# skinniest cyclocross tires available



## jvossman (Jan 10, 2005)

Hi, I know there are 28s out there, anything smaller? Thanks in advance.

John Voss
Miami FL


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## jmeerse (Nov 12, 2004)

*Conti and Vittoria*

The Continental Cross Attack tubular is listed at 700x27, as are the Vittoria Master Cross and Tigre Cross (the older, green Vittorias). Of course, what the tire is listed at may not be what it truly measures.

John




jvossman said:


> Hi, I know there are 28s out there, anything smaller? Thanks in advance.
> 
> John Voss
> Miami FL


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## jroden (Jun 15, 2004)

of those three, the cross attack is the narrowest, with a bunch or small square knobs, while the el tigre has wide spaced knobs. I agree with the Mainer (above, has log skidder parked on front lawn right now) re: the general narrowness of these tires.


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## SteveCnj (Oct 6, 2003)

jvossman said:


> Hi, I know there are 28s out there, anything smaller? Thanks in advance.
> 
> John Voss
> Miami FL


Vredestein Campo Cross are listed as 700 x 28, but they seem more like 25 or 26 to me. Very narrow, and you can run them up to 110 psi if you want to occasionally ride them on the road.


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## tube_ee (Aug 25, 2003)

WHY!!??!! Have you got a pair of wheels you're really mad at?

--Shannon


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## MShaw (Jun 7, 2003)

tube_ee said:


> WHY!!??!! Have you got a pair of wheels you're really mad at?
> 
> --Shannon


I'm guessing there's a road frame/bike he wants to ride 'off-road' involved.

I ride 34c tires and I've STILL gotten a divot in my rear rim. Oh well. That's whatcha get riding off-road.

M


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## jvossman (Jan 10, 2005)

*why I want skinnies*

Hi, got a surly pacer and was considering racing it in the upcoming florida cyclocross series. After driving into a brick wall (long story) I had to replace the stock surly pacer fork with a takeoff carbon one from a litespeed road bike. It barely fits a 26 slick in the front so I was hoping for a similarly skinny cyclcross tire. Now I think I will purchase a karate monkey 29er fork, stick it up front on the surly pacer and get 30s cyclocross tires for front and rear (yes it will fit). After cyclocross season I can stick the monkey fork on my 29er mountain bike. I realize that I really should have a cyclocross bike for cyclocross (and I do have a frame) but I figure the cost to build it up is at least $200 more than the monkey fork and tires. I realize that the pacer will have the world's weirdest geometry, but I kind of like the idea of freaking out my s florida roadie friends when I show up for tuesday morning's ride covered in mud. 

I should point out I have no intention of being competitive and would consider it a major accomplishment if I finished top 50%...

Thanks for listening...

-jv


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## jroden (Jun 15, 2004)

I guess the thing I would want to check is the distance from the end of the fork blade to the brake mounting studs and the width of the studs from each other. You want to make sure you can have functional brakes if you are going to use a standard 700C road rim. You could use a v brake w/ adapter for Florida conditions if it is not at all muddy, but this is still not a great way to go. Also, make sure the steerer tube length will be OK. Also, check the rake and trail just to make sure it isn't way off, you don't want to race cross on a bike that handles like crap. 

My track record with screwball ideas like this has not been good, I end up buying junk that won't do the job and then buying what I should have bought in the first place. Maybe your plan is sound, I don't have enough knowledge of a 29 type MTB fork to say--good luck if you decide to do this, let us know.

You may end up being faster with your Lightspeed fork, no front brake and some skinny tire with itty bitty knobs.


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## PeanutButterBreath (Dec 4, 2005)

The Karate Monkey fork has an axle to crown distance of 468mm vs. the Pacer fork which is 376mm.

On the plus side, it will work just fine with 700C wheels and canti brakes. . .


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## tube_ee (Aug 25, 2003)

You can get the CrossCheck fork just as easily as the KM, and you won't slacken the head tube on your pacer frame by 3 degrees or so... Remember, the KM fork is suspension corrected to 100 mm.

For that matter, why not just buy a Pacer fork? That way, you won't have to worry about brakes.

--Shannon


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## PeanutButterBreath (Dec 4, 2005)

The Cross Check fork is still about and inch longer at 400mm A-C. The Long Haul Trucker fork has canti bosses and an A-C length of 390mm.


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## nancyinky (Apr 16, 2004)

I did the make my road bike a cross bike thing...i went with the tigre cross on sew ups...I never got far...MUD mud MUD. on dry days early season befor the leaves it worked. I set my breaks as wide as i could. The rear stays seemed to kick off mud before it locked my breaks and it kept rolling. 

The front had more clearance, but the breaks just locked with mud and leaves fast...i kept trying to poke it out whenever i shouldered the bike and i ran over anything mucky looking. 

In the short--i still got to have fun for being broke--in the bad i SO finished last. on one occasion i could not push out the mud by hand that locked the front break--i had to use a screwdriver. Good I run fast, lol. So, I say go for it if you wanna try it and have fun, but have a good attitude about being last and get outta the way when your wheels are making you move like a snail.


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## jvossman (Jan 10, 2005)

*update on frealy surly pacer*

Hi I did do the surly pacer with karate monkey fork vbrake. It worked. Sure looked weird though. Next year will have a proper cross bike...

Thanks

-jv


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