After some deliberation and allowing my mind to run free, nostalgia catapulted me to Specialized Crossroads Armadillo. These were a little heavier than a pure bred, wire bead XC tyre of the time but were still relatively quick on tarmac, capable on the trail, unmade roads and highly puncture resistant. I don’t actually recall succumbing to a flat, which is impressive given I was tackling the capital’s litter strewn, pock marked streets and letting loose on the trails come the weekend.
Still relevant for off road touring, gravel and similar duties. I hummed and erred about a pair but reasoned, I’d go this route at the rear and leave the Cross King up front, or possibly a 1.95 Schwalbe Land Cruiser with the K guard puncture protection.
I was also conscious of the old mantra...Use what you've got, acquire what you need. The Schwalbe Land Cruiser with K guard weren't quite as dependable when it comes to puncture resistance- I'd succumbed to a couple of flints during some very wet, mucky rides during the winter of 2022.
However, the Land Cruiser would be leading up front, the Specialized behind. I'd traditionally been of the belief that rear punctures were more common due to the increased weight and ultimately, wear. A rationale I still subscribe to. Then of course, wet conditions provide much easier passage for sharps. However, there's a school of thought suggesting that sharps lie flat, get flicked upright by the front tyre and then cut through the rear casing as we ride over it.
Factors such as tyre pressure and tube health obviously play their part but it's an interesting hypothesis and supports the argument for shodding the rear wheel with a more robust, puncture repelling tyre. Some suggest there is a tangible performance benefit from running a slightly narrower tyre on the rear, on the grounds of improved rolling resistance, improved traction in wetter, muddier conditions.
Ursula’s rear triangle will manage 2.3 without tickling the chainstays, but something slightly narrower improves clearance. As the photo illustrates, the 1.9-inch Specialized offers oodles more. Back in the early 90s, 1.95 and 2.1 inches were pretty much standard, with 1.75 still doing the rounds.
Then of course, these CST Patrol rolled into view...These feature a tread pattern they say is designed to cope with a broad range of conditions. This might lack the absolute precision of condition specific designs, but also covers most bases, especially in changeable weathers/terrain. Raised central knobs are designed to reduce rolling resistance, while the aggressive shoulders are designed to bite into soft surfaces when cornering. Ours were the 26x2.25 folding dual compound, 60ti versions with EPS puncture protection.
26-inch tyres aren't in short supply, but manufacturers are prioritising 27.5, 650b and 29 inches. While there were several reasons influencing Ursula's makeover and disc rear end, futureproofing and the option of switching to 650b, without too much hassle. I'm in no hurry to dive down this rabbit hole and the slightly larger size might influence trail (and therefore handling), but viable options are always nice.
Hardly surprising, given the internet but there are several schools of thought when it comes to gravel bikes.
Some folks argue that mid 90s cross country mountain bikes were essentially gravel bikes. I can certainly see their point and Specialized’s Rock Combo, though slightly earlier is arguably the nearest production comparator, although I lean closer to the ‘cross bike with bigger clearances church, having witnessed a renewed interest in cross twenty-five years ago. This in turn led a steady evolution of cross bikes with mudguard (fender) and rack eyelets, 2-3 bottle cage mounts and increasingly larger tyre clearances. Specialized’s Tri Cross from 2008 being a prime example of this first generation. Again, at the time some folks suggested these were little more than subtly tweaked touring lorries.
Back to 2025, and on a rack related note, here's Steve’s review of the Brae Yonder Brae Cycling Yonder Pannier | cycling-not-racing . Several wet rides along mucky lanes, hedge cuttings and similar nasties hiding in the soft gloop as I sped through, the Pirelli Cinturato haven't missed a beat. Not surprising at this stage, but welcome, nonetheless.
