Cyclocross! - Forum Archive

eloy

Feb 01, 2015 at 03:46 AM

2015/2016 UCI Races in North America.

Cross is coming. Baltimore in November. Finally. You are welcome.

12 Sep Nittany Lion Cross C2 USA PRO CX RACE

13 Sep Nittany Lion Cross C2 USA PRO CX RACE

26 Sep Gran Prix of Gloucester 1 C2 USA PRO CX RACE

26 Sep Trek CXC Cup C1 USA PRO CX RACE

27 Sep Gran Prix of Gloucester 2 C2 USA PRO CX RACE

27 Sep Trek CXC Cup C2 USA PRO CX RACE

27 Sep Whistler Cyclocross C2 CAN

3 Oct KMC Cyclo-Cross Festival C1 USA PRO CX RACE

4 Oct KMC Cyclo-Cross Festival C2 USA PRO CX RACE

10 Oct Full Moon Vista - Ellison Park Cyclocross Festival C2 USA PRO CX RACE

11 Oct Full Moon Vista - Ellison Park Cyclocross Festival C2 USA PRO CX RACE

17 Oct US Open of Cyclocross C2 USA PRO CX RACE

17 Oct HPCX C2 USA PRO CX RACE

18 Oct US Open of Cyclocross C2 USA PRO CX RACE

18 Oct HPCX 2 C2 USA PRO CX RACE

24 Oct Bellingham Veldrijden C2 USA PRO CX RACE

24 Oct DCCX 1 C2 USA PRO CX RACE

25 Oct DCCX 2 C2 USA PRO CX RACE

25 Oct Manitoba Grand Prix of Cyclocross C2 CAN

25 Oct Bellingham Veldrijden C2 USA PRO CX RACE

31 Oct Cincy3 - Kings CX After Dark C1 USA PRO CX RACE

31 Oct The Cycle-Smart International 1 C2 USA PRO CX RACE

1 Nov The Cycle-Smart International 2 C2 USA PRO CX RACE

1 Nov Pan Am Continental Cyclocross Championships CC USA PRO CX RACE

7 Nov The Derby City Cup C1 USA PRO CX RACE

8 Nov The Derby City Cup C2 USA PRO CX RACE

14 Nov Waves for Water Cyclocross Collaboration C2 USA PRO CX RACE

14 Nov Charm City Cross C1 USA PRO CX RACE

15 Nov Waves for Water Cyclocross Collaboration C2 USA PRO CX RACE

15 Nov Charm City Cross C2 USA PRO CX RACE

21 Nov CXLA Weekend 1 C2 USA PRO CX RACE

21 Nov Supercross Cup 1 C2 USA PRO CX RACE

22 Nov CXLA Weekend 2 C2 USA PRO CX RACE

22 Nov Supercross Cup 2 C2 USA PRO CX RACE

4 Dec Jingle Cross 1 C2 USA PRO CX RACE

5 Dec Jingle Cross 2 C1 USA PRO CX RACE

5 Dec NEPCX - NBX Gran Prix of Cross - Day 1 C2 USA PRO CX RACE

5 Dec Ruts N Guts C2 USA PRO CX RACE

6 Dec Ruts N Guts C2 USA PRO CX RACE

6 Dec The Jingle Cross 3 C2 USA PRO CX RACE

6 Dec NEPCX - NBX Gran Prix of Cross - Day 2 C2 USA PRO CX RACE

12 Dec Resolution 'Cross Cup C2 USA PRO CX RACE

12 Dec North Carolina Grand Prix - Race 1 C2 USA PRO CX RACE

13 Dec North Carolina Grand Prix - Race 2 C2 USA PRO CX RACE

13 Dec Resolution 'Cross Cup C2 USA PRO CX RACE

19 Dec Highlander 'Cross Cup C2 USA PRO CX RACE

20 Dec Highlander 'Cross Cup C2 USA PRO CX RACE

2 Jan Kingsport Cyclo-cross Cup C2 USA PRO CX RACE

Jules

Feb 01, 2015 at 03:51 AM

^Sweet baby JPow hopping the barriers! Where's my mastick?

Marc Bertucco

Feb 09, 2015 at 03:13 AM

So here's a thing. I've been watching World's over and over again. Picking up new things every time.

One relatively useless gem from watching the Elite Men today during my training ride?

Zach McDonald was racing his old Focus bike from his day's on Power's Rapha-Focus team! I suspect it was the very bike he offered to sell to me earlier this year (too much coin though for me).

Not sure, if his new Texas team didn't have a bike sponsor and he's been on his old team bikes since the mid-season switch, but he definitely wasn't racing Focus bikes at Providence this year.

Jules

Feb 09, 2015 at 03:38 AM

So here's a thing. I've been watching World's over and over again. Picking up new things every time.

Spring series is almost here Marc time to #letitgo...

jesselash

Feb 17, 2015 at 11:56 PM

My cantilevers and I aren't getting along. No matter how I set them up, I still find myself having to seriously squeeze the life out of my levers to slow down even a little on steep descents to the point that it's dangerous.

Before I toss them and replace with mini-v's, I figured I'd ask you more experienced folks for advice or insight. I'm considering replacing the brake pads, and giving the rim track a good clean to see if that helps. Any recommendation on pads? They're TRP Euro X brakes.

Jeffrey White

Feb 17, 2015 at 11:58 PM

Jeffrey White

Feb 18, 2015 at 12:03 AM

My only advice would be to find a local expert to inspect your setup.

The brakes themselves amount to a couple of fulcrums, a lever arm, and a spring to return the arm to rest. You can tweak the angles and work on the efficiency of the mechanical devices around the edges, but most likely the issue is between the brake lever and the brake, i.e. your cable setup. Mountain bikers know WAY more about the nuances of cabling than any roadie.

eloy

Feb 18, 2015 at 02:17 AM

agree w/ @jeffrey, an expert is always good. Hard to find.

The pads and rim have obvious influence, but the thing that is most likely to impact the brake performance is the position of the cable hanger, and the length of the straddle cable. There is a sweet spot, but I would suggest moving the hanger closer to the tire (much closer than you think it should be)

This velonews article has some related notes:

http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/10/news/cyclocross/technical-faq-with-lennard-zinn-a-detailed-look-at-brake-shudder_147730

Jules

Feb 18, 2015 at 03:30 AM

Eloy - seriously is that where it comes from? How is it possible CX just got even cooler?

mugwump

Feb 18, 2015 at 02:54 PM

Jesse,

With the Euro X, the wide stance of the arms results in lots and lots of straddle cable. The design was made for mud clearance, and results in great modulation, but what I consider relatively little power. the distance and angle from the fulcrum on the canti' studs makes it hard to tell how hard you're squeezing the brakes as well as lots of room for the cable to stretch.

you can drop the hanger and should. You can also get a wider cable hanger, like Eloy has on his bike to lift more cable more quickly. But probably the best solution is a lower profile brake. It's skip the mini-V's though.

eloy

Feb 18, 2015 at 07:40 PM

If you wanna get advanced hardcore with cantis:

http://www.circleacycles.com/cantilevers/

http://www.circleacycles.com/cantilevers/canti-geometry.pdf

But mostly, just lower your hanger until you like it.

jesselash

Feb 18, 2015 at 10:05 PM

Thanks for all the helpful feedback guys.

Going to do a bit of research about setup in terms of hanger height, and see if that helps. However, from most of what I've read online, the main benefit of cantis, especially wide profile cantis like I have, is mud clearance.

Since I'm going to be racing exclusively in California for the foreseeable future, why not just go mini-v instead of a more low profile canti?

eloy

Feb 18, 2015 at 11:21 PM

Maybe because moving the cables and hanger will be cheaper. But Mini-V can work great too. Obvs.Whatever you do, will be great.

Marc Bertucco

Feb 19, 2015 at 04:51 AM

Jesse, are you talking racing your cross bike on the road? If so, please be sure you spend some time on the kinds of roads that you will race. I've horror stories about handling issues with cross bikes on the roads.

Jim Feehan

Feb 19, 2015 at 12:05 PM

Interesting, Marc. What kind of issues? While I wouldn't necessarily want to race crits on a cross bike, I have never had a handling problem on road with my cross bike. I ride it exclusively starting August 1st every year, including weekend group rides with fairly large group. Never been an issue that I am aware of. Remember a couple of years ago, Stybar rode the entire Tour of Poland on his cross bike as prep for upcoming seasonm

eloy

Feb 19, 2015 at 01:35 PM

what @Jim said.

Marc Bertucco

Feb 19, 2015 at 01:41 PM

Interesting, Marc. What kind of issues? While I wouldn't necessarily want to race crits on a cross bike, I have never had a handling problem on road with my cross bike. I ride it exclusively starting August 1st every year, including weekend group rides with fairly large group. Never been an issue that I am aware of. Remember a couple of years ago, Stybar rode the entire Tour of Poland on his cross bike as prep for upcoming seasonm

I guess, specifically I'm remembering two things. One, JP talked about lack of high speed stability on descents on his cross bike over 30mph (not sure if he was referring to his current Cannondale, or other), and two, my own experience with less than "road worthy" breaking ability.

Now I've always had a bit of a "Franken-bike," but even since I switched out to fancy cables and housing, and fussed and fussed and fussed, my brakes require great amounts of force to activate and are still not exactly confidence inspiring (diagnosed by some others with more mechanical experience than I as a straddle wire issue, that I will address next season).

mugwump

Feb 19, 2015 at 01:49 PM

I guess, specifically I'm remembering two things. One, JP talked about lack of high speed stability on descents on his cross bike over 30mph (not sure if he was referring to his current Cannondale, or other), and two, my own experience with less than "road worthy" breaking ability.

When I had an aluminum Redline Conquest Pro, I did plenty of riding on the road with it. Around here, it was fine. Then I went out to California with it and took in some descents in the Santa Monica mountains. At 45+mph, it definitely felt uncomfortably twitchy. I don't know if it was an issue of trail or bottom bracket height or something else.

I know that some folks are sufficiently wary of their brakes that they don't like riding their cross bikes on the road that much. But as Eloy wrote above, it's about tuning them.

With my Cannondale CX bike, it's fine both stopping and going.

jesselash

Feb 19, 2015 at 06:18 PM

@Marc, I'm talking about racing cross on the cross bike.

Rick Perner

Feb 20, 2015 at 02:01 AM

@Marc, I'm talking about racing cross on the cross bike.

In California…they race cross 9 months out of the year, road 11 1/2 months out of the year. mountain 11 3/4 months

Jim Feehan

Feb 20, 2015 at 12:49 PM

C'mon...everyone knows there's no cross in California. Shorts and short sleeves in December? PleeezZze! Somewhere Roland Libotan, Henrik Djernies, Frischknect and Danielle Pontani are issuing a collective, dismissive "Phhtt!"
Just kidding_
Apologies to Cal Giant, Ned Overend, Don Myrah, Lawrence Malone etc

eloy

Mar 11, 2015 at 04:30 AM

Richard Sachs is looking for riders
http://www.richardsachs.com/site/2015/03/10/riders-wanted/

Jules

Mar 11, 2015 at 05:07 PM

eloy said:

Richard Sachs is looking for riders
http://www.richardsachs.com/site/2015/03/10/riders-wanted/

Did a spot open up or is he expanding?

eloy

Mar 11, 2015 at 05:12 PM

Don't really know. Dan Chabanov is clearly staying on. My guess is that there is one rider moving on, but it is clear that Richard is willing to also expand.

... ask me about it on a ride.

Jules

Mar 11, 2015 at 05:17 PM

eloy said:

... ask me about it on a ride.

Hey I rode in the park last night - it was GLORIOUS. Rain, slush, months worth of melted dog-poo... the best ride in months.

Getting pretty excited about morning rides again!

eloy

Mar 11, 2015 at 07:09 PM

Colin Reuter on the quality of UCI cyclocross races in the USA (this should at least interest @Marc Bertucco )

http://untilthesnowends.blogspot.com/2015/03/20142015-us-uci-cx-season-race-quality.html