Gravel Tends to be any kind of road biking that doesn’t involve riding on asphalt. Puerto Vallarta has some of the best gravel riding in the world. From relaxed backcountry roads to one of the most challenging gravel climbs in the world. Puerto Vallarta Mexico has it all. 

“check out how you can book a gravel bike tour in Puerto Vallarta Mexico”

But what is the quintessential best width for a gravel tire right now?

Well, it’s a bit of a hard question to answer. The ideal setup all comes down to your riding conditions. Your riding style, Where you live, what kind of events are you participating in, and the conditions of said roads. Some people may swap out different tires for different events, but if you had to choose the end all be all gravel tire, what would it be?

TIRE DIMENSIONS:

There’s a wide array of tire dimensions on the market, and it’s good for a person to be able to pick what tire wish works best for them. However, with so many choices, it may become quite confusing for an individual to pick the right tire. For example,  gravel tires come in 28” (700 mm) and 27.5” (650 mm) models with a wide range of different widths from 28 mm to 57 mm.

Another thing to look out for is your rim width. Ideally, your tire width should roughly match your rim width. Running really wide tires on skinny narrow rims will squeeze the tire outside of its optimal shape. This means fewer treads are in contact with the ground giving you less traction.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A GRAVEL TIRE:

When choosing a gravel tire, Think about where you’ll be riding. How much time do you spend on asphalt vs gravel or dirt?

Think about how smooth or rough your roads are and what “gravel” means where you live Smooth and fast? Rough and rutted? Rocky roads that shred fragile tires? These are just a few of the possibilities. 

For Puerto Vallarta, it’s a wide array of terrains. Gravely sandy back roads to the cobblestone streets of small towns. Endless possibilities of challenging and fun terrains to ride and explore! 

40MM: A GOOD OVERALL PICK:

The new player of 2021 is the 40mm width. According to 99spokes, the most common width of the tire from a sample size of 77 different gravel models, found 40mm to be a common choice.

Nathan Forbes, Schwalbe brand manager said that “The 38c (40mm) width is by far the most popular now, but things keep getting wider,” “I think that a 42mm tire will be the most popular in the next two years, but only time will tell. We still have racers who want a 35c tire for certain events and other riders do as well if they don’t have the frame clearance for larger models, but those numbers are dwindling.”

The 38c has also voted the do-everything width for its good balance point, road and off-road efficiency. 

The 40mm is a great choice for Puerto Vallarta cycling. It’s a good all-around size to help you get through some of the most difficult terrains this city has to offer!

“Interested in renting gravel bikes in the Puerto Vallarta area?” “Check out Bici Bucerias”