Cyclocross

[trailgumby]

Tried doing the over-the-shoulder thing climbing some stairs with my dually at North Head on the weekend.... FAIL. Got a nice bruise on my bicep that raised a few eyebrows at the gym during the week... "Did you fall off your bike AGAIN?"

Bloody shock absorbers

Hope your bike turns up soon.

[Mugglechops]

I took my CX bike out for a night ride tonight. Had a ball hitting the singletrack in the dark. Pity my camera sucks at night filming.

Will post a you tube video tomorrow.

[toolonglegs]

Very jealous Mugglechops!...rung the LBS today knowing there was no chance.Nope still sometime early in Octobre.Shame as today I started more specific training.Have a good short course motocross track nearby which I have been using.Did 3 x 15 minutes hard today on my mtb.No running though as it is a bit pointless with my mtb.Only about 5 week till my first race!...still fat!!! but getting stronger which is something.
Did start putting some wheels together though.This one is using the Stans yellow tape and a Stans CX kit...the tyre well is pretty small and it was reasonably tight to put on.Used a CO2 can for the first inflation.Hopefully I will be able to use 26-28 psi with no problems...but really need to try out these set ups a fair bit before it really matters!.

[Mugglechops]

Nice wheels. I am thinking about tubeless for mine.

Here is the night video, you can't see much



And this is one of playing with MTBs on my ride home from work from a few weeks ago.

[toolonglegs]

Still no bike ...maybe I should take the hint .Been trying to do a few runs lately (as in 100 meters or so )...not that easy in carbonsole mtb shoes!...that and I haven't run since 1994 which was the last time I tore my ankle ligaments playing rugby in France...the last few months are making me realize just how screwed my body is!.

[toolonglegs]

Turning into a bit of a saga now...apparently all focus bikes in my model have a problem with the forks...so they won't be ready till 10th November (if then!)...the only bike in stock at the moment (although t would be 10 days till I got it) is the cannondale.They don't make an alloy ultegra model anymore and to be honest they call this years model a 105 but half the components look pretty shite...may just give up!.
http://www.cannondale.com/fra/2012/bike ... -105-21567

[jbchybridrider]

That cannondale looks very nice especially those tyres are kick ass fast on hardpack/road I know cos I have them.
If you didnt need the bike in such a hurry you could do as I did, could'nt buy the bike I wanted so built it from scratch. But that cannondale would win races.

[drubie]

Go second hand tll - or grab an old touring bike and do it old skool until your new ride turns up.

[toolonglegs]

Problem is a frame in 61cm range is hard to find...and expensive if the bike is still in good condition.
Maybe I should get a 29'er...with 10 speed...put on drop bars/cable brakes and brifters ...two birds with 1 & a bit stones.

[Nobody]

http://salsacycles.com/bikes/fargo_ti/
Comes with an ETT of 60, but you'll still have to get brifters if necessary.

[toolonglegs]

http://salsacycles.com/bikes/fargo_ti/
Comes with an ETT of 60, but you'll still have to get brifters if necessary.

Can't race a slopping top tube CX bike...makes the dismount rather hard.
It is nice though.

[toolonglegs]

Had a bit of a rethink over the weekend...as much as I want a CX bike it is proving a bit of a hassle.I am now thinking of buying a 29'er as I can race mtb in most cyclocross races...but I can also race it in mtb races .As I m hardly going to be winning anything in CX in my first year...and I am fat...and I am pretty unfit...might be better to kill two birds with one stone at the moment.
Maybe one of these.... http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/bik ... 030/48894/ ...wont be able to over the shoulder this either or dismount well...but I am only playing after all!.
Choices choices!.

[toolonglegs]

OK...change my mind more than a ... .
Anyway...I have ordered (and payed deposit) this...
http://www.cycles-lapierre.fr/route/kit ... x-alu-2012
and thanks to Drubie I got these on ebay tonight...
http://cgi.ebay.fr/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... 1439.l2648
Ok they aren't the magnesium ones but for 66 euros new I can't complain (unless they don't turn up!).
It either runs a 27.2 or more likely a 31.6 seat pin...I have thomsons of both sizes.
Frame takes press fit bearings with which I can run my my Ultegra compact cranks...have ordered Stonglight 46 & 38 chain rings to go with it.
For wheels I am going to try Ksyrium on the rear and DuraAce on the front...both set up tubeless (hopefully they are good at 30psi).
Apart from that everything will come off my race bike...maybe I will need a stem...will run XT mtb pedals.
Anything else you can think I need?
All going well I will have all the bits by next thursday...and first race will be the 5th ...and I will look like a plonker as I won't get more than one test ride on it...and dismount / remount practice has nearly been non existent!.
Woohoo!!!.

[drubie]

sounding awesome tll, those brakes will look rockin.

Wheels? Keen to try tubulars or sticking with clinchers? Tubulard are reputed to be better at coping with pinch flats, might help for a big rider hitting obstacles hard.

[Strawburger]

OK...change my mind more than a ... .
Anyway...I have ordered (and payed deposit) this...
http://www.cycles-lapierre.fr/route/kit ... x-alu-2012

Oooooh, nice frame! How did you come about the Lapierre's? Is it because it's a local? I've just imported and built up a Xelius. Very nice ride.

[toolonglegs]

Drubie,I would like tubs but they are expensive as I don't have wells...and let's be honest...I am overweight and underfit so winning (or even finishing on the same lap as the winner) won't be happening...not this winter anyway!.
Pinch flats won't be a problem as I am running tubeless set up...rolling off the bead might be a different story!.will have to test ride them first!.

[toolonglegs]

Strawburger, lapierre was pretty much the only frame (or bike)I could get locally at any price!... I have been trying everything and nearly gave up on the idea...only issue is there is no warranty for competition!!!...but if I break it I will sit on it for few months and put mud guards /panniers on it before I take it in in the summer...lol. The shop guy said they do have a habit of looking at local race results to check it hasn't been raced!!)....so shhhh!.

[drubie]

...but if I break it I will sit on it for few months and put mud guards /panniers on it before I take it in in the summer...lol. The shop guy said they do have a habit of looking at local race results to check it hasn't been raced!!)....so shhhh!.

Heh, race under a "nom de plume" - when in France and all that

[toolonglegs]

Woohoo....just waiting for the 46/38 rings to turn up and she will be done!...brakes were a bit of fun!.was hoping to do a test ride today but I am coming down with a chesty .might not be doing my first race on Saturday...free.

[toolonglegs]

Free...?...I meant grrr!!!.

[toolonglegs]

Took a while...butt finally I am rolling .
Had to pull the front end out in the forest today as the "mechanic" had stuffed up reassembling the headset when he cut the steerer...once I had done that it steered a wee bit better!....he who also stuffed up fitting the BB...two stuff ups in two jobs!.
I have fitted 46/38 chain rings to it...BUT I soon realized that the 38 / 28 combo doesn't really cut it on the steep stuff so I will be putting the original 34 back on...48 should be OK for the big ring.
Ran 36 psi front and rear...front felt good except when sprinting which made it squirm around a bit ( I run 32psi front and rear on my mtb...at 100kgs plus bike ).The rear on the other hand felt a bit soft...might try 40 psi as I felt the rim a few times on the rougher stuff.All in all very happy the tubeless set up worked no probs...only issue is it is hard to change tyres for faster tracks as the tyres I have now are 30mm mud tires (perfect for today)...but for now they will have to do.
All in all I had a fun ride...BUT could ride my mtb a lot quicker in most places...tried a few "barrier" moves over fallen trees and I sucked!!!...also tried a few runs and I SUCKED!!!.
Think I will run a small bladder under my jersey as drinking will be an issue and with a bottle in the triangle it makes it quite hard to do a quick shoulder and run.
I will race on Friday if I can juggle kids sporting competition commute ...otherwise I will wait another week before embarrassing myself!.

[Mugglechops]

Nice bike. Those wheels look small in such a big frame.

[Nobody]

Ran 36 psi front and rear...front felt good except when sprinting which made it squirm around a bit ( I run 32psi front and rear on my mtb...at 100kgs plus bike ).The rear on the other hand felt a bit soft...might try 40 psi as I felt the rim a few times on the rougher stuff.

Yes, if the front feels good, then the rear needs more. With a rigid MTB, I use 22 front, 27 rear with 2.2" tyres (80Kg). Obviously there is going to be less of a differential with a CX bike. I found a good way of fine tuning front/rear relative pressures is to repeatedly ride over the same sharpish edge like a raised edge of a concrete slab in a normal riding position and try to feel the difference. Works for me.

[toolonglegs]

It isn't that big a frame...would have liked it slightly less compact as it is a big reach to the top tube which makes dismounts harder than I would have liked...but it will have to do!...just have to have lot of practice!.
On the tyres I can run up to 34mm...I think these may be too mud specific. I have never seen a local cx so not really sure how rocky etc they will be...the most important thing for now is they don't "burp" so I am confident in them now.
Definitely can't relax on the rear like you can on a fat Mtb tyre...not much air volume in these things!.

[toolonglegs]

Burped the front tyre today...stayed up ok ... Wonder how many times I can do that in a hour .
Dugast's one day!.