Tyre choice Cyclocross

And to be honest, if it's the sort of race where the mud is bad enough to be causing X-Ones an issue, it's probably also the sort of race where you need two bikes and a pit crew to be competitive anyway.

Schwalbe X-Ones are our go-to tyre for cyclocross. They are not the best in deep mud, but for everything else, they are a brilliant one-tyre-fits-all. Fast on hard grass, grippy on wet grass and light mud. They clear mud surprisingly well. We have the tubeless versions and they were both easy to fit and happy at very low pressures (sub 20psi with a 70kg rider if needed).

Islabikes' new £35 Greim Pro is tubelesss-compatible and very similar to the Baby Limus, and lighter. The following is from a review of the Luath 700 they were fitted to (here):

"They coped well with the whole range of conditions that we tested under, and they make excellent all-purpose racing tyres ....  The Greim is our new favourite tyre, and when the wider cyclocross community realises just how good it is we think it will be seen at all levels of the sport."

They also sell a 420g wire-bead version for £20.

IF You do go clinchers these will get you round anything.

https://www.athleteshop.co.uk/schwalbe-x-one-bite-folding-tyre-33-622-28...

Yesterday was pretty skaty, even on full muds, esp on some of those flat corners where you had a thin layer of mud over hard ground (because its been dry for so long the mud doesn't go very deep). And there was always a pretty solid looking tree at the run off point on every dodgy corner, just to make you pay attention.

You are correct that the tread pattern on the Small Block 8 won't clear mud/will "ball up". Grifos are probably a little on the too dry condition at this point of the season, although they are good all rounders. Ideally you want a fango or even a limus (or as a jack of all trades set up, fango rear, limus front). If you can only have one set of tyres I think you are better off "sizing up" in terms of tread than the other way around, e.g., you can ride muds on grass that you may be faster riding on files, but the reverse is rarely true. If you want a mud clincher then Hargroves have Michelin Mud 2s (which are apparently pretty good for a clincher) for just under £30 at present.

Do you have the option to run your wheels tubeless? If you can then you probably should, as it will allow you to get your pressure a bit lower (but Challenge apparently pretty poor at staying inflated tubeless because of casing used). If you go this route then suggets Clement PDX or maybe a WTB Cross Wolf. Unfortunately tubeless CX tyres are more expensive than clinchers. Tubeless casings are more rigid than a high TPI clincher casing, so its a bit of a trade off (in favour of tubeless once you get down to low 30s/high 20s).

Just did this over on the article about the 'Dale, but http://cyclocosm.com/2013/08/yes-you-should-probably-just-get-cyclocross-tubulars/  Tubs aren't for everyone, and they certainly aren't a magic bullet (I get beaten by plenty of people on clinchers/tubeless) and they are more expensive in terms of wheels and tyres, although not that much if you buy Chinese/shop for tubs in sales. (To prove Cosmo's point about tubs being more expensive, I was running 24psi in the rear yesterday and managed to punture two rear tubs on some of those submerged bricks on the descent, that's c.£40 of repairs (assuming they are repairable) plus the associate hassle of removing, posting and eventually regluing that I really didn't need on a Monday morning before Christmas.) But they are a lovely ride and I find them confidence inspiring in terms of grip as a result of low pressures.

I'm a cyclocross newbie and have been using Challenge Limus clinchers, bags of grip in mud and whilst probably not best suited to dryer grass surfaces mean that for my purposes (one set of wheels) they cope with most eventualities. I'll happily trade good grip for a little less speed ! They're not cheap though...................