Help with my boardman

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welkman
Posts: 187
Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2012 10:47 am

by welkman

Hi Guys,

I have a boardman cx cross bike which I have just completed my first race on. It is totally stock except for latex tubes and grifo tyres. I had a great race but the bike seemed to need some refinement! The brakes are poor Avid BB5, they have to be setup very close to the rotor in order to function at all and I discovered that the rear had been rubbing significantly for over half the race :( I think I would have caught my arch rival if that had not happened. I have setup the brakes tons of times using guidance from the usual sources but have come to the conclusion that they are just crap. The bike is heavy 10.22 kg so I think I could drop some weight replacing the OEM parts. It is BB30 which is nice and has a FSA Gossomer compact crank with sram apex running gear and a 32 t cassette; I think possibly change to a one chain ring setup as I have such a massive rear cluster.

What do you think? Any tips? It is only getting raced and not ridden otherwise except cx training.

dmcgoy
Posts: 43
Joined: Thu Nov 15, 2007 7:23 pm

by dmcgoy

1. Unless your wheel could barely spin freely, I doubt it caused an appreciable difference in your time.
2. BB5s aren't very good - but most because they are a pain to set up and they have smaller pad sizing than the BB7, making them less powerful. Brake power isn't an issue for CX racing, so if you get them setup properly beforehand they shouldn't be much of a hindrance. It'd be worth tossing your wheel into a truing stand and seeing if your rotors are true (not wobbly). It's fairly easy to bend rotors.
3. (easy) Brake upgrade options: TRP Spyre, TRP hy/rd, Avid BB7, Hayes CX5, and/or swapping in some Ashima Ai2 rotors.
4. Ways to drop weight quickly: new wheel set (chinese carbon tubular?, exotic mtb hubs with cxray spokes and stans rims?), going to a 1X10. That would easily get you a kilo, I'd think. Would you be faster? In your mind, definitely yes. Other upgrades (saddle, seatpost, stem) have a lousy price/performance ratio.

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welkman
Posts: 187
Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2012 10:47 am

by welkman

Well the wheel locked when not loaded with the rider but you are probably right ! It was great fun though. I will have a think about upgrades, possibly some wheels but I may just sort out the brakes and ride the damn thing this season! I think the biggest upgrade would be me having a bit less mass and a bit more short burst power:)

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ms6073
Posts: 4289
Joined: Fri Jul 23, 2004 8:24 pm
Location: Houston, Texas

by ms6073

dmcgoy wrote:3. (easy) Brake upgrade options: TRP Spyre, TRP hy/rd, Avid BB7, Hayes CX5, and/or swapping in some Ashima Ai2 rotors.
So I am guessing Dura Ace 9070 Di2 Hydraulic is out of the budget? :D

I have used the Avid BB7/BB7 SL, Shimano CX-75, and TRP Spyre SLC with the Ashima Ai2 rotors (~66 grams on average) and based on functionality, ride feel, and ease of install/maintenance, I would favor TPR Spyre SLC first, Shimano CX-75 second, and Avid BB7/BB7 SL as a last resort. Although I have not tried the TRP Hy/Rd, the modulation of hydraulic braking is a plus but with the size of the caliper and added weight penalty, I would still choose the Spyre for CX.
- Michael
"People should stop expecting normal from me... seriously, we all know it's never going to happen"

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