RubeRad

I'm surprised I couldn't find this specific topic all over BF, given how often CrossChecks are discussed, so I guess I start a new thread.

I have a 60cm CrossCheck that I use for commuting, and my Conti CountryRide 700x37 tires are ok for some light trail riding, but not really up to a lot of the trails we have around here, hardpacked with frequent runs full of grapefruit-sized rocks, some round and some sharply broken. Also rain rutting and sand are frequent concerns.

ANYways, I'm interested in getting a 29er wheelset that will allow me to take my CC in a monstercross direction to ride this kind of trail. I'd want to go as wide as absolutely possible, and I'm thinking maybe use a Stan's kit to run tubeless for lower pressure.

Surly specs the CC at max clearance 45mm, but that's only 1.75", and to my eyeball my 37's are currently swimming in room, and I bet 45 is a conservative estimate. The real limiter appears to be the chainstays, although you could gain a little bit by slamming to the back of the horizontal dropouts. Also, the clearance at the fork seems bigger, so there's the option of a wider tire in the front with more pronounced side knobs for traction and handling, and a slightly skinnier, rounder, smoother tire in the back to maximize clearance utilization.

So how about it? Who's successfully put the widest tires on a CrossCheck? And let's see some pics (especially closeups of the tightest clearances)

Al Criner

I know somebody who said he once put 50 mm tires on his CC, so that would be around 1.95 to 2 inches. Make sure you leave room for mud, etc.

cny-bikeman

Did you try wide tires cross check in Google or Bing? One of the results is from this forum: https://www.bikeforums.net/archive/in.../t-412608.html. Looks like some people have fit as large as a 50mm.

p.s. I've found it easier to locate forum posts with a Google search, just adding bikeforums, than with the forum search.

HillRider

Here is the official word on the Cross Check direct from the Surly web site:

"Room for tires up to 700c x 45mm. Go a bit smaller for fender clearance."

RubeRad

Hey thanks for that tip -- I have often been frustrated by trying to search BF for stuff I know must be in there. Google including "bikeforums" is a great idea I will start using.

And yes, that archived thread is talking about guys who are complaining about fitting fenders to their 50's, so it sounds like 50 without fenders should be OK. (Here in SoCal I don't need to worry about mud. I'll commute on rainy roads, but I won't go pleasure riding on muddy trails)

RubeRad

Yes, I saw and cited the party line in OP, and I don't believe it, which is why I'm asking for info from anybody who's pushed the envelope here.

gruppo

The best way is to go out to the local single track trailhead on a weekend and ask folks if you can try their 29'er wheels on for size. A friendly LBS might allow the same. Then you'll know for sure.

Barrettscv 

I have a Surly Cross Check fork on my Monster Cross bike. It's 45mm actual size is tight but usable. I'm able to install a 700x50 Schwalbe Marathon Supreme with room for Planet Bike 29er Fenders, the tire measures 45mm wide. I'm also running a 700x47 Schwalbe Smart Sam knobby tire with very tight fender clearance. Both of these are mounted on a 24mm wide Velocity Dyad rim.

Any tire that measures 45mm wide will fit. Most nominal sizes are larger than actual size, but not always ;-)

RubeRad

Hey, I'm already running on Dyads (they're all gonna be the same 24mm width, right?), so I could just buy a pair of tires and my dream fulfilled! The Smart Sam looks cool. I've been searching other forums and there seems to be a consensus that the Bontrager Jones XR 29 x 1.8 or even the XR-1 1.9 29er works well both front and rear (probably because of the small knobs)

Barrettscv 

Yep, the same rim.

I really like the Smart Sam as an all-around tire trail tire. It's well made with good all-around traction. It also rolls well on pavement, the tightly spaced center knobs reduce rolling resistance.

HillRider

Well, Surly's recommendation is based on using a tire that is REALLY 45 mm wide and they may be leaving enough extra space for mud, etc. accumulation.

As Barettscv mentioned, a tire's nominal size and the actual size aren't necessarily the same. I have a pair of Vittoria Randonneur tires on my Pacer that are sidewall marked as 700-28 but measure about 26 mm as installed and they are not unusual.

RubeRad

Hmmm, the bontrager 29er 1.8 and 1.9 tires don't seem that easy to find, but "Expert 29-1" at 2.0=50mm (with small knobs) shows a bunch of pairs on eBay. I wonder if that would work...

RubeRad

Hey y'all, I found another option. Vee Rubber V12 29x1.95:


Untitled by jstews, on Flickr

with the wheel slammed all the way to the back of the dropouts:


Untitled by jstews, on Flickr

I ordered myself a pair from Niagara, sorry y'all they only have one tire left in stock now!

Note 1.95" = 49.53mm. 50mm Big Apples also fit, even somebody was able to squeeze fenders in there. So it seems that the real clearance limit is about 50mm in the back (a little more in the front), as long as the tread profile doesn't have prominent knobs. BA is relatively smooth, and this V12 has many small knobs (12 across the tire), and they have a ramped profile so they're supposed to be pretty fast on asphalt and best for dry, hardpack conditions, which is what I have around here in SoCal anyways.

I expect them to arrive in the mail this week in time for a trail ride Sat. I'll report back after...

RubeRad

Another option from Vee Rubber, Rail 29x1.95, this one fits even with slightly pronounced side knobs

RubeRad

Got my Vee 12 29x1.95 on there tonight, now I know why they fit in a cross-check frame: they're really about 45-46mm wide, which is what the spec says it will accept! Unless maybe after I soften them up a bit they'll start to spread -- do tires do that?

I took them for a spin in the dark, it's like riding on a cloud. I'm 240lb, and with 30psi front/35psi rear, I think I could even let a little more air out! The tread is very small, and rolls fast on asphalt, with just a faint whirr, nothing like the severe buzzing of normal mtn knobbies. Tomorrow I'll take it out on some trails, and see how they do compared to my 26" hardtail.

fietsbob

Just wont have the clearance for muddy cross race courses, but it sounds like you have a JRA app for the bike.

RubeRad

I don't know what a JRA app is, but I have a "San Diego App" which magically causes me to never have to ride through mud ever.

fietsbob

Did Navy Basic in SD NTc. in 66

TwoHeadsBrewing

I like those Vee Rubber tires! Anyone try the Vee Rubber XCX tires on their CC? I'm wanting to put some meat on there and run lower pressures to smooth it out and give more cornering traction.

https://www.blueskycycling.com/produc...-29er-Tire.htm

seedsbelize 

I put 700 x28 Vee Rubber on one of my road bikes, and it lasted less than 100 miles. Guess I got a bad egg.

RubeRad

I have seen an XCX tire in person, and I am pretty sure it would fit. Definitely the 29x1.95 would be fine in the front, the only worry would be whether those small side-knobs would rub in the rear. 29x1.75 should have no problem. If you were buying from brick & mortar (and they had these rare tires in stock), I'm sure they'd let you test the fit before purchasing. Another possibility, you could order a single 29x1.95; if it fits on the rear, fine, order another; otherwise swap it to the front and order a 29x1.75. But of course, that's two shipping charges. You could put XCX on the front, and V12 on the rear.

If you do end up determining for sure whether XCX in 1.95 fits in the back of a CrossCheck, please do come back and post some pictures of the clearance!

RubeRad

Yikes! Fortunately that has not been my experience. I've ridden maybe 200-300 miles on them so far, with no obvious signs of wear. I'm even still annoyed that the mold remnants along the center of the front tire have still not worn off! They're not like regular 'whiskers', they're paper-thin little flaps. They haven't worn off because they actually emanate from the channels between the mini-knobs, so they don't actually rub on the road and get ground off. I need to spend more time on gravel...

(Strangely, the wheel that I happened to mount on the rear doesn't have this problem; I've been thinking about swapping them just for peace of mind)

fietsbob

What ya gonna do with Sticky Mud clogging up the wheels?

now that you took up the clearance with Tire.

Oh thats right you live in the desert.

RubeRad

Actually, that's not true. I just swiveled around in my office chair and looked closely and felt with my fingers, and the center of the tread is noticeably worn down compared to the sides, more so in the rear (to be expected). But that's hopefully OK, maybe I can ride them bald and beyond in the center, and the tread on the side will still be useful on trails.

RubeRad

Looked back to determine specifically: I commuted on the V12's from Aug 13 to Sep 26. That's 30 days of 11mi each, plus maybe 100mi of recreational riding: less than 500 miles, and the center tread on the rear tire is half gone. I guess the moral is, these tires are for trail, not asphalt. I took them off and put my Conti CountryRides back on. I'll save the V12 for next summer when I'll have more opportunity to ride trails again.