Cyclocross rig!!!

My new wheelz!!! 07' Specialized Tricross Expert Double

Just a few shots of me having some fun on my new cross rig


I finally found a cross rig a couple of weeks ago and I have been living in a state of euphoric, cyclocross induced haze ever since. It's such an amazing combination of speed, torque and finesse. I could not have found a better deal on it either. I finally had some luck come my way :) A kid at a college about two hours away was selling it on Craigslist-never taken off road, original fuzzies still on it's original tires. I just wish he'd WRAPPED HIS CRANKS! The only blemish on it-a heal scuff on the crank arm. I've put more miles (and dents) on it in two weeks then he did the entire time he owned it, but I wrapped it pretty well with a healthy helping of Crankskins 8mil protectant so it's good to go.

It's got Zertz inserts and a carbon fork/rear triangle so it provides an amazingly smooth, supple ride. It's got a carbon crank set, carbon headset, carbon seat post, and some decent wheels so it's wicked light. It comes in at just over 17lbs with a Garmin, water bottle, and some knobby tires. 

Since the rear end is designed to have some flex to it i've been working on learning it's arc and I am getting more confident loading it. It's amazing how the rig can be snapped around, the thing just flies through the woods. It tracks like it's on rails and launches out of turns. It stops much like an ocean liner though-lol. It's short wheelbase has taught me a few lessons too. The subtle flex in the rear is almost impossible to explain-it's got such a tiny sweet spot but figuring out how to manipulate it does wonders for flow in rooty/rocky terrain as well as when hopping and sprinting up rough hills. When I plan on it to react though, and I miss that tiny little sweet spot man is it punishing. I am learning the things not to do on a cross rig almost as quickly as i'm learning what it can do-lol. It only flexes under very specific circumstances, and could not be a stiffer pedaling platform. It is certainly the most responsive rig i've ever had the privilege of mounting.

The first thing I did was loose the slicks. I slapped some Continental Speed Kings on it and was delighted to find that I love them just as much on the Tricross as I do on mtb's. I prefer them so much that I even put one on this template up top. They're the perfect match for my 'gonzo' riding style. I prefer running firm tires on my mtb, so i'm right at home with 50-55psi. All in all i'm very surprised at how natural the transition has been.

I'm going to do my first cross race this weekend. I've never had a fully rigid rig before, and certainly nothing even close to a cross rig so i'm thrilled to be learning so much with every ride. Ripping the trails on it has been much like a bike boot camp. I was supposed to do my first cross race last weekend but I came down with something awful. I don't have any great expectations after watching those racers rip it up at Ellison earlier in the season, but i'm looking forward to trying something new and also to the fitness I should be able to gain from such intense efforts. I think that I am going to find that I enjoy Cyclocross racing a lot, but that I really just prefer to use the cross rig as an all mountain machine. I've literally never had so much fun on a bike. Can't explain it, but I feel like I just found my soul mate of bikes. 

Now that i've had some time on it i've realized that a lot of my ride time while on suspended rigs is actually down time while i'm waiting for the suspension to do it's thing. With the cross rig it's so much faster. No time to do anything other then survive. What a rush. If you find yourself making a mistake there's not even time to try and correct it, rather you have to just make your next move. What happened is over, what's happening is out of your hands-the only control you have on a cross rig is your next move, and by the time you figure out what that next move is it's usually too late! Constant, crazy intensity that requires a special focus and zen which I have not been able to achieve in years. 

I think it's going to allow me to really step up my riding in time for next season both technically and aerobically. It's gearing is so hard in comparison to my mtb that I can already feel it making me stronger, and the long road and trail blended rides a few times a week are a nice break from real life, as well as exactly what I need to grow my fitness.  

I'm really glad to finally be crossin' it! :) :) :)