Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 52 total)
  • fast light cross tyres?
  • RestlessNative
    Free Member

    Anything else I should consider other than folding Maxxis Raze which are top of my list at the moment?

    Don't need to be a great mud tyre, just something fast for hardpack that's also fast on tarmac but won't kill me in the wetter bits off road.

    Have some Maxxis Locust on at the moment which I find really drag on tarmac.

    Just for titting about not racing

    Gary_M
    Free Member

    I use Racing Ralphs – very fast.

    RestlessNative
    Free Member

    they look nice but rather expensive, hmm

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    Gary_M
    Free Member

    Yeh, they rock.

    I bought mine from zepnat for £28 each, dunno what their price is this year or if the still have them.

    edit: just checked and they have them for £31.66 now – strange price.

    oldgit
    Free Member

    Sammy Slicks (cheap Furious Freds sort of)

    Surf-Mat
    Free Member

    Rocket Ron's getting good reports. Got a Nobby Nic (1.8") up front and will buy a 1.85" RR for the rear once my Spesh Sauserwind (1.8") wear out. Thin tyres and high pressures really help turbo boost a bike.

    Gary_M
    Free Member

    1.8 on a cx bike?

    myheadsashed
    Full Member

    Have used fast fred – fast just fitted maxiis Raze they are the same size but have not used them yet.

    Surf-Mat
    Free Member

    1.8 on a cx bike?

    I went by the requirements, not by what the magazines tell me I should use for a particular "category" of cycling.

    The tyres I mentioned fit the bill perfectly.

    GaryLake
    Free Member

    SpeedKing?

    oldgit
    Free Member

    Speed kings are alright, even on tarmac. Infact I've just ordered Supersonic versions for my MTB.
    Edit Furious Freds and their cheaper cousins Sammy Slicks are both slicker than Fast Freds.

    Gary_M
    Free Member

    I went by the requirements, not by what the magazines tell me I should use for a particular "category" of cycling.

    Really, what mags discuss tyre choice for cyclocross then. What cx bike are you using that takes 45+mm tyres?

    nickc
    Full Member

    Speed kings are pretty fragile. need silly psi (50psi IIRC) fast but anything other than tarmac smooths trails you get bounced all over the place.

    Racing Ralphs are doing it for me at the minute

    druidh
    Free Member

    Anyone have feedback on the Schwalbe CX Comps?

    oldgit
    Free Member

    CX Comps? Personally I found them 'too' narrow and they dug in too far in the soft stuff and not to good on cambers.
    I recall one race that had a damp sandy gradient, most of the riders cruised it leaving tyre tread marks as they went, my CXPs sunk in about two inches, hell they were.
    For the coming season if a lightweight Speed King isn't available I'll go for Rons or Ralphs.

    Coleman
    Free Member

    I run 32C Kenda Small Block 8's in dry conditions and 31C Panaracer Crossblaster's when muddy. Both fast rolling very light (under 300g) tyres.
    Used for racing but equally good for general riding.

    njee20
    Free Member

    I strongly suspect you will quickly regret the 1.85" Ron Mat, the 2.1" is a much more sensible option.

    Ralphs would get my nod on the cross bike.

    leggyblonde
    Free Member

    The tyres I mentioned fit the bill perfectly.

    😯

    are you really really sure?

    Surf-Mat
    Free Member

    I strongly suspect you will quickly regret the 1.85" Ron Mat, the 2.1" is a much more sensible option

    Why? I have been running 1.8" Sauserwinds for a year and love them. Now they don't make them any more.

    njee20
    Free Member

    Because the Ron is a narrower tyre than the Sauserwind, in fact even the 2.1" is comparable to the 1.8 Sauserwind. Plus, the Sauserwind is a stiff tyre with thick sidewalls so you can run them reasonably soft, do that with the Rons and you will pinch flat more regularly and they'll squirm horribly, they're a much much thinner carcass.

    I can see no point whatsoever in buying the 1.8, I actually only found out they did one recently, I don't know anyone using them. I reckon it'd be a slower tyre with less grip and more puncture susceptibility!

    Gary_M
    Free Member

    I presume someone is mixed up re cx/xc

    Surf-Mat
    Free Member

    Well the 1.8" Nobby Nic up front is doing a sterling job. No flats yet.

    Have you actually tried narrow tyres or are you just guessing? I've had everything from 2.3" to 1.8" and am getting on with narrow tyres much better.

    They roll very well, they cut through mud, they shed dirt quickly and they are very light indeed.

    Gary_M
    Free Member

    Being subtle isn't working – Surf-Mat the guy is after tyres for a cyclocross bike not an xc bike.

    Surf-Mat
    Free Member

    Okay but why are others recommending MTB (not cx) tyres without any snidey comments from you or others then?

    njee20
    Free Member

    Yes, this has gone OT, but I'm gonna bite anyway!

    Well the 1.8" Nobby Nic up front is doing a sterling job. No flats yet.

    It's a substantially thicker carcass than the Ron, stiffer and more puncture proof.

    Have you actually tried narrow tyres or are you just guessing? I've had everything from 2.3" to 1.8" and am getting on with narrow tyres much better.

    Yes thanks, I have some 1.5" Black Shark Muds in my tyre arsenal which are actually good in the mud, also used 1.5" Cross Countries, 1.8" Nics and Sauserwinds.

    They roll very well, they cut through mud, they shed dirt quickly and they are very light indeed.

    Which are? The Rons have less tread, so you'll cut through the mud (is that really necessary for a summer tyre?) but you won't have the tread to actually get any grip!

    The 1.8" Nic is a reasonable choice for a winter tyre if you don't live anywhere too rooty/rocky IMO, the Ron isn't.

    Okay but why are others recommending MTB (not cx) tyres without any snidey comments from you or others then?

    Because the Ralph, Speed King etc are available in 700c, as is the Ron actually, but the 26×1.85" is not a CX size!

    Surf-Mat
    Free Member

    njee – fine. You were heavily recommending RRs the other day and that's what led me to check them out. If as you say, they are too fragile, I'll stick an RR on the back too. And no I didn't know RR and Speedking came in 700CC. Cheers!

    Still gutted Sauserwinds have stopped being made – tough, light, cheap and fast.

    njee20
    Free Member

    No, I strongly recommend the 2.1", as I've said in numerous threads it's my 'default' tyre, the 1.85" is neither one thing nor t'other, too narrow for a summer tyre, not enough tread for a winter tyre.

    Just don't expect the Rons to last as well as the Nics.

    Surf-Mat
    Free Member

    I might just stick to the RR for the rear too. Another dilemma caused by you njee… 😉

    spacemonkey
    Full Member

    Depends how fast you mean by fast.

    I've been using 2.0 Schwalbe Big Apples on the road for the last couple of months and then decided to risk them on some hardpack/gravel/sand/stone trails and they zipped along perfectly (except on the same – no grip whatsoever).

    Having fish-tailed on some wet mud I suggest you stick to dry use only.

    njee20
    Free Member

    Racing Ralph? Or Rocket Ron?

    I do aim to cause dilemmas.

    The Rons are lighter and gripper, but wear out faster and are more puncture prone. I cut one of my Rons the first time I rode it (on the road), but haven't had a single flat since, and I've used them in most races in the last year including a 12 hour solo, and riding at Afan and stuff. They are pretty well on the way to dead now though!

    acjim
    Free Member

    I've recently used a speedking 35 on the front and a specy borough 32 on the back – the borough is kind of semi slick but actually grips ok (unless it's muddy then I use a conti explorer)

    njee20
    Free Member

    Oh dear, there seem to be 2 threads going on here now!

    To both conversations: I'd recommend either a Racing Ralph or a Rocket Ron in a 700×35 (CX) or 26×2.1" (MTB), Ron if you want light, Ralph if you want durable.

    Sorted!

    Surf-Mat
    Free Member

    I mean NNs and am going slightly mad.

    For the OP, those Maxxis Raze's look ideal.

    RestlessNative
    Free Member

    righto maxxis raze it is I think, thanks all for the other suggestions…and for the xc/cx confusion 🙂

    Surfr
    Free Member

    nickc 50PSI is indeed a stupidly low pressure to be running. I run my Speed Kings at 70 – 100 PSI depending on conditions.

    leggyblonde
    Free Member

    do you mean on road surfr? I run 35-45 with clincher tyres and 25-35 with tubs on the cross bikes

    Surfr
    Free Member

    Off road! Well 70 off road and 100 on road

    njee20
    Free Member

    Christ! I used to run my cross tyres around 50 off road with clinchers around Ashton Court, I think 70 would have killed me.

    Surf-Mat
    Free Member

    Ashton Court – many a comedy fall riding the bombholes there! A real asset to Bristol IMO.

    oldgit
    Free Member

    45 for my Speed Kings 700c's 35 would be better, any higher and components start to snap 😯

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 52 total)

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