[Closed] CX - am I missing something!?

au contraire, drops are for descending

I don't like descending on drops as much because it puts my weight too far forward when it's steep. On the other hand the hand position isn't as good on the hoods, I can't rotate my wrists as far back in that plane and retain strength to brake.

[quote="D0NK]au contraire, drops are for descendingUm, you mean "going fast" :wink:?

Molgrips, sounds like you have your bars too far forward, too low and possibly hoods rotated too far forwards. Or a combination....... Like a road bike......

Well to be fair I've only off-roaded my hybrid a few times, and I like to have the bars rotated forward a bit to make them easier to ride with on the road. I haven't tried to set up a drop bar bike purely for off-road.

Interesting looking at last year's [url= http://bikepacker.com/2016-tour-divide-rigs/ ]Tour Divide bikes[/url] a significant number of those who chose to reply to the request have dropped bars.

Tour divide is a bit of a niche situation though. Huge miles and little tech, I'd be on drops no question.

Um, you mean "going fast" :wink:?

I don't like descending on drops as much because it puts my weight too far forward when it's steep.

D0NK - Member

still haven't heard the details as to what makes a tourer better for "most people"

Sorry, didn't think anyone had read it!

Compared to a real CX race bike, wider gearing, bigger tyres, slightly less twitchy, the ability to take a rack and guards.

Makes it a more practical proposition without compromising too much ability in other areas.

I got frame only so gears and tyres models own, guard mounts were already a must for me so that just leaves geometry, presumably slacker head angle. Hmm, I honestly don't know if I'd prefer that or not, I guess I wouldn't find out without riding something slacker with a similar spec back to back. It's fun for chucking round singletrack and apart from the aforementioned slithery rooty bit don't often bin it, but you don't know what you're missing til you've tried it eh? Who's got a slack, big tyred, drop barred bike to lend me? 🙂

Me.
And the wife.

Green or blue?
🙂

big enough for me @ 6'2"

🙂

au contraire, drops are for descending
Arguably, ymmv, all imo of course, on your CX bike you probably shouldn't be riding trails that are on the raggedy edge of your ability,

Drops are for going fast, not doing technical or rocky stuff.

I didn't like it at first, but stuck with it and got used to it

I don't like descending on drops as much because it puts my weight too far forward when it's steep. On the other hand the hand position isn't as good on the hoods

Even CX enthusiasts cant seem to agree how to use the bars on CX bikes !

I agree with Road bars for gravel bike as you say you are covering long distances with little tech.

You know what the best thing is about this thread?
Everyone on here loves THEIR bike and enjoys riding it!!!

I'll never get down the really tech stuff I can on my mtb, but the compromise is worth it for the other 99% of the trails/routes that I ride it on

We've hit the nail on the head several times on this thread and here it is again.

I'll never get down the really tech stuff I can on my mtb, but the compromise is worth it for the other 99% of the trails/routes that I ride it on

But I wonder if there were some slight tweaks to the handlebar layout whether you could get down some slightly more tech stuff without losing any much speed on the road sections.

Presumably the CX bike is meant to be more capable off road than a Road bike with big tyres or a gravel bike but Im not convinced it is.

Well, if we welded them together?

My CX bikes have been used and abused on all sorts of terrain over the years. My local trails are around Rivington and I'm happy going up or down most of the stuff around there including San Marino, around the Healy Nab Trails etc... (although it's not much fun on the Ice Cream Run these days). It's fun around Llandegla too. Also gets used on long rides with mixed road / canal / trails and I race occasionally too. It's just fun 🙂

[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5471/29739189204_96b07c5923_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5471/29739189204_96b07c5923_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/MiX7Rs ]Rivington Pike[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/simondbarnes/ ]Simon Barnes[/url], on Flickr

[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5688/30084531623_913c26c008_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5688/30084531623_913c26c008_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/MQt686 ]2016-11-01_08-42-12[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/simondbarnes/ ]Simon Barnes[/url], on Flickr

[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/399/30984818964_d172682154_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/399/30984818964_d172682154_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Pd2ibC ]NWCCA-R9-Vet- Otterspool[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/simondbarnes/ ]Simon Barnes[/url], on Flickr

done san marino a couple times, predictably slow, I've never been angry enough at my wheels or my wrists to have a go at ICR 🙂
Is that the canal through trafford park? If so I rode mine down there this morning

But I wonder if there were some slight tweaks

I haven't read the previous 5 pages of comments all I will say is if you race CX you WILL be addicted I would bet a months' salary! Short hard fast work out for 40 minutes, my average heart rate is 185+ and I come home buzzing. Spend all evening looking at the free pics of us all messing about in the mud, the leagues are so friendly and it's just mega. I wouldn't go out MTBing in some of the winter weather we've had but I'll drag my butt to a 40 min CX race.

Is that the canal through trafford park?

Aye 🙂

I hate mud.

Will I still like CX?

Don't worry, Fox has a solution for all you softies with delicate wrists:

[url= https://www.cxmagazine.com/fox-ax-adventure-cross-cyclocross-gravel-suspension-fork-step-cast-coming ]Adventure Cross fork for niche-dwellers[/url]

😆

I hate mud.

Will I still like CX?

Possibly. As long as you only ride it in summer.

Simon, if that's you in the pink jersey, and it says "velocake" you may know my Central CX 'nemesis' Mike who races in that kit? We had a season-long battle for the much-coveted 10th spot in V40 🙂

And also WTF, from the pic tag is that Otterspool Park in Liverpool? I studied in Liverpool in the 90's and used to muck around on my MTB in there all the time.

Simon, if that's you in the pink jersey, and it says "velocake" you may know my Central CX 'nemesis' Mike who races in that kit?

I do indeed know the fine gentleman in question 🙂

And also WTF, from the pic tag is that Otterspool Park in Liverpool?

Yup!