Some cyclocross for dummies questions

fat bloke · 11-10-2015 1:32pm #1

Shoes :

Just been around a few shops and trying to make a purchase. I'd have thought a stiff sole would be an impediment to any running you might have to do. Is that the case?

Bars - the bars on my bike are quite narrow. Definitely narrower than my road bike of the same frame size. Is that how cx bikes roll? I'd have thought wider bars would give more leverage and stability off road.

Tyre pressures. My bike is set up tubeless so I can run lower pressures but what kinda numbers are we talking about what are the recommended ranges?

Raam · 11-10-2015 1:38pm

You spend very little time running and more time trying to put power down through the pedals so you want stiff shoes.

I've always gone with the same width bars as the road.

Pressure depends on the prevailing ground conditions on the day. The wetter and more slippy it is, the less pressure you need.

Tenzor07 · 11-10-2015 5:14pm

Bars on the CX bike aren't as wide, no need for any "Aero" positions in CX..

Run a low pressure, but not too low, your biggest enemy will be thorns, low pressure for muddy ground

These shoes are perfect: Shimano

Alek · 11-10-2015 6:48pm

These shoes are perfect:

If they were only a bit more waterproof... as there are no vents, they dry ages...

martin.mcevoy · 11-10-2015 7:05pm

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/mavic-rush-mtb-shoes-2015/rp-prod90621

I got these and I absolutely love them!!

Tenzor07 · 11-10-2015 7:38pm

Alek wrote: »

If they were only a bit more waterproof... as there are no vents, they dry ages...

Wet feet will be the least of your worries in a CX race!

Raam · 11-10-2015 8:03pm

If you're worried about wet feet then CX is the wrong sport for you ;-)

Alek · 11-10-2015 10:10pm

Haha, no, its just I use these shoes on daily basis ;-)

(but last time in Punchestown I lost a few places due to laces came undone ... :P)

fat bloke · 12-10-2015 9:31pm

Couple more questions. I'm learning here. Above mtb shoes ordered and on the way

(1) where's punchescross? Is it punchestown race course?

And (2) how do you prepare for a 1 hour Sunday race? I really don't like the idea of 1 hour of biking equalling the sum total of my weekend riding so I've been continuing with my usual long Saturday spin. Of course then i feel it in the legs during the cx races and am under performing as a result. But as I said, it's not THAT important to me to be competitive that I'm willing to sit on my ar$e resting up all day Saturday for 50 minutes Sunday action.
Just wondering what y'all else do be doing like. I'm sure there's a happy medium in there.

lennymc · 12-10-2015 10:51pm

1) punchestown (iirc) and 2) pain

Alek · 13-10-2015 5:35am

2) pain

Motorpacing? :eek:

I take a few days off from any hard cycling before the race. Leisure spins, 50km or so, cycling kids to park etc.

Once made that mistake, trained hard 2-3 days before and under-performed pitifully on the day.

Tenzor07 · 13-10-2015 7:45am

fat bloke wrote: »

(1) where's punchescross? Is it punchestown race course?

And (2) how do you prepare for a 1 hour Sunday race?

1.)Have a look on there Facebook Page

2.) Train hard at least twice a week, mix of CX and fastroad for about 3-4 hours, and a longer spin at the weekend..

One thing a lot of people miss is skills and bike handling...no point in being fast on the straights if the guy behind you catches you on turns,corners etc..

Tenzor07 · 13-10-2015 7:47am

Alek wrote: »

Motorpacing?

Or the poor man's version, sitting in behind the 45 bus on the N11!

petethedrummer · 13-10-2015 8:58am

fat bloke wrote: »

2) how do you prepare for a 1 hour Sunday race? I really don't like the idea of 1 hour of biking equalling the sum total of my weekend riding so I've been continuing with my usual long Saturday spin.

Surely 1 hour of hard racing will bring you on more than 3(?) hours out on your own. You could do a good long gradual warm up and cool down either side of the race, if you want to clock up saddle time. Remember to do the warm up before and the cool down after.:pac:

fat bloke · 13-10-2015 9:12am

Well it's hard to get miles in during the week, I just do turbo. Weekend is saddle time and it doesn't matter how hard you go, 50 minutes training is no winter base. It'd be fine if I could do my 3 hours on Thursday or Friday, rest Saturday and then do Sunday, but that's not the way my world works.

I'd say I'll just keep going as I am. For both head and heart I need to get out for my Saturday constitution. The CX is only for a bit of craic and interval top up training anyway sure.

fat bloke · 13-10-2015 9:16am

OK, I'm on a roll here with the stupid questions

Brakes! I always thought left hand lever for the rear was the norm, or at least it was with me growing up with bikes, but on both my mtb and cross bike (shimano both) , the left lever is the front. It actually caused me a fall in the last race cos I was trailing the front at speed into one of the tight corners and wiped out.

Anyway, I've both bikes handed over to a mechanic to switch the brakes over, I just wondered if it's me that's wrong or what the standard was. It's right hand front on motorbikes of course too.

easygoing39 · 13-10-2015 9:23am

All my bikes have the front brake on the right as from age 6 when I learned to ride a bike that's what Im used too.And yes,I know 90% are the other way round,but my way is correct for us in Ireland who drive/cycle on the left side of the road.

tommy_tucker · 13-10-2015 10:52am

easygoing39 wrote: »

All my bikes have the front brake on the right as from age 6 when I learned to ride a bike that's what Im used too.And yes,I know 90% are the other way round,but my way is correct for us in Ireland who drive/cycle on the left side of the road.

Why is cycling on the left a reason to put the front brake on the right?

tommy_tucker · 13-10-2015 10:58am

google tells me this is why................................

Cycling hand turning signals originated from the same signals that cars used before they had indicator lights. For example, in America when a car wants to turn left, the driver (who sits on the left side of the car) put his left arm straight outside the window. If the driver wanted to signal right, he had to make a “L” with his left arm out the window (because he wouldn’t be able to reach out to the right side of the window with a straight arm to indicate a right turn). Similarly in places like Australia and the UK where you drive on the left side of the road, the driver (sitting on the right of the car) would have extend his right arm straight out the window to turn right, and same arm in a “L” shape to signal to turn left.

These turning signals were adopted by cyclists and the national standards organizations in each country got involved. There was concern that the cyclist should be able to make hand turning signals and still be able to reach the primary brake. The logic is accompanied by the premise that the rear brake is the primary brake. These standards organizations misunderstood braking and thought that using the front brake was hazardous and would cause the cyclist to abruptly topple over the front when hitting the front brake (endo!). In reality, very few accidents result from braking from the front.

.............................so basically its a mistake, we all know the front brake is more effective at stopping you, so it should be on the left following this logic

easygoing39 · 13-10-2015 12:51pm

Mistake by the national standards organization or not,I'm too long in the tooth to bother changing over my brakes and "relearning" which brake to grab in a hurry.I have borrowed a MTB with the front brake on the left and nearly killed myself the 1st time I had to brake hard on a downhill section.I think an over the bars accident could very easily happen in a panic stop situation with modern hydrolic brakes.

Lumen · 13-10-2015 1:13pm

easygoing39 wrote: »

Mistake by the national standards organization or not,I'm too long in the tooth to bother changing over my brakes and "relearning" which brake to grab in a hurry.I have borrowed a MTB with the front brake on the left and nearly killed myself the 1st time I had to brake hard on a downhill section.I think an over the bars accident could very easily happen in a panic stop situation with modern hydrolic brakes.

I have no idea which way my brakes are configured on any of my road bikes, including the one with hydro brakes. When I want to stop quickly (even very, very quickly) I just pull both levers hard until I'm not moving any more. The rear wheel skids controllably and sometimes lifts a bit.

I really don't think it's a big an issue as some people make out.

Mr. Grieves · 13-10-2015 8:22pm

Lumen wrote: »

I have no idea which way my brakes are configured on any of my road bikes, including the one with hydro brakes. When I want to stop quickly (even very, very quickly) I just pull both levers hard until I'm not moving any more. The rear wheel skids controllably and sometimes lifts a bit.

I really don't think it's a big an issue as some people make out.

Try it on a loose surface while cornering!

Lumen · 13-10-2015 8:56pm

Mr. Grieves wrote: »

Try it on a loose surface while cornering!

Why would you be braking on a loose surface while cornering?

fat bloke · 13-10-2015 9:13pm

Because every boy over 12 knows that gravelly corners on the BACK brake are the best fcukin' craic in the world!!!

Front brake though? .... not so much...

nak · 13-10-2015 9:19pm

fat bloke wrote: »

Because every boy over 12 knows that gravelly corners on the BACK brake are the best fcukin' craic in the world!!!

Front brake though? .... not so much...

Skids aren't just for boys or over 12s

fat bloke · 13-10-2015 9:32pm

nak wrote: »

Skids aren't just for boys or over 12s

I'm glad to hear it. Though my two girls under 12 and my other one three times that are evidence to the contrary :pac:

Some cyclocross for dummies questions

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