[noisebeam]

Looking for thoughts on my tire plan:

I will use CX bike for commuting 9mi each way 5 days a week on relatively decent pavement, some broken glass and other occasional sharp debris, but no large holes or gravel, etc. 99% of the time conditions are dry. I use this ride for training and ride hard. Comfort is not a top priority at this short distance, but flat avoidance is as I don't like delays to/from work. Performance is a nice to have.

On weekends I will use off pavement as suited for bike. I hope to learn enough skills to someday join races non competetively. (Some weekends I'll also go for longer road rides)

My plan is to use Continental gatorskin 700x28C for the commute and switch over to the Bontrager Jones CX, 700x32c tires that come with the bike for non-pavement riding.

Does this sound like a good plan?

(Alternates would include not getting a second road tire and living with less smooth ride, to getting a slightly narrower road tire, to getting a different single tire that can be effectively used for both non-competetive off-pavement and only slightly reduced efficiency on pavement so I wouldn't need to switch tires.)

Al

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[oldskoolboarder]

Yeah, it's easier not to switch tires. I have extra road tires and I'm too lazy to switch.

I road train w/ Ritchey Speedmaxs ($30 for 2 on ebay). I can get them up to ~90 PSI on the road. On my commute training rides, I have a mix of paved and gravel. I also use these tires for singletrack as well. Probably won't cut it in muddy conditions since it's only a 30c, but for the mix of road and trail, works for me.

There are others that'll work too, like Michelin Jets, Vredestein Campos, etc. You'll want tires w/ high PSI for use on the road. When you take them on the singletrack, just release some air so you don't pinch flat.

CX season is next month, you have some time to practice, catch a clinic or two. Don't know what the CX calendar looks like in AZ. From my understanding, some races have a beginner race (no prizes) that should be good for a newbie. I'm new to this as well, and hopefully I'll have the skills for Cat C too.

Good luck.