Weekend Adventurecross Fun!

Tiffin and I were somewhere between Mudlick Road and Turkey Run Road in Buckhannon, WV. These are some rutted out abandoned country roads that are primarily used by ATV’s now. I put some 29 x 1.8’s (46mm) tires on my cross bike, and decided to see how well it did. Everything was fine, other than the frame and fork clearances for mud…

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Straddle Cable Bike Hacks

I HATE SETTING UP CYCLOCROSS BRAKES.

I hate setting them up more than installing disc brakes. The straddle cable is the worst part… Centering the pad spacing between the rim, then attaching the main brake cable to the straddle cable… Just ugh. I know I’m complaining, but it’s one of my biggest bike aversions.

I’ve recently kinda stumbled upon a bike hack in order to make it easier. I was being cranky and was trying to find a way to properly align the straddle wire between the left and right side and needed a clamp. Couldn’t find one (inside the house), so I thought I could tie them together… Too much work… I then ran into the tool room and grabbed our smallest elastic band strap (12″).

PERFECTO!

I attached it to one side of the brakes, then over the seatpost for some mild tension, back to the other brake. Tadaa! The brakes were touching the rim, and I could eye things to an accurate adjustment 😀

I know, not the most groundbreaking hack ever, but it did save me about five minutes per set. Yes, I’m typically that terrible at it…

 

 

Do you guys have any other hacks that help set up cross brakes?

Related articles

• Cyclocross bikes – a quick primer (zakpegg.com)

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Part 1 of 3: Tire Review Week – Torelli Arezzo Open Tubular

This week is Tire Review Week. For our first review, we have the Torelli Arezzo Open Tubular Tire:

Torelli sent me a set of their Arezzo “Open Tubulars” last summer to test them and give them a review. By open tubular, this means that the carcass is very similar to a handmade tubular, but has a bead on both sides/does not have the tube stitched inside. The tread is glued to the carcass when fully inflated, so it holds a very round shape when pumped up.

The weight of these tires are very light for being handmade, and the casing cloth is supremely supple due to it’s 260tpi thread count. (207g, 205g) I ended up wanting to inflate these tires 10psi higher than my suggested weight/terrain would expect, just due to the fact that they ran so smooth. The tread and casing of the tire ate up tiny bumps in a way that a 25mm tire would, but with it’s 205g/23c size profile. The sidewalls are bare polyester with just a smidge of rubber covering them, and were no more susceptible to punctures as any other race tire, e.x. Michelin Pro 3 Race’s. The cloth right under the tread has a single layer of aramid protection above the cotton casing. This does not change the way the suppleness of the tire conforms to the road, and protects just as well as any other race tire.

About 1100 miles into my review, I had a blowout on the rear tire, where a perfectly placed nail caught the sidewall and blew out the wheel instantly. The beads kept the tire on very well, and I was able to slow down to a stop with little or no trouble. I do not have anything bad to say about this, since it would have ruined any other tire in the same situation. I’m just glad it stayed on my rim, and did not fly off or get caught up in my drivetrain or frame!

After this incident, I switched the front tire to the rear, and put on one of my previous tires for the front. This tire failthfully lasted through another 700 miles of the rougher terrain that WV had to offer, including rides that should have been for the cross bike… I finally stopped using this tire when the tread was worn down to the carcass in a single spot I skid-stopped on unintentionally several hundred miles earlier.

The tires roll fast, are as grippy, if not grippier than some of the big named tire companies, and just feels so plush. Seriously, watch out… you’re going to want to over inflate these…

All in all, for the price of these tires, there is no doubt that I enjoyed them. Flats were rare, grip and rolling resistance was equivalent to any other premium tires I have used, and they really did smooth out the little bumps like a tubular or larger tire does.

Would I suggest these as everyday tires? Yes, but only if you are knowingly willing to accept that they will not last as long as say, a Conti Gatorskin or Michelin Krylion would. 1800mi on a handmade tire is pretty darn good, and especially at the quality and price that Torelli serves them at.

Overall Review 4/4 Stars

You can buy these at the following locations:

Smart Cycles

AirBomb

Company Product Info:

http://torelli.com/tubes-tires-maintenance/tires/arezzo-open-tubular.html

Torelli “Open Tubulars” are vastly superior to regular clincher tires in feel and performance. An open tubular uses the same technology and materials as a high-end sew-up with the convenience of mounting on a clincher rim. The casings threads are not woven and because of this, they have very high thread counts and are very supple and strong. This makes for a fast, good-handling tire. The tread compounds are designed to stick to the road for excellent cornering.

* Weight: 205 grams
* Lighter, more flexible casing
* Casing thread count: 260 threads per inch
* Color: black or classic honey side wall
* Casing material: polyester
* Size: 700 x 23
* Bead: folding aramid
* Pressure rating: 100 – 130 psi

P.S. they do look very similar to Challenge’s handmade open tubulars~

PART 2 -ITS System 29 XC Tire

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