Cross season 2017/18 chat

Well mainly shitty winter training, bridlepaths, gravel riding & some bikepacking but have always been interested in CX. Main reason I got a CX bike is it covers all bases.

New bike has 37mm WTB riddlers. Seem pretty good for muddy stuff, but just wondered what a seasoned CX racer was using.

( @Demeaux was unavailable and I heard @biarittz is retired from competitions.)

#npf

So I went out and mixed up my dismounting. I do find it easier to dismount with the right leg behind the left, but I can keep my speed when passing my right leg between left and frame.

Only had one Joey's Ok moment out of about two dozen dismounts, so not all bad.

You could try gravel king SK @Mat

I've not tried WTB tyres but hear good things about them. I'd see how you get on with them before changing.

I'm currently using Vittorias, I've pairs of the XN, XL and XM, mainly because they are robust but also tubeless friendly. I'll mainly be racing on a pair of tubs this year though (Challenge Grifos that I swiped off @Demeaux ).

Flowing Andy's betrayal of me and selling me up the tubeless river.....
I've got xm or XL can't remember.

Mat i you want I've got a pair of clement PDX. I used them for rAcing but I reckon thyve got some life in them. They're a mud tyre I think. I found them very supple with latex tubes and have used them in summer cross and winter cross.

No gram points though, black no gumwall.
Free though and good for the day you decide "mud only".

Gravel kings. Ved, didn't you fall off your bike on them?

A tyre to do everything is like making love to a n old joke repeated by men over 35.

Challenge Almanzo.

Superb tyre.

Not ideal on wet greasy tarmac.

#csb

Then how can it be a superb tyre?

Any pronounced treaded tyre is going to struggle with wet greasy tarmac. Lack of surface area to grip with.

thx 4 reading

I think the first ever time I went out on the CX bike, I finished my final bit of off-road, which came out immediately onto a brick paved road (I live in a right posh area). Turned left and the front wheel immediately wiped out on me.

#csb @Demeaux

I found it on Starva. HR jumps from 127 to 157. 13th Feb 2015.

Yes, I have had a drink.

Quit before you're ahead

User error.

Top tip thanks Sam

I didn't want to say.

Incredibly Cross tonight was great fun tonight, an amazingly technical course in pitch darkness.

I drank 1 beer on a train to Essex. Then Several more beers and played "play your cards right" for 2 hours. Which no one won.

Give me your best Bruce Forsyth impression, @Demeaux .

Plays dead.

I'm not going lie down under a glass top coffee table while Una Stubbs does her business on top.

Are you on social meedja @andyp?

You mean, are there photos of me in costume? Not that I've seen.

Although if you follow the NLTHMBC or whatever they're called, there might be a photo of me sans bike on Facebook.

Casper the friendly ghost. Right ?