Cyclocross - CX and SSCX races and training

so...er...beckenham?

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Nah too hot bruv

Herne Hill tho ya

shade is available

and there are no convenient trams from this venue

Had hoped to race, childcare demands have ruled that out.

Tubeless or latex tubes for cross?

Tried a few summer league races so far this year and 100% record of pinch flats running 35-40psi with 33mm tyres and ~70kgs. What are the pros and cons? I only have a single wheelset so multiple wheels with multiple tyre options isn’t really an option.

Absolutely baking at Beckenham Place Park. Anyone know when the results go up? Keen to find out if I was DFL.

Have you tubeless ready rims? If so, it might be the option for you.

But for me, I was getting pinch flats when I started using a CX bike with butyl tubes, as my rims weren't tubeless ready I switched to latex tubes and went for ages before picking one up.

Sparkes. It's not possible!

Right
I bought 4 latex Vittoria tubes last year. They arrived last month.

I don't need them now I'm tubeless, though I am thinking plush comfort on the mum bike, I also have a brand new pair of michelin jet 33c.

Anyone ?

I paid £40 for the tubes and at least that for the tyres. So that's 80 right there.

£60 for the lot?

Could just be bad luck? Maybe up the psi. Taking some liberties with facts here since it's been so hot and dry maybe the courses are faster, and maybe you're hitting obstacles at a higher speed. Upping the psi will make it less comfortable but less susceptible to pinch flats.

Regular Clinchers < Latex Clinchers < Tubeless < Tubs < Dugasts

But Frylands is pinch puncture central so you can ignore that, it's just bad luck. Running latex tubes won't prevent pinch punctures.

I'll take the tubes seperately if you'll do that?

For £60!?
Yeah sure!

(Joke)
£40?

You have a pm

Tubs. Just do it.

Yup, both wheels and tyres are tubeless ready and in fact previous owner ran them tubeless so they are already taped etc. I've just never managed to make it work on my other bike. I'll try to sort out tubeless this weekend and then maybe look into some race specific spare wheels (running tubs) for next year.

Not on the Beastway site but they posted a grab of the results sheets on their facebook page I think. Lemme find it.

There. Attached.

My first CX if the year. Though pan flat and bone dry field wasn't really CX, and I was on a hardtail so very much not the bike for the day. Happy to end up with mid table mediocrity

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83rd for me then, which is better than the second-to-last I landed last year!

Spesh Terra Pro for £28 each at Hargroves. Extra £5 off order using SPENDANDSAVE2018

100% record of pinch flats running 35-40psi with 33mm tyres and ~70kgs

I don't know the courses you're running but I am 90kg and run 25-30psi depending on muddiness. Sounds like you may also need to look at line choices maybe?

I have tried latex tubes. They feel better but patching them is a bitch so went back to butyl. Going tubeless this year for first time. Rode around the other day on 15psi for shits n giggles. Squirmy AF tho!

I'd like to know whether there's a tubless mudd tyre better than the limus, because I doubt it...

Vittoria Terreno Wet.

I used them last season and was seriously impressed with them, grip for days in muddy conditions. I have used Dugast Rhinos previously, which were seriously good, I'd rate the Terrenos as their equal.

I love these tyres

have heard great things too. £28 per tire seems a great price!

I don't know the courses you're running

The summer league at Dalton barracks, Abingdon (also part of the Wessex League). It’s pretty stony at the moment but there is also a strong chance that my line choice is rubbish because I have no idea what I’m doing.

Anyway, after completely failing to make tubeless work on my commute it was a complete breeze on my cross bike. I ran 30/35 and successfully completed my first race of the year!