Norwich Crits

BMX Bear

Anyone riding the Crits series at Norwich Airport Park & Ride. Took my lad to the Go-Ride session yesterday and stayed to watch the rest of the racing. It was fast and looked hard work but I fancy a go at the Go Race event.

Anyone else doing it?

They're on for 5 more weeks.

http://www.lotuscycleracing.org/CritsProg.html[/url]

hopper1

I did a few of the Lotus Series... may well do some of these, depending on other commitments.

BMX Bear

They looked great fun and hard work. I'm up for the Go-Race event this weekend.

markos1963

I was there BMX leading the Go Race for about 6/7 laps at the start(did too much work there!) and finished 6th in the end. It was great as I love hard cornering and it suited my style just right. Can't ride this week as I'm working but will do some of the others.

sunburntknees

Do you need to pre-enter for these or will I get in EOL?

markos1963

sunburntknees wrote:

Do you need to pre-enter for these or will I get in EOL?

Going by last sundays entry you should be fine on the day

BMX Bear

Should think entry on the line will be OK.

Last week wasn't full.

BMX Bear

Markos - good effort mate, looked looked like hard work!

Hopefully the weather will stay dry for tomorrow.

markos1963

UPDATE it was a fifth!

danowat

I was going to turn up tomorrow, but I've just remembered I am "cheif driver and wallet opener" for a trip to thorpe park tomorrow

markos1963

I'll be there next week Danowat. If you go come and chat before you clear off and leave me for dead

danowat

Hardly!!!, if I don't come last I'll be happy 8)

BMX Bear

Had a great race today, managed a 3rd in the Go-Race, not my style of event, I prefer something where I can keep the momentum I've worked for! Great fun though and pretty quick straght from the start.

I'm not there next week but I'll be back for the last two rounds.

markos1963

Excellent result BMX.
Were there many there today?
Last week it was slow on the first two/three laps and too many beginners getting in the way, once we got on the front and pushed it up it was much more competitive.

danowat

I am going to make an apperance at this weekends one 8)

Pross

markos1963 wrote:

Excellent result BMX.
Were there many there today?
Last week it was slow on the first two/three laps and too many beginners getting in the way, once we got on the front and pushed it up it was much more competitive.

Isn't that who the Go Race class is intended for though

markos1963

Pross wrote:

markos1963 wrote:

Excellent result BMX.
Were there many there today?
Last week it was slow on the first two/three laps and too many beginners getting in the way, once we got on the front and pushed it up it was much more competitive.

Isn't that who the Go Race class is intended for though

True Pross, what I should have said was the less confident riders who were getting in the way and taking poor lines through the tight corners. And i'm not belittling them by saying that as once things got sorted out they(the beginners) were very good at keeping clear once lapped. The organisers were going to pull lapped riders out if they caused problems but that wasn't needed so good for them.

Pross

I was probably the most experienced racer in my Go Race recently but was by far the least fit and slowest. :oops: Didn't cause any problems any of the times I got lapped though

markos1963

Pross wrote:

I was probably the most experienced racer in my Go Race recently but was by far the least fit and slowest. :oops: Didn't cause any problems any of the times I got lapped though

Isn't that the way though, I raced crits 30 yrs ago and I was asked for advice by the eventual winner! Keep my mouth shut next time at sit on his tail

BMX Bear

markos1963 wrote:

Excellent result BMX.
Were there many there today?
Last week it was slow on the first two/three laps and too many beginners getting in the way, once we got on the front and pushed it up it was much more competitive.

Pretty quick straight from the flag. There was one very quick youth rider and a very quick ex racer who managed to lap everyone. We hammered the pace out for a good few laps from the off then this young lad just rode off the front, the only rider who could bridge the gap was the ex racer but even he couldn't hang onto the youngster for the whole race.

Some very interesting lines in the corners! Mind you no worse than I've seen in my motorbike racing days!!

markos1963

BMX Bear wrote:

markos1963 wrote:

Excellent result BMX.
Were there many there today?
Last week it was slow on the first two/three laps and too many beginners getting in the way, once we got on the front and pushed it up it was much more competitive.

Pretty quick straight from the flag. There was one very quick youth rider and a very quick ex racer who managed to lap everyone. We hammered the pace out for a good few laps from the off then this young lad just rode off the front, the only rider who could bridge the gap was the ex racer but even he couldn't hang onto the youngster for the whole race.

Some very interesting lines in the corners! Mind you no worse than I've seen in my motorbike racing days!!

Hmmm i wonder? There was a similar situation at Lotus a few weeks back, 40+ ex racer goes off with a youth and said youth wins race. Turns out to be father and son combo and he's an ex cat2!

PoCk3tRoCk3t

Do most people rock up on all-carbon monsters in these races? I wouldn't mind trying at least once, just to gauge how far off I am fitness-wise.

TrueBlueFan

Do most people rock up on all-carbon monsters in these races? I wouldn't mind trying at least once, just to gauge how far off I am fitness-wise.

No there is a whole mix of bikes from alu Allez's right up to Cervelo Soloist's. The Go-race is a good way of gauging how you are.

Pross

The Go Race I did had a guy riding an old steel or aluminium frame, toe clips on the pedals and trainers on his feet. It was good to see especially as he finished about halfway up the field. The next race (2/3/4) had a guy turn up in full Cervelo replica kit on a Cervelo S3 who got dropped on the first corner - goes to show the importance of the bike!

markos1963

Pross wrote:

The Go Race I did had a guy riding an old steel or aluminium frame, toe clips on the pedals and trainers on his feet. It was good to see especially as he finished about halfway up the field. The next race (2/3/4) had a guy turn up in full Cervelo replica kit on a Cervelo S3 who got dropped on the first corner - goes to show the importance of the bike!

Blimey! it was the same at our first race, a guy shows up on a S3 wearing a loose t shirt, I though he was just wearing it for warm up but he goes into the main race with it on. After 3 laps he's struggling and gets dropped another 3 laps and he's lapped and a few laps on he drops it and smashes up some very expensive looking SRAM Red levers.

Winner of Go Race? Spech Allez, nuff said

danowat

Just a quick Q, do I need to remove my TT bars for tomorrows event?

markos1963

danowat wrote:

Just a quick Q, do I need to remove my TT bars for tomorrows event?

Definatly, won't be allowed anywhere near a mass start event with them

danowat

Cheers, I'll remove them, its just that I've seen TT bars on mass start sportives before, didn't know what the regs for a crit would be.

markos1963

Sportives aren't races so its up to the invididuals and organisers to decide. Myself I wouldn't have clip ons in any group ride, sportive or club etc, as it's a risk to the group if you can't get to the brakes quickly. Even if it was allowed in a crit you're going to need to make your bike as fast and quick handling as possible so it would add weight in exactly the wrong place on the bike.

Will be there tomorrow, hope to see you there

danowat

So, the beginners race starts at 1330, how much time is need prior to this for sign ups, i.e. what time should I am to get there?, is half hour enough?

markos1963

danowat wrote:

So, the beginners race starts at 1330, how much time is need prior to this for sign ups, i.e. what time should I am to get there?, is half hour enough?

I would get there about an hour earlier. That gives you time to book on, prepare your kit and bike and do a decent warm up. I rode 20 laps for my warm up to get a really good feel for the course and what lines i wanted to take through the tight bends