Looking for some recommendations on a commuter tire for a gravel bike. Current tire is a Schwalbe G One Speed 2.0” and it has been pretty decent, but the roads I ride have tons of debris and I’m nervous I’m going to flat one day. I’m also running tubes and considering tubeless, but wondering if that is better than just a heavy duty tire and butyl tube? The stuff i’m worried about causing flats are nails and screws, things that may not seal with tubeless anyway…
I commute almost year round and here are some recommendations: First I’d recommend going tubeless even with nails/screws etc they will definitely puncture a tube and you’ll be patching or replacing that on the side of the road. Tubeless will seal more than you think, and for those that don’t I throw a plug in there, pump it back up and keep going (much easier to do on the side of the road versus taking the wheel off, tire off, replacing the tube/or patching then putting it back on. Tires i’ve had good longevity with are Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H in 40mm and Continental Terra Speed. I always carry a spare tube just incase there is a slice/puncture that no amount of sealant or plugs can fill as a last resort. Final thing i’ve learned is once you get home I take the tire off, remove the plug and put a patch on the inside of the tire, let it cure, then put it back on the bike tubeless with sealant. This prevents small slow leaks which you have to keep pumping up.
1 Like
I was commuting before tubeless road tires or gravel bikes were at thing. On occasion, I’d get a flat. I’d repair it (remove tire, find remove any embedded thing in the tire that cause the puncture), replace the tube, inflate, and ride on. That might take 5 to 7 minutes in all. NBD. Tubeless with lower pressures used wtih current wide tires makes it much less likely. I’m still prepared to fix it if need be. A plug, mini pump, and a tube if required. Nothing to stress about.
1 Like
Don’t ask me, I commute on GP5000’s 
I haven’t had a single flat on a commute since I went tubeless. I have had two pinch flats from hitting a huge rock and a giant pot hole, neither of which a tube would have survived either (both repairable with plugs).
I commuted for a year on the GP5000’s on a 55 mph road with all kinds of junk.
By comparison, I never rode anywhere without two spare tubes AND a patch kit. And I would flat about once a week with tubes. It was 50/50 on wanting tubeless and wanting disc brakes which pushed me into this new bike.
Continental Contact Urban, I run them tubeless.
1 Like
I run Rene Herse 55mm Extralight with tubolito tubes and never flatted in the past 4 years.
Road Bike Tire Test: Pirelli Cinturato Velo TLR 26
These guys have done me 2 full winters commuting in London - coming up for 3000 miles and only one puncture caused by a nail.
This tyre is near bullet proof.
I used 32mm version for commuting, it’s fast enough and never seen a hole in them.
My commuter came with Schwalbe Lugano 2s and to be fair, theyve been really good. Wet grip is more than enough and whilst the original inner tubes punctured within 200km, after pairing them with heavy ass slime tubes, ive been puncture free for 3500km now.
Seems like the GP5000 All Season (35) would serve you really well for your use case. Very comfy ride.
Bump with a related but different question. I have an occasional commute that is mostly paved but has a few miles of gravel with a moderately steep climb in the middle. I have Cinturato Velos for the road and like them, but I spin out a bunch on this route. Anything with just a little bit of tread, good puncture resistance, and good CRR in a 28-32ish? I can clear 32s but not 35s.
Have done many trouble free commutes on Vittoria Rubino Pro’s clinchers, CRR not really a concern to me if mean breaking out the tyre lever, tubes and pumps.
That’s a fair point. How’s the traction on light gravel?