# If you could pick one tire.....



## Black Squirrel (Oct 13, 2016)

If you could pick one tire to do everything with, what would it be?

I've gotten into this G+/Gravel Plus/Adventure bike thing pretty hard and I am really enjoying it.

I have Clement MSO 50c on the bike now, and they work.

I ride a pretty even mix of road, gravel, double and single track.

Current tires:

Road - heavy (real heavy), but roll nice at 35-50psi
Gravel/double - fantastic
Single track - traction on anything wet sucks

What I'm looking for:

A tire that's going to be lighter, and roll well (doesn't need to roll like a slick). Needs to have some sort of center tread for single track. I'm pretty sure any tire will work great for gravel.

Really want to stay in the 45-50c range. (1.75-2.00) Current tires measure 2.1, and barely fit.

Want to stay 700c/29

Top contender right now:

WTB Resolute 42, but its on the small side, and the gum wall is ugly.


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## Volsung (Nov 24, 2011)

Cazadero 700c x 50 Tubeless Ready | SOMA Fabrications

I hear they're more of a 47 or 48 but they're a lot lighter than MSOs

EDIT- Didn't see that you're looking for more single tracky stuff.

Maybe Specialized Renegade or WTB Nine Line?


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## Black Squirrel (Oct 13, 2016)

The Nine Line is cool, but too big. It actually looks like the resolute, they should make that tire in a 50c.


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## Volsung (Nov 24, 2011)

They're harder to find but the nine line 29 x 2.0 is still probably floating around.


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## senor_mikey (Apr 25, 2009)

Schwalbe Thuder Burts measure about 50-51 mm on a i19 rim. Super fast rolling and pretty good on corners. The Nine lines are nice but slower and the 2.0 version measures about 49-50mm depending on your rim,they are better in tech stuff then the TB's.

mike


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## Flying_Scotsman (Jul 12, 2011)

Black Squirrel said:


> If
> Top contender right now:
> 
> WTB Resolute 42, but its on the small side, and the gum wall is ugly.


WTB Nano.... they do various versions and sizes....


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

Looked at the small block 8?


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

Flying_Scotsman said:


> WTB Nano.... they do various versions and sizes....


This. And they run smaller than advertised.


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## Black Squirrel (Oct 13, 2016)

Nano looks goooood. Any idea what a 2.1 actually measures?


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## albeant (Feb 24, 2004)

If you're looking at the Nano, it's worth checking out the Vittoria Mezcal TNT. Similar tread pattern but better rubber and better all around traction, and a much more cut-resistant casing. I found the Nano's casing fragile in rocky terrain, enough that I was really throwing money away on them.

Mezcal 29x2.1 spec as measured by Art's Cyclery: 
Weight: 652 grams
Width measured on a i23 rim: Tread: 1.94 in, Casing: 2.04 in


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## Black Squirrel (Oct 13, 2016)

Those look really good too.

Though they may not fit, I need to measure my rims to see how wide they are.


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## ladljon (Nov 30, 2011)

I hated the Nano...after a 60mi ride took the new tire off and sold it, too ruff riding and flatted running tubeless though the rocky single track...Cazadero's and Knards for me. A 2.1 should be a 54mm


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## Volsung (Nov 24, 2011)

If you do want the Resolute, I heard WTB is releasing Horizons in all black in April and maybe they'll do the Resolute too. Also it apparently averages 45mm.


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## Black Squirrel (Oct 13, 2016)

Thanks. I'm going to keep the MSO's for now and see what WTB does this spring. I pushed the bike well past what it was made for today, and tires really performed well. Pinging off rocks all day w/o any real issue. I would hate to swap to a lighter tire and have sidewall issues because of it.


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## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

Ikons, the TR models.


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## idozen13 (Mar 5, 2018)

Volsung said:


> Cazadero 700c x 50 Tubeless Ready | SOMA Fabrications
> 
> I hear they're more of a 47 or 48 but they're a lot lighter than MSOs
> 
> ...


I have been hearing quite a good amount of praises about the Cazadero's. I am going to give it a whirl once my Clement MSO 700x50 wear out! (which are phenomenal tires besides the weight penalty)


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

The first owner of my Fargo had Conti Race King "protection" version on the bike. They've been far more versatile than I expected. Surprisingly fast on pavement, confidence off road smaller and slicker tires don't have. To back up how fast they feel, I noticed they have good performance on the bike tire rolling resistance site.

The downside is I will ride with others when they have slightly faster 42 or 45 size tires or be off road when more side knobs on the front could be a plus. Basically, I thought my job was get rid of those tires but they've been really good for a Fargo that splits use off road and commuting.


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## 834905 (Mar 8, 2018)

leeboh said:


> Looked at the small block 8?


I was going to recommend this. I have ridden the 35c and the 2.1 version of this tire and thought they were both great. If I remember right, the 2.1 came in slightly under advertised size... may want to research that though if 2.1s are currently tight.


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## Black Squirrel (Oct 13, 2016)

Still on the MSO's and they are doing fine.

Side note, I got my wife a set of TR ready Nano's (40c). Nice tire, she likes them. One of them measures 40mm and the logos are about 1" tall, the other measures 43mm and the logo is maybe 5/8" tall. Kind of weird.


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