Cyclocross - Fatter tyres on crossers?

As I've decided to face the fact that my hyperflexible ankles make it extremely foolish for me to try to race (didn't take me long at all to twist an ankle running with the bike on shoulder - with extra bonus curse words from the bike fitting the back of my skull when the ankle folded) I'm wondering if should put wider than 35mm tyres on my crosser. What are people's experiences of riding offroad with fatter tyres and drops? My main concern is how the steering will feel with wider tyres locked into gravel - it wouldn't worry me on an MTB (obviously) but I'm not at all sure how it will feel on a drop handle bike.

I would think that fatter tires would feel much better, even with the drops. The fatties would be less likely to get caught in a ridge, would roll over the gravel better, less likely to be deflected by rocks. I;d say that if the tire fits, give'er a go.

I run 45c nobbies on my cross bike when I'm not racing. For me, it makes a great training tire and protects my wheels. I also like the added stability while on gravel. The handling isn't affected in a negative way at all.

I run 45c nobbies on my cross bike when I'm not racing. For me, it makes a great training tire and protects my wheels. I also like the added stability while on gravel. The handling isn't affected in a negative way at all.

The odd thing is that I'm a big believer in fat tyres for drop handled road bikes. It's just that drops + dirt + fat tyres seems so damn odd... Thanks for your help!

How about trying something like this?

http://www.sportsunlimitedinc.com/atfanklebrace.html?CID=GoogleShopping

I've got the same problems with my ankles.

The odd thing is that I'm a big believer in fat tyres for drop handled road bikes. It's just that drops + dirt + fat tyres seems so damn odd... Thanks for your help!


Odd, maybe. Fun, definitely.

Try this. (http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=355649)

How about trying something like this?

http://www.sportsunlimitedinc.com/atfanklebrace.html?CID=GoogleShopping

I've got the same problems with my ankles.

I have tried those with limited success. I go with a tape method similar to basketball players for extra ankle stability.

How about trying something like this?

http://www.sportsunlimitedinc.com/atfanklebrace.html?CID=GoogleShopping

I've got the same problems with my ankles.

I talked this through with a friend and tried running in combat boots with a trick lacing pattern - separate laces for the lower and upper part of the boot - to get the ankles braced. We decided to go for the boots because I also have an ultra high(and misaligned) arch, which needed the support of shank plus a moulded insole.

(Talking of which "SOLES" are great - you put them in the oven at home, step on them, and you have a custom fit. It worked better for than $200 custom orthotics. http://www.yoursole.com/products/footbeds/)

I also weigh 210lbs (and bulk more if I even look at weights) and have a 30'' leg, so there's less shock absorb than most people my mass get. Plus there are some other fitting problems (you don't want to know) so that a guy who was one of the most experienced walking boot fitters in the UK (he's now some of tech rep for Nike) told me that I had the *second* most unusual pair of feet he'd seen in his career. The overall effect is that because I don't pronate correctly my ankle - and knee - are getting the shock you'd expect if I weighed +300lb.

...Thinking it through, trying to run on rough ground with a bike balanced on my shoulder was completely idiotic. I attribute it to the influence of a sustained cardiovascular high and the weird turquoise tyres my bike came with.