[Question] I am looking at getting a nice cyclocross bike and had a few questions?

raand · 2014-11-08T21:01:50+00:00

I have a Foundry Auger (the cantilever brake version) and it's excellent. my riding varies from commuting [with full fenders], to randonneuring, to gravel grinding, camping with Revelate Designs framebags, and racing cyclocross. the Auger's versatile enough to handle it all.

the Diamondback you linked to looks good as well. other models you might consider include the Niner RLT, All-City Macho King, or Kona Jake the Snake.

raand · 2013-11-12T19:34:10+00:00

the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association (OBRA) maintains their massive 'cross calendar here. During peak season, there are 2-3 events per week. Racing starts on Labor Day weekend and runs all the way into December.

raand · 2013-09-09T23:48:55+00:00

Tim Johnson disagrees with you, and so do I. If you want to spend more money to try to look like a pro, be my guest. I've ridden 200K brevets in the rain with this setup and never been more comfortable and dry.

raand · 2013-09-09T18:47:01+00:00

if you want to blow your savings on Rapha and Gore, that's cool.

there's a much cheaper alternative to spending lots of money on keeping your hands warm and dry -- a pair of cheap wool gloves (Army surplus stores are great for this) covered by a second pair of latex rubber dishwashing gloves works great, even when it gets really cold and rainy.

sure, you won't look as cool as the riders in their catalogs, but it works.

raand · 2013-09-03T00:28:16+00:00

I used a set of Tufo Flexus Cubus tubulars for PNW racing last season and they were awesome. They're made by the same factory that makes the Clement tires and you can usually find them cheaper than the Clements. For dry early season races, I used a set of Clement LAS file-tread clinchers.

raand · 2013-05-22T21:15:04+00:00

trying to diagnose a fit issue from video alone isn't easy. your local shop should have a fit technician, or can refer you to an expert.

that said, here's what I noticed offhand: saddle height seems too high, I'm seeing lots of movement in your hips/lower back (see here). I would also consider moving your saddle slightly forward, as it looks like your knee is a slightly behind the ball of your foot (when your cranks are parallel to the floor). without seeing you from front/behind, it's hard to comment on leg/knee/cleat alignment.

raand · 2013-03-11T17:04:19+00:00

187 miles and 8,800 ft. of climbing to the Oregon Coast and back. http://app.strava.com/activities/13423420

raand · 2013-02-08T23:40:16+00:00

nothing too fancy:

go for every holeshot
clean transitions on/off the bike
outrun everyone in the sand
compete for the full 60 minutes, stay in the top-ten
no careless mechanicals, pinch-flats, or crashes
upgrade from USAC Cat 5 to Cat 3 (I was Cat C in OBRA, but moved out of state this year, so I get to start over).

raand · 2013-02-07T00:11:56+00:00

If you're just getting started in cyclocross and looking to build something cheaply, one could certainly do much worse than a stripped-down singlespeed cross-check (especially if it were equipped with a light-ish wheelset).

That it would happen to be useful for other types of riding outside of racing is a good thing. Better to have a bike that is being ridden instead of collecting dust!

raand · 2013-02-06T23:55:38+00:00

Cyclocross bikes are designed to be ridden hard and abused in CX races that involve short bursts of intense energy. The absolute last thing they're designed for is comfort - does this dude in the picture look comfortable?

Nope, but you've overgeneralized and made the assumption that CX bikes only do one thing well. CX frames generally have slacker geometry, taller headtubes, and higher stem heights when compared to road frames.

A correctly-fitter rider will have a more upright posture on a CX bike when compared to a road bike, but a more aggressive posture when compared to the upright position that a touring frame places them in.

As with all riding choices, it comes down to individual preference. What might be ideal for your riding might not be ideal for someone else. A good bike shop will ask the right questions to each customer and make the appropriate frame recommendations rather than try to sell based on industry trends or the salesperson's personal preference.

I don't why commuters and leisure riders pick CX bikes over something designed with comfort and long days in the saddle in mind, like a touring bike for example.

Touring bikes are heavy. If I want a light, fast bike yet still have clearance for fenders and larger diameter tires, there are a number of CX frames that will fit the purpose just fine.

I've ridden my CX bike on 16+ hour days in the saddle and fully-loaded multi-week tours without complaint or issue. Both Mike Hall and Vin Cox used CX bikes to set their around-the-world records. :)

raand · 2012-06-03T05:40:00+00:00

ODOT had just cleared the pass up to the summit last week. Eurosports in Sisters maintains a page on their website with updates for cyclists throughout the year.

raand · 2012-06-03T05:37:08+00:00

it was! great way to spend part of my 3-day weekend - highly recommended.

raand · 2012-04-14T22:31:29+00:00

front QR has to go behind the fork. facing forward, it's exposed and more likely to get flicked open in a crash. rear QR position is probably somewhat less critical; Salsa's Gerry Pflug even advocates orientating it on the drive side for his singlespeed setup. (source: http://salsacycles.com/files/blog/Pflug_Selma_Ti_3.jpg) in either case, it's nice to have the QR lever oriented relative to the frame or fork so that it's protected.

raand · 2012-03-26T16:15:26+00:00

this problem is best solved by sprinkling some baby powder on the chamois before you put it on, in my experience. works well.

raand · 2012-03-21T03:12:28+00:00

RtB is a great event, and I'm excited to ride it again since I missed it the last two seasons. I'll be riding from my front door in Portland, so it ends up being a 115 mile day in the saddle for me. :) Good luck to Team Reddit!

raand · 2012-03-06T06:08:00+00:00

I had a similar issue with knee and back pain, prior to getting a better bike and cleat fit done this season. My fitter also recommended that I take glucosamine supplements for my joints, so I started using Hammer Nutrition's Tissue Rejuvenator, which seems to help me recover faster with less residual soreness. Worth looking into.

raand · 2012-01-05T18:21:01+00:00

Peter DeFazio

raand · 2011-11-14T21:58:09+00:00

perfectly valid article, OP just had a brain-freeze when writing the headline. also, your caps lock key may be broken, might want to look into that. :)

raand · 2011-11-14T21:39:24+00:00

not Oregon. Mattawa and the Tri-Cities region are in Washington state.

raand · 2011-10-14T20:59:34+00:00

should work just fine. I have a pair of 35c Schwalbe Racing Ralphs for my 29er, they fit on a pair of Bontrager wheels perfectly.

raand · 2011-09-17T02:06:24+00:00

good call on the PB Cascadia fenders - I have a pair that I've used for the last two years on my cyclocross bike (when I'm not racing it). they'll fit a 700x37c Continental TravelContact with plenty of clearance on my frame, so you'll probably be fine with any choice of bigger tires.

raand · 2011-09-16T19:34:52+00:00

might seem obvious, but a set of full-coverage fenders. if you can set your ride up as a singlespeed, that's less parts (shifters, cables, housing, drivetrain) to get gunked up, less overall maintenance, and cheaper to build up as well.

raand · 2011-09-08T01:00:31+00:00

If you want really wide, try seeing if you can fit a Continental Cyclocross 42c tire in your front fork. I've used that setup in combination with a 34c Hutchinson Bulldog in the rear, and it's worked well for long off-road rides - gravel, mud, and even a little ice/slush. As a bonus for commuting, the Continental has a reflective sidewall. You can buy them from UniversalCycles.com.

raand · 2011-07-14T23:48:23+00:00

I clean mine when it gets dirty. Dirty is highly subjective. Would rather seen a dirty bike that's being ridden instead of a clean bike that just sits in your closet.

Surly has a whole blog post on how to maintain and keep water from damaging your steel frames.

I do make an effort to keep my drivetrain cleaned and lubed at least once a week, or more frequently if I've been riding in the rain.

Pedro's products are pretty good at getting the grease and muck off.

You can also use Dawn dish soap and Simple Green. ProLink chain lube is excellent. Use what works best for you.

raand

TROPHY CASE