>>1052568>real advantage/disadvantage of using slicks over knobby tires in gravel and dirt roads?Knobby tires offer more grip on loose or uneven surfaces, so you can brake, corner, and accelerate a bit faster on gravel with them, the trade-off is an increase in rolling resistance. For riding gravel roads, the optimal tire for racing or a ride that won't include any significant amounts of pavement is one with small, closely spaced knobs or tread (something like the tire on the left in this picture, compare with the XC mtb tire on the right which is itself pretty tame for a mtb tire) which give a little extra grip but don't noticeably increase rolling resistance - but if you're not looking for every seconds advantage in a race, wide slicks are perfectly fine for gravel riding and have the advantage of rolling faster on pavement.