Love the idea of CX for local trails, but have punctured (both pinch and thorn) almost every time I’ve been out. Short of selling the bike and buying a rigid 29er (or developing some finesse!), I wondered whether there were any big volume tyres out there that weren’t too heavy. I reckon I could fit 38-40s in my frame and it might help me to at least solve the pinch problem? Also would 40c be too wide for a standard road rim? Have tried UST tyres, but without UST rims, have had mixed success keeping them inflated. Bontrager do a 38mm tire(!)called the XO which looks perfect, but they’re not importing it to the UK… Any suggestions?

Bontrager LT3 38mm….cheap aswell!

Pinch punctures on a CX bike are usually due to too low tyre pressure and a lack of finesse.

How hard are you pumping up the ones you have?

Remember, it’s really not a mountain bike, so running low(er) pressures is not really the done thing if you are not racing and clattering over stuff.

CX is generally considered racing and so CX tyres are not that tough for trail riding. You want some tough touring tyres.

Have been experimenting between 45 and 55psi on 34c tyres. Tbh, at 55 psi, combined with my skills the bike is too uncomfortable for anything other than fireroads. At 45psi, I pinch on anything other than fireroads as soon as speed increases. Was hoping that I can find something a little more forgiving that will cope with Chilterns singletrack… it’s not exactly the 3 peaks! Rorschach… have you used them… and would the work OK on a std width road rim?

i use 50psi in conti twisters or sb8s rarely have a punture.

35mm Racing Ralphs @ 50 psi for local trail rides here (i’m 63kg and a “light” rider), maybe 60psi if a bit rockyerish

it is hawthorn flats time of year, consider slime

if your pinch flatting a lot then increase your psi

Schwalbe Landcruisers for everything – tough but not light and cheap as chips

Um, I did the 3 Peaks yesterday with 70 psi, I normally ride with 75. It’s never going to be an armchair comfortable ride at any pace on a CX bike.

I normally use these;

But opted for a grippier front;

Pump them up and get cracking!

I found the same when i tried out CX tyres, though it was more the glass in the roads that was puncturing them on the way to any trails. Gave up in the end and put puncture proof road tyres on it.

Tbh, at 55 psi, combined with my skills the bike is too uncomfortable for anything other than fireroads

I’m not really much of one for this but… MTFU is the answer here I think… Cross bikes ridden outside of CX courses are always going to be bumpy and rough – they’re not mtbs. Even my full rigid mtb feels like an armchair ride compared to my CX over rough stuff.

Until I went tubeless I was riding mine at 85-90psi to avoid pinch flats and while it was pretty rough at times, it was hardly unbearable and we certainly don’t stick to fireroads. With tubeless I’m down to 60-70psi.

I’ve filled my inner tubes with Stans latex, so far so good. Survived repeated thorn attacks. Tyres are Mud 2’s.

maxxis do “welter weight” 700 tubes which i felt helped a bit, that and i went a little bit fatter with the tyres which tbh makes things easier all round on more mtb appropriate rides. (then i got a mountain bike and haven’t ridden the thing since, but let’s gloss over that, they are still ideal for certain types of ride)

thanks for the feedback… a switch to a rigid mtb may be the right path, but the CX feels good with slightly compliant tyres at speed, and if I could avoid pinches would be good for most of my local riding… If they weren’t so expensive I’d consider some Stans rims, but it may be that some tougher trekking type tyres might be the way to go… should still prove lighter than an mtb and faster on the road?

I think you just need to change your expectations of what it’s like offroad, ride it some more and get used to it. And keep upping the pressure until you no longer get pinch flats (or go tubeless as I have).

I’ve run the lt3’s on my crosslight,they were supposed to my 3peaks tyre until I spotted the 35c max width. Not too much room for mud out back as they are big for a 38mm tyre. Been round cym and cwm rhyder on mine :0)

Maxxis mud monsters for me.
Used them for the last three years on the peaks at 65 psi and not one puncture.
Ride them on the red descent at Stainburn and local mtb trails,also used at Grizedale,Dalby and Gisburn with out a single flat. only place they’ve punctured was battering down Ilkley moor.

landcruisers are the way to go for some puncture protection, not light though i use them for everything apart from racing

Raleigh do a nice 32 or 38mm tyres. probably not over light but they don’t feel heavy They are CST’s (Chen Shing)
Nice diamond block pattern. I run 38’s and haven’t had a puncture in about 2 1/2 years on the same tyres. Plenty of rough stoney track and roots.
About 6o which creeps down to sub 50 before I add some air. 40 is mud and snow.

What clubber said.

Oh and do you still rate those Suntour 29er forks?

Al – sort of – I had zero problems with them and on opening them after muddy/wet rides, there was no sign of contamination which suggested that the sealing was decent but the guy who bought them said they got knackered not long after he had them so I don’t really know. That said, MrTall on here, countered that saying his were still fine.

Does any one have any experience of Challenge Grifo Clincher? I keep seeing these tyres mentioned and how good they’re suppose to be.

For actually racing, on grass around parks and school fields then they’re good.

I have Maxxis Locusts at about 65psi. Make sure you’ve got a 35-45mm (or whatever) tubes in, rather than anything slimmer. Good enough for plenty of rocks. You can’t really have the compliance with tyres that narrow, I think you need to trade high pressure against a comfier ride and an MTB with skinny tyres. Good enough for places like Llandegla. You still need to ride light though.

I really rate the 30c Schwalbe CX pros – run at 60psi and I have only punctured once, never off road though (only when a screw went through on road commute). Not comfy, but hard wearing… about 10 months of road use and 1 race season (riding about 80 miles a week) – loads of tread at front tyre and about a third at the rear tyre.

I also use vittoria XG pros for racing – not as tough.

Avoid contis cx tyres unless you carry 10 tubes a ride!!!

Also cx pros are a tenner each!

Landcruisers at 70psi 5 ,3peaks finishes no punctures