TYRE CHOICE FOR CYCLO-CROSS
One of the dark arts of cyclo-cross is choosing the right tyre tread pattern and correct tyre pressure. Professional cyclo-cross riders will arrive at races with an array of different tyres to suit different conditions.
The majority of cyclo-cross bikes will be sold with mixed-condition, tubeless-ready clincher tyres. The UCI limits tyre width for racing to 33mm, but for all-round use most modern cyclo-cross frames will take tyres of 40mm or wider, although you still need to be careful about clearance as you can quickly build up a wheel-stopping layer of mud. There’s a whole range of tread patterns available. A typical all-round tyre will have low-profile knobs in its central section with deeper tread at the edges for extra grip if the going gets soft. An all-round tyre will also roll reasonably well on firmer courses or tarmac. In deeper mud or loose conditions a more aggressive tread with deeper, more widely spaced knobs will give more grip and be less prone to collecting debris but it will roll less well on a hard surface. Sandy courses call for tyres with a file tread for better handling and grip. Many racers use cyclo-cross tubular tyres. Glued onto the rim, these can be run at lower pressures for greater grip — 20psi is not unheard of in muddy conditions. Tubulars aren’t prone to pinch flats and if you do puncture, you can ride them flat until you can make a bike change. There are some esoteric choices out there. Wout van Aert won the Worlds earlier this year on a set of green tyres. The treads came from Michelin Mud clinchers, which were last made in 2002. Cyclo-cross tubular experts Dugast glued them onto new casings for a super-grippy, puncture resistant and race-winning tyre.