Cyclocross - What tires do you run on your CX bike?

Looking for advice as to what tires I should put on my Felt F1X. Will be using this mostly on paved roads, no racing at this time. Currently have Kenda Kwick 35s on it, but thinking this is probably more tire than I need for road. Thinking 25s or 28s--but even the streets here in Seattle can be rough, and I'd like to use the bike for up to half and full centuries.

What size/brand/model tires do you like and why, and for what purposes do you use them for on your CX bike? Recommendations of same for my current uses on this bike? And what would you run if thinking of expanding the use to fire roads and light trail? Realize I'm likely to want two sets of tires and possibly wheels for my uses.

Conti Top Contacts, 700x32 are what I use - a good all around tire that don't weigh a ton, have good puncture resistance, roll well and are suitable for both road and path.

If you want slicks, Conti Gran Prix 4 season in 700x25/28 are a good choice

For a cheap inverted tread design, Serfas Drifters in 700x32 are another good choice and pretty inexpensive.

My CX tire choice is the Ritchey Speedmax, fast on the tops but grips in nicely on corners - but thats for the race. I use the Continental Cyclocross Speed (http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/de/en/continental/bicycle/themes/cross/crossquerfeldein/cyclocross_speed/cyclocross_speed_en.html) for dirt-road and commuting.

Maxxis Raze for racing...and either Specialized Armadillo or Riv Jack Brown's for city/commuting.

Just got a pair of Continental Gatorskin in 25mm. So far so good. Looks like they go up to 32mm.

For fast rollers, Marathon Racers are good. Marathon Supremes are often considered to have the best combination of speed, grip and puncture resistance. Duremes are the same rubber with a very little added tread.

If the streets are really rough, you might want to consider 35s - they won't slow you down as much as you think - maybe not at all:

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/bicycle-tires-puncturing-the-myths-29245

Whatever you get, for Seattle make sure the wet weather grip is decent. This is a matter of the rubber compound much more than tread. The better tyre makers provide tyre application charts. (I'd pick the Supremes as a fast safe weather tyre, probably in 35mm.)

I've got Conti All Seasons. I live in Portland so the wet weather performance is a must for me. They perform great. 28's.

These are fast rolling, fairly light and comfortable. Price sucks though.

How is this price, Knobster: I just ordered a bunch of Conti Ultra Races from them for a crazy savings: http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-track-bike/Road-Triathlon-Track-Folding-Tyres-Continental-GP-4-Season-Vectran-Folding-Tyre/CONTTYRF400

For just rolling around Seattle and the eastside I like my Pasela TGs in either 28 or 32mm. I've used them for rides up to 400km. The 32s survived the 3 Volcanoes 300k, which even had about 25km of unpaved, gravel forest service roads. I've been beating up the 28s on the construction in Bellevue for a month, and they're weathering the abuse rather well.

How is this price, Knobster: I just ordered a bunch of Conti Ultra Races from them for a crazy savings: http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-track-bike/Road-Triathlon-Track-Folding-Tyres-Continental-GP-4-Season-Vectran-Folding-Tyre/CONTTYRF400

Pretty good. About $20 less than what I paid for mine. Hopefully shipping from the U.K. doesn't eat up the savings.

I've got three CX bikes. Currently, one has 700x28 Conti GP 4 Seasons, one has 700x25 Schwalbe Ultremo R.1 and one has 700x25 Maxxis Re-fuse. The one with the GP 4 Seasons is my primary commuter, and that's probably the tire I'd recommend for you. A 700x28 or 700x32 Schwalbe Marathon Supreme would also be very good. The Ultremo is a very sweet riding tire, but it's been a little puncture prone (possibly just bad luck). The Re-fuse is a nice low-budget option, but at 1500 miles the rear tire is already showing significant wear. The 4 Seasons are absurdly light, particularly for a 28, and have a very good road feel. In the short time I've been using them (about 170 miles), they have given me no trouble for rainy commuting on hazard-infested bike lanes.

For racing, during the early part of the year when the ground is still mostly solid, I use 700x35 Schwalbe Racing Ralphs. As mud starts to settle in as a regular feature, I switch to Michelin Mud2's. If I could only have one tire for off-road use, it would be the Mud2. They're not bad on pavement either, though I would expect the knobs to disappear quickly with regular use on pavement.

Conti Top Contacts, 700x32 are what I use - a good all around tire that don't weigh a ton, have good puncture resistance, roll well and are suitable for both road and path.

If you want slicks, Conti Gran Prix 4 season in 700x25/28 are a good choice

For a cheap inverted tread design, Serfas Drifters in 700x32 are another good choice and pretty inexpensive.

+1000.

Gatorskins in 28 for road use
Maxxis Raze for early race season or gravel/dirt/road rides (ie the thrilla in woodinville)
WTB crosswolf for late season mud

I also picked up a set of Michelin mud/jet combo and a singlespeed cross bike so I have to work out which bike is getting which tires at which time!

I'm also running Gatorkins (28s) for road use and WTB crosswolfs for trail use.

So far so good.

Challenge Grifo XS (open). Really nice feel to them. Not a mud tire but a very able dry dirt and gravel road tire. Low rolling resistance.

/K

Hopefully shipping from the U.K. doesn't eat up the savings.

...or their identity.

Panaracer T-Serv PT 28 for the road, Kenda Kwicker 32 for offroad

Ritchey speedmax pro 32mm for everything at the moment. One of my favorite tires. For extended pavement use, I choose gatorskins.

Nice thread, was asking this same question. Did some research and have a better idea of what to buy.

I got a Specialized Crux Expert with their "Captain" tires. Did well it seemed at first, but got one goathead puncture, then a wire puncture in last 4 weeks. Road maintenance here has been back-burnered, lots of unfilled cracks and potholes so wider impact absorbing, thicker tires are nice. But these specific tires not quite up to the task. I have to get something armored. Contis, in my experience withgatorskins and GP 4000 skinny tires, has really good products for puncture resistance. Actually, I have some Specialized Armadillos, they work well too. Whatever brand, I think aramid is a good idea if you have to ride through stuff that likes to penetrate rubber.

Like a couple people before me, Ritchey Speedmax 35mm. They are great tires, quick on the street and handle singletrack beautifully!

Like a couple people before me, Ritchey Speedmax 35mm. They are great tires, quick on the street and handle singletrack beautifully!

do they actually measure out to 35mm on the rim?

My 32mm speedmax's run true to about 32mm. Although, I really don't like them on the street. The side knobs get squirely when cornering. I use pacelas in a 32 for road use.

I just bought these - then after I pulled the trigger on the purchase I thought hey i should see what others are saying beyond road review. so do you like them - did you race on them last season or just train? cornering? air pressure on the dry grass?
thanks for your input

Built a new SSCX for racing (my other CX is converted for distance road use) and I have:

- WTB All Terrain 37mm for general trail riding, beating around town, and 'friendlies' with the local club.
- Clement PDX Crusade 33mm for muddy racing.
- IRD Crossfire (pink) 32mm for mud or loose dry stuff. And they're pink, which just bugs the hell out of people.
- Michelin Jet 30mm for dry/hardpack.

These are all clinchers:

For mud racing: Michelin Mud (green)
For dry racing: Continental Cyclocross Speed (although I'm still looking around because I don't find them quite adequate)
For all rounder gravel/commute: Maxxis Mud Wrestler

I used Ritchey Speedmax's for a while and found them much more suitable for commuting and gravel trails, but not for racing, especially in wet grass or snow. That's just me, though. Others will have different opinions.

-Hardpack/dry: Kenda Small Block Eights (Don't use for mud)
-Mud: I'm about to try out the Michelin Mud 2s They got good reviews from both press and populace.
-Commuting/onroad: Gatorskins (28) They are a little on the heavy side, but work well.

had durable WTB Allterrainasaurus on for a while. tread in blocks,
even if tight pattern , absorbs energy on the road, moving as it rolls.
still got barely any wear on them..

Jack Brown 33.3 tires made by Panasonic. slick light and low rolling resistance
Durability less important, rubber on tread is thin. ...
Their Pasela tourguard is much more durable ..

as you say
using this mostly on paved roads

, Another bike with the Schwalbe Marathon +'s
gets the daily use..

tubular?race wheels:challenge fangos in 34
clincher/training:hutchison bulldogs

Mine has the Specialized Borough CX tyres that it came with. So far they've survived London's roads (and presumably the odd pass over broken glass etc, since I'm used to indestructible Schwalbe Marathon tyres on my MTB) and a few excursions over gravel etc. From what I hear they aren't all that great so I'm considering putting Marathon Extremes on it.

I've used an Extreme on the back of my MTB for the best part of 1000 miles, including a 150-mile ride in two days and 110 miles in one day. It holds up fine, has never let me down. It can be quite loud at speed (over about 10mph and people around you will notice it, over about 20mph and you'll notice it, although if you go over about 30mph you stop noticing it because the wind noise drowns it out)

I forget if they come in 700x38 or 700x40, but either way they'll be narrower than the 26x2.0 I've got on the MTB.

Panaracer T Serve in a 28 for road and dirt road use. Schwable Racing Ralph in a 35 for cross training and more aggressive off road riding. Ritchey Speed Max Pro in a 32 for racing.

Commute: Vittoria Rondi Pros 32s
Race: Used to run Tufos now bulldogs

Commuter/Rain/Ride with the wife bike: 37mm Schwalbe Supreme @ 45psi or so :D

Training Tire: 23mm Gatorskin Hardshell. Going to up that to 25mm once these wear out.

Racing (road): My favorite tire has been Schwalbe Ultremo ZX have not flatted in a race yet but EVERY time I get lazy and just do a training ride on them I flat... Guess that's the difference between riding on the road in a race and on the shoulder on a training ride.

I commuted on the non-hardshell Gatorskins for a couple years and would get around 3000-4000 miles before the flats started to happen. Overall nice tires.

A strong vote here for Specialized Nimbus. High psi and duuuuurable.

My CX bike just became KIA, so I've been running my vintage MTB for training. I'm running 26" wheels and have been using the Schwalbe CX Pro Sport 26" with some good results. They do also come in 700c too. The only drawback is cornering on asphalt. It gets a little mushy (probably from the high profile corner knobs). Otherwise, it's been good in the grass, dirt, and mud that I've been working out in.

I've installed Schwalbe Dureme 32s. On-road usage, lots of not-so-good maintenance, some icky tire-punturing debris. Very good riding in the past 4 months, Kansas (shiit!), Monterey/Pebble Beach, SF, Napa/Sonoma.

Only a few cross races on me, but I like the feel and grip of WTB Cross Wolf.

Panarager Tourguard 32mm for road and light trail. Either Schwalbe Marathon Extreme 45mm or Bontranger 1.8" for rough singletrack.