Gravel bike recommendations...

noone anywhere looks cool on tan wall anything
Tan walls are awesome.
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I've found these 40c tires work really well on rocks. I went through several tires flatting on rocky places until I found these.
I’ve got a set of these the M ones are more “aggressive” tread the H ones are more for traditional gravel roads and terrain.

They came on my gravel bike when I got it I rode them for a few hundred miles and took them off because the type of riding I do I don’t need that much tread.

@Cole text me if you want some pics and want to try them. can make you a good deal they are just sitting in my garage but have plenty of life left.
 
This is a huge point of debate right now....I'd say something like a 45c is good for Bedminster where you're going to end up on the road plenty but having the option of running 2.2" XC tires is a baseline for me to consider a new gravel bike. Plenty of gravel warrants it.

I run 32-33c out in Bedminster. It’s butter smooth out there, a few miles might be a little sketchy on a road tire but so much of it’s good it’s really worth being on a road setup.

For actual real adventure gravel those 40c T50s are phenomenal.
 
I run 32-33c out in Bedminster. It’s butter smooth out there, a few miles might be a little sketchy on a road tire but so much of it’s good it’s really worth being on a road setup.

For actual real adventure gravel those 40c T50s are phenomenal.
Same for me, before I started riding mtb, I worked in Bedminster and rode on 32c Kendas for years. Just like slack geos, bike companies are selling that you need more. Most of us aren't riding 'adventure gravel', just horse trails and roads. Also I never enjoyed singletrack with drop bars when a hardtail is so much better.
 
I’m happy enough with the 32s since I ride more paved than unpaved roads. And the unpaved is D&R or Bedminster. I’ve not done a back to back comparison with wider tires (I don’t have another bike to do it) so I don’t know for sure, so maybe I am leaving something on the table. That said, I sometimes miss the speed and agility of my supersix so I don’t think I want to go any more “gravel” than my Mr Pink at this point.

And still after all that it’s tempting to look when I see the prices these days…
 
I run 32's on my road bike and have on rare occasion dipped onto the canal to get home a little earlier, I'd take my 47's over them any day. Maybe it's the fact that the gp5000 isn't a gravel tire and maybe it wouldn't feel as bad if I aired down a bit. But either way I think you guys are missing out.
 
I need my 2.2" MTB tires for the Columbia Trail, thank you very much.
In all seriousness, I see the point of looking for a frame that supports larger tires if buying new. There are more options on the market now.

However, if the mission is more along the line of buy used / on a budget or continue using what I have then I'd think long and hard about actual use case vs future proofing because "maybe I'll need it some day."

I want to live somewhere where I need larger tires than the 40's that fit into my OG gravel bike. But the reality is that for where I live and ride 30-35mm strikes a good balance. Once a year when I'm on some unmaintained road in Rothrock SF wishing I had bigger tires ... oh yea, underbiking for a few miles. Or I'm on my MTB.
 
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