Cyclocross - CX and SSCX races and training

Just don't signup for the other 3 peaks 'challenge' by mistake

Could be a good idea actually. Certainly hasn't done Rob Jebb any harm.

Good point!

Presuming cross-top levers would be a good addition for the Three Peaks?

I reckon.

I'm out. Until next year at least.

I never had you down as a Liverpool fan.

Bit of a mixed call on that. Coming down Ingleborough and Pen Y Gent you might appreciate the stability of being out on the hoods more than the stopping power of cross-tops. Certainly they aren't ubiquitous.

Damn....I wanted an excuse :-)

Entered. Scared.

I don't know whether it's standard technique but I usually take those sort of descents in the drops: I can move my weight lower and further back, have better braking and it's more secure (when I lose all feeling in my hands). Don't think I'll bother with cross tops if I get in.

last time I rode it I used cross tops, still fell off loads.

There are no excuses, enter and pray they don't pull your name out of the hat.

Yes, do it.

I was keen on doing this until I saw the videos on youtube...

No.
Thankyou.

Isn't there a steep 40 minute run up? I'd wear a 90's goalkeeper top, one with the padded shoulders and elbows.

The videos make it look worse than it really is.

Not by much mind but it's not quite as bad as the videos suggest. Very few people get airlifted to hospital.

Do it.

Anyone know anyone selling a Giant TCX SLR frameset (the Alu one - not the carbon) in M or M/L ?

I'm hoping for a bit of advice on stuff for my soon-to-be SSCX bike.

Can anyone recommend an OTP SS/fixed wheelset for riding and racing CX on?

Also, the brakes, while fine for tooling around on fixed, aren't exactly that snappy. Any recommendations for good V-brakes and/or should I be looking at mini-V's instead? I'm not that sure on difference.

I'm googling things but value your advice and opinions.

Anything with a reasonable spoke count should be capable. Be prepared to retension spokes after a few rides though.

Mini-V's will be required with standard road levers, Tektro make a drop lever designed to work with v-brakes I think. Generally the shorter the brake arm the better the rim clearance but the less power. I never really got on with the lever feel you get with mini-v brakes, cantilevers have better feel and modulation.

It's a Spesh Tricross so already has Vs and drop levers so probably just upgrade those. Don't fancy trying to rig cantis on them.

There's a good guide to mini v's here.

I'd get those Tektros with the short arms at the bottom and fit decent pads and an adjustable noodle.

Adjustable noodle?

one of these, or inline cable adjusters, to allow for brake pad wear. I'd imagine you've got some way of adjusting cable pull if it came as standard with v-brakes anyway.

Yeah, adjusting cable length. Time to buy all the noodles.

I'm happy to be corrected, but aren't TRP and Tektro just different brand names from the same manufacturer?

I had the CX9's on my race bike for a bit, they worked well, although they were no use in really muddy conditions, but they weren't any better than cheaper Tektro mini-vs I had on my Pompino.