CX.

Its freezing! I road an hour yesterday and thought I was going to freeze. It was one of those rides where the whole time your wishing you'd just get off your bike and run into the closest place with heat....almost went into a cricket store to unfreeze my hands but eventually made my way to work and got the blood going again. I might be on the trainer today.


With cx over I'm already preparing for next year. Tires, Wheels, Groups, Brakes, and Frames. I road both ultegra and sram this year. They are way different in feel and shifting. The ultegra felt super strong shifting, but breaking was poor, if I go with ultegra in 2011, there will be some trp cx9 v brakes on my bike, they will work.

I really liked the sram red, especially with the 1x10 system. The shifting on the right lever is super stiff and quick, exact. especially with yokozuna cable/housing. I'm guessing I'll probably prefer sram red, if I do 1x10, we'll have to wait and see.

With sram levers, I will 100% be using shorty ultimates. They are the best, lightest, strongest, fastest, coolest.

Tires. I raced tubulars and tubeless this year. I had a set of 6700 tubeless wheels with piranhas. They are fast but really heavy. I knocked almost 2 lbs off my bike switching to 38mm carbon tubulars with tufo flexus tires. The tires are tubeless tubulars, really light, 1/2 lb. lighter than a pair of challenge or dugast.

If I go with tufo, I will most definitely need a mud tire! Tufos are awesome, but on a super muddy course, the slip a little and having that extra confidence and grip is worth the 1/2 lb. Especially if you have 4 lbs of mud on your bike/shoes already.

So I might go with these.



They are made here in France.


The other obvious mud tire option are rhinos.

Everyone rides these. They are really good.


So why not a file tread? Well, personally, I find the flexus tire perfect in any condition that would warrant a file tread, plus the flexus is way lighter. I'd take a little rolling resistance over saved weight, plus they do grip some...I guess what I'm saying is...if I have a 3rd wheelset to put tires on, I'll do these.




I won't though, I can almost guarantee you I won't.


Now there is the frame. Pros ride whatever they are given, its free, but not for me. I gotta pay for all this, so it needs to be really good if I'm paying alot. Its not just about weight or stiffness, good fit is key for being fast on cx. After riding a lot of bikes, I realized this.

I raced the blue ex and the focus mares this year. The focus is made in germany, it seemed stronger, but was 200 grams heavier. The focus had a shorter tt and much shorter headtube. Both bikes I got going fast and both felt really good, but there is 1 thing that I am having trouble deciding. Its the bb drop. The Blue EX has a full 1cm higher bb. This translates to less control, but more clearance for pedaling and not clipping your pedal...

Then there is the new VD FTB. Its as light as the blue, they say stronger than the blue, and it has a much lower bb, but still has the same fit as the blue, taller headtube, 56cm tt.

The Blue EX is way cheaper though, $500 cheaper, 25% less.

Actual weight of the ex is 1350 grams for frame, but fork weighs 540grams!

The Focus Mares is a beautiful bike. Made in germany, and feels super fast. I just don't feel the 555mm tt fitting me right, especially with the lower ht.


I'm leaning towards the ftb right now, I'll get some in soon to check out. All 3 of these models have a aluminum version in the exact size for less 1/2 the price of the carbon version.

The blue sp is only $600 for frame/fork/headset. It is bb30 ready, a friend of mine built one up, 16.5lbs with aluminum wheels! M/L frame weight is around 1690grams.

The FTB has the gin/trombones which is probably one of the lighter frames for aluminum, 1450 grams.