Best tires for Racemax and Ultra - Gravel Bike Tech

Important!

There are 2 versions of the Racemax frame, the Racemax 415 and the Racemax 418. If you're unsure which version you own, please note:

Racemax 415 design:

• All Racemax frames with EXPLORO written on the back of the seattube
• All Racemax Italia Founder’s Edition and 60th Anniversary
• All Racemax Boost (this remains Racemax 415 also in the future)

Racemax 418 design:

• All Racemax WPNT
• All Racemax Italia frames EXCEPT Founder's Edition and 60th Anniversary
• All non-electric Racemax & Racemax Italia framesets and bikes on our website or sold by 3T to its retailers from now forward (except Outlet where Racemax 415 frames are explicitly indicated)

Need to measure to know:

• Standard Racemax frames (so not Racemax Italia or Racemax Boost, for those see above) with RACEMAX written on the back of the seattube. These may be either version. You need to carefully measure the BB-to-rear axle distance to see if the chainstay is 414-415mm (Racemax 415) or 417-418m (Racemax 418).

On this page you will find the tire recommendations for the Racemax 418 (and Exploro Ultra) frame. For the Racemax 415 frame, please check its specific tire recommendation page. As always, it is important to verify you have sufficient tire clearance between your frame and fork and your particular tire, regardless of the below recommendations.

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

If you are running a2x setup, then in some cases, it's not the frame that limits the tire size but the front derailleur. Below you can find the maximum WAM if you want to maintain 4mm of clearance between tire and front derailleur. 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

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 from road tire widths (28-35mm) to real gravel widths (35+mm), 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 Exploro Ultra (and RaceMax) 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 seattube 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 clearance between the specific tire you use and your bike frame irrespective of WAM & RAM listed here. 

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