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In light of [url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/new-bike-time-26 ]mrblobby's thread about his new cx bike[/url], I got thinking about my own, and wonder about how I might make it more 'useable'.
I originally got mine with a view to using it both for its intended purpose, but also for getting to work on. To that end, I put some slicks on for commuting, and keep a set of proper CX tyres in reserve.
The thing is, I can't really afford an extra set of wheels at this stage, so need to do it by changing tyres. Consequently, I have hardly taken the thing off road. On the one occasion I did switch tyres, because the tyres indicated they weren't to be inflated to more than 40psi, I found them way too soft for riding on road.
So now, my CX is basically my commuter.
To those of you who, like mrblobby, say that theirs ride nicely on-road, how do you do it? Are you simply running CX tyres that can be inflated higher and roll better? What's the secret?
Gravel tyre obviously!
What tyres? I've run a number of CX tyres at higher pressures than that.the tyres indicated they weren't to be inflated to more than 40psi
Tyre choice. I use continental CX speed. They roll fine on the road and are ok off road provided it is not muddy. Gravel, hardpack, grass are all ok. Massive compromise in grip.
Occasionally I un something like the small block8. Ok offroad in light mud and more grippy generally. Pump them up a bit more and pedal harder on the road.
Tend to wear down knobbly tryes on the road so the limit of using nice mud tyres is the warmup to a race.
If you don't want the hassle of swapping tyres all the time and like me, don't want the expense of dedicated tarmac/off-road wheelsets, get yourself a nice set of all-purpose tyres. 😉
Stuff like...
Marathon Cross
G-One
Gravelking
etc.
Halo twin rails? 38c you could try them, I know someone selling a pair 😉
The trick is to stop over thinking it, either ride your knobblies on the road and put up with the drag, or use big road tyres off-road and deal with less grip. Some of the 'multi surface' tyres are actually pretty good at both as long as you're not riding in proper sloppy mud.
Or buy some cheap wheels...
To those of you who, like mrblobby, say that theirs ride nicely on-road, how do you do it?
Well it rides as nicely as can be expected for something with knobblies at a low pressure 🙂 Good enough for short hops between bits of trail. Better than an mtb as you can get a decent position on the drops. If I wanted to use it for more road stuff I'd stick a double on there and get some proper road tyres probably.
Schwalbe Landcruisers - rolls alright - some grip offroad. Cheap. (see 3peaks forums for advocates/haters)
+1Tyre choice. I use continental CX speed. They roll fine on the road and are ok off road provided it is not muddy. Gravel, hardpack, grass are all ok.
This is the thing. It would be cheaper to buy new wheels if you're doing lots of road miles.Tend to wear down knobbly tryes on the road
In the summer, I stick with the Vittoria Randonneur Trails. They are gravelly enough for dry trails but commutery enough for the road. There are dozens of these type of tyres these days (as the goat says above).
In the winter, I stick the cheapo Aksium wheels I have fitted with 4 seasons on and the bike is just used as a commuter. Mucky trails in the winter aren't fun on that bike and I just want my commute over :).
I still have the wheels that came with the bike - Alex rims on whatever hubs. You can have em for a (small) donation to the London Air Ambulance if you want em, they probably need some attention at they've been hung up in the shed for the best part of a year...
[quote=amedias ]The trick is to stop over thinking it, either ride your knobblies on the road and put up with the drag, or use big road tyres off-road and deal with less grip.
Or buy some cheap wheels...
THIS TBH the difference on my commute of 18 miles is about 3- 5 minutes longer on the CX tyres v the 28 mm road ones.
It is a mixture if road and rough cyclepath [ which can be ridden slowly on the road bike with skinnies] if it was all road i reckon perhaps 10-15 minutes??
essentially you have a compromise so either compromise preferring off road grip over road speed or on road speed for off road grip
I have two sets of wheels FWIW and the "road" ones are a cheap set
Recently fitted some tubeless 40mm Schwalbe G-Ones to my CX bike - definitely rolls a bit quicker on the road, but tyres are wide enough to give enough grip to ride trails in summer.
I only have the one bike at the moment and have to make it suit all needs. It's a 29+ Stache and occasionally gets used for commute duties. Only about 2.5 miles though. As above it comes down to tyre choice and compromising either road or off road performance slightly
Coming into autumn/winter, i'd try a set of CycloXKings OP.
If they are anything like the MTB version they'll roll pretty well and not wear too quickly on the road and adequate (but not spectacular) grip in quite a range of conditions off road.
This thread has just come up at the right time. My SB8s are worn/starting to perish quite badly.
The country lanes I ride are pretty broken up, not ventured off road much though.
+1 for continental CX speed - good on the road and good summer off road tyre.
Merlin have an extra 10% off selected brands. I've ordered a pair of Scwalbe G-One Allround 700*35 for £47.80
Back when I was commuting on a bike I had the aforementioned Landcruisers and they were pretty reasonable. They weigh a ton but they’re hard to puncture, last forever and are surprisingly capable off and on road. I’ve even ridden proper laps round a muddy field cross races on them and didn’t seem to be struggling for grip any more than anyone else. Or at least not at the blunt end of the field.
Just embrace the compromise 🙂
My cx bike has become my commuter mainly - and I do either an on road or off road route depending on condiitons and mood. I also ride it offraod in the Surrey Hills on the weekends from time to time, and very occasionally in the peak district.
I use Landcruisers for all of this and find them to be a good compromise. Puncture resistant, roll ok, grip ok, and no pinch flats.
I just use the same tyres for everything - Spesh Terra Pro setup tubeless on Crests. Work absolutely fine for racing, road riding, bimbling along the canal, rocky off road stuff, commuting.
Tyre choice. I use continental CX speed. They roll fine on the road and are ok off road provided it is not muddy. Gravel, hardpack, grass are all ok.
+another 1
+ yet another 1
Landcruisers here too, mostly commuting, some bike packing, even some actual CX. Cheap as chips, tough as old boots, not brilliant at any one thing but good enough at everything to justify not swapping tyres
For the past few months I have been using Wtb cross boss tcx tyres on my cx which have been great off and on road - they are rated to 65psi and roll surprisingly well on road
They were a very tight tyre to get onto my Pacenti SL25 rims but well worth the effort!