Can you race a regular road bike in cyclocross

[GREGG80]

Can you race a regular road bike in cyclocross if you put a little wider tires on it?

[520 Dan]

Well, yes and no. THere are VERY few knobbed tires that will fit on a traditional road frame. I know people here (Arizona) who on Very dry grass courses have raced un-modified road bikes, but were at a HUGE disadvantage. In addition to this, if there is any mud, it will build up at the brakes, causing all sorts of problems. Finally, although I don't personally know of any, there may be some rules against this sort of thing in USCF or other races under a country's cycling governing body. You are better off racing a MTB (if this is allowed)

[simon]

looking at the reglement, the only restrictions are:
-tires:not wider than 35 mm
-bar:not wider than 50 cm
-bar has to be road bike style(in switzerland, the beginners category is allowed to race cyclocross bikes with straight bars or mtbs(because some clubs have lots of bikes with mtb bars for young riders and it would be too expensive for them to change all the bikes to sti levers)
the geometry of a cyclocross frame is different to a road frame with higher bb and longer wheelbase(is this the right word? i mean the distance between front axle and rear axle).
it doesn't make much sense to ride with a road bike, once you'll compare the two bikes directly, you will love the cyclocross specific bike.

[Boogie]

yes wheelbase is good.
Simon where do you stay this week? I've heard it snowiing in Zeddam. And I read that you like snow and ice..What's your ambition for the race.

Good Luck!

[simon]

we're in s'heerenberg, 3 km from the track.for the groopies:hotel t'lantscroon
this morning we went to roseversand, a huge bike shop in bocholt, just 40 km from here, and when we arrived there, it snowed for about an hour. we went to the track in the afternoon. the track is getting very difficult to ride. yesterday you could easily ride diamant profiles, now there is snow(and water)on the frozen field, and the field is getting warmer, so towards the evening the track got towards muddy, but still very fast. i like the course very much, i think it suits me with every weather. but if i could wish, it would be -2°, snow until saturday evening, and totally frozen. with this my chances to get near the top ten would be as high as possible. i really wanted to reach the top 15 once this season, which i did last sunday, but i don't say no to another result like this! if i could ride like last sunday again, that would be great. i try to stay concentrated on the way i ride my race and not on a result, and if that functions, the result will hopefully come from itself.

[Mads Kock]

I will cross my fingers for you, Simon - race the hell out of them and do the WW-sign when you cross the line as the winner!

I know you will do really good!!!

[Müsing]

best wishes for next weekend from me too. hope to see you on tv. good luck

[singlestoph]

Good luck

you animal

[C a s r a n]

Good luck Simon!!!

I'm confident you'll do well. Am I right if I say you made progress through your pro races this season? It's nice to see you perform well from the start from the cyclocross season until now: means you're well prepared and did good base miles... a good knowledge about training and a coach!

[elmar schrauth]

best wishes from me ,too
which tires do you use if snow is on the track ?
elmar