Best tires for Extrema Italia Integrale

Step 1: Are you running a front derailleur or 1x?

The Extrema is optimized around massive 29”/700c tires and it can fit up to 57mm WAM (Width-As-Measured) and up to 369.5mm RAM (Radius as measured) +/-1mm while still keeping 6mm of clearance between the tire and frame/fork. To maximize the tire size , a 1X drivetrain is recommended. If you choose to run a 2x setup, then it is not the frame that limits the tire size but the front derailleur.

There is no official clearance standard for gravel tires. There is only a clearance standard for road (4mm) and for mountain bikes (6mm). With an extreme setup on the Extrema, it makes sense to follow the mountain bike clearance standard. For “milder” setups, you could use 4mm clearance standard. Please note the below estimates come with some limitations:

• Every tire has a distinct shape in cross section, meaning the WAM is not in the same place for each tire. That affects the tire clearance.
• The exact positioning of the limits and the height of your front derailleur can affect the clearance.
• These effects are small, but as we’re working with small clearances to begin with, it’s important to always check that your resulting setup is safe.

* With 4mm “road” clearance
** With 6mm “mountain” clearance. Clearance with GRX front derailleur depends greatly on tire size. For example, a Teravail Sparwood fits in size 29×2.2 with 57mm WAM and 6mm clearance, while a Continental RaceKing fits in size 700x50c with 53mm WAM and 6mm clearance. So always check your clearance.

Step 2: Determine the width you need.

To find the best tire, determine the approximate tire width you need. We’re talking the real width WAM of course, not the width on the tire label) you need where you ride. Understand more about defining tires using WAM & RAM in “How big is my tire?”

Don’t worry too much about the “perfect” width. Take a guess, 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, enjoy the ride regardless.

Step 3: 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 to larger widths (50+), you ultimately may also want a wider rim.

Step 4: 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 Extrema 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 seat tube 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 of clearance between the specific tire you use, your bike frame irrespective of WAM & RAM listed here. For the Extrema in extreme setups we recommend a minimum of 6mm of clearance but keep in mind certain riding conditions may require sizing the tire down to increase clearance.