After my recent Leaf Jam moment, its time to put the Vittoria Rubino's in the shed and embrace something 'grippier' for my weekly commuting on the crosser. Grateful for thoughts on what to acquire.
Basic criteria are: ability to handle Leaf Jam etc, decent puncture protection, fair rolling resistance (i.e. this is for commuting - I don't need to give myself a hernia here) and capacity to cope with Edinburgh's excellent and pancake-smooth tarmac.
My commute mixes up road and some cycle path (sometimes the Brunstane Cycle Path, Innocent Railway, usually the Seafield - Leith Links path). These are often liberally slathered with mud, Leaf Jam and other detritus.
After interweb-trawling I think I've got it to four options...
1) Use a pair of Spesh Houffalize (lightly knobbled CX tyres) I have kicking around in the shed.
2) Buy Vittoria Randonneur Cross tyres (www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TYVIRANDC/vittoria-randonneur-cross-wired-tyre)
3) Buy Schwalbe CX Comp (www.acycles.co.uk/schwalbe-cx-comp-cyclocross-rigid-tyre-4232.html)
4) Buy Schwalbe LandCruisers (www.acycles.co.uk/schwalbe-land-cruiser-reflex-rigid-tyre-1430.html)
You'll note the recurrent theme here is 'cost' so I discounted the excellent Marathon family of tyres, which my LBS always point to. My wife has them on her bike and never punctures. However the crosser needs other work (headset, BB, new chainset) at the LBS and pennies need to go to that cause.
1) Spesh - I ran the Houffalize tyres earlier this autumn and found they a) loved the rougher paths but b) wore down fast on tarmac. Higher rolling resistance naturally compared to slicks.
2) Vittoria Randos - They've worked well for me in the past but haven't used the Cross flavour. I hear they're very very neat fitting. So neat in fact one guy had to use a Stanley Knife to remove them...
3) Schwalbe CX Comps - have read decent things about these as a 'winter commuting' tyre but not great longevity. But at less than £9, I can't complain can I?
4) LandCruisers - well built but heavy. A CX-style commuting tyre.
As noted, I've discounted Marathons in all their guises on account of costs. Plus my LBS noted they don't seem to 'like' my current Mach1 CFX rims (13mm internal width). The LandCruisers could be interesting to fit in their smallest 35mm size.
In all of these I'd be looking to fit a 28 or a 30mm option (apart from the LandCruisers, which only come in 35 or 40mm flavours).
So, esteemed readers, I'd be obliged for any thoughts you have on my choices.
posts
