Cyclocross Tyres

SuperSean

Hey guys,

I tried searching but I couldn't really find much information. I was just wondering if anyone had some advice on buying a set of clincher cyclocross tyres.

I have myself a CX bike and I want to do some of the races this winter, mainly the Fixx series, but I need to get a set of CX tyres. I can't at the moment spend the money on a new tubless wheelset + tyres.

So basically my main questions are:
- What size tyre should I go for ? 30c, 33c , 35c ?
- What type of tyre should I buy for racing ? (as in what kinda thread on the tyre itself)
- What PSI should I put them at ?
- Will standard road tubes fit in the tyres ?
- I presume that the CX tyres shouldn't be ridden on the road for commuting etc.

Extra info: im around 87kg, if that plays any part in the tyre selection/psi.

Cheers!

also, if anyone has a set of tyres they want to sell i'd be interested :pac:

lennymc

psi will depend on the course, the conditions, risk of pinch flats etc.PSI will be higher on clinchers than tubs. I would go for a knobbly semi mud tyre rather than a slickish tyre. It should give more grip over the course of the seaons. 35 is the max allowed in cx iirc, and you will need tubes that fit up to 35c.

DirkVoodoo

lennymc wrote: »

psi will depend on the course, the conditions, risk of pinch flats etc.PSI will be higher on clinchers than tubs. I would go for a knobbly semi mud tyre rather than a slickish tyre. It should give more grip over the course of the seaons. 35 is the max allowed in cx iirc, and you will need tubes that fit up to 35c.

I think it was reduced to 33mm! It will only matter for UCI races AFAIK, I think you can run whatever you like in the Bs.

lennymc

run what ye brung in the bs, but the nationals might be a different story.

planet x have some folding vittoria tyres for about 22-25 quid each.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/c/q/wheels/tyres-and-tubes/cyclocross-bike-tyres

nak

Specialized Terras are great, go with 33s. If I was to only go with one tyre choice, would go for a mud tyre as all options covered then. Latex tubes work well if you want to reduce tyre pressure a bit.

The tax man

I was chased around the course in Galway by a lad on a fat bike. So I reckon it's open season with tyre widths in the B's.:D

The tax man

nak wrote: »

Specialized Terras are great, go with 33s. If I was to only go with one tyre choice, would go for a mud tyre as all options covered then. Latex tubes work well if you want to reduce tyre pressure a bit.

Speaking of mud tyres, does anyone have good clincher recommendations. My Rocket Rons provided excellent grip last year but the tight block pattern held too much mud on the tyre. Looking for something with a more open pattern that will shed the crap quicker.

SuperSean

Brilliant!
Thanks for all the help

lennymc

The tax man wrote: »

Speaking of mud tyres, does anyone have good clincher recommendations. My Rocket Rons provided excellent grip last year but the tight block pattern held too much mud on the tyre. Looking for something with a more open pattern that will shed the crap quicker.

Im using a vittoria xg tub, but they are available in clincher. They were fine in the national cship last year, which was the muddiest race I did last year

SuperSean

lennymc wrote: »

Im using a vittoria xg tub, but they are available in clincher. They were fine in the national cship last year, which was the muddiest race I did last year

I might give the clincher one a shot then.

They're all out of 34mm, should I wait for them to come back in stock or just get the 31mm ?

Alek

With your weight go for 34mm, less chance to bottom out at race pressures (35-40psi). Better traction, too.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TYVIXGP2/vittoria-cross-xg-pro-ii-folding-tyre

This looks like a good allround thread, but I don't know if this model is officially tubeless.

Mind that I have 2 non-tubeless sets installed with no tubes (old 35mm Schwalbe Racing Ralphs and Maxxis Mud Wrestlers) and they are doing great

***

If you want to go tubeless on standard wheelset, and you'll know you want to soon enough , google "tubeless ghetto split tube" and get a bottle of Bontrager TLR sealant - it will not corrode aluminium as Stan's sealant can sometimes. Depending on your current rim profile, you may get results as good as on dedicated tubeless ones, or even better, as the split tube forms a very good seal at the bead. My Mud Wrestlers are installed this way on Mach1 820 rims and they don't even loose pressure over 2-3 months. Burped only once, in a minor crash

Tenzor07

Best place to pick up CX tyres...

nak

The tax man wrote: »

Speaking of mud tyres, does anyone have good clincher recommendations. My Rocket Rons provided excellent grip last year but the tight block pattern held too much mud on the tyre. Looking for something with a more open pattern that will shed the crap quicker.

The Terras (have tubs and clinchers), used them for last 2 seasons and had plenty of grip. The Clement PDXs are great too, but a little pricey. The shop Lenny mentioned stock Clements.

lennymc

nak wrote: »

The Terras (have tubs and clinchers), used them for last 2 seasons and had plenty of grip. The Clement PDXs are great too, but a little pricey. The shop Lenny mentioned stock Clements.

do you mean Tenzor?

Tenzor07

Just get a nice set of tubs built up with Dugast's, you'll never need another tyre again!

lennymc

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Just get a nice set of tubs built up with Dugast's, you'll never need another tyre again!

and never eat again - what is a set of handbuilt tubs with dugasts running these days?

nak

lennymc wrote: »

do you mean Tenzor?

Oops, sorry!

Alek

what is a set of handbuilt tubs with dugasts running these days?

They're not that expensive. http://www.a-dugast.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=3&Itemid=1&lang=en

nak

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Just get a nice set of tubs built up with Dugast's, you'll never need another tyre again!

I got FMBs, not glued on yet but they are certainly well put together and no aqua seal required.

lennymc

Alek wrote: »

They're not that expensive. http://www.a-dugast.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=3&Itemid=1&lang=en

so 150 for dugasts, how much for handbuilt tubs & gluing and labour

If I won the lotto I would be straight out for a Ritchey SwissCross (I very nearly bought the frameset again this year, but the exchange rate just killed it - someday I will get one) with handbuilt tubs and dugasts and a cx1 groupset.

I wouldnt ride it - i would just sit and look at it.

Alek

Aaah, I failed to spot the wheelset in your original post

Ritchey SwissCross

The disc version in black is super nice. And 600g+ lighter than my Croix, not too bad for a steel frameset!

Only the front tyre clearance seems questionable.

[edit]

It seems it is a steel frame and carbon fork. In this case only 250g lighter, after I install that carbon Kinesis fork one day

nak

lennymc wrote: »

so 150 for dugasts, how much for handbuilt tubs & gluing and labour

If I won the lotto I would be straight out for a Ritchey SwissCross (I very nearly bought the frameset again this year, but the exchange rate just killed it - someday I will get one) with handbuilt tubs and dugasts and a cx1 groupset.

I wouldnt ride it - i would just sit and look at it.

I love that frame too.

My wheels were a few hundred in parts and 0 for labour as my husband is doing all the work.

lennymc

i think it was a couple of hundred quid more expensive this year than last due to the exchange rate..... Wouldn't have been able to build up the bike. I guess I could have put the frame on my shoulder and ran around the course a few times......

Alek

i think it was a couple of hundred quid more expensive this year

First hit - 999e from bike24.de. Not too bad?

lennymc

Alek wrote: »

First hit - 999e from bike24.de. Not too bad?

only in 49 for the nice one. anyway, i have already ordered a new bike for this year. Not as nice as the swisscross, but should be sufficient for my needs. Going to try 1*10 on an 11spd gruppo. It's allegedly 9.3kg out of the box, but with race wheels & tubs and some other bits I should get it down to sub 8 kgs. Maybe 7.5. Will know when it turns up and I weigh it!

Alek

New CX bike under 8kgs?

Tell. Us. More.

lennymc

Alek wrote: »

New CX bike under 8kgs?

Tell. Us. More.

well, it's all asuming that the 9.3 estimate on the manufacturers page is correct, and is based on internet weights for stuff like wheels and tyres.

Get bike - 11spd sensa fermo sl, change from stock wheels & tyres to tubs and tyres, adjust gearing and cassette so that it works on the 10 spd wheels, change standard crank up front to ultegra crank that I have at home, change to 39 single narrow/wide front ring, change front shifter to brake only lever. I worked it out that those changes could save about 2kgs. It's not going to make much difference tho - ill still be suffering down the back

I should have the bike next week or the week after so will post up how I get on.

nak

My new disc bike should be sub 8kg too

lennymc

nak wrote: »

My new disc bike should be sub 8kg too

I'm still staying away from discs! WHat bike is it Nak?

nak

lennymc wrote: »

I'm still staying away from discs! WHat bike is it Nak?

Specialized Crux with Ultegra 11spd. Frame due in today. I've had enough of cantis, want a bike I can use for more adventurous stuff/on the road in the winter. The canti bike will be continue to be my commuter and means I have a pit bike if I think I'm fancy enough.

lennymc

very nice! congrats. it's always nice to have a pit bike.

stecleary

Alek wrote: »

If you want to go tubeless on standard wheelset, and you'll know you want to soon enough , google "tubeless ghetto split tube" and get a bottle of Bontrager TLR sealant - it will not corrode aluminium as Stan's sealant can sometimes. Depending on your current rim profile, you may get results as good as on dedicated tubeless ones, or even better, as the split tube forms a very good seal at the bead. My Mud Wrestlers are installed this way on Mach1 820 rims and they don't even loose pressure over 2-3 months. Burped only once, in a minor crash

any one tried this with 23/25s would it withstand 100 psi?