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Best tires for RaceMax – Gravel Bike Tech

These are our favorite tires to get the most out of your 3T Exploro RaceMax

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Understand more about the theory behind measuring tires using WAM & RAM in “How big is my tire?”

Step 1: Determine the width you need

To find the best tire, you need to know the approximate tire width. We’re talking the real width WAM of course, not the width on the tire label) you need where 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 WAM depends partially on the inner width of the rim, you might want to use a different tire on a different rim. This is not only important for tire fit 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. This is not so critical in most cases, but in the case of the Exploro RaceMax it is. At the same time we’re optimizing the tire width for your grip & puncture resistance, we’re 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)

RIM INNER WIDTHBRANDTIRE MODELETRTOWAMRAM
19mm inner widthPanaracerGravelKing slick35-62237352
19mm inner widthPanaracerGravelKing slick40-62239354
19mm inner widthPirelliCinturato Velo35-62234350
23mm inner widthPanaracerGravelKing slick35-62238352
23mm inner widthPirelliCinturato Velo35-62235352
25mm inner widthWTBExposure36-62238351
25mm inner widthPanaracerGravelKing slick35-62238352
25mm inner widthPirelliCinturato Velo35-62237350
29mm inner widthPirelliCinturato Velo35-62239348
29mm inner widthPanaracerGravelKing slick35-62240351
29mm inner widthPanaracerGravelKing slick40-62242352

 

35-42mm with profile

RIM INNER WIDTHBRANDTIRE MODELETRTOWAMRAM
19mm inner widthSchwalbeG-One Allround35-62236351
19mm inner widthPanaracerGravelKing SK35-62238353
23mm inner widthSchwalbeG-One Allround35-62237351
23mm inner widthPanaracerGravelKing SK35-62238353
25mm inner widthWTBRiddler Fast light TCS37-62239352
25mm inner widthSchwalbeG-One Allround35-62238351
25mm inner widthSchwalbeG-One Speed TLE35-62237350
25mm inner widthSchwalbeG-One Speed TLE40-62240354
25mm inner widthPanaracerGravelKing SK35-62238351
25mm inner widthPanaracerGravelKing SK40-62241354
25mm inner widthPirelliCinturato Gravel H35-62237350
29mm inner widthSchwalbeG-One Allround TLE35-62239348
29mm inner widthSchwalbeG-One Speed TLE35-62240348
29mm inner widthSchwalbeG-One Bite TLE40-62242352
29mm inner widthSchwalbeG-One Speed TLE40-62242352
29mm inner widthPanaracerGravelKing SK35-62241350
29mm inner widthPirelliCinturato Gravel H35-62240350

 

53-61mm with profile

RIM INNER WIDTHBRANDTIRE MODELLABELWAMRAM
19mm inner widthVittoriaBarzo isotech 4c tnt27.5×2.25″55346
19mm inner widthVittoriaBarzo isotech 4c tnt27.5×2.1″53343
19mm inner widthSchwalbeG-One Allround TLE27.5×2.25″58343
23mm inner widthPanaracerGravel King SK27.5×2.1″56345
23mm inner widthVittoriaBarzo isotech 4c tnt27.5×2.1″53345
23mm inner widthSchwalbeG-One Allround TLE27.5×2.25″58345
28mm inner widthVittoriaBarzo isotech 4c tnt27.5×2.1″55351
28mm inner widthSchwalbeG-One Allround TLE27.5×2.25″61352
28mm inner widthContinentalRaceKing Perform.27.5×2.0″54348
28mm inner widthSchwalbeG-One Bite27.5×2.1″56348
28mm inner widthPanaracerGravel King SK27.5×2.1″58351

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Comments & Questions


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45 responses to “Best tires for RaceMax – Gravel Bike Tech”

  1. D

    Doug says:

    16 December 2022

    Good afternoon,
    Some time ago, Gerald mentioned that the Racemax/Racemax Ultra tire charts were going to be combined and perhaps expanded. Is this still planned? if so, when may the new charts be available? As a Racemax owner, I have noted several tires on the Ultra tables that would appear to work, but I would prefer to wait and refer to the new charts (and know for sure). Thank-you!

    Reply
  2. J

    Jeremy says:

    14 December 2022

    Hi, would you be publishing the maximum WAM/RAM chart for the Racemax as well, similar to the Ultra?
    I currently have a Racemax with 2x SRAM AXS ETAP setup and 25mm internal width wheels, so that will be very useful before ordering new tires.

    Reply
  3. H

    Hubert says:

    06 December 2022

    Hi, I have a racemax force 2x, currently with the stock fulcrum wheels with pirelli cinturato M 700/40 tyres. I would like to fit some carbon wheels with wider tyres. What would be possible on 700c wheels and what would be possible on 650b wheels? The front derailleur really seems to limit a lot and I don’t know if 650b would gain a lot…

    Reply

    1. Gerard Vroomen says:

      06 December 2022

      In general (regardless of frame model), you don’t gain much going to 650b with 2x. In particular with SRAM electronic shifting where the battery limits the clearance much sooner than most frames.

      If you go with carbon wheels, the best way to get wider tires is to go with a rim with a wide inner width. You can see in the list, when you go to a 29mm inner rim (like the Discus 45|40), you get a tire that is wide without being too tall (so the RAM doesn’t go wild).

      Reply
      1. H

        Hubert says:

        08 December 2022

        Thanks Gerard. Actually I ordered the bike with the 45|40 wheelset, but they are not in stock till spring….
        Corresponding question: what would be the difference in Air-volume (for comfort) between the 45|40 and a 650b with “narrow” tyres (e.g. 1.9”, would that fit?)?

        Reply

        1. Gerard Vroomen says:

          14 December 2022

          That’s similar but 1.9″ is pretty small for 650b. The bike will fit up to 2.3″ (depending on how honest the label is of course, you know the drill). And then you’d have a lot more volume.

          Reply
  4. S

    Steve says:

    15 October 2022

    I have exploro racemax with 23mm internal rim and new pirelli cinturato 700X45c tyre which does not appear to fit on rear without rubbing. My understanding is it should be fine with this size tyre? Am I doing something wrong?

    Reply

    1. Gerard Vroomen says:

      17 October 2022

      Hi Steve, that definitely won’t fit. In the table above most Cinturatos are labeled 35mm wide (actual width is bigger) and in some cases (depending on the rim width and model, for example the H has smaller knobs than the M), the 40mm version will also work. But the 45mm (which then on most rims is even bigger than that) definitely has a RAM that is too large.

      Reply
  5. R

    Raphael says:

    12 October 2022

    Do the Barzo 27,5 x 2,25 tires fit on the exploro racemax? Or should I expect clearance problem?

    Reply

    1. Gerard Vroomen says:

      13 October 2022

      You should not expect any problem with that tire

      Reply
      1. R

        Raphael says:

        13 October 2022

        Thank you very much! Great bike and great ingineer by the way 🙂

        Reply
  6. O

    Ole says:

    01 October 2022

    Hi Gerad, have you noticed that the position of the bottle holder on the seattube is too low? Even small bottles rub on the frame, I had the paint rubbed of within 15kms on a smooth gravel road….JUST FYI…

    Reply

    1. Gerard Vroomen says:

      01 October 2022

      Hi Ole, with which cage did this happen to you? We aim to have the position as low as possible, but without touching obviously. But there is a range of positions depending on the cage, unfortunately there is no standard for that in the industry. Just for the spacing between the bolt holes, but not how high or low the bottle sits relatively to those bolts.

      Reply
      1. O

        Ole says:

        23 November 2022

        Hi Gerard, sorry for the late response. I use an aftermarket bottle holder (Birzman carbon). I use the same ones on my Road bike and on my 2nd gravel bike without any problems. I now covered the spot with a 10 cent coin and helitape (helitape alone wasn’t strong enough)> ican email pictures if you like.
        My bike set-up is 1x XX1 Eagle & Force, 650b wheels, etc…similar to the new Ultra – a lot of fun, I have to admit, I am always smiling on that bike.
        Another question – the paint isn’t the hardest one, it scratches and chips much easier than anything I experienced ever before (MTB for 30 years, road for 42 years). Is it possible to have the lower part of the frame professionally resprayed without voiding the warranty? That’ll be great!
        Thanks
        Ole

        Reply
  7. D

    Doug says:

    01 September 2022

    .I am considering wheels with a wider internal WIDTH, not diamater. Sorry for the error.

    Reply
  8. D

    Doug says:

    01 September 2022

    One final question:
    I am considering purchasing a wheelset with a wider internal diameter to maximize the tire clearance on my Racemax. What effect will hookless rims have on overall tire profile – particularly RAM? Is there any general trends you have seem with hookless vs. hooked rims? As always, thank-you!

    Reply
  9. D

    Doug says:

    03 August 2022

    Hello!
    I have noticed that there are several tires specified for the Ultra that would appear to also work for Racemax (but are not listed on the Racemax spec sheet), Would it not make sense to combine the 2 lists into one and then specify a maximum recommended WAM/RAM for Racemax? This should open up additional tire options for Racemax and eliminate the need to jump between the 2 sheets. This would also eliminate a lot of guesswork/error and some incorrect tire purchases.

    Specifically, I would like to fit the Schwalbe G-One Bite Evolution TLE Super Ground (40-622) to my Racemax. The Ultra table says that for a 23mm internal rim the the RAM is 355/WAM is 43. This should clear the stays/cutout on Racemax, correct? **I would like to have some clearance to avoid damage to the cutout area.. Thank-you!

    Reply

    1. Gerard Vroomen says:

      05 August 2022

      By October the lists will be further updated with more tires, and will be combined. As for the tire you mention, it’s limit on the Racemax, so it really depends on the production run and other small influences. so it may work or not, also depending on the tire clearance you’re looking for.

      Reply
  10. J

    Jack says:

    02 August 2022

    Are there going to be any updates to the list of wheel/tire recommendations? Campy just came out with the Levante wheel at 25mm internal width but their specs say the minimum tire width is 38mm. That 38 is not the WAM but the tire ETRTO size. That would leave only one all-road option, the Panaracer as the G-One looks to be much more of a hard surface tire. The rest are sub 38 ETRTO. I would love to try the Gravel H’s but you max out WAM/RAM with their 35.

    Reply

    1. Gerard Vroomen says:

      02 August 2022

      Well, according to ETRTO, the minimum ETRTO tire width for a 25mm internal rim is 28mm, not 38mm. I wonder if there is an error. I’m checking with Campagnolo

      Reply

    2. Gerard Vroomen says:

      05 August 2022

      OK, it is confirmed that there is no problem to run a smaller tire, it has been tested by Campagnolo and Pirelli, and no problem there.

      Reply
      1. G

        Giorgio says:

        10 November 2022

        Scusami e come dimensione massima considerando il cerchio levante per la Exploro Team taglia xl? Grazie

        Reply
        1. A

          Andrea Bortolin says:

          10 November 2022

          Exploro Primo (o Exploro Team, Pro, LTD) ha spazio per gomme che arrivano a larghezze reali (WAM) di 42mm e raggio reale (RAM) di 354mm.
          Considerando che le Campagnolo Levante hanno larghezza interna del cerchio di 25mm, puoi considerare gli esempi di gomme riportati nelle tabelle in corrispondenza di “RIM INNER WIDTH” di “25mm inner width”

          Reply
          1. G

            Giorgio says:

            11 November 2022

            Ciao, ho letto che ci sarebbe stato un aggiornamento sulle gomme utilizzabili per ottobre. Sai darmi indicazioni in merito. Grazie

            Reply
  11. B

    Ben says:

    12 June 2022

    Hi Gerard, do you have any update on the RAM for Rene Herse Barlow Pass 38? Want to try them on my Racemax running Discus 45 ltd stealth. I am looking for a fast slick option and they have a lot of good reviews. Best Ben

    Reply
    1. C

      Clem says:

      01 December 2022

      Hello,
      Did you get an answer?
      I would like a similar answer for the Rene Herse 700C x 38 Steilacoom mounted on my racemax with a sram x2 derailleur (not wide). Is this a good idea?
      Thanks

      Reply
  12. J

    Joost says:

    23 May 2022

    Dear 3T team,

    maybe not the correct thread/blog, but I will probaly overlook it but what is the max chainring size/number of tooth I can ride a racemax with a singlering setup SRAM XPLR AXS, 42 or 44? Thanks for the help 🙂

    best regards

    Reply
  13. J

    Jarkko says:

    09 April 2022

    Hi!
    Does the racemax frame fit specialized s-works pathfinder in 42mm width?

    Reply

    1. Gerard Vroomen says:

      09 April 2022

      Hi Jarkko, no idea, I haven’t seen them share WAM and RAM so “42mm” can mean anything.

      Reply
      1. J

        Jarkko says:

        09 April 2022

        Thank you for the quick reply! Which are your favourite tyres for racemax with smooth center track, but with edge tread?

        Reply

        1. Gerard Vroomen says:

          11 April 2022

          well, I am not a big fan of that style of tire in most conditions. If the side knobs touch the ground because you’re sinking in the mud so far, you would be better off with a full profile. And if they touch only touch when you lean the bike, they often create inconsistent cornering or you’re already on the way down.

          Anyway, the Panaracer GravelKing SS has an interesting take on the concept that has some profile on the sides but in a way that it doesn’t create unpredictable behavior when cornering, especially on hard surfaces and pavement. So that could be an option. Another option with a little more profile would be the Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H. WTB also has a lot of new tires with interesting half/half patterns, but I have not yet had a chance to get the dimensions. Hope to do that soon.

          Reply
          1. J

            Jarkko says:

            20 April 2022

            That’s an good argument against center slick tyres. Any information on the schwalbe g-one r 40mm does it fit on 25mm rim as g-one speed is on the list?

            Reply
            1. J

              Jarkko says:

              24 June 2022

              Hi!
              Coming back to this as I saw the measurements of g-one R on racemax ultra recommended tyres. The tyres seem to measure 42-354 on 25mm rims. Wouldn’t it fit into Racemax also with enough clearance?

              Reply
    2. W

      Wout Nissen says:

      27 April 2022

      Hi Gerard,
      I’m considering buying a 3t racemax. I am doubting to have a dual wheelset, one for gravel and one for the road, since it is capable for road activities as well. What can you recommend as the best rim and tire road use for the gravel racemax.
      Thanks in advance for your reply.

      Kind regards,
      Wout

      Reply

      1. Gerard Vroomen says:

        28 April 2022

        Hi Wout, there are quite a few articles in the Gravel Bike Tech series: https://blog.3t.bike/category/gravel-bike-tech/

        In particular these two will tell you about the 1 wheelset vs 2 wheelset options

        Reply
    3. M

      Mike says:

      02 November 2022

      No they do not work. I have tested with 23 mm wheels. The new S Works

      Reply
    4. M

      Mike says:

      02 November 2022

      No they do not work. I have tested with 23 mm wheels. The new S Works tires

      Reply
  14. C

    Claudio says:

    05 April 2022

    Hi, first of all I’d like to thank you and do my compliment with you because I really enjoy your article. I have two wheelset of 29 with 30 mm canal width. For trail I use 29×2.60 but for road porpouse i recently chosen new Schwalbe g one speed in 29×2.35 (erto 60-622) what do you think about it? Should I have go with a slimmer canal like 25 mm? What difference could I get? Thx and happy cicling.

    Reply
    1. C

      Claudio says:

      05 April 2022

      I have ebike

      Reply

    2. Gerard Vroomen says:

      05 April 2022

      At those tire widths 29-30mm sounds good, 25mm isn’t really going to add anything.

      Reply

  15. Simon says:

    05 April 2022

    Also, if you have any influence over at Pirelli.. encourage them to make some wider 650b Cinturato Gravel M sizes! That would be a great combo imo.

    Reply

  16. Simon says:

    05 April 2022

    Wanting to use some Cinturato Velo’s for a road-based ultra distance bike packing race (2,500km) – good balance of robustness and rolling/feel – following your school of thought “bigger can be better” for an average of probably 20-30km/h (hilly + fully loaded!) on what I expect to be fair to average roads (though in reality haven’t a clue!) = 35mm WAM seems to be the indicated sweet spot.

    But these will be going onto 29mm ID rims (your Discuss 45|40) and so according to the table above will ballon slightly to 39mm WAM = so, should I be going for the 35-622 or sizing down to their 32-622? Or are the margins so small its ?! Thanks.

    Reply

    1. Gerard Vroomen says:

      05 April 2022

      Hi Simon, both for rolling resistance and aero, go with the 35-622 tire. And you can’t put a 32mm tire on a 29mm ID rim anyway.

      Reply
      1. m

        mark- says:

        24 May 2022

        Hi – I am using a Panaracer Gravelking slick 35mm on my Exploro Racemax with a DISCUS 45|40 that is indeed around 38-39mm in reality. I like it a lot for road rides.

        However, I was also playing with the idea to put a 32mm on this wheelset that would probably result the 35mm WAM for which the wheelset is design for but I see it is not possible? I am not sure if it made any difference though.

        Reply

        1. Gerard Vroomen says:

          24 May 2022

          Indeed, a 32mm tire on a 29mm internal rim is not a good idea. Then you would need no bigger than 25/26mm internal width on the rim. Not sure you see much benefit from going to the smaller tire anyway though, I’d just stick with the cushioning of the 38-39mm RAM tire.

          Reply