Best tires for RaceMax 415 frame – Gravel Bike Tech

Important!

There are 2 versions of the Racemax frame, the Racemax 415 and the Racemax 418. If you’re unsure which version you own, please note:

Racemax 415 design:

• All Racemax frames with EXPLORO written on the back of the seattube
• All Racemax Italia Founder’s Edition and 60th Anniversary
• All Racemax Boost (this remains Racemax 415 also in the future)

Racemax 418 design:

• All Racemax Italia frames EXCEPT Founder’s Edition and 60th Anniversary
• All non-electric Racemax & Racemax Italia framesets and bikes on our website or sold by 3T to its retailers from now forward (except Outlet where Racemax 415 frames are explicitly indicated)

Need to measure to know:

• Standard Racemax frames (so not Racemax Italia or Racemax Boost, for those see above) with RACEMAX written on the back of the seattube. These may be either version. You need to carefully measure the BB-to-rear axle distance to see if the chainstay is 414-415mm (Racemax 415) or 417-418m (Racemax 418).

On this page you will find the tire recommendations for the Racemax 415 frame. For the Racemax 418 frame (and the Exploro Ultra), please check their specific tire recommendation page. As always, it is important to verify you have sufficient tire clearance on your frame with your particular tire, regardless of the below recommendations.

Step 1: Determine the width you need

The tire width you need depends on your skills and the terrain you ride. You can find more about that in “What tire do I need?”.

That blog post will give you some idea if you don’t know, and don’t worry too much about it. Estimate it the best you can, go get the tires and then you’ll learn if that was the right decision. If not, tires wear out and you’ll know to get bigger or smaller next time. In the meantime, just enjoy the riding regardless.

Step 2: What rim are you using?

Because the Width As Measured (WAM – find out more here) depends partially on the inner width of the rim, find out this number either by measuring it or looking it up on the rim manufacturer’s website. This is not only important for tire sizing but also for its performance. A very wide tire on a narrow rim is very flexible sideways, meaning that in corners your handling won’t feel as secure. So as you move from road tire widths (28-35mm) to real gravel widths (35+mm), you ultimately may also want a wider rim.

Step 3: Find the tire with your desired WAM and rim

As the WAM changes, so does the RAM (Radius As Measured). This is not so critical in most cases, but for properly designed aero gravel bikes. While we’re optimizing the tire width for your grip & puncture resistance, we’re also optimizing the gap between tire and seattube cutout for aerodynamics. We recommend the tires below based on:

• WAM & RAM
• Tire profile
• Casing design
• Rolling resistance (keeping in mind the profile)
• Puncture resistance (keeping in mind profile & weight)
• Aerodynamics (this one is tough as we can’t put every tire in the wind tunnel)

Please note that while WAM & RAM measurements are more accurate than the dimensions on the tire label, there are still variations:

• While inner rim width is the biggest rim factor, the exact shape of the rim bed and depth of the flanges also affects the shape and size of the tire mounted.
• Tires vary due to production conditions, so two tires from different batches may size differently. That means an individual tire’s RAM may be off by a few mm (much less for WAM), and that is a lot when you’re trying to create a proper fit between tire and seat tube.

So with WAM and RAM, we’ve gotten closer to a solution but we’re not 100% there yet.

Always check for sufficient clearance between the specific tire you use and your bike frame irrespective of WAM & RAM listed here. 

35-42mm low profile (oversized road)

35-42mm with profile

53-61mm with profile