Best tyres for south downs way?

Last time i went out on the south downs my tyres got clogged right up with chalk and mud and i could not pedal anymore :shock:

These are they...

From experience riding the SDW punctures can be a frequent problem. Loads of sharp flints everywhere. Running tyres at 50-60psi seriously compromises your level of grip. Start them out at 30psi and work upwards from there. The myth about higher pressures giving less rolling resistance is ... a myth.

I've used DMR Moto R/T's on my bike for a few years now and I find them great for hard pack and have only had 1 puncture (thorn) in that whole time.

Mine are 2.2 wide and I@m not sure what other widths they are available in.

A lot depends on the conditions. Last three times I've ridden a CX on SDW and ran 38mm WTB All Terrain hybrid tyre and suffered only 1 puncture in 300 miles - fast enough on the hardpack but enough grip for the occasional loose stuff. Schwalbe Smart Sams are pretty good too. There are a couple of quite flinty descents - if coming East, the one into Cocking is a good tyre-wrecker. I expect Schwalbe Land Cruisers are suitable too - I'd go for a non-skinwall tyre to avoid sidewall damage.

Its mentally wet on the SDW at the moment, so you get the problem between cloying mud in the valleys and ice like slipperyness on the top, I'd go for a pair of Mythos XC, I've been riding the SDW for years and they've never let me down. They seem to have a decent mixture of grip and mud shedding ability. I'd not run the pressure too high, but if you're planning to do the whole route, then I suspect you might be messing about with it anyway.

If you're looking to do the whole thing in a day you want narrowish fast rolling tyres. I've done it few times. I've used Panaracer XC pro 1.8" tyres, Specialized Houffalize 2" (needs to be dry for those though), Michelin XCR dry 2" tubeless (despite the name not too bad on the mud) and Hutchinson Bulldog tubeless on my cross bike. Never punctured on any of them.

There's nothing too technical on the SDW. You need speed to eat the miles so fast rolling tyres are the way forward - attached to a 29er if you can...

I have a pair of Michelin XCR dry tubeless tyres for sale in good condition. Drop me a PM if you're interested. Even if you run them with tubes they may help as tubeless tyres are built a bit tougher so will resist sharp flints.

Rich

Specialized fast trak lk's, anything better?

Thanks for the comments, went out week and a half ago on worn Specialized Fast Trak LK Control 26 x 2.0 and they were stunning. Rolled like slicks and griped 99.99% of the time, perfect. They even gripped on a chalky/muddy assents that I was expecting slippage on!

One puncher on the front shortly after Hyden Hill (heading west)

Its clear that tyres have moved on, sorry old school Smoke & Darts.

Anyone ridden specialized fast trak lk's and found anything better?

Many thanks in advance.

Did you do the whole lot of it? If so, what did you do about sleeping? I'm going for it on the 2nd and have no plans but am hoping to do it wild.

Only did from the A3 to Winchester, we are planning to do the entire route soon for charity. This was just another practice run getting use to the distance and course.

B&B half way will set you back about £80, I think we will be taking a tent as I am thinking if all goes well we may be able to do it in a day. We can average over 10MPH

We were thinking of doing on the 8 & 9th and travailing west, what direction are you going?