Okay, I know, it’s a subject I know nothing about but what’s the difference between a ‘normal’ road bike (CAAD8 ferinstance) and a cross bike?

Can I fit chunkier tyres to my Cannondale to acheive the same effect?

Supposed to be doing London to Paris on the Avenue Verte in June with some guys from work, and wondering if I can get away without riding my mountain bike…. There’s no real off road as far as I can see, just canal towpaths, etc.

Any suggestions gratefully received!

If your Cannondale will take the wider tyres then I’d say yes.

proper cross will have more relaxed geometries, bigger clearances for bigger tyres caked in mud, and usually therefore canti brakes instead of calipers

You might have the frame clearances to get tyres in but they also need to clear the calipers. iirc you do get deep profile and low profile calipers but I’m not sufficiently sure of that to state it as a fact.

Just fit some 25s or 28s to your bike, you really don’t need massive tyres to ride rougher stuff; Tour of Flanders for example.

28s could be the answer, thanks everyone.