the route i will embark on is 1/2 cushed limestone and 1/5 paved roads. i will be on 700C wheels. should i get cyclocross tires, slick tires, or one of each? if i run one slick and one "grip," should the front be the grip?

the route i will embark on is 1/2 cushed limestone and 1/5 paved roads. i will be on 700C wheels. should i get cyclocross tires, slick tires, or one of each? if i run one slick and one "grip," should the front be the grip?
I am a big cyclocross fan myself so I am biased for CX gear. Be forewarned that CX tires will last about a season when on the road, thus most people have a 2nd set of tires (mounted on a 2nd set of rims).

1. Michelin Jets are a nice way to go, though a bit pricey. However, when the conditions go sour (mud & snow), the Jets will not take to well.
2. Vittorria Randonneur Cross are nice too (presently my road-ish tires). For the 200km or so on them now, they show no sign of wear at all. Mind you, the weather in Montreal has not been very hospitable for long rides on the weekends. I have run these tires on trails & they do a nice job under good conditions, no snow or mud.

I am a big cyclocross fan myself so I am biased for CX gear. Be forewarned that CX tires will last about a season when on the road, thus most people have a 2nd set of tires (mounted on a 2nd set of rims).

1. Michelin Jets are a nice way to go, though a bit pricey. However, when the conditions go sour (mud & snow), the Jets will not take to well.
2. Vittorria Randonneur Cross are nice too (presently my road-ish tires). For the 200km or so on them now, they show no sign of wear at all. Mind you, the weather in Montreal has not been very hospitable for long rides on the weekends. I have run these tires on trails & they do a nice job under good conditions, no snow or mud.

I prefer the Vredestein Campo Crosses myself.


I buuy the 28 size, great for both off road and on road use.

Very nice ride.

Avocets wear a lot better and I have one on the back. Paselas cost much less and feel a litttle livelier on the front. I wouldn't get new tires til the old ones wear out. I used to make that mistake, thinking it was important to have just the right tires for an intended use, and wound up with a cellar full of half used tires.

Check out the Michelin Transworld Sprint.

They are pretty much the old cyclocross sprint tread (file tread center, with knobs on the sides), but they are accurately marked for size (35mm), use a wire bead, have a different rubber compound, and feature a reflective sidewall.

They'll be fast on the road, but will give a nice ride on the limestone. I used them this winter and they are long lasting. They role so much faster than the Bontrager CX tires I used on my commuter.

The other nice thing is that they are significantly cheaper than the Michelin CX line ~ $16 a tire.

I love (and miss) the Cyclocross Sprint; the transworld sprint is like its cheaper fraternal twin.

I use a 25mm Michelin Axial Carbon on the Des Plaines River Trail quite often when it is dry. They work fine as far as traction goes and the carbon keeps them from getting cut by the limestone. I prefer the Michelin Sprints mentioned above from a "suspension" point of view. The hoof prints really tear up the trail and the Sprints provide a little cushion. I do not, however like the Sprints on pavement. When you corner hard and ride up on those side knobs, they feel very squishy (technical term). Another one that works both on and off road, is the WTB Allterrainasaurus. It isn't great at either, but works for both.

The biggest thing is try to keep your bike clean. The limestone really tears up the gears, chain, etc.

TF

I dont have good experiences commuting with Michelin CX jets. They just arent punture resistant at all. I had 3 flats on 2 different bikes with essentially new Michelins within 4 weeks. I must say i have bad luck, but some other tires might handle the sharp things better than CX jets. I would just stick with thicker treaded road tires.

I dont have good experiences commuting with Michelin CX jets. They just arent punture resistant at all. I had 3 flats on 2 different bikes with essentially new Michelins within 4 weeks. I must say i have bad luck, but some other tires might handle the sharp things better than CX jets. I would just stick with thicker treaded road tires.

The compound in the Michelin CX line, the mud, jet, and sorely departed sprint is very soft and designed for doing one thing well - racing cross - where (I'm hopeful) who ever set up the course has taken into account sharp things that might cause punctures.

That's why I like the Transworld line. It takes some of the tread designs from the cross line, but puts them on a tougher tire with features designed with commuters in mind.

I think it's silly to commute on tires that cost $40 a piece anyway (like the Jets).

I commuted for a week three years ago on Michelin CX Sprint tires (the lovely green ones) and punctured everyday. Now I'm using the Michelin Dynamic and Michelin Transworld sprint tires and (touch wood) I haven't had a flat from a puncture in two years while commuting or training on them.

I'm not a Michelin rep, or someone trying to make a buck, but I think for mixed condition commuting Michelin has the best offerings.

Check out the Transworld Sprint at AEbike; only $16 a piece
http://aebike.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=30&SKU=TR8267

I am a big cyclocross fan myself so I am biased for CX gear.

Yeah, don't listen to hawk, he's just a crazed CX'er...;) Me? I'm a used-to-race-alot crazed CX'er. Now at 42, I just race when my back isn't killing me, ("old fart"), which ain't too often!!

But I agree with toomanybikes - I also use Vredestein Campo 28's for on- and off-road duties, and they'll handle just about everything I can throw at them. These are great if you have only 1 wheelset and need something that'll handle most situations without having to change tires/wheelsets constantly, (ie: wider & with semi-knobs than a smooth road 25c, but not as sluggish as a full-knob 32/35/38c.) I've done some fairly gnarly singletrack with low psi (40-50 lbs.) on Campo 28's no problem because they're good at avoiding pinch flats. On the other extreme, if your on pavement mostly, they'll can be pumped up to 135 psi and still give excellent performance. These are very versatile tires.

The Campo's handle well on-road, without any squirmy-ness, and making the transition from pavement onto dirt/gravel roads is much less scary than with a typical smooth 'touring' or road tire. Only possible downside is the price @ $30. each, but I don't mind when I'm getting something that works this well.

I remember going down hard one time on a MTB with a set of Sprints while making a turn on pavement, and later a pair of Jets didn't exactly inspire confidence either. But never once have I gotten the Campos to break, but maybe just a little drifting on pretty hard cornering. IMHO, the Michelin Sprint and Jet can't hold a candle to the Campo, but YMMV.