Cyclocross - Tricross tires for Bike Path

Hi All,

To the Tricross experts. I have a 2007 Tricross Comp. I find myself riding more on fine gravel bike paths than pavement. The OEM tires are fine, but they don't always stick to the fine gravel path as I had hoped, with occasional skidding and swerving. The OEM delicate treads also seem to be wearing faster.

I'd like to swap the current fairly thin, pavement-oriented OEM tires for beefier, treadier replacements. Any thoughts or suggestions? Anyone do this?

Here's some good tires for doing what you're wanting to do.

http://www.biketiresdirect.com/pkekro/kenda_kross_supreme/pp.htm

They'll fit fine. These are 35's and I've had 40's on my Tricross.

Is this loose gravel or hardpack, maybe somewhere in between. I have an '09 Tricross Comp with the Borough CX tires and have found them to be good for my mix of fire roads and buff single track. They lack any type of mud performance but that was expected and to slow for the long road rides. Gravel can be tough on bike tires and tread will only help so much in loose gravel but a tire with more volume and width or surface area should be of some help.

Thanks guys, excellent suggestions. By the way, it's hardpack fine gravel on my bike path, and the stuff slides around enough that my OEM (Specialized Borough CX Pro) tires don't always grip well. Not looking forward to taking a spill one day. So these tires look like great solutions.

(I wonder if my Buroughs CX Pro that I'm having a hard time with are the same as your recommendations above, retros. If so, maybe your path is a lot firmer than mine. Not sure what buff single track is.)

Thanks guys, excellent suggestions. By the way, it's hardpack fine gravel on my bike path, and the stuff slides around enough that my OEM (Specialized Borough CX Pro) tires don't always grip well. Not looking forward to taking a spill one day. So these tires look like great solutions.

(I wonder if my Buroughs CX Pro that I'm having a hard time with are the same as your recommendations above, retros. If so, maybe your path is a lot firmer than mine. Not sure what buff single track is.)

Fine gravel is a tough one. A little knobbiness can help, but best thing I've found is to get some tires with greater volume, and decrease the pressure versus what you'd use on pavement.

(Also, buff singletrack is a nice, well-groomed trail with little surface variation.)

If someone weighed about 150 and was riding 32's, what would be good psi range for the above surface?

I'd think 70 to 80 myself. These types of tires usually have a PSI range of 50 to 100.

If someone weighed about 150 and was riding 32's, what would be good psi range for the above surface?

I weigh exactly that, and run Ritchey Speedmax 32 (recommended max = 85psi, I think) at 60 on dirt roads. I like them better at 72-75ish on pavement. For racing, I've gone as low as 35psi and somehow avoided pinch-flatting, but was worried about that the entire time, and didn't ride as aggressively through some rough patches. Better at 45, in my opinion.

Well, I'll still be running just slicks for now, but the pressure should help. I've be running 70-75 and it is generally fine and affords me a bit of speed on the ride to the path. Will go a bit lower and see if it helps.

99% of the path is in good shape and well packed, but the few places with loose sand and or gravel on top of a packed surface/pavement can get hairy. Having a single pannier to throw off balance doesn't help either.

Thanks, and apologies for the hijack.

Knobster,

I like the Kenda Kross Supreme from the photo and description. The writeup indicates front OR rear use. Is that saying to use this tire for both front and rear, or for one but not the other? Are you using these, and how's the drag/friction of these beefier tires, especially on long rides? Noticeable over your originals (Burroughs I'd guess)?

Yeah, you can use them on both tires if you want. Some tires are for one or the other.

I use them from time to time. They aren't bad, but I only put them on dirt. They do a wonder in the dirt though. To tell you the truth, I've never really used the Burroughs. They just didn't fit anywhere that I ride. I immediately switched them out to Conti Gatorskins in 25c.

Edit: The Burroughs was sluggish on the road and slick on the trails so they just didn't fit. The Kendas work great off road, but are slowwwww on the road. Here soon I'm getting a Orbea 29er so these tires will be retired. Only road duty for the Tricross.

Please don't laugh too much at this suggestion;
regular Schwalbe Marathon tires work quite well on gravel paths.
Plus they wear well. Try them, they do what you ask for.
I've used them for years.

The Burrough CX's, and the CX Pro's, in 700X45C are 50-85 PSI tires. I run mine at 85, and like them there. You can tell a big difference speedwise, and powerwise, if they are 10# low. In addition, they are folders, so lower pressures are easier to feel, as you get no help holding up weight from the thin sidewalls.

They are also directional tires.

I also find them feeling "mushy" at lower pressures.

But, then again, I like my motorcycle tires hard also.

Thanks all. I think martianone's suggestion of Schwalbe Marathon is exactly what I need. The Kenda seem, on second thought, a bit too mountain bike-like (not really doing any trails here), added to knobster's experience of being noticeable slow.

Why would we laugh, martianone? The Schwalbe look like very good tires and a perfect fit for the Tricross. Noticeably more expensive than the Kenda, though.