This years course layout was very similar to last years, it was missing a turn somewhere that I just can't figure out. Last year there was a 180 that hooked you up a little bank, you needed to be the right gear or you would be left in a lurch.
Not a cross bike owner but this year I came a little better prepared. Put a set of Continental Speed King Cyclocross tires on my 29er. A full suspension mountain bike with a set of little skinnies looked absolutely ridiculous but it got the job done. Looked like my poor HiFi got neutered. Still very effective, it's like I cut my 29er loose and set it free can't believe how much faster these roll on the hard stuff and they corner in the grass like you are on rails, even better than a mountain bike tire but hit some loose dirt or gravel and you are going down.Still no substitute for a cross bike. Mountain Bikes are are built to handle well on the trail but they are just not aerodynamic. When you are riding with your chest up catching the wind like a kite it's going to slow you down. Even in the grass I'd still be pushing 15mph, at that point air resistance really starts to matter.
Results:
[Grove City's Results posted on West Liberty Cycles]
Here's Arron's race report and some nice photo's to boot:
[Aaron's Race Report and Race Photos]
Posts
It's not about aerodynamics(cross bikes aren't) but about being able to put the power down through the stiffness of the bike while still having clearance.
ReplyDeleteA rigid/hardtail 29er would acheive the same thing. The only difference there would be the gearing, but at the grove city race I never came out of the 34-tooth little ring, so the 50-tooth ring was never touched. Also I think the grove city race isn't that advantageous to those with skinny tires, those rocky portions are rough with them.