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Does ss mtb translate into sscx?

3K views 9 replies 7 participants last post by  metrotuned 
#1 ·
I ride my ss mtb a lot and want to switch over to ss cx, but not sure how my fitness level translates. It seems on mtb I have time when I can catch my breath. Thats not the case for me on my geared cx bike. Just want to hear if anyone does both ss mtb and sscx and how they compare. Thx!
 
#3 ·
Cyclocross races are typically short and very high intensity. Everyone pushes for 40 - 60+ minutes. There is no long down hill sessions to rest and you rest when drafting/coasting on the flat sessions.

My advice is do a race and tell us how you feel afterward. are you going to do the race in your Single speed Mountain bike?
 
#5 ·
Sorry, should have prefaced that. I'm talking about racing on a sscx. I have a ss mtb and may be looking to pick up a sscx. I've raced cx on a geared bike before and love the simplicity of a ss. Just looking to see if the fitness aspect translates over.
 
#7 ·
I race MTB exclusively SS and am going completely SS this year for CX. Last year I did CX on both gear'd and SS. I think it translates pretty well from a technical standpoint. From a cardio/physical standpoint, CX is balls to the wall regardless of bike choice. Since your a SS MTB'er, you're probably more adept to find that fine line of grip/no-grip and should be able to do fine in CX. Most folks underestimate just how much fun it is to race CX on a SS.

I personally prefer SS for CX and I find I am less likely to get "lazy" without some kind of bailout gear......i.e. I go faster.
 
#6 ·
Alright, I'll try and be less of a smartass with this reply.
I'm catching a bunch of flak from coworkers to go geared for this CX season.
I've been on one-speeds exclusively for the past 13 years. I recently put a derailleur on my MTB, but just built up my new CX bike single. There are certainly disadvantages to racing single, but as I said before I think it's less so in CX than MTB. In fact, if the weather is nasty and the course is muddy or snowy it can be an advantage.
While our races here in Boise are usually dry, I find myself doing fairly well (no SS class.) Where your competitors are shifting down, your SS legs are used to slowing down cadence and powering through. The strength you've built will translate, but you'll need to shift your type of fitness from endurance-based to intense interval-based. This is true for geared riders as well as SS.
I highly recommend just getting out and trying some CX races. You can start on your MTB to see if you like it. CX is a blast, and there's (in my experience,) a more low-key and friendlier atmosphere in regards to beginners.

Los
 
#10 ·
CX bike is def faster than an MTN bike when it comes to most courses. If the course was very wet, muddy, and or rocky/technical, the MTN may have an advantage with positioning and tires, not to mention hydro brakes (which is adapted to CX now). From personal experience, I was a lot slower on my SS29er in the B-class and was off the rear, chasing down a woman on her SSCX, who was double my age, who had just raced previously for 45 minutes before the single speed class. Hey, I made everyone else look good, a tough job but someone's gotta do it.
 
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