I’m also toying with selling my CX and getting a lovely gravel bike.
I raced on my gravel bike on Sunday - it has taken the place of my old canti equipped cross bike and another gravel bike. It was good apart from a couple of pedal strikes on off camber turns. The hydro brakes and improved clearance more than make up for the lower BB. There was no need to shoulder the bike on Sunday, and the triangle on the gravel bike is definitely tighter than a traditional cross bike, so I wonder whether I'll struggle in the heat of a race.
I'm assuming that the CX can get round tight bends easier (shorted chainstays?).
I’m assuming that the CX can get round tight bends easier (shorted chainstays?).
I didn't notice any difference at all on tight bends.
The geometry on my Marin gravel bike is very close to the CAADX it's replaced. HA, SA, wheelbase, etc are all very close. The chainstay is reported to be 7mm longer on the gravel bike, wheelbase is a tiny bit longer on that bike. I've just fallen down a geometry rabbit hole! The Marin felt great during the race. I would possibly have had the pedal strikes on any bike, that's the nature of 'cross.
Quite a few people were on gravel bikes. Dedicated CX bikes are harder to find, and more expensive, these days.
"Dedicated CX bikes are harder to find, and more expensive, these days"
I know one that may soon be for sale! 🙂
I know one that may soon be for sale! 🙂
My wife keeps mentioning that mine should go, to buy new tyres and stuff for other bikes. A 10 year old, canti equipped CAADX isn't going to pay for a decent set of MTB tyres! 😀
2nd race coming up on Sunday, another flat grassy affair likely.
Due to work and a twitchy low back I've only done a gentle 40 minute spin on rollers on Tuesday, and a sort of 30 minute ramp today which comprised about 10 minutes total @ threshold.
So far so good then as far as tapering goes, does anyone do any 'sharpeners' the day before a race? Am thinking 10 x 30 second sprints at the local pitches just to find the edges of the tyres again and get some endorphins into the legs. Just not sure if there's any benefit for a mid-pack plodder!
does anyone do any ‘sharpeners’ the day before a race? ... Just not sure if there’s any benefit for a mid-pack plodder!
I wasn't planning on riding on Saturday, the day before my first race in 4 years. I got bored and took the MTB out for 90 minutes on the local trails. I didn't push too hard and couldn't feel it the next day. I ride to work every day anyway, so normally have at least 8 hours of riding in my legs come the weekend, so wouldn't feel guilty about not riding the day before.
I was practicing my dismounts on the way home last night. Good grief, I'm rusty! Missed pedals and squashed testicles seemed to be the game. 🙁
I was practicing my dismounts on the way home last night. Good grief, I’m rusty! Missed pedals and squashed testicles seemed to be the game.
😆
My biggest issue is a wayward left heel when jumping back on which catches the wee barrel on my Avid cantis and can unhook the cable! Seems like a massive design flaw, I guess if I could be arsed I could swap front and back brakes so the wee barrel was on the other side...
2nd race coming up on Sunday, another flat grassy affair likely.
Is that round 2 of the Scottish cx? If so I’m one of the organizers. Hoping it’s not going to be pissing down all weeekend.
Is that round 2 of the Scottish cx?
That's the one! Thanks for organising, was glad to see it on the calendar 😎
Looks like rain on Friday and showers Saturday? Could be enjoyably slippy come Sunday I guess.
When I say organising, I’m chief carrier and layer out of stakes/general gopher. Have only been at one cx race before so I’m leaving it up to my mate Paul to tell me what I need to be doing
Not entirely sure I get the appeal of cross racing myself, but we have 350 odd entries this year so it’s been reasonably popular.
3\4 of my kids are racing this weekend, for 2 of them it's their first time on Saturday with a gentle intro one-off run by the local kids cycling club. The eldest has the next round of her series on Sunday, hopefully she can beat her close rival again, she overtook in the last 1\4 of a lap in the first round. #proud dad.
When I say organising, I’m chief carrier and layer out of stakes/general gopher. Have only been at one cx race before so I’m leaving it up to my mate Paul to tell me what I need to be doing
Not entirely sure I get the appeal of cross racing myself, but we have 350 odd entries this year so it’s been reasonably popular.
@tpbiker I think I might be in your team of volunteers for Sunday with my wife Sarah!
This is the way:
Should be ready for Macc on Sun. The bike at least.
Been quite a wet week but that park bears up pretty well ime.
Lovely stuff 👍
I'm running some very old Conti Cyclo-X Kings into the ground, wheels on my old commuter aren't tubeless ready anyway. Actually a very light grippy tyre, only stopped using years ago because of paper thin carcass picking up so many Hawthorne spikes.
I’m running some very old Conti Cyclo-X Kings into the ground, wheels on my old commuter aren’t tubeless ready anyway. Actually a very light grippy tyre,
I put some on last week, ready for the first round. I've ridden them back and fore to work, with diversions over various terrain, and I've been very impressed so far. They are a damn sight better than the G-Ones that came off, even on tarmac, and I had no problems with them in the race. So far, no mud though.
I’ve ridden them back and fore to work, with diversions over various terrain, and I’ve been very impressed so far.
Only word of warning is to check for tread wear. I lent them to a buddy who did an 80km gravel ride on them and I would swear they came back with a millimetre less tread on the rear 😭
He's a bit of a tyre destroyer right enough, I don't know if it's skids or raw power. Either way I keep them for race only now 😎
Only word of warning is to check for tread wear. I lent them to a buddy who did an 80km gravel ride on them and I would swear they came back with a millimetre less tread on the rear
Balls - I've just checked mine. I put them on the bike on Saturday, raced on Sunday, had a day off on Monday, and have ridden 70 miles to work and back since then. So, I've used them for about 80 miles. The rear is distinctly worn when compared to the front, to the extent that I don't think they'll make it through to the next race on 23rd October if I carry on using them like this. The G-Ones will have to go back on. 🙁
We're off to Macc Park for the 3rd actual 2nd round of NWCCA, when I say we're I mean the 3 kid, one U12, one U10 and one U8. The two eldest will be trying to improve on round 1 where No.1 son swallowed a fly, went from 1st to last in U12 and smashed his way back to 5th as a 1st year, No.2 got 4th in U10 as a first year too.
Ug!
Awesome course today, fast and fun with lots of shoulder to shoulder overtaking on tight grassy corners. Felt reasonable by my standards but possibly my worst result to-date at 38/55.
I can tell myself that a reduced field near the central belt is going to be weighted towards the faster guys, but I think I need to make use of a six week break until the next one 🙄
Got a prolonged look at Garry_Lager's beautifully glued back tyre today 🙂. Managed to briefly scamper past on the hills but I'm powerless on the long drags compared to the timetrialists. I'm ready for slightly less of a battering in V50 next year....
I got totally schooled today in Wessex league Reading. Already not being fit enough, and then racing twice a week has taken its toll and this was the first course with reasonable climbing in I’ve done, and in slippy conditions after the overnight rain. I felt completely devoid of any power or skill. Still enjoying the challenge but a break in the season for me now to do some grafting and see if I can move up the results a bit.
Good to see you today @mick_r - that was a hard one for first race back, got the money's worth with 12 miles of cross. I mean they are all hard but the faster courses feet up entirely always feel the toughest to me.
Park was bulletproof like - brought water and a jet wash but just left it in the car, bike was spick and span afterwards.
I'm injured, so couldn't race reading. 😞. Did they have that silly steep climb in it? I only managed to ride it once last year, but it was very satisfying to make it up
I got totally schooled today in Wessex league Reading. Already not being fit enough, and then racing twice a week has taken its toll and this was the first course with reasonable climbing in I’ve done, and in slippy conditions after the overnight rain. I felt completely devoid of any power or skill. Still enjoying the challenge but a break in the season for me now to do some grafting and see if I can move up the results a bit.
Bet I was slower, right at the arse end of Vets 40+. In order to do well at cross now ("well" would be middle-ish for me) I think I'd need to travel back in time 3 months cancel a family holiday, actually do some training and magically lose 10kg. But it's still fun, I'm approaching it as a thing to do for giggles this year nothing more, the proper racers can take it seriously. But I might start thinking now about how to up my game next year...
Did you like the backwards course?
I think it actually worked OK...
Did they have that silly steep climb in it?
Only the less silly steep one this year.
Back end of V50 for me, but at least if felt like I paced it better than Rd1. Relieved that the course seemed to shrug off all the rain, and that the sun came out for our race!
Saw a couple of silly tiffs out on course yesterday, seems people still don't seem to have grasped the basics of 'racing'.
One guy was getting a bit indignant as he was trying to pass around the outside, but the passee drifted wide and effectively shut him out. Whether the passee did it deliberately or just naturally it seemed perfectly legit to me?
Also a guy after the race complaining that someone didn't let him past when he called 'coming through'. I suppose this is trickier if there is an obvious disparity in speed, and it can be tricky to know who's lapping and who isn't, but there's definitely folk who seem to think that people are obliged to move over even when not getting lapped? I was a bit annoyed that I gave the line to someone then realised they probably weren't much faster than me and I could have legitimately made them work for the pass at the very least?
All good fun though, in general it's such a good friendly scene, was able to share a laugh on course with the guys around me as we all tried a few passing moves.
@cookeaa ha I was only just in front of you then! I think we did well to only get lapped once given how early on it felt the leaders came through.
Don't forget the Juniors are mixed in with the faster V40, I think that ups the pace a fair bit too...
First round of the North Wales league yesterday... mostly dry in gorgeous sunshine... paced it quite well so reasonably happy but one off and faffing with insulin pump cost me some time... helping set up the day before gives a slight advantage too! Looking forward to next one
Took my 9 year old boy to his second cross race of the season last weekend, he loves them way more than the road and mtb races he's done. I don't think he'll be getting a win anytime soon but he seems to really enjoy the tussle of the mid-pack. No race for a few weeks but he's keen to get as much training in as he can so he can improve in his next race, he even trains mid-week on a set of rollers (thanks 13thfloormonk for the rollers).
I've promised to take him to as many local cx races (within about an hours drive away) this season as I can, but only if he is enjoying it and wants to keep doing it.
Very proud dad.
Also a guy after the race complaining that someone didn’t let him past when he called ‘coming through’. I suppose this is trickier if there is an obvious disparity in speed, and it can be tricky to know who’s lapping and who isn’t, but there’s definitely folk who seem to think that people are obliged to move over even when not getting lapped?
Maybe about 20 years ago, I had a mechanical on the first lap of a 'cross race and was making my way back through the field. I caught and attempted to pass a rider, who thinking about it now wasn't even in the same category as me. He blocked me by physically shouldering me off the track a couple of times, until I pulled in behind him and said that I'd actually punch him if he carried on. He let me through. He was well known in Welsh cycling because of one of his offspring, who was an extremely successful pro. It still stands out in my mind as really odd behaviour, and the only time I've ever offered violence in the middle of a race!
He blocked me by physically shouldering me off the track a couple of times
Yeah that's a tricky one actually, the way I understand it he 'had the line' as he was in front, but I suppose you can't obviously deviate from that line in order to barge in to somebody!
I guess then the guy getting huffy about somebody drifting wide could have argued they had deviated from their line?
(thanks 13thfloormonk for the rollers)
If there's ever a threat of him embarrassing me on the race course I want them back! 😆
I've done a couple of training sessions with the local team whilst my son has been doing his Go-Ride sessions.
I am struggling with grip - I'm doing it on a gravel bike with completely inappropriate tyres.
If I want to have a go at a race later in the season I can do this on a gravel bike right? If it is a local race.
Are there any restrictions on tyres? All I could see was a reference to plugged bar ends.
Either way what all-rounder tyre do people recommend? Gravel Kings are not good on damp grass and will be a nightmare on slippery mud!
Local league races you can ride anything. I'm on a 3 speed hub and flat bars this season, and have occasionally ridden a singlespeed radiator at Christmas races....
If it is truly muddy then forget all rounder tyres. If you are having to change tyres anyway, then just get full mud ones (X one bites are popular in the grim NW).
I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how not-slow a decent wet tyre feels for all round use, I'd just leave mine on all the time if I weren't concerned about tread wear.
Vittoria Terreno Wet would be my recommendation but am not sure anyone has stock!
I’ve done a couple of training sessions with the local team whilst my son has been doing his Go-Ride sessions.
I am struggling with grip – I’m doing it on a gravel bike with completely inappropriate tyres.
If I want to have a go at a race later in the season I can do this on a gravel bike right? If it is a local race.
Are there any restrictions on tyres? All I could see was a reference to plugged bar ends.
Either way what all-rounder tyre do people recommend? Gravel Kings are not good on damp grass and will be a nightmare on slippery mud!
You can absolutely do your local league races on just about anything, lots of people turn up on their MTB and TBH I don't see much distinction between a Gravel bike and a 'proper' CX bike.
Technically under the proper BC/UCI rules tyres should be a max width of 33mm, but that's really only a concern if your troubling the front of the field or taking part in national races
I'm just using my Gravel bike with skinnier "compliant" tyres, half the field seem to be doing the same and many aren't bothering with CX specific <33mm tyres, at least earlier in the season, as it only really matters if you're podiuming/in a points scoring position and a commisare takes an interest (not a problem I'm ever likely to have 🙂 ).
If you want some more grip you can invest in some knoblier tyres, I've been using Vittoria 'Terreno Mix' tyres and they've been OK for me, similar treads are available from all sorts of manufacturers in both tubed and tubeless flavours, Grip is affected by pressures a fair bit (as with MTBs). Ultimately grip is always going to be somewhat limited, it's half the point of the format skinny tyres, muddy, grassy, sandy surfaces with tight, flat turns during winter months.
But yeah, don't obsess over optimal bike/kit/tyres it's a great racing format if you to just "race what ya brung" and lots of fun whichever end of the field you're at.
@tpbiker I think I might be in your team of volunteers for Sunday with my wife Sarah!
Sorry I missed your earlier response. Yep that was me, thanks for your help on the day. We had a great team and received some great feedback about the day
Still struggle to see the appeal of cross racing myself, looks miserable!😂 but lots of folks seemed to have a great time which is what counts.
Thanks all. Not looking to spend a fortune so something on the gripper end of the format would be good. Feels like the complete opposite of the TTs I was taking place in earlier in the year when I was just worrying about RR!
I was thinking something like this might be quite good - still has uses outside the CX as well for winter gravel. I have two sets of wheels so can have something faster rolling on one set and something like this on the other set.
https://www.merlincycles.com/schwalbe-g-one-ultrabite-performance-tle-folding-tyre-700c-261165.html
Currently on Gravelkings and they are awful on grass.
Yep I had previously gone to the trouble of building a cheap second set of 700c wheels so I now have 2 wheelsets for the bike, a heavier set with ~40mm Gravel tyres, the other set Now with these: https://www.merlincycles.com/vittoria-terreno-mix-tnt-g20-folding-cyclocross-tyre-700c-186958.html Cheaper, still Tubeless Ready, Skinnier but the 31mm come up at 33mm for me on 20mmm internal rims.
I've done a couple of extra rides on the Terrenos to get a feel for them outside of racing.
They're obviously not as plush and much more sensitive to lower pressure due to that wee bit less volume but they spin up and roll nicely.
TBH I would swap back to the other wheelset for winter rides now.
One guy was getting a bit indignant as he was trying to pass around the outside, but the passee drifted wide and effectively shut him out. Whether the passee did it deliberately or just naturally it seemed perfectly legit to me?
Also a guy after the race complaining that someone didn’t let him past when he called ‘coming through’. I suppose this is trickier if there is an obvious disparity in speed, and it can be tricky to know who’s lapping and who isn’t, but there’s definitely folk who seem to think that people are obliged to move over even when not getting lapped? I was a bit annoyed that I gave the line to someone then realised they probably weren’t much faster than me and I could have legitimately made them work for the pass at the very least?
Drifting wide to close the door if racing for position is perfectly ok, so long as it's not elbowing people or sudden line changes.
"Coming through" is utterly meaningless and if I heard it when commissairing would be having words with the rider to explain so as it confers no information. If lapping riders this needs to be made clear, if just racing for position then there's no obligation at all to move off line.
Sorry I missed your earlier response. Yep that was me, thanks for your help on the day. We had a great team and received some great feedback about the day
Still struggle to see the appeal of cross racing myself, looks miserable!😂 but lots of folks seemed to have a great time which is what counts.
No worries, enjoyed it and the event seemed to be well received as you say. Nice to meet you.
Yeah, not sure CX it’s for me either but enjoyed watching!
No worries, enjoyed it and the event seemed to be well received as you say. Nice to meet you.
Yep, great course at the weekend guys, fast and fun!
Apologies for some of the damage to the course markers, I was so knackered at one point I just sort of pedalled straight through the tape before straightening up, found some melted blue tape on my chain after the race 😎
double post
