Cali3 on gravel

[cleatusj]

What front tire would you run on questionably maintained gravel roads?

I know that most would not think this the best bike to choose for this, but it is what i need to use. It has worked well with the sidecar but I have been running street tires on front as a rig. This will be for use without the car.

[guzzisteve]

A universal dirt track type.

[Chuck in Indiana]

I've never really had an issue with street tires in gravel. <shrug> I don't know if they still make "universal" tires like they had back in the day. That meant that they weren't any good on the street or trail. 

[cleatusj]

I was thinking of deeper tread for the talcum powder that builds up this time of year. A couple inches of that can sure make a front wash out.

[Chuck in Indiana]

I was thinking of deeper tread for the talcum powder that builds up this time of year. A couple inches of that can sure make a front wash out.

"When in doubt, gas it.." 

[LowRyter]

I've never really had an issue with street tires in gravel. <shrug> I don't know if they still make "universal" tires like they had back in the day. That meant that they weren't any good on the street or trail. 

 

[rodekyll]

I go with whatever's mounted.  I put a tourance on the rear of my EV for a trip and hated it.  So my lasertec's or whatever is fine by me.

[Dave Bell]

Ive ridden quite a few hundred miles on rock, mud, sand and gravel and don't really notice huge differences in tires on loose gravel any more.  I think it's more mental and perhaps technique issues.

[cleatusj]

I run Shinko 700 on the rear in a 130 tubeless and it works great at any speed the goose will run, but anything with an aggressive tread for the front is tubetype or a rear tire.

It could be I want to run too fast on gravel. With the sidecar 80 is seen quite often.

[rboe]

I was on several miles of dirt this weekend - on the Griso (the stock Metzler tires). Nice clean packed dirt was great. The short run to the camp ground on gravel was a bit of a nail biter for me. I prefer dirt - until it rains then I don't.

[rodekyll]

The Top-of-the-World highway is 200 miles of loose gravel on hardpan.  The tourance (dual-purpose) tire had no advantage over the street tires I usually use or those of the Jackal that accompanied me.  On regular pavement it was an ordeal.  Unless you'll be exclusively in good dirt surfaces, in my opinion you're at a disadvantage with specialty rubber.

$0.02

[mtiberio]

I put a 90/90-18 on the front on my calvin (beacuse I had it on the shelf). the bike is fantastic on gravel, I think the narrow tire is why.

[Tom]

I notice that the KS and IA boys don't care.  They'll run what's on the bike, 'course that means the underside of their bike looks like it's been bead blasted.

[nick949]

I dont find that the knobblies I have on my Nuovo Falcone make a scrap of difference on gravel but are a noisy pain on hardtop. I much prefer the feel of the Dunlop K70s I use on the Eldorado. I think and road tyre that isnt a slick would be fine. Its more about how you ride than what you ride.

Nick

[Tom]

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