There's not much left of the year.
How about changing your tires to welcome the New Year with a fresh set?
With that in mind, today I’d like to write about choosing tires, which is also extremely important for cyclocross, now that the season is in full swing.
Ultimately, there are many things you only realize once you’ve actually used them, but I think you can still find a rough direction to head in.
When choosing tires, the first thing that becomes important is the purpose of the replacement.
"Replacing because they're worn out"
"Replacing to change the quality of the ride"
"Replacing for a race or similar event"
"Replacing to change the look"
These are likely the main reasons.
So, when it actually comes time to replace them, what criteria should you use to choose?
There are four major points for choosing tires:
① Overall tread pattern and type
② Groove depth and knob height
③ Quality of the compound (tire rubber)
④ Price
First, for "① Overall tread pattern and type,"
you decide based on the intended use of the tire.
By intended use, think about where you primarily ride your bike.
If it's on-road, smooth tires excel, while if it's off-road, knobby tires are a better match.
If you do both, please refer to the requirements I will introduce next according to the ratio of each.
"② Groove depth and knob height" refer to the characteristics of that tire.
For smooth on-road tires, the characteristics change depending on whether they have grooves or not.
If there are no grooves, they will slide instantly on wet road surfaces, but they offer the best grip on dry surfaces.
Conversely, while tires with grooves have less grip on dry surfaces, they channel water away from the contact patch, allowing you to ride with confidence even on wet roads.
For knobby tires, the characteristics change depending on the position and shape of those knobs.
The denser the knobs in the center, the lighter the pedaling becomes on-road or on hard-packed ground.
However, because the ability to bite into the road surface is weaker, they become easier to slip on loose surfaces, making traction control difficult when pedaling.
For this reason, to get grip on loose surfaces, it is more effective for the knobs to be tall and spaced out so the tire can bite into the ground.
However, as the knobs get taller, the rubber becomes more prone to deforming during riding, so when you hit a hard surface, you might get a squirmy, unstable feeling.
This feeling of "squirm" is also heavily influenced by the quality of the compound (tire rubber) mentioned next.
"③ Quality of the compound (tire rubber)" refers literally to the type of rubber used.
For example, using a soft rubber, such as what is called "slow rebound," provides a sticky grip, so it bites well into the ground.
However, because it is soft, it also wears out very quickly.
Generally, hard rubber is rarely used, so it comes down to a choice between standard or soft; for scenes that require high grip like racing, choosing softer rubber will likely lead to better results.
Naturally, the quality of this rubber is also reflected in the "price".
"④ Price" is just as it sounds.
This varies significantly depending on the rubber quality, tire type, country of production, and so on.
Market prices range from about 2,000 to 20,000 yen per tire, so consulting your budget is important.
I hope you will consider these requirements to choose the tires you need right now.
If you want to pursue things even deeper, there are still aspects like the type of inner tubes used, tire rotation patterns, and whether or not to use tubes, so I hope you will try them out while having fun.
And if you think, "That's too much of a hassle," please just tell our staff and we will recommend some options for you, so feel free to ask.