Cyclocross Commuting

itboffin

We have a thread for normal commuting and another for fixed gear single speed so I thought it was about time we had a place for us CXers.

PS. does just have to be about commuting, tell us your CX stories

I've only ridden my twice and I love it, can't wait to race it. :twisted:

Now with added spec.

ITM Carbon Cross Forks
Cane Creek SCX-5 Cantilever Brakes
Dolan Cross Frame 54cm
Campagnolo Ergopowers Xenon 9 Speed

Dura Ace Brake & Gear Cables

FSA ISIS Bottom Bracket
FSA Gossamer Compact Chainset 50/34T 172.5mm
8 Speed Shimano MTB Cassette 11-30T
10 Speed Shimano 105 Front Derailleur
10 Speed Shimano 105 Rear Derailleur
10 Speed Shimano 105 Chain

FSA Seatpost
FSA CX Headset
FSA Stem
FSA Drop Handlebars
Specialized Roubaix Bar Tape

Bontrager SSR Wheelset 700c x 23c
Bontrager Tyres

Selle Italia C2 Gel Saddle
M520 SPD Pedals
Aldi Saddle Bag inc. tools

tailwindhome

You have no business starting new threads

You're 1.21 mile short for the week


PS that Dolan is a great looking bike, what are the full specs?

jimmypippa

Should I get a cyclocross bike next?

Friday's commute (I added a mile an a half, and 300ft onto my normal route)

Kieran_Burns

If I promise to get photos of the bridleway that made me a buy a CX bike, will I be allowed to post in this thread?

Photos of commuting CX bikes from the other perverts would be appreciated

Jay dubbleU

CX is just wrong and you know it :twisted:

itboffin

WheezyMcChubby wrote:

You have no business starting new threads

You're 1.21 mile short for the week


PS that Dolan is a great looking bike, what are the full specs?

I was a little annoyed at that myself but we had friends for dinner so I had to cut yesterdays ride a little short :evil: never fear I'll do the extra and some today

Yeh I'm very happy with the Dolan it's a really responsive ride, can't wait to get some proper tyres on it.

itboffin

Jay dubbleU wrote:

CX is just wrong and you know it :twisted:

Just think of the all weather training potential, very versatile esp if you have a couple of sets of diff wheels, naturally I do

always_tyred

itboffin wrote:

Jay dubbleU wrote:

CX is just wrong and you know it :twisted:

Just think of the all weather training potential, very versatile esp if you have a couple of sets of diff wheels, naturally I do

I have a confession. I have a cross bike. Its not even UCI legal, so its a perverted cross bike.

I got it to avoid a dingy part of town on my commute and replace it with some heather covered hillsides. The alternative was slicks on a mtb, but I think that's even more perverted.

Lipstick on a pig?

itboffin

WheezyMcChubby wrote:

You have no business starting new threads

You're 1.21 mile short for the week


PS that Dolan is a great looking bike, what are the full specs?

HaHa now your post just looks weird

itboffin

I have a terrible feeling my other bikes might not get a look in this year, the Dolan is a dream to ride.

If anyone's interested at the next Morpeth meet i'll bring it along for test rides, you know you want one :twisted:

tailwindhome

itboffin wrote:

WheezyMcChubby wrote:

You have no business starting new threads

You're 1.21 mile short for the week


PS that Dolan is a great looking bike, what are the full specs?

HaHa now your post just looks weird

All my posts are a bit weird

I see you managed to put on a lb overnight, had a good dinner did we? :P

Jay dubbleU

Always Tyred wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Jay dubbleU wrote:

CX is just wrong and you know it :twisted:

Just think of the all weather training potential, very versatile esp if you have a couple of sets of diff wheels, naturally I do

I have a confession. I have a cross bike. Its not even UCI legal, so its a perverted cross bike.

I got it to avoid a dingy part of town on my commute and replace it with some heather covered hillsides. The alternative was slicks on a mtb, but I think that's even more perverted.

Lipstick on a pig?

Get a hybrid - you know you want to!

Kieran_Burns

So are us CX commuters officially Cross Dressers then? :shock:

itboffin

Jay dubbleU wrote:

Always Tyred wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Jay dubbleU wrote:

CX is just wrong and you know it :twisted:

Just think of the all weather training potential, very versatile esp if you have a couple of sets of diff wheels, naturally I do

I have a confession. I have a cross bike. Its not even UCI legal, so its a perverted cross bike.

I got it to avoid a dingy part of town on my commute and replace it with some heather covered hillsides. The alternative was slicks on a mtb, but I think that's even more perverted.

Lipstick on a pig?

Get a hybrid - you know you want to!

Silly.... of course I already have one, duh! :P

always_tyred

Jay dubbleU wrote:

Always Tyred wrote:

itboffin wrote:

Jay dubbleU wrote:

CX is just wrong and you know it :twisted:

Just think of the all weather training potential, very versatile esp if you have a couple of sets of diff wheels, naturally I do

I have a confession. I have a cross bike. Its not even UCI legal, so its a perverted cross bike.

I got it to avoid a dingy part of town on my commute and replace it with some heather covered hillsides. The alternative was slicks on a mtb, but I think that's even more perverted.

Lipstick on a pig?

Get a hybrid - you know you want to!

Now that really IS perverted.

Kieran_Burns

Damn it. I managed to kick my mudguard this morning. I spent the last 2 miles rattling along. Now I have to find someone with a 10mm spanner.

itboffin

Fellow CXers what tyres do you use?

I'm running standard bontrager 700x23c road tyres ATM well until I'd fixed all the teething issues, now that's sorted I need to go "off-roading"

I'm also considering changing my name to "Dave" or something similarly off roadie. :roll:

homercles

And where does singlespeed cyclocross fit?!

itboffin

homercles wrote:

And where does singlespeed cyclocross fit?!

Well that would just be the ultimate coooool, clearly

il_principe

itboffin wrote:

WheezyMcChubby wrote:

You have no business starting new threads

You're 1.21 mile short for the week


PS that Dolan is a great looking bike, what are the full specs?

I was a little annoyed at that myself but we had friends for dinner so I had to cut yesterdays ride a little short :evil: never fear I'll do the extra and some today

Yeh I'm very happy with the Dolan it's a really responsive ride, can't wait to get some proper tyres on it.

And a proper chain? :twisted:

itboffin

jashburnham wrote:

itboffin wrote:

WheezyMcChubby wrote:

You have no business starting new threads

You're 1.21 mile short for the week


PS that Dolan is a great looking bike, what are the full specs?

I was a little annoyed at that myself but we had friends for dinner so I had to cut yesterdays ride a little short :evil: never fear I'll do the extra and some today

Yeh I'm very happy with the Dolan it's a really responsive ride, can't wait to get some proper tyres on it.

And a proper chain? :twisted:

Yeh nasty isn't it, so grey and ugly next to my other shiny KMC XL, ooooh shiny.

Kieran_Burns

itboffin wrote:

Fellow CXers what tyres do you use?

I'm running standard bontrager 700x23c road tyres ATM well until I'd fixed all the teething issues, now that's sorted I need to go "off-roading"

I'm also considering changing my name to "Dave" or something similarly off roadie. :roll:

I have the specialized 32c that came with the bike still on

I swear that they are more like 35, but I have them at 90psi and the smooth centre section means I have no real issues with speed

I'm unwilling to use thinner tyres at present as the surfaces (both on and off road) during the commute are very poor after Winter

downfader

itboffin wrote:

Fellow CXers what tyres do you use?

I'm running standard bontrager 700x23c road tyres ATM well until I'd fixed all the teething issues, now that's sorted I need to go "off-roading"

I'm also considering changing my name to "Dave" or something similarly off roadie. :roll:

Panracer Crosstown 35's. Really grippy in the mud; quite good in the rain too thankfully on tarmac..Almost a hybrid wheel with the 30mm wide alex wheels on the Kona Jake 09.

Sometimes I wonder why I messed with flatbars, there again seem to have more close shaves on the drops.. Is that normal?

Thinking of getting a topeak carbon "saddle" rack for a lightweight rackbag. Or similar. I think bontrager do one too and it duals as a beaver guard..

I havent customised anything on the jake. I quite like it heavy tbh. Is that wrong? :twisted: Have quite liked the look of the Aelous wheels or whatever they're called, or Ksyriummmmmimigubb..

Have never raced thoug have fancied trying it. :oops: I aint that fit thesedays

always_tyred

itboffin wrote:

Fellow CXers what tyres do you use?

I'm running standard bontrager 700x23c road tyres ATM well until I'd fixed all the teething issues, now that's sorted I need to go "off-roading"

I'm also considering changing my name to "Dave" or something similarly off roadie. :roll:

28c gatorskins. I don't like them to be honest, although they cope with a rocky, slimy farm/reservoir access track okay.

They seem to manage to be both harsh, vague and slow at the same time, and bulbous enough that cornering feels a bit too pneumatic for my liking. Might be the wheels (the rear has been overtensioned and spokes keep pulling out) but I'll be trying 25's next. I managed with 23c's on the same terrain last year on my old commuting road bike and if anything they felt more precise.

I have a friend with a Poprad, and he runs 23c's, 32's off road. Says the latter are completely essential for riding on grass / in woodland, for the grip.

robmanic1

I have a friend who may be interested in trying a cyclocross bike, as he says he loves riding his "normal" bikes but needs to try something different. He's worried that he may be shunned by his friends and family if they found out and would only be willing to try it at night. Are there any clubs he could contact who could offer him words of advice on where like minded folk meet (perhaps in the middle of the night in a forest?), or are there any helpline numbers he could call to talk to people who have perhaps experienced similar feelings of shame?

Any advice you can give me, I mean him :oops: , would be received in the strictest confidence.

bratboy

itboffin wrote:

Fellow CXers what tyres do you use?

I'm running standard bontrager 700x23c road tyres ATM well until I'd fixed all the teething issues, now that's sorted I need to go "off-roading"

I'm also considering changing my name to "Dave" or something similarly off roadie. :roll:

The best option is to have two pairs of wheels, this means you can run some hefty slicks on one set (maybe gatorskin 28cor25c) and have some cx tyres on the other for off-roading and racing. It also means that if you wreck a set of hoops (quite likely during a couple of seasons of racing) you can swap over and still have something to use.

Tyre choice will depend upon the terrain you intend to ride on:

Cacky aphelt roads, cycle paths and most dry sections of off-road can be easily ridden on with something like gatorskins, 28c may give a little more comfort than 25c.

Anything other off-road stuff (muddy bridle paths, root strewn woody tracks, rocky paths) you'll want something with a knobbly tread pattern and at least 30c-34c.

When the ground is firm, I race on Michelin Mud 2s (30c) as I can't afford the older green ones, and when it's very slippy I've been using Vittoria Cross XGs 34c run with about 30psi in. For the 3 peaks I used the Vittorias at about 90psi to give some protection from pinch punctures. I would have prefered 32c but they were out of stock when I need them.

And of cause, the shoulder and shoe rubber on footpaths ;-)

bratboy

errm if you want to race cx then you've just missed out, the seasons just finshed in February. However that does mean you have plenty of time to build up ya fitness in time for next season which starts in September.

CX is probably one of the easiest ways to get into bike racing. You just need to have a look on the BCF website for a local race, turn up with a bike and helmet, pay ya money over and then thrash ya lungs out for an hr. But be warned, it is more adictive than crack coccaine and probably as expensive. Also, if you are luck, you can end up lining up next to a national champion and if he has a really bad day, who knows...

Feltup

bratboy wrote:

errm if you want to race cx then you've just missed out, the seasons just finshed in February. However that does mean you have plenty of time to build up ya fitness in time for next season which starts in September.

CX is probably one of the easiest ways to get into bike racing. You just need to have a look on the BCF website for a local race, turn up with a bike and helmet, pay ya money over and then thrash ya lungs out for an hr. But be warned, it is more adictive than crack coccaine and probably as expensive. Also, if you are luck, you can end up lining up next to a national champion and if he has a really bad day, who knows...

You mean like two broken legs because I don't think one would be enough of a hindrance

I am going to try the semi off road route home tonight via bridlepaths and towpaths. Luckily I have kept the Specialized Houffalize on my Fixed Singlecross so that should give me enough traction as long as i can keep turning my legs up some of the steeper sections.

downwardslide

Picked up my new Kinesis Crosslight yesterday, first commute this morning. First time on a bike for about five years, so starting off at 1/4 of the 18 mile e/w commute.
Forgotten just how much fun cycling can be, particuarly on a decent bike.

tardington

I must get dressed up all Cyclocrossey.
http://www.scottishcyclocross.com/SCX/Merchandise.html

itboffin

Anyone else having brake shudder from the front forks?