Tyres. What Kind Of Grip Do Which Tyres Give? What's The Best All Round 700x40?

[Lovacott]

On my commute, I cover a mix of surfaces ranging from sealed A road to gravel farm track.

I've mostly been doing the commute on a hard tail MTB with 27.5 x 2.10 knobbly tyres. They are great on all surfaces apart from on loose gravel bends where they tend to slip sideways a bit.

For the last two weeks, I've been doing the same commute on a Hybrid with 700 x 40c Vee Rubber speedster tyres which also grip everything really well (including gravel) unless the ground happens to be wet. On the gravel bends, the narrower Hybrid tyre grips better than the wide MTB tyre.

I prefer riding the hybrid as it is lighter and there is less drag from the tyres and I have the MTB to fall back on if the weather is really bad.

Of course, what would be perfect is a 700x40c tyre with similar wet road grip to the 2.10 MTB tyre.

Any suggestions?

 

[Cycleops]

You'll never get a tyre that will be perfect for such varying surfaces. I'd stick with Vee rubber.

 

[Lovacott]

Anything will slip on loose gravel.

The narrow tyres seem to grip better which I assume is something to do with the increased point loading where the tyre hits the ground?

However, the narrow tyres are a bit slippy when braking in the wet where the wider tyres grip like sh it on a shovel.

I'm looking for something which fits a 700 x 40c with a bit more grip than a "Vee Rubber Speedster".

 

[Ajax Bay]

These are 'Team Issue' CX tyres: you won't get better and they come in the 40mm width you want. Sven Nys rode them on Dirty Kanza.
https://www.sigmasports.com/item/Bontrager/GR1-Team-Issue-Gravel-Tyre/LRZ9
https://www.cxmagazine.com/new-product-spotlight-bontrager-gr1-team-issue-gravel-tire-40mm-35mm-tlr
You can get them tan wall as well.
Assume you're looking for tubeless?

 

[fossyant]

Maxxis Minions on your MTB. You'll stick to everything, but be slow. Ace tyres for real MTB riding.

I've some cheap Decathlon Dry tread tyres for the old MTB on mixed surfaces. They are faster.

 

[Lovacott]

Assume you're looking for tubeless?

I'm not really bothered about the tubeless aspect. I've ordered a pair of the tyres you suggested but that's only because I'd rather spend £80 than have half my arse scraped away by tarmac.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I've not really noticed any huge differences in grip between utility tyres as you're never really pushing limits with them. I'd say the biggest differences between "good" and "bad" utility tyres are longevity and protection, that's what you're largely paying more for.
Track and road racing is different, but all round tyres there's probably not a great deal in it, grip wise.

 

[PaulSB]

The Schwalbe G-One All-round I have on my gravel/winter bike have gripped everything I've been through so far, including loose gravel.*

*I guess what they are really gripping is surface below the gravel.

 

[Lovacott]

*I guess what they are really gripping is surface below the gravel.

That is the truth of the matter.