Three Peaks Cyclo Cross – what tyres – tubeless or not ? + plus any advice

Hi All

I am doing the three peaks cyclo cross event this month.

Has anybody done it ? – any advice welcome ?

What tyres would you recommend ? (tough ones)

Also should I go tubeless or with tyre liners and slime tubes ?

Brakes – currently I have BB5 meachanical disc brakes – they are not great – is the event worth the long want to upgrade to shimano hydraulics ?

Cheers

Ah, tyres for the Three Peaks. The never-ending forum topic!
I’m going tubeless this year based on last year’s disastrous puncture-fest but that said out of 9 starts I’ve had 4 punctures: 2 in year 1 just because of inexperience and 2 last year just based on bad luck!

I’ve been testing them extensively in the Peak District and so far so good but that’s no guarantee that on race day itself they won’t fall to pieces – I’ve seen that happen to a mate who had 3 months of tyre testing, no issues at all and then in the race his tubeless tyre burped, then punctured and then the replacement tube he put in also punctured. Sometimes luck just isn’t on your side!

Up until then I’d always used Schwalbe Smart Sam which were a decent combination of light-ish, fast rolling and grippy.

WTB Cross Boss TCS is a big 35c tyre, rolls well. It’ll be my choice, it’s all I have.

Cheers

9 starts … blimey – respect – this is my 1st time.

If you puncture on tubeless do you just throw tubes in straight away ? – I guess you cant patch up with gaffa tape on tyre rips if youve had sealant inside etc ? (do you always carry a spare tube ?)

Are you running hydraulic brakes ?

Can you wear a camel back as I will have no support looking after my stuff etc

do riders put foam / lagging on top tube for carrying or is this soft and not allowed etc ?

sorry for more questions .. as race comes gets closer now – im trying to cover all angles

ive split racing ralphs which i dont rate on stones from the ridgeway and the chilterns and would go Maxxis but you can go above 35mm wide

SORRY I MEANT DO YOU ALWAYS CARRY A SPARE TYRE !!!! (not tube..)

A friend has just gone cross boss – good value also – are you going tubeless qwerty ?

Tubeless puncture = a plug or new tube. Spare tyres only carried by tubs users.

Brakes – use what you have.

Many wear CamelBaks.

Many use foam/pipe lagging.

No tyres over 35c allowed.

Yes, I’ll be tubeless, not sure what PSI yet.

My last entries were in 1999 & 2000, so bike techs all moved on, but the hills are the same….

Going back to it after a nine year hiatus. Planning to run Vittoria tnt xl pro tubeless. Testing in rocky n Wales has been good so farb- feel a bit heavy but seem tough and no burping.

As ever, beginning to wonder if me entering the 3 peaks is really a good idea…

Tubeless puncture. If it happens then once I’ve stopped crying, I’ll attempt to put a new tube in.

Brakes – at this stage and given that it’s your first time, use what you’ve got.

I tend to use a small Camelbak with about 0.75L of water in it. Water bottle has energy drink. Between them both, they get me round.

Tools, tubes, pump and (if needed) a waterproof shell jacket go in there too. There have been a couple of years when carrying a waterproof has been mandatory. The 30sec to get the Camelbak off, pull out the waterproof and put it on is nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Gels go in the jersey pockets. Nothing else in there – it’ll bounce out or you’ll fall on it and hurt yourself.

BB5’s are fine, it’s not about the downs, it’s all about the ups !

I didn’t use foam lagging. I put an old inner tube on the top tube. That stopped the bike moving about on the shoulder which I found much better than padding.

I use a camelback as a small frame doesn’t allow for a bottle cage. Be careful though, I caught the bit valve on some part of the frame and proceeded to loose almost all my water. I wasn’t the only person this happened to either.

Cheers all

I’m also getting nervous now …. i said yearsssss ago I would do it one day … i mainly mountain bike with some road training thrown in but I’m no roadie .. i bought a cx bike two years ago and got a place this year … Adrenalin dump valves reacting already thinking of it ..

the brake issue is worrying i wont stop on the downs are they are poor … you can grab a handful and not much happens on the downs to be honest ..

just no stoppage mechanicals would be great to test yourself against the course

im hoping there will be some weekend warrior dads there also not just ultra lean elite racers …. 🙂 … it would be nice to have someone to chat to nearby …

im already looking forward to the ales after the ride and some steak and ale pie peas and chips in my digs after a nice hot shower …. im staying in a pub …. 🙂 .. i did the ard rock enduro in one day drove up at 3am and drove home after … never again …. zzzzzz

the bite valve coming off would be a nightmare ..

tube on frame sounds like a good trick

never again as in not without an overnight stay as 4 hours of driving each way

If you want to win, you won’t need brakes on the steep downhills 😯

If you’re not bothered about winning, don’t let anxiety spoil your ride – people have been doing it for years on rim brakes and tubes.
OK, modern developments may improve the ride but not necessarily the experience; you can worry about them for the 2nd time you do it with the experience of one under your belt!

BB5’s are fine, it’s not about the downs, it’s all about the ups !

Disagree. I PB’d by over 10 minutes the year I went from cantis to hydro discs. WAY better control on the descents which meant I could go faster, slow down later knowing that I could still stop and also suffer far less arm pump.
Admittedly it was also great weather and I got a good start but the descending difference was phenomenal.

However – with 3 weeks to go, now is not the time to be trying to fit new bits, I think you’d be better off just leaving it as it is and using what you’re used to. Use the first time as an experience.

the brake issue is worrying i wont stop on the downs are they are poor … you can grab a handful and not much happens on the downs to be honest ..

just no stoppage mechanicals would be great to test yourself against the course

This to me is the 3 Peaks!

As pslings says, don’t worry, the real race will eventually be you against you & the hills. There will be plenty in front for sure, and plenty behind.

BB5’s are fine, it’s not about the downs, it’s all about the ups !
Disagree

Yes, completely disagree.

It’s been a long since I last did it but every time I raced it I wanted better brakes. You spend a long time coming down, arms and legs cramping up with tension as you head into steep sections seemingly increasing speed. (I wouldn’t have double punctured hitting rocks on the lower part of PyG with better brakes. The drainage gaps on Whernside wouldn’t be so much of a challenge.)

In fact, I’d go as far as saying that going up the hills is the easy part. Anyone can shoulder a bike and tramp up a hill.

I think I worked out after my first year that in 4 hours and ten minutes or so I had my bike on my shoulder for over two hours.

Past 3 times I ran Panaracer Cinder Cross tyres. Plenty of grip and tough enough to cope with my less than elegant descending. Just pump them up as hard as you dare and try not to pinch flat coming down Whernside.

I’m personally not convinced by tubeless for this race. The one person I know who tried it blew the tyre of the rim 10 minutes before the start – panicked switch to tubes right then!

A spare set of wheels, or someone with a track pump, at Ribblehead if you can, that’s the descent your most likely to have problems with.

The advice I was given when I first started was to run the tyres at 100psi, snake bites is the issue and if you do puncture then remember your not going to get 100psi back at the side of the trail so take it easy until you change wheels or get the pressure back!

Have fun and remember Simon’s Fell will eventually end…

Clement mxp on flows to 60psi-ish. It was a very dry year.

Advice from what I can remember: On any double track off ingleborough stay right. There are lots of false summits on whernside. Be prepared for continuous punishment passes between whernside and penyghent from people who ironically are all there to support cyclists. (Gently)Practice penygent the night before and be amazed how narrow it is on race day. Don’t be a woman as the prizes aren’t equal.

I’m personally not convinced by tubeless for this race. The one person I know who tried it blew the tyre of the rim 10 minutes before the start – panicked switch to tubes right then!

Not a chap called Graham by any chance?

I did it last year on land cruisers, granted they’re bomb proof but ye gods they’re slow.

This year I’m on smart sams as they seem a good alternative.

I’ll have a little camelbak with all the gubbins in, don’t forget the proper Orange bivi/ rescue bag.

Thanks – I won’t have the luxury of support or spare wheels.

I’ve been reading about going high psi for pinch flats ..

Yes the you tube videos of Simons Fell looks like a nice little warm up !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Any good you tube links on it – please past them here …

Its been a while for me. My experience was that time is made on the ups and along the road. Time is not made on the downs but can be lost.

BB7s were fine, but hydros would be better as you are going to be working them.

Tyres were small block8 types. Bit of grip for the moors, gravel is always sketch and fast on the road. Key for me was very hard tyres. Something like 70psi for a 70kg rider.

Lagging on the top tube. I didn’t the first year and got a purple shoulder.

Camelbak not bottles so you can’t lose your water supply and can carry easily. Because you will carry and it won’t be easy.

Shoes with studs. It looks steep in the photos, and it is, grip helps.

The start is chaotic. Everyone thinks they’ll be getting round in 3 hours. The road section is long, so if you are a bit further back don’t worry about it. I’ve never had an trouble moving up the bunch. If you are going to get a good time there are plenty of small rises to do this on and you’ll be capable.

Avoid the choppers in the bunch and don’t be one. 600 people is a lot and it can be a bit frisky if you are changing line and not riding smooth.

It is hard to eat and drink off road. When you are on the road, get some food and drink in! Also it can be worth waiting, easing off for a working group. Difference can be a cruisey 25mph or a solo 18mph slog. Don’t be the guy who does not work, you aren’t waiting for the sprint, just trying to get round fast.

I never had a puncture. I was cautious on the downs, ran the flag stones and steps. For me it was about getting round quick with no support.

3h42 was my best. 4h40 my worst when it was biblically wet and windy. Sometimes the weather is just hard on you.

It is a superb event, lift your head up and enjoy the ride and the racing. Maybe one of the best events I’ve done. Need to go back but it ruins the remaining cross season and HCs for me.

Mrs Kilo is doing it again this year. Last year she felt riding the entire road section between the first and second peaks the day before during a course recce and as far as possible on pen y gent helped her when it came to race day She’ll be on landcruisers again and using a small camelback.

Post your number and what jersey you’ll have on nearer the day and I’ll try to give you a shout out on the course!

Any good you tube links on it – please past them here …

😉

This year I’m on smart sams as they seem a good alternative.

I really rate them for that kind of stuff. Reasonably light and good side knobs so you can pump them up hard and still get enough grip.

Shoes with studs. It looks steep in the photos, and it is, grip helps.

Studs are great on the steep grass of Simon Fell but deadly on rock.

Shoes with studs. It looks steep in the photos, and it is, grip helps.

DO NOT use studs!
They’re banned in CX for a reason – they’re insanely dangerous to everyone else! As you dismount / remount you’ll swing your leg over the back of the bike and kick anyone behind you in the face. You absolutely don’t need them anyway. Simon Fell is steep enough that you just use the toe box to climb on and everything else is rock where you don’t want studs anyway cos you’ll be slipping all over the place.

Don’t use them.

Nice write up Jonba – cheers

Still laughing at the video qwerty …

I like this video. Mostly because I’m the pathetic trudging figure that appears at about 4:20 in a bright orange top as far as I can tell.

Nothing anyone says can prepare you for Simon’s Fell, it’s just something else. To add to the conflicting advice I find that baring incidents your position at the bottom of Simon’s Fell is more or less were you’ll finish.

Coming down Ingleborough don’t make the mistake I did my first time, any muddy patch without tyre tracks is actually a bottomless hole which will send you over the bars!

Good advice on the muddy patch with no tyre tracks .. 🙂 I’ve sent s few over the bars videos from muddy patches ..

Do they set you off in finish times you stated on the entry form?

Since when have studs been ‘banned’?? Spikes I can see as inappropriate but a rugby or football stud won’t do any more harm from being ‘kicked in the face’ at every dismount than a rigid carbon soled shoe

The start is self policed, there are signs with the times at the side of the road and you line up behind the appropriate one. It’s all a bit more chaotic than the entry form suggests when you get back a few rows from the front.

I used BB5’s and had plenty of power. I also use chicken levers, being able to change hand position helps with pump, which IMO is caused by drop bars not the fact you need the worlds best brakes.

Can’t see what advantage spikes would bring seeing as most apart from the first hill is gravely or rocky