[DavidK]

I am looking ahead to next season and am thinking about new wheels and tires. So, I would love feedback on what tires you all used (tire, front or back, pressure, ground conditions, etc.?) and whether you liked them or will ride something different next year.

I rode Kenda Kross Supremes and found them to be okay. I am about 210 lbs and rode them at about 60+psi on grass/pavement course and 55psi on a grass/partially frozen dirt course. They seemed to clog a little in the mud but I did not slip around too much.

I am real curious about Michelin Sprints for a mostly grass and pavement course as compared to a grass and frozen (hard) dirt track type course.

Anyone have any thoughts on the Panaracer tires? They are listed as very light.

Thanks. DavidK

 

[Gripped]

Tufos

So, I would love feedback on what tires you all used (tire, front or back, pressure, ground conditions, etc.?) and whether you liked them or will ride something different next year.

Tufo Tubular Clinchers.

I rode races with grass, wet grass, dusty dirt, mud, pavement, wet pavement, hard-pan pasture (that was awful), etc.

Tufos.

I started the season (when it was dry) on Mich Sprints. They were fine until I pinch flatted and got a big fat DNF. So then I switched to ...

Tufos.

I rode a race where more than 25% of my field (B race w/ 72 riders) got DNFs -- many due to pinch flats. I finished and scored my second best placing of the series. So I have just one word:

Tufos.

 

[atpjunkie]

agreed, Mich. pinch flat cost me a spot on the podium the year before. I like the muds and the sprints, great tires but for bigger guys (I'm 230) they are prone to pinching. to counter it you run higher psi and lose traction.
what did I do...
Tufo 34 Tubulars (have 2 sets). Their biggest tire, great for big guys, have a set of Tub/ Clinch. 30's as well. I love these tires. Seriously for a race set, peruse the web for a good used tubie wheelset (D/A or ULt. Hubs to whatever rim, check older posts) and build a tubie wheelset with Tufos or Challenge Grifos (either in 34) for a guy your size you'll be quite happy and you can usually get the wheels for under $200.

 

[arctic hawk]

Bontrager CX Jones & Michelin Jets

I am looking ahead to next season and am thinking about new wheels and tires. So, I would love feedback on what tires you all used (tire, front or back, pressure, ground conditions, etc.?) and whether you liked them or will ride something different next year.

I rode Kenda Kross Supremes and found them to be okay. I am about 210 lbs and rode them at about 60+psi on grass/pavement course and 55psi on a grass/partially frozen dirt course. They seemed to clog a little in the mud but I did not slip around too much.

I am real curious about Michelin Sprints for a mostly grass and pavement course as compared to a grass and frozen (hard) dirt track type course.

Anyone have any thoughts on the Panaracer tires? They are listed as very light.

Thanks. DavidK

I had a brand new set of Bontrager CX Jones in spring. By CX season, commuting & weekend play, they were in so-so shape for racing. I raced twice with them anyways before switching to the Jets.
1st race course was really, really tough (+60psi). It rained right before the race & the practice laps tore up the course pretty much, mud, single track, sand, loose gravel, very small paved section at the start/finish line. The tires hooked up well in all conditions. This course was meant for MTB riders.
2nd race course was smooth & more suited for CX bikes (+60psi). The course was wide open, grass/pavement course. It was a cold morning & the grass was frozen & certain sections was ice covered. Of course, once the sun came out, the course conditions changed too. OK hook up with the Bontragers but the tires were at the end of their life.
I switched to Jets in the last race of my season (+60psi). The race course was underneath snow, in the beginning, eventually slush/mud/wet grass. I could not get enough traction & the wheels slipped quite often. Did not shed the mud too well either, which caused 1 crash when the front would not hook up on a particularly sharp turn coming off a hill. Admittedly, I have read that these tires should be used for dry conditions.

I will use the Jets (already mounted on the rims) for commuting this season, very soon now, & weekend fun. I will see about buying another set of Bontragers or Michelin Muds for the CX season.

 

[ChazWicked]

tire setup

I have the same question as I change tires all the time in the elusive search for speed, dirt cornering, road cornering, mud acceleration... and finally... PUNCTURE RESISTANCE!!!

My speed setup that suits the road but can rally on dirt ok: Continental 32 Contact front, Contininental gatorskin 28c rear. It's certainly road leaning but the speed and cornering are unbelievable on road and I can still bomb the dirt. Useless in mud as the rear tire is pretty much smooth. Flats are rare with this setup.

My dirt focus setup: Bontrager & Panaracer. 32/28 Both have nearly identical square knob treads. It does 'aight. The Bonty "anti pinchflat foam" may reduce but doesn't eliminate the pinch flat.

I was running the IRC Cross Country and really enjoy the handling with the 35c tires. Rolling resistance was low and the tires floated well and cornered aggressively. The problem with them was puncture resistance. Totally worthless in that regard. If they added a protective layer to the carcass I would stick with these.

These days I'm running the twister pros. I rode a snowwy trail and they tractered along without issue. This may have been unusually favorable snow but I was surprised how well they did. Unstoppable. My new favorite tire on dirt but not ideal for fast pavement descents.

If I had to do a race, I'd run the twister pros if it was a wet muddy race. If it was and more like clay, I'd opt for a pair of the contacts. Dry and sandy, I'd go with a pair of the IRCs. I wouldn't run IRCs day-to-day as they're worthless from a puncture resistance perspective.

If I could only pick one, I'd have to opt for the twisters.

 

[arctic hawk]

I have the same question as I change tires all the time in the elusive search for speed, dirt cornering, road cornering, mud acceleration... and finally... PUNCTURE RESISTANCE!!!

My speed setup that suits the road but can rally on dirt ok: Continental 32 Contact front, Contininental gatorskin 28c rear. It's certainly road leaning but the speed and cornering are unbelievable on road and I can still bomb the dirt. Useless in mud as the rear tire is pretty much smooth. Flats are rare with this setup.

You answered a question of mine unintentionally, Conti Gatorskins! How are they on the road? Long wearing? Good on wet days? How about wet grass? Might have to set the Jets aside for the Gatorskins.
BTW, pinch flatted once with the Bontragers & it seemed quite harmless at the time, but flat as a pancake.
Thanks!
A-Hawk

 

[bud wiser]

Ritchey's

Most of my riding is on grass/dirt with little mud. I've ridden:

1-Ritchey Speedmax 700x32
2-Kenda Kwick 700x32
3-Michelin Sprint 700x30

and like them in that order. I have the Conti GP 4 season tires (700x28 similar to the Gatorskins with good flat protection) on another set of wheels and think they're great, but they are a road tire. They wouldn't do too well on wet grass or loose terrain.

 

[lsnfa]

Everyone's choice seems pretty diverse so far...

Ummm.....

 

[jrm]

Kenda Kross Supremes

I am looking ahead to next season and am thinking about new wheels and tires. So, I would love feedback on what tires you all used (tire, front or back, pressure, ground conditions, etc.?) and whether you liked them or will ride something different next year.

I rode Kenda Kross Supremes and found them to be okay. I am about 210 lbs and rode them at about 60+psi on grass/pavement course and 55psi on a grass/partially frozen dirt course. They seemed to clog a little in the mud but I did not slip around too much.

I am real curious about Michelin Sprints for a mostly grass and pavement course as compared to a grass and frozen (hard) dirt track type course.

Anyone have any thoughts on the Panaracer tires? They are listed as very light.

Thanks. DavidK

Never used in a race but they worked well for trail riding. They are one tire i cant roll over in a turn and feel pretty confident about. They do shed alot but never had a problem with traction.

 

[dreww]

I switched to Jets in the last race of my season (+60psi). The race course was underneath snow

When I read this I cringed in my seat, knowing how $hite Jets are in general, I could not imagine running them in snow specially at 60+psi!!
I can run Mich @40psi and not pinch flat (o.k once but I ride/race 4 times per week in season) and the Jets still spin out. ONLY good for dry grass etc., not even hard pack as cornering if iffy with no side knobs. Sprints if you can get em are a good compromise.
Tubs definately but I guess the question is: is another set of wheels + tyres that you can not reuse after flatting worth it if you are a casual CXer. I know there are people who repair tubs for $15-20 U.S + p+p, when a tube is only $3-4.
Just a thought.

OOh and Panaracer's are great tires but not for 200lbs + fellas, walls are too thin = pinch flat

 

[Farmpunker]

Tufo Tuboclinchers and CrossBlasters....

Granted they are the only two tires I've used. The Crossblasters were great. Stuck to wet off camber grass, didn't clog, good wear, light feeling. Don't know about pinch resistance. I'm 140 and rode them just under 40psi.
Now, I rode an entire season on the Crossblasters, and liked them. But I went with the Tufo Elites last year. Due to a number of rotten circumstances, I only raced a single event. I swapped them for the Crossblasters during training. They felt faster than the Crossblasters on every type of terrain. The one race I did in the fall was a mix of gravel, pavement, hardpack, rocks, roots, and about a two hundred meters of pure grassy slop. The Tufos packed up, like any other tire would have, but they shed the guck fast. Great tires. Hard to mount the only negative.

 

[atpjunkie]

and the Tufo sealant eliminates about 99% of all punctures. The stuff works great and only adds a little weight. considering you save weight (no tube) it's a fine tradeoff.

 

[lsnfa]

Tufo mounting Difficulty?

Now, I rode an entire season on the Crossblasters, and liked them. But I went with the Tufo Elites last year. Great tires. Hard to mount the only negative.

I've heard before. How difficult?

 

[atpjunkie]

mounting Tufos...not that bad

it gets progressively easier as well. first one is the hardest, took me about 15-20 minutes. Now I can do them in about 5 or under, just follow the instructions and make sure the strip is on the rim edge.

 

[cxrcr]

Last season

Rough estimate but should be pretty close to what I actually rode...

70% of races were done on Tufo Prestige 30's. (good all around choice for most mid Atlantic courses)
10% were done on Tufo file tread front, Tufo 28 rear. (great combo when course is very dry and fast with mostly hardpack surfaces)
10% were done on Michelin Mud front and rear (deep mud races)
10% were done on Michelin Sprint front Mud rear (muddy races where traction up slippery or off camber slopes was a concern)

 

[unclefuzzy_ss]

I ran a set of michelin's all season. Mud front and sprint rear. Usually at about 60-70 psi. Conditions were primarily dry, with some soft sandy stuff mixed in. The last race was frozen/slimy. Never had a problem with them at all. No pinch flats(I'm 230) at all. In fact no worries about flats. This was my first full season of cross as well.

 

[atpjunkie]

60-70 psi

I'm 230 as well and I've run Mich's that high as well, if you go around 50 you'll pinch. The sidewalls are very supple and if we were 145 lbs we could run them at 'normal' psi of about 45 lbs. High presure is good for pinch resistance but bad for traction. Sprint rear, mud front is a great combo. We just tend to have roacky courses here in SoCal, lots of sandstone with river rocks poking through. Ya can't dodge them all and this is where the problem arises.

 

[dreww]

10% were done on Tufo file tread front, Tufo 28 rear. (great combo when course is very dry and fast with mostly hardpack surfaces)

Years ago I ran an old clement grass track file tread on the front for about 4 seasons (+/- 200 races) about 32mm, never flatted, hardly ever slid and I bought it used for about $4 at an auction! Gutted when it finally blew out mid training race (I kinda just stood there in disbelief as if one of my own had died - yes I was somewhat attached!)

Have tried the tufo file and was not too impressed, although our conditions are generally grassy and therefore fairly slick.

Maxxis Larsen Mimo are pretty good, very round profile and good shoulder knobs, hook up really well in loose hardpack (rode them at a local MTB course) they got me up hills in a 42x26 that usually give trouble on a 2" full knobby and require a 32x28 on my full sus. Nuff said.

 

[snwbdrhoon]

Michelin Muds F and R. Although now I want to try the Tufos....

here in NE it is usually muddy or snowy... or like 2 days ago, icy trails (ouch my butt is still sore from the slips)...

 

[AJS]

Sew-up's are great if you can deal with the hassle & expense. I used to run tubs exclusively on my roadie, but after I sold it I decided to go with clinchers.

My vote goes to the Vredestein Campo. I've had no issues with them in off-road situations running at around 65 psi (I'm about 200 lbs.) Great traction in most terrain, and very good on-road too.