Liam Earl: Bike Setup

The Bike:

This year the Clif Bar Squad Is sponsored by Niner and our weapon of choice is the BSB9 RDO. One of the fastest bikes in the peloton the BSB9 offers full carbon thru axles front and rear along with perfect race winning geometry. Many of our riders like their bikes set up in different ways to fit their riding styles. Even though the bike is the same each one is tailored specifically for each ridder. Today I’m going to share how I set up my.

Handlebars:

Starting with the handlebars. My handlebars are similar to a traditional cyclocross set up where the hoods slightly higher than they would be on a road bike. On a road bike the hoods are low so that the rider can be aero. But in cross aerodynamics is not as important as being able to clear obstacles and dampen bumps. That is why I prefer to have raised hoods so that my hands can stay firmly on the bars. Also with Sram Hydro Brakes the hoods are much taller than normal hoods. Making them much better for tackling technical courses. Also I have added a few spacers to my cross bike from a traditional road bike fit to make it easier to go over bumps and pull the front end of the bike up.

Saddle:

The right Saddle height and position is also very important for cross racing. Saddle height on the cross bike is slightly lower than on a road bike so that the ride is more comfortable and better to dismount and remount. Also to get further back on the bike during technical descents. I have a setback Niner RDO seatpost on my BSB9 so that I am able to have the correct reach without having too long of a stem and keeping the right fit over the pedals.

Wheels and Tires:

The wheels that I run while training are a set of aluminum clinchers and while racing I run a set of Kappius Wheels with a Grifo in the front and a Limus in the back. My normal racing tire pressure is between 22 and 26psi depending on course conditions.  

Gears and Drivetrain:

My drivetrain is set up to be cross specific with a 11-36 in the rear and a 40T Sram chaining in the front. This setup is perfect for racing and training offer easy gears for climbs and hard enough gears for sprinting on the flats. Also I have a Quarq Power Meter for data when Training and Racing.