Sweeney won the Masters Race last year on a cantilever frame and for 2014 she opted to switch to disc brakes on her new CruX. © Jim Duong
Registration for the 2015 Cyclocross National Championship in Austin, TX is now open for masters, juniors, and elite riders with UCI points. After this weekend, USAC will open the National Championship Elite Race to those who rank in the top 90 on the US Pro CX Calendar standings. (People can also submit a petition to enter the race if they feel they have a compelling reason for not qualifying by either method).
We realize that not everyone is aiming for the elite races, and that there are plenty of masters racers with tricks up their sleeves and the right tools for the job. This week, we got to catch up with Richard Sweeney, husband and mechanic to Maurine Sweeney, a current National Masters Champion who is looking forward to racing in Austin this year. He provided us with pictures and specs of the rig she is bringing with her, and the following words are by him.
Sweeney races for Racer X Cycling, and her CruX is equipped with SRAM’s CX1 drivetrain, an incredibly popular choice this year with riders. © Jim Duong
Last year in Boulder at the 2014 Nationals, Maurine Sweeney raced to the win in the Masters 60-64 category on her beloved off-the-shelf aluminum Specialized CruX cyclocross bike. As a reward, she and I decided to build up a new custom bike for this year’s defense.
While Maurine, a doctor at Denver VA Medical Center, gives talks to interns and residents on Treatment of Blood Cholesterol, she would prefer giving them lectures on How to Overhaul a Bottom Bracket. Her new cyclocross bike build project began in early summer with the purchase of the Specialized CruX Pro Carbon Disc frame. A custom paint job by Chip Magic in Littleton, CO celebrated her national championship by adding the Stars and Stripes motif.
After examining the gear ratios differences between a double chain ring and a single ring, she chose to go with the 40t SRAM Force CX1 in the front and an 11-32 in the back. She has found this quite satisfactory for some of the steep hills in Colorado.
Sweeney’s ROL Wheels, updated with decals to match her jersey. She relies on her commute riding for the majority of her training. © Jim Duong
Maurine has always ridden ROL Wheels on her cyclocross bikes and with ROL Wheels moving their headquarters to Denver this summer, she was able to work directly with Sean Lambert, Founder/CEO of ROL to get the first set of his new CX25 Alloy Tubular Disc Wheels and CX40 Carbon Tubular Disc Wheels to ride for this season. Sean worked with another Denver company, Victory Circle Graphix to make one-off Stars and Stripes decals for her wheels. Jim Duong at Pro’s Closet (in the same building as ROL Wheels) took the fantastic photos of Maurine’s bike.
Tom Hall, a good friend of the Sweeney’s helped build up the bike at his Lucky Bikes Re-Cyclery in Denver. Lucky Bikes Re-Cyclery is the bike shop for Trips for Kids, a non-profit that build healthy confident kids, by connecting diverse youth to the joys of cycling.
The wheels are built with White Industries CLD hubs that we saw this year at InterBike 2014. © Jim Duong
Maurine reluctantly took up cycling after a series of knee injuries ended her running career. While she is very competitive nationally in road racing, her first love is cyclocross. She is lucky to compete every fall weekend in one of the hotbeds of cyclocross, Boulder, Colorado. Despite her age “disadvantage” (some of her competitors are 50 years younger than her), she managed to win the very competitive Boulder Cyclocross Cat 4 Series last year, thus bumping her up to Cat 3.
The Clement Crusade PDX Tubulars are great for shedding mud, and should be interesting to see if they are a good selection for the race in Austin. © Jim Duong
In her first Masters Cyclocross National Championship in 2013, she fell during the non-championship race on the icy course in Madison, WI and fractured her wrist. Her win earlier this year in Boulder was her first Masters National Championship. Look out ladies in Austin, Maurine, racing for Racer X Cycling, moves up an age group and will compete in the 65+ group!
Sweeney has considered Masters Worlds for this year, but will be postponing it this year to attend her son’s wedding. © ShotWilliam Photography
Maurine Sweeney’s Specialized CruX Carbon Disc Specs:
Frame: Specialized CruX FACT 10r carbon disc, FACT IS construction, 1-3/8” lower bearing, OSBB
Fork: Specialized FACT Disc carbon monocoque fork, carbon steerer and crown
Handlebars: FSA K-Force 3K Carbon Compact, 31.8mm x 400mm
Tires: Clement Crusade PDX Tubulars
Wheels: ROL Wheels CX40 Disc Carbon Tubulars
Hubset: White Industries CLD Cyclocross 24/24H Shimano/SRAM
Spokes: Sapim CX-RaY Spokes 2x2x lacing
Crankset: SRAM Force CX1, 170 BB30 110mm
Chainring: SRAM 40T X-SYNC 110mm
Cassette: SRAM Force22 PG1170, 11-32 11 speed
Chain: SRAM PCX1 11s
Shifters: SRAM Force22 Hydro Disc
Rear Derailleur: SRAM Force CX1
Brakes: SRAM CX1 Disc with Avid Rotors, HSX Heat-shedding, 140 rear, 160 front
Stem: Zipp Service Course SL Stem Beyond Black, 70mm
Pedals: Crank Brothers Eggbeater 11
Saddle: Specialized Phenom Pro 143
Decals: Victory Circle Graphics
Seatpost: Specialized S-Works SL Pavé Carbon 27.2mm
Seat Binder: Specialized S-Works w/brake stop, 32.6mm
Weight: 17.59 pounds (with pedals)
