----- Original Message -----
From: <wspokes@penn.com>
> Who on the list has a classic cyclocross bicycle? I love cyclocross and I
am hoping it fits into the realm of the classic list here based on the close
relationship with road biking (off season roadies). what types of classic
cyclocross bicycles were popular or frequently found in the states? Were the
cyclocross bikes of olden days equipped much like the road bikes? They must
have been very close to road machines. Did they use calipers? Cantilevers
came about later did they not? Just curious about the cross bikes of old.
reply offlist if this isn't close enough to classic bike content.
>
> Walt Skrzypek
In the 70s and early 80s we had an active 'cross community in Dayton, Ohio. Bike of choice was often a British cross frame, or Alan Cross Super or Raleigh Team Cross 753 with Campy cross crankset (single ring and double guards), NR rear der, Shimano cantis, Dia-Compe Aero brake levers, Suntour barend shifter, NR sf 32h hubset, Suntour Ultra7 fw, Araya Aero rims (they were cheap back then) and Clement/Wolber/Vittoria tubulars. Lyotard touring pedals with the teeth filed sharp. Cinelli plastic saddles.
I remember a few old Paramount touring bikes with canti bosses brazed-on. Shorter, Roberts, Fattic, Serotta, Davidson, Colnago, Falcon, and the occasional Bianchi touring converted to cross use. One guy converted an early 60s Paramount track bike... not much clearance for mud, though (well... none, actually)!
Races were muddier, grittier, wetter back then, through the forest at Wright State University. Usually bike parts were take-offs from our road bikes, too worn to use for road racing anymore. Old bent bars, flat-spotted rims, well-used chainrings. We built-up mish-mash combination NR/SR derailleurs from old bent salvaged wrecks. Suntour sealed pulleys were best... red Bullseye aluminums just eroded away to little toothless circles's after a couple of races. The bikes took a beating in the mud, so you didn't use good parts except at District Championships and Nationals.
I remember racing in the rain and thick mud, wearing a long-sleeve wool jersey, no helmet, two pairs of lycra shorts, Rivat nylon cross shoes with heal spikes, riding through a flooded creek two feet deep and cascading over the rocks.
I once nearly crashed into a big grey coyote, which then disappeared into the mist like a ghost.
On weeknights I could tell who'd been practicing the course that day by reading the tread patterns left in the mud.