IVe run Specialized Terras this season in the Notts & Derby league
They’ve been great tyres but were overwhelmed in the last round at markeaton park and had to run a couple of times up the climbs
Running tubeless at around 25psi front and 28/30 psi rear, I’m 90kgs and haven’t had any problems
Could probably run them even lower on a smooth course
Might try a different tyre like a pdx or Vittoria terreno wet

Legend, you seen the series standings?

You’ve got three points on me, reconsidering my mid-season retirement now… 😉

Don’t think it works like that, I’d only overtake you now if they give out negative points! I’d need to finish with four more points (which at our level is four places…) to overtake you.

Suddenly makes Strathclyde Park seem a lot more exciting, the battle for 71st in the series standings! 😀

Which category were you racing Garry? Definitely like an MTB course in places so suited me fine. I’m surprisingly finding the running suits me so as we have a gap for almost a month I’m going to try and practice a bit – Stadt Moers is certain to be muddy. I’m V40 mick – rolled in 46th on Sat. I also find I do well on the runups relative to those I’m usually battling with – no idea why, as I’m a million miles from a runner. Maybe it’s just down to the psychology of committing to a tough running stretch, and not everyone fancies it.

Stadt moers is one of my favourite courses so looking forward to that – just a shame the calender’s gotten hammered this year with cancelled events. Must be very frustrating for folk putting time into organising a race having had the go-ahead, only for a last minute change of mind by the council or whomever.

Ha! I was in the dizzy heights of 38th 🙂 tried to cling onto your clubmate Mr McP for a lap but as always he just gets faster whilst I get slower….

I’m not a big fan of stadt but think that is more to do with dog muck.

It has been a hard year for the organisers r.e. venues. Not sure why Lancaster don’t use Salt Ayre – they did a youth CX race there that worked really well.

Still idly thinking about tubular, though won’t be much point now this season with only 3 races left but maybe for next year. What’s the right sort of internal width? Seen 25mm on the crc own brand, and advertised as sub 1300g, but they rate from 25-33mm so maybe a bit narrow? Not sure how internal / external measurement works for tubular rims, but 25mm sounds nice and broad. I have a set of the planet-x 38 deep ones that are common at races and they are 23mm wide across.
Profile is important, although you’d assume something marketed as a contemporary CX rim would be OK here. I bought a Chinese set without paying enough attention to this – they’re the right width but a bit dipped in profile and have caused me some problems. Be retiring them to the road for next year.
Worth getting a few recommendations on what works from other racers I reckon.

Ferrals, are you on 10 or 11 speed?
You’re welcome to borrow a wheelset to try Tubs, big boys rules apply. Mine are all 10 speed disc and canti

Yes and you get used to the squirm. If you don’t hit the rim once or twice a lap, your tubs are probably too hard. Look at how fast the pros corner and you’ll see what’s possible!

Having said that, there is a bit of willy-waving with CX tyre pressures though, people love to boast about how low they can go.

Suddenly feeling like my 25PSi and 63kg is a bit inadequate 😳 Zero dings per race on Sunday

TheWyman Method

I usually use around 25psi in PDX clinchers (which come up wide) at 65kg, still experimenting/learning with tubs but I can say 21psi was too low in the front on Sunday 😥

no serious CXer relies on the pump gauge, doesn’t EVERYONE have a Topeak Smarthead Digital?! 🙂

the Topeak has a bleed valve and a function that means it can live-read the pressure, so I usually whack them up to say 30 with a track pump, then fine tune it down with the gauge.

I may discover this is a very valid point when I try and repair my tub with sealant, and you have my permission to gloat when I post about trashing my gauge 😀

i’m sure my pump reads high. But i’m closer to HWs tub starting point than clinchers & i’m on clichers. 70kg and i last weekend i started at 20 psi.

There are so many variables in courses, tyres, inner tubes, rims, rider weight, riding style that asking for advice on pressures is pretty pointless. I used to have a digital gauge and obsess with it to the half psi, but now I use my thumb. Put it across the the tyre and press with all my weight. If it touches the rim then a bit more in until it doesn’t.

That’s my starting point.

The only real way to get the right pressure for a course is to ride it and adjust accordingly. If I’m hitting the rim on just an uneven surface then add more, I take it as given I will hit the rim on roots. If I’m not getting enough grip in mud take some out, I’d rather take the risk of punctures than having to go slowly round corners. Saying that I’ve only ever punctured once in a race in 5 years, using mainly Challenge open tubulars and latex tubes, but also tubeless and tubs. I have however rolled tubs in a race and ruined one on a warm up lap which is why I’ve given up on them. Tubeless for dry and intermediate conditions, Limus with latex for mud.

Squirmy low pressure does take some getting used too and I know people with lovely hand made tubs that just don’t like it and only ever put them at 30psi or above.

Ride the course and use whatever pressure you’re happy with. Don’t get dragged in to a willy waving contest as noted above.

Non-series race for me this weekend. Only 34 Seniors racing – this’ll be the first time I’ve raced with less than 100 others on the track!

Raced National Trophy at Cyclopark this morning.
And to think your average mountain biker thinks they’re hardcore!
Best moment had to be brakes off descending, one foot unclipped, down a slick slope onto muddy tarmac when the guy in front of me goes over the bars and cartwheels across my path. Had to swerve violently (screaming “watch out”!) before hitting the tarmac and the back end sliding right out almost 90degrees. It’s a race so power on, grin to yourself and get back to business.
I may be down in the twenties but I didn’t hit the deck. 🙂

Nice to see you again Ferrals. I didn’t have my legs in yesterday at all. Added to a derailleur issue meaning skipped shifts and I was quite grumpy at the end. Fast course, think there was only a handful of places that needed brakes. See you at Crickhowell?

The World Cup at Zeven is being shown tonight on Eurosport at 1830..

This is an SRAM speciality, happened to me more than once. The bearings just corrode and seize or muck gets in. They cost an arm and a leg to replace as well 👿

However, spare bearings are cheap and readily available, see this thread

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/this-is-why-i-avoid-sram-what-replacement-gx-jockey-wheels

For links to bearing numbers, how-to for replacing (dead simple if you have a hammer basically) and a link to a store that sells them.

Someone also linked up to replacement NX jockey wheels which don’t use bearings, so less likely to seize, however I’m not sure the number of teeth is the same and am pretty sure this is important for correct chain wrap/tension etc.

Yup – SRAM just do that. Don’t think the mud-wash-dryforaweek-repeat routine agrees with them.

Just put a Shimano MTB (sealed brg) one on my 10spd SRAM setup and it seems to work OK.