When CX was like steel : Real

[RacerJRP]

Ah, everything was so simple back then...lol. I do miss those bikes. I raced last weekend and most were on 40-50mm super-chunk tires - just felt weird.

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by old fat man

Probably a 46/39 and 11-23 cassette 🤣

I used to race at 9am then stay all day to watch Mark McCormack ride those Lemonds in the New England UCI races.

You and me both. At least the sandpits weren't wrecked at 9 am.

[thwart]

Originally Posted by Tyler Evans

We made these bikes for the Saturn team under the Lemond label back when we worked at Indy Fab (1999?). If you look closely on the chainstay we snuck in the PlanetX logo. I can't remember how many we made, but it was a bunch. That's Tim Johnson racing to victory!

Yep, there it is.

And that FD pulley... in the days before everyone's riding 1 x drivetrains.

[KonaSS]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

The days before disc brakes, electronic shifting and hydraulic hoses stole the spirit of CX and marketeerers snuffed out the flame of the handbuilt racing machine.

Do you actually race cross? Have you tried a new disc brake bike compared to a canti brake bike? I find the premise above that somehow a change in brake type destroyed the "spirit of CX" ridiculous. I haven't met anyone who competitively races cross and prefers canti brakes.

This type of stuff is why people say things like "paceline gonna paceline." You can appreciate older bikes without denigrating current bikes, and somehow blaming the bike for whatever state the sport is in today.

[prototoast]

In terms of aesthetics, I really like canti cx bikes, except for the cable routing. I probably won't, but now I'm tempted to build a canti brake cx bike with headset cable routing.

On the other hand, in terms of riding, I am so much happier with disc brakes. I love how much more reliable they can stop me, how much more adaptable they are to different rims and tires, +and how I don't have to replace rims basically ever.

[bigbill]

When I was building up a commuter in Hawaii, I dug through my boxes of parts and found my 130mm 38T and 44T chainrings from the late 80s/early 90s. In the PNW, brakes didn't matter that much because of all the mud. Officials would get on you if you released your cantilevers, which were mostly for show after a few laps.

[d_douglas]

That Lemond/IF has perfect proportions. SO elegant!

What a cool story - I love the history lesson...

[Likes2ridefar]

Originally Posted by RacerJRP

Ah, everything was so simple back then...lol. I do miss those bikes. I raced last weekend and most were on 40-50mm super-chunk tires - just felt weird.

It’s funny how we all define simple differently. I raced cross when they were as pictured in the first post.

my current equivalent bike is far simpler to setup, maintain, and operate all while being more reliable and ergonomic.

[redir]

I was racing cross back in those days and as a cat 2 got in to some of the bigger races with some of those teams. I remember Richard Sachs sponsored a team back then and I always drooled over those bikes.

I still have my Poprad and it's still a nice riding bike. OX Platinum steel rides like butter.

[Gwerziou]

Hmm. Canti frame w Paul Mini-motos works really great, and that frame is my size...

[mhespenheide]

Originally Posted by redir

I still have my Poprad and it's still a nice riding bike. OX Platinum steel rides like butter.

I owned a Poprad, sold it, regretted it, bought another one. First was True Temper OX Platinum; second is Reynolds 853. I don't think I'd be able to tell any difference if they weren't labeled. Both great bikes.

[AngryScientist]