Cyclocross - Want to get some road tires for my cross bike

I have been riding all week and I am hooked but there is a track near my house that I have been riding and the tires that came with my bike have really loud road noise and slow me down a lot. What are some good 700x25 tires that don't break the bank? I was looking at biketiresdirect and I found these two which seem to have good reviews.

Continental Grand Prix
http://www.biketiresdirect.com/pcogpb/continental_grand_prix/pp.htm

Vittoria Rubino Pro Tech
http://www.biketiresdirect.com/pvirpt/vittoria_rubino_pro_tech/pp.htm

I was also looking at the Vredestein Fortezza but they are now sold out. There any other tire I should be looking at?

Only road tire I use is the Conti Ultra Gatorskins. They seem to be fine and ride ok. Best part about them is they are quite tough and I rarely get flats with them. For me, that is worth the little more expense and touch slower ride.

Panaracer Pasela TG 28 foldable. Kevlar belt for flat potection, slick tread, thin sidewalls and kevlar bead for light weight and good handling. Easy to mount and remove.

Panaracer Pasela TG 28 foldable. Kevlar belt for flat potection, slick tread, thin sidewalls and kevlar bead for light weight and good handling. Easy to mount and remove.

Who sells Panaracer online or are they an LBS only brand?

Who sells Panaracer online or are they an LBS only brand?http://tinyurl.com/yc9wx5a

Myself, I buy whatever's on sale or lying around the garage. Can't be arsed to be choosy about road tires.

Conti 4 seasons foldable, 700x28. Relatively lightweight - about 250 g, nice ride, low rolling resistance, decent puncture protection and absolutely insane wet grip. After about 1000 mi looks like another 3000 will be no problem. Center seam is sill visible.

700x25 is more common, 28 mm availability is spotty. Alas, not budget-friendly.

Good Luck and ride safe.

SF

Second the Panaracer Pasela's. I'd go for the 28 or 32, but in the non-Tourguard version. Bicycle Quaterly did a big tire study and found these near the top of all road clinchers. And ANYWHERE will have these, Nashbar has them on blowout sales from time to time.

Michelin pro3 race can be found for about $100 for a pair, I'm not sure if that is considered breaking the bank or not though but they are amazing tires with tons of grip.

I third the endorsement for Panaracer Pasela non-tourguard. Lovely tire. They're inexpensive, too!

For a nicer tire, try the Schwalbe Stelvio. Very supple, even at 130 psi!

Just curious, why not the tourguard version? I have no experience with them myself, but my wife had some on one of her bikes and she didn't care for them. Switched them to gatorskins and she said it was like riding out of mud onto pavement. Big difference. That why not to go with the tourguard version?

I haven't used the tourguards, but they have an extra layer of protection. I don't get a lot of flats, and I figure the extra layer might add rolling resistance. The tires I'm riding are light and supple. That's what I'm after.

Actually, I haven't gotten a flat in years. Maybe I'm lucky? There doesn't seem to be a lot of glass around here. Maybe everyone really recycles now instead of tossing bottles.

As to why not get the TourGuard, as your wife found out, they really seem to make your bike slow down - that extra layer of protection also makes the casing less supple and not the best riding. However, if you are indeed touring or ride in circumstances that would induce flats, it's the way to go.