How do different gravel conditions impact your tyre choice?

There are a myriad of tyres on the market but selecting the right one is easier than you think

- Luke Friend

Gravel riding means different things to different people. If you live in the UK, gravel typically means bridleways, drove roads, forest tracks and mud. In the US there are miles after miles of actual gravel roads. Often hard-packed and relatively flat, they extend as far as the eye can see, forming the inspiration and the arena for some of gravel racing's most prestigious events.

Then there's the white roads of Tuscany, the high-altitude tracks of Spain's Sierra de la Demanda region and Champagne's paths through the vineyards. Do these different surfaces require a change of tyres accordingly?

I used to think the answer was a firm 'yes'. After all, there are a huge number of tyre options with myriad tread patterns. Surely this means I should be matching my tyres to the given terrain? But one dry winter day, with wide slick tyres still fitted to my gravel bike after a season spent largely on the road, I decided to take an off-road path home.