Any CX racers out there?

[GuyContinental]

OK, just signed up for DCCX CAT4…

Any suggestions on tires? I’m assuming somewhere between morning wet slippery grass and sloppy wet mud. In either case my busted out Hutchinson Piranha’s aren’t going to cut it.

[vvill]

I just signed up for the DC CX rookie race aka CAT6.

I’m tossing up between riding a heavy rusty MTB, a too-big hybrid and buying a CX bike (which I’ve wanted for commuting for a while anyway).

With a new CX bike I can’t decide between disc and cantilever brake models. Choices! First-world problems!

[eminva]

@GuyContinental: Check the forecast — I went as a spectator last year, and it hadn’t rained in so long it was hard packed dirt and dust.

@vvill: New bike! New bike! New bike!

Tell me the day/time you guys are racing — a colleague sent a message around looking for volunteers. The days are long though, so I might just shoot for a shorter range to be there. I will try to watch you if I can.

Liz

[TwoWheelsDC]

@vvill 32835 wrote:

With a new CX bike I can’t decide between disc and cantilever brake models. Choices! First-world problems!

Go cantis! When it’s wet out, you don’t even need a bell, just tap your brakes and the squeal will send people running! I think I woke up my entire neighborhood the other day just by slowing for a stop sign.

[GuyContinental]

@vvill 32835 wrote:

.

With a new CX bike I can’t decide between disc and cantilever brake models. Choices! First-world problems!

I posted something along these lines some time ago- the sagacity of Reverend Dirt aside, after 500+ miles of CX singletrack over the summer I say that that even excellent cantis are merely adequate when dry and pretty sketchy when wet. If I could, I’d go disc in a heartbeat. My CX riding buddy broke his Ti CX frame (ouch) on one of our morning rides and replaced it with the identical frame in disc. It’s one data point, but he’s way faster now on a same trail basis since he can scrub more speed faster than I can. In a race over non-technical terrain this may matter less but for all-around all-year riding/commuting, the reliability of disc in all weather conditions is fantastic.

From what I can tell, the CX community’s animosity towards disc comes on two fronts- general retro-grumpiness and concern about the legitimate costs and compatibility issues with racing discs (you can’t exactly toss a buddy a spare disc wheel unless both bikes are set up identically).

[DaveK]

I hated my cantis but I’ll be the first to tell you that I am terrible at setting them up. I replaced them with v-brakes which stop SO much better but require more work to keep in adjustment. Because of the short lever throw of road levers, you have to make sure you set up the pads very close to the rim and choose brakes that don’t have too long of an arm. I think I’d go disc if I was buying new today.

[GuyContinental]

@DaveK 32860 wrote:

I hated my cantis but I’ll be the first to tell you that I am terrible at setting them up. I replaced them with v-brakes which stop SO much better but require more work to keep in adjustment. Because of the short lever throw of road levers, you have to make sure you set up the pads very close to the rim and choose brakes that don’t have too long of an arm. I think I’d go disc if I was buying new today.

I’ll admit that this thread came on the wrong day- I swapped out wheels (CX to commuting) late last night and didn’t spend enough time adjusting my front Paul Mini-moto (linear pull, not really canti). After 15 miles this morning (after I’d made it all the way through the N. Arlington hills) I figured out that my brake was at least 30% engaged… yeah, I’m mentally slow in the morning- I honestly thought that I was sick or something. It took probably 15 minutes in the dark at Maple to get them settled- and that’s the problem I can get these brakes totally dialed in and the Paul brake is a huge improvement but it takes oddles of fiddling to get it right. Worse, if it’s not “right” it’s really dang wrong…

[DaveK]

@GuyContinental 32867 wrote:

I’ll admit that this thread came on the wrong day- I swapped out wheels (CX to commuting) late last night and didn’t spend enough time adjusting my front Paul Mini-moto (linear pull, not really canti). After 15 miles this morning (after I’d made it all the way through the N. Arlington hills) I figured out that my brake was at least 30% engaged… yeah, I’m mentally slow in the morning- I honestly thought that I was sick or something. It took probably 15 minutes in the dark at Maple to get them settled- and that’s the problem I can get these brakes totally dialed in and the Paul brake is a huge improvement but it takes oddles of fiddling to get it right. Worse, if it’s not “right” it’s really dang wrong…

My problem exactly, although somewhat opposite. I usually end up in a situation where the lever bottoms out before I braking force. Not ideal…

[dcv]

guycontinental and will – when you registered did it ask you to apply for a 1-day race license ($10)? Or will you have to pay for one on the day of?

Also – which race do you think is easier, rookie or single speed?

thx
V

[GuyContinental]

@dcv 32872 wrote:

guycontinental and will – when you registered did it ask you to apply for a 1-day race license ($10)? Or will you have to pay for one on the day of?

Also – which race do you think is easier, rookie or single speed?

I did the “day of” license- as I understand it, there will be a table set up at registration.

For the second question, I’ve never raced CX before but I chose CAT 4 because I’m a strong, fast off-road rider so I don’t want to be in a rookie mangle with a huge variety of speeds and competence. On SS vs Rookie… the local SS MTB crowd is insane, W@W SS podium finishers (hell, most of the top 10) could have done respectably or even placed in Expert. I race that class and aim (at best) to be in the top 15 (and my times would be competitive(ish) in MTB Sport).

If you’ve even contemplating SS, you’re strong so do CAT4*, way easier than SS and safer/faster than Rookie. Thing is that CAT4 has a field of 125, many of whom are road CAT 3 and 4 at the end of their training season (ie Strong & mean but with dubious off-road skill). My goal is to finish and not crater (too hard at least).

*But what the heck do I know?

[dcv]

@GuyContinental 32877 wrote:

I did the “day of” license- as I understand it, there will be a table set up at registration.

For the second question, I’ve never raced CX before but I chose CAT 4 because I’m a strong, fast off-road rider so I don’t want to be in a rookie mangle with a huge variety of speeds and competence. On SS vs Rookie… the local SS MTB crowd is insane, W@W SS podium finishers (hell, most of the top 10) could have done respectably or even placed in Expert. I race that class and aim (at best) to be in the top 15 (and my times would be competitive(ish) in MTB Sport).

If you’ve even contemplating SS, you’re strong so do CAT4*, way easier than SS and safer/faster than Rookie. Thing is that CAT4 has a field of 125, many of whom are road CAT 3 and 4 at the end of their training season (ie Strong & mean but with dubious off-road skill). My goal is to finish and not crater (too hard at least).

*But what the heck do I know?

thx gc, i just signed up for rookies race because i’m a chicken – only riding a SSCX because that’s what i’ve got. see you and will on race day!

[GuyContinental]

@dcv 32890 wrote:

thx gc, i just signed up for rookies race because i’m a chicken – only riding a SSCX because that’s what i’ve got. see you and will on race day!

In that case, I highly recommend a leg shave, cycling hat and matching kit so that you can scare the beejeebers out of the poor rookies on your mighty SS steed… muhahaha Sandbagger ELITE!

[vvill]

On disc vs canti:

with cantis, i can move a road bike wheelset over to use the bike as a road bike
with discs, assuming i get one with a 135mm rear dropout frame (or a 132.5mm or steel frame i guess), i can possibly move a 29er wheelset over. altho depending on hub width the disc calipers may need some adjustment.

Discs are heavier but have no rim wear issues. They seemed fairly easy to setup on my MTB but on road bikes with a shorter throw they don’t seem as great. I’ve never used cantis.

@dcv 32890 wrote:

thx gc, i just signed up for rookies race because i’m a chicken – only riding a SSCX because that’s what i’ve got. see you and will on race day!

Yeah I did “day of”. Since you ride fixie most of the time I think you’ll be fine on a SS CX. See ya there!

@eminva 32838 wrote:

Tell me the day/time you guys are racing

21 Oct. Cat 4 men’s race is 8:15am, Rookie Race (men/women combined) is 4:15pm. There’s races all the way in between those times. And the tandem race follows: https://www.bikereg.com/Net/17400

@DaveK 32871 wrote:

My problem exactly, although somewhat opposite. I usually end up in a situation where the lever bottoms out before I braking force. Not ideal…

I get this problem on my folder which has road levers and mini v-brakes. Not ideal especially when I often use the bike as my wet weather bike. I (think I) noticed Dirt has one of those “problem solvers” on one of his bikes with discs. http://problemsolversbike.com/products/travel_agents

@GuyContinental 32877 wrote:

rookie mangle with a huge variety of speeds and competence.

Sounds like a regular commute on the trails.

I definitely didn’t want to be on a course with 100+ cat3/4 road riders. Especially if I’m not on a CX bike.

[jrenaut]

For those not racing – we went to this last year, and it’s a lot of fun. Very kid friendly. Plus the head organizer happens to be my team lead, and he informed me today that Dogfish Head is bringing 15 kegs of beer.

[txgoonie]

@jrenaut 32898 wrote:

For those not racing – we went to this last year, and it’s a lot of fun. Very kid friendly. Plus the head organizer happens to be my team lead, and he informed me today that Dogfish Head is bringing 15 kegs of beer.

+1 Agree. I was there from the first race to the tandem last year. Brought to dog. Took pictures. Heckled. It was a blast. They had these little Belgian dough things with powdered sugar – what were they? Holy yum. And it is indeed possible to drink pretty much all day, but I would highly advise against it. Especially when dealing with DFH. Ouch.

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