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I've been using Michelin Mud2's in the winter mud, now looking for something else.
Thinking of Maxxis Locust 700 x 35 - what else should i consider (off road trail use only).
Ta
Just tagging along here, as I'm always interested in this subject.
Anyone using the 35mm version of Panaracers cindercross?
Specialized Houffalize CX are my March -> October tyre of choice
JoB, what kind of actual size (versus claimed)do these come up as?
I find that if you're gonna use the CX for trail riding, you need a nice fatter section than for pure racing.
I'm currently using 37mm (nearer 35) conti twisters, which are OK but weigh the same as a small planet and are a bit gripless on wet rock.
Another vote for the Houffalaize although they seem to have stopped making them. 🙁 They came up at about 34mm IIRC.
I'm using Schwalbe Smart Sams at the moment (about 35mm again), they coped fine with the Three Peaks and riding round here (Peak District) although I wouldn't like to use them in mud.
dunno what size the Houffs came up as and i can't be arsed to put them on a rim to see, but i do know that i used them for both racing and trail-riding with no problem, nicely robust too
the CX version is still on the Spec. website as well
High Rollers
Pure off road use the racing ralphs are hard to beat IMO.
I like the Maxxis Locust you suggest. Nice volume to survive the rocky stuff and you can pump em up hard if that's your bag. I bought them for the 3 Peaks on the recommendation of a proper-fast race geek friend. I've also been nicely surprised with how they've survived over the winter with some tarmac commuting.
Speed Kings will do. Mine though 35mm seemed wider than Michelin Muds.
Not light but will cope with all terrain off camber in particular. And not likely to tear or explode.
used a very cheap wired pair all season from the flat dry twisty Blenhiem Palace circuit to erm err a much muddier hilly one 😳
I must say Racing Ralphs are excelent, but best for race day. I shall be mostly using Rocket Rons this year.
I was using Speed king 35s for a while, but found them narrow, pinch-puncture prone at lower pressures and ultra-fast wearing, though grip and feel was OK for the five minutes they had tread on them.
i had some Speed Kings on my bike. once
Mr Burt seems to have had to go off somewhere 😉
Back again.
What's bloomin wrong with them? I kept them on because they seemed to get me past riders on the wet off cambers, I did run fairly high pressures in them though.
ive got 1.8 bonty jones on mine 🙂
Houffs that came on my tricross seem good. Reckon they either come up smaller that 32 as printed or mY kaffenback takes bigger sizes that printed as they juuuust fit in there. been good though. I have some 38mm CST tyres (Chen Shing via Raleigh) that are a similar pattern but wider and only a tenner. Ace in FoD mud but fast on stoney stuff to.
oldgit, were you using them for general trail riding though, or just racing (where I could see them being handier)
I still dont think they're the best choice for the former.
I've been using Racing Ralphs. Seem perfectly ok for the trail riding I use them for, and as a bonus they crunch through the icy bits better than my 29er (also RR).
I used them for racing. I won't be using them this year though. A lot of the local cx courses are off camber grass and they were great on that. The downside was that they were harsh and heavy, a Rocket Ron is about 220g per tyre lighter and has a nicer carcass.
I continued to use the Speed Kings after the season for training, but I stuffed high pressures into them and they worked nicely all winter. Then again so did the Landcruisers I trained on the year before.
i'm using twisters whilst not the best tyre at anything they seem a good allrounder off road.
i don't like them that much on tarmac when leant right over but they seem to hold ok. but in the mixed condition rides i've done they held up better than Houffalaizes in the mud.
like all cx tyres the pressure makes a huge difference. running mine as low as 3.5 bar now!
Bontrager CXR's here. Seem pretty good all round
I'd agree with that thom, but thats the reason I like fatter tyres- less chance of snakebites when running less air.
BTW, can I, and I HONESTLY mean this, thank the cyclocross racing purists for not kneejerkingly posting in with 'hhrrummphh,you shouldn't be using a crossbike for trail riding anyway' type grumps! Thanks lads! 🙂
another vote for Racing Ralphs, use mud2 when its muddy (for racing) but general riding RR have lasted well and grip well.
As above run a lot less pressure for racing than general riding.