Alan's Handsling Bikes CXD Update

I’ve now had the opportunity to properly test the performance of the CXD in a couple of proper, full-on modders – the kind of races where rear mechs are at risk of breaking, wheels can grind to a halt and bikes generally stop working properly.

And it’s been great. Better than great actually.

The pic is from the recent 2015 North of England Cyclo-cross Champs – there was plenty of that stuff around the course and at the race a couple of weeks before that too.

On that particular Sunday, the bike got heavier and heavier, as they do and there is little to ameliorate it, but it just kept running.

I had my second bike, but no washing facilities, so was on a mid point change strategy, except I ran it till 2 laps to go (around 2/3rds race time) quite happily and only changed as I fancied a lighter bike for a long carrying section.

I’ve found that the CXD does clog around the BB (all bikes do to a large degree) but crucially it doesn’t seem to end up affecting the wheels or the drivetrain - that’s when rear mechs can go, as the jockey wheels can get clogged and stop spinning.

Some bikes seem to deposit crap on the drivetrain and gears start skipping but I haven’t had this problem in the last couple of really muddy races. It just keeps on working.

The rear seatstay, though clearances are a little tight, seems to keep trouble free and mud builds up but doesn’t clog. The front end seems absolutely fine with clogging, or a lack thereof.

Suffice to say, if I had been on just the CXD I could have run it all race (55 mins in all) without significant problems in what were tough conditions. Happy days. That said, I am careful about not dragging the bike on the ground through deep muddy running sections and concentrate on finding puddles round the lap to ride through. That all helps keep the mud to reasonable levels.

Either way, I’m absolutely chuffed with both the fast dry, the technical, and now the mud performance of the frame. Spot on.

Picture courtesy of Whiteflyer Photography.