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 [...]
You’ve dusted off the cyclocross bike after a long few months in storage. You’ve inspected it once, replaced what needed to be replaced, and now … you’re finally riding it again! Well, make sure it stays in that almost-new condition by checking out our article on Daily Maintenance and Inspection. Good habits just after you [...]
If you’re like us, and we’re betting you are, you’re currently going through your gear and figuring out what little things you need for the season. This Monday, we’re re-running an article Dave Drumm wrote for us about the importance of having a pressure gauge for your tires. They’re cheap, and won’t take up too [...]
If you’re anything like us here at Cyclocross Magazine, you’re starting to dust off the cyclocross bike and get it into tip-top shape for fall. ’Cross bikes share many things with road bikes, but there are stark differences both in the machines and in a good rider’s position. This week’s Gut-Wrenching Mechanical Mondays feature takes [...]
It’s the off-season, so it’s time to be making changes to your cyclocross bike after what you experienced last season. For some, that could mean swapping brakes. Daimeon Shanks, pro mechanic and co-owner of The Service Course repair shop in Boulder, Colorado, will show you the finicky way of the cyclocross brake. Daimo shares his [...]
If you’re chomping at the bit to get ready for cyclocross, or you’re in the middle of a mountain or road season, this week’s tip is simple but incredibly effective. Between the weather and course variability, heading to a cyclocross race usually involves schlepping and keeping track of a lot of clothing and gear in [...]
Pitting can be tricky business: there’s always the chance that your racer will have a grievous mechanical issue, there are hand-offs, you may have a bike hurtling at you at ridiculous speeds, you’ll get muddy, wet or cold, or all three, and when the course is muddy, you’re going to be in high demand. Just [...]
There is no denying that disc brakes are gaining in popularity among cyclocross bikes. One look at the ’cross bike photos from the recent Eurobike and Interbike trade shows is enough to show that disc-brake-equipped ’cross bikes are the wave of the future. Their benefits are well known; tire clearance is now only a matter of the frame. They are more powerful with more control and they are not so nearly affected by water and mud. Apart from all these benefits though, the tighter tolerances associated with disc brakes lend themselves more easily to poor adjustment, and improper adjustment on disc brakes can ruin your race more easily than a poorly adjusted cantilever. Too loose and you lose your braking altogether; too tight and your brake drags the whole time. The down side is these poor conditions happen a lot easier to disc brakes than to cantilevers.
The season starts in less than a week — is your bike ready? Mechanical Mondays writer and mechanic Jeremy Chinn walks us through improving the shifting on one specific bike, but you can also look at his advice in a much broader spectrum of bike maintenance, upkeep and constant improvement.
IN THE COWBELL FORUMS:
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