# What do the CX guys think



## rideswithmoobs (1 May 2016)

i posted this under the Ss forum and wondered what the CX competition guys thought about it. US market only but was interested in what you thought about the belt drive, Ss for entering in races and of the bike itself really 
Raleigh RXS


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## oldroadman (2 May 2016)

Hub gear? Surely not single speed, which would be useless in CX. Perhaps a hybrid/gravel type thing for US use?


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## rideswithmoobs (2 May 2016)

oldroadman said:


> Hub gear? Surely not single speed, which would be useless in CX. Perhaps a hybrid/gravel type thing for US use?



Nope it's a singlespeed Gates belt drive, 36/22
I have read of many who did/do CX on Ss and think @smutchin on here did one so not completely a useless idea


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## oldroadman (2 May 2016)

rideswithmoobs said:


> Nope it's a singlespeed Gates belt drive, 36/22
> I have read of many who did/do CX on Ss and think @smutchin on here did one so not completely a useless idea


Useless as a cross bike then. More a novelty item, "because we can make one".


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## rideswithmoobs (2 May 2016)

oldroadman said:


> Useless as a cross bike then. More a novelty item, "because we can make one".



I don't understand this 'useless' as in a Ss is useless as a road bike on hills too , but I do hills on mine and a guy completed the Fred Whitton challenge on one. I think it's not ideal but don't think it's useless


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## dan_bo (2 May 2016)

Nice paint jobs! 


Bloke did the Stadt Moers a few years ago on fixed. 


He was better than me.


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## oldroadman (2 May 2016)

rideswithmoobs said:


> I don't understand this 'useless' as in a Ss is useless as a road bike on hills too , but I do hills on mine and a guy completed the Fred Whitton challenge on one. I think it's not ideal but don't think it's useless


Depends on how masochistic you feel, I suppose! I'll stick with useless.


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## rideswithmoobs (2 May 2016)

oldroadman said:


> Depends on how masochistic you feel, I suppose! I'll stick with useless.



Point taken


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## smutchin (2 May 2016)

oldroadman said:


> Surely not single speed, which would be useless in CX.



My CX bike is singlespeed and I have raced on it. OK, so I didn't win, but that's nothing to do with the bike!

I like the simplicity of singlespeed for cross racing. At least you know you'll never be in the 'wrong' gear when you hit a steep bank...

Tbh, I find the lack of gears more of a compromise on the flat sections, where it limits your top speed somewhat.


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## rideswithmoobs (2 May 2016)

smutchin said:


> My CX bike is singlespeed and I have raced on it. OK, so I didn't win, but that's nothing to do with the bike!
> 
> I like the simplicity of singlespeed for cross racing. At least you know you'll never be in the 'wrong' gear when you hit a steep bank...
> 
> Tbh, I find the lack of gears more of a compromise on the flat sections, where it limits your top speed somewhat.



Is your Ss CX something you built up yourself ?


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## smutchin (2 May 2016)

rideswithmoobs said:


> Is your Ss CX something you built up yourself ?



Nah, it's an off-the-peg Felt Breed (from 2009, I think). They don't make them any more - probably because most people think singlespeed is useless for CX! 

Does that Raleigh have an eccentric BB?


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## smutchin (2 May 2016)

Here's a nice piece about singlespeed cyclocross racing: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/singlecross.html

I don't have the same level of experience as the author but what he says definitely rings true for me.


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## rideswithmoobs (2 May 2016)

It does, sold out for 2016 according to U.S customer services


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## outlash (3 May 2016)

Genesis used to market the Day One as a singlespeed CX'er for years. It's not unheard of.


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## rideswithmoobs (3 May 2016)

outlash said:


> Genesis used to market the Day One as a singlespeed CX'er for years. It's not unheard of.



And one if this years day one models, the decade, has gone back to its CX routes with off road specific gearing (lower gear inches I think a 36 chainring instead of a 46) and knobblies etc.


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## outlash (3 May 2016)

Nice , there was a guy who raced in the eastern league on a Day One with an Alfine hub, regularly got decent placings too.


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## rideswithmoobs (3 May 2016)

I have a day one disc already and it's standard, standard tyres, but I do on dirt tracks, bridle ways, road, hills and have done a 1:7 gradient on it. Performs brilliantly. The forks do shudder a bit under hard breaking but that's widely reported. Does make me think how the CX/off road specific day one decade would perform.


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## rideswithmoobs (3 May 2016)

Just read up and it's not a 36 chainring.....

Like the other models in the Day One range it features a Mjolnir seamless double-butted cromoly frame and new lugged steel fork which comes loaded with eyelets, braze-ons and thru-fork leg dynamo routing. Genesis have equipped the Day One Decade with a 38x17T drivetrain which provides the perfect singlespeed off-road gearing. The Day One Decade rolls on Alex Draw 1.9P rims which are laced to Joytech 6-bolt hubs front and rear with a dedicated singlespeed cassette hub (no clunky screw-on freewheels). Braking is provided by TRP Spyre-C mechanical disc brakes which provide excellent stopping power in all weather conditions. Completing the new Day One Decade is a Genesis finishing kit including handlebar, steam, seatpost and saddle.


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## outlash (3 May 2016)

Stick some knobblies on it, that's the only real difference . FWIW, I never had fork judder on my old Day One, nothing to worry about though.


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## rideswithmoobs (3 May 2016)

outlash said:


> Stick some knobblies on it, that's the only real difference . FWIW, I never had fork judder on my old Day One, nothing to worry about though.



I read a few saying it was the steel fork flexing due to the more powerful disc brake, amongst other reasons but it's only hard down hill and rest of the time it's spot on. Glad to here it's nothing to worry over


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## outlash (3 May 2016)

Mine had the Hayes CX expert brakes, I hear the Spyres are that much better.


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