Cyclocross - CX and SSCX races and training

How do you expect to get guns like Laurens Sweeck with an attitude like that ?

are you asking me? i have no idea, sozzard

yep, latex on which I believe I'll need to rub/scrape off (or apparently not if it doesn't want to come off

same here! I'd be comparing them to some not great vittoria clinchers. actually, I'll look like a mug if they offer no advantage and it turns out I'm genuinely very shit

sorry no it was just meant as a general question

Its the same with the vittorias, I've been using a half round file and to scrape it off.

I found it's easier with the tyre inflated, as it helps to stop you catching the sidewalls

I'm currently in the middle of a set now.....happy days

Ha, I'm in the same boat. I'm having to relearn what pressures to use after dialing in my pressures with tubeless tyres last year

So far I've come to the conclusion that I need to be a couple of psi lower than I would with tubeless

They should definitely offer an advantage. You can run lower pressures than with clinchers or tubeless, which equates to more grip and so you can corner faster with more confidence and get grip when you put the power down out of corners and on straights.

Plus they look cool. 😎

Yes hopefully. Thinking of doing both the vets 40 and the seniors race...seems a long way to go for a 45 minute race otherwise

Is there any consensus/advice on mud tyres?

One of the fast guys in my club uses a mud tyre on the front but never bothers with a mud specific tyre on the back (he runs an intermediate on the back). Also you occasionally hear pros talking about a mud/intermediate mix.

When is it better to use mud/mud and when is it better to use a mix?

mud/mud

October until February if the weather stays its course.

ordered :-) Intermediates in Andover and then Reading the week before were probably a bad choice.

Now for spike/stud recommendations (or more particularly where to get them?)? I've been riding in my commuting shoes but the dedicated cross shoes I just bought have space for removable studs.

I got a set from fairbairn fabrications in brass which are nicely made and big spanner flats which make them easy to get in and out. All profits went to ride for Charlie.

As Nick Craig says, you can never have too much grip.

Aha, that’s the guy I messaged but no response yet.

Fingers crossed he gets back, then I can have grip on and off the bike! Somehow I managed to get through last year with neither.

Evans sell the Sidi studs, they work fine and are easier to get hold of than the Fairbairn ones.

I was just going to use some old rugby ones. Anything wrong with that?

Always use the fastest tyres you can get away with. It's better to find a couple of corners slidey on intermediates than drag mud tyres round for an hour.

Golf spikes shurely?

(should be fine I would think)

I got my fairbairn ones from dan at Ride Bikes

I hope to see many of you at this;

https://www.lfgss.com/events/5156/

Fairbairn, Paul, had a super bad concussion for a very long time.

He is however thankfully back on a cross bike now (the knock on Instagram for updates)

This stopped him making any for quite some time and not sure he’s planning to make any more. Super nice guy though and great music taste, works on boats also.

Anyone riding the National Trophy round at Pembrey this weekend?
Looks a great (tough) course, so I've put my hand up to do some marshalling....

I disagree. I think the confidence on the bike given by mud tyres outweighs the additional drag. Just pump them up harder if it's drier has always worked for me.

@andyp have you got a link for those sidi studs?

Sidi studs out of stock wherever I’ve looked. I messaged Fairbairn and he says he’ll hopefully make some more in a few weeks.

All slightly moot from my perspective anyway since I’m struggling to find a pair of cross shoes that I like and fit for <~£100ish.