Cyclocross! - Forum Archive

Aug 14, 2013 at 12:53 PM

Marc Bertucco said:

Here's something crazy to consider...

We all know that effectively the big kick-off to the cross season is at Nittany on Sept 7th? Right? Anyone who has been there knows that the Nittany course is LITERALLY (old school real definition in use here) in the backyard of the T-town velodrome. What I only fully realized last weekend was that on Saturday Sept 7th there is ALSO a day of "Master's and Rookies" track racing...starting at noon. Hours after the finish of my cx race.

So while I don't have a cx pit bike, I may, nonetheless be bringing two bikes out to the race(s) that weekend!

A glutton for racing? Sadly I'll be on a beach. But for solidarity I'll kick myself in the shin, rub a handful of gravel into my elbow and run in circles until I want to throw up.

eragot

Aug 14, 2013 at 03:30 PM

@mugwump
Tall ones go around the head tube too!

Rick Perner said:
A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing I guess esp when it's acquired thru youtube instructional videos etc. which is where I learned that some people carry their bikes with their arm in front of the head tube rather than under the down tube.

I should've been more specific earlier. My concern is that since I don't know which method I'd prefer I'd like the option to try them both. The extra cable housing/slack acts as something of a barrier to me getting my hand around the head tube and reaching the left handlebar. I also saw some pics of cross bikes with all the control cables really tight against the down tube/under the stem conjecturing that perhaps that was to facilitate the head tube carry.

That being said I did see a video that was somewhat dismissive of the head tube carry saying the vast majority of people carried their bikes under the down tube.

Rick,
In my experience, the "arm in front of the head tube" method is usually only employed by very short riders.

PatrickGrehan

Aug 14, 2013 at 08:29 PM

@Myles
This weeks competitive cyclist blog entry makes reference to supercross. Scroll down, it's short and near the end.

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/learn/sweet-bike-calculus?cmp_id=EM_CC_1018516_M1&mv_pc=r105

Any publicity is good publicity?

Joaquin

Aug 15, 2013 at 07:24 PM

Question: I'm comparing some TRP Eurox brakes against the Avid Shorty Ultimates. Thoughts? Any other major recommendations?

dstokes

Aug 15, 2013 at 07:37 PM

I did not like Avid Shorty 4 or 5, which I used for several seasons. Chatter and poor stopping power.
What a relief to finally get Paul brakes.

mperlberg

Aug 15, 2013 at 08:05 PM

The shorty ultimates changed my life. Until then, I did not know one could stop a cross bike.

Joaquin

Aug 15, 2013 at 08:07 PM

@mperlberg, thanks. Good to know. Anyone have similar or different feelings on the TRP Eurox?

neilx

Aug 15, 2013 at 08:10 PM

Shorty ultimates....i like.

mugwump

Aug 15, 2013 at 08:35 PM

Shorty 6 works great for me.

Marc Bertucco

Aug 16, 2013 at 04:03 AM

There are a few good clips of Adam Myerson's training/racing advice with regards to cyclocross. Here's one that gives some surprising advice regarding run training.

http://dirtwire.tv/2013/08/cycle-smart-camp-seminar-adam-myerson-on-the-unimportance-of-running/

Jules

Aug 16, 2013 at 12:18 PM

I'd really like to do that clinic sometime. Two years ago (?) there was a pretty chunky run through the mud at Nittany. I passed a *lot* of guys there where were really unprepared for a 70-100m mud run...

So yeah, once in two years is pretty unusual, although if you couldn't ride the sand at Bubble CX you'd be in for a LONG one...

Andrew Da Silva

Aug 16, 2013 at 02:05 PM

I guess ill race cross this year. Bringing back the old skat man.

Andrew Da Silva

Aug 16, 2013 at 02:05 PM

I guess ill race cross this year. Bringing back the old skat man.

image.jpg

Marc Bertucco

Aug 16, 2013 at 03:13 PM

Jules said:

I'd really like to do that clinic sometime. Two years ago (?) there was a pretty chunky run through the mud at Nittany. I passed a *lot* of guys there where were really unprepared for a 70-100m mud run...

So yeah, once in two years is pretty unusual, although if you couldn't ride the sand at Bubble CX you'd be in for a LONG one...

The other place where there is frequently lots of running is the Westwood Velo, Harriman Park course. It sits at the base of some serious elevation and even if it hasn't rained recently, there is one large section that includes A LOT of running due to muddy conditions.

Jules

Aug 16, 2013 at 04:01 PM

Yet another reason why #CXisBOSS

http://www.cxmagazine.com/zdenk-tybar-finishes-stage-3-eneco-tour

neilx

Aug 16, 2013 at 04:46 PM

The other place where there is frequently lots of running is the Westwood Velo, Harriman Park course. It sits at the base of some serious elevation and even if it hasn't rained recently, there is one large section that includes A LOT of running due to muddy conditions.

Absolutely, the few times I've done Westwood @ Harriman, there was a crazy lot of running there.

Jules

Aug 16, 2013 at 04:54 PM

Right. So basically "you don't need to run at all, unless you race around here, in which case, yeah, you might need to run a LOT... but only sometimes."

Somebody pass me a beer please.

mugwump

Aug 16, 2013 at 05:53 PM

I'm thinking there's a need for a cyclocross talk aka classroom session aka come out and get all your questions answered in real time by a live person. I'm going to start a thread in announcements and info to get that going.

Jules

Aug 16, 2013 at 05:58 PM

Learnin!

Alex Vaughan

Aug 19, 2013 at 12:44 AM

Lessons learned from today's long-delayed runabout in Stilwell Park:

1. Putting fat tires on your disc road bike makes you feel slow, until it makes you feel AMAZING.

2. The expert trails are totally doable (if one avoids the jumps).

3. Having said that, I now know why God invented chainkeepers.

4. Berm techniques used when downhilling work great on a CX bike.

5. Except in shallow berms that are also sandy. These berms are an abomination in the eyes of the lord.

6. It is not the steep gravelly downhill that gets you, it is the sand-pit at the bottom.

7. And the sandy climb back up.

8. Getting lost in Stilwell is totally possible.

9. Getting lost leads you to the sand-bogs. See above re: abominations.

10. Fuck sand. But fuck yeah rides on the cx bike.

What are the sandy races this fall? If I do much more of this, I might actually get good at it.

10. Also, my thumbs hurt for some reason. Silly thumbs.

Jules

Aug 19, 2013 at 12:47 AM

@Alex the biggest sand is at Bubble Cross... I think.

dstokes

Aug 19, 2013 at 12:54 AM

doesn't Beacon have sand?

Marc Bertucco

Aug 19, 2013 at 01:46 AM

Bubble Cross is epic sandy. Also significant sand sections can be found at Saratoga Springs, "The one the day before HPCX that they called Independance Cross," Hop Brook, and NBX in Warwick, RI.

Alex Vaughan

Aug 19, 2013 at 02:03 AM

Thanks, dudes. I will cross-reference these with the baby's due-date and check back. In the meantime, I'll just keep being a beach-bum at Stilwell.

Jules

Aug 19, 2013 at 12:37 PM

Fellow Crossers: I bring you Nittany Lion from 2012 - get stoked!

Excitement at 8:30 when I am going FULL GAS and get passed/owned/dropped by some dude who bites it starfish style at the top of the little rise after the finish and I dodge him like mother-bleeping Neo from The Matrix in bullet time...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSYhZaphPDE&feature=youtu.be

mperlberg

Aug 19, 2013 at 02:34 PM

I think I'm going to head up here this Wednesday:

https://www.bikereg.com/Net/2013-rocky-hill-cyclocross-training-series

I'd leave Brooklyn around 3:30 - any takers? If we get there early we can do some pre-riding and skills practice.

Rick Perner

Aug 19, 2013 at 05:14 PM

So I'm reg'd for Green Mountain
https://www.bikereg.com/Net/2013-green-mountain-cyclo-cross-weekend

I'm not going to race it though. My girlfriend and I have decided that she's going to move in with me in October and my place needs some work...painting/redecorating, trips to Home Depot, what have you best accomplished on the weekends. So no overnight treks for racing between now and then.

I wrote the race director and he's cool with me transferring my spot to a team mate. Holler if you're interested. No compensation required/expected

mperlberg

Aug 20, 2013 at 02:54 PM

---- Nobody wants to take a trip to connecticut tomorrow? What do you guys have jobs or something?

eragot

Aug 20, 2013 at 03:12 PM

My problem is that I need to get back to New York. I really don't want top end up with 4 days off the bike, but it looks that way.

mperlberg

Aug 20, 2013 at 03:18 PM

Here is my cross calendar for anyone who is interested. Of course, some of these might be eliminated when I get tired, 16 races is a lot. It's october / november madness. All NY/NJ/PA/CT. The far south jersey races will get cut first if I don't feel like traveling as much.

8/21 - Rocky Hill Training Race

8/28 - Rocky HIll Training Race

9/29 - Town Hall Cross

9/30 - Westwood Velo (Harriman)

10/5 - Independence Cross (I think this is formerly known as Beacon)

10/6 - Independence Cross

10/13 - Cooper River CX

10/19 - Marty Cross

10/20 - Marty Cross

10/26 - HPCX

10/27 - HPCX

11/2 - Caffeinated Cross

11/10 - Bubble Cross

11/23 - SuperCross

11/24 - SuperCross

11/30 - Sussex Cross