Impressed with bike today ,

[ozboz]

So I meandered down a bridal path on my Sirley CC today , the first 100 yds were just as you'd expect , bit like a towpath went round the bend and what a quagmire ! Deep mud , extreme ponding at one point water was running across the path, what a swamp !
About a yard wide , the horses have virtually ploughed it , but I thought, time to test this baby ! , the wheels were at least 20/25% under the mud and water most of the way ,so I dropped it onto the granny ring mid gear on the back and went for it , 3/4 mile or so , I only stopped to release the brakes as they were getting to much mud between blocks and rim , I'm running Schwalbe landcruisers and they were as sure and gripping as good as any MTB tyres I've ridden on , it was a flatish ride , so on an incline It might have been a little more interesting !
But yes , it has given me a lot more confidence off road on this bike ,
Well impressed ,

 

[Thorn Sherpa]

Never ridden any of the Surley bikes but they look well put together bikes, I love steel framed bikes the cc looks a nice piece of kit

 

[NorthernDave]

So I meandered down a bridal path on my Sirley CC today , the first 100 yds were just as you'd expect , bit like a towpath went round the bend and what a quagmire ! Deep mud , extreme ponding at one point water was running across the path, what a swamp !
About a yard wide , the horses have virtually ploughed it , but I thought, time to test this baby ! , the wheels were at least 20/25% under the mud and water most of the way ,so I dropped it onto the granny ring mid gear on the back and went for it , 3/4 mile or so , I only stopped to release the brakes as they were getting to much mud between blocks and rim , I'm running Schwalbe landcruisers and they were as sure and gripping as good as any MTB tyres I've ridden on , it was a flatish ride , so on an incline It might have been a little more interesting !
But yes , it has given me a lot more confidence off road on this bike ,
Well impressed ,

Good stuff - I've also got Landcruisers on the MX Sport and they are surprisingly good off road considering the shallow tread pattern. Unlike you though I have managed to get stuck in mud, although in my defence it was up past the bottom bracket...

 

[Heltor Chasca]

I too love my Surly bikes.

Got it. Finally

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Good stuff - I've also got Landcruisers

How do you guys find these are performing in respect of p*ncture resistance?. Are you on the basic LC or LC+? I've just taken delivery of a pair of 26" x 1.75" LC+ for my old rigid Raleigh MTB, but unfortunately I'm still waiting on rim tapes so unable to fit and try out yet. I went for the LC+ because they were a bit lighter and cheaper than the M+, but still claim decent p*ncture protection. I'm hoping I've made the right choice as getting flats if more than a mile or two away from home is a complete pain in the rear.

 

[Alan O]

I've currently got Land Cruisers on my MTB and I like them a lot (especially for such a low price), but they can lose their grip in mud and I've had the wheel spinning a few times when my full knobbly tyres would have coped.

 

[ozboz]

How do you guys find these are performing in respect of p*ncture resistance?. Are you on the basic LC or LC+? I've just taken delivery of a pair of 26" x 1.75" LC+ for my old rigid Raleigh MTB, but unfortunately I'm still waiting on rim tapes so unable to fit and try out yet. I went for the LC+ because they were a bit lighter and cheaper than the M+, but still claim decent p*ncture protection. I'm hoping I've made the right choice as getting flats if more than a mile or two away from home is a complete pain in the rear.

You will be ok with these tyres , I've had 1 puncture in a year ,though I am not sure if they are LC+ , and I get to all kinds of places , they roll really well on the road , and as said in op, they were brilliant in a swamp like terrain , but as also said , on an incline ? It's anybody's !
If I get chance , I'll go back and takes some pics , I didn't have phone yesterday.
There is a fairly steep gradient with a track in Richmond Park , I have made it up there in deep snow on my MTB , If I can get to it on and get up top on a bad wet day on the Surley with these tyres , I say I would be 80% happy taking it anywhere ,

 

[NorthernDave]

How do you guys find these are performing in respect of p*ncture resistance?. Are you on the basic LC or LC+? I've just taken delivery of a pair of 26" x 1.75" LC+ for my old rigid Raleigh MTB, but unfortunately I'm still waiting on rim tapes so unable to fit and try out yet. I went for the LC+ because they were a bit lighter and cheaper than the M+, but still claim decent p*ncture protection. I'm hoping I've made the right choice as getting flats if more than a mile or two away from home is a complete pain in the rear.

I've had 'standard' LCs on for about 18 months and haven't had a visit yet - touch wood.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Thanks chaps, looking forward to trying mine out. I'm not too worried about off road grip as I'm only going to be using this bike for local roads, cycle tracks, and relatively mild woods rides - nothing severe. I got the old Raleigh on impulse after pricing up a set of mudguards for my other Raleigh MTB, and saw it advertised complete with guards for the price of just a set of guards. Looked at sideways, Raleigh appear to have borrowed some geometry off their old DL1 Roadster, looks more slack than any modern rigid MTB frame. I'm regarding it as a multi-geared relaxed plodder so I'm mostly bothered about ride comfort over poor road surfaces and rolling resistance. I've got an old Apollo rigid MTB skip bike on knobblies if I want to ride anywhere more punishing.

 

[Globalti]

Narrow tyres are best in mud or snow because they have higher ground pressure and will cut down to find grip. I used to mountain bike on Panaracer Fire XC Pros in 1.6" width and I could go anywhere the boys on chunky fat tyres could go, but faster.