Posts in category cyclocross tire reviews

Specialized has been working on a new line of cyclocross tubular tires for several years now, and with input from riders like 2010 National Champion Todd Wells, it developed several prototypes last season. The Specialized Tracer cyclocross tire comes in three configurations: the 290tpi, 423g Tracer Tubular, the folding 282g Tracer Pro clincher, and the Tracer Sport wire bead clincher (weights are average of early prototypes, as measured by Cyclocross Magazine) . All three models are listed at 33c to fall within UCI regulations. Our early tubular versions measured out at 32c, and Specialized informed us that the production versions will have slightly larger casings.

Tired of black tires? How about red, blue, or pink? That might be enough of a selling point for some. But rest assured, this miniaturized version of Panaracer’s Fire XC-Pro tire isn’t just designed to look pretty.

The Raze is Maxxis’ newest cyclocross tire. At a svelte 322 grams and with a versatile tread, it’s well-suited for many types of courses and terrain.

n Transitions, the ’cross movie, we witness former pro and former Hutchinson guy Marc Gullickson clipping some of the knobs off his old Hutchinson clincher before a race to get ready for the “peanut butter” mud he expects to encounter. Perhaps the Bulldog is the type of tire he was trying to create at the time.

A tread that’s been around longer than most ‘cross racers has gotta be pretty good, and these “open tubular” Challenge tires, sporting the legendary Clement tread, are great all-around tires that can handle most conditions well.

Continental adapted its popular Speed King mountain bike tire for ’cross, and it’s easy to see why this tread has been popular in the fat tire world.

This is the big brother of the CrossBlaster. If you race mostly deep grass courses, the Cinder-X is not the tire for you. But if you ride and race your bike on a mixture of surfaces, this tire could be an ideal choice.

The Ritchey Excavader is aptly named, as this tire digs into the soft dirt really well. On the pavement, the tire rolls quite smoothly, thanks to its semi-continuous center tread.

Tire Review: Maxxis Locust Cyclocross Tire Review Racing and Riding Impressions: Like the Kenda Small Block 8, the Locust is a great ’cross tire for …

WTB has created an aggressive ’cross tire in the Cross Wolf, and the tread excels in rougher conditions found in WTB’s NorCal backyard.

Cyclocross Tire Review: Michelin Jet Cyclocross 700x30c Clincher Riding and Racing Impressions: The Michelin Jet replaced the well-loved green Michelin Sprint cyclocross tire, and like …

The Ritchey Speedmax is a time-tested design and has been around longer than any other clincher tire in this test. There’s a good reason for that, as it’s a fine choice for fast, dry courses, especially as a rear tire. The low profile center tread grips grass, dirt, and pavement well. Cornering traction is very good thanks to the raised knobs. The Speedmax does better as a rear tire, and when things get muddy or loose, reach for a different tire. The Speedmax is also available in 35 and 40c widths.

Going tubeless for cyclocross is an attractive option for anyone tired of pinch-flatting clinchers or gluing and re-gluing (or flatting) expensive tubulars. Cyclocross Magazine has …

If you stop to think about it, there really are only two cyclocross-specific components on a ‘cross bike: cyclocross tires, and lately, cyclocross-specific cantilever brakes. …