I just completed 428 mile/6 day ride on the Natchez Trace on my Cruzbike S40. It was a “credit card cruise”, staying in hotels rather than camping. This put me over 1000 miles on my bike and greatly added to my confidence on the bike. My biggest surprise was that the Ventisit cushion was so much more comfortable than the more padded stock cushion. It will come as no surprise to experienced Cruzers but at the end of each 70 or so mile day, nothing was sore. I was tired for sure but no neck pain, wrist pain, etc. Thanks to everyone at Cruzbike and on this forum for all of the info and tips!
Natchez to Nashville on the Natchez Trace
- Thread starter Doccus
- Start date
Greg S
Guru
Well done! I did the Natchez Trace 1500k a number of years ago on a DF and "if I knew then what I know now...".
The Trace is right in the Cruzbike's wheelhouse, especially the Southern part where it's flatter. There are some challenging climbs as you get closer to Nashville.
Which direction did you do it in?
The Trace is right in the Cruzbike's wheelhouse, especially the Southern part where it's flatter. There are some challenging climbs as you get closer to Nashville.
Which direction did you do it in?
I went from Natchez. Mileage is about 20 miles short due to a detour that I did not ride. I had done it from Nashville a couple of years ago on DF.. This time, one hill on the way to a look-out forced me to walk up the last 1/4 mile. On the other hand the almost 40mph downhills restored my soul! Ha.
I have read your old posts about tires. I want your thoughts……I am on the stock Maxxis Refuse tires. I have a pair of Continental GP 5000’s 32 mm. How much difference in speed do you think I would notice? Risk of flats? (To the credit of the stock tires and tubes, I checked pressure each morning and never added air. Also (I have been saving up to pick your brain) do you see any problem with cutting off about 1 1/2“ off each end of the handlebars? I never use the last two inches.
I don’t expect noticeable improvement but just looks stuck out there.
Thanks.
Greg S
Guru
I generally use either Conti GP5000 or Vittoria Corsa N.Ext, both in 30mm tubeless. I expect you'd gain some speed due to the lower rolling resistance of both and it'd be noticeable over the course of a day(s) long ride. According to bicyclerollingresistance.com the Maxxis has a rolling resistance of 27.4, the Conti has a rolling resistance of 10. That's a pretty significant difference.
(knocks on wood) I've not had a flat in more than 4 years. OK, one exception - I hit a very sharp something on the sidewall and it put a 1.5" gash in it. I expect any tire would have done likewise, it was slit as cleanly as if it had been done with a razor. In the past few years I have had a few small punctures that the sealant took care of.
I'll add the caveat that I don't try to squeeze every last mile out of my tires. There's almost always some longer ride that I don't want to start on worn rubber so I replace them. The S40 e.g., has about 1600 miles on its tires (Vittorias in this case) and I'll replace them after a couple of shorter local rides since there is a longer ride coming up that I'll want to ride the S40 on.
chicorider
Zen MBB Master
Tires will have a lot of say about how a bike rides. The Maxxis are a smart choice for CB, sending their bikes out to a variety of riders. The Refuse will hit a happy middle spot between durability and speed, leaning more toward durability, meaning heavier but reliable. It's a safe choice for CB. Most tire companies, including Maxxis, offer a full range of road tires, from beefy touring tires to full-on racers. People tend to gravitate toward a preference based on their experience. I've always had good results with Schwalbe Pro Ones on my V20 (now V20c), while others have found them to be a little more prone to punctures (the next model down is the Schwalbe One--less expensive, a little more durable, a bit heavier. Most brands have that second-from-the-top-end model that suits many riders' needs and wallets). For me, I've had very few flats with the Pro Ones over the years, and I like the way they ride, so I stick with them. Tire width is a real consideration. I ran 25mm Pro Ones on my V20 for years, but when I built up my V20c, I moved up to slightly wider rims and 30mm Pro Ones. Wow, what a difference in ride quality--smoother and more planted, with no loss in speed. I recently moved up to 32mm Pro Ones, and they feel just that little bit better than the 30s. I don't think I'll go any higher than 32mm, but I'm glad I experimented with tire width. I think there is such a thing as too wide on a performance-oriented road bike, but finding that sweet spot is worth doing. When I owned a S40, I built it up with smaller 650b wheels and ran 50mm Panaracer slicks. Man, did that bike float, which was great for commuting and cruising around. I had my V for the fast stuff, so I was fine running fat rubber on the S40. But if the S was my only bike, I would have gone a different route for wheels and tires, which is to say that a lot of it comes down to what you want to do with the bike. The V is designed to go fast, so a fast tire makes sense. The S, however, is a true chameleon, ready to do what the rider wants, depending partly on the build.
You should have no trouble cutting down the stock bars with a hacksaw and a file to take off any burrs. Just be certain that you won't eventually miss what you remove. I'm a smaller rider, so I will often cut bars down to my size. When I determine how much I want to take off, I will usually cut off a little less than that. For example, if I wanted to take off 1.5 inches on each side, I will take off 1 inch, maybe 1.25 inches to start. I'll see how that looks and feels. I often end up stopping there. If I think it's still too long, I can always cut again to go the rest of the way.
Happy tinkering.
Greg S
Guru
I'll echo what @chicorider has already said: no issue at all with cutting off excess handlebar that you don't use. The maxim "measure twice, cut once" applies. You can always cut off more but it's kind of tough to add back once done ;-)
I've used the Park Tool saw guide to cut handlebars mostly because I've got the tool and the cut is perfectly straight. You could do an equally good job with a couple of hose clamps (BTDT).
And as suggested above, take a bit of sandpaper and deburr the ends after cutting.
Mathew Fy
GRU
Thanks to you and Chicorider for the advice. I bought a tubing cutter from HarborFreight for $8. After checking fit several more times, measuring several times and giving myself some slack, I cut 1.5” off each end and rewrapped. Toughest part was getting end-plug out.
The aluminum was surprisingly soft. I’m not really expecting any gains but I enjoy working on the S40… just small tweaks.
Thanks again.
