# Tire for gravel roads



## billski (May 5, 2012)

I need a tire for traversing the hundreds and hundreds of logging roads in the Maine North Woods.  For the most part the roads are level, a finely crushed gravel, with gentle sloping roads. My current tires are pretty unstable on this stuff.  I have a "crossover" type of bike/tire, not MTB, but not a aggressive tread either.  I'm riding 20-30 miles at a crack, so I don't want an overly-aggressive tread that will wear me down.  My bike will be spending the majority of it's life on these types of road.

Thoughts?


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## marcski (May 6, 2012)

I think I saw a PhD thesis paper on this topic once, Bill.  .


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## wa-loaf (May 6, 2012)

Just find the widest knobbiest tire that will fit on the rims you have.


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## Bumpsis (May 6, 2012)

billski said:


> I need a tire for traversing the hundreds and hundreds of logging roads in the Maine North Woods.  For the most part the roads are level, a finely crushed gravel, with gentle sloping roads. My current tires are pretty unstable on this stuff.  I have a "crossover" type of bike/tire, not MTB, but not a aggressive tread either.  I'm riding 20-30 miles at a crack, so I don't want an overly-aggressive tread that will wear me down.  My bike will be spending the majority of it's life on these types of road.
> 
> Thoughts?



 I'm not sure what you mean by "pretty unstable" - do you have problems staying on the bike?
I also have a "crossover" bike (among a MTB and road bikes) and it does great with its stock tires (deep thread patterns but fairly smooth on the outmost surface - no knobs like on a MTB) on the paved road, compacted dirt like a hiking trail and on fine gravel roads. I've used the bike extensively in Acadia's NP, ME on their carriage roads (fine gravel) and it rode just fine.
On really loose surfac like something close to consistency of sand, the front wheel does have some problems trackig straight, but that's because the proffile of the tire is just too narrow for such conditions.

When I think "unstable" in this context, what comes to mind is a very narrow profie tire on sand, like trying to ride a road bike on a loose dirt trail. If that's the kind of unstabilty you're talking about, just get a wider tire that will still fit your rim.


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## drjeff (May 7, 2012)

Depending on your rim width,  check out a tire designed for cyclocross.  If they aren't too narrow for your rims, they usually offer a good balance between grip and resistance on the road


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## WoodCore (May 7, 2012)

Just get a 29er and be done with it!


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## billski (May 7, 2012)

I think some of the stability loss is due to my age.  But what I really mean is that the tires tend to loose their grip on the gravel.  It's very fine gravel.  Fine enough it makes a pretty big cloud of dust by the trucks.

Thanks for the idea for cyclocross.  I'm going for my "fitting" this weekend.  

BTW, the Thesis is moments away!


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