Veldrijden corner

[Stuart]

KP had a hilarious off descending one of those banks and don't think he ever quite recovered. Sven and KVT managed to collide when chasing Albert and I think he bust his rear mech. He had to run a long way for a bike change anyway. Did you see Sven ness was on discs for all of half a lap. Albert was on cantis the whole race I think. Didn't strike me as a course where discs would give any advantage.

[LeonardDelicaet]

discs schmiscs. it was so slow going you'd struggle to brake anyway

[StevenDrew]

I saw the KP crash. Hilarious. He looks really low on confidence in the mud. That was a nasty bank though.

Tomorrow's race at Niel is meant to be one of the "heaviest". I think that means "expect mud".

[StevenDrew]

Live underwater bike riding from Niel right here, right now - http://sports-livezz.com/7/100/

Wout Van Aert (an U23 rider) is off the front after a couple of laps. But Sven looks like he's fed up with others hogging the limelight in Svenness and appears keen...

Sanne Cant won the women's race. Nikki Harris 2nd.

[StevenDrew]

Svenness

[Stuart]

Highlights?

[StevenDrew]

http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozone/sp ... /1.1776500

Wout Van Aert coming second is a HIGHLIGHT! Blimey, what a dude! And Rob Peeters falling in a heap whilst trying to dismount was hilarious although these highlights don't show that. And in fairness he still came third so well done him.

[Stuart]

The schmiscs debate continues:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tech-ne ... amme-zogge

[StevenDrew]

Interesting stuff. I like that Sven noted he doesn't need to 'brake' just 'slow down'...

More here too -http://www.cxmagazine.com/sven-nys-niel ... yclo-cross

So it looks like Gavere might be decent for discs on Sunday but I read somewhere else that they're less likely at Koksijde because they don't have a disc compatible sand wheel... Oh to have such choices!

[Stuart]

Sven is right

Cross is all about maintaining momentum, riding smooth and finding the ryhthm of the course. Usually, brakes are only needed to scrub off a bit of speed, not for emergency stops. Grabbing a fistful of brake is more for mtb racing which has much narrower trails and sudden changes in terrain and direction.

My 2p worth.

[LeonardDelicaet]

Agreed, I go slow enough as it is, why do I want to go any slower?

Last thing I need is brakes, I need a heavier foot on the gas pedal first.

I bet Trek wagered on NOT making a canti version of the carbon Crockett - wrong. Unless he's otherwise coerced into changing over. We'll see in Jan 2014 when contracts kick in.

[Chris Clague]

I appreciate that for most of you it's a while since you started as far back in a race as I do, but I like my discs on the first lap when I launch a suicidal move up the inside of a corner. Also on the one really gloopy race I did, everyone was very nervous on the first steep descent into the next corner after the boggy bit. A few scalps there too. I like to think of it as a triumph of engineering over talent

[Richard]

Sven is right

Cross is all about maintaining momentum, riding smooth and finding the ryhthm of the course. Usually, brakes are only needed to scrub off a bit of speed, not for emergency stops. Grabbing a fistful of brake is more for mtb racing which has much narrower trails and sudden changes in terrain and direction.

My 2p worth.

Ssunds like the voice of reason. If a novice rider invests in what is marketed to them as better or evolved tech, would this actually inhibit the development of riding/racing skills?

[LeonardDelicaet]

That logic doesn't really follow Richard b/c riders learn skills for equipment they ride, not stuff they hypothetically could ride.

When I started MTBing it was before non-steel frames, before V-brakes, before suspension, before 29ers, we learned the skills we needed to deal with these factors. I never went that fast b/c of that. Today, speeds over the same trails are much, much faster implying riders could be even more skilled than before. Or, riders are no better nor worse, they've simply mastered the equipment as it stands now. If you took a good young rider and put him/her on a rigid steel 26" bike there's no guarantee they'll be OK or sheit. But it doesn't imply they are 'missing' skills.

Discs in cross are different, an answer to a problem I've not personally seen given my experience racing 4 different bikes over the last few years - but I take a religuous approach to brake set up. When it's dry brakes work well, when it's wet speed is down and brakes don't work. Net net. I think what Sven is saying is that speed modulation is more important than stopping, and he gets what he needs from his current set up.

[ChrisBall]

Great thread. As a disc'er, I'll be honest and say that for the first half the season they haven't made a huge difference other than on a few tricky / fast descents which did require hard braking due to a tight turn at the exit. Where I'm now seeing them show their strengths is as the mud is picking up. Without the benefit of a pit crew and a cleaned bike every lap, the one bike racer (most of use I'd imagine) has a benefit with discs due to the extra mud clearance (less sticks to the bike) and consistency (the brakes work the same at the start and end of the race muddy or wet).

Regarding modulation, the assumption that you only brake hard with discs seems odd to me - I simply press the lever more gently to maintain momentum through corners - my ridding style remains unchanged between the two types of brakes (cantis/disc) but I have the benefit of better stopping WHEN I needed it which is hard to argue against.

The main issue with discs seems to me to be the cost. If you could bolt them onto existing set ups I'd wager you'd see more out there but as you've got to go the whole way (Frame, brakes, wheels) it's a big commitment unless your already in the market for a new bike.