cyclo-cross nationals

[ElyDave]

On the beeb red button at the moment.

Interesting that there are still some riders using cantis rather than discs. I can't quite see what chain rings they are using, would they all be on these new fangled 1x setups?

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Cantilever brakes are lighter. Double chainrings are still quite common.

[mattc]

[A friend from my club was riding - rather annoyed that noone told me until about 11am. Whilst riding our bikes! ]


Are cantis OK on muddy parcours? I know the seriouis riders will be able to take (at least) 2 bikes to any race.

[DuncanM]

It wasn't that muddy today - the top women rode the whole race on 1 bike.
Some of the top male riders were using double chainrings, others were using 1x

It was interesting to hear how the U23 champions were probably faster than the senior champions, but were barred from competing at the senior level due to their age (and I loved the fact that Tom Pidcock hopped the barriers, though I missed his race).

[ElyDave]

It wasn't that muddy today - the top women rode the whole race on 1 bike.
Some of the top male riders were using double chainrings, others were using 1x

It was interesting to hear how the U23 champions were probably faster than the senior champions, but were barred from competing at the senior level due to their age (and I loved the fact that Tom Pidcock hopped the barriers, though I missed his race).

I watched that one and it was pretty much over as a race in the first lap, Pidcock built a big enough lead that it was all over barring mechanicals or a significant fall.  He wasn't the only one hopping the barriers.

[Palinurus]

Are cantis OK on muddy parcours?

For most types of mud they are pretty good in my experience (which isn't extensive, a few seasons of local league stuff), it's a problem if there's a lot of straw or leaves mixed in but that's a problem for all the moving parts, also one that likely plagues regional league races more than racing at higher levels.

[Karla]

[A friend from my club was riding - rather annoyed that noone told me until about 11am. Whilst riding our bikes! ]


Are cantis OK on muddy parcours? I know the seriouis riders will be able to take (at least) 2 bikes to any race.

The stated benefit of cantis is that they have ample mud clearance.  Oh, and you've got limited tyre traction so don't need powerful brakes, and you're racing so you shouldn't be braking anyway.  All of which I've heard said in almost as many words by good cxers, back during my one season of local league events.

None of that stops cantis being the work of Stan, mind you.

[Veloman]

On the beeb red button at the moment.

Interesting that there are still some riders using cantis rather than discs. I can't quite see what chain rings they are using, would they all be on these new fangled 1x setups?

Quite a few were using 1x setups well before the new fangled setups were being used on road bikes. Isla Rowntree and Louise Robinson being but 2 examples who had success in the past and still having success as Vetrans.

[Palinurus]

1x1 setups have been used in 'cross for quite a while by a small subset of riders.

Checking my race stats I started using it in 2010, but that was because my shifter stopped working and I was too tight to replace it.

[D.A.L.E.]

Helen Wyman was riding a double, Evie Richards a single.

I've posted a few photos on my Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/overhimavant/

[D.A.L.E.]

It was interesting to hear how the U23 champions were probably faster than the senior champions, but were barred from competing at the senior level due to their age

Fake news. 

[DuncanM]

It was interesting to hear how the U23 champions were probably faster than the senior champions, but were barred from competing at the senior level due to their age

Fake news. 

The TV commentator said that Evie Richards applied to ride the elite race but was barred from doing so by British Cycling. They were unaware of whether Tom Pidcock had applied to ride up. BC have been known to do that in the past (Nicole Cooke).
Were the TV commentators incorrect?
The lap times posted by Pidcock and Richards were faster than their senior counterparts, though clearly the race circumstance plays a part in that, so you can't draw any conclusions other than they would have probably been in the front group...

[mattc]

Down at local league level, BC honchos are certainly known to prevent Vets from "riding up" i.e. competing with the younger Vets.

(The justification being that the youngsters might lose league points by finishing behind a rider from the older cat. or something. All seems rather petty to me ... )

[andrew_s]

The TV commentator said that Evie Richards applied to ride the elite race but was barred from doing so by British Cycling. They were unaware of whether Tom Pidcock had applied to ride up.
...
The lap times posted by Pidcock and Richards were faster than their senior counterparts, though clearly the race circumstance plays a part in that, so you can't draw any conclusions other than they would have probably been in the front group...

You can sort of see why Pidcock wasn't permitted to ride up, if that was the case (Junior last year, no U23 title on his palmares, been riding U23 all season), despite being fast enough that he'd almost certainly have won, race circumstance or no.

Richards, on the other hand, had 2 U23 titles already, and has been riding elite this year (and winning). The race could have been even better too, since it could have gone any way, on form.
What's more, it could mean that the GB U23 jersey doesn't get seen this year. The start lists aren't out yet, but such indications as there are seem to imply that Richards is expected to ride Elite at the Worlds (Katie Compton interview, race preview on event website).

P.S. Is this in the right place?
"The Pub - non cycle-related chat", it says.