Cyclocross tyres: Everything you wanted to know but were too afraid to ask

Cyclocross began as a niche winter pursuit, a way of cross-training for road riders in the winter to spice things up. Now, while not as popular as road or gravel, it has a devoted worldwide audience who are unusually obsessive over tyre choice. 

All the clamour at pro road or gravel races tends to be around framesets, wheels or the groupset, but watch the start of any cyclocross race and the cameras will always pan down across the grid to show what tyres each rider is running. This may seem like an odd thing to cover at first - you’d never see the same in a road race - but more than any other component, tyres make the biggest difference to your overall chances in a ‘cross race. 

The best cyclocross tyres can be pretty expensive, and as such it is rare to find even the best cyclocross bikes specced with them from the factory, so if you’re looking to upgrade but not sure where to start then read on. We’ll take you through casing constructions, the benefits of tubeless vs tubes (which may surprise some of you), widths, and just why everyone gets so excited about green tyres. 

Cyclocross vs gravel tyres 

Cyclocross is an extremely specific cycling discipline, and while for a time there was a great deal of similarity between cyclocross bikes and gravel bikes, the two have diverged for some time now, leaving ‘cross bikes left to tackle the demands of the mud between the tape. Yes, with the emergence of the best gravel race bikes there has been some re-convergence of the two again (here’s looking at you, Specialized Crux), but in terms of tyres especially the disciplines are worlds apart. 

Gravel demands speed on a much greater variety of terrain, and as such you usually find a tread that accounts for that. Slick centres and more knobbly shoulders about, but as gravel tyres are unconstrained by UCI regulations (for now) they are usually far wider and therefore need to be less knobbly to achieve the same level of grip. Furthermore, it is rare to see 180-degree hairpins in a gravel race, while cyclocross courses usually feature several. In fact, the cornering in cyclocross races is generally a lot tighter, and so more pronounced shoulder knobs are key on ‘cross tyres.

Finally, there is tyre construction. The need to be able to stand up to higher pressures, and have greater puncture resistance; gravel, and especially flint gravel, is far sharper than mud and grass. They are almost always the standard all-rubber construction, while the best ‘cross tyres are predominantly cotton cased, or in some cases even silk, with the tread glued on top. This isn’t to say you can’t use all rubber tyres in a 'cross race, but as we’ll go into, there are advantages to using more supple casings.

What TPI do I need for cyclocross? 

We’ve got a whole guide dedicated to answer the question ‘what is TPI?’, which you should definitely read too, but there are some ‘cross-specific details that are pertinent to go into here. Grip is paramount in cyclocross, and one way to gain more traction is by running a more supple tyre. A higher TPI (threads-per-inch) count means the tyre will more easily deform over whatever surface you’re riding over, increasing the contact area with the ground and therefore the grip on offer. This is why the best ‘cross tyres use cotton or silk casings. 

The flip side is that, for general use, the tyres can be too fragile. As an example, we found the Challenge Getaway gravel tyre to be excellent, but the puncture protection was pretty woeful; one for race days only (yes, this is a gravel tyre nominally, but the construction is the same as the brand's CX offerings). 

In short, if you’re just using the tyres for cyclocross, go for the highest thread count you can afford.

What tyre width is best for cyclocross? 

The UCI allows a maximum width of 33mm for ‘cross races, and so for the vast majority of situations, this is the optimum width (wider, in general, means more grip). If you’ve got a dedicated cyclocross  bike and want to do things by the book then 33 is the way to go, but if you aren’t necessarily challenging for the podium, or aren’t racing for UCI points then a few extra millimetres won’t hurt, just check your local league's rules first too. 

While wider will give you more grip, there is a point where the increase in grip is outstripped by the increased resistance of wider tyres, so don’t expect to set any records if you turn up on 55mm knobblies. 

One notable exception to the ‘wider is faster (within reason)’ rule is that sometimes in extremely sloppy conditions a slightly narrower tyre will cut through the upper layer of brown cream cheese and find a harder substrate to bite into more easily. The best example of this is Wout van Aert’s 2018 winning setup, where he opted for a custom set of green tyres that were 30mm rather than 33mm as everyone else ran. 

For almost all races though 33mm is your best friend. 

What tyre pressure should I run for cyclocross? 

In general, as low as you can get away with without risking a pinch flat. For a 33mm tyre start off with about 30psi and go from there. If it’s a fast dry track you may want a little more, and if it’s a soft muddy course you can drop some out. It may feel odd riding what would otherwise have you stopping to reach for a mini pump, but the lower pressure again means a greater contact patch and therefore more grip.

Your pressure, too, will be dictated to some degree by the type of system you’re running, which we’ll dive into now. 

Should I go tubeless for cyclocross? 

Tubeless tyres have become the norm across gravel, and are settling into the road world too. As such you may assume that tubeless is the best option for cyclocross, too. Well, this may not be the case. The combination of lower tyre pressures and harder cornering involved in ‘cross racing creates a greater risk of ‘burping’ a tubeless tyre, i.e. popping the bead away from the rim in a corner and releasing a load of air and sealant. This, as you can imagine, isn’t going to be great if you’re already running your tyres at the lowest pressure you feel safe doing without clattering your rims over a tree root. 

Compared to general riding, the chance of getting a normal puncture in ‘cross is low as you’ll be mostly riding on soft surfaces free from glass, nails and sharp rocks. If you get the pressure right you’ll probably be better off using a set of latex tubes, where you can run lower pressures and still corner hard without the worry of burping. Not only will your setup be lighter than using sealant, but the rolling resistance differences will also be negated by the fact you’re riding through soil. Latex tubes are claimed to be more puncture resistant than butyl ones too, which is an added bonus, and if you’re already running butyl tubes then swapping to latex is the most cost-effective wattage gain you can make according to our ranked list of cost-effective bike upgrades. 

Finally, we come to tubular tyres, or ‘tubs’ for short. Physically glued onto the rim these are the choice of pros as you can run them at the lowest pressures. This is usually the most expensive way to go though, and you’ll have to commit to a tyre tread for an entire season unless you have the patience of a Saint, as glueing tyres onto rims takes a good few days each time. The benefit is that you can effectively run them flat back to the pits, and at pressures in the teens of PSI. Be careful though, as while you can’t burp a tub, you can roll them off the rim if your glue doesn’t hold, like Katie Compton at the 2018 Trek CX Cup. 

 What tyre tread should I use? 

There really isn’t a perfect tyre tread for any given course. A lot of the time it comes down to a gamble, as a mistimed downpour can quickly see a track turn from a grass crit to the Somme in a matter of laps. If you’re unsure then a more general-purpose option is going to be your friend. 

Consider too your bike handling confidence; things get slippy in ‘cross, and two-wheeled drifting isn’t outside the norm. If you’re happy going sideways and don’t mind risking a face full of mud then you can potentially go for a faster, less knobbly option. On the other hand, if you’re just starting out then we’d recommend going for a grippier tyre if you’re torn between two options. What’s more, if you find yourself under-knobbed, an hour is a long time to run with a bike on your shoulder when you don’t have enough traction to ride the course. 

What cyclocross tyres should I use for dry conditions?

It’s the first race of a new cyclocross season, or maybe it’s just the middle of the summer league. The course is basically a crit race but with more hairpins, and a dusty hard centreline with some parched grass on either side. Think the 2022 ‘cross worlds in Fayetteville. While the pros mostly opted for a mixed condition ‘Grifo’ tread, for really dry races you can get away with a pretty slick centreline. 

Something like the Challenge Chicane or the Schwalbe X-One Speed combine an extremely low profile centre to give maximum speed in the dry, along with much more pronounced shoulder knobs to cope with really hard cornering or any off-camber sections. If you want to go a little wider and are also thinking of doubling up for some gravel use, the Challenge Gravel Grinder is a similar option that offers a bit more width.

If you can afford to swap tyres throughout the season then these are great for dry racing, but as soon as things get slippery you will find yourself lacking the ability to transfer power into forward motion, so not a fit-and-forget choice.

What cyclocross tyres should I use for mixed, dry conditions?

Now we’re into what we’d think of as ‘proper’ cyclocross conditions, where there’s at least the potential for mud. For mixed conditions, something along the lines of the Challenge Grifo or the Schwalbe X-One Allround will see you through. 

The Grifo - and similar options from other cyclocross tyre specialists - utilises a centreline with pronounced V’s, along with circular and semicircular knobs on the shoulders. You’ll notice there is a fair distance between the knobs too, to aid in mud shedding; once a tyre is absolutely caked in mud it may as well be a slick!

The X-One Allround is more akin to a shrunk down mud tyre, with plenty of small knobs and a squarer shoulder to bite in off-camber situations. If you’re really on a budget the Schwalbe CX Pro is also an option and very similar to the Grifo in terms of tread, but it is only available in a 30mm width.

If you want to go green, Michelin has its Power Cyclocross Jet model that is also prime for mixed, but mostly dry conditions, utilising little triangles instead of the V shapes of the grifo and CX Pro.

What cyclocross tyres should I use for mixed, wet conditions?

The heavens have opened, at least recently, and the track is looking like it’s going to get cut up and slippery pretty fast. This is when you want tyres with a bit more bite to them. While Challenge offers the Limus for truly filthy races, it also has the option of the Baby Limus, a slightly pared back version with the same shape, but smaller and shorter lugs. 

For muddy races you want fewer lugs which are more widely spaced to allow the mud to fling away. This is especially true in muddy conditions after rain, where the mud is drying out and has a tendency to clag into treads. 

The Schwalbe X-One Bite is also a good option here, though due to the closeness of the knob spacing they may gum up more easily if things dry out. 

What cyclocross tyres should I use for muddy conditions?

This is it, the peak of cyclocross racing, and for a lot of us it’s the kind of conditions we live for. Nobody can see a thing. Everyone looks the same, and everyone is constantly fighting for traction. Here you want big lugs, widely spaced, like a paddle steamer. A Challenge Limus is probably the gold standard, but if you can go a little wider the Ritchey Megabite is also an excellent option, and a good one for winter gravel riding too if you live somewhere muddy.

Again, for fans of green the Michelin Power Mud is also a great choice, with slightly smaller lugs but more widely spaced for excellent clearing characteristics.

Some special cases for unusual conditions

The above list will cover you for about 99.9% of conditions. For pros though there are a few situations where even these don’t cut the mustard. 

In sand-dominant conditions, which is basically just the dunes of Koksijde in Belgium, Challenge has the (aptly named) Dune and Koksijde models. Featuring the same diamond file tread in the centre as the Chicane, but in this case with either small side knobs or none at all.

In ice and snow, studded tyres are available, but these aren’t legal for competition use. Finally, we have the Three Peaks cyclocross race, which is so unlike any other ‘cross race it demands totally different things of tyres. Run over the extremely rocky and high-speed descents of the three highest peaks in Yorkshire for this you need strong tyres: no cotton sidewalls, please. The tread will vary depending on the conditions but you’ll be running somewhere around 70psi to avoid pinch flats, or a bit lower if you’re running tubeless (this is somewhere where tubeless is definitely a benefit).

Can I mix tyre treads? 

Absolutely, you can. In general if you’re thinking of mixing treads you want to keep the more grippy option on the front and the lower profile at the rear. A rear tyre slide is much easier to control than a front washout, and with more of your weight over the rear you’ll get away with a slicker tread on the back more easily too. 

You can go totally rogue and mix something like a Chicane and a Limus, but in general the conditions would usually be best served by only jumping one step up or down, so think more like a Baby Limus up front and a Grifo at the back for example. 

Why does everyone get so excited about green tyres? 

A lot of it is because they look different, and part of it is a cyclocross hive mind hype. The green tread harks back to the original Michelin Mud tyres, which were coveted for their performance and sadly discontinued, now replaced by a similar but not totally the same Michelin Power Mud. 

So much were these original tyres coveted that former world champion Nils Albert purchased a stash of them and kept them in a secret, temperature and humidity-controlled vault for special occasions (so the myth goes). 

Cementing the green treads into cyclocross legend forever was the fact that Albert had the 30mm Michelin Mud treads removed and re-mounted onto a set of modern cotton casings for Van Aert to use to claim victory in Bieles in 2017. The green tread also contains a higher silica content than black treads, which had some hand in keeping the punctures at bay that so plagued the rest of the competitors.