Big volume CX / Gravel tyres??

kevinharley

I'm looking for some big(ish) volume CX / Gravel / general off-road rubber for my Saracen Hack.

Need to be ideal for the forthcoming Dirty Reiver, as well as local trails etc. Need to roll well on the road, and handle a bit of damp and mild mud, but not necessarily winter slop.

I've run the WTB Nano's in 40c size - ideal for most of the above (esp the Dirty Reiver), but I've found them very VERY sketchy on damp tarmac and cycle paths.

I bought a pair of very cheap Vee Rubber V12 (in 29in x 1.9 flavour), but although they fit the bike, clearance is minimal and the paint has already started to rub away on the inside of the fork. Plus, they are quite heavy (although roll well)

I'm just trying the Conti Cyclo X-King tyres, which are lovely and light, and look to have the kind of tread pattern I want, but, in 35mm size, are too narrow for what I want.

So, suggestions please, 700c x 40/45c (or 29 x 1.75 max)

kevinharley

Hmm ... having done a bit more googling, it seems that the Schwalbe Smart Sam (in 29 x 1.65 or 1.75) might be the only realistic option, not a bad weight and price, but 'performance' (plasticky?) compound only and wire bead ...

Did try out the 35c versions of these a couple of years back, worked OK as a front tyre, but puncture-prone, and the rear wore quite quickly.

Any other suggestions? Guess I would look at a 38c tyre if that brings in more options ....

robertpb

What pressure are you running the Nano's at, like most of these tyres they are pressure sensitive.

trek_dan

Schwalbe CX Comp in 38C? I use them in 35C for most of my general cross riding/training, they are a little heavy but good for puncture resistance. Don't handle 'proper' mud off road well but are great on road/paths/gravel as centre is pretty much slick.

Jterrier

G-one? Not very knobbly tho.

bendertherobot

If the Sam's in Performance are the same type of compound as the X-One Bite in performance there's nothing plasticky about them.

kevinharley

robertpb wrote:

What pressure are you running the Nano's at, like most of these tyres they are pressure sensitive.

Not sure, as my gauge on the floor pump is not accurate. But I'm experienced enough to know by feel what is soft / hard enough for certain conditions, what I can get away with regarding pinch flats off-road etc. I've had a couple of stupidly-slow, minimal-lean offs on (admittedly greasy) cycle-paths on the Nano (cheaper, wire bead version, but thought the compound was the same?) ... Tyres were firm, but not stupidly so. Although they were ideal for the Dirty Reiver, very good for most off-road, and good on dry tarmac, I've just kind of lost confidence in them as a general purpose tyre.

I've just had a couple of rides on the Conti Cyclo X-King (35mm) and was very impressed both off and on road, roll really well, light, supple ... think a 38 or 40 might be my ideal do-it-all tyre (set up tubeless) ... but they don't make 'em in that size ...

luv2ride

Never had an issue with my tubeless Nano's, run at 30 - 35 psi. They've not been sketchy in my experience. Also like the Challenge Gravel Grinders in 38mm, but those are clinchers with a small file tread, so probably not as knarly as you're after.

tablatom

Check out Schwalbe MARATHON CROSS tyres.
Very unknown tyre.
I have them on my CX and Hybrid bikes.
VERY fast on the road. Ultra low rolling resistance on the road for a 38mm, (mine come out at 39mm).
560gms is a little heavy for racing i know. Not that bad though.
But the tread pattern will suite the conditions you are talking about.
Amazing asphalt grip, and very good off road / light mud grip.

I also use Conti Speed ride. 700 x 42c (comes out at 39 on my rims) File tread pattern with 1 row of small knob's at the edge.
420gms.
Very fast everywhere, great traction everywhere except deep mud.

tsarouxaz

kevinharley wrote:

I'm looking for some big(ish) volume CX / Gravel / general off-road rubber for my Saracen Hack.

I'm just trying the Conti Cyclo X-King tyres, which are lovely and light, and look to have the kind of tread pattern I want, but, in 35mm size, are too narrow for what I want.

So, suggestions please, 700c x 40/45c (or 29 x 1.75 max)

continental AT ride 700x42c which is actualy 40c on 19mm iner rim width. they are cheap, they are the exact tread patern as the cyclo-x king, they come in wire and kevlar beading and they have a puncture protection too, while the cyclo-x king does not

http://www.continental-tires.com/bicycle/tyres/city-trekking-tyres/at-ride

kevinharley

tsarouxaz wrote:

kevinharley wrote:

I'm looking for some big(ish) volume CX / Gravel / general off-road rubber for my Saracen Hack.

I'm just trying the Conti Cyclo X-King tyres, which are lovely and light, and look to have the kind of tread pattern I want, but, in 35mm size, are too narrow for what I want.

So, suggestions please, 700c x 40/45c (or 29 x 1.75 max)

continental AT ride 700x42c which is actualy 40c on 19mm iner rim width. they are cheap, they are the exact tread patern as the cyclo-x king, they come in wire and kevlar beading and they have a puncture protection too, while the cyclo-x king does not

http://www.continental-tires.com/bicycle/tyres/city-trekking-tyres/at-ride

Brilliant! Just ordered some from Bike24 (German site) .. folding bead, 480ish grams, £36 for a pair!

tsarouxaz

kevinharley wrote:

tsarouxaz wrote:

kevinharley wrote:

I'm looking for some big(ish) volume CX / Gravel / general off-road rubber for my Saracen Hack.

I'm just trying the Conti Cyclo X-King tyres, which are lovely and light, and look to have the kind of tread pattern I want, but, in 35mm size, are too narrow for what I want.

So, suggestions please, 700c x 40/45c (or 29 x 1.75 max)

Brilliant! Just ordered some from Bike24 (German site) .. folding bead, 480ish grams, £36 for a pair!

I have ordered them from the same store. how much do they charge to your location?

kevinharley

Tyres were E36ish, plus E6ish delivery. Total E42, which works out as £36 sterling.

Moonbiker

Theese as mentioned already i reckon look right for gravel forestry tracks which i assume the Dirty Reiver is

https://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/prod ... 7QodzzQGdw

Imo the continental AT ride look to knobbly to roll fast on gravel.

kevinharley

Moonbiker wrote:

Theese as mentioned already i reckon look right for gravel forestry tracks which i assume the Dirty Reiver is

https://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/prod ... 7QodzzQGdw

Imo the continental AT ride look to knobbly to roll fast on gravel.

The Grinders do look a good option for the DR, although if the DR was my only consideration, I'd stick with the WTB Nano CX (40c) I used last year.

The Grinders are also £60 a pair.

I'm looking for a tyre that will handle the DR well, but also work well as a general all round tyre, with a leaning to off road ability, and with at least a little bit of ability in muddier conditions.

Yes, the Conti is knobblier ... But it actually rolls really, really well (in the 35c flavour I'm borrowing at the moment), at least as well as the Nano's with a bit more bite, and are also more predictable on damp tarmac & cycle paths.

tsarouxaz

kevinharley wrote:

Tyres were E36ish, plus E6ish delivery. Total E42, which works out as £36 sterling.

the B@@ards charge 15€ minimum for Greece!

Monty Dog

Surly Knard in 41mm - rolls pretty quick and pretty robust for offroad. Used Smart Sams previously which were good for the money.

Mototarka

Road 25c vs Conti 42c (it was named "Cross Ride" before "AT Ride")

tsarouxaz

wow, it arrived realy quick! was it normal mail or a courier? I ask because we frequently order from them but they keep the cost high although we are closer to them than the uk is and parcels arrive 10 to 15 days later!!

Mototarka

I have them for a year now, so not very recent order/delivery

fnegroni

I just mounted a brand new set of WTB Riddler 37c and will be testing it out properly this weekend on a CX Sportive course which is pretty harsh on CX tyres (Badlands CX)

I put a preliminary review here
http://wokinghamcyclist.blogspot.co.uk/ ... cross.html

In summary the first impressions are they have enough volume and speed.

pedropete

Can recommend Panaracer's Gravel King SK 40mm, which come up nearer 43mm - latest version is now labeled as 43mm. They're doing well on a mix of road, bridleway, light singletrack etc. Not too squirmy in the mud either. Mounted reasonably easily on some non-tubeless Mavic XM319s.