Panaracer’s expanding their gravel bike tire collection to larger sizes. The new 700×41 GravelKing, shown to the left of the current knobby 32mm size, should be in stores in July. Weight is TBD, price should be $44.95 for a folding Kevlar bead version. The smoother GravelKing at the top left of the image comes in 23, 26 and 28 millimeter widths.
The Pacenti Pari-Moto will also add a 41mm width, which will be available in May. Also $44.95, weight also TBD.
Click through for pics of those and an update on where Panaracer stands on tubeless ready tires for road and cyclocross…
If you recall our article on why Road Tubeless hasn’t exploded, it’s definitely not for a lack of interest. One of the major stumbling blocks is a lack of standards, which makes it hard for a tire or rim manufacturer to commit to making something that’s not certain to work with a majority of other parts out there. Here, in the words of Panaracer’s Jeff Z, is their position on it:
“We originally felt we wanted to do it specifically for road tires. There’s been a lack of equipment that leaves consumers without the right choices to make an informed decision. And if we can make a system that works just as well with or without sealant, then we make it easy to adopt.
“Part of the problem is there are no standards, but we’re developing something that addresses how the casing and the materials interact in a manner that’s different than anyone else. That leads to a more supple tire, which negates some of the concerns some folks have, and allows us to use more traditional road tire materials.
“And now, cyclocross and gravel are making huge strides and that crowd really wanting tubeless options, so we’re looking there, too.
“You’re dealing with a completely different range of pressures, so the bead has to be redesigned. It can’t be a standard Kevlar bead since the pressures are so much higher on road, and they need to be able to handle up to 120psi at a minimum. Not that people will be running it that high, but it might go that high during installation or under different riding circumstances. In the manufacturing process, we’re looking at a different method of attaching the bead to the rest of the casing to address this concern.
“The other part is the rims, so we’ve been testing a wide range of wheel brands ranging from 17mm to 25mm internal width. Anything beyond that presents a whole new set of problems. Wider rims will want to pull the bead wider, which can cause the shape of the bead in relation to the rim’s seat and possibly cause burping.
“We’re not looking to create a new standard, we just want something that’s going to work with as wide a range of wheels as possible, and do it safely.
“We’re in round four of testing now, and you’ll likely see something in the wild this summer. Road first, followed by cyclocross and gravel.”
