Cyclocross Season

dave2pvd

boomdocker wrote: »

Some comments...

With a narrow-wide chainring and a clutch derailleur you have no need for any sort of chain device. I run this setup on two mtbs and it works...previously I had a chain device and non clutch mech with narrow wide - didn;t work so good. ALL chain devices are a pain in the h*** if you ask me.

So the key is the clutch mech.

AFAIK clutch mechs are only available in 10 spd an up. I use Shimano Zee, cheap and cheerful and almost indestructible

Finally - for CX - why a single ring? Surely you would be under geared?? Both for racing and for spins on the road??

Lots of people use single ring. It works very well for many courses. Mine is a tad overgeared at 42Tx28. Though cross chained, it works great on the road with the 11 on the rear.

Many chain guides are junk. And bash guards alone won't work. Find the right guide and you have a much cheaper solution than new derailleurs and splayed/longtooth chainrings.

FYI, the not-so-good guides are anything that does not come across the top of the chain, or the cheaper ones, like Deda Dog Fang.

niceonetom

Seems like any solution other than the off-the-peg SRAM setup is going to require some bodging.

In that spirit, here's my attempt. Ghetto as iot gets.



Standard chainset with a 39t ring, a cheapo front derailleur cut and filed so it can sit lower on the seat-tube without fouling the chainstay, thereby keeping the chain from coming up, limit screws ensure that the chain can't go over side to side.

I've only out on it for a few spins thus far and it seems to work.

Lusk_Doyle

Raam wrote: »

Maybe I will wait till stuff breaks before changing.

I bet that you don't.

Raam

Entry for Fixx Supercross round 3 is open...
http://fs25.formsite.com/twracing/form15/index.html

lennymc

Raam wrote: »

Entry for Fixx Supercross round 3 is open...
http://fs25.formsite.com/twracing/form15/index.html

entered!

The tax man

Ta for the heads up Raam.
Entered, now off to practice some more.:o

RobFowl

lennymc wrote: »

entered!

See you there !

wanderer 22

I'm in.

lennymc

RobFowl wrote: »

See you there !

Bring it on!

Alek

colm18 wrote: »

I'm in.

Me too. I hope I won't get sick like a dog this time and manage to turn up.

wanderer 22

Planning on doing some training in the phoenix park tomorrow if anyone wants to join

Pablo Rubio

Thanks for heads up. B RACE filling up already.signed up for more pain!

The tax man

colm18 wrote: »

Planning on doing some training in the phoenix park tomorrow if anyone wants to join

The park was nice and muddy today. Won't be able to make it tomorrow.
Not looking forward to the cleaning job.

Alek

Not looking forward to the cleaning job.

Just apply rule #9

How do you find the brakes compared to road calipers?

The tax man

I find them quite good. I haven't used disc brakes since the early 90's and these are a huge leap forward. Only the second day out on them so not sure if pads and discs are bedded in yet. They'd certainly stop you, nice modulation on the levers. I must run through some emergency braking on tarmac to see how hard I can pull the lever till they lock up.

Alek

I have them on my bike - but was wondering are they much better than rim brakes in terms of modulation. Its been ages since I've ridden a bike with road calipers so have no direct comparison.

The tax man

Maybe with a bit more time using the disc brakes I'll be able to give you a better answer. I still have to get the feel for them.
How do you find the hybrid setup compared to the full cable setup?

Alek

If you ask about the difference between fully mechanical Spyre and hybrid Hy/RD, the latter is a bit more grippy and the pad self-adjusting feature is great. With metal sintered pads, it is literally set and forget for 3-6k km.

The downside is that you have no control over the initial lever throw, unless you resort to overfilling the reservoir which requires some skill and is not a officially recommended thing to do (TRP support may advise this it over email on case-by-case basis) I have done this and its much more to my liking.

With Spyres, you can easily fine-tune the lever feel with barrel adjuster. But then you need to do it as the pads wear out - even as often as after a few rides, if you brake often (city centre commuter racing) and use soft organic pads.

The tax man

Alek wrote: »

The downside is that you have no control over the initial lever throw, unless you resort to overfilling the reservoir which requires some skill and is not a officially recommended thing to do (TRP support may advise this it over email on case-by-case basis) I have done this and its much more to my liking.

I read up on their setup procedure and found my rear brake wasn't set correctly. Fairly straight forward to setup but like you say it's a fixed lever throw with little adjustment. Love the self centering aspect of these brakes, hope it's as good as they say. Must get some more info from you on the 16th.

nak

Compressionless cable housing greatly improves the TRP disc brakes.

Alek

Compressionless cables are a must. On normal cables, while the front was stopping me somehow, the rear (long cable) was not working at all.

wanderer 22

With the arrival of proper cross conditions I'm now even more sh*te..

Harrybelafonte

At least you're getting out there. Still haven't even ridden my cx on a training ride.

The tax man

colm18 wrote: »

With the arrival of proper cross conditions I'm now even more sh*te..

Kudos for even going outside today.

nak

Delighted Phoenix Park is finally getting muddy; great skills session this morning.

foxer3640

Just wondering is there much of a difference in levels between the a and b races? I went to sign up for the b race last night and it was full so I entered the a race. Its my first proper cyclocross race. Thanks.

countrykid

foxer3640 wrote: »

Just wondering is there much of a difference in levels between the a and b races? I went to sign up for the b race last night and it was full so I entered the a race. Its my first proper cyclocross race. Thanks.

A WORLD of difference......

Alek

Just wondering is there much of a difference in levels between the a and b races?

Just a lap or two more. Don't worry, been there & done that on my first CX race. In short - you will have more space for yourself after the second or third lap

wanderer 22

Alek wrote: »

Just a lap or two more. Don't worry, been there & done that on my first CX race. In short - you will have more space for yourself after the second or third lap

You were stronger than most doing their first cx race though, your lap times would have given you top 20 or so for the b's?

Alek

Rather closer to top 30 ...

Tenzor07

Important notice regarding this weekend's Fixx CX race...

Gentle reminder...STAY OUT OF THE PARK before Sunday. With the wet weather any riding in the park will be clearly visible and could potentially jeopardize access to the park for the race.

foxer3640

Thanks guys.

lennymc

Mud tyres for sunday....

Proper cx weather at last. I'm so excited.

Eamonnator

lennymc wrote: »

Mud tyres for sunday....

Proper cx weather at last. I'm so excited.

Yeah, me too, so excited, I could sh1t.

lennymc

Eamonnator wrote: »

Yeah, me too, so excited, I could sh1t.

Are you racing sunday?

The tax man

lennymc wrote: »

that first turn will be carnage!

I'll be at the rear to watch it happen.

Eamonnator

lennymc wrote: »

Are you racing sunday?

No, My CX career is finished.
Too much punishment for a person of my advanced years.

DKO

Wishing I was doing this race, last year it was some course, really enjoyed it. Sprained UCL in my thumb though so all splinted up. Anyone on here done this before? How bad and how long to fix... mine is middle of the road I think. No fracture and seeing physio.

lennymc

The tax man wrote: »

I'll be at the rear to watch it happen.

ill be behind you, wheel sucking...

RobFowl

DKO wrote: »

Wishing I was doing this race, last year it was some course, really enjoyed it. Sprained UCL in my thumb though so all splinted up. Anyone on here done this before? How bad and how long to fix... mine is middle of the road I think. No fracture and seeing physio.

Game keepers thumb, see your GP and get referred to a specialist.

Pablo Rubio

lennymc wrote: »

Mud tyres for sunday....

Proper cx weather at last. I'm so excited.

Just collected my mud tyres this evening. Intermediates where spinning and sliding like mad . Looking forward to a mudfest hopefully.... should be some crack along with the pain.

The tax man

I've never set foot in this park before so decided to bring the dog for a walk this morning. The lowest part of the park is badly flooded and the ground higher up is saturated. Not sure if that particular part is used but it looks like ideal cyclocross terrain. Will be interesting to see if it drains off before Sunday.


Mud is most definitely on the cards.:D

Raam

The tax man wrote: »

I've never set foot in this park before so decided to bring the dog for a walk this morning. The lowest part of the park is badly flooded and the ground higher up is saturated. Not sure if that particular part is used but it looks like ideal cyclocross terrain. Will be interesting to see if it drains off before Sunday.


Mud is most definitely on the cards.:D

YEAH!

RobFowl

Raam wrote: »

YEAH!

F*ck yeah

nak

The tax man wrote: »

I've never set foot in this park before so decided to bring the dog for a walk this morning. The lowest part of the park is badly flooded and the ground higher up is saturated. Not sure if that particular part is used but it looks like ideal cyclocross terrain. Will be interesting to see if it drains off before Sunday.


Mud is most definitely on the cards.:D

Those bits were used last year, very glad I have mud tyres glued on and a Roubaix skinsuit.

Alek

Hard choice: skinsuit or wetsuit.

mickydcork

CX looks like fun and a good short sharp workout.
Any idea how one would get into this? From a noob point of view?
First steps etc.
Are there categories of races?

Tenzor07

Should drain off from now till Sunday etc...Weather reports say some more rain tonite and maybe the odd shower on Saturday/Sunday...
The course will be modified to take into account of any particularly bad patches of ground....

QueensGael

mickydcork wrote: »

CX looks like fun and a good short sharp workout.
Any idea how one would get into this? From a noob point of view?
First steps etc.
Are there categories of races?

Just jump right in! You can do the B races on a MTB if you don't have a CX bike. I'm a total noob at it, hanging off the back each time, but enjoying it nonetheless!

The tax man

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Should drain off from now till Sunday etc...Weather reports say some more rain tonite and maybe the odd shower on Saturday/Sunday...
The course will be modified to take into account of any particularly bad patches of ground....

Hopefully it does drain off. Looked like an interesting bit of land to use. It doesn't come across in those pictures but the water was quite deep in parts and there was a steady stream running down the paths feeding it.