So i’ve done the summer season cross races in bristol running grifo tubulars. They are great in the dry but on wet grass they are a killer.. no cornering traction and I found they didn’t like being banked over (they don’t have very good side knobs)

So what tyres for winter cross? I’m looking at getting a 2nd set of wheels/tubs with either the clement PDX or the FMB supermud (cross junkie rates these) for muddy races.

I noticed in a lot of the summer cross races that even in fairly dry conditons some guys were running a mud tub up front and dry condition tub at the rear.. presumably so they can corner hard and still have the fast rolling tyre at the rear?

Any recommendations/experiences?

Also interested in what pressures people run

Before it gets too muddy the Challenge Open Grifo is a good all-rounder. (different from the smoother XS tyre).

Once it gets a bit muddier, something like the Challenge Open Limus.

I am on clinchers, tyre pressure is usually in the 30-35 psi range but I adjust after a practice lap and run lower if needed.

Sean

Just building a Cross bike, lots of choices yet to be made as all I have so far is this

So interested in tyre combinations, any advice especially on running tubeless

I’ve been running the racing ralphs during the drier months, and run the rocket rons once things get wet and muddy. There are lots of folks in the usa running tubeless big discussions on cyclocross magazine website.

If you’re lacking grip in summer crosses on the classic arrow-treads then go nuclear and get some Rhinos, SuperMuds or Limus – There’s nowhere to go after that!
Rhinos and SuperMuds also run fairly quickly when it’s dry with a bit more pressure in as they have a centre ridge.

I have been running Rhinos and have come from Mud 2 clinchers and the difference is huge. They seem to offer good grip in all but the most extreme of conditions. You’ll need to Aquaseal the side walls to protect them though.

Run them softer? I’m just under 11 st and run at around 20 psi front/22 rear on a smooth course, bit higher if it’s bumpy or if there’s plenty of grip. Typhoons or grifos for most conditions, Rhinos down to 17 psi for super slippy off-camber grassy turns, but you have to ride carefully with so little air in the tyres.

The grifos are great.. They just don’t like wet grass or when it gets super muddy

I have been running Rhinos

Even in summer?

Does anyone run a clincher mud set up with a latex tube?

I take it Rhinos are Tubs ?
I was thinking a tubeless conversion of a clincher rim.

So interested in tyre combinations, any advice especially on running tubeless

Tubeless works after a fashion but it’s nowhere near as good as tubulars (yet). You don’t have the air volume to be able to run really low pressures like on MTB tubeless without burping or popping the tyre off.
Tubulars can be run basically flat if you glue them on properly.

I use tubeless for training but for racing it’s tubs every time.

Ralphs (the new ones with the bigger carcass) for bone-dry up to quite slippy, SSCs from a bit slippy up to very slippy, and SuperMuds from very slippy upwards. There’s a bit of crossover there that’s course and pressure dependant on the day.

http://cycletechreview.com/2013/reviews/clement-pdx-cyclocross-tyres/

popped in a pair of Michelin Latex tubes and went for a ride. That’s when the real trouble started because, damn, these tyres are exceptional. Confused? Don’t be. Like many I’m a tubulars-for-cycloross zealot. Selecting treads, gluing, fixing, debating pressures; it’s all part of the ritual. Anything other than FMB or Dugast rubber frankly just isn’t up to scratch.

I never race on clinchers and only need them so I don’t wear out my precious tubs in training. If it were possible for everyone to get the advantages of tubs without the hassle, part of the mystique of cyclocross would die…

Does anyone run a clincher mud set up with a latex tube?

Yes I have, found I could run softer as the latex tubes are slightly more resistant to pinch punctures, and the extra flexibility in the tube did help grip. Ran the michelin tubes, nice quality.

Going to get the Clement tyres, can’t find Michelin latex tubes in a large enough size, anyone point me in the right direction? I can only find the Challenge tubes which are a bit pricey!

Been running Rocket Rons for all of the Yorkshire summer series but alternated last winter between those and Challenge Limus for when it gets too muddy. Rons now worn out so going for Griffos next and have been down as low as 20psi without problems on the Rons and the Limus I dont take notice of what it says on the tyre just experiment http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCEPc-uReis this is what most races have been like this year

The 22-23 tube is plenty stretchy enough to work in a cross tyre.

Sturmey did you miss the swamp race in huddersfield this summer? See you in a weeks time for the last round.

Yep was away in London for that and Pateley Bridge so no points available to drop. What happened last week? Saw you sporting a bit of damage

Didn’t get off the line well enough, got fell on in the woods first time through, then got my back wheel took out on my third lap, landed badly putting bars into my ribs, only just getting comfortable now, and wrote a helmet off as well. But that’s racing, you win some you crash some 🙂