The search for sort-of cross tires
I have a C-dale CAAD-3 frameset I'm building up as a winter bike. I got the frame off Craigslist a few months back, everything else I need I had lying around the shop. Mission - a bike I don't mind riding over roads that are wet and/or muddy.
And, incidentally, I want to add a few gravel roads to my list of local routes. These are county roads, not rocky driveways, but they are indeed paved with "crusher run" pea gravel. This has the combo effect of riding on a road covered in ball bearings, and some of those bearings have edges sharp enough to cut my regular road tires. The trick is that I have to ride several miles of regular paved road to get to the gravel roads.
So I need something with a bit of tread, but not so much tread it's like riding on a vibrating bed at a cheap motel. Plus the CAAD frames are kinda narrow where the chainstays meet the BB, so I'll guess that 30 is the max width.
Suggestions gratefully welcome.
And, incidentally, I want to add a few gravel roads to my list of local routes. These are county roads, not rocky driveways, but they are indeed paved with "crusher run" pea gravel. This has the combo effect of riding on a road covered in ball bearings, and some of those bearings have edges sharp enough to cut my regular road tires. The trick is that I have to ride several miles of regular paved road to get to the gravel roads.
So I need something with a bit of tread, but not so much tread it's like riding on a vibrating bed at a cheap motel. Plus the CAAD frames are kinda narrow where the chainstays meet the BB, so I'll guess that 30 is the max width.
Suggestions gratefully welcome.
posted by Strayhorn at 11:30 AM
2 Comments:
These may be too knobby for your purposes, but I've found the the Maxxis Raze to be a great tire for rolling roads to hitting singletrack on my cross bike. They eat up fire roads and country roads. The closely spaced center-block lets it roll well on the road. It was the ideal tire for Ironcross back in October, which offers a real mix of surfaces.
Thanks for the tip, I've had someone else recommend the Maxxis tires.
I borrowed a set of Specialized cross tires in 32 and while they just did fit between the stays, they have a high profile that scraped the bottom of the rear brake. Bummer.
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