A local shop recently told me that the cyclocross rules specify:

A) No disc brakes. No V brakes. Centerpull cantis only.

B) Brifters required.


I've used the forum search, read all the cyclocross UCI links, and found no references to any rules of any sort regarding brakes or shifters, other than that they are required, must be operable, and must be lever operated. I did find a reference that brifters are allowed.

I take this to mean that:

A) Disc brakes are legal and acceptable, both cable and liquid operated.

B) V Brakes are also legal.

C) Brifters are ALLOWED but not required. Therefore, Indexed MTB shifters and brake levers are acceptable, provided they are mounted on a standard drop bar.




Can someone clarify these rules for me?

Thanks.

Do the guys at your LBS actually race CX?

The rules all depend on which series you plan to race. UCI rules still prohibit disc brakes, but hardly any local series cares.

To know for sure, you have to check with the series you intend to race.

most local races are governed by the uscf, not uci. as far as i know, uscf does not prohibit disc or v brakes and certainly does not require brifters.

...UCI rules still prohibit disc brakes, but hardly any local series cares...

+1 - UCI don't accept disc brakes because they're new, unproven technology :eek::mad: but everywhere else you should be able to turn up and ride

Just to muddy the waters, what about the USGP Masters (35+) races? (Irrelevant for me as I have canties, but anyway....)

From the USGP website (http://www.usgpcyclocross.com/rules.aspx):

updated 8/27/2006

Regulations:
All U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross Series events shall be held under the 2006 UCI regulations.

Bottom line: find another shop.

http://www.usacycling.org/news/user/story.php?id=1351

This I believe does include the USGP masters event so you may want to make sure about the rule if you plan on going to Kansas this year before investing in disk brakes.

I was actually considering going the other direction... picking up a $400 diamondback century (http://www.diamondback.com/items.asp?deptid=4&itemid=185) and slapping on drop bars, but still using the MTB shifters and v-brakes.

It's a cheap way to put a bike on the track and see how things play out. This would be for NJ, PA or NY near NYC.

Thoughts?

I was actually considering going the other direction... picking up a $400 diamondback century (http://www.diamondback.com/items.asp?deptid=4&itemid=185) and slapping on drop bars, but still using the MTB shifters and v-brakes.

It's a cheap way to put a bike on the track and see how things play out. This would be for NJ, PA or NY near NYC.

Thoughts?The cable running underneath the top tube might make shouldering the bike uncomfortable and/or damage the paint job.

Road levers and linear-pull brakes are mismatched in terms of leverage.

I was actually considering going the other direction... picking up a $400 diamondback century (http://www.diamondback.com/items.asp?deptid=4&itemid=185) and slapping on drop bars, but still using the MTB shifters and v-brakes.

It's a cheap way to put a bike on the track and see how things play out. This would be for NJ, PA or NY near NYC.

Thoughts?


i think a much better idea would be to drop a little more coin and get a bianchi san jose or spend a less coin and buy a used road bike at a thrift store or on craigslist. i really think people forget how awesome of a bike the san jose is for the money and singlespeed might be a harsh intro to the world of cx but ultimately a better move money wise. i don´t have a san jose, if i buy another bike, my wife might kill me, but I like them a lot and they ride great.

The cable running underneath the top tube might make shouldering the bike uncomfortable and/or damage the paint job.

Road levers and linear-pull brakes are mismatched in terms of leverage.

Ah. I was going to keep the MTB brake levers too. Just put on the drop bar to meet the requirements, but not use road controls at all.

Don't care about the paint. Would probably use $1 foam pipe wrap from home depot on the top tube for shouldering.

This is a no frills, get the job done approach. Not there to look cute on my special CX bike. Just want a bike that won't hold me back.

Just put on the drop bar to meet the requirements, but not use road controls at all.Does your local series actually prohibit flat bars?

In theory they all do. I haven't raced yet, so I can't say what the actual practice will be.

In theory they all do.Based on what?

Not even USAC rules require drop bars, and beyond that, almost every local series has a rule that states something to this effect (taken from Nashville CX website (http://www.nashvillecyclo-crossseries.com/Nashville%20Cyclo-Cross%20Series%20general%20race%20info%20page.htm)):
"All bikes are allowed including bikes with disc-brakes; no bar ends will be permitted on mountain bikes."

Based on what?

Not even USAC rules require drop bars, and beyond that, almost every local series has a rule that states something to this effect (taken from Nashville CX website (http://www.nashvillecyclo-crossseries.com/Nashville%20Cyclo-Cross%20Series%20general%20race%20info%20page.htm)):
"All bikes are allowed including bikes with disc-brakes; no bar ends will be permitted on mountain bikes."

In that case I can just take my fully suspended mountain bike and suffer through carrying the fat pig of a thing through the portages. But I heard that in NJ they won't let you use a mountain bike.

In that case I can just take my fully suspended mountain bike and suffer through carrying the fat pig of a thing through the portages.Many people do exactly that.But I heard that in NJ they won't let you use a mountain bike.*audible sigh* To know for sure, you have to check with the series you intend to race. For example, this flyer for last season's New Jersey Cross Cup states that mountain bikes (but not bar ends) are allowed:
http://www.njbikeracing.com/cx/action06.html

Shouldering a mountain bike is a *****. For all but the steepest climbs you'll probably just want to push it.

A local shop recently told me that the cyclocross rules specify:

A) No disc brakes. No V brakes. Centerpull cantis only.

B) Brifters required.


I've used the forum search, read all the cyclocross UCI links, and found no references to any rules of any sort regarding brakes or shifters, other than that they are required, must be operable, and must be lever operated. I did find a reference that brifters are allowed.

I take this to mean that:

A) Disc brakes are legal and acceptable, both cable and liquid operated.

B) V Brakes are also legal.

C) Brifters are ALLOWED but not required. Therefore, Indexed MTB shifters and brake levers are acceptable, provided they are mounted on a standard drop bar.




Can someone clarify these rules for me?

Thanks.

check out my posting for a quick link to the uci cross rules in this subforum

edit:
hell... here are the quick links:

UCI Rules and Regulations for Equipment:
http://62.50.72.82/imgArchive/Road/E...mt%20gen-e.pdf (http://62.50.72.82/imgArchive/Road/Equipment/Chap%20III%20equipmt%20gen-e.pdf)

UCI Cyclocross Race Regulations:
http://www.uci.ch/imgArchive/Rules/5cycl-E.pdf

For example, this flyer for last season's New Jersey Cross Cup states that mountain bikes (but not bar ends) are allowed:
http://www.njbikeracing.com/cx/action06.html

Shouldering a mountain bike is a *****. For all but the steepest climbs you'll probably just want to push it.

I think flat abrs yes/bar ends no is pretty standard.

You just have to shoulder it under the saddle rather then the frame.

check out my posting for a quick link to the uci cross rules in this subforum

edit:
hell... here are the quick links:

UCI Rules and Regulations for Equipment:
http://62.50.72.82/imgArchive/Road/E...mt%20gen-e.pdf (http://62.50.72.82/imgArchive/Road/Equipment/Chap%20III%20equipmt%20gen-e.pdf)

UCI Cyclocross Race Regulations:
http://www.uci.ch/imgArchive/Rules/5cycl-E.pdf

these rules do not apply to most u.s. races. uscf regulations do. uscf does not prohibit flat bars, disc brakes, v brakes and they do not require brifters. they do prohibit mtb bar ends and bullhorns.

bull horns with reverse bars allowed?

UCI rules state that for any cross race to be held anywhere to apply to cross point standing must follow uci rules. hardnose/tail mtb are listed as cross legal as far as I remember.

I guess its dependant on the event holder rules. like mostly everyone stated, most amateur races allow disc brakes.

I suspect that since only the "A" race counts towards UCI points, they'll only ones where UCI rules really apply. I raced the "C" class last year at Harbin Park in OH (UCI C2) this past year and there were a couple of us on MTB's - no problem.

Unless your promoters are 'Cross snobs they'll welcome anyone who wants to line up on the starting line (unless you have bar-ends on your MTB).

I raced NY, NJ, and CT cross races last year. There were plenty of guys in the C races with MTB bikes.

I suspect that since only the "A" race counts towards UCI points, they'll only ones where UCI rules really apply. I raced the "C" class last year at Harbin Park in OH (UCI C2) this past year and there were a couple of us on MTB's - no problem.

Unless your promoters are 'Cross snobs they'll welcome anyone who wants to line up on the starting line (unless you have bar-ends on your MTB)

Duane, I seem to be replying to a lot of your posts these days! You're right, mtb's are welcome for all classes non-UCI - just slide the bar ends off. Since doing things UCI style these last few years, I've only seen one instance where our UCI comm had an issue with somebody's gear. In '04 there was a guy signed up for Elite men who had an old pair of Spinery Rev-X

- he was made to scramble for a set of hoops about 15 minutes before the start of his race! Apparently the UCI didn't like the way they splintered during crashes. I'm not sure where the list of banned product is out there, but that would be handy to have out there.

Mitch
BioWheels

Duane, I seem to be replying to a lot of your posts these days! You're right, mtb's are welcome for all classes non-UCI - just slide the bar ends off. Since doing things UCI style these last few years, I've only seen one instance where our UCI comm had an issue with somebody's gear. In '04 there was a guy signed up for Elite men who had an old pair of Spinery Rev-X

- he was made to scramble for a set of hoops about 15 minutes before the start of his race! Apparently the UCI didn't like the way they splintered during crashes. I'm not sure where the list of banned product is out there, but that would be handy to have out there.

Mitch
BioWheels


Looks like the Rev-X has fewer than 12 spokes and probably exceed 10mm.

From the UCI equipment rules, section 1.3.018:

...
For massed start road races and cyclo-cross events only wheel designs granted
prior approval by the UCI may be used. Wheels will have minimum 12 spokes; spokes
can be round, flattened or oval, as far as no dimension of their sections exceeds 10
mm. In order to be granted approval wheels must have passed a rupture test as
prescribed by the UCI in a laboratory approved by the UCI. The test results must show
that the rupture characteristics obtained are compatible with those resulting from an
impact sustained during normal use of the wheel.
...

At a local race in the PNW, ie cross crusade, they would probably let you ride one of these low rider choppers with 200 spokes. You probably wouldn't win, but you'd get a lot of cheers.

i have a pair of spooky carbon cantis with shoes and swiss stop yellow carbon pads if anyone wants them. They have been installed and ridden 3 times, not yet raced. email me for more info $175
benpopper at sbcglobal dot net