100 days till cross season: semi-slick shootout?

[Gummee]

Anyone done one? Heard of one?

All the mid-Atlantic 'grass crits' of the early season are coming up and I need to replace some tires after last season.

I'm thinking ?? [Grifo XS] rear and either a Fango or PDX front till the weather turns (if it does!)

M

[Nooch]

mmm cx...

[Gummee]

I PMed e-RICHIE 'over there' about the Grifo XS. He says he likes em.

I've got Tufo Dry 32s on now, but they're well... call it 'a step better than riding rubber hoses,' but only a step. They ARE tough tires tho. Gravel/mixed surface rides? They're fine. Racing? I suspect its not their strong suit

M

[Nooch]

I've got a set of continental speed kings that I use on the cx bike when it's more cx season and I'm commuting... figure if I decide to go off road a little it'll take it in stride (hard packed stuff).

but alas, as much as I dream about cx, i've never devoted enough time to get good enough to bother racing -- I can't remount for the life of me.

[Gummee]

I know its early, but I need tires while I still have $$...

M

[christian]

I've been running Vitt XNs when dry/grassy and XMs when muddy/wet. No use for the XGs. Tubs, of course. Been pretty happy with them. They seem to grip well.

I am in week one of my cx training block (anticipate first race 9/22). Happy to see others are thinking the same way!

[Gummee]

I've been running Vitt XNs when dry/grassy and XMs when muddy/wet. No use for the XGs. Tubs, of course. Been pretty happy with them. They seem to grip well.

I am in week one of my cx training block (anticipate first race 9/22). Happy to see others are thinking the same way!
I never stop thinking about cross. Since there's no track in the DC area, that's what I got. I'll race crits IF I know people are going, but they don't do it for me. Track first, then cross are my two loves.

Races are up?

M

[christian]

No, not yet, but Westwood/Paolo Zenoni Memorial will probably be 21st or 28th of September. So 16 weeks to the 21st, 17 to the 28th.

Cycle-Smart cross camp is 8/10.

[Gummee]

No, not yet, but Westwood/Paolo Zenoni Memorial will probably be 21st or 28th of September. So 16 weeks to the 21st, 17 to the 28th.

Cycle-Smart cross camp is 8/10.

I'm gonna get thru the Hilly Billy Roubaix, take a little bit of screw-off time, then hit the cross specific workouts so I'm not behind the 8 Ball when the season starts.

I have this great pair of local parks that have awesome cross courses thru em. One has this run-up hill that while I *need* to do it, I'm not really looking forward to doing it.

M

[ultraman6970]

If the darn weather continues like this, i'll move to CX or XC and leave the road bikes forever.

[gavingould]

I've run Grifo XS in the past, likely I'll do some early season training on Clement LAS clinchers.

[Bruce K]

LAS for file treads.

BK

[mtb_frk]

FMB sprints are really nice. But then again anything FMB is really nice. I use mine in a lot of my races.

[Dave B]

I have used the Griffo XS and love them. Could not believe how fast I felt, but how well I hooked up on the edges of the tires.

Would be my tire of choice...they are also awesome on single track stuff around where I am. Think blue groove type of stuff.

[djg]

What's a semi-slick? A file tread? A file tread with small shoulder knobs? Vittoria (as well as Challenge) makes a version of that. It's decent for a clincher tire of that type. Maybe a bit less supple and maybe a bit heavier (haven't checked and could be wrong) than the challenge version, but it's a decent tire that might be more reliably made than the Challenge, might last a bit longer, and might be had at a lower price. Not bad if you're looking for something quasi-cross -- that is, ride to work, grab miles, etc., on the cross bike, with some excursions onto the grass or dirt, whether for just riding or practice.

[rockdude]

If you are racing Cross then three letters is all you need to know. F-M-B....

[christian]

When I race cross, the three letters at the top of my mind tend to be F-U-K. Just sayin'.

[Gummee]

LAS for file treads.

BK

Ideas on how they compare to Tufo Dry 32s? :ear

@Christian: you can keep more things in mind than I can. Its usually 'ow!' going thru my braincase when racing cross. That and 'I gotta chase that next SOB down!' 'ONE more lap!' '#$%$ barriers AGAIN?!'

M

[shovelhd]

Cross is for crazy people.

That said, JPow and Adam are great people on and off the bike.

[redir]

FWIW I don't like Fango's at all. To me they are neither good enough for mud nor good enough for fast packed dirt and grass. I pretty much found Tufo to be the best, they make a diamond pattern tire that is great for fast courses.

[danielpack22@ma]

I'll put in another vote for Grifo XS. They've worked really well for me and have held up to some single track rides as well.

[Gummee]

FWIW I don't like Fango's at all. To me they are neither good enough for mud nor good enough for fast packed dirt and grass. I pretty much found Tufo to be the best, they make a diamond pattern tire that is great for fast courses.
I have a Fango as a front tire now. I'll second that motion to a point. I like the stiffer side knobs better than the Grifo's side knobs.

...but...

They're not very good mud tires.

M

[vpierce1]

I think Fango's make better all arounders than Grifos. Fast rolling center and better cornering purchase. Fangos plus Limus' and you're set. I'd get a file tread only if I were racing lots of frozen stuff. Also if you're not doing UCI races, why not buy up some old 34's? Nys himself said 34's make technical conditions child's play.

[weiwentg]

and where are these grass crits?

[Gummee]

They're pretty much every cross race in the area.

M

[e-RICHIE]

I PMed e-RICHIE 'over there' about the Grifo XS. He says he likes em.

Huh? My reply was about road riding. I never race cx with file treads. No one on the team does either.

[Gummee]

Huh? My reply was about road riding. I never race cx with file treads. No one on the team does either.

When I asked the question, I WAS talking about road/mixed surface riding on em. :nod

I'm asking a different question 'cause I tried a semi-slick in training a few times last fall and liked it. Felt fast. I just don't know if one semi-slick is better than another. Side knobs for cornering, etc.

M

[Gummee]

Rode the Tufos for 3-ish hrs Friday. :thumb

Don't ride real nice, but they're wearing like iron. ...which is OK in a training tire!

M