Cyclocross - CX and SSCX races and training

I'm running the Terreno wets all season this year. Been using the Vittoria tyres for a few seasons now and I don't think I've written one off yet.

FMB Super Mud is the only answer

Did they survive the summer series at Herne Hill?

tubs are banned at summer series. tbf they're probably more durable than the challenge open tubulars I ran (which didn't survive the series)

Interesting. I'd not looked at the wets before. Did you try the mixes? Looks like they could be a good front / rear combo

I know @leggy_blonde swears by the Mix's (and he goes much faster than I do) but I've found the Wets to be a more than capable all rounder. I wouldn't run them in current conditions, but once the ground starts softening up then they come into their element.

One more for the Vittoria mix's.
I used to run the wets but found they collected to much mud when it's a bit claggy. I found the mix's were faster and a bit more predictable as they didn't collect so much mud

Giving the mixes a go.merlin have them at £24 a tyre so just ordered a set for both bikes.

Good deal, Condor have the wets at £30 each if anyone is looking at stocking up. Could stick one of those on the front if you find the mixes are washing out when it gets muddier.

Thoughts and prayers to all those mounting these tyres for the first time.

Anyway agreed I have the wets and they are v good. Only thing I would say is that they seem to be a 'race' tyre - I keep them on for forest / off road / no UK gravel type stuff and have suffered relatively frequent punctures. But yeah fast and grippy when the flag drops

Mine fit easy and I have only had one puncture that plugged easily in three years of North Downs Gravel *. 35mm Dry in Summer, 33mm Mix in winter. You need to bring your riding down to my pace!

Chalk and flint.

Same here, toughest tyre also suitable for racing I've used. Can't say the same for Vittoria's mountain bike tyres though.

Ditto that, everything else I've used has died a dramatic death on the chalky/flinty trails near me

Yep, agree with you three, the Vittorias are way tougher than anything else I've used for racing and North Downs Gravel training.

+1 on tyre toughness and also on ease of installation.. Challenges/Conti are much harder imo.

On the subject of Forme Calver, I had a creak developing over the last few rides, decided to clean and inspect the frame only to find this bad boy on the NDS chainstay this morning.. Frame is only 1.5y old. RIP.

Would still rate the frame though, it's just another case of buy cheap buy twice I guess (which I will likely do, pending what they come back with re warranty)

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London World Cup looking worryingly TBCed on all the schedules still...

Yeah, one of the original organisers has dropped out according to a post on the London league FB page

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Actually beneficial long term as it effectively strips out dead grass encouraging new growth and does stuff with air and nutrients getting deeper into roots.

Why you can usually work out a track post race with literal greener grass.

Have you got a decent source for this? Would be handy to present to a few councils around here, not that there's much grass left at the moment anyway.

Bad luck and bad riding I guess! Will stick with them then

I will find it…

Advice on bike size

So, I brought a Ridley X frame from Paul Milne. The plan was to build it up with spare parts and use it for off-road riding in Epping Forest, perhaps a bit of gravel. I doubt if it will ever be raced.

Following the advice on the Ridley site I brought a frame a size down from my road frame, which would have been a medium.
Yesterday, and having now assembled and cleaned all the part etc, I got the frame out of the box; it looks very small. The drop from the saddle to the bars should just about work, though I'll need to use a full pack of spacers. A slammed stem won't work at all.

So, and before I take it to the shop for its build, can I ask if this is normal for a X bike?

Most of them are race bikes and typically they are pretty long and definitely low at the front end.

See the Denise Betsema spacer stack ...