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• Improving and Upgrading Your Rim Brakes for Cyclocross: Reader Mechanical Question

  17 June 13 • 0 comment

  

  Your question: I’m not ready to go to disc brakes, but I want to improve my braking. Are there any upgrades or changes I can make? Answered by Drew Hager Without knowing what exactly you are experiencing with these brakes, it would be hard for me to make a direct recommendation, but I can tell [...]

• Switching to Disc Brakes for Cyclocross: Maintenance and Considerations

  10 June 13 • 0 comment

  

  One of our readers asked, “If I switch to disc brakes, what’s going to be different in terms of maintenance?”  One of our trusty mechanical experts, Drew Hager, weighs in: I think for many cyclocrossers coming from a roadie background the idea of disc brakes is daunting and full of hassle, while those coming from [...]

• Reader Mechanical Question: Setting Up a Front Derailleur

  3 June 13 • 0 comment

  

  One of our readers asked, ”What’s the best way to set up front dérailleur to get smooth responsive shifting? Any thoughts?” Chris Mayhew, one of our favorite Mechanical Monday participants, had a few thoughts. There are a few things to think about. It’s a matter of eliminating variables, really.

• Reader Mechanical Question: Cleaning Shifters

  27 May 13 • 0 comment

  

  In this new series, you ask, and one of our expert mechanics answers. Have a question? Ask below in the comments, or on our Twitter or Facebook pages. “How should I clean shifter units and what cables should I run? I destroyed my shifters last year and I am sure it could have been avoided.” [...]

• Mechanical Monday: Readers Weigh in on Season’s Best Tools

  20 May 13 • 3 comments

  

  A couple of weeks ago, we asked some of our favorite mechanics and the staffers at Cyclocross Magazine which tools they simply couldn’t live without during the cyclocross season. Allen wrenches were heavily featured. But this time, we wanted to hear from our readers, the racers who can be found in the trenches and pitting [...]

• Mechanical Monday: Post-Season Inspection

  13 May 13 • 1 comment

  

  by Chris Mayhew The season is over, but before you pack away the bike into the back of the garage until next September, there are a few things you should do to ensure than when you do pull it out, covered in dust and begging to be ridden again come cyclocross season, it’s in race-ready [...]

• Mechanical Monday: The Tools You Shouldn’t Be Without

  6 May 13 • 1 comment

  

  Work time will be decreased with a repair stand. With work time decreased, beer time increases, and that makes for happier cyclocross racers. Happy cyclocross racers make for a better sport. So you see, the future of our sport depends on everyone owning repair stands.

• Mechanical Mondays: Off-Season Storage and Maintenance

  15 April 13 • 0 comment

  

  This week, we’re all about making sure that your bike is being taken care of for the next couple of months, even if you’re not out riding it. Even though cyclocross season has been over for a few months, there are probably some of you who still haven’t washed all the dirt off your ride [...]

• Mechanical Monday: Should You Be Buying Tubulars Early? The Aging Process, Explained

  8 April 13 • 0 comment

  

  If you’re planning on ordering some new tires for gravel racing (like Challenge’s Almanzo or Eroica, reviewed here), you might want to also order your cyclocross tubulars. Why? Like fine wine and cheese, tubulars benefit from the aging process! Emily Zinn of Challenge Tires shared some insight into why tubulars can benefit from aging, and [...]

• How You Should be Taking Care of Your Rig in the Off-Season

  11 March 13 • 0 comment

  

  Between travel to Louisville for Worlds and these gravel races that keep popping up, it seems like your cyclocross bike may never get a real off-season. But that’s no excuse for sloppy care-taking! Check out some of our articles on the care and keeping of your bikes in the off-season, from maintenance to storage. Off-Season [...]

• Mechanical Mondays: But my Bearings are Sealed!

  4 March 13 • 0 comment

  

  by Chandler Snyder It’s that time of year again. Time for the post-cyclocross blues to set in for some, though others may be happy that the past month of mud, snow, ice and sub-freezing temps are gone. Regardless of which side of the fence you’re on, don’t just hang the bike(s) up and leave them [...]

• Mechanical Monday: What Amateur Mechanics Should Have in Their Toolboxes

  21 January 13 • 2 comments

  

  by Chandler Snyder Being a mechanic, I’ve been asked many times over the years, “What tools should I get?”  Usually this is asked by someone new to cycling once they’ve realized it’s not just as simple as putting on shoes and rolling out the door down the road. But regardless of cycling or mechanic expertise, [...]

• Making Sure Your Bike Makes it to Nationals and Worlds in One Piece

  7 January 13 • 1 comment

  

  by Chandler Snyder With less than a week until Cyclocross Nationals, many out there are thinking about prepping and packing for the event. The biggest logistical packing job is usually the bike, especially for those who don’t travel much and/or often with their bike. Unless you’re driving to Madison, or paying a service to ship [...]

• Mechanical Monday: Update Your Drivetrain for a Smoother Ride

  24 December 12 • 2 comments

  

  From the man who brought you “The Glitter Method” two weeks ago, Chandler Snyder is back to talk about how you (yes, you!) can handle overhauling your drivechain and getting your chain Nationals and Worlds prepared. While we’re fans of low-maintenance systems like Gore’s discontinued Sealed Low Friction Ride-On cable and housing sets, they’re becoming [...]

• Add Some Sparkle To Your Tubulars: A Mechanic’s Trick for Repairing Late Season Flats

  10 December 12 • 3 comments

  

    by Chandler Snyder Riding tubulars for cyclocross is one of the best feelings in the world. The grip, the “cush” … but then, the getting a flat. It has happened to the best of us, and often at the worst possible moment  Right as you get to pass your local nemesis, or you’ve just [...]