Going Cyclocross Racing

[hotfoot]

My buddy who'd big into Cyclocross finally got me too enter a race. I'll be under a "never raced before, run what you brung, no big attitudes" race. I'm really stoked! I set the 'ol '58 Columbia Newsboy Special up as a Klunker for the race, and I don't think it's going back to a cruiser or a boardtracker anytime soon. Klunkers are just too much fun. Didn't have a BMX gooseneck or some old butterfly bars for it, but I'd like to find some of those. Along with some straight tube forks. But for now, it's race ready! Oh, and got some bear traps to put on it tomorrow, stoked!

Last night I was trying 180 bunny hops on it, my dad joined in, and...

Guess that rusty rim I sandblasted and repainted was a litte too far gone! So I put some heavier duty wheels on it for the race, that other one is toast!

 

[deorman]

If you're going to ride hard, a bmx stem would be a good idea. Even an ugly black mtb job will hold up better than that old streeter that's on there now. :wink:

 

[hotfoot]

Thanks, I switched it out to an old Schwinn stem instead of that flimsy one, don't have a BMX stem handy though...hope it holds up!

 

[hotfoot]

Won first! By thirty seconds! It felt great beating a couple old guys in spandex riding really expensive bikes, while I was riding a bike from '58 with a wheelset I got for $2 a day prior at a thrift store. Definately going to be racing again, as it was a blast.

^After launching my bike off one of these bumps on the first lap I think I blew out a bearing in my bottom bracket, as for the rest of the race it squealed like a stuck pig whenever I pedaled. You could hear me coming before you could see me! And notice how you can't see the guy in second place in that photo. hehehe

 

[Ronsonic]

Excellent!!!!@1111

Cross rocks. It's the only kind of bike racing I do. Good people with healthy attitudes, no gear snobbery or not like tri or road racing anyway.

That had to really pull a hard vacuum for the guy in second getting beat by a cruiser with a busted bottom bracket. In a lot of cross races single speed isn't much of a disadvantage. Hefting that thing over the barriers can't have been fun, but at least there weren't any long run ups.

Next time slap some decent mountain bike rims on there. Really tear it up.

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

dude that is so awesome. congrats. thinking about trying cross myself.

 

[ish]

Hilarious that you smoked a couple of cross bikes with a klunker.

 

[LIVE TO RIDE]

Ive had alot of fun on those old bikes,just watch that rear end.They are only squeeze crimped and can let go pretty quick!Try a Schwinn cruiser frame that way you'll get a full welded frame and it'll take a little more abuse.thats sweet you smoked some guys on those richie rich bikes.Would have loved to see them scratching theyre heads wondering just what went wrong!!HAHA. ''Expensive does not mean fast''

 

[deorman]

Some of them are spot welded, if it isn't, you can drill a little hole and hit it once w/stick welder.

 

[hotfoot]

Pretty much every old bike I get with pressed in dropouts gets a quick weld to hold them in, surprisingly this one was welded from the factory though and held up great. I'm pretty impressed by the construction of it, it's built like a tank.

 

[LIVE TO RIDE]

Thats cool bro.If it held up to a taco'd rim it should hold up to some cyclo cross!

 

[Walker]

Nice job. Youre experience sounds like one of those commercials,.....beating spandex clad racers, priceless"

Let me guess #634 took second? :wink: