CX and Bike Types

harringtonp

Hi Guys,

Looking to try a couple of CX races this year. Did 2 local ones last year. First was on my 13.5kg MTB which was too heavy and very noticeable on the run sections. Not particularly enjoyable to race on. Second was in Lees park in Ennis and for this I used 28mm continental tour tyres on my winter road bike. Easy to carry and great in the forested and single track sections but energy sapping on the muddy grass where I lost a bunch of places each lap.

Don't think I'll ever do enough CX to justify buying a CX bike so thinking about other setup options and have some questions.

1) "A" races don't allows MTBs but "B" races do. Don't ever envisage riding A level races but am wondering do all B races allow mountain bikes ? And is this something that is likely to change or will MTBs always be allowed in B races ?

2) In terms of CX vs MTB performance it looks to me that if you can put the right tyres on a hardtail mountain bike and keep the weight around 10kg then there is not much difference in performance between it and a lower end CX bike. Would yous agree or disagree ?

The attraction of buying a light hardtail is that I can envisage using it in other areas. Have done a reasonable amount of leisure mountain biking in the past and could see myself getting back into it with possibly even the odd MTB race thrown in.

lennymc

some organisers dont allow cx bikes. Personally, i think that they shouldn't be allowed. Probably not what you want to hear.

Lumen

lennymc wrote: »

some organisers dont allow cx bikes

:pac:

Eamonnator

lennymc wrote: »

some organisers dont allow mountain bikes. Personally, i think that they shouldn't be allowed. Probably not what you want to hear.

There you go Lenny, corrected that for you.
Don't mention it.

harringtonp

lennymc wrote: »

some organisers dont allow cx bikes. Personally, i think that they shouldn't be allowed. Probably not what you want to hear.

You mean mountain bikes of course but does this include B races ? And are there many in this category ?

Eamonnator

In the Northern Ireland CX League they don't allow MTBs in the B races, however, they run a separate race on the same course for MTBs.

DirkVoodoo

I think the idea behind allowing mountain bikes (fixx certainly did) was that it would serve as a taster, see if you liked cross and would be interested in taking it further.

There are plenty of mountain bike races on where you would get more enjoyment out of a hardtail. If you really prefer cross, then I would suggest taking the plunge and getting the bike.

RobFowl

lennymc wrote: »

some organisers don't allow Lenny. Personally, i think that he should be allowed if only to entertain the masses when RobFowl laps him.

Fixed that properly Lenny

fat bloke

You've seen yourself from two perspectives how the compromise isn't really satisfactory. CX is best tackled on a cx bike. Happily however, using a nice cx bike on the road by putting road wheels on it, is FAR less of a compromise than trying to put cx wheels on a road bike. I did most of my road biking all last year on a cx bike with a road set up, and it made for a really fantastic road machine. Might not quite be the case to quite the same extent with a heavier entry level cx bike but there's no doubt they are great all purpose bikes. Earlier on in the year I did a couple of 100k+ sportives on mine, no bother. I did use an mtb for a cx race last year but it was a super light top end mtb, and it still wasn't a match for a proper cx setup.

RobFowl

I did my first cross races on an MTB and loved it. Caught the bug and got a cross bike.
It's much more popular now an where back then there was maybe one race with 40-50 at best with sign on that am,now there are 160 plus and the B race often sells out way in advance.
It seems unfair now that a dedicated cross convert fails to get aride when someone testing the water does.
I think the nordie solution of an extra race for MTBs is the way to go although that puts extra pressure on the organisers.
FWIW I remain slow but far less slow than I was on an MTB....

nak

Eamonnator wrote: »

In the Northern Ireland CX League they don't allow MTBs in the B races, however, they run a separate race on the same course for MTBs.

Not anymore, no MTB support race for adults this year. Think a small number permitted in the B race in Ulster instead. Too many people wanting to race who have cross bikes now.

harringtonp

Thanks guys,

Good responses. So I take it that apart from Ulster, B races still allow mountain bikes and they are certainly still allowed in races around Dublin. But there would seem to be a growing wave of opinion and they may eventually be outlawed in any B races where organisers can fill them easily...

harringtonp

In relation to

2) In terms of CX vs MTB performance it looks to me that if you can put the right tyres on a hardtail mountain bike and keep the weight around 10kg then there is not much difference in performance between it and a lower end CX bike. Would yous agree or disagree ?

I see some opinions were offered above. However I fail to see how or why
something like

https://www.canyon.com/en-ie/mtb/exceed/exceed-cf-slx-9-9-race.html

with smartly chosen tyres would much if any disadvantage over CX bikes ?

harringtonp

I never really understood why their is a bike restriction in either CX or mountain bike races (I heard the CX is for Cross bikes etc argument before).

I would have thought organisers set the courses and racers use/buy/borrow whatever they feel will get them around it quickest.

I can understand restrictions in road race where big bunches ride close together and when crashes occur the less sticky out bits and sharp metal around the better/

Mr. Grieves

harringtonp wrote: »

I never really understood why their is a bike restriction in either CX or mountain bike races (I heard the CX is for Cross bikes etc argument before).

I would have thought organisers set the courses and racers use/buy/borrow whatever they feel will get them around it quickest.

I can understand restrictions in road race where big bunches ride close together and when crashes occur the less sticky out bits and sharp metal around the better/

Well on a really muddy course wider tyres would definitely be an advantage. The 33mm max width is definitely restrictive, otherwise people wouldn't go to such lengths with expensive tubulars. The existence of that rule shows that cross isn't just about using the fastest bike for the course.

lennymc

i guess because it's a cyclocross race - it's a specific category for a specific bike type. Given the advantages that an mtb may have on some course,s you could end up with everyone racing on mtbs, and it then becomes a mountain bike race. Kind of like letting recumbants or tt bikes in road races.

harringtonp

lennymc wrote: »

i guess because it's a cyclocross race - it's a specific category for a specific bike type. Given the advantages that an mtb may have on some course,s you could end up with everyone racing on mtbs, and it then becomes a mountain bike race. Kind of like letting recumbants or tt bikes in road races.

When you put it in that context the CX bikes for CX races quip makes more sense. I'd never considered a mountain bike being quicker in some cases, presumed they would be at best almost as fast as and therefore not a threat

harringtonp

Mr. Grieves wrote: »

Well on a really muddy course wider tyres would definitely be an advantage. The 33mm max width is definitely restrictive, otherwise people wouldn't go to such lengths with expensive tubulars. The existence of that rule shows that cross isn't just about using the fastest bike for the course.

Presume this 33mm limit is never enforced domestically. If you look at:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/tyres/cyclo-x-tyres

most are 35 and there are as many options above this as below

Mr. Grieves

harringtonp wrote: »

Presume this 33mm limit is never enforced domestically. If you look at:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/tyres/cyclo-x-tyres

most are 35 and there are as many options above this as below

I've never heard of it being enforced. You are actually allowed wider tyres if you weigh above a certain threshold.

lennymc

Think it might be enforced at the nationals