Loading ...Issue 3 Update: At the Printers
June 23rd, 2008 Filed Under editorial, print mag
Seems like it’s time for an update on our next issue.
We’ve been quiet about it intentionally, since with Issue 2, we probably jumped the gun a bit, letting folks know it was at the printers and that it should be in the mail shortly. But what we didn’t realize is that for some, that meant a month crossing the country on snails, creating some anxious ‘cross fans!
So while we’ve kept a bit mum on Issue 3’s progress, we’ve been working hard behind the scenes to improve our delivery and eliminate some unknowns as we ramp up for the upcoming season. As part of this “hard work” we’ve written some big (and painful) checks to the USPS and dealt with endless forms and meetings to make sure future issues are delivered in a more reliable fashion. And we’re contracting with a mailing service to take care of the bigger mailings. What does that all mean for you? Hopefully faster and more reliable delivery. Down the road, that means quicker hits of ‘cross love in return for your current patience.
Back to Issue 3. It’s at the printers as of last week, and with some luck, that means it’ll start mailing next week. And, with some more luck, once it leaves our printers, it won’t take a month for it to arrive in some easter locations. It’s going to be a new process for us again, so you never know, but we’re going off of what we’ve been told (and what we’re paying for).
Some folks have been asking about our intended frequency, as it’s clear not everyone just wants to be surprised. Well, our goal has been 4 issues a year for the first year, but not necessarily at exact three month intervals. The current goal is to be a bit more frequent during the season. To this end, while we’ve taken a little more time to work behind the scenes and get out Issue 3, Issue 4 is already coming together and should have a quicker turn around with an early September delivery. Looking further ahead, our Issue 5 should be in November. Looking further out, if all goes well, and we do our job and keep advertising and subscriber growth going, we may up the frequency. That’s the goal!
You can help us get there by continuing to the spread the word on blogs and forums that our mag is worth a race entry fee. Now is the time to get those “I keep meaning to subscribe” subscriptions in, as subscribers this week will still get in our initial Issue 3 mailing. Tell your buddies to get their own. There’s another reason to get those subs in now: one downside of going to a mailing service is that we won’t be able to send out back copies as frequently.
Stay tuned for our Contest #2 winners and updates into Issue 3. Get ready for a great season!
(What’s up with that cover photo? We thought we’d slowly give you a hint of what’s to come. Got a guess of what it is? Post your guess below)
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The Disc Brake Debate
June 2nd, 2008 Filed Under cyclocross technology, editorial
Our own Josh Patterson has been testing a disc brake equipped Salsa La Cruz, and so disc brakes have been on his mind. And while the brakes that now dominate the mountain bike market are banned from UCI cyclocross events, he weighs in on the future of the brakes in our beloved sport:
Disc brakes banned from cross? Well kinda. Depends on who you are and the sanctioning body under which you race.
Discussions of the pros and cons of disc brakes generally ignite heated debates among members of the cyclocross community
Many of the reasons given for not using disc brakes - weight penalty, overkill for road and cyclocross racing - have less to do with using disc brakes than using brakes designed for mountain bikes.
There’s no way around it, discs will always weigh more than canti’s. But they don’t have to weigh as much as they do now. When it comes to using disc brakes with road levers there’s very little selection. Last time I checked the number of mechanical disc brakes designed for use with road levers was two: the road version of the venerable Avid BB-7 and Tektro’s Lyra.
Per wheel the road BB-7’s weigh in at 361 grams. The Lyra has a published weight of 148 grams per wheel. These weights include caliper, rotor and mounting hardware. The Lyra is sign of things to come; 140mm rotors instead of the traditional 160mm sizing reduce weight as well as stopping power. The reduction in braking power is not necessarily [More…]
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Off-Season Blues: Cyclocross Photos Wanted
May 28th, 2008 Filed Under cyclocross photos, editorial
Send us your best shot!
Okay, so there’s not much racing going on, and with less than four months to cyclocross for most of the nation, the wait still seems like forever. We at CXM try to provide your off-season ‘cross fix, but sometimes we’re jonesing for a little ‘cross hit too. Without the racing, our reader submissions of photos for our Cross Eyed Gallery have been just a trickle of peak-season flow. So how about sharing some eye candy? We want to see your favorite photo from your collection. We know you’ve got a bunch. Choose one or two (max), and send it our way, and we’ll share with the community to help with the withdrawal. [More…]
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How much is an old cyclocross tire worth?
May 14th, 2008 Filed Under cyclocross technology, editorial
How much would you pay for a tire over five years old?? The original green Michelin Mud cyclocross tires will always have a fond place in our hearts here at CXM. A slightly more open design than the Mud 2 but with a more fragile sidewall (especially the original tan sidewalled ones), the tire was wide, comfortable, shed mud very well and was good enough for pros like Tim Johnson. They were THE clincher to race on. But perhaps best of all, they were a loud green.
Well, since they stopped making them about six years ago, we’ve collected our share over the years at swaps, and it seems like we’re not alone in our affection for the green tire. We spied this eBay auction for ONE NOS Michelin Mud Cyclocross tire that ends Thursday afternoon and it’s already at $53.00 plus $6.00 shipping. Any guesses what it’ll go for? Drop a comment below. We’ve seen USED pairs sell for $90+. [Update: it sold for $66, but as of 5/19, there is a new one listed here]
Thankfully, as our upcoming tires tests in Issue 3 will show, there are a lot of good clincher tire options out there nowadays…just nothing in green. Have a favorite tire? Tell folks about it over in Cyclocross Magazine’s Pits.
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UCI Cyclocross Explained - Off-season Homework
May 5th, 2008 Filed Under editorial, racing
Albert Einstein once said, “You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.”
If you’re like most of us, you don’t have much ambition to beat Page, Johnson or Trebon at at domestic race, let alone battle Nys and Wellens over in Europe. But perhaps you still have plans to toe the line with the big guns at a UCI-sanctioned race this fall, or will battle other folks your age in a top level junior or espoir race at a UCI sanctioned event or masters worlds. Even if that’s not the case, you still never know if this is the season it all comes together, mandatory upgrades happen, and you make the leap from C’s to A’s. In any of these situations, you’ll need to be familiar with the UCI rules that may govern your event before you get to that start line.
Although there are hundreds of pages of UCI regulations, Cyclocross Magazine has spent hours culling through all of them so you’ll be prepared. While we covered the no disc brakes while training rule a few days ago, there’s a lot more to know.
Here are 5 top common violations of UCI rules that you should be sure to avoid: [More…]
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The Next Big Thing: Out of Competition Bike Tests?
May 2nd, 2008 Filed Under cyclocross news, editorial, racing
Yesterday, our own assistant editor, Josh Patterson, was riding a disc-brake equipped Salsa La Cruz to the park, getting ready to put it through another beat-down for an upcoming bike review for the magazine. On the way, he was urgently stopped by an older Italian gentleman. The man started asking him about his racing background and aspirations, and soon Josh revealed his ambitions of mixing it up with the pros this year in a few UCI races. Big mistake. After hearing this the gentleman disclosed he was a vacationing UCI official, and that Josh was now banned from any UCI races because he was caught training on a cyclocross bike with disc brakes.
Huh?
Training with disc brakes is illegal?
Who knew?
Well, now Josh and I both know.
Seems ridiculous, and it is. And no, this didn’t really happen. But it could. Can you imagine? Now instead of flying to Mexico (or telling UCI officials that’s where you are) or some other remote area to escape potential out-of-competition drug tests, we’ll have to ride our disc-brake equipped bikes in remote places, at night, alone, and in secret to avoid the out-of-competition bike inspections. [More…]
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Cyclocross Magazine - In a store near you, perhaps
March 22nd, 2008 Filed Under editorial, print mag
Thanks to the input from many of you, we’ve been calling and emailing local bike shops across the country and steadily growing our list of shops that carry Cyclocross Magazine. We’re not in Borders yet, but these ‘cross shops below should have Issue 2 in stock already. If you’re not a subscriber yet or you’re one of the unlucky folks who still haven’t received yours from USPS, you can hop down there and check it out. Maybe give them a call to make sure they’ve got some left.
If your favorite shop in your state isn’t on the list below [More…]
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Announcing Contest #2 - Promote the Promoter - Deadline Extended
March 16th, 2008 Filed Under contests, editorial, print mag
As some of you have seen in our print mag that’s still traveling the country, we’ve got another contest running, which means another chance to win some really nice stuff. TRP, Gore, Vittoria, Bike Mine, De La Paz Coffee, 1×9 Designs, Twofish and our own Hector Finely have all donated prizes for this contest. It’s a chance for you to get to know your local promoters a little better, and give them some exposure to the rest of the ‘cross community.
Because USPS still has not delivered our mag everywhere, we’re extending the deadline to April 10th to give our mid-west and east coast readers more time to get something in. Read all about out Contest #2.
Got questions about the contest? Wanna sponsor our next one? Contact us.
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Dude, Where’s My Mag?
March 14th, 2008 Filed Under editorial, print mag
Well, it’s clear from the emails we’ve received USPS hasn’t made it that far with the magazines. Is it the price of gas? Their trucks in disrepair? (See photo). As we mentioned before, this time we used bulk rate shipping (typical magazine shipping rate & speed) but we’re really wondering if it’s worth the savings (it is significant). [More…]
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Where do you shop for cyclocross gear?
March 11th, 2008 Filed Under editorial, print mag
Where do you buy your ‘cross stuff? Sure, there are the various online channels, but do you have a local bike store that carries cyclocross bikes, tires, and knows a little about the sport? Perhaps a shop that sponsors a race? We’re looking for your input on shops [More…]
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