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Pro Bike Check: Cycle-Smart Adam Myerson’s geared-and-single Kind Human Kudu

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Cycle-Smart’s Adam Myerson snagged the 45+ Elite Masters Men’s win with his fully geared Kind Human Kudu, then stripped the cassette, zip tied the shifter lever to the brake lever, and put in a respectable performance in the Singlespeed category, too. It was only his fourth ever singlespeed race.

Myerson joined the Kind Human team a couple years ago and put out a Cross Camp with the launch of the Kudu. He’s still racing that bike, holding on to the cantilevers while most of his peers have moved onto disc brakes. Why? “Because I’m used to them and they’re lighter. I also run the brakes moto style, a holdover from the 80s when a lot of racers would put the rear brake on the left so they could brake while dismounting.”

Those aren’t the only things that make his bike unique…

adam myerson pro bike check with his kindhuman kudu

If you’re going to run Canti’s, might as well make them good ones. The TRP Revox Carbon are among the most popular (and lightest).

adam myerson pro bike check with his kindhuman kudu

Myerson drilled and tapped the stem because “the FSA hanger (which slots in as a headset spacer) spins, and the IRD one is too tall, which would require a -17° stem with even more spacers, so this allows me to keep a standard stem low enough without using a bunch of spacers.”

adam myerson pro bike check with his kindhuman kudu

adam myerson pro bike check with his kindhuman kudu

He just added the MRP chain guide on Tuesday because he would very occasionally drop a chain when backpedaling while cross chained. It’s only happened maybe a few times in four seasons on CX1. It’s on his single speed because that’s also his geared bike, he just zip ties the shifters and swaps in a different rear wheel with Origin8 spacers and a cog from the CX1 cassette.

adam myerson pro bike check with his kindhuman kudu

adam myerson pro bike check with his kindhuman kudu

The rear derailleur was used as the chain tensioner because that’s what they had on hand (and, you know, because this is normally his geared bike).

adam myerson pro bike check with his kindhuman kudu

Gearing for the race emphasized the slower speed sections in the woods and climbs, sacrificing top end speed on the flat sections. His plan was to run a 40/17 for the first half lap, then switch to 40/19 for the remainder.

adam myerson pro bike check with his kindhuman kudu
Myerson has been a test pilot for the prototype Vittoria cyclocross tires we spotted. He’s been racing the tires all season. For CX Nats, he ran the intermediate tread pattern on front, file tread in rear, with 23psi front and 25psi rear.

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21 Comments
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Mike
Mike
7 years ago

Sweet bike. Congrats on the 45+ win Adam!

ToryLovesFatbikes
ToryLovesFatbikes
7 years ago

Talking 80s and no mention of “Pott’s Mod” huh?

lop
lop
7 years ago

There’s no Pott’s Mod here. A Pott’s Mod goes through a top cap or steerer tube, not a hole in a stem.

Kernel Flickitov
Kernel Flickitov
7 years ago

Origin8 sighting on a PRO’s bike? Well, there’s a first for everything.

Sam
Sam
7 years ago

ex-pro

Dustytires
7 years ago

What brake pads for those conditions?

Adam Myerson
7 years ago
Reply to  Dustytires
Ol Shel
Ol Shel
7 years ago

From one kind human to another: don’t drill into your stem.

Mike Jones
Mike Jones
7 years ago

Ask Tompson about drilling your stem, it’s fine.

OB
OB
7 years ago

Changing bikes mid race for a different gear choice kinda goes against the spirit of riding a singlespeed. Pick a gear at the start, and that’s it.

Mike
Mike
7 years ago
Reply to  OB

Maybe, but I think zip-tying the shifter on your geared race bike and using your rear-derailleur as a tensioner 100% offsets it. I consider that setup 200% OG for cross. Origin 8 spacers on the wheels? C’mon, that’s cross at its finest. Bonus points if those are his old road racing wheels.

plum
7 years ago

I’m pretty OG as far as SS goes, and everything offends me, and I think a bike swap is legit.

I think running two cogs or two rings on the same bike – kick the chain, flip a wheel – would cross a line.

OB
OB
7 years ago
Reply to  plum

As an old curmudgeon myself everything offends me too. I’m not against swapping bikes, but switching gear choices mid race based on conditions I think goes against the spirit. I guess though since it is Nationals; it’s a bit more serious. Adam Craig would never do it. Just saying.

Chris Housley
Chris Housley
7 years ago
Reply to  OB

He would just take a shortcut.

Bob Loblaw
Bob Loblaw
7 years ago

The only people qualified to critique Adam’s bike are either in Europe right now, in Mo’s basement, or running a bike shop in southeastern MA. Everyone else should hit delete on their comments and think about what they’ve done.

Alan B
Alan B
7 years ago
Reply to  Bob Loblaw

(Mic drop)

CG
CG
7 years ago
Reply to  Bob Loblaw

yuppppp.

Dustytires
7 years ago

I have raced SS against guys switching bikes mid lap for gearing advantage, and I was a little indignant upon hearing about it later. But something I had to get my head around, is that it IS racing, and as long as it is a single speed I guess its OK to change the bike for gearing or even tires depending on course ‘halfs’, that I don’t have budget for 2 SS bikes for technical advantage is beside the point. Real racing is making the effort to turn the fastest laps possible, legally of course. What I have a real hard time with is the flat bar, in any CX race anywhere, save for octogenarians and children, Maybe a flat bar is legal, but it’s a f’ing Cyclocross race, not mtb circa 1984. At least this Adam raced a real CX bike regardless of a tooth here or there. what I don’t understand is how anyone could ride a BB that high? Really, every f’ing piece written on-line or in print the last couple years in American publications drones on and on about lower and lower BB heights, how it makes the bike handle SOO much better and cornering will be so much faster with massive fingers breadth drops in BB height, and then this Adam character rides a bike with a minuscule 60mm of drop!? How is that even possible? with all the snow and ice he should have been in the hospital due to bike instability. Kudo’s to him for a great week of racing.

Adam
7 years ago
Reply to  Dustytires

Hey Dusty, are you honestly asking why the bike was designed with a high BB? Or, are you waxing sardonically at the rest of the industry’s claims? Either way, I’d be happy to talk about our design choice (and why our athletes and riders love it) or, conversely, lament with you about why you “should” be riding what “we” the industry tells you to. (jokes)

OB
OB
7 years ago

A few riders in my area (Upstate NY) are on these and love them. Probably worth a look, especially if you’re looking for something unique.

dustytires
7 years ago

Hmmm, well my sarcasm must be getting weak with old age, racing age 55 in Reno 2018!
Yeah, I was bagging on the seemingly incessant stream of lower and lower just for the sake of something to spew about. My personal whip is a bit lower than the Kudu, but not industry leading ring dragger for sure. The funny thing is the amount of passes I have made when a guy in front clips a pedal trying to get on the gas out of a corner even on a flattish turn, same guys are stalled in rougher terrain waiting for the incredible speed afforded by lower BB instead of pedaling around the freakin tree and getting on with it! I miss race season already..

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