the Cyclo cross racing post
Comments
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Honestly, the first 3 races I've done thsi season (Fowlmead, Hog Hill, Springfield) have all been run in 23-25C in full on sun. It's been full-zip short sleeve jersey unzipped 3/4 of the way down and shorty gloves.
The eastern league allows you to receive a bottle when it's > 20C. Not sure the LXL has adopted the same.
Should be 29C on Saturday - get out the file-tread tyres boys and girls!When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.0 -
FransJacques wrote:Honestly, the first 3 races I've done thsi season (Fowlmead, Hog Hill, Springfield) have all been run in 23-25C in full on sun. It's been full-zip short sleeve jersey unzipped 3/4 of the way down and shorty gloves.
The eastern league allows you to receive a bottle when it's > 20C. Not sure the LXL has adopted the same.
Should be 29C on Saturday - get out the file-tread tyres boys and girls!
At Brighton on Sunday drinks were only permitted if you were already carrying them, with no pit area hand-ups.
Should potentially be quite a few BR members about on Sunday then!
File-tread tyres?? Only have sufficient funds to permit the use of one set of Nokian knobblies for everything - no moneybags FMB or Dugast offerings here!!
David"It is not enough merely to win; others must lose." - Gore Vidal0 -
Yeah!
It's not what I've been led to expect from CX that's for sure. My bike was as clean, if not cleaner, after Brighton, than it was before.
Bring on the mud! Erm... eventually!0 -
I have Challenge Griffo clinchers on at the moment, my first foray into specialist CX tyres.
What clincher tyre do people recommend for muddy conditions? Michelin Mud 2 are more of an allround tyre now (or so I've read).0 -
hammerite wrote:I have Challenge Griffo clinchers on at the moment, my first foray into specialist CX tyres.
What clincher tyre do people recommend for muddy conditions? Michelin Mud 2 are more of an allround tyre now (or so I've read).
I was on Panaracer Cindercross 700 x 35's at Oxford in January - that was pretty gloopy and I put in a good ride there. Schwalbe CX Pro Lights also have a nice open tread that doesn't clog easily, although they're also a bit on the narrow side. I'd also consider Hutchinson Bulldogs, which have a similar tread pattern to their old Pro Cross Gold clinchers - I used the latter when I first started racing CX about 9 or 10 years ago and they weren't bad at all.
David"It is not enough merely to win; others must lose." - Gore Vidal0 -
Thanks David.
Ah yes, you overtook me on the last lap in Oxford while I was clearing mud, leaves, twigs and branches off of everything in order to get the bike moving!
I was using Smart Sams back then - I still have them on my other wheels.0 -
Hot hot hot. They stopped the race a lap early (53 mins on my clock). I was ungridden again, need to wrok on that so I started at the back and some of the riding on lap 1 was shockingly aggressive. I ran the tyers a little harder b/c of all the rocks, half exposed bricks etc on the back of the course. My gf was watching and said she saw lots of drop outs.
Did anyone, even on practise laps try cycling up the mound?When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.0 -
Raced at Risca today - Cwmcarn Paragon put on a cracking event.
My eldest raced in the U8 group - her first ever race (dad's very proud...) - while I managed to only get lapped by the leaders once, a major improvement on my last outing. Was absolutely baking in that heat, but the course had more than enough mud to make you come a cropper if you overcooked it.
Next race is Knog Muddy Hell on 22 Oct.FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
FransJacques wrote:Hot hot hot. They stopped the race a lap early (53 mins on my clock). I was ungridden again, need to wrok on that so I started at the back and some of the riding on lap 1 was shockingly aggressive. I ran the tyers a little harder b/c of all the rocks, half exposed bricks etc on the back of the course. My gf was watching and said she saw lots of drop outs.
Did anyone, even on practise laps try cycling up the mound?
Yep, it was hot. I took a bottle with me, then realised on lap three there was no way I'd actually be able to take a drink, so I ditched it.
My gf rode her first CX race (on my 25 year old Rockhopper), and did really well. Well, I wasn't able to lap her. :roll:
She also says she saw someone successfully ride up the mound - but she can't remember if it was in the race or the practice. :roll:
I got caught at the back at the start so lap 1 was a sedate stop start affair with all the bottlenecks. Managed to fall off (somersault over handlebars as my front wheel sunk into a deep rut on the left side of the sand pit) but no real damage done. I also rode at a relatively high pressures due to puncture concerns, my grip was shockingly poor in places though.0 -
Was the RH your GF riding navy blue with narrowish tyres? Did she tell you that a rider overtaking her complimented her on her technical skills? I lapped one lady right after the bowl turn (the 180 degree banked curve) which she took as fast as I did and said to her "great technical skills". I'm quite chatty during races b/c I'm having so much fun.When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.0
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Herne Hill was uncommonly hot yesterday - first time in 10 seasons of racing that I've needed to carry a bottle in a CX event!!
Goodness knows how many finishers there were (one or two traffic jams on the opening lap as a result), but apparently full results won't be up on the web until tomorrow or Wednesday once all the relevant numbers from such a big field have been crunched. Good comeback from Mick Bell to make a top-10 finish after he punctured (I was behind him at the time) and did at least half a lap with a flat rear tyre.
Didn't touch my tyres at all after Brighton and the same pressure seemed to put me in good stead. More crashes than normal yesterday, presumably due to the huge amounts of loose dirt and gravel about. Thankfully I wasn't one of them! Rode better than I expected given the summery weather, but hoping for some proper mud by the time the Basingstoke Wessex League event rolls round on the 16th.
David
P.S. My San Marco saddle with its Union flag design met with quite a few approving comments from some of the young 'uns out spectating on-course! "It is not enough merely to win; others must lose." - Gore Vidal0 -
FransJacques wrote:Was the RH your GF riding navy blue with narrowish tyres? Did she tell you that a rider overtaking her complimented her on her technical skills? I lapped one lady right after the bowl turn (the 180 degree banked curve) which she took as fast as I did and said to her "great technical skills". I'm quite chatty during races b/c I'm having so much fun.
Oh yeah, she was very proud. She really enjoyed herself, so I am sure this won't be her last forray into CX.
Edited to add: there are pics up now here http://cross-crazy.com/index.php?option=com_jphoto&view=image&id=20282:lx285&Itemid=37
This is one of me (in yellow).0 -
VamP wrote:FransJacques wrote:Was the RH your GF riding navy blue with narrowish tyres? Did she tell you that a rider overtaking her complimented her on her technical skills? I lapped one lady right after the bowl turn (the 180 degree banked curve) which she took as fast as I did and said to her "great technical skills". I'm quite chatty during races b/c I'm having so much fun.
Oh yeah, she was very proud. She really enjoyed herself, so I am sure this won't be her last forray into CX.
Edited to add: there are pics up now here http://cross-crazy.com/index.php?option=com_jphoto&view=image&id=20282:lx285&Itemid=37
This is one of me (in yellow).
Any idea who I could contact to get personal copies of photos (happy to imburse any costs as needed)? I'm in 2 pics on there and it would be nice to have my own versions for friends/family and to pop on my Facebook page.
Me attacking a slope:
http://cross-crazy.com/index.php?option ... &Itemid=37
Jersey zip open to the max and no undervest says it all about yesterday's weather! Arms slightly pink this morning as a result....
David"It is not enough merely to win; others must lose." - Gore Vidal0 -
cjcp wrote:Raced at Risca today - Cwmcarn Paragon put on a cracking event.
My eldest raced in the U8 group - her first ever race (dad's very proud...) - while I managed to only get lapped by the leaders once, a major improvement on my last outing. Was absolutely baking in that heat, but the course had more than enough mud to make you come a cropper if you overcooked it.
Next race is Knog Muddy Hell on 22 Oct.
Yup a good event - only my second ever.
Lasted 3 laps before a flying mount resulted in a broken carbon seat post - instant DNF and then turned my skills to handing out bottles for the rest of the event to team mates
That sun was hot hot hot!0 -
Dru wrote:
Yup a good event - only my second ever.
Lasted 3 laps before a flying mount resulted in a broken carbon seat post - instant DNF and then turned my skills to handing out bottles for the rest of the event to team mates
That sun was hot hot hot!
Gutted! Hope it wasn't too nasty :shock:
I cracked the undercarriage on the re-mount after the steep slope on the u-turn. It was followed by a sharp intake of breath and a few moments soft pedalling while I gathered myself together, so to speak.FCN 2-4.
"What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
"It stays down, Daddy."
"Exactly."0 -
Twas a bit warm wasn't it.
I raced at MK on Saturday. Good course, tough in places, fast in places. Will be tough all way round if they use an identical course at the Inter area champs and it gets wet.
Think I got my highest ever finish in the league. Not sure if it's because I've improved, or whether some of the fast guys weren't racing.0 -
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andyp wrote:
Ahhhhahha.... beat me to it.
63/140 overall and 17/55 Vets. Better than I had guessed, given my woeful start.0 -
VamP wrote:andyp wrote:
Ahhhhahha.... beat me to it.
63/140 overall and 17/55 Vets. Better than I had guessed, given my woeful start.
82nd overall for me and 46th Senior. Not sure if this is a good thing or not, though I did start at the back, as is often the case (on a common sense basis, to avoid making unnecessary traffic for the serious contenders). On the other hand, I did place higher than the only Hargroves representative there, which is not something us Sotonia riders can often lay claim to in 'cross.
David"It is not enough merely to win; others must lose." - Gore Vidal0 -
Further to the earlier post regarding CX clincher tyres, Michelin Muds are popular and I've had good service from Schwalbe Racing Ralphs.Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..0
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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.When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.0 -
Not sure what I'm up to this weekend. Central League at Hitchin is tempting but it's quite a way to travel. Likewise London League on the same day at Marden (train fare fractionally cheaper for that one). Decisions, decisions.....
David"It is not enough merely to win; others must lose." - Gore Vidal0 -
I'll be at Hitchin on Sunday. Hadn't planned to race Saturday but if I can find something close enough I might go along.0
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The Marden course is not very technical, lots of flat straights along the edge of fields with the odd section through woods, assuming they use the same course as previously.0
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I'll be at Marden on Sunday, the forecast of rain has now been revoked, pretty odd situation to now be hoping for rain :shock:0
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Hitchin for me on Sunday too. Started my 'cross career at Milton Keynes last week. Are they all that hilly? :shock:0
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Have no idea what to expect weather-wise. Just packed a sports bag full of everything!0
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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.0 -
Inovache wrote:Hitchin for me on Sunday too. Started my 'cross career at Milton Keynes last week. Are they all that hilly? :shock:
No not usually as hilly as that. The odd steep ramp, but not usually the 2 longer climbs like there were last week. I've heard Hitchin is all flat, we'll see though.0 -
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.
it's a hard life if you don't weaken.0
