MaxThorn said:

Thanks for the tip @Thierry. I didn't know they made such a thing. 

@mugwump What in your opinion are the advantages of the double-ring setup? Is yours narrower than a road double? I was thinking of a single if only for reducing a bit more rotating weight. The Cross-Check BB is threaded and the current axle is a square-taper.

In terms of setup, it's simpler and cheaper because you've already got the front derailleur set up and the cassette.  And until you know what gearing you need, you'll probably end up getting a few chainrings, which adds up in terms of price and upkeep.  The sweet single rings are a bit pricier (prices might have come down since last I checked) and the better setups have a rear derailleur with a stronger spring.  

When I started, double-rings were the only way to go.  We used the smallest ring we could fit on the spider for the inner (a 42 on a 145mm bcd crank, a 38 on a 130mm bcd crank), and then a big ring that was big enough to power along efficiently on a paved flat section.  Back then, 46x13 was a common top gear in CX, as we were using seven-speed freewheels, and the 12 and 11 were rarities.  The larger cogs were arguably more mechanically efficient, if heavier.  the short 8-10t jump made shifting easier, faster, and less likely to drop your chain, and some nearly duplicate gear ratios made it less important to be in your big or small.  (even today, shifting less than 16 or 14t is faster and easier, but with better shifters, this is less of an issue)

Nowadays, it's nearly impossible to find a 13t as the top gear on a cassette.  even 12t isn't easy.  Which is why I'm pretty close to abandoning the 46 as the big ring.  An 11-28 eleven-speed cassette, which I use in climbing races, doubles nicely for CX. 

And I'm among those who believe in the advantages of cross tubulars.  I've been riding them since the early 90's.  Much easier to ride lower pressure, especially if you get the tubeless kind from Clement or Tufo (and the Clements use Tufo's casing) Train on clinchers, race on tubulars.  

Not that you absolutely need them, but I'm also selling a set of cross tubulars, with tires, looking for $250 for the set (Hed wheels, wide rims), though the tires are on the old side--probably need re-gluing.  If you, or others, think you want to do tubulars for CX, I've got them.  The cassette body is for Shimano/SRAM 10-speed, and I've got a Campy body which can take you to 11-speed.

@Dan Reiners I'll take the crankset and BB. I'm willing to be surveilled for it! That's 'cross commitment. But a chain keeper wouldn't make sense with a double chainring crankset, no? 

Seems like there are many voices who support upgrading to the Neugent Alloy Clincher wheels, and using the money I save from forgoing tubulars to buy quality "open tubular" aka clincher tires (recommended: Clement MXPs, Challenge Chicanes) with different treads for different conditions. And put CX-specific latex inner tubes in them. Also, get new bars (duh). 

I may check back with you in a few months about those Hed tubular wheels, @mugwump. Good to know there's an affordable option for getting into tubulars. 

@MaxThorn I'll bring the crank and BB to the next PP race.

Even with a double ring setup you'll still want something like this to keep your chain from hopping off in bumpy descents or from dropping the bike after the barriers.

http://cyclocrossworld.com/product/n-gear-jump-start-chain-deflector/

CX tire threads, in order of priority:

• If only one set, you want the classic chevron thread. 
• Challenge Grifo or Clement MXP 
• Rides all conditions
• Faster in about 80~90% of all races you'll encounter
• Could ride 100% of all races
• If two sets, the second choice should be a mud thread.
• Challenge Litmus or Clement PDX
• Slower than a grifo
• On Supercross or another very muddy race, these will make a dramatic difference
• If three sets, the third choice is a file thread.
• Challenge Chicane or Clement LAS
• Super fast on very dry, flatish conditions
• Will be a disaster on most muddy conditions.

Nice to have extra threads, but if getting started, all you probably need is the classic chevron thread.

Some thoughts, note that I'm far from an experienced 'crosser so take me with salt shaker in hand.  I think I'm the only one running tubeless on road and cyclocross? I'd suggest you consider it if you're going to be buying new wheels

• For tubeless, Rim + tire + pressure combo is vital.  It seems that some tires work better with some rims.  I've only done Pacenti SL25 rims with Vittoria Cross XG Pro tires.  I have had them burp on me once at Providence but honestly I think it's because I'm bad at cross and just ran right over a root that I should've hopped/avoided.  Still, better than when I ran tubes and hit the first curb at supercross, flatted before/in first turn, and spent entire race wayyyyyy off the back.
• tubeless does come with some associated costs.  Labor cost of mounting tire in terms of your own time/frustration (or paying shop if you can't get the tire on).  Dollar cost of special pump to mount it with less of your own time/frustration.  Dollar cost of sealant, tubeless tape, tubeless valve.  Some tubeless tires might be more expensive than clincher counterparts but Redbeard discount pwns.
  

Tubeless is almost as much work as tubulars, and twice the mess. What's not to love? Who doesn't want liquid latex sprayed all over themselves and their apartment?

Dan Reiners said:

Tubeless is almost as much work as tubulars, and twice the mess. What's not to love? Who doesn't want liquid latex sprayed all over themselves and their apartment?

See here

hahahah i laughed out loud, nice find.  

tubeless can be a major pain unless you get a compressor/pump.  but unlike tubulars, you can switch tires for each race.  no elaborate gluing ritual.  also, as your skill improves, you find yourself spraying less latex.

Brendan

There is no such thing as an elaborate gluing ritual.

it's quite simple in fact:

Six months before gluing your tires purchase them in order to age them properly. tires are best aged like wine at a stable temperature. If you're really dedicated to cross you have a tire cave where you age your best tires up to a year.

Start with cleaning your rims of old glue using a solvent like acetone and then pray over the rims three times to purify them for the coming cross season and to prevent vengeful tubular gods from giving you flats.

Then is the 72 hour process to actually begin gluing your tires. First spread a thin layer of blood of a lamb who has not seen a cyclocross season, on the bed of the rim, and let dry for at least 2 hours, while you pray to the mud gods for only mud appropriate to your tread profile. Spread a thin layer of tubular glue on both the tire and the rim bed, and let dry for 2-6 hours. Once dry put on another layer of glue on both the rim bed and the tire tape and let dry for 6 hours. Remember if you get glue on the braking surface to pray for forgiveness to the braking god so that she will not inflict your brakes with the death wail of a thousand squirrels that ran into the wheels of other riders.

once you have built a sufficient bed of glue, then you can apply Belgian tubular tape to the rim, and apply another layer of glue on top of the tape. Remember to let that dry sufficiently, and once that is done, put on your hair shirt shroud (because this part can get messy and you don't want to get tubular glue all over your hair shirt, we recommend also donning a shop apron), and apply a final layer of glue to the tire and let dry until it is just tacky.

Starting at the valve stretch the tire onto the rim, ensuring that it is properly applied and the tread is evenly centered on the rim and straight. pump up the tire to 3x the pressure you will ever ride it on, in order to properly seat the tire to the rim and pray that the tube doesn't explode inside the tire making all your work in vain and wait 24 hours before riding the tire.

see easy peasy!

Or you could go with Carogna tape like I am and avoiding all of that (except for the lamb's blood, because you don't ever mess with the tubular god).

@Dan Reiners I'm going to post that on the Supercross blog.  In fact, I kind of want that to be the kick off video for the Supercross youtube channel.

For Christ sake it's still August !!!!!  Can we keep the cyclocross equipment dissertations to a minimum...just put some god damn clinchers on and RIDE THE COURSE!!!! Oooo  sorry Yack's had a little "Jekyll & Hyde" moment there...

@ian ellis @David Yang or @Brendan Rigby

I am wondering which of you wheel builders will be the first to buy this super duper spoke tension meter.

http://cyclingtips.com/news/wheel-fanatyk-spoke-tension-meter-review/

Oh god, such overkill for the occasional home builder.  I've coveted the DT Swiss one for years, but can't justify the $400? price tag.

the meter might be overkill but their spoke wrench is top notch 
http://www.wheelfanatyk.com/store/pk-lie-spoke-wrench/ 

ChiZhang said:

the meter might be overkill but their spoke wrench is top notch 
http://www.wheelfanatyk.com/store/pk-lie-spoke-wrench/ 

While we're on the subject, I want to give a shout-out to just about everything Wheel Fanatyk has and does.  Their "library" section is great as well.  And if you ever can't find anything, Ric is usually able to help.

I bought a nipple inserter and had my tensiometer recalibrated.  Ric was nudging me to buy his lovely nipple shuffler.  I just don't build enough wheels and I feared I'd lose the thing or have my kids repurpose it.

This is a family forum, i must request the moderator take down your post JP. My delicate sensibilities just cannot take that much suggestive talk.

I left out the nipple driver.

Yack wants a track bike again...how can I get my hands on one?  Thinking of getting a frame through Red Beard and building it over the winter....

twoyacks said:

Yack wants a track bike again...how can I get my hands on one?  Thinking of getting a frame through Red Beard and building it over the winter....

damn...where is the "not helpful...go shit in your helmet" button ???

Haha, Yackimon, Redbeard should be your source #1, but if you want to go cheap, used tarck biekz are the new 10 speed "vintage" bikes of Craigs List.  You may have missed your opportunity to score a deal during the spring when undergrad NYU college students essentially have firesales on everything they can't fit into their parent's Volvo station wagons.

That Volvo photo has almost everything:

College sticker on rear window (check)
Gravel Driveway (check)
Guy in cargo shorts taking photo reflected in the paint/window (check)

the only thing it is missing is a sticker denoting which New England island/resort town the driver owns a vacation home (Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Block Island, P-town....)

The block island magnet is on the wife's volvo...fo reals

I say this without sarcasm, I envy your Volvo wagons.

do we have any hookups at the Kisssena Velodrome as far as loaner bikes?  I will likely put a fixie together over the winter but would like to start doing some roller rides on a fixie before then just to get a little acclimated....

Borrow mine, but I think the seatpost is at or close to it's limit and you've got like 2" of inseam on me so you'll need to get a new one. The post size is 26.5mm is weird (though it might be a catalog typo and actually uses 26.6 which is more common) so good luck with that.