Gravel tyres: how to choose width and tread

Plan for the demanding part of your route

Describe more than the percentage of tarmac. Identify the demanding sections: a loose corner, a rough descent, wet dirt or a long rocky road. Ten difficult kilometres can influence the choice more than the other ninety easy ones.

For mostly paved rides with dry hardpack, consider a low, closely spaced tread or a semi-slick. For mixed gravel, look at an all-round pattern with defined shoulder tread. For loose and wet ground, consider a more open pattern. These are starting points, not a grip ranking: compound and casing matter too.

35, 40, 45 or 50 mm

35 mm

A candidate for tarmac and gentle dirt, particularly where clearance is limited. Do not choose it solely for assumed speed.

40 mm

A reference point for comparing all-round options. First ask whether it provides enough volume for your rough sections.

45 mm

Worth considering for rougher gravel and longer rides, if the frame and rim permit it.

50 mm

An option when clearance allows and you want more volume. Check space at the stays, fork and front derailleur especially carefully.

These are editorial starting points, not universal categories. Compare widths across tyres with similar construction where possible. A narrow reinforced tyre and a wide race tyre can feel different for reasons beyond air volume.

Read the size, then measure the fitted tyre

In a 45-622 marking, 622 is the bead-seat diameter and 45 is the nominal width in millimetres. The diameter must match the rim; 650B and 700C tyres do not fit the same rim. Mounted width also depends on internal rim width and inflation pressure.

Once fitted, measure the tyre at its widest point and check clearance around the full circumference. Follow the frame and fork manufacturer's clearance requirements, allowing for mud and any mudguards. A wheel spinning freely in a workstand is not a substitute for this check. See Schwalbe's dimensions guide.

Check the rim before choosing tubeless

Identify internal width, whether the rim has bead hooks, and the permitted tyre types. Hookless requires a combination explicitly approved by the manufacturers: adding an inner tube does not make an unsuitable tyre compatible. Use pressure limits for the actual components and their combination.

Check the full version name: one tyre family can include both tube-type and tubeless versions. Read TLR, TLE and other labels alongside the brand's documentation. See Schwalbe's hookless guidancefor straight-sided rims; use the relevant approval for other brands.

Compare two tyres fairly

Start with pressure selection based on total system mass, measured width and installation type. Equal pressure is not necessarily a fair comparison between different widths. A sidewall number is not a personalised riding recommendation.

On a short familiar loop, record front and rear pressure, conditions and observations: rim strikes, cornering stability, vibration and braking control. Change one variable at a time. Do not extrapolate a dry-loop result to wet roots or reduce pressure below the permitted limits.

Your pre-order checklist

• Bead-seat diameter and the tyre's exact version name.
• Internal rim width, rim type and confirmed compatibility.
• Expected mounted width and the frame's clearance requirements.
• Main surface and the route's most demanding section.
• Tube or tubeless installation and the required consumables.

If compatibility is supported only by a seller saying “fits gravel bikes”, ask for exact wheel and tyre models. For a tubeless conversion, follow the separate installation guide. This article does not report a comparative field test of tyres.