What do You think about racing single speed cyclocross in ‘gerared races’? What should I take care of? Do You have succes in this kind of racing?

I’ve ridden only 1 CX race on ss mtb – it worked well, certainly didn’t slow me down.

I ride geared but have a couple of friends who race SS. It’s a bit dependent on the course, and obviously on the really hilly stuff you’ll struggle with traction, but that happens on a geared bike too – just get off and run. If it’s a real clag-fest it can be a big advantage – loads of broken rear mechs at Muddy Hell the other night.

Chances are you won’t win, but then you have to be proper fit to be in with a chance at CX races anyway. The courses aren’t technical (with the possible exception of the Scottish series) and a lot of the competitors are very fast roadies and XC racers using it for training during the off-season.

I only ride SS these days, and was a fair way from the bottom in my first cross race a few weeks ago. I don’t think it’s a huge disadvantage if you’re used to riding SS.

I’m used to race SS MTB in long-distance races, marathons, etc. But SSCX is another cup of tea… 🙂

There is a rider in the Scottish CX series who is consistently top 10 (normally top 5) on a Genesis Day One.

I have been at many muddy races where I have wished I had a SS CX bike. For muddy courses you will want a low gear though, as I find it is better to spin in a low gear than mash through mud in a high gear.

I’ve previously raced SS CX on 26er Inbred and wasn’t massively slower than I am now on a proper cross bike – just a few places back. I guess it depends on what your local CX courses are like though.

Overall I reckon you might be a place or two down in each race, but far more likely to actually finish a race without issues.

cynic-al – Member
I’ve ridden only 1 CX race on ss mtb – it worked well, certainly didn’t slow me down.

No brakes?

Started my first season of cx this year and on a ss. No idea if I’d be quicker on geared bike and for me the course with steep climbs and technical bits have reaped the most rewards.* There’s a vet in notts derby league who is in the top 40 (bear in mind there are about 160-180 riders a race this year!) and he’s on a ss.

*my rewards are pretty paltry, 112th is my top finish-if I went home and finished a race in scottish cx I could smash my own best finish 😀

I’ve only “raced” one cross race SSCX – HTN in 2010. I was rather lazy, as I stopped to chat to people like xherbivorex.

Still came top half.

(Yes, I know this isn’t a cross race and I was hugely fitter than I am now.)

HitTheNorth_CX_225 by Ed Rollason Photography, on Flickr (Ed is handsomedog of this parish. Flinking ace photographer)

I race mtb xc on my ss against geared competitors and I think how well you do is dependant on the type of course. My worst result came from a flat course as I was under geared. Id say if you want to get better results have a range of sprockets. Personally my goal is to enjoy the race not take it so seriously and pass as many geared riders as possible!

I came 8th out of thirty odd riders in the ne xc series if that’s any indication!

http://www.followingthechainline.blogspot.com

I once did a cross race on a single speed (34/16) mountain bike and still beat some folk on many-geared cross bikes. 8)

As I recall, the hard bit of the lap was one very short sharp climb: fine with a run-up, but if there was “traffic” you were forced down to the speed of the rider in front and then stalled. The course was almost all on flat, firm but quite damp grass so I didn’t really spin out on the straights, but I imagine I would have lost a lot of time to more sensible geared riders if there had been many dry or firm sections, or of there had been ridiculously gloopy mud too hard to spin through on your one gear through. But as above, it’s a cross race and there are no points for stubbornly pedalling where others shoulder the bike and run past you.

I’m in the top5 in my category, but nowday… My frame has just cracked, wheels break down every times, derailleur works bad… So I’m about to change to SSCX! 🙂

What gearing do people run on SSCX bikes?

Like CX racing, fitness is far more important!

I came 21st I think in 2010 winter HTN on a SS MTB. I know a guy in the states who races CXSS and is a regular top 5 / sometimes podiums.

As others have said,it depends on the course. Last Saturday’s Notts/Derby event was held on a reasonably demanding course. I probably used three gears….and I’m distinctly average…or below.

Was gutted I missed last weekend at NDCXL, hopefully Holme Pierrepoint is a good course