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I have a new shiny cyclocross bike. Searching the internet only gives me advice on specific CX skills such as dismounts and carrys.
Can anyone offer advice on general drop bar skills? I have never ridden anything other than a mountain bike before.
How tough should I expect my bike to be?
Any tips for drop bar decents?
Should I push and pop off the curb or roll gently?
Cheers for any help.
Ride if like you stole it.
Crossjunkie (planet x) rider recently did a YouTube on dismounting. Story I've no linky
Svenness http://www.cxhairs.com/tag/svenness/
Drops for descending and anything hard.
Look up the three peaks and you'll see some pretty tough riding. The bikes are strong but you need to ride them carefully - you can't just plough through things like you are on a full suss. Learn to pick good lines or mend wheels.
Just ride off a bloody kerb. Obviously a good landing will protect you and the bike but i've taken mine down flights of steps.
I ride my cx bike hard, seems to stand up to a good battering.
It feels a little odd really throwing it around off road with narrow handlebars, also takes a while to get used to not having instant access to the brakes (like on an MTB).
Try and think ahead and pick a good line as you might not slow down, absorb bumps with your knees and maybe put on a quick release clamp on seatpost to drop it like on your mtb. Just get out there and launch yourself down some hills.
Pedal it quite fast, then get off it and lift it over a plank of wood. That should see you right.
Give you normal mtb trails a go on it, take it slowly at first, build up. Same skills really as per mtb, push for drops, pump and weight off the back ( and on the drops ) for descending - works fine for me without all the faff of on/off , running et al. Too aggressive and the pinch punctures come, so you'll soon know if your line choice snd speed are right!
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Pick a good line and ride 'light'. Love this vid:
[Edit] Dang! Beat me to it 😀
😛
And I thought iainc had posted "Joey's OK" 😉
Scream and leap.
Nice Vid.
Hoods or drops for steep techy Stuff?
I've ridden rigid MTB before, it's the funny handlebars and flimsy looking wheels I haven't quite got sussed.
I'm already very confident at getting off and walking round stuff 😳
Watch Martyn Ashton's Road Bike Party vids if you're worried about how strong the bike is!
I'm not worried about how strong Martyn Ashton's bike is. I'm worried how strong my bike is!
Smoothness is key, you can't just crash through stuff as punctures will be the outcome, once you get the knack, the bike will feel floaty. You can ride them most places you ride a mtb, most bridleways are spot on as are trail centres like the red route at sherwood pines, not keen on big rocky rides, but with the right pressures it's possible.