Gravel King or T-Serv for commuting?

[Chris Warland]

Hi all, this is my first post. 

I am building up my first 650b bike--Soma GR--to be used as an all-weather commuter.

My commute is 20 miles round-trip in Chicago, on a surface made up primarily of potholes filled with broken glass. 

I am wondering if the 650b 42mm Gravel King would be robust enough for this use or if I'd be better off with the T-Serv. 

Comfort and speed are important but I'd sacrifice some to avoid flats. 

I'm wondering if anyone has used Gravel Kings in a very abusive urban context and how they've held up.

Also open to other suggestions. 

Thanks,

Chris

[rcnute]

I used the T-servs for a long time in 650B for commuting (16 miles round trip) and thought they were plenty comfy.  Hard wearing.  Never got a flat either.

Ryan

[Harald Kliems]

I've been using 40-622 Gravel King slick tires on my everyday bike/commuter fixie in Madison. We probably have quite a bit less broken glass than you do, but I haven't encountered any issues. With a 20-mile commute, though, you're gonna wear through the tires quickly. The rubber is very thin (compared to a Compass tire). Before I switched to studded tires for the season, the Gravelkings had about 1800 miles, and the rear looks like it'll need to be replaced soon.

 Harald in Madison (WI)

[Derek Z]

Chris,

I commuted for about 10 years in NYC on Pasela tires, a very close approximation of the T-serv. In that time I had maybe half a dozen flats. My last few months in Brooklyn before I recently moved I switched to Gravelkings. The ride on the G-kings is certainly nicer but I had about 3 flats in 3 months on them. Although I'd like to recommend the Gravelkings as they are a really nice tire at their price point, for a 20 mile r/t commute in Chicago I think a heavier duty tire would be wise.

Best,

Derek Z

[Ed Carolipio]

I had Gravel King slicks for a couple of months on my commuter. Comfy and really no issues: I just got nervous and switched out to something more hearty (Marathon Supremes). I'm running the T-servs on a recreational bike, and am a fan of the *folding* bead version. No flats on the T-servs on the same roads and paths.

--Ed C.

On Wednesday, December 12, 2018 at 10:37:31 AM UTC-8, Chris Warland wrote:

[Eric Fixler]

I haven't ridden either tire in dense urban environments, but I am currently running GravelKings on both bikes that I ride a lot.

These tires ride nicely and are very versatile, but I wouldn't call them super-durable or flat resistant. The T-Servs look like Paselas, and I think they'll be more bulletproof.

- Eric

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[Harry Watson]

Might I suggest a tubeless set-up (not easy/cheap with rim brakes I know)? My riding is so far removed from urban commuting my advice has to be taken with a hefty pinch of (road) salt though.

[Chris Warland]

Thanks for all the responses. I think I'll end up going with the T-Serv. I had not considered wear and longevity in addition to puncture protection. On my current commuter I got probably 15K miles out of a pair of Schwalbe Marathons (conservative estimate) and dislike fixing flats on the sidewalk. I am interested in experiencing "supple" tires but maybe urban commuting is not the best context for that. Thanks again all.

Chris

On Wednesday, December 12, 2018 at 12:37:31 PM UTC-6, Chris Warland wrote:

[Andy Bailey Goodell]

I've been on the 27.5/650b 1.75" Panaracer Pacenti Pari-motos for most of this year and they've been great commuter tires. They've felt just as nice as Compass to me, and despite people saying they had a thin tread, I've had relatively few flats. I did just get a glass shard the other day though. These are now more worn than I'd care for winter use, so I picked up a set of new Gravel Kings on ebay for $70 shipped.

My commute is about 32 miles round trip, so I can't get myself to consider the beefier varieties if I can avoid it. The other winter commuter bike has 2.25" Thunder Burts, which so far had averaged about 15-20% slower, but that's also because I only ride it on days there's snow on the ground, so that seemed not too bad.

Andy in NH where it was 8F for the ride in this morning!

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[Alex Wetmore]

Wider tires allow for lower pressures which reduces flat concerns even without explicit puncture protection.  99% of my riding these days is commuting and I do so on Compass EL tires.  The only bike that I ever seem to get flats on is the one that uses 32mm tires at 80psi (vs 38-50mm wide tires at 40psi or lower).

So you really can avoid flats and have a supple tire.

You probably won't get 15k miles out of most Compass tires, but half of that is reasonable with the wide tires.

alex

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From: 65...@googlegroups.com <65...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Chris Warland <cdwa...@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2018 6:28:50 AM
To: 650b
Subject: [650B] Re: Gravel King or T-Serv for commuting?

 

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[rcnute]

My hat is off to you!

Ryan

[etorg...@yahoo.com]

Plus one for the tubeless setup of the GravelKings.  I run a 650b x 48mm Gravelking on a 700D rim in the back, and a Schwalbe Marathon 650b x44? on the front.  (My point here is to say tubeless conversion can be accomplished on many tire rim configurations.)  My commute is 27 miles round trip.  We have lots of glass, and even more goat heads, for which the tubeless setup seems born to address.  The hard rubber of the Marathons and super stiff sidewalls mean they have been bulletproof, but the ride feel is not so good.  The Gravelkings are much nicer, if not qute Parimoto, Hetre EL, Trimline, or Compass quality.  I think I got my GravelKings for 25 or 30 dollars a piece though.  

My 42mm Parimoto seems to have a defect in the tire, making for a hop.

I have run the old school Pasela's with the wire bead as well as the newer kevlar beads tubeless, and they feel right up there with Compass, (maybe not EL.)  However, setting up tubeless a wire bead is a pita and now I have a number of broken sidewall threads plus a bulge at one place, so don't recommend doing that unless you are truly committed to Tubeless.  

I did just eat it on an icy bridge with the GravelKing Marathon setup.  I blame the Marathon, but you could just as easily blame me.  Still, even at 38lbs of pressure, the Marathon is not a grippy supple tire. (IMO) 

Eli

In not-too-often-icy Albuquerque

[Michael Mann]

I've been commuting for 2 plus years on 650b T-serves. I also run Orange Seal in the tubes - my current commute is 32 miles RT, all year, in sometimes nasty weather and on streets with quite a bit of debris. Not completely flatless, but pretty close. I've ridden Compass tires on the same bike and it's a world of difference; Comparitively the T-Serves are pigs - I frequently refer to them as Anti-supple.  But for commuting I'm fine with that.

Mike

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Michael Mann

[Simon Apostol]

Before the days of big high quality road/all road tires, everyone in Missoula used T-Servs for general road riding and dirt roads. paselas are nice but super thin sidewalls that always get torn before the tread wears out- maybe not an issue for city commuting.

Anyways, they are excellent tires and roll well despite the good flat protection. I got many thousands of miles out of a pair including dirt roads at home and touring across France and Spain with maybe 2 flats the whole time.

Gravel Kings are also nice tires and lighter but definitely faster wearing and less flat resistant unless you go tubeless. And that last point is why I don’t run t Servs any more... I run a tube-free household (well actually my girlfriend has paselas on her bike). So I think the decision comes down to whether you are using tubes or not.

You might also look into the simworks volummy as an in between option if the sizes work. Like the gravel king with more sidewall protection. I have them in 700 x 38 and they seem great so far. Easy tubeless setup.

[Jeff Bertolet]

You are allowed to use different tires front and rear. Get a T-serve for the rear and GK for the front, or something similar.

I have used Compass (RH) 42’s for occasional commuting for a couple years with no flats. Bike+cargo+rider is around 220-250, I run them at 35-40psi.

I agree with Alex, wide tires at moderate pressures seems to prevent a lot of flats.