General Discussion Triathlon Talk » cyclocross bike Rss Feed  
Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller Reply
2011-04-09 8:57 PM

Member
34
25
, North Carolina
Subject: cyclocross bike

i have a cyclocross bike and use it train on gravel forest service roads where i live in the spring, summer, and fall seasons.  It is great on the gravel  and I, for the most part, love it on the roads, i never have to worry about wiping out on lose pebbles, RR tracks, dirt shoulders, etc. on the road.  I bought this bike because am interested in touring and triathlons (not mtn biking) and I have miles and miles of beautiful challenging gravel roads out my front door so a stranded road bike wouldn't work for me on a daily basis so the fatter treadier tires on the cyclocross are great...except when i ride on the road I am slow... my friends say it's the bike because i am a pretty strong rider otherwise.  I have now signed up for a triathlon this summer and would love some advice on tire options to make my bike more competitive.  Does anyone have any experience with converting a cyclocross bile to a speedier tri bike?

oh, and i can't afford another bike right now....maybe someday.



2011-04-09 9:05 PM
in reply to: #3438088

User image

Champion
19812
50005000500020002000500100100100
MA
Subject: RE: cyclocross bike

Get different tires for your cross bike.

I have road, tri and cross bike and all have the same wheels. Cross bike has cross tires on it which are 700x32 or 34 and knobby where normal road tires are 700x23 and slick.

For $60-80 of tires your cross bike will be much faster.

On my bike race team, some women that are college or grad students have only 1 bike and it's a cross bike.

2011-04-09 10:09 PM
in reply to: #3438088

User image

Elite
4583
20002000500252525
Subject: RE: cyclocross bike
Great question...glad you asked it!  I bought my cyclocross last summer for the exact same reasons as yours.  I have miles and miles of desert gravel roads to ride.   I did my first tri (a sprint) with it and did fine without changing the tires as Kathy suggested.  I'm doing a HIM on June 11...I will be taking Kathy's advice and swapping out tires.  I love my cyclocross!
2011-04-10 2:18 AM
in reply to: #3438088

Elite
2608
2000500100
Denver, Colorado
Subject: RE: cyclocross bike
Kathy or Kim,

Is the gearing on cross bikes the same as a road bike? Aren't they also a bit heavier (not that this would make a difference to me)? If the gearing is the same, I think cross is a good way to go. I have a system of mostly dirt multi-use trails near my house. These are great because they are safe (nothing motorized allowed so no danger of being) and not terribly crowded, but because they're mostly dirt and gravel, I only use my mountain bike on them. And cross tires just don't fit on a standard road bike - I asked and got laughed at.
2011-04-10 7:03 AM
in reply to: #3438088

User image

Extreme Veteran
341
10010010025
Woodstock, MD
Subject: RE: cyclocross bike

So glad to see this discussion - because I'm in the same boat. I just got a cross (Kona Jake the Snake) that I use for everything - commuting, training. Actually, it is the first bike I've had in about 12 years - my MTB was stolen and I never had the right combination of time, money, and energy to replace it.

I've been thinking about triathlon for a couple years now, since my co-worker mentioned it and leant my an IM DVD.

Anyway - I know well enough that my speed issues are more about the engine than about the wheels, but I think for the purpose of races, some better tires would help. Honestly, though, the moment I start looking at what tires are available, I get confused: clinchers, tubulars, latex, all these choices, Michelins, Contis, Zipps, how's a poor noob to know what to get?

 

stephan

2011-04-10 7:25 AM
in reply to: #3438245

User image

Champion
19812
50005000500020002000500100100100
MA
Subject: RE: cyclocross bike

MikeTheBear - 2011-04-10 3:18 AM Kathy or Kim, Is the gearing on cross bikes the same as a road bike? Aren't they also a bit heavier (not that this would make a difference to me)? If the gearing is the same, I think cross is a good way to go. I have a system of mostly dirt multi-use trails near my house. These are great because they are safe (nothing motorized allowed so no danger of being) and not terribly crowded, but because they're mostly dirt and gravel, I only use my mountain bike on them. And cross tires just don't fit on a standard road bike - I asked and got laughed at.

My tri and road bikes are carbon and my cross bike is steel so it is heavier. They have cross carbon bikes but given the nature of cross riding/racing  I fall more which carbon didn't make sense.

Gearing can be the same or close to normal road bike gearing. Standard road is 53/39 and compact is 50/34...many cross bikes will be 48/36 but depends on the bike. I swapped out my 36 to a 34 to make hills easier. Losing the high end 50-12 isn't a gear I use much so it was okay. Riding on trails you will use easier gears than on the road.

I ride my cross bike in crappy weather, I can add fenders, and I can put studded tires on it for snow due to the brakes being different and how much clearance needed for wider tires.



2011-04-10 12:06 PM
in reply to: #3438088

Member
34
25
, North Carolina
Subject: RE: cyclocross bike

I was wondering the same thing about the gearing on my morning ride today.  I felt that when I  ride steep mt. hills I could use an even easier gear, and when I rode down hill I did not have a gear that was hard enough for me to actually peddle, i just had to coast.  Is this the way the bike is set up or is it my need to train on the uphills and my super speed going down  Either way I bet I need to train more.

2011-04-10 2:57 PM
in reply to: #3438088

Subject: ...
This user's post has been ignored.
2011-04-10 8:28 PM
in reply to: #3438088

Champion
5575
5000500252525
Butler
Subject: RE: cyclocross bike
Just switch the tires and check your gears.  Typical road bike's as Kathy mentioned are 53/39 in the front and the rear can very greatly.  Use Sheldon Browns gearing calculator to determine your speeds for each gear  to see if you have a good gear ratio and other than that you should be fine.
New Thread
General Discussion Triathlon Talk » cyclocross bike Rss Feed