WIDE GRAVEL TYRES

We help you find the 50mm option that best suits your off-road needs

- Oscar Huckle

It felt like only yesterday when a 40mm gravel bike tyre was considered wide, before that figure quickly increased to 45mm. The trend in 2025 has been for brands to push the boundaries even further, and 50mm (or even wider) rubber is now in fashion. And for good reason - a wider tyre will have a larger contact patch, improving grip and traction, and can be run at lower pressures, translating into more comfort. There's therefore little reason not to run the widest rubber your frame allows (just make sure there's sufficient mud clearance, and no possibility of the tyre rubbing on the fork or stays). For this loosely-titled 'wide gravel tyres' test, I pitted four 50mm options against each other - two mixed-terrain tyres (Vittoria's Terreno T50 and Schwalbe's G-One RX Pro), one for hardpack (Pirelli's Cinturato Gravel H) and another that straddles the line between gravel riding and cross-country mountain biking (Continental's Terra Adventure). Since the tyres occupy different subgenres, I've treated each review as standalone. I've made comparisons between the quartet where I can, but have also drawn on my wider experience with tyres outside of this test to help me come to my conclusions.

Need to know

How wide?

We've tested 50mm tyres here, but the world's your oyster when it comes to widths, with options ranging from 700c x 35mm upwards, and tyres in excess of 55mm at the upper end. Wider tyres bring more comfort, stability and grip, but if speed's a priority, you may want to go a bit narrower and lighter. Before you buy wider tyres, check your bike has clearance for them.

Tread pattern

The design of the knobs has a great bearing on the grip and speed of a tyre, but varies between manufacturers. You may need to try out different tyres to see which tread pattern works best for the conditions and terrain you ride in.

Tubed or tubeless?