advice for cx novice with my bike set up

kirkee

Hi, I plan to enter a local CX novice event. I will do the race on a flat bar hybrid that has Cane creek rubber ergo bar ends fitted. I have read around the web and the general opinion is that they will have to be removed for the race.

My main question-
As the event is a novice race would I get away with keeping the bar ends on? I would prefer to keep them on as I like using them and they will prevent the non locking grips from pulling off. I will remove the bottle cages etc.

Theres some cheap priced Schwalbe comp 26 cx tyres online and would appreciate any thoughts on these also. I am running Michelin country rock tyres.

Thanks

mikpem

As it's a novice race I would imagine they would be ok with bar ends because they try not to make it any hassle for people to join in, the novice races are there to get people into the sport, not put them off with red tape. I would call the organiser beforehand and check anyway though, from my experience they will be happy to talk although you might end up on the phone for a while

Bottle cages can be left on, I have a cage on mine which I used in senior races but I have since learned to hydrate myself enough before the race so I don't need it any more and it will be coming off soon so that there is less in the way when I have to pick the bike up.

If the race is any time soon I wouldn't go for the comp 26 cx, I have those on my commuter, they are great on a hard, dry course or on a wet road but with the sludge we have had for the last few races here they would be pretty useless. In the mud you will need something with some knobbly bits on and possibly a bit wider to take the bumps a bit more, sticking with Schwalbe have a look at getting some CX pro's.

imposter2.0

As I understand it, bar ends are typically disallowed on MTBs in UK CX events..

tgotb

Imposter wrote:

As I understand it, bar ends are typically disallowed on MTBs in UK CX events..

Really? I've seen people riding all sorts of things at local league level: MTBs with bar ends, hybrids with pannier racks, kids on bikes with streamers and doll strapped into "child seat", Brompton, Boris bike, road bike with caliper brakes and SPD-SL pedals (the latter on a very dry course). The rules start to get stricter at national level (Trophy races, National Champs) but even there you see the odd rider with a bottle cage. If you're taking it seriously enough to be competing at that level, you'll have a proper CX bike anyway.

Can anyone point me at a set of local league rules that ban bar ends or bottle cages?

imposter2.0

TGOTB wrote:

Imposter wrote:

As I understand it, bar ends are typically disallowed on MTBs in UK CX events..

Really? I've seen people riding all sorts of things at local league level: MTBs with bar ends, hybrids with pannier racks, kids on bikes with streamers and doll strapped into "child seat", Brompton, Boris bike, road bike with caliper brakes and SPD-SL pedals (the latter on a very dry course). The rules start to get stricter at national level (Trophy races, National Champs) but even there you see the odd rider with a bottle cage. If you're taking it seriously enough to be competing at that level, you'll have a proper CX bike anyway.

Can anyone point me at a set of local league rules that ban bar ends or bottle cages?

Our own league specifically bans bar ends - I assumed it would be a general rule applied across all leagues, but not necessarily, I guess. I didn't say anything about bottle cages.

kirkee

Thanks for the reply s, I will leave the ends on and watch the weather regarding the tyres. Looking forward to the experience

cheers

imposter2.0

kirkee wrote:

Thanks for the reply s, I will leave the ends on and watch the weather regarding the tyres. Looking forward to the experience

cheers

You really should check the rules for your own league. It could save you a lot of time on the day.

kirkee

I will get some info from the organisers. With it being a novice event I'm surprised that there's not further info available online etc.