Recieved this baby today, courtesy of Matthew of this forum (cheers guv btw, received fine in the end 🙂 )

Put it all back together and thought I'd go for a nice little test spin along the London canals towpaths to get a feel for it. Ended up riding all the way out to Epping Forest for a few kilometres of woodland riding, all in a 65km ride (some test eh!?) First impressions are that it's nice and quick, I like the semi-road bike speed along the towpaths!

Caught me out at one point as I went to follow the path under a bridge, was going a bit too quick and had my hands in the middle of the bars using the little interrupt(?) levers, so the wheel didn't turn as I expected it would (due to where I my hands were I guess), panic hit the brakes and suddenly discovered that canti's don't stop you on a dime like disc brakes, so I found myself going straight on with no hope of stopping! The only option was to pop a bunnyhop into the canal!! Shame no-one was there to see the mad hilarity of it, would've been priceless to witness and impossible to live down I'm sure! 😆

Anyhoo, I had a good ride, though I wonder how long it's going to take me to get used to roadie handlebars again? I feel quite stretched out in the hoods, and completely uncomfortable and too low in the drops, I wonder if it's just me not being used to it, or if the bars aren't right for me?

Mine's similar but deliberately. The cross top ( interruptor ) levers for proper tech stuff, hoods for semi technical or flowing trails plus most non-technical (eg fire roads/towpaths) and drops for fast road.

Works for me and means I can have an efficient/aero position most of the time while not compromising technical riding

Have you got Weil's disease? Rats piss in the canal. Mind you, so did I.

yep, bit worried bought what might've been in there, I got a good mouthful as it was a bit of an unexpected dip! fooking hilarious though, I sat on the side of the path laughing myself silly for about 5 minutes or so 😆

The bars look too rotated back to me. If you get the bottom of the drops about flat that will put them closer to you, but then you may need to bring the levers/hoods a bit futher up to compensate, (though they already look quite a long way up the bars)

Could also try a shorter stem, that one looks like it puts the bars in the next county, even though it's got quite a rise on it.

Finally, MTFU 😉 (you'll probably just take a while to adjust to the position, as you say)

Great cx intro. Your bike's position looks pretty reasonable, assuming that it does fit. That said rotate the bars forward and raise the stis and maybe consider a shorter stem

yep, I found riding in the drops off road quite weird first time but I got quickly used to it and loving the crosser!
I feel much more solid on the bike on descents, fast corners etc when low in the drops.
its good fun seeing how far you can push the skinny tyres on corner before getting a bit of driffy that scares the hell out of you

Could also try a shorter stem, that one looks like it puts the bars in the next county, even though it's got quite a rise on it.

Yep, I think a shorter stem is in order, the one on it is 120mm, so maybe I'l' source a 90mm or so?

100mm on my 60cm cx

this is a 54cm frame, I'm 5'8", fits me fine in the legs, but maybe a little too long in the top tube (with the 120mm stem at least!). Fingers crossed a shorter stem sorts me out 🙂

I'm with clubber a 100mm stem on a 60cm frame

90mm on a 56cm frame here…
Coupled with a 46cm pair of Salsa Bell Laps.

Spot on IMHO..

cool. so a specific cyclo-cross handlebar is worth it you think?

got midges on my cross bike, really like them bit wider with the flare, and not as much stretch to the hoods

I'm 5'8", fits me fine in the legs, but maybe a little too long in the top tube

I never understood this comment, along with 'its the right height' comments. A 12" girls bike will be 'fine in the legs' if you put a 3ft seatpost in it but will 'probably be too short', same applies if your 5ft8 and try to ride a 21" mtb with the seat down, itll be 'fine in the legs' but might be a bit of a stretch! Size on reach not seat height folks!

Sorry Psychle, thats not a go at you, that one does look to have a long stem so im sure its probably right for you anyway.

No, keep the bars put a 100mm stem on it and don't point things at the sky.
How many new bikes is it this month?

Just put some flat bars on it, some V brakes and you've got a nice hybrid! Far more sensible for around town.

Cross bikes are for Belgians. And Belgium.

Drop bar bikes are better in traffic than flat bars (unless you cut them down to 40cm).
Just put a shorter stem on it.

you know where i am if you cant get it to fit you right 😉

feel quite stretched out in the hoods, and completely uncomfortable and too low in the drops, I wonder if it's just me not being used to it, or if the bars aren't right for me?

Frame looks too big IMO.

Sounds like it's most probably the right size for you, just try a shorter stem. A 90mm is a lot shorter than a 120mm and may well be too short. I often find too short worse than too long, as your back gets all compressed up and you cannot breath properly.

The levels already look like they are rotated round and the stem pointing skywards. I certainly wouldn't get cross specific bars, don't really see what they'll be giving you. A shallower drop maybe an idea if you are still finding being in the drops too lower but it's a great expenses for not a lot.

I find the brakes on my cross bike pretty good once setup right but it's a small window to get them right. Tyre grip is great in mud, but terrible on towpaths and cobbles!

To properly experience what cross is about you have to race. Easy to give it a go.

Be careful of swimming in canals. I went on a narrow boat ride and we were told if anyone fell in the canal then you must get them in the shower asap as there are lots of nasty poisons in there.

Be careful of swimming in canals. I went on a narrow boat ride and we were told if anyone fell in the canal then you must get them in the shower asap as there are lots of nasty poisons in there.

Wasn't a planned 'swim' otherwise I would've remembered my towel 😆 !

To properly experience what cross is about you have to race. Easy to give it a go

Once I get my fitness back up a bit, I'm sure I'll look into a localish race to try out, I guess over winter?

How many new bikes is it this month?

No 'new' bikes, but I did pick this one up and the R3… so two additions to my collection. Selling my Enduro and muckaround trials bike, so that'll balance things up, a little 🙂

I know the towpaths around there quite well, where exactly did you go in?! How deep whas it? 😳

I've had a couple of close calls in the past when I haven't been paying attention..

I know the towpaths around there quite well, where exactly did you go in?! How deep whas it?

It was on the Hertford Union stretch, where it passes under Gunmakers Lane next to Victoria Park… no real idea what happened, I think it was a combination of an unfamiliar bike, a little too much speed and a lapse in concentration! It was deep enough that I went totally under sitting on the bike, the wheels did hit bottom though… Was absolutely hilarious I have to say… still laughing about it now 😆

psychle – you'll have to come out on my little cross ride on Sunday then – about 70 miles or so to the Surrey Hills and back in again. Tea and cake after BKB, mind.

I had to fish an old man out of the canal somewhere near Kings Cross after he did what you did by all accounts. He past me quite quick, quite pi**ed too I think. 10 seconds later hear this mighty splash followed by cackling, he didn't make the corner to go under the bridge. Ran back and got him and the bike out. The only thing he could say was "at least my wife can't accuse me of net getting her wet when I get home". Beautiful.

psychle – you'll have to come out on my little cross ride on Sunday then – about 70 miles or so to the Surrey Hills and back in again. Tea and cake after BKB, mind.

I'd love to aP, but working unfortunately 🙁 Hopefully there'll be another opportunity before Summer is out 🙂

5 years of riding along the canals, drunk as a skunk on some occasions coming home from indoor cricket after midnight, have never gone in once, though have rescued a couple of people in that time… glad it happened when the sun was shining and it was nice and warm, I was only 6km into my ride!

seriously the canal bridges as they narrow are blind so you really should be at walking pace you could have hit a pedestrian, child dog etc. I have been hit at bridges twice now by people on bikes thanksfuly they are easy to push I

went on a narrow boat ride and we were told if anyone fell in the canal then you must get them in the shower asap as there are lots of nasty poisons in there into the cut when I am on foot.

no worse than nay other lake really bit dirtier perhaps localised algae problem? but if fish live there you will probably be fine.

Did you keep hold of the bike once you fell in and then swim to the side holding it?

Get the fear of canals around Brum, they have such a hidden corpse/shopping trolly/bit of rebar feel about them.

I always imagine falling in and either having to leave the bike under water or try n tread water whilst dragging my bike… either way make me feel a bit weird.

😀

psychle – I'll be doing it (or other versions) for the next few Sundays……

Glad you are enjoying it. I've been through some big puddles but never fully submerged!

seriously the canal bridges as they narrow are blind so you really should be at walking pace you could have hit a pedestrian, child dog etc. I have been hit at bridges twice now by people on bikes

Yep, fair cop guv… I usually do slow down, honestly 🙂

psychle – I'll be doing it (or other versions) for the next few Sundays…

Cool, shall try and join one, definitely 🙂

Did you keep hold of the bike once you fell in and then swim to the side holding it?

Yep, hung onto the bars all the way, rode it rodeo stylee! 8) Glad I didn't have to go for a duck dive to retrieve it off the bottom 😆

cynic-al – Member

feel quite stretched out in the hoods, and completely uncomfortable and too low in the drops, I wonder if it's just me not being used to it, or if the bars aren't right for me?

Frame looks too big IMO

I do love the STW instant wisdom. That photo is from my original ad. It is important to realise that the frame is not compact geometry, has a relatively high BB and most certainly (as shown) was not too big.

It took me a while to get used to riding a cross bike, but as someone has mentioned above already, get it to a race and suddenly the stretched postiion makes more sense when you are giving it 100% across a muddy field 🙂