oharescrubs

Im a messenger in DC, and for the past 2 weeks i decided to ride my redline cyclocross bike for work... and ive probobly gotten more comments about it than ever before (even more than when riding a beasty single speed mtn bike, or a 1960s track bike, or a fixed conversion painted like a tiger).

so the average person walking around downtown is used to seeing brakeless bikes these days, and to see a "road bike" with knobbies is much more interesting. people are always asking questions about this bike... i guess cyclocross hasnt caught on as much as i thought, it always suprises me how many capital hill cronies ask me stuff about gear inches and ratios on a track bike... but, this yellow monster conquest is new news to most people.

Anyone else with similar experiences?

CaptMatt15

I got my redline conquest (an 07) about a month ago, and find myself constantly explaining what it is to people either on campus or customers at work (i do work at a shop). And I find myself getting many more odd looks than I ever did riding my hardtail around w/ slicks on it.

JimmyMack

Fixt gear cross will be the next paradigm shift. Just you wait and see. Many people involved in the fixie scene are getting hip to cross. Soon there will be doods and chicks out there racing their vintage fixt screwed and glued cross frame with shants and vintage jerseys.

xccx

already happenin' dood. i'm one of 'em!

sfcrossrider

I use my cross race bike to ride to work every day. I just swap the wheels for racing. I don't get many looks in the city. Most cats that peep at my bike are bike guys/gals. I've got my crosscheck set up with some nice stuff. I think most people are use to seeing them as heavy weight touring bikes... not race bikes.

I doubt the fixie croud will jump on cross racing. The ammount of stress a good cross race puts on a racer isn't something the "fad" croud will be willing to jump into. (Yes ,yes I know all FG riders aren't "fad" riders. I've been riding fixed since 86.) Also, you will get schooled by some cat with gears or a single.

JimmyMack

Maybe things will change for the hardcore urban riders once the EA Bareknuckle has reached the 1,000,000 sales mark. Eventually the people from the non-fad fixie crowd will get upset enought to try something else.
Fixt cross might happen, but cross is really hard. The scene is cool, and it's a very individual sport. Maybe fixt cross bikes will be used for fixt bike polo.

sfcrossrider

God knows I wish I had an EA Barenuckle. I think cross is hard enough without throwing in fixed. I doubt you'll see cats racing fixed in A group. If they do... they need a sponser ASAP. Most people from the non fad crowd already have tried something new.

Cynikal 

Am I the only one who thinks fixed gears and dirt don't mix? I'm an avid fixed rider, don't get me wrong, but I think that all the skidding involved will do nothing but further degrade trails.

sfcrossrider

Great point.

I raced track for 13 years and I wouldn't feel safe doing a fixed race in my group. Unless you raced track for EDS or some other pimp@ss national team... I don't want you racing fixed cross near me.

oharescrubs

i plan on building a fixed cross bike, but just for work... never to see mr course or bumpidy light trails.

jfmckenna

Funny that you mention this because I was just thinking of this yesterday as I was riding to my cyclocross practice. I am all decked out in my sleek fast looking team kit riding along on the pavement, tires whirring and people just looking at me like wahhh? It's actually kind of nice on this short section of a MUT I ride because people can hear you coming and move over.

Do you ever do any races up there?

A few years ago some DC messenger schooled a bunch of us B racers on his single speed cross bike at the Reston race.

There was a small group of fixed mountain bike riders from my area that were amazing. Like some of you I have been riding fixed for 15 years too but still cannot imagine doing cross on one. I can imagine doing cross on a single speed though.

JimmyMack

I don't think I'd want to race cross on a fixed gear bike. I do enjoy cyclocross riding even after the season is over. It would be interesting, exciting, scary, and fun to ride some of the standard dirt rides on a fixed gear. Plus, it would make for a more functional city bike.

Now that I ponder the subject, I have really come to enjoy the asthetic of the canti mount. The new Bianchi rager just doesn't do it for me. The fork and frame need those mounts poking out. A proper set yoke and straddle cable offers some beauty too.

The bicycle offers a lot of freedom. Fixed gear bikes offer some security in town because everything is bolted on. I'd like to take that freedom and security of the fixed gear bicyle where ever my travles take me. Sometimes that means a WiFi session at th coffee house and sometimes it means riding to to the river bank through the sand.

Cynikal 

Jim, Totally agree with you on canti's. I just finished the SS cross build with the old school horiz cantis and they rock. Great stopping power and they improve the look of the bike.

highlyselassie

wtf actually happened to horizontal canti's?. I know they can "apparently" get knocked by feet on compact frames, but joel metz has used them on very compact frames and not had a problem. The power surpasses 45 degree canti's and the modulation puts on/off v-brakes to shame.

Whadappened?

waynesworld

My 05 JTS turns heads here in town. People first like the bright blue paint job, then they see the knobbies and don't know what to think. I'll be getting rid of the knobbies once they wear out - bummer...

0_emissions :=)

well, mt '06 probably has that beat! with the bright orange paint job, it sure does get lots of looks! and it's lightning fast compared to my mtn bike too