the Cyclo cross racing post

DavidBelcher

Monty Dog wrote:

David, as you say, Surrey is a bit of a desert from a CX racing perspective - the nearest 'venue' being Hillingdon and is the reason I ride Wessex events rather than hoofing around the M25 for 2 hours for a 1 hour race. The sad thing is that there are some great CX venues on the Surrey/Hampshire borders, but being predominantly MOD land the cost would be prohibitive unless you could get the Army CU to lay on the events?

If there were events over that way (I suppose it would be the remit of the London League??) I'd be willing to give them a shot, for not much time and money I can easily pop over to, say, Woking or Guildford by rail which is preferable to longer treks to Dorset or the IoW to ride in my own league. Indeed, the comparitive ease of getting to places like Sonning Common or Hillingdon from Winchester is how I got into Central League racing.

One other possible factor, if Google Maps is anything to go by, is that large chunks of open land in Surrey seem to have been swallowed up for golfing purposes rather than off-road cycling!!

David

Monty Dog

I'm not sure whether my club is affilliated to either London or Wessex, I'll need to check. They did try a few CX races at Eelmoor about 10 years ago, which is in Hampshire and expect were organised by the Army CU. There's great potential at Hankley Common or Longmoor Camp which are both Army training area with plenty of steep, sandy banks that'll test anyones' bike handling skills. Ironically, Defence Estates are really touchy about protecting the environment and the impact of large numbers of the public affecting wildlife and plants and yet take little concern about what a bunch of squaddies tearing about in an big truck or tank does to stuff.

bigpikle

Is it time to talk training now then

Benjamin Hall

I'm putting my cross bike together over the next week or so. Did a few of the Western league summer cross races and im well and truly hooked!

Beatmaker

This will be my first season racing cross, can't wait.

trickydisco

Benjamin Hall wrote:

I'm putting my cross bike together over the next week or so. Did a few of the Western league summer cross races and im well and truly hooked!

hiya Ben! I did a few of the winter western league races last year and was buzzing after every race! i loved it (much more than road racing) then again i'm from a mountain bike background so its hardly suprising

Look forward to racing you this year

hammerite

Better get my cross bike fixed. Rear mech is still hanging off after getting the bike caught in tape blowing across the course during the last race of last season.

phy2sll2

EDIT: Wrong topic.

Benjamin Hall

My last race and silly plan for the winter.... http://ifonlyiwerebelgian.com/2012/08/02/a-few-things/

mikenetic

I'm going to have a crack at some cross races this winter. I'm based in North London, anyone got tips on a decent place to get started with it?

hammerite

mikenetic wrote:

I'm going to have a crack at some cross races this winter. I'm based in North London, anyone got tips on a decent place to get started with it?

training or racing?

If racing probably the London or Central leagues are most convenient for you.

As for training I go out on bridleways and in the woods to get back into more technical stuff, not that there are any really technical bits in most CX races, but my local woods has some fairly sharp hills that are good for running up with the bike. Actual fitness stuff I carry over my road fitness and just put in some shorter more intense sessions.

Some clubs/leagues will put on training days/evenings. Usually some training sessions at Hillingdon or Twickenham CC.

Benjamin Hall

Right, so the bike is done!



Bit more info about it here if you are boring like me and find looking at other peoples bikes interesting... http://ifonlyiwerebelgian.com/

mikenetic

hammerite wrote:

mikenetic wrote:

I'm going to have a crack at some cross races this winter. I'm based in North London, anyone got tips on a decent place to get started with it?

training or racing?

If racing probably the London or Central leagues are most convenient for you.

As for training I go out on bridleways and in the woods to get back into more technical stuff, not that there are any really technical bits in most CX races, but my local woods has some fairly sharp hills that are good for running up with the bike. Actual fitness stuff I carry over my road fitness and just put in some shorter more intense sessions.

Some clubs/leagues will put on training days/evenings. Usually some training sessions at Hillingdon or Twickenham CC.

Thanks Hammerite - it's racing I'm after, for training I can get out to bridlepath/offroad without too much hassle. I'll check out both those leagues to see what's what.

hammerite

mikenetic wrote:

Thanks Hammerite - it's racing I'm after, for training I can get out to bridlepath/offroad without too much hassle. I'll check out both those leagues to see what's what.

Central league is Hillingdon (shared race with London League) out to Oxford, then up as far as Brackley and across to Hitchin. Standard at the top end is pretty high, but then probably a fair spread after that I think mainly due to vets and ladies racing in with seniors.

I know when I've done Eastern league in the past the standard seems high overall, but then I'm only racing against seniors.

bigpikle

1st true CX training session today - 15on/15off - and I'm getting into the mood for it now

30th Sept doesnt seem that far away and I need to get my bike overhauled ASAP!

VamP

DavidBelcher wrote:

VamP wrote:

I loved my first season of CX, can't wait for September

Provisional Wessex and Central League fixture lists are already up on t'internet....already trying to arrange racing schedules so I can do at least half a dozen events in each.

David

So we're a month from the start of the season, and I am doing no training or equipment tuning. Why? Picked a bugger of a tendon injury and have been off the bike (not just not racing - but not riding at all) since April. It is currently touch and go if I am going to get any racing in at all this season, but I am going to skip the first month of the season and then see where the tendon is. Whatever happens the lack of training will mean my results will not be impressive, but it would be nice to get out and do some racing... albeit from the back of the field.

Hohum, back to open water swimming I go... at least that has improved beyond all recognition.

PuttyKnees

Bigpikle wrote:

30th Sept doesnt seem that far away and I need to get my bike overhauled ASAP!

Wow, notts and derby starts 1st Sept! Can't wait, which is just as well since it's starting in two and bit weeks.

trickydisco

So does anyone here purely race cross? A lot of people talk about not over doing it on the cross season because of the up and coming road season. Or they talk about supplementing trainnig with the odd cross race. IN any case it always seems to be cross seen as secondary (apart from belgium)

I'd love it if there were more races all year round

VamP

trickydisco wrote:

So does anyone here purely race cross? A lot of people talk about not over doing it on the cross season because of the up and coming road season. Or they talk about supplementing trainnig with the odd cross race. IN any case it always seems to be cross seen as secondary (apart from belgium)

I'd love it if there were more races all year round

No I have cross as the primary focus of my season. Road and MTB in supportive role in the ''off'' season

bigpikle

only cross and a few TTs for me - not really interested in road racing...

trickydisco

So the western league dates have been released. Who here is racing?

bigpikle

I'm a Central League guy but being close to xford will probably do the opener and the 4th Nov races up there as there arent any Central league races those weekends

Barbarossa

Licences?

What licence do I need for racing Cross in the UK? Would an Italian licence be acceptable for regional series?

Croxted Avenger

I think they may insist on a BC licence, either that or just pay to ride without a licence.

London League fixtures are up:-

http://www.londonxleague.co.uk/news/

Some new races I see - Bethlam Hospital in Beckenham - no idea what thats like. Looks like you can do back to back cross races at Herne Hill on the 22nd/23rd December if you're feeling particularly masochistic. :shock:

bigpikle

I think in the various local leagues you dont need any license at all - you usually pay an approx £3 levy per race if you dont have one. If you want to accrue points in a series you'll probably need to join the league running it and you may also need to be a member of BC.

mikenetic

Rapha Supercross entries are up, London race is the day after Muddy Hell @ Herne Hill. I will have tired legs by Monday.

bigpikle

Hoping to visit Alexander Palace to watch this year as its a handy weekend with no race for me. Cowbells at the ready!

hammerite

mikenetic, I know you asked about training..... the central league have organised a coaching day. http://centralcxl.org.uk/wpcx/?p=10

bigpikle

Bike re-built, shakedown done & first day of off road intervals today. Almost looking forward to this season now. Missing last season has helped me forget how much hurt is to come

phy2sll2

Anyone ride at Herne Hill last night?