#crossiscoming — 2021 CX thread

Did my first ever cross race this weekend, it wasn’t a super technical course with only 3 barriers to run over per lap. I had my HR completely pegged within a few BPM of max (breathing rate was maxed as well) for most of the 30 minute race but my NP was 40w below threshold, is that common? Lots of 5 sec spikes over 400w coming out of turns but 1.09 VI which is pretty normal for me.

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Yep, totally common. On most courses 40w below threshold would be a huge number for me. Even on a relatively nontechnical course, there are still many corners and a lot of coasting. I’ve finished hard 60 minute Masters Cat 1/2 races with the same TSS as if I’d done Pettit.

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My race yesterday had a series of 8 grass mounds per lap (5 laps) that took surges of 7-800 watts to ride up in 5-6 pedal strokes…each…my NP for the race was 60w below my threshold.

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My average HR on sunday was 182bpm, max 198bpm (had to sprint hard for 2nd), comms got the timing a bit wrong and my 40 min race was 53mins long :confused:

On a fast group ride or in a crit, my “max” on an all out finish and sprint is 190ish bpm. My NP for the race was around 220w, im around 300w FTP, there was only a 4m apart double barrier section off the bike, so like 8 steps, the rest was riding

thats just CX :slight_smile:

Congrats on the podium mate. Awesome that you even got one last CX weekend in!

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there is still another on the calendar, was postponed until November. It will be like 35 degrees C, no way no how

We had one summer cross race once. It was over 30 degrees, which is extremely hot for round here. It made my realise why cross is a winter sport, you’re working very hard, but you’re going so slow, there’s no cooling from the wind.

Our season has just started, first race done! I’m exactly as rubbish as last time!

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raced twice this weekend, first race had a bunch of sand (it was held at a beach) so lots of off bike stuff, NP was only 200w (0.69 IF), felt a lot harder. Sunday was a much more ridable course with just a log and standard barriers to dismount, NP was 222 (0.77 IF), and it felt a lot easier too lol

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Nothing in cyclocross makes sense

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30-35 C is pretty standard for early season cross races around here. Makes it imperative to drink lots!

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even mid winter our middle of the day races (which is generally the category im in) are 25-28ish, I always race with a water bottle

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Did you see that Nationals have been rescheduled for 27/28 November? We’ll basically line up with the Northern hemisphere. Come down, it’s not quite as unbearable during summer down here.

I might come down next year. I travel to melb a bit for work (well i used to), so wouldnt be too hard to line up.

I think there is 0 chance of nationals happening this year though

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Will Hausler travel back for them if they do run in November?

No way, 2 weeks quarantine to get back into AU. He might do some more races in the off season in Europe though :crossed_fingers:

Ah - forgot about that. Saw on Instagram that he’s out running, so I guess he’s lining up for another cross season.

What do you all reckon a 40 minute cx race has for tss either hr or tss. A few years ago I think my races were low to high 80s for heart rate tss with IF around .95-1.0

I find TSS is a bad metric to describe the effort of a cx race. About 70-80 seems right, but it creates way more muscular fatigue than that for me. I stop looking at TSS during cx season, and just go by feel.

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My current CX bike is from oktober 2015, after at least 50.000 km and 5 cross seasons, its time for an upgrade. I’ts a Cube Cross Race disc. Aluminium frame, carbon fork. Made many upgrades / customisations during that time, but it’s come to a point that a big investment is required, new wheels (disc with QR is getting very rare though), complete drivetrain, etc. or get a new bike.

I’m looking at 4 options in the 2000 - 2800 euro range.

Giant TXC Advance pro 2
7.7 kg! carbon frame, SRAM 1x11 drivetrain, which is ok, but i have shimano spares and tools already (MTB and road too). Ok color, which matches the team kit, but kind of boring. Giant wheels, rather have DT Swiss. Bike is available now.

Canyon Inflite CF SL 6
8.89 kg, carbon frame. The bike of MvdP, so should be decent right? Lowest price of these bikes. DT Swiss wheels which i prefer. Shimano GRX 1x11 drivetrain. The Team Alpecin colours are nice, match the team kit, but yeah…i’m not on that team. I’d rather have the “prestige pink” color, but thats not possible for the 6, only for the 8, which is twice the cost. The other colour scheme is “Frikandel orange” which to a dutch guy is very funny, it’ll be a rarely seen colour scheme in the Netherlands, thats for sure. Availability?..some time in the winter.

Cube Coss Race C:62 SL
8,3 kg carbon frame bike. 2 or 3 steps up from my current bike, but probably very comparable, so would feel very similar, just better because of the lower weight. Newmen components and wheels, unknown to me, and spare parts availability? Again, rather have DT Swiss wheels. 1x11 Shimano GRX with Easton EC90SL carbon crank. Good looking bike, ridden by many pro’s.

Ridley X-Ride Disc
weight? Aluminium frame, but you can get it custom painted from the factory. So can get it to nicely match the team kit. Shimano GRX 2x11 groupset, so would have to modify it to 1x11. Shimano budget wheels. And at the higher end of this price range with not the greatest components. But it IS a Ridley, so a lot of cross experience has gone in this frame design?

What i’d really want is a titanium cross bike fully customised, but that’s going to cost stoopid money. But, i have a Ti MTB and roadbike, so it would be my dream bike…hmmm.

Also, we have a professional car painter, which also paints bike frames…very often, so getting a custom bike paints is always an option.

What do you guys think?

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Sounds like you have enough experience to buy just a frame and build it up?

If you want a titanium bike, I know a pretty fast guy who races on one of these: Planet X Tempest SRAM Force 1 Titanium Gravel Bike | Planet X

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