I've very much not mounted anything to my cross bike. But on training rides I'm tempted.

Anybody here keep a computer alive on a race bike? Or, was I right to not even try?

Ron

i used to use a computer on my CX ride, but now im riding SS and that seems really wrong.

Style-wise....i think it depends on the bike. If the bike is black go ahead.

The other answer is if you want it on there, put it on and vice versa.

was that any help? probably not.

I am one of those weekend warrior types, so during the week, my cross bike is my commuter bike. It would be a pain to strip the computer wiring every race weekend to have to put it all back on before the Monday commute.
So, during a race, I know exactly how slow I am!
My $0.02 worth.

I'm with Arctic Hawk - my weekend race bike is my weekday commuter bike so the computer stays on. I keep it on during the race too. Why not? I can somewhat judge lap times and how much time is left.

I've pulled the computers off all my bikes (never had one on the 'cross rigs) but I do have a small wristwatch that I will strap on the bars of whichever bike I am riding/racing. That's mostly to keep track of time, but I also use it to get a gauge of approx. how much time is left in the race.

Do what works for you.

There's no style police at 'cross races. You'll see all kinds of different things...drill-it-yourself cables routed through the seatpost or stem, Powertaps, etc.

It's all good.

Like the others, my cyclocross bike is my commuter bike too (can I call my commuter bike my cyclcross bike if I won't have actually done a cyclocross race until tomorrow at 10am?). Anyway...., in the excitement of getting ready, along with taking off my water bottle holder, reflectors and replacing my slick tires with knobbies, off went the computer. I have to say, the stripped down look is pretty cool. I am pumped!

It's all good.

:)

it sure is.

I personally was never into having a computer on my CX bike but my Singlespeed bike is also my daily commuter so for my 1st race last weekend I left it on and it was pretty cool seeing that I only did 12.65 miles.

My cross bike is wired with a PowerTap harness. I haven't trained or raced with the PT yet but I use my PT head in cyclecomputer mode to dowload HR and speed data.

I'm working on pacing my races better, so the information is quite useful.

Nothing wrong with it, I never seem to have a magnet on the right wheel but on the few occasions where I had one mounted and also had a computer the data was interesting to look at.

Quit worrying about what is correct--I've been racing for 25 years and just started riding with a touring mirror on my Eddy Merckx road bike--the bike snobs will be horrified! So screw 'em, I just don't want to get run over.

Who cares, just set up your bike how you like and see if the wires get ripped off this season.

I'm conflicted about that one, too- part of what makes cross bikes cool is that the bike is so neat and uncluttered- no bags, no cages and sometimes just 1 chainring. Add to that the fact that you're CARRYING the bike a fair distance every lap so the distance thing is pretty irrelevant as the wheels aren't always on the ground.

Not that we should always emulate what the pro's do, but I've seen computers on Mark McCormack's LeMond and Geoff Kabush's Giant. That was a couple years ago of course (04 maybe?), and the Giant/Maxxis squad of Jonny Sundt, Adam Craig and Kabush was co-sponsored by Cateye computers. If you're a slave to adhering to the "pro standard" like me, then there's your justification.

I do run a Polar HRM and rely on it less to measure effort during the race, but more to record how I performed, vs how I felt to help judge pacing, start effort, etc. In the past I've had it on my bars but now don't have room as I have topmount brake levers. During a race I don't usually look at it at all. The wrist-mount seems to be more prevalent among the bigshots likely because they're on more than one bike during the race.

This is a long post without any clear advice other than to not spend time obsessing over stuff like this when you should be riding! As said before, it's all good- cool is very relative.

An HRM, his cyclocomputer. He's a great rider, been racing CX for about 10 years now. If it's okay for him, it's okay for you.

BT

The HRM and clock functions are useful. I use wireless. Broke the plastic mount on the back of the computer though, and it was expensive. :-(

I had a spare 'puter sitting around so I had it on my frankencrosss bike. Now that I've "upgraded" to a real cross bike, I don't have a puter and don't miss it. When I ride my cross bike for training, I just use my stopwatch on my wrist watch and guess how fast I went. It's close enough...I'll use my watch to keep track of how far along in the race I am (plz dear gawd, make the suffering end!!!:p )

I had a computer on my cross bike, and then it broke (like all my Cateyes ever have). I just took ofs the dead hulk and am amazed at how much more pure my cockpit is now.

that said, it was very hard to glance at my watch at the last race to see how long I had to go, which is admittedly a cructh of mine.

-s

Interesting posts. I haven't exactly been agonizing over this. It's just that it crossed my mind that other people must've had the same ambivalent feelings on the subject.

Ron

I run a wireless computer on my CX racer so to keep track of the time in the race...like if I'm suffering real bad it helps me mentally break the race into 10-15 minutes parts. Easier to endure that way. I make up for the lost cool factor by removing everything else, including the water bottle cage bolts and covering the holes with tape...no duct tape though.

I have mine on there 'cuz it's nice for training. When I'm hella rich I'll have a separate race bike.

I'm conflicted about that one, too- part of what makes cross bikes cool is that the bike is so neat and uncluttered- no bags, no cages and sometimes just 1 chainring. Add to that the fact that you're CARRYING the bike a fair distance every lap so the distance thing is pretty irrelevant as the wheels aren't always on the ground.

Not that we should always emulate what the pro's do, but I've seen computers on Mark McCormack's LeMond and Geoff Kabush's Giant. That was a couple years ago of course (04 maybe?), and the Giant/Maxxis squad of Jonny Sundt, Adam Craig and Kabush was co-sponsored by Cateye computers. If you're a slave to adhering to the "pro standard" like me, then there's your justification.

I do run a Polar HRM and rely on it less to measure effort during the race, but more to record how I performed, vs how I felt to help judge pacing, start effort, etc. In the past I've had it on my bars but now don't have room as I have topmount brake levers. During a race I don't usually look at it at all. The wrist-mount seems to be more prevalent among the bigshots likely because they're on more than one bike during the race.

This is a long post without any clear advice other than to not spend time obsessing over stuff like this when you should be riding! As said before, it's all good- cool is very relative.
If your dismounting fast enough your front wheel will still be moving when it is off the ground.
That said, I only have computers on my fixed crosscheck racer and my geared cross bike that sees mostly non race road or easy trail rides. I used a different front wheel at the labor day race on the cross check and it didn't work cause the magnet wasn't in line with the sensor, that wheel is usually on the other bike. It also is easer to look at elaped time on the computer then to try to look at your watch even if you have short sleaves on.

My race bike doubles as my road training bike so the computer is always on. As someone mentioned above it is a rarity that my race wheelset has a magnet on it, but every once in a while one shows up on there and it's kinda fun to look at the info.

i'm sorry. what was the original question? i'm busy putting a cadence wire on the bike for tomorrow's race.

I train/race road and XC year round with a cluster of computers and HRMs on my handlebar, why would I change it for Cyclocross? Although I admit the computer itself is not that useful in a cross race since my speed is usually determined by the guy in front of/behind me it's just comforting to have it there since.........well it always is so why change it? my HRM is vital as it helps me monitor and meter out my effort

Of course I also carry my own waterbottles since I race cross on my mtb

Not to take this thread on another subject but seriously, what's the point of this silly little idea of everyone taking bottle handups? I mean I understand the pros do it for shouldering/weight reasons but most of the courses I raced last year did not have any serious run ups that required enough shouldering as to be hampered by a bottle?

this is only my second season but I remember last year before every race I would be scrambling to find someone to hand me water during my race...............as I started getting ready for this season I began evaluating this and just generally questioning this idea.

Not being able to find a good reason not to, I went for it and will probably not go back

I know some of the high end cross bikes don't even have bottle bosses(?) so I get that, I can understand if yours doesn't. But as evidenced in this thread and at the races I've done, most of us race dual purpose bikes which have bottle holders which guys will remove just before races

Sure the pros do it, but hey! they are pros................also I've only seen a couple of Belgian cross races but it I don't recall seeing any where the guys actually took handups during the races (I could be wrong) so maybe the pros skip the bottles because they actually don't need them?

This definitely not the case at the races I've seen here, some of the guys around here look like they are getting ready to die by the time they get to the handups which is just silly considering the alternative...........................


of course if you're just doing it for the mental toughness, i.e seeing how long you can go without a sip then fine. Hell last year I got into the groove of skipping the handup every other lap which was great for me because prior to that I used to race XC with camelbak ( I now carry bottles since I KNOW I can).

I have seen a few of the A guys here ride the entire race with no handups which I totally respect, most of the other guys take a handup every lap

maybe this is just a texas thing, I'd love to hear other's thoughts on this

I rode my first cyclocross race yesterday naked - without my computer. I took it off while taking off my water bottleholder, reflectors, etc. The bike looked great naked. I had a blast in the race (I didn't like getting wooped by the chatty grandmother all decked out in her club outfit and expensive bike....).

Now I'm post-race and bumming that I don't have all my usual data - max speed, average, distance, etc. One of the things I watch when road riding is my average speed comparison to see how I'm doing and keep my effort up. I could see how the speed comparison could be helpful in CX.

I doubt it would have helped me keep up with granny, but I might have caught the guy on the mountain bike how finished just ahead of me. I'll have the computer next time.

I also like to keep track of distance, time etc. My Surly is not a race only rig so I do have a wireless cateye on it. I do take off the bag, pump etc when racing.