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I went out for my first run with some local CXers the other night and had a great time. I was on my steel Inbred HT with 1x9 gearing, reba fork and smorgasboard tyres from and rear, with everyone else on various CX and Gravel bikes.
I got on better than I expected. It was a mixed ability group which helped, and as expected I got distanced on road and paved sections, but came back into my own on the off-road sections. I am already happily n+1, so acquiring a CX is not an option and do not feel I really need one. I wonder what changes I could apply to make my Inbred more CX friendlier?
Obvious thoughts are some fast rolling and skinnier tyres than the Smorgasboards, but it is only going to get wetter and muddier. Suck it up and stick with the smorgs or would a rocket ron or nobby nic be good choices?
The reba is pretty heavy but swapping for a rigid fork (On one cromo, Kona P2), be a worthwhile change? Any more benefit than new tyres?
I rode my flats and felt I had enough power. I have an old pair of spd's I could try out, but would need to look at getting new shoes further into the winter whereas my current shoes are warm and keep the worst elements out.
Your thoughts or experiences are welcome.
fast rolling and skinnier tyres than the Smorgasboards, but it is only going to get wetter and muddier
I'd say this is the most significant thing you can do - will help on the road but slow you down on off road - basically making you more like them.
I doubt forks would make much difference, pedals I dunno, I've never pushed myself when running flats and use spds nearly all the time.
I'm not sure there's much difference to be had from pedals, from my very unscientific tests. It does help but it's very marginal if you can already pedal smoothly on flats.
I have a rigid 29er. I put Rebas on it, and it was predictably much quicker on off road descents, however it was not as good on road. I'm not sure if it was slower or not, but it felt a lot less positive because whilst I could nearly lock the fork out, it wasn't actually locked. So if I got out of the saddle and heaved on the bars the front still bobbed. I'd grown to really enjoy and respond to the sensation of a completely solid platform, so I put the rigid forks back on. And this is an MTB I use on rocky stuff.
So rigid forks might well help. But my suggestion would be to see if you can fit drops. It might need a tall stem, and maybe some funky type bars rather than plain drops, but it's worth a try. Post a pic of the bike and maybe you riding on it, so we can see if drops are likely to fit 🙂
And I just saw you were using flats. Don't - put on SPDs. IMO for spinning as you do on road, you should be much quicker - that's assuming you have good technique for SPDs of course. If you just mash the pedals it won't make much difference! There's a reason roadies use solid soles and really firm pedals instead of 5.10s
Drops are unlikely to make much difference to speed unless you are struggling to be aero, when they will make that more comfortable. High cost also, as you'll need new levers and shifter.
get some XC race tyres. don't fit CX tyres ime. My XC hardtail is horrible on Cx tyres - no better on road and worse off road.
Forks will feel better but not a lot of difference.
Flats are ok assuming your decent at pedaling them
Did you have enough gearing? My 1x9 HT runs out of gears quickly on tarmac.
I CXed my Superfly, and probably over-did it, out of boredom if nothing else.
I already had a nice 25.4mm stem, so bought some nice triple butted 25.4mm flat bars and chopped them down to approx 560mm. Just for the look of the thing if nothing else.
Bought proper CX tyres and latex tubes. Am actually racing on it so wanted minimal weight and best performance in mud.
Went 1x and have since fitted an oval ring, mostly out of curiosity but also because a few folk have suggested they help with traction.
Have also since fitted some Nitto commuter bars, basically a flared drop bar with virtually no drop so it works (ish) with an MTB frame. Still required a 35degree stem so looks hideous, and probably no performance benefit, but I was bored so wanted to try it.
Depends what you want from the experience I guess, fitting some CX tyres and maybe lowering/lengthening the front end will give you a little taste of going fast off-road on a slightly impractical bike 😉
Thanks for the input and suggestions so far. A change of tyres seems to be the quickest and smartest move first. I have heard different reports on CX specific tires so thinking rocket rons, racing ralphs or even nobby nics for some grip in the wet.
I ride clipped in the road so have no qualms about riding spd's off road. I do find my sombrios very grippy however. Not full on Five:10 grip, but still have to lift your foot to shift the position.
I am sure more gears would help too, but if I was looking to replacing a groupset I think I would just get a CX bike in the future. Just looking to make some reasonable easy changes to stay in check.
I've just grovelled-up my 26" Cotic Soda.
Rigid forks, rebuilt the wheels with 27.5" rims and 47mm GravelKing SKs, flat bars, and then fitted some bar ends inboard of the grips to give me a more tucked in "on the hoods" position.
Did the Brutal Tootle on it last weekend with a mate on a Genesis CDF with 700C wheels and the same, but skinnier tyres.
On gentle tarmac descents, interestingly, we freewheeled along about the same rate. I was WAAY faster descending offroad as I could still ride it (sort of) like a  MTB, otherwise very little in it.
I reckon my old scandium FS Heihei will take 700x35c wheels at least. However I think it's too long to fit drops. Might be fun trying though. Wish I hadn't sold the forks now.
If the ride is aimed at CX bikes then some skinny tyres will help surely? Our club (RDFCC) gravel easy MTB rides mix easy single track, fire roads and bits of blue/red routes. CX bikes work best, especially as the pace ramps up at the end and we get 2 abreast chain gangs heading for the pub. The MTBers are working harder. Rigid carbon forks and skinny tyres work and maybe up the gearing.
I can bung 700c wheels with CX tyres into my 26" wheeled MTB. Adding a spare 700c carbon fork helps in one way but the handing is a touch stable.