Tyres For Mixed Use?

Caller

I'm looking for some cross tyres for mixed use, to get to any decent trails I'll need to ride 8-10 miles mainly on road.
I'd prefer if the tyre was capable of running tubeless as well.

Currently I'm looking at the Maxxis Raze. Any better suggestions?

ugo.santalucia

I find Vittoria XN a good all rounder... they don't do mud or deep sand very well, anything else excellent... very fast on tarmac and compact hard soil

FransJacques

Indeed XNs are great tyres and quite light too at around 350g. Parker's has them on for a song: http://www.parker-international.co.uk/1 ... wgodrQ4Ajw The XN was probably modelled off Challenge's Grifo XS.

If you want something more mixed use than that the current holy grail (but even harder to find) are Challenge Chicanes. The love child of the Grifo XS and a Limus I'm hoping they'll be the perfect mixed use tyre for off-road.

But for you, the XN is perfect. I used one on the rear when I last did the full-length 220 km Paris-Roubaix sportive. Vittoria are rolling out tubeless versions of their tyres but think they only offer the XG (Grifo tread) at the moment. The XG is a nice tyre as well. They casings are quite supple.

Monty Dog

Depends on your local conditions, but XNs aren't going to be much use in mud/soft conditions and aren't too good against punctures like most CX race-type tyres.
I'd suggest Schwalbe Smart Sams - have a fast rolling centre section and plenty deep enough treads to cope with most conditions. Even better they're cheap and tough as old boots. I use a pair for my regular CX commute which combines a little tarmac, fire roads and as much technical stuff as I have time for, all year round. Even the cheapy wire ones I've run tubeless on Stan's Crest rims.
Another tough tyre is WTB All Terrain - rolls fast on the road but copes well offroad. Used the previous model pair for a couple of traverses on the Southdowns Way where you're bouncing down trails of fist-sized flints

Caller

For the moment I'm going to stick with the Rapid Robs that come with the bike along with some Clement PDX's for when it's really muddy!
I'm also hoping to pick up some Smart Sam or Vittoria XN's for a sensible price as well.

For the time being I'll stick the PDX's on one set of wheels and the Smart Sam or XN's on the other wheels and swap between them as I need to.

I probably won't bother with going tubeless for the time being until i decide what tyres to stick with.

FransJacques

I reckon Sammy Slicks are actually the way to go. They have proper side lugs that Vit XNs nor Grifo XSs have. They're more like the Chicane.

Have a look: http://www.schwalbe.co.uk/cross/sammy-slick/

luv2ride

Monty Dog wrote:

I'd suggest Schwalbe Smart Sams - have a fast rolling centre section and plenty deep enough treads to cope with most conditions. Even better they're cheap and tough as old boots. I use a pair for my regular CX commute which combines a little tarmac, fire roads and as much technical stuff as I have time for, all year round. Even the cheapy wire ones I've run tubeless on Stan's Crest rims.

Would you recommend Schwalbe Smart Sams over my current Kenda Small Block 8's for mixed use then? One of the routes I use can get pretty muddy, but a good 60% would be on road...