Cycling UK Forum

Right, after totaling my Charge Plug, and now having a Crux 2015 E5 set up with my Rival 1 components, I'm actually quite keen to look at doing some cyclocross type stuff (I've really been enjoying hooning around the park of late). I, presently, have Gravelking SS's in 38mm guise which are fine in the current drier weather.

Do any of you lovely folk have any suggestions for CX tyres? The more budget friendly the better, but with the caveat that I will be running them tubeless (and prefer the look of tan-walls).

Thanks in advance!

Edit: By 'cyclocross tyres' I'm looking at around the 33mm mark.

Proper CX as in racing or knocking round the woods etc. Of course you may be indanger of becoming a gravel rider with your present tyres .
Cheap and tubeless tend to be mutually exclusive.
Don't over estimate the need for grip. I ride round the woods all year with near slicks on the back and something a touch more knobbly on the front.
CX tyres don't tend to be as robust as so called gravel tyres as they don't need to be. CX racing is round parks and schools etc. Punctures are rare and if you do you swap wheels. In your shoes I'd be trawling the web for whatever pops up cheap. Doubt the pattern is crucial. I use what ever is cheap.

mattsccm wrote: 31 Aug 2022, 6:23pm Proper CX as in racing or knocking round the woods etc. Of course you may be indanger of becoming a gravel rider with your present tyres .
Cheap and tubeless tend to be mutually exclusive.
Don't over estimate the need for grip. I ride round the woods all year with near slicks on the back and something a touch more knobbly on the front.
CX tyres don't tend to be as robust as so called gravel tyres as they don't need to be. CX racing is round parks and schools etc. Punctures are rare and if you do you swap wheels. In your shoes I'd be trawling the web for whatever pops up cheap. Doubt the pattern is crucial. I use what ever is cheap.

Thanks Matt.
Ha! You're not wrong, I've done some 'gravel riding' around my area including hitting a couple of the easier mtb trails on my CX bike (and on my Charge Plug steel framed 'all-road' bike before that).
I get what you're saying about puncture protection - my general aim is trawling around the woods, bridalways, fire roads etc. at moderate speed, and with a view of potentially entering a couple of events towards the end of the year (if I can improve my mounting/dismounting)!

I'll keep an eye out - I'm aware of some Maxxis All Terrane which look decent, and I've seen good things about the Panaracer Gravelking AC (and less about their knobblier EXT that also look like they'd fit the bill) which are the same compound as my 'gravel' tyres.
It does get quite boggy around here in S Wales so something that can handle a little mud would be welcome.

Diolch eto - thanks again!

Aaaand won the bidding for the Maxxis All Terrane. Tubeless, cheap, good looking tread. All for £32.

I use Gravelking 32mm SK on my Charge Plug. Also find then surprising good in the road.

Jupestar wrote: 14 Sep 2022, 6:17pm I use Gravelking 32mm SK on my Charge Plug. Also find then surprising good in the road.

I used to have the 35 SK's but found they really held onto mud. They were good going on the road (and I did have them on a Charge Plug too, before I crashed it)!
I might trial the EXT's when these All Terrane's die, but they've been decent on-road and very good off-road so far!

Benz3ne wrote: 15 Sep 2022, 10:51am I used to have the 35 SK's but found they really held onto mud. They were good going on the road (and I did have them on a Charge Plug too, before I crashed it)!
I might trial the EXT's when these All Terrane's die, but they've been decent on-road and very good off-road so far!

Very good point now you have made it. Now I think about it, They do hold mud. And an absolute pig to clean. (I keep mine in the flat).

I take the 29er cooker with 2.1 Maxxis Minion tyres for the mud. The Plug is more fun though.

+1 for the Maxxis

Little update on the Maxxis... They sustained a slice a while back that saw me walking around 3 miles to home (not too terrible). Sealant managed to seal it to an extent but it keeps opening back up. Well Wednesday I had to walk the last mile to work and yesterday I had to use two CO2 cartridges and two tyre plugs just to get me home.
Suffice to say that while it probably is mendable with patches, I've lost a bit of confidence in them. I think I've been spoiled by Panaracers previously that hold a seriously strong bead on the Hunt 4-Seasons wheels they're mounted on, and have seemed to seal well with whatever cuts/pin-pricks have come their way.
Ergo, hanging up the Maxxis for now, will keep them in reserve (probably), but have some Panaracer Gravelking EXT's in 33c guise on their way.

Methinks you went for a CX tyre when possibly something badged "gravel", treking" or "hybrid" might have served you better.
Maxxis call it a race tyre. CX race tyres are not meant to be especially robust. Weight and grip are their main strong points as if you puncture you just sling in the spare wheel you took to the race. Laps of playing fields with a bit of woodland thrown in is those tyres strong points.
Been there and done that and still do when my wallet has hold of my head.

mattsccm wrote: 24 Oct 2022, 12:33pm Methinks you went for a CX tyre when possibly something badged "gravel", treking" or "hybrid" might have served you better.
Maxxis call it a race tyre. CX race tyres are not meant to be especially robust. Weight and grip are their main strong points as if you puncture you just sling in the spare wheel you took to the race. Laps of playing fields with a bit of woodland thrown in is those tyres strong points.
Been there and done that and still do when my wallet has hold of my head.

Almost certainly spot on there, Matt.
It was VERY good apart from that part, and when they let out any air they'd start burping and belching (more tea vicar?), so were giving me some anxiety from that perspective.
Compare that to the Panaracers I've had over the course of my cycling journey and they hold onto the rim of my Hunt wheels very firmly...
Either way, I'm now REALLY enjoying the Gravelking EXT's. I'll probably get more when I've worked my way through this one; they're very competent.

Good choice of WTB tyres at good prices at Wiggle currently.

Benz3ne wrote: 3 Sep 2022, 8:27pm Aaaand won the bidding for the Maxxis All Terrane. Tubeless, cheap, good looking tread. All for £32.

+1 to the Maxxis, a very nice tyre.

My wife is a 'cross racer and has found there's a simple system for choosing tyres...
Whichever ones you go for are wrong for today's race.

pjclinch wrote: 22 Nov 2023, 10:15am My wife is a 'cross racer and has found there's a simple system for choosing tyres...
Whichever ones you go for are wrong for today's race.

Ha, I always feel the same when I'm out with my camera... "why did I pick this lens?!"