Cross or road tyres

[Chris Armstrong]

I am a leisure cyclist with a cyclocross bike which has cross tyres on it. Next month I am planning a 300 mile/4 day trip. I was wondering if anyone knew whether it's worth swapping my cross tyres for a pair of road tyres for this trip, and if so, can anyone recommenda "puncture proof" tyre as I'm a techno numpty and even fixing a puncture can prove a difficult task for me. I average about 15mph and intend cycling for most of the day.
Cheers for any advice.

 

[Peter Clinch]

Chris Armstrong wrote:
> I am a leisure cyclist with a cyclocross bike which has cross tyres on
> it. Next month I am planning a 300 mile/4 day trip. I was wondering if
> anyone knew whether it's worth swapping my cross tyres for a pair of
> road tyres for this trip, and if so, can anyone recommenda "puncture
> proof" tyre as I'm a techno numpty and even fixing a puncture can prove
> a difficult task for me.

Road tyres work better than anything else on the road, and at 75 mile
days it makes some sense to make life easier.
Schwalbe Marathon Plus and Dutch Perfects are widely held to be as
bombproof as you can get and still usefully cycle anywhere, but they're
relatively heavy.
I use standard Schwalbe Marathons which don't have the same degree of
armour plating as the M Plus or Perfects, but are Kevlar belted and
pretty tough. I've had 2 punctures on the touring bike in 5 years
running them. Roos and I both used them on a 300 mile tour with full
camping luggage and quite a bit of off-road and didn't have any troubles.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[Mark Thompson]

> and if so, can anyone recommenda "puncture proof" tyre as I'm a techno
numpty and even fixing a puncture can prove a difficult task for me.

<http://www.parktool.com/repair/byregion.asp?catid=58&imageField2.x=19
&imageField2.y=9>

Tyres can only be puncture resistant, not proof, but they're still
definately worth it.

It's also worth occasionally deflating the tyres and digging out the bits
of glass embedded in them.

 

[Richard]

Peter Clinch wrote:

> I use standard Schwalbe Marathons

As do I. Very bombproof. I found myself crunching through broken glass
t'other day, held my breath and invoked the PSF three times, and the
puncture fairy never showed up (/fatal last words)

R.

 

[Peter Clinch]

Richard wrote:
[Standard Marathons]
> As do I. Very bombproof. I found myself crunching through broken glass
> t'other day, held my breath and invoked the PSF three times, and the
> puncture fairy never showed up (/fatal last words)

The couple of punctures I've had on the tourer's Marathons (both in the
rear tyre, natch!) were long (over 1cm), slim dagger shaped shards of
glass which went through despite the kevlar belt :-(

OTOH, they were very easy to spot and remove from the tyre and in each
case a tube swap had me underway in a few minutes each time. I've
ridden over lots of the more typical crunched glass and it hasn't got
through /yet/. Good enough for most of the people most of the time, I
think.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[Mike K Smith]

Richard wrote:
> Peter Clinch wrote:
>
>> I use standard Schwalbe Marathons
>
> As do I. Very bombproof. I found myself crunching through broken glass
> t'other day, held my breath and invoked the PSF three times, and the
> puncture fairy never showed up (/fatal last words)

I use Specialized All-Condition Armadillos in 700x25c. £19.99 from
Wiggle. I got about 3000 miles out of the back one before it punctured.
By then the tread was sufficiently worn that I replaced it.

 

[Douglas Steel]

Chris Armstrong wrote:
> I am a leisure cyclist with a cyclocross bike which has cross tyres on
> it. Next month I am planning a 300 mile/4 day trip. I was wondering if
> anyone knew whether it's worth swapping my cross tyres for a pair of
> road tyres for this trip, and if so, can anyone recommenda "puncture
> proof" tyre as I'm a techno numpty and even fixing a puncture can prove
> a difficult task for me. I average about 15mph and intend cycling for
> most of the day.
> Cheers for any advice.

I get a couple of thousand miles between punctures on my road bike
(over some pretty awful roads) using Continental Ultra GatorSkins.

They roll pretty well, should be just the job on such a trip
on a 'cross bike.

Dou

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, Chris
Armstrong ('[email protected]')
wrote:

> I am a leisure cyclist with a cyclocross bike which has cross tyres on
> it. Next month I am planning a 300 mile/4 day trip. I was wondering if
> anyone knew whether it's worth swapping my cross tyres for a pair of
> road tyres for this trip,

Definitely, no question about it.

> and if so, can anyone recommenda "puncture
> proof" tyre

Schwalbe Marathons get good press round here, although I haven't tried
them personally. I have Kevlar-belted Panaracer Stradius Elites on my
winter bike at present, and so far no problems at all, but they haven't
done enough miles yet for that to be a strong recommendation.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
;; "If I were a Microsoft Public Relations person, I would probably
;; be sobbing on a desk right now" -- Rob Miller, editor, /.

 

[Pinky]

"Simon Brooke" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> in message <[email protected]>, Chris
> Armstrong ('[email protected]')
> wrote:
>
>> I am a leisure cyclist with a cyclocross bike which has cross tyres on
>> it. Next month I am planning a 300 mile/4 day trip. I was wondering if
>> anyone knew whether it's worth swapping my cross tyres for a pair of
>> road tyres for this trip,
>
> Definitely, no question about it.
>
>> and if so, can anyone recommenda "puncture
>> proof" tyre
>
> Schwalbe Marathons get good press round here, although I haven't tried
> them personally. I have Kevlar-belted Panaracer Stradius Elites on my
> winter bike at present, and so far no problems at all, but they haven't
> done enough miles yet for that to be a strong recommendation.
>
> --
> [email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
> ;; "If I were a Microsoft Public Relations person, I would probably
> ;; be sobbing on a desk right now" -- Rob Miller, editor, /.


I have slowly gone up market with protected tyres and this year for my
annual long holiday road tour I am on Schwalbe Marathon plus
Why is it always raining when u have a puncture!

Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire,
England, United Kingdom.

 

[Clive George]

"Pinky" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news[email protected]...

> Why is it always raining when u have a puncture!

The water helps sharp stuff cut into the rubber. Try cutting an old tyre
with a sharp knife, then try it when it's wet - there's quite a difference.

cheers,
clive

 

[Pete Biggs]

Pinky wrote:

> Why is it always raining when u have a puncture!

You think you're joking? ;-) Why does anyone apply water before shaving?
The same phenomenonenonenon is at at work.

~PB

 

[Geraint Jones]

"Pete Biggs" <[email protected]> wrote:
| You think you're joking? ;-) Why does anyone apply water before shaving?
| The same phenomenonenonenon is at at work.

The late Alistair Cooke (who surely never told a lie) used to shave dry.
I have a dim recollection of his taking a whole Letter from America to
explain his perception of the roles of the water and the soap in shaving,
and he held that foaming the soap was to retain the cut stubble, and that
the water was just to lubricate the skin.

I'm sorry, I'll just get me bike (while the sunshine lasts...).

 

[Pinky]

--

"Pete Biggs" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
> Pinky wrote:
>
>> Why is it always raining when u have a puncture!
>
> You think you're joking? ;-) Why does anyone apply water before shaving?
> The same phenomenonenonenon is at at work.
>
> ~PB
>
>
You're right of course and I actually never considered it!
Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire,
England, United Kingdom.

 

[Tim Binns]

On Sat, 6 May 2006 01:04:01 +0100, "Clive George"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>"Pinky" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news[email protected]...
>
>> Why is it always raining when u have a puncture!
>
>The water helps sharp stuff cut into the rubber. Try cutting an old tyre
>with a sharp knife, then try it when it's wet - there's quite a difference.
>

Plus, of course, the "sparkles" on the road are much less obtrusive
when they're covered by a meniscus of water.

 

[AndyMorris]

Geraint Jones wrote:
> "Pete Biggs" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>> You think you're joking? ;-) Why does anyone apply water before
>> shaving? The same phenomenonenonenon is at at work.
>
> The late Alistair Cooke (who surely never told a lie) used to shave
> dry. I have a dim recollection of his taking a whole Letter from
> America to explain his perception of the roles of the water and the
> soap in shaving, and he held that foaming the soap was to retain the
> cut stubble, and that the water was just to lubricate the skin.
>
> I'm sorry, I'll just get me bike (while the sunshine lasts...).

Shaving oil (and water as hot as you can stand) works better and is kinder
to your skin.


--
Andy Morris

AndyAtJinkasDotFreeserve.Co.UK

Love this:
Put an end to Outlook Express's messy quotes
http://home.in.tum.de/~jain/software/oe-quotefix/



--
Posted via NewsDemon.com - Premium Uncensored Newsgroup Service
------->>>>>>http://www.NewsDemon.com<<<<<<------
Unlimited Access, Anonymous Accounts, Uncensored Broadband Access

 

[Sniper8052(L96A1)]

Chris Armstrong wrote:
> I am a leisure cyclist with a cyclocross bike which has cross tyres on
> it. Next month I am planning a 300 mile/4 day trip. I was wondering if
> anyone knew whether it's worth swapping my cross tyres for a pair of
> road tyres for this trip, and if so, can anyone recommenda "puncture
> proof" tyre as I'm a techno numpty and even fixing a puncture can prove
> a difficult task for me. I average about 15mph and intend cycling for
> most of the day.
> Cheers for any advice.
>
>

Chris,

I recently fitted a set of Continental Grand Prix 25mm tyres and tubes
from bicyclerubber.com to my MTB for the reason of research and found
the Continenal Tyre gave a 25% increase in speed over my short Sunday 20
mile training ride. Don't know how this compares to others experiences
as I tend to max out for speed and may have bombed it a bit.

Sniper8052

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, Sniper805
(L96A1) ('[email protected]') wrote:

> Chris Armstrong wrote:
>> I am a leisure cyclist with a cyclocross bike which has cross tyres on
>> it. Next month I am planning a 300 mile/4 day trip. I was wondering if
>> anyone knew whether it's worth swapping my cross tyres for a pair of
>> road tyres for this trip, and if so, can anyone recommenda "puncture
>> proof" tyre as I'm a techno numpty and even fixing a puncture can
>> prove a difficult task for me. I average about 15mph and intend
>> cycling for most of the day.
>
> I recently fitted a set of Continental Grand Prix 25mm tyres and tubes
> from bicyclerubber.com to my MTB for the reason of research and found
> the Continenal Tyre gave a 25% increase in speed over my short Sunday
> 20
> mile training ride. Don't know how this compares to others experiences
> as I tend to max out for speed and may have bombed it a bit.

25% surprises me, but 10% wouldn't surprise me at all.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
; gif ye hes forget our auld plane Scottis quhilk your mother lerit you,
; in tymes cuming I sall wryte to you my mind in Latin, for I am nocht
; acquyntit with your Southeron
;; Letter frae Ninian Winyet tae John Knox datit 27t October 1563

 

[Sniper8052(L96A1)]

Simon Brooke wrote:
> in message <[email protected]>, Sniper805
> (L96A1) ('[email protected]') wrote:
>
>
>>Chris Armstrong wrote:
>>
>>>I am a leisure cyclist with a cyclocross bike which has cross tyres on
>>>it. Next month I am planning a 300 mile/4 day trip. I was wondering if
>>>anyone knew whether it's worth swapping my cross tyres for a pair of
>>>road tyres for this trip, and if so, can anyone recommenda "puncture
>>>proof" tyre as I'm a techno numpty and even fixing a puncture can
>>>prove a difficult task for me. I average about 15mph and intend
>>>cycling for most of the day.
>>
>>I recently fitted a set of Continental Grand Prix 25mm tyres and tubes
>>from bicyclerubber.com to my MTB for the reason of research and found
>>the Continenal Tyre gave a 25% increase in speed over my short Sunday
>>20
>>mile training ride. Don't know how this compares to others experiences
>>as I tend to max out for speed and may have bombed it a bit.
>
>
> 25% surprises me, but 10% wouldn't surprise me at all.
>

I did the same ride on the MTB with fat tyres and it took 2hours 3.5
minutes door to door. After fitting the new tyres it took 1hour 32.2
minutes. But as I said on the second run I may have bombed a bit as I
wanted to see what they could do.

Sniper8052

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, Sniper805
(L96A1) ('[email protected]') wrote:

> Simon Brooke wrote:
>> in message <[email protected]>,
>> Sniper805 (L96A1) ('[email protected]') wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Chris Armstrong wrote:
>>>
>>>>I am a leisure cyclist with a cyclocross bike which has cross tyres
>>>>on it. Next month I am planning a 300 mile/4 day trip. I was
>>>>wondering if anyone knew whether it's worth swapping my cross tyres
>>>>for a pair of road tyres for this trip, and if so, can anyone
>>>>recommenda "puncture proof" tyre as I'm a techno numpty and even
>>>>fixing a puncture can prove a difficult task for me. I average about
>>>>15mph and intend cycling for most of the day.
>>>
>>>I recently fitted a set of Continental Grand Prix 25mm tyres and tubes
>>>from bicyclerubber.com to my MTB for the reason of research and found
>>>the Continenal Tyre gave a 25% increase in speed over my short Sunday
>>>20
>>>mile training ride. Don't know how this compares to others
>>>experiences as I tend to max out for speed and may have bombed it a
>>>bit.
>>
>> 25% surprises me, but 10% wouldn't surprise me at all.
>
> I did the same ride on the MTB with fat tyres and it took 2hours 3.5
> minutes door to door. After fitting the new tyres it took 1hour 32.2
> minutes. But as I said on the second run I may have bombed a bit as I
> wanted to see what they could do.

Pretty impressive. But, as I keep saying, knobbly tyres are very draggy
on tarmac, so the OP would be a lot better off with slicks.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
;; Generally Not Used
;; Except by Middle Aged Computer Scientists

 

[David Martin]

Sniper8052(L96A1) wrote:
> > 25% surprises me, but 10% wouldn't surprise me at all.
> >
>
> I did the same ride on the MTB with fat tyres and it took 2hours 3.5
> minutes door to door. After fitting the new tyres it took 1hour 32.2
> minutes. But as I said on the second run I may have bombed a bit as I
> wanted to see what they could do.

It seems perfectly reasonable to me. Tyre change plus New Gear
Syndrome.
It also may be playng into the hands of your metabolism, in that you
could push slightly harder for the 1.5 hours rather than 2.

...d