[Lelandjt]

Some rule changes on obstacles, feeding, lapped riders, and adjusting for new UCI rules:
https://www.usacycling.org/news/user/story.php?id=5302
Curious for your opinions.

 

[atpjunkie]

I'm glad they have a temp

on the feeding rule
some of our races in SoCal are figgin hot and one can get a tad parched

 

[bruzer]

Personally I am excited about the inclusion of disc brakes (allowed back in June?). I don't care for the cantilever brake and am not afraid to admit it. Looking forward to frame builders putting disc tabs on frames so I have the option.

I also like that they will allow for "natural" obsticles.

 

[pretender]

Personally I am excited about the inclusion of disc brakes (allowed back in June?).

*audible sigh* The USAC has never disallowed disc brakes. Good disc-equipped frames and forks have been available for the past several years.

"This [...] does not affect local events, but the UCI will now allow disc brakes for international events."

 

[Coolhand]

With the every expanding cross season, the feeding rule was needed.

 

[Kram]

Yea. Even some of our early races are can be plenty warm in the Mid Atlantic.

 

[pretender]

With the every expanding cross season

Not to mention global warming.

 

[Lelandjt]

So before could you not hand up water?

 

[Kram]

Real men don't need water. No.

 

[kbiker3111]

*audible sigh* The USAC has never disallowed disc brakes. Good disc-equipped frames and forks have been available for the past several years.

"This [...] does not affect local events, but the UCI will now allow disc brakes for international events."

Yeah, but the UCI influences bike design. Until now, its been impossible to build a competitive drop bar bike with disc brakes. Whether or not you need drop bars to be competitive is another question.

 

[pretender]

Yeah, but the UCI influences bike design. Until now, its been impossible to build a competitive drop bar bike with disc brakes. Whether or not you need drop bars to be competitive is another question.

It's always been possible to build up a competitive disc-equipped bike (Cannondale Optimo, Salsa Las Cruces, Redline Conquest, Conquest Pro, etc). Top-of-the-line bleeding-edge pro-approved? Probably not, but it's still to be seen whether the pro bikes will embrace discs or not.

 

[PaleAleYum]

Until now, its been impossible to build a competitive drop bar bike with disc brakes.

Dang Son, plenty of disc capable cx frames have been available over the years. Not "competitive" enough? Any number of the dozens of capable frame builders out there can and have been building them for some time. Allz ya gotta do is ask.


Does this mean there will be a glut of 34 tubulars out there?

In other words for 99.9% of us nothing has changed. The fun is still there. Go out and get it.

 

[joness]

The 33mm tire width is one that I want more clarification on. Out of curiosity I measured some of the tires I had in my garage. The Challenge tubulars - Grifo and Fango - measured what they said they were - 32 and 34. Bummer that it looks like they are enforcing it at the Masters level at nats as well, as most of my tires are 34s and in great shape.

As far as clinchers in my garage, Michelin Mud 2's on a CXP-33 measured at 33.5mm even though they say they are 30s. My older Racing Ralphs that are a claimed 35mm came in at 32.5mm mounted Ksyriums. If they are actually measuring then the Racing Ralphs are legal and the Michelins are not. If they are going by what is on the sidewall the Michelins are legal and the Racing Ralphs are not.

Last night I was helping coach some juniors - all but one of them in the 17/18 class, and all of them doing nationals - it is a local race for us. Some of the juniors are not in a financial position to have lots of tires around, so I need to figure out what tires are legal so they can make a proper buying decision.

 

[kbiker3111]

*competitive = hydros

Anyone who's seriously mountain biked knows mech's can't hold a candle to hydros in power, modulation, weight, maintenance, etc.

 

[Lelandjt]

If they are actually measuring then the Racing Ralphs are legal and the Michelins are not. If they are going by what is on the sidewall the Michelins are legal and the Racing Ralphs are not.

I'd email USAC if I were you. Hard to guess what they'll go by.

 

[jmoote]

I don't know about USAC, but the UCI commissaires will use a simple U-shaped gauge with a 33mm slot. USAC is just enforcing the UCI rules so I would think the same.

It doesn't matter what a tire is labelled, if it doesn't fit through the slot it's not legal. Pretty straightforward to follow.

 

[PaleAleYum]

*competitive = hydros

Anyone who's seriously mountain biked knows mech's can't hold a candle to hydros in power, modulation, weight, maintenance, etc.

Wouldn't disagree a bit on hydro vs cable brakes for mountain bikes.

For cross, just run hydros ala inline brake levers on your drops, otherwise go flat bar. Its all good.


Or you can go the unicorn route.

 

[TWD]

I don't know about USAC, but the UCI commissaires will use a simple U-shaped gauge with a 33mm slot. USAC is just enforcing the UCI rules so I would think the same.

It doesn't matter what a tire is labelled, if it doesn't fit through the slot it's not legal. Pretty straightforward to follow.

A team mate of mine forwarded an email, sent to him from the regional UCI commissaire, which summarizing the UCI CX Seminar held July 10.

Quoting from that message:

Tire width: The concern was raised that manufacturers have already delivered their inventory of tires to stores. The reason for the reduced maximum width of tires is to make it so not so much equipment is “required” to compete in CX. A UCI study revealed that >90% of the tires used for racing are 32 mm or smaller. The wider tires are more for “specialty use”. This new ruling should not have a very great impact on industry sales. The UCI will be providing a number of tire width gages to USAC. These will be thick acrylic to take into consideration the full width of the tire tread.

So, yeah.....gauge doesn't fit over your tire, you're SOL.

 

[pacificaslim]

Except people will just show up to inspection with 15psi in their tires and then add air afterwards.

 

[atpjunkie]

do 50 minutes

Real men don't need water. No.

of cx in dusty 95 degree so cal autumn w/ a friggin forest fire and a Santa Ana blowing and I'd have you doing laps in a pink tutu