the Cyclo cross racing post

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  • FransJacques
    FransJacques Posts: 2,148
    andyp wrote:
    FransJacques wrote:
    Anyone racing the Eastern League race this Saturday near Basildon? http://www.easterncross.org.uk/race11-12-5.htm

    Anyone know what the course is like? Looks like th area is flat but i've not raced there before.

    I hear it was brutal, with lots of very steep climbs each lap.
    The climbs were hard indeed but it was a roadie's course with lots of rolling grassy trails. Not technical at all, absolutley no dismounting, which is great if you're a roadie, but it wasn't very 'Belgian' in style. 80+ riders on the Vets/Supervets/Women's etc. but only 40 in the Seniors. That's not the normal distribution but maybe the younger guys opted to watch rugby instead of ride, or people were option for Chainhurst tomorrow?

    I'm doing both b/c I need an intensive block to build my top-end fitness.
    When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.
  • Monty Dog
    Monty Dog Posts: 20,614
    Tom Butcher wrote:
    Crossers - how hard is it to ride cross with flat pedals ? Only asking as my kids are riding cross races on flats and I was thinking of getting them a set of clipless to see how they get on with them. I rode round a cross course on a MTB in the week and being a bit bumpy I'd definitely have found it easier if my feet were attached to the pedals.

    If that sounds like a reasonable idea what would you recommend. I'm purely a road rider so I'm not up to speed with off road pedal systems. I'm thinking that as they are still young (10 in a few weeks) the main things are something that is easy to clip into and more important easy to clip out of - and reasonably cheap.

    For kids it would be fine on MTBs as a clipped-in experience might put them off bike riding.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    Frans/Andy - one of my mates raced yesterday's Eastern League race, and he said it suited him down to the ground being a roadie giving cross a go. Had his best finish.

    Tom - depends how stable/confident your kids are on their bikes. My lad has just turned 10 and has been riding clipless for the past couple of months, he's yet to have his first "moment", but it'll come. He races cross using them, the courses for kids that age tend to be reasonably tame, with only a one or two places to dismount max per lap (if at all). He uses Shimano SPD, the ones with flats on one side, and with SPD mechanism on the other side. If you want to go with just flats you could try something like this http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=665 the pins sit in the grooves in your shoes making them a bit more connected. Although I'd say it smarts a bit getting one of those whacking you in the shin.

    Anyone race at Hitchin today? I started out well, was probably in top 15 but within half a lap was stranded with a load of broken course tape wrapped around virtually every moving part on the bike. Took so long to get it sorted that II ended up last by a very long way and I'd been lapped by the leader before the end of my first lap. Then had to go the rest of the race with the chain slipping (turns out I've bent a chain link).

    Quite enjoyed the course though with even with all the twists and turns. A clubmate's son has taken some cracking photos of virtually everyone taking a tumble at the sandpit. Hope there were no bad injuries.
  • APIII
    APIII Posts: 2,010
    I was at Hitchin today for my first outing this year. I started at the back due to getting there a bit late so not brilliant. Not much in the way of technical stuff, but a decent course I thought. Managed to crash twice, both in corners. I think I had too much pressure in the tyres. I seemed to be the only one enjoying the sand :D
  • DavidBelcher
    DavidBelcher Posts: 2,684
    Didn't race this weekend, need to save the cash I'd otherwise be spending on travel and race entry fees as I might be relocating to Worcester in December so need to set some money aside for house-hunting expeditions etc. It does mean I might be popping up in the West Midlands CX League instead after Christmas though, possibly in a Worcester St. Johns jersey. Watch this space....

    David
    "It is not enough merely to win; others must lose." - Gore Vidal
  • FransJacques
    FransJacques Posts: 2,148
    Anyone ride the fantastic Chainhurst course on Sunday? Like Basildon the day before it was a great roadies course, not very technical, no dismounts or taxing single-track. Was just a really fun blast through the woods.

    Some good pix courtousy of Cross Crazy http://www.cross-crazy.com/index.php?op ... &Itemid=37

    The London League's been pretty tough so far this year.
    When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.
  • VamP
    VamP Posts: 674
    FransJacques wrote:
    Anyone ride the fantastic Chainhurst course on Sunday? Like Basildon the day before it was a great roadies course, not very technical, no dismounts or taxing single-track. Was just a really fun blast through the woods.

    Some good pix courtousy of Cross Crazy http://www.cross-crazy.com/index.php?op ... &Itemid=37

    The London League's been pretty tough so far this year.


    Yep, I was there, loved it. There kinda was a dismount, until I saw someone ride it, then I rode it too :)

    I did consider not going, as I felt a bit rough in the week previous to it, but was glad I went in the end.

    Kinda on tenterhooks now for the results, to see if I placed better than Brighton.
  • xover_runner
    xover_runner Posts: 228
    andyp wrote:
    FransJacques wrote:
    Anyone racing the Eastern League race this Saturday near Basildon? http://www.easterncross.org.uk/race11-12-5.htm

    Anyone know what the course is like? Looks like th area is flat but i've not raced there before.

    I hear it was brutal, with lots of very steep climbs each lap.

    As a roadie/TT man on only my 3rd cross race ever I agree this was more suited to people like me with limited cross skills. There were no dismounts required and just one very steep hill and 2 medium steep drags the rest was ideally suited to just powering along. I loved it. Complete contrast to Baldock the week before in the searing heat, with hurdles and circus act like short steep ramps and descents etc. I died a thousand deaths there...
  • maddmatt
    maddmatt Posts: 166
    Sorry if this is slightly off topic but figured this is the best place to get a response.

    I'm thinking of racing BUCS CX race but need to borrow a bike. Champs are being held in Durham on the 13th of November and I'm at Portsmouth at the minute. Preferably in a large/extra large size and would be more than happy to compensate with a few beers for the loan. If you can help please drop me a P/M.

    Many thanks!
  • FransJacques
    FransJacques Posts: 2,148
    Fowlmead anyone? Yawn. Dunno, it's hard to get excited about a course we've done twice now in only 6 dates. PLus with the road closures and getting home at 6:30pm after leaving my house at 10:45 doesn't fill me with huge sense of accomplishment.

    Beating more and more seeded riders however, is filling me with satisfaction. Thank God next week is a week off, I need it.
    When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.
  • VamP
    VamP Posts: 674
    Ah, I didn't do Fowlmead the first time round, so for me it was great. I loved that course, suited me right down to the ground, and got my best result yet, so very happy.

    Where are you finding out who the seeded riders are - LondonX League.com is coming up empty for me :(

    I do agree that it was a long day - Deal is like... at the end of the world man :D
  • Maurice Thepity
    Maurice Thepity Posts: 75
    Did anyone ride either of the Rapha events over the weekend?
    I rode at Windermere. Fantastic atmosphere.
  • DavidBelcher
    DavidBelcher Posts: 2,684
    Raced at an unusually warm and dry (the shift away from the November slot helped) Basingstoke yesterday afternoon. A tough, fast one - got a bad start but picked off a few back markers to ensure I didn't come last (38th of 42 in the end), including the bloke who sat on my back wheel for much of the time. If he'd come round me on the close of the last lap to try and nick a place ahead of me in a sprint I wouldn't have been a happy chap, as it was I shook him off with a few hundred yards to go. Rode on knobblies but they were pumped fairly hard, so the bike handled better than expected in the dry. Certainly did a better ride than at the same event last season, seem to have improved a bit on my dismount/remount technique for hurdles.

    Also slightly annoyed with myself for momentarily blocking the line of one of the better riders about to lap me 'cause I misunderstood his instructions and panicked a bit. :(

    David
    "It is not enough merely to win; others must lose." - Gore Vidal
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    I wouldn't worry about it too much David. My ability to tell left from right is bad enough as it is, it gets even worse the more a race goes on.

    I was at Hemel. Quite a technical course, few traverses of slopes, bit of single track, easier to handle than last year when it was a bit softer (would've been carnage yesterday if it was softer though!).

    After last weeks mechanical problems I didn't get gridded this week, so was in the scrum. As a result I got held up by someone who decided to jump off and run the singletrack section on the first lap which led to a bit of a jam. It made me lose touch with anyone in front. Ended up working too hard to try and make up ground, and then suffered in the middle of the race. Finished strong though.

    Need to do more midweek training as I seem to go from race to race without doing much in between. I'll end up getting worse as the season goes on at this rate!
  • DavidBelcher
    DavidBelcher Posts: 2,684
    edited October 2011
    hammerite wrote:
    I wouldn't worry about it too much David. My ability to tell left from right is bad enough as it is, it gets even worse the more a race goes on.

    After 10 seasons of riding CX, you'd have thought I'd got the hang of that sort of stuff by now! :oops:

    David
    "It is not enough merely to win; others must lose." - Gore Vidal
  • FransJacques
    FransJacques Posts: 2,148
    VamP wrote:
    Ah, I didn't do Fowlmead the first time round, so for me it was great. I loved that course, suited me right down to the ground, and got my best result yet, so very happy.

    Where are you finding out who the seeded riders are - LondonX League.com is coming up empty for me :(

    I do agree that it was a long day - Deal is like... at the end of the world man :D
    Hey VamP what bike are you on? I'm on a white/black Giant with a flat-bar.
    When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.
  • VamP
    VamP Posts: 674
    [quote="FransJacquesHey VamP what bike are you on? I'm on a white/black Giant with a flat-bar.[/quote]

    A white Cube drop bar.

    Here's one of me at Fowlmead, celeste top.

    http://www.cross-crazy.com/index.php?option=com_jphoto&view=image&id=21154:lx295&Itemid=37
  • FransJacques
    FransJacques Posts: 2,148
    Hey cool, I saw you warming up and on the Cube and it half-twigged that you were you. Sorry I didn't have time to say hi. Needed to ride another lap before the start. I love how all pix so far this year are in brilliant sunshine! We'll pay for it from Nov-Feb for sure :-)
    When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.
  • VamP
    VamP Posts: 674
    FransJacques wrote:
    Hey cool, I saw you warming up and on the Cube and it half-twigged that you were you. Sorry I didn't have time to say hi. Needed to ride another lap before the start. I love how all pix so far this year are in brilliant sunshine! We'll pay for it from Nov-Feb for sure :-)


    No worries, we'll catch up next time. I am not going to another one of these till Brighton on 13th November, for various reasons, so might see you there.

    There's a nice vid of the whole field on the big dismount at crosscrazy.com, well worth looking up. It's taken on the first lap, so I counted how far back I was. I really need to improve my start strategy, as I must have made up some 25 places over the race against where I'm sat on lap one :(

    I'm pretty sure I could have avoided getting lapped (my first season goal :) ) if I'd had a better start.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,660
    Not racing but went to the club CX training tonight - my my it hurts when you screw up a proper Cross mount does nt it! :oops:
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    ddraver wrote:
    Not racing but went to the club CX training tonight - my my it hurts when you screw up a proper Cross mount does nt it! :oops:

    The inside of your thigh my friend (you probably won't forget that again though!).
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    This weekend's Central League race won't be in Aston Clinton as previously planned, it'll be here instead....

    Westminster Sports Centre
    Oxford Brookes University
    Harcourt Hill Campus
    Botley
    Oxford
    OX2 9A

    I raced there earlier in the year, it was ridiculously muddy in the woods section. David B had a good race pipping me on the final lap.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,660
    hammerite wrote:
    ddraver wrote:
    Not racing but went to the club CX training tonight - my my it hurts when you screw up a proper Cross mount does nt it! :oops:

    The inside of your thigh my friend (you probably won't forget that again though!).

    Yeah, I keep overjumping and landing straight on the nose of the saddle....As I'm riding an MTB I think I should just try and ride everything :oops:
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • DavidBelcher
    DavidBelcher Posts: 2,684
    hammerite wrote:
    This weekend's Central League race won't be in Aston Clinton as previously planned, it'll be here instead....

    Westminster Sports Centre
    Oxford Brookes University
    Harcourt Hill Campus
    Botley
    Oxford
    OX2 9A

    I raced there earlier in the year, it was ridiculously muddy in the woods section. David B had a good race pipping me on the final lap.

    I'll be at Reading (Prospect Park) this weekend instead - I'll be interested to hear what Harcourt Hill's like to ride under drier conditions. On the whole muddier races seem to suit me better!

    David
    "It is not enough merely to win; others must lose." - Gore Vidal
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,448
    Did anyone else ride Muddy Hell III last night? What a great evening, and huge turnout of riders and spectators.
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    andyp wrote:
    Did anyone else ride Muddy Hell III last night? What a great evening, and huge turnout of riders and spectators.

    Yup, fantastic event. Unfortunately, two visits from the p******* fairy ended my involvement in the Novice race.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • SmellTheGlove
    SmellTheGlove Posts: 697
    Just rode my first cx at Ally Pally - ageing novice, stone last.
    A road bike with iffy brakes was never destined to be a good choice of mount but what a hoot!
    Glove Junior also made her debut in the U10s. Red letter day all round really.
    "Consider the grebe..."
  • Ramsaye
    Ramsaye Posts: 10
    andyp wrote:
    Did anyone else ride Muddy Hell III last night? What a great evening, and huge turnout of riders and spectators.

    There were some great fancy dress outfits.
    For a race.
  • mroli
    mroli Posts: 3,622
    Ist timer at Ally Pally too for me. Rapha Supercross job - novice race. Well, some of the riders sure weren't novices! But the beauty about cross (it seems to me) is that it doesn't really matter. There were always riders to overtake, riders to overtake me and it was great fun. Hard work up hill. Hard work round the bends and hardest work down hill.

    I can safely say that my downhill skills suck. But loved it.
    http://www.georgesfoundation.org
    http://100hillsforgeorge.blogspot.com/
    http://www.12on12in12.blogspot.co.uk/
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    Did Central League yesterday in Oxford. Different course to January, they didn't use the wooded section at all, so it was just really around the fields. Pretty full on effort the whole way as a result.

    The bike is starting to creak with all the dust, I need some mud to lubricate it.

    Does anyone have the full results for the Ally Pally seniors race (not elites)?

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