Cyclocross - First Race coming up this weekend.. a few questions

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PaginaVilot
10-08-08, 10:20 PM
Starting to get nervous now.. I really don't know what to expect. I haven't really trained that much cause I'm not sure what to expect. I've worked on dismounts and remounts but am not doing them too well yet, but I'm getting there.

I'm riding a single speed and I'm running a 42T chainring and 16T cog, does that sound okay?

Any tips?

Ronsonic
10-09-08, 01:19 AM
That gear is a bit steep for most of us. But the more important thing is to go ride, have fun and battle your way out of DFL.

Enjoy.
flargle
10-09-08, 09:50 AM
42/16 is too stout a gear. Get a 19 or 20 tooth freewheel.

jonestr
10-09-08, 11:09 AM
your gearing will depend on the course. If it is really fast than that gear should be fine, but if you have some rideable climbs or some muddy sections than that gear might be a little on the steep side.
flargle
10-09-08, 11:27 AM
your gearing will depend on the course. If it is really fast than that gear should be fine, but if you have some rideable climbs or some muddy sections than that gear might be a little on the steep side.42/16 is almost certainly too large a gear. Also, people assume if a course is reasonably flat you can run a high gear, but it's the thick, bumpy grass that really wrecks your legs. Maybe if the course were 100% flat smooth dirt or gravel.

It looks like Travis Brown might run something comparable to 42/16:
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/exclusive-look-belt-driven-trek-cyclo-cross-bike-18828?CPN=RSS&SOURCE=BRROADNEWS
But he is gnarly strong.