UKC

Hopefully an easy question...

I've currently got knobbly 37c tyres (max 65psi) on my cyclocross bike used for a 10 mile on a smooth cycle lane (London's CS3).

Will changing to a 28c road tyre (max 116psi) make a lot of difference?

If so, am I likely to need a different innertube if I make the switch?

Also for a slower ride on a canal path that's firm but slightly gravely, will road tyres be okay?

Thanks!

In reply to James Malloch:

Yes, yes and yes. I think.

In reply to James Malloch:

My cyclocross has had road tyres on for last 2 years now - difference is massive, especially if you put good tyres on. If you want 28mm then I would suggest Conti GP 4 seasons

In reply to James Malloch:

Road tyres should be OK on a towpath but these could be what your after, maybe marginally slower on the road but better on the towpath than a faster road tyre.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/panaracer-gravel-king-folding-road-tyre/?lang=en&am...

In reply to James Malloch:

Slicks are generally better at everything but CX racing on a CX. I've done some crazy stuff on 23mm gatorskins at 80-90psi, loaded touring, errr gravel riding I think they call it, even a bit of MTB trail riding. One bike quiver and all that.

D

In reply to James Malloch:

Cheers for the replies all! I'll have a look at some slicks soon and see what difference it makes to my commute!

In reply to James Malloch:

You will skid much more in muddy conditions though.

I use Schwalbe Marathon Plus as they keep punctures to an absolute minimum. Fine on road, fine for light off road like gravel cycle paths.

In reply to James Malloch:

I'm currently using these on my touring / commuter http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TYVIVOHY/vittoria-voyager-hyper-folding-tyre they seem to roll well are fairly comfortable due to the size and are quite cheep so might be worth a try. They seem to be much better rolling than my previous marathon pluses and are quite a lot lighter as well. I find them great for road and compact gravel tracks but loose gravel can be a bit unnerving particularly when descending.

In reply to TobyA:

I'm on Schwalbe Marathons, but the ride is harsh, and they are heavy.
Worth it for puncture protection on my commute.

In reply to SiGregory:

I have the 25mm Durano Plus, which are lighter than the Marathons and seem very puncture resistant. In terms of ride they don't seem any slower than whatever was on my road bike before. For compacted stone type paths, with the odd pebbly section they are fine.

In reply to James Malloch:

I went from 32mm knobblies (that came with my CX, they might be Kendas...?) which I ran at 65ish to 25mm gatorskins (running at 105ish), and I'm in no rush to swap back.

Smoother and quieter ride, and a bit faster with the same effort. Real difference comes when you start to reach your upper speeds; it's much easier to tease out a few more kph. They are also absolutely fine on pretty bad quality surfaces; I took it uphill for nearly 1.5km on quite loose and blocky gravel and rocks, with 2km downhill of the same on the other side. I was inhibited by fitness levels and lack of ability rather than by my tyres. Not done heaps in the rain yet, but have felt secure enough when it's been wet.

I would also recommend not being scared to go skinny; 25mm is still comfy, and my friend managed the same balk-worthy track on 23mm gatorskins.

I think for the sizes you mention, you would probably need new inner tubes, yes. The box the tubes come in should tell you the tyre size range the tube is suited for.

In reply to James Malloch:

I have just done the same swap, 35mm Sammy Slicks CX tyres running at 65psi to Conti Ultrasport2 28mm running at 110psi and the difference is amazing! Smoother, faster and quieter. Will keep them on for the summer, back to the CX tyres for winter.

In reply to SiGregory:

For a long time I figured that the weight of Marathon Pluses was at least equaled by not having to carry a pump, spare tube, levers etc. Until about two weeks ago I had done about 10,000 kms on one pair of Marathon Plus without a puncture, and perhaps another 2000 kms on a pair of Marathon Plus Tours (a bit more tread, good if you ride on dirt roads a lot as I used to in Finland) with no punctures. I was so impressed with Schwalbe I had also bought last year a pair of Durano Plus for my road bike (and so far maybe 500 kms without a puncture on them). So recently I bought a new pair of Marathon Plus (32s rather than 35s to go a bit faster) and had done maybe 75 kms on them when I got a puncture! I figured it had to be a pinch flat because nothing can get through them right? So swapped tubes (fortunately I was carrying one) and continued my ride to work. Soon it was flat again. I really couldn't conceive of them puncturing - particularly when they were basically brand new. But on careful checking a piece of glass had gone right through the fabled blueband and into the inner tube. Now quite a big cut in the tyre. Schwalbe call them "flatless" and Chain Reaction (where I bought them from) said something like "punctures are a memory" on their blurb, so have credited me for a replacement tyre after they asked to see photos. But I got the feeling, its more because I've been a customer for a long time, than they were admitting they had over-egged their description of the tyres.

Still, 10,000 kms without a flat on the first pair is pretty good record. The streets of Sheffield obviously have more crap in them than the streets of Helsinki where I used to live and ride!