[steevo]

Besides Big Apples, what's the biggest tire people have used on their cross check? I'm looking for a good off road tire that also rolls well on pavement. I think I've seen some CCs with mutanoraptors, and it looks like the ritchey zed is 44mm. How about the smaller Jones tires? Any others?
I've been using Big apple 2.0s since I got the bike, and just switched them out for the maxxis wormdrive 42c, but I think I want a little more volume. Also, i've had two flats with the wormdrives in one week of commuting with them. Not sure if that has anything to do with anything, but I ride the same route with big apples and in 18 months, not one flat with those, just wish they were knobbier.

 

[lanpope]

The new 1.8 Bontys fit my CrossCheck. I like them much better off road than the Mutano, but on the road they are not noticeably better to me.

I've used the Big Apples too, and they are fine, but they feel pretty sluggish to me if I ever really try to get after it. Real comfy though.

Glowboy wrote up a really good tire comparison on the "Monster Cross" thread on the SS forum. Check it out, it is really comprehensive.

edit - here's the link: http://forums.mtbr.com/showpost.php?p=1958394&postcount=82

I think I've quit looking for the perfect CC tire. I'm just going to use fattish road tires when I ride it on the road and the 1.8s when the bike is seeing mostly dirt use.

Good Luck

LP

 

[steevo]

The new 1.8 Bontys fit my CrossCheck. I like them much better off road than the Mutano, but on the road they are not noticeably better to me.

I've used the Big Apples too, and they are fine, but they feel pretty sluggish to me if I ever really try to get after it. Real comfy though.

Glowboy wrote up a really good tire comparison on the "Monster Cross" thread on the SS forum. Check it out, it is really comprehensive.

edit - here's the link: http://forums.mtbr.com/showpost.php?p=1958394&postcount=82

I think I've quit looking for the perfect CC tire. I'm just going to use fattish road tires when I ride it on the road and the 1.8s when the bike is seeing mostly dirt use.

Good Luck

LP

Great info! Thanks for the link. And thanks to glowboy.

So you think the Bonti's are OK on the road then? I'm probably 50/50 pavement/dirt so there's probably always going to be a compromise. I wish the nanoraptors came a smaller version.

 

[bikeny]

Bonty 1.8 vs Mutano

You got my attention when you said the bonty Jones XR 1.8 performed much better off road than the Mutanoraptor. I am about to put one of these 2 tires on the front of my Aiborne Carpe Diem, and was originally leaning toward the Mutano. Could you give me a little more information on what you don't like about the Mutano, or what is better with the Bonty? Also, what are your riding conditions that the tires were used in? Which one rolls better on the pavement? The Bonty seems to be considerably cheaper than the Mutano, which ia always a plus! Any good sources online for the Bonty? Speedgoat has a great price on the 2.2 version, but they do not have the 1.8, and won't be getting any as they are dropping Bontrager stuff. Any info would be appreciated.

I little background: I am setting up kind of a monster cross bike to do some dirt road and trail exploring in Vermont. I already have a Ritchey Zed race 700x42 for the back and was looking for one of these tires for the front, hopefully they will fit in my Steelman cross fork!

Mark

 

[jh_on_the_cape]

Besides Big Apples, what's the biggest tire people have used on their cross check? I'm looking for a good off road tire that also rolls well on pavement. I think I've seen some CCs with mutanoraptors, and it looks like the ritchey zed is 44mm. How about the smaller Jones tires? Any others?
I've been using Big apple 2.0s since I got the bike, and just switched them out for the maxxis wormdrive 42c, but I think I want a little more volume. Also, i've had two flats with the wormdrives in one week of commuting with them. Not sure if that has anything to do with anything, but I ride the same route with big apples and in 18 months, not one flat with those, just wish they were knobbier.

yo steevo. whatever tire you use, get a good frame pump or a CO2 inflator and some cartridges. inflating the tires up to high PSI on the road makes all the difference.
then defflate for trail.

 

[lanpope]

You got my attention when you said the bonty Jones XR 1.8 performed much better off road than the Mutanoraptor. I am about to put one of these 2 tires on the front of my Aiborne Carpe Diem, and was originally leaning toward the Mutano. Could you give me a little more information on what you don't like about the Mutano, or what is better with the Bonty? Also, what are your riding conditions that the tires were used in? Which one rolls better on the pavement? The Bonty seems to be considerably cheaper than the Mutano, which ia always a plus! Any good sources online for the Bonty? Speedgoat has a great price on the 2.2 version, but they do not have the 1.8, and won't be getting any as they are dropping Bontrager stuff. Any info would be appreciated.

I little background: I am setting up kind of a monster cross bike to do some dirt road and trail exploring in Vermont. I already have a Ritchey Zed race 700x42 for the back and was looking for one of these tires for the front, hopefully they will fit in my Steelman cross fork!

Mark

I've just never liked the Mutano very much. They always seemed slow and sketchy to me. The Bonty seems like a higher volume tire with less knob tire. More comfy IME. I don't really expect either of the tires to perform well on the road, especially at the 30 psi or lower that I run them at, so I haven't really noticed that much of a difference there. I think the full size Nano is better than either tire, but won't fit my CC.

I'm using the bike on road to the trail, fire/gravel road, and fairly buff, rooty singletrack. No rocks.

Here's a pic:

Good luck

LP