Castle Coombe

SportiveScene

Thinking of doing the 4th Cat race at Castle Coombe on Easter Friday, what's the course like? I've only raced at Hillingdon so far so was wondering how it compared? Flat, Hilly?

TommyK

Castle combe is pan flat-well almost. There is a training night- all welcome for £3 every tuesday from 1730hrs until dark, get some laps in! A few good corners and a longish straight which is usually into wind (South Westerly!) As it is a motor racing circuit it is fairly wide allowing lots of lines to try, watch for the rubber debris at the edges though.

Oh yeah, used to be an airfield until the 50's.

SportiveScene

Thanks Tommy K, I guess the races mainly stay together and end in a bunch sprint then a bit like Hillingdon

ju5t1n

Was anyone else from the forum riding today? I've never seen such a large field for a circuit race. I did the 3rd Cat only event – there were 175 of us! - reckon I came about 20th.

The field for the 4th Cat race looked even larger. A hard earned 10 points if you won either of these.

meanredspider

Here you go - have a lift around with me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGMycjLLYLA

BTW it's Castle Combe

tri-sexual

very nice driving
very clean lines
do you have a race licence?

MRadd

I was there.. I was in the 4ths.. and I really really wish I hadn't been!

It was truely stupid in some places. No communication between anyone. Very rarely did I get a responce from saying I was left of someone or on the right at the chicanes.

I ended up just getting on the front at the end and staying out of trouble! Which did mean I blew up.. But, there was no way I was risking anything for the sprint.

Think we had 125 riders? So actually less than 3rds. But from what I've heard, the 3rd cat race was like a nuclear missile about to go off!

Good crack though, and good to race at combe when it's dry!!!

meanredspider

tri-sexual wrote:

very nice driving
very clean lines
do you have a race licence?

Thank you.

Didn't back then but do now. Race at Knockhill in the Scottish Classic Sports and Saloons. If you like a bit of motorsport, check out my other videos (nearly 100 now) from my car and a load of other classics too. Great series - competitive but very clean. Kinda like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBxAALihXlk

Anyhow - way OT so I'll shut up

ju5t1n

isn't motorsport an oxymoron?

roadracedave

I was there in the 3rd Cat race, I've likewise never seen a field that big, but then again the last few Good Fridays have all been cold and wet!

I think the field may have been a bit too large, but it was a cracking race with no crashes so thats a good thing

Just a shame that there wasn't a break away, the couple of times I tried there wasn't really anyone up for making a move.

meanredspider

ju5t1n wrote:

isn't motorsport an oxymoron?

No

adukeofkent

I was there in the 4ths and did better than last year, that was my main concern. Having a lot of riders increases risks however when asked if they hadnt ridden the course before, about 80 hands went up. Thats when I realised the kind of race it was going to be.

To be fair i think there was more communication than previously stated and the chicanes became safer although there was an incident at the last. I was on/at the front for the last 2 laps which I was greatful for.

So you have a catch 22. I love seeing so many people in the sport and sense of community. The chippenham wheelers have done great things with Castle Combe. I love the track. But then you have the increased risks of accidents and general bad races when there are too many people on the track. You cant wrap everyone in cotton wool and people have to experience the bunch to learn how to ride in one.

cleeve hill reject

I was in the 3rd cat race, I've never seen that many riders together at once, grand tours aside! I think having that many made people more careful through the chicanes, I knew it was going to get a bit crowded so I was paying much more attention to those riding around me than I would in an average crit. Unfortunately it turns out Castle Combe is not a good venue for me, my hayfever is triggered by rapeseed, and guess what there's a great big field of right in the middle of the circuit?!

MRadd

adukeofkent - You weren't by anychance being shadowed by two performance cycles riders in the last couple of laps where you??

acidstrato

i do feel for anyone who got spat out the back of the 4ths on the first lap after being caught out by a crash right in front of them by 2 or 3 muppets who cant ride in a straight line

10-15quid is alot to pay for a training ride. its only 3quid on tuesdays!

Fredster42

Castle Coombe was my first race for over three years. I was in with the 4 cats and have to say I really enjoyed it. It didnt seem that bad considering the number of riders I dont think I saw any crashes from where I was.

Theres been a lot of debate over the safety of 4 cat races recently so I was a bit apprehensive as I did see a couple of nasty crashes last time I was racing but on the whole everybody seemed to ride safely.

For me it just seems like common sense riding in a big bunch, dont cut people up, dont slam the anchors and generally just be aware of whats going on.

Me I was in a great position but then someone cut me at the last chicane meaning a quick armstrong style trip over the grass leaving me about 20 places down.

Nevermind I guess you learn from it , I think I'm going to get the bug back again

roadracedave

acidstrato wrote:

10-15quid is alot to pay for a training ride. its only 3quid on tuesdays!

You can't get points on a Tuesday night, and the pace tends to be harder in races, providing your not one of the people who sits in the middle for 13 of the 14 laps!

Does anyone know of any photographers that were there, there seemed to be quite a lot of people with camera's dotted around the circuit.

adukeofkent

In response to your query , yes I was donig turns with 2 guys from performance I ended up doing work on the final 2 laps which is always on the list of 'dont do this at any cost'. At 1 point I was doing 28 mph and the guy says ' yeah this is a good pace' i shouted 'a good pace for you!' Im a big guy and need to do less unplanned leading out! 6th with 200m to go. 30th over the line. lives and learns dont cha!

acidstrato

roadracedave wrote:

acidstrato wrote:

10-15quid is alot to pay for a training ride. its only 3quid on tuesdays!

You can't get points on a Tuesday night, and the pace tends to be harder in races, providing your not one of the people who sits in the middle for 13 of the 14 laps!

Does anyone know of any photographers that were there, there seemed to be quite a lot of people with camera's dotted around the circuit.

thanks for that... think you kinda missed my point though...people who got caught behind the crash on the first lap had little or no chance of sprinting back on to the tail of the bunch. therefore they spend 10-15quid for 1 lap racing and 11laps training ride just because a couple of muppets couldnt ride in a bunch...

points...100+ riders ( half of which never raced at combe and 1/4 of who have never raced previously) fighting for 10places...recipe for disaster

more than a couple riders ended up doing some cycle x. far too many people who had never raced at combe before for my liking

MRadd

Adukeofkent - That was me! I was blowing up.. so it was nice to get someone else on the front. I did blow on the bell, meaning my guy had to do it all on his own. We got 4th though, which is good considering its my 8th outing in a race and his 2nd... ;o)

Stu Coops

I rode the 3rd Cat race and to be honest it wasn't actually that bad and everyone did stay upright except one I think went down on the chicane although I didn't see it so it must have been behind me, there were 175 riders at the start line which personally I dont like but the Combe always has a huge turnout on the Good Friday meet.

A few of our club members were chatting after signing on and personally I though it would have been a good idea to run two races for the 3's seeing as they booked it for the full day which would have made it more like the Thursday night Crits of around 80-90 strong.
Just my opinion also makes it a lot more competitive and a lot less worrying about writing off your top end race bike which happened in the 4's race twice I was told, one wheel bent in half which I saw as the guy almost in tears passed me while I was getting changed and another had a snapped Head Tube "not good"