Panaracer GravelKing Slick Folding Gravel Tires

My wife and I purchased a pair of Aventon Level.2 eBikes last year for commuter and recreational purposes. They are great bikes and definitely worthy of consideration if you are shopping for a reasonably-priced and flexible-use eBike. However, as the miles racked up, it became fairly apparent that the stock tires just were not ideally suited to our area (Monterey Bay CA) and our typical use scenarios (commute-to-work on weekdays, and local greenways and trails on holidays and weekends). In a nutshell, many of the area greenways and trails consist of gravel, hardpacked sand, rough asphalt pavement, or a combination of all three. The stock tires on the Levels.2 are semi-slick in nature, which makes them a very good and fast road tire that also is battery-friendly. Unfortunately, they are nearly useless for anything other than street and well-paved greenway use.Because of that I almost immediately began to research potential tire options that were more-balanced in nature, with the goal of finding something that was still reasonably fast and precise on smooth pavement but also providing good traction and control if things were a bit looser. In reviews the Gravelking Sk + kept coming in towards the top for those requirements and they are available in an exact replacement size for the Level.2’s (27.5 x 2.10). Based on that I ordered a pair for my bike, with the idea of testing and evaluating them for a few weeks before investing in a set for my wife’s eBike (or not).After installing the Gravelking Sk +’s and doing a single 20 mile run, I immediately ordered a 2nd set for our other eBike. They made that much of a difference.Keep in mind dear reader, that tires for eBikes are like tires for cars. No single tire does everything outstanding, but it is possible to get one that does many things well, and this tires falls into that class. Inflated to 42lbs (small inside joke there, but it does seem to be an ideal default inflation pressure for these) these tires are surprisingly fast and precise on smooth pavement. Indeed, while not quite as fast as the stock Level.2 tires, their stiffer sidewalls make up for it by giving a much more confident feel in turn-in and maneuvering. And on dry sand, gravel, and gravel/sand combinations, they are simply an order-of-magnitude superior, providing a level of grip and control on those types of trails that would have caused the Level.2 pre-upgrade to quickly bog down or lose control. Being a hybrid-type design, they do begin to fail in deep sand and/or wet sand or dirt, but in my case those will be the rarest of riding situations so I did not need that level of aggressiveness in tread.Time will tell with regards to wear and puncture resistance, but the carcass of the Gravelking Sk +’s are noticeably heavier than the stock tires, so I would expect that they will hold up better.So, if you are looking for a tire that is more-balanced in capabilities than what you got with your Aventon Level.2’s without sacrificing much in the way of road-friendliness, these tires are definitely worth your consideration.

These are excellent all purpose tires. Yes, they're meant for gravel and work quite well on both loose and hardpacked surfaces. I run them as low as 25 psig and as high as 50 psig (tubeless) for different uses. They work well for touring as well, where you can encounter rough/wet roads.They set up tubeless easily on my Hunt rims, got them to "bite" the first time on both wheels. I have had no reason to remove them after about 1,500 miles of mixed surface riding, including loaded touring.As a bonus, these come in a ridiculous variety of sizes.

Alright, alright, listen closely now... a court order, a bicycle, and me, a labyrinth in the making. In the heart of it, this GravelKing SK bike tire - a curious relic from the two-wheeled realm that I've been thrust into. A bicycle, me? Ha! As likely as a fish taking a stroll on the moon.Grasp this riddle: the tire is king, yet it has aggressive subjects... knobs they call them. They cling and claw, perhaps to what? A hint of control on a journey that's spun out of control, perhaps?Now, a royal, rubbery decree... the ZSG Natural Compound. What nature might this be? Not mine, surely. I find myself caught in a cycle - not just a literal one, but a cycle of thoughts, of dread, and of reluctant acceptance.Breathe in, breathe out... a 'puncture protection breaker', a phrase to crack your head open. When the way is blocked, does the breaker come to the rescue? Or does it stand sentinel, an unyielding guard against the attack of the rogue thorns and shattered glass?A maze in the mind, an enigma on the road. The AX-Λ low rolling resistance, it whispers. Is it a secret passage, a backdoor through the confusion, or just another illusion in this spiraling madness?Tubeless, it claims, up to 60 PSI. A floating tire in a sea of uncertainty. Or perhaps a balloon, ready to burst? Ah, a confounding clue to a puzzling existence.And so, I find myself dazed yet drawn in. Five stars I grant this GravelKing SK, not out of love nor loathe, but for the riddles it weaves into the fabric of my coerced cycling life. The day I solve this enigma, might be the day I return to my familiar four-wheeled chariot. But until then, the riddle spins on...