Cyclocross - Sparing your tread from the road

I know there are a few other people here who use their cross bikes for both commuting and cross racing.

Question: how do you keep from wearing down the tread on your cross tires? Or do you just not worry about it?

I use road tires on my bike most of the year, but when cross season comes around, I swap on the knobbies. I've got two sets of wheels, but it turns out the rims are different widths, so it's not a quick change. Plus there are some mid-week cross activities I have been and will be going to straight from work.

2 wheelsets.

Done.

That's what the Muir Woods if for, Andy!

Seriously, I used my cross bike for commuting last year, didn't run enough miles during the season to wear out tires, but i got pretty tired of pulling off the rest of the commuter stuff (fenders, cages lights....) on Friday night and replacing it all Sunday night. That is a big part of the reason I bought a new commuter, so the cross bike could become pure race and trainer.

Buy a new rear tire, only ride the Jake on days you have cross stuff going, and use one of your other bikes the rest of the week. Cranking that heavy Muir Woods is good training :)

Cranking that heavy Muir Woods is good training :)

Yeah, I guess you're right.

Honestly, I don't know what kind of magic answer I was looking for here. Re-reading my post, it appears that I was asking for a way to keep the tires from wearing out without taking them off the bike. :o

I've been going through this period of transition with the Muirwoods (which has been gathering dust all summer) where I want it to be more like the Jake. I had nearly convinced myself to replace it this year, but then I rode it for a couple of days and decided I really do like it way too much to sell it.

Depending on how expensive the tires are that you're riding I probably wouldn't worry about them. Just ride. I wouldn't recommend commuting on your Dugasts though. ;-)

sadly i've taken to driving to work on days when i need to do cross. i have 2 wheelsets, and tearing down the lights/bottle cages takes 5 minutes tops, but i can't compromise flat protection when commuting. meh

Yeah, I guess you're right.

Honestly, I don't know what kind of magic answer I was looking for here. Re-reading my post, it appears that I was asking for a way to keep the tires from wearing out without taking them off the bike. :o

Wheels don't have to be expensive! You can get a commute worthy pair from ebay for less than $100. A cassette doesn't have to be much either.

You can swap tyres faster if you leave tubes inside them. But otherwise, how much is it really going to cost you to wear out a set of knobbies once or twice a year?