 


Can I really trust what the tire companies say about their tires?

One of the most rewarding and encouraging things about testing the tires for this review was realizing that truth in advertising is still a thing! Among the 10 tires we reviewed, we found the manufacturer’s descriptions of their tires and specs to be pretty spot-on overall. Although it’s easy to find user reviews that claim a particular tire’s specs are way off; or, that a particular tire is impossible to mount, prone to frequent punctures, lacking durability, etc., our test rides over hundreds of miles in all kinds of terrain and weather (including a little snow), showed that these tires performed as advertised, and beautifully. The truth is that the top tire manufacturers we selected for our tests ALL make great, high-quality, high-performing tires.


How can I tell if switching to a different tire over what I already have will be any better?

Tough question! Assuming the new tires you’re considering are for riding the same kinds of gravel you’re used to, a great way to start is to simply ask other gravel riders in your area about the tires they ride. Not only will they have experience riding the terrain that’s unique to your area, they may have tried several models of tires over the years. Bikes shops are particularly good at gathering feedback from customers as well. Club rides and gravel events are also great places to strike up conversations with other cyclists who are passionate about tires and may be able to provide valuable insight.


What if I want to ride different terrain than I’m used to? Do I really need to have a different set of tires for it?

Need? No. Want? Almost certainly! It’s really a matter of whether the performance difference is worth it based on your budget and how important it is for you to have the “perfect” tire for every ride vs. a tire that’s “pretty darn good” for most rides you do. We know gravel cyclists who have a half dozen tires and wheelsets for every possible condition. But we also know some gravel cyclists who race at a high level and own just two sets of tires. For our tests and everyday riding, we have two sets of wheels – one usually mounted with an all-around gravel tire dedicated to off-road riding, and one mounted with smoother, narrower file tread tires for riding on pavement, rail trails, and smoother dirt roads.

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