The Best Gravel Bike Tires of 2024

It wasn’t unusual to approach slimy roots and slick little uphills on a test ride, thinking, “Get ready to bail.” Yet, time and again, the Terreno Dry held firm and slip-free. So, although they wouldn’t be our go-to tire for mainly loose or wet conditions, you can count on the Terreno Dry to keep rolling well if your dry hardpack ride suddenly gets hit by a downpour or covers a section of wet logging road.

On dry, compact dirt, they handle like a high-end road tire – fast-rolling, comfortable, and capable at high speeds, yet remarkably grippy and compliant. Cornering is predictable and solid on dry hardpack, but use caution when braking and also in wet or loose conditions, where they are apt to wash out or slide.

With a supple 127 tpi casing, the Terreno Dry comes in 650B and 700c, with 15 choices for width and casing construction, ranging from 54mm to 33mm wide. We tested the 700 x 38 tubeless with Vittoria’s TNT bead-to-bead puncture protection, weighing 490g. The same tire with TLR casing, which provides protection only under the tread, weighs slightly less at 450g.

The Terreno Dry’s “fish scale” center tread consists of tightly packed hexagon-shaped nubs that transition into more aggressive and deeper cornering lugs on the side. Built with Vittoria’s grippy yet durable 3C Graphene rubber compound, the little nubs work together to grab gravel from complex, multiple angles and edges simultaneously, giving the Dry impressive Velcro-like grip that performs well outside its stated range.

At $61 retail, the Terreno Dry is also among the least expensive models on the market. So, if you’re looking for a fast, light dedicated tire for dry conditions that’s capable of getting you through occasional wet, slippery stretches, the Vittoria Terreno Dry is a tire to grab you – and the road.

Compared to other all-around tires, the GravelKing SK+’s tread may look mild-mannered and sort of old-school – with a center section of small, evenly spaced, tightly packed square knobs, bordered on the shoulders by longer, low cornering lugs. But don’t let the simple looks fool you. The SK+ outperformed our expectations both on road and off and were the most comfortable tires overall in our tests – making them an especially solid choice for long, epic rides and varied conditions.

Panaracer says its “Zero Slip Grip rubber compound sticks like glue in corners.” We certainly agree. Along with the wider, compliant casing, the GravelKing SK+ delivered solid traction on leaves, slippery roots, loose dirt, and chunky old logging roads. While they aren’t ideal in deep mud, where the small knobs tended to get packed, on pavement the SK+ felt like riding a dedicated road slick, although with a small sacrifice in speed.

For our test, we chose the 700 x 43, weighing in at 540g, which is respectable for such a large volume casing built with Panaracer’s bead-to-bead ProTite Shield+ punction protection. Panaracer’s supple 126tpi AX-Alpha Cord casing gives the GravelKing its famously supple ride and additional resistance to cuts. While there are lighter versions of the GravelKing, the added puncture protection and wider 43mm casing are well worth a few more grams. Panaracer also makes it in sizes including 26 and 27.5-inch wheels, as well as a large range of widths for 700c to suit your preferences.

If you’re looking for a reliable, proven winner for all-around gravel cycling, the Panaracer Gravel King SK+ is a great choice.

The Rambler was our favorite high-performance tire by a long shot. With handling in all conditions that is on par with our favorite overall tires, the Rambler stands out as a race-worthy all-arounder with its light weight, low rolling resistance, and consistent grip across rapidly changing terrain.

It’s no surprise to us that the 200-mile Unbound Gravel, the world’s most competitive gravel race, was won by Keegan Swenson on a set of Ramblers in 2023, which featured the race’s toughest conditions ever.

The Rambler is Maxxis’ most popular gravel tire and is available in a whopping 17 varieties, including 650B or 700, 38c to 50c wide, and 60 or 120tpi casing. While Keegan rode the 700 x 40 at Unbound, we opted for the 700 x 38 with Maxxis’ EXO cut-and abrasion-resistant sidewall protection – the lightest version of the Raddler at a remarkable 376g. 

Like other all-around tires, the Rambler tread features tightly packed center knobs designed to roll fast on hardpack, with beefier cornering knobs at the sides. But its small center knobs are also dimpled, or indented, giving them a suction cup-like look and fantastic grip in even the sketchiest conditions. As with other all-around models, it struggles in the deepest mud but seemed to shed it quickly and maintained grip on slippery, wet trails better than some others in its class.

Tire weight is critical when selecting a high-performance tire, but so is protection from punctures and cuts, and Maxxis has you covered with EXO, which protects the sidewalls. The tire is also available with Maxxis’s slightly heavier SilkShield protection, which runs bead-to-bead. Either are great choices, and the huge range of options in the Maxxis Rambler lineup will allow you to fine-tune your race-ready ride. 

At 42mm and with a 120tpi casing, the Resolute’s larger, plush casing delivered outstanding ride quality. They are at the wider and heavier side of the tires that we tested, at 565g, but they felt much lighter and nimbler than expected, thanks to WTB’s fast-rolling rubber compound and its thin, flexible SG2 puncture protection. The tire comes in three other varieties, all 42mm wide but with the choice of 650b or 700c sizes and 60 or 120tpi.

Its tread pattern consists of small, square knobs packed more closely and aligned along the center and spaced more widely toward the sidewalls, helping these tires to roll fast on hardpack, hook up when cornering, and climb well on loose, rocky terrain. The relatively open spacing of the knobs also sheds mud well. Like the other WTB tires we’ve tested, we found these very easy to mount and set up tubeless with a tubeless pump.

The WTB Resolute is designed as an all-around, off-road tire, and they were acceptably quiet and smooth on pavement as well, although not the fastest rolling. Simply put: The Resolute is a tire that loves adventure. And it is our choice for the long haul, off-road, and year-round.

There are 19 versions of the Grinder, from 700x33mm handmade tubulars and clinchers to a 700 X 46mm vulcanized, tubeless-ready model. We tested the 700 X 38mm Gravel Grinder TLR with black sidewalls, which falls in the middle of the Grinder lineup and is a typical spec for all-purpose gravel tires. Weighing in at just 390 grams, it is also one of the lightest tires we tested.

The Grinder features a file tread pattern across the center, similar to the Maxxis Receptor, but the diamond nubs are bit deeper, while its side lugs are more aggressive for cornering and adding grip in soft, loose, and muddy conditions. Its nylon casing, with 120 threads per inch, proved plenty durable in our tests, showing no signs of cuts or abrasion. But those who ride in areas with sharp, jagged gravel and thorns should know it does not have a special layer of puncture protection.

A word on width: While the trend is toward tires that are 40mm or wider, the 38mm Grinder felt as supple and capable of absorbing gravel chatter and washboard as a wider, larger volume tire. This surprised us, as Challenge’s Technology page says its vulcanized, nylon-cased, tubeless tires are less compliant compared to its handmade clinchers and tubulars. Yet, the Grinders felt smooth as silk. In our tests over widely varied terrain, it performed exceptionally well over smooth, firm hardpack and rail trails, and felt nearly as quiet and fast as a road tire on pavement.

Over wet, leafy, and rocky trails and logging roads, however, the Grinder was apt to struggle to maintain consistent grip on tougher climbs, rooty sections, and loose corners. But it wasn’t a deal-breaker. We noticed traction improved a good deal at the low end of Silca’s recommended tire pressure range, and that cornering improved noticeably, if abruptly when the side lugs kicked in during hard, leaned turns — reflecting its cyclocross race-inspired pedigree.

The Challenge Gravel Grinder even felt light, supple, and flexible in hand, and they were very easy to mount and set up tubeless on our Hunt Gravel Race wheelset with a booster pump. The shock-absorbing casing, lightweight, and low-profile tread add up to a great, smooth- and fast-rolling tire that’s at its best in hardpack, dry conditions, and mixed light gravel and pavement.

In fact, you could have a little fun on a rainy day by seeing if you can get the Gravel S to spin out on a steep, slick gravel climb that would defeat other tires. It will be a challenge. Their uncanny grip easily topped any other tire in our testing – so much so that it took us a while to get used to how well they handle slop, wet leaves, and loose, slimy boulders. And these tires saw a lot of wet conditions during testing.

If you’re an avid mountain biker, the Gravel S will feel happily familiar, with ride quality and trail manners that feel more like a high-performance cross-country mountain bike tire than a lighter, all-purpose gravel tire. Its SpeedGRIP rubber compound is tweaked from Pirelli’s MTB-specific SmartGRIP compound to offer better rolling resistance. And for the casing, Pirelli combined its road and MTB TechWALL technologies to create a unique, bead-to-bead puncture layer for gravel.

The 700c-only Gravel S comes in 40, 45, or 50mm widths, all 60tpi. We tested the 40mm version, listed at 540g. That puts it on the heavier side for a gravel tire, which should be expected given its beefier tread and sidewall protection.

Riding, we found the Pirelli Cinturato Gravel S performs best in its element: soft, slippery trails and muddy conditions. As you’d expect, it is not nearly as supple, nimble-feeling, or fast-rolling as an all-around gravel tire – a tradeoff that is well worth considering if you’re looking for a tough, great-gripping tire that can handle the most challenging slop and mud.

The Terra Trail gets its supple, gravel-absorbing ride, along with a good deal of punction protection, from its 180tpi casing and ProTection sidewall protection. Continental’s race-proven Black Chili rubber compound also adds grip, speed, and durability. The results: An all-arounder that’s hard to beat for its combination of performance and value.

We tested the 700 x 40 version with black sidewalls, weighing 460g. The tread pattern is similar to Continental’s even lighter, more racy Terra Speed, but the knobs are also deeper, and more grippy and durable. The result: A tire that rolls especially well on both hardpack and loose gravel conditions, where they hold a line, corner, and handle higher speeds with predictable ease and added confidence. We found their handling less certain on matted, wet leaves and very soft, muddy conditions, where they tended to slip on steeper, off-camber hills and corners.

On pavement, the Terra Trails are smooth-rolling and grippy, although we did notice that the moderately aggressive tread produced a faint buzzing sensation on smooth, fresh asphalt. The added puncture protection and the sturdy Black Chili compound also means they are robust enough for E25-rated e-bikes.

If your rides are mainly off-road and cover a wide range of gravel, the Continental Terra Trail provides a great riding experience.

We tested the Rutland 700 x 42mm, built with Teravail’s light and supple casing and tan sidewalls, one of nine Rutland models, including for 650b and 700 rims and up to 47mm wide, with the option of a durable casing, which adds a layer of puncture protection. Designed with traction in mind, the Rutland is a sure-footed all-arounder that’s at its best in loose, unconsolidated gravel and wet, slippery conditions. But it is also remarkably light at 440 grams, one of the lightest tires in our tests.

Tightly spaced and ramped lugs across its center allow the Rutland to roll quickly over light, loose gravel, while larger, deeper, more widely spaced transition and shoulder lugs provide exceptional grip over rough terrain, boggy trails, and through sharp, leaned corners. It felt tailor-made for our test rides over wet, leaf-covered old logging roads, providing confidence-inspiring traction for climbing, cornering, and braking where lesser tires we’ve tried would slip or wash out. Its light, 60tpi casing absorbed gravel chatter very well and it handled the full range of gravel conditions without any surprises. They even shed mud as easily as any tire we’ve tried, a bonus if you live where the roads seldom dry out.

On pavement, tread vibration was noticeable, but barely so. Unsurprisingly, the Rutland’s beefy tread felt a bit slower and less responsive on asphalt and smooth, firm hardpack than a tire designed for drier, firm, and mixed conditions. The light and supple casing model we tried had no issues with durability on the typically slick, leafy conditions of New England, but you should consider the durable casing if you live where sharp stones, flint and thorns are usually in the mix.

Overall, the Teravail Rutland is a great tire if the majority of your rides are off-road, and you don’t want rough conditions or wet weather to dampen your day.

The Overland is a nice addition to Schwalbe’s popular G-One line, with features designed to handle the heavier loads, higher speeds, and braking forces of e-bikes and loaded touring. Available in 700×40, 45, and 50mm, it is built with a stout 67tpi black casing and Schwalbe’s grippy and long-lasting Addix Speedgrip rubber compound.

We tested the 700 x 40 version. Weighing in at 515g, it is on the heavier side for an all-around gravel tire, but it also felt fast rolling and comfortably smooth on pavement thanks to its tightly packed directional tread blocks; while its more pronounced side knobs hold firmly on paved and hardpack corners. The Overland is not intended for soft, wet, or muddy trails, but it handles smoother crushed gravel roads, hardpack, and sand with much more confidence than slick or file-tread tires.

One strength that really stood out for us was how nicely the Overland rolled over lousy pavement, from potholed and cracked city streets and construction zones to rough, chip-sealed country roads. When traffic forced us to choose a sketchy line through chopped-up asphalt or pushed onto the soft road shoulder, we were pleasantly surprised to feel confident, comfortable, and safer on the Schwalbe G-One Overland.

In fact, if you live where the pavement is cracked, potholed, and showing its age, a gravel bike with the right tires can offer a big improvement in ride quality, durability, and safety over your old road bike and its skinny, slick tires. They can also open up entirely new cycling routes that switch from asphalt to hardpack dirt and back again, which you might have avoided on a road bike.

If you’re looking for a tire that can transform your gravel bike into a road warrior, check out the Maxxis Receptor. This semi-slick tire is designed especially for pavement and hardpacked dirt, with a fast-rolling, supple ride and a construction that can also handle light off-road duties. It would also be an excellent bike touring tire, capable of handling full loads and rougher roads.

The Receptor is available in 650b x 47 or 700 x 40, with added EXO sidewall protection and a supple 120tpi casing. We tested the 40mm version with a black sidewall, weighing just 417g. The tread pattern features very shallow, diamond-shaped nubs across the center that transition to slightly deeper tread and low cornering lugs on the sides. On the roads, the Receptor feels super light, agile, and responsive, yet corners like it’s on rails – riding much like a high-end road tire.

Off-road, the Receptor handles smooth, compacted dirt with equal ease, comfort, and impressive straight-ahead speed. Not surprisingly, the fine tread is prone to washing out on loose gravel, around dry sandy corners, and over rocky, rooted, or rougher terrain – conditions it isn’t really designed for.

If your gravel bike is primarily a road machine that occasionally takes you onto compact dirt roads and rail trails, the Maxxis Receptor is an excellent choice.

As the name implies, this is a great tire for variable conditions, one that you could easily leave on your wheels year-round without feeling like you “need” another tire. (But doesn’t everyone need more tires, and bikes, for that matter?)

In our tests, the Terreno Mix lived up to its reputation as a fast-rolling, sturdy tire off-road in all but the softest, wettest conditions, and they rolled smoothly and quietly on the pavement as well. There are eight varieties of the Mix, from 31 to 50mm wide, all 120tpi, with cut-resistant TNT, foldable or rigid casings depending on the size tire you choose. We tested the 700 x 38 with TNT casing, listed at 500g. 

More than any other tire we tested the ride quality of the Mix changed noticeably depending on tire pressure. Using an online tire calculator – such as Silca’s Pro Tire Pressure Calculator — we began at the recommended pressure and found that the Mix offers good, but not remarkable, performance over varied gravel conditions, with a sluggish feeling on hardpack and dry ground.

But with just a little more air – adding around 5 psi – they immediately felt faster rolling and more responsive. Likewise, when we lowered the inflation a few pounds, the grip and handling in wetter, softer conditions went from “meh” to “amazing,” especially on corners and slippery grass. It was like having two entirely different tires in one – and that’s a great thing if you’re comfortable making small inflation adjustments and have an accurate tire pressure gauge.

Vittoria’s Graphene 2.0 compound offers a nice balance of speed, grip, and durability, and adds confidence if you suddenly encounter a rough, sketchy patch on your ride. Not surprisingly, the Vittoria Terreno Mix also delivered superb performance on rail trails, which are generally dry, compact dirt with occasional stretches of sand, crushed stone, and loose, pebbly gravel.