Cyclocross 2012

[benjaminobscene]

and go!

[GinsterGTI]

After 2 years racing XC MTB I will be trying my hand at it this year. Starting with a 4 week training series in Sept. Excited and nervous at the same time but more excited then anything.
Went out a few nights ago and worked on my dismount/mounts.

[username]

have my eye on at least 4 local races, maybe more depending on how the fall plans out. Either way, I just race for the hell of it, if I ever podiumed, it would be completely unintentional

[audi666]

ohhh

Already signed up for:

Sat & Sun at Nittany Cross (MAC)
Sat & Sun at Charm City (MAC)

Now i just need to fix my A bike up...

[audi666]

getting the lady ready for her first race as well.

[benjaminobscene]

just got my ritchey wcs fork. excited to have proper braking and turning!

[audi666]

nice! going to get it on for tomorrow?

[andycooper]

1st race of the season yesterday

[benjaminobscene]

1st race of the season yesterday

Haha should we just assume that your computer crashed mid-post and you'll be letting us know how it went soon?

[andycooper]

Haha should we just assume that your computer crashed mid-post and you'll be letting us know how it went soon?

Oops. I wondered what happened to that post - I thought that I'd hit the back button and it just vanished, so I was planning on posting again tonight.

It went surprisingly well given my fitness level - I finished 10th out of 45. The course was fairly technical, so I managed to hide my lack of racing and training over the summer pretty well. I was sitting in 7th for much of the race, but faded to 11th and then got back up to 10th at the end. I'm insanely happy about the result - my best result ever, so hopefully I'll keep this kind of momentum going.

Last season I was running much higher pressure in my tires and was sliding out all the time and then my season was cut short by an ankle sprain before I could try a lower pressure, so this time I started at a low pressure and it made a huge difference pretty much everywhere. I've always been good at barriers, dismounts and remounts, and negotiating tight, twisty courses, so with the added traction and grip, I could go much faster.

[GinsterGTI]

Thats awesome to hear!

Tomorrow night starts the Wed's night race series with a 'Cross clinic then we race for the next 4 weeks. After going tubless on my XC bike this year and being blown awayt by the results I am trying out a Stans tubless conversion on the cross bike (have heard plenty of mixed reviews). Have done 2 longer trips on em inclucing some rocky single track and fast dirt roads. Wondering how they will be in faster tight corners. Would rather find out tomorrow then my first race.

[andycooper]

Thats awesome to hear!

Tomorrow night starts the Wed's night race series with a 'Cross clinic then we race for the next 4 weeks. After going tubless on my XC bike this year and being blown awayt by the results I am trying out a Stans tubless conversion on the cross bike (have heard plenty of mixed reviews). Have done 2 longer trips on em inclucing some rocky single track and fast dirt roads. Wondering how they will be in faster tight corners. Would rather find out tomorrow then my first race.

I started with a Stan's tubeless conversion on a set of Bontrager rims with Michelin Mud 3 tires because it was a ton cheaper than going tubular. From my research, the rim and the tire combination are vitally important to success with the Stan's stuff - some combinations just don't work. My initial impression was that it worked great, but that was prior to a race environment - as it turns out, I just wasn't going fast or hard enough outside of a race to really evaluate things.

What I found was that I burped air all the time during the race and wound up with no air in the tire on the last lap - I wound up running 80% of the last lap as a result. I ordered a set of tubular wheels and tires the next day and haven't looked back since.

[GinsterGTI]

Kinda what I expect. I have a similar chain suck problem on the xc bike. Only happens during race situations. I may make these my training set. The shop I ride for can set me up on aluminum tubulars on the cheap. Just don't wanna be that guy that buys everything in the world before I actually hit the race course.

[audi666]

Ive seen a lot of issues with people running tubeless in cross. I also think that a good set of clinchers, setup with the proper air pressure will do fine now that there are so many excellent clincher tire choices. If you have the money and time try tubs, but I don’t think you need them by any means.

[GinsterGTI]

Clinic was tonight. Tubes are going back in lol. Took all of 2 times round on an off camber tight turn to burp it. Had to bump up to almost 40 to make it not. Started at only 35ish so not even that low by any means. I can probably run that safely with tubes on this course.

Was a good night all together. Learned some things. And felt good with my handling and barriers. Next week we race.

[andycooper]

Clinic was tonight. Tubes are going back in lol. Took all of 2 times round on an off camber tight turn to burp it. Had to bump up to almost 40 to make it not. Started at only 35ish so not even that low by any means. I can probably run that safely with tubes on this course.

Was a good night all together. Learned some things. And felt good with my handling and barriers. Next week we race.

Good that you found out before a race . I've just spent the last hour+ prepping wheels and tires for gluing tubulars. Definitely not a fun task.

[withnail]

Good that you found out before a race . I've just spent the last hour+ prepping wheels and tires for gluing tubulars. Definitely not a fun task.

I actually don't mind gluing tubulars so much... it's ripping them off that i really hate! Ugh, I usually can't move my fingers for like a day after ripping off a couple pairs of tubulars.

[andycooper]

I actually don't mind gluing tubulars so much... it's ripping them off that i really hate! Ugh, I usually can't move my fingers for like a day after ripping off a couple pairs of tubulars.

Oh yeah, ripping 'em off isn't fun. Last time I had to do that I ripped a fingernail off. I'm just whining because I'm doing 3 at once (2 for me and one for the wife), and sitting in a cramped position while painting glue on tires and wheels isn't the most comfortable thing in the world

[benjaminobscene]

I typically run 35psi in clinchers without headaches. When I upgraded to better clincher tires, my traction issues went away and my legs became the weakest link.

[Holden McNeil]

For those running tubulars, are you gluing or taping?

[andycooper]

For those running tubulars, are you gluing or taping?

Gluing. A friend is only taping and having good luck with that, but I'm a little paranoid ...

[username]

I have never ridden tubulars, so maybe this is just a case of not knowing what i'm missing, but they sure sound like a PITA that I wouldn't have patience to deal with

[andycooper]

I have never ridden tubulars, so maybe this is just a case of not knowing what i'm missing, but they sure sound like a PITA that I wouldn't have patience to deal with

For the road, they're definitely a PITA, but for cross they allow you to run much lower pressure than clinchers and thereby get better grip. Their sidewalls can also be softer, which helps with cornering speed and traction. I ran 22psi in my tires this past weekend. Try that on a clincher

[audi666]

I typically run 35psi in clinchers without headaches. When I upgraded to better clincher tires, my traction issues went away and my legs became the weakest link.

i bet you could get away with less depending on the course since your a light weight dude.

For those running tubulars, are you gluing or taping?

I went with with glue and tape this last go around.

[GinsterGTI]

Raced the first night of the training series tonight. Won the B race. Probably had 1/4 to 1/2 lap on second by the end. What's the deal with an upgrade? I know I have to request it but can I use mountain results as examples? Or should I ride for a few weeks and see what happens. Don really wanna be "that guy". Tons of fun though.

[Holden McNeil]

I went with with glue and tape this last go around.

Did you roll a tire using another method, hence the switch?

Edit: Just curious because I was going to go the tape only route.

[andycooper]

Did you roll a tire using another method, hence the switch?

Edit: Just curious because I was going to go the tape only route.

I've heard of people having mixed results with just tape when using anything other than Tufo tires. A friend of mine has been doing tape + Tufo only for a while with no rolled tubulars.

[fiatjeepdriver]

Well I haven't had much time to work on my frame and with races starting in about 2 weeks I decided to pick up a different frame to use until I finish mine. I found a person selling a soma double cross in my size at a reasonable price so I picked it up. Now to build it up and practice some mounts and dismounts.

[fiatjeepdriver]

couple of questions:

1- I have the option of running 9 or 10 speed on my cross bike which would you do?

2- Tires. I know everyone has their own preferences but I'd like to get both a grass and mud tire. I was looking at the clement las for grass but wasn't sure on a mud tire. I do have last season's speed kings that I used but I wasn't overly impressed with them. So vortex what say you?

[withnail]

couple of questions:

1- I have the option of running 9 or 10 speed on my cross bike which would you do?

2- Tires. I know everyone has their own preferences but I'd like to get both a grass and mud tire. I was looking at the clement las for grass but wasn't sure on a mud tire. I do have last season's speed kings that I used but I wasn't overly impressed with them. So vortex what say you?

1- 10 speed

2- You didn't mention budget or whether you will be using clincher or tubular tires but for tubular race tires Challenge Fango for long grass to mild wet and FMB super muds for any deep mud.

[audi666]

Raced the first night of the training series tonight. Won the B race. Probably had 1/4 to 1/2 lap on second by the end. What's the deal with an upgrade? I know I have to request it but can I use mountain results as examples? Or should I ride for a few weeks and see what happens. Don really wanna be "that guy". Tons of fun though.

Its sounds like its a bit tougher to get upgrades now than it use to be with them wanting you to do ~10 races in that specific discipline unless your doing really well. How many races have you done in cyclcocross and what were your results? I assume were talking about moving from cat4 to cat 3?

Did you roll a tire using another method, hence the switch?

Edit: Just curious because I was going to go the tape only route.

No but everyone that ive been riding with lately and our team mechanic all do the glue/tape (belgium) method. It seems like once a person find something that works they stick with that process.

couple of questions:

1- I have the option of running 9 or 10 speed on my cross bike which would you do?

2- Tires. I know everyone has their own preferences but I'd like to get both a grass and mud tire. I was looking at the clement las for grass but wasn't sure on a mud tire. I do have last season's speed kings that I used but I wasn't overly impressed with them. So vortex what say you?

people always put alot of emphasis on mounting/dismounting. Its great to have dialed but most of the venues (at least around here) have you mounting/dismounting once or twice a lap, ie not that often. as long as you can get on and off without falling in the C race you good. cornering is key though...

personally id do 10, but id stick with whatever the rest of your bikes are.

i love the clement pdx's a bit aggressive for dry but ive used them as an all around. Speaking of which I have a set of PDX and LAS clinchers on the way!

[fiatjeepdriver]

1- 10 speed

2- You didn't mention budget or whether you will be using clincher or tubular tires but for tubular race tires Challenge Fango for long grass to mild wet and FMB super muds for any deep mud.

Clincher. I was going to do tubular this year but holding off allowed me to upgrade some other bits.

people always put alot of emphasis on mounting/dismounting. Its great to have dialed but most of the venues (at least around here) have you mounting/dismounting once or twice a lap, ie not that often. as long as you can get on and off without falling in the C race you good. cornering is key though...

personally id do 10, but id stick with whatever the rest of your bikes are.

i love the clement pdx's a bit aggressive for dry but ive used them as an all around. Speaking of which I have a set of PDX and LAS clinchers on the way!

I just have to work on them as I have somehow developed a stutter-step in the off season. I moved up the B's towards the end of last season (I took 2nd place for the series in the c's missing 1st by 4 points).

[audi666]

I would put in for your upgrade to be a cat3 with your results. If you ended up #2 you shouldnt stay a cat4.

[GinsterGTI]

Yeah just 4 to 3. My level of fitness is much higher then my race experience. 2 years XC MTB(probably 11 races total) and then just this one 'Cross race. Race cat 2 XC with a 4th place finish as my best this season. Last year cat 3 I was top 2 every race but 1.
That being said. This may be isolated because it's a training series and I may get my ass kicked in the future. I also wouldn't mind the time to build up my bike handling and such. Just don't want to be crushing people while I'm doing it. I'd rather be the guy being crushed and having something to chase.
Thanks for the input guys.

[audi666]

Agreed, you never want to be 'that guy' sandbagging in the 4s race.