Advice following my cyclocross race please.

Teach

I've just taken part in my 2nd cyclocross race. It was at Ilkley. I thought it was great fun even though I was probably last. However I believe there were 12 who did not finish due to mechanicals, so I didn't come last.
My questions
1) I have practiced jumping on and off my bike and I wasn't bad. However when it came to the race I found that when I wanted to put my left foot back on the pedal and swing my leg over that the pedal was usually at the bottom of the stroke. Is this normal or can I somehow leave it at the front so that I get a bit of additional momentum as I climb over. I certainly have not perfected the art of flinging myself completely over the bike.
2) Through wooded areas (and I know I'm not the fastest). My pedals occasionally kept catching tree stumps etc . Is this normal or I am just so slow that my pedals catch everything whilst the leaders can keep their pedals level and glide over these areas?
3) There were a lot of mechanical failures. It was a muddyish course with icy sections. I don't remember seeing lots of twigs.
Why do rear mechs fail. Is it due to poor maintenance?
If they fail, can they be bent back or is that it game over?
4) My final question and this is more technical. When I brake my front brakes really vibrate (this is a cyclocross bike). On a few of the down hills sections I noticed the forks moving forwards and backwards. (Almost vibrating). Is this something wrong with my set up? If so what can I do?

Jim C

1 practice jumping back on the bike - inner thigh on the seat. Then find the pedals - doesnt matter where the pedals are then - and helps maintain momentum. Ideally find someone to show you - in a club?

2 you shouldnt be catching pedals on the ground - anticipate the terrain, catching pedals couyld cause you to come off
3rear mechs/ drive trains pick up mud/ twigs/ rubbish - or catch the spokes inthe rear wheel due to getting knocked in crashes, etc
Poor maintenance/ adjustment could be an issue - make sure your rear mech is properly adjusted
in the Notts and Derby league - the best riders still snap mechs - they're not hanging around for anyone - and if the drive train momentarily locks - the mech and/ or hanger go
its not entirely curtains - replaceable mech hangers are freely available - 10 to 20 quid. rear mechs - try to keep it cheap - ie - older stuff. ~Rear wheels - starting to get expensive now. And if its a non replacable hanger - that could be v expensive.......
4. worth checing your pads are 'toed in' correctly. Bike shops might not be too clued up on this. Someone in a club might be your best friend..... there can be issues if the front brake hanger is stem mounted - as opposed to on the fork crown - but start withthe toe in

Compost

Well done! Fun, wasn't it!

It was my first cross race too and I was amazed at the number of mechanicals, including the winner, who used 3 bikes!

Lots of the problems seemed to be caused by the swamp at the bottom of the field section. People who tried to ride it got mud up to their axles and the mechs caught in it.

I struggled to get back on quickly too. I regularly overtook people on the descent and the switchbacks, only to give the places back as I was faffing with getting started again after the swamp. The most important thing seemed to be keeping momentum going as you're getting back on - you can't balance long enough to find the pedals if you're stationary but if the bike is moving, it's way easier.

bonkstrong

Teach wrote:

I thought it was great fun even though I was probably last. However I believe there were 12 who did not finish due to mechanicals, so I didn't come last.

Even out of the finishers you didn't come last, I can almost guarantee it. There was an overweight guy on a single-speed On-One Pompino with commuter bars, dodgy orange BMX brakes and ill-fitting lycra... I think it's a safe bet to say that he came last!!

MikeWW

The fork judder is fairly common with cross bikes.
Make sure breaks are set up correctly and that rims aren't too warm.
Also check to see if you have a hole through the crown of the forks. If you do you can buy a cable hanger to bolt though and this will almost certainly eliminate the problem (basically as the forks flex the tension in the long section of brake cable changes causing the brakes to go on and this increases the fork flex etc etc The lower cable hanger dials this out)
I tend to dismount on the left and as I run through with my right foot (it passes between the bike and my left foot) it leaves the pedal on the right in a 2 o'clock position which is perfect for remounting. Still not great at it though

DavidBelcher

Jim C wrote:

3rear mechs/ drive trains pick up mud/ twigs/ rubbish - or catch the spokes inthe rear wheel due to getting knocked in crashes, etc
Poor maintenance/ adjustment could be an issue - make sure your rear mech is properly adjusted
in the Notts and Derby league - the best riders still snap mechs - they're not hanging around for anyone - and if the drive train momentarily locks - the mech and/ or hanger go
its not entirely curtains - replaceable mech hangers are freely available - 10 to 20 quid. rear mechs - try to keep it cheap - ie - older stuff. ~Rear wheels - starting to get expensive now. And if its a non replacable hanger - that could be v expensive.......

The rear mech thing is a bit of a pet subject of mine. Evidence as both competitor and spectator suggests modern 10 & 11 speed mechs from road groups don't seem to cope so well with CX. My bike still uses a 16 speed (8sp. 13-26 at the back, 36/46 up front) transmission and older derailleurs for 8 speeds or less seem to cope better with mud, dead leaves etc. due to marginally better clearance; eBay and sites like Retrobike might be worth investigating. Having said that I did trash an 8sp. Mavic 840 last season due to its Ergal mounting bolt being an Achilles heel; its Sachs Quarz replacement uses a steel bolt to attach it to the frame and is still going strong. I also ride a steel frame, and although the dropout got a tiny bit bent in the above incident, it was easily re-aligned. As well as rear mechs, I've also witnessed a few failures with modern uber-narrow chains for similar reasons.

David

Teach

BONKSTRONG wrote:

Even out of the finishers you didn't come last, I can almost guarantee it. There was an overweight guy on a single-speed On-One Pompino with commuter bars, dodgy orange BMX brakes and ill-fitting lycra... I think it's a safe bet to say that he came last!!

I saw him and I suspect he did beat me. Not a problem, I was the one being polite and letting everyone past. I had a great time, but every time someone came near I stopped, as I knew I wouldn't win and did not want to be known as the person who got in the way and affected the results. Having spoken to the guy who won, next time I will just cycle and not worry about them. As he said it's a race and it's their job to get round me and not for me to move out of their way.

Teach

MikeWW wrote:

The fork judder is fairly common with cross bikes.
Make sure breaks are set up correctly and that rims aren't too warm.
Also check to see if you have a hole through the crown of the forks. If you do you can buy a cable hanger to bolt though and this will almost certainly eliminate the problem (basically as the forks flex the tension in the long section of brake cable changes causing the brakes to go on and this increases the fork flex etc etc The lower cable hanger dials this out)
I tend to dismount on the left and as I run through with my right foot (it passes between the bike and my left foot) it leaves the pedal on the right in a 2 o'clock position which is perfect for remounting. Still not great at it though

I do have a hole in the crown of the forks and think the cable hanger bolt could be the way forward.
I too dismount on the left (just not quite like the pros). I think I actually put my foot down behind the pedal (I think I see the problem) which means a) no wonder it feels like I'm about to fall, b) it's a miracle I do get my foot out and not fall c)my pedal is at 6 o'clock as I need to put my weight on there to release my foot.

bonkstrong

http://www.ilkleycyclingclub.org.uk/ind ... ss-results

I had a fantastic time too, letting people past was a great excuse for a rest for me; pushing such a big gear was hjard work in that mud! Although i finished last the main thing for me is that i managed to get the tank to the finish line. A big thanks to Ilkley CC for a great day out, I would gladly take part in anything they do in the future, superb event!!

Teach

Likewise I had a great time and well done to Ilkley CC for doing so well on their first event. I heard some of the faster cyclist wishing they had a longer track, but I don't see it matters that much as you still cycle for an hour.
Bonkstrong I did see you at the end. You had just finished and we were discussing the size of your rear sprocket. I had a cyclocross bike, I just need the leg muscles to operate it! Bring on the summer season I'm starting to do some training now:-)

petemadoc

Welcome to the dirty world of cyclocross. I'm no expert but I have learnt the following answers to your questions which may help.

1.) jumping on and off is just bloody hard! I've got the jumping off bit sorted and quite smooth but getting back on and keeping momentum is much trickier. I have my seat set a bit lower than on the road bike to make things easier. When you watch the fast guys you wonder how they don't smash their balls as they bounce back on :shock:

2.) You need to be looking out for tree roots, stumps and rocks. This is a skill I think I already had from mountain biking. If there's a big tree stump or drop keep your pedals level or just out of the way.

3.) mechanicals seem to be a big problem in cross races. Branches or mud destroying mechs seems pretty common among other things. Just try to stay out of trouble, if that's possible.

4.) front fork judder and screetching is a pain in the bum. The brake hanger things that hang from under the stem are terrible. As already mentioned you need one of these

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php ... 2b17s101p0

99% sure this will completely eliminate all brake noise. However you mentioned that you could actually see your fork moving!!! This sounds odd and might need looking at, maybe your headset isn't on properly and I would definitely check this out!

if you can stop worrying about mechanicals and brake noise etc then you can have lots more fun! Cyclocross is hard but the satisfaction at the end is brilliant! One tip would be to get a good low gear on your bike. I've got a 34 ring front and 28 on the back. This means you can spin a bit more and get some power down without using all your energy.

Enjoy

bonkstrong

Ahh Teach, I know who you are now!! I thought the course was a nice length but a bit too twisty in places and I couldn't keep any momentum going so it was a hard slog through the corner of the field. I thought the two young girls were great on the side of the road, every time I went by they were yelling at the top of their voices with words of encouragement!

I'm looking forward to doing more of the same next year, but like you say the summer season is on it's way so I'm in training mode too - I just wish I hadn't eaten so much at Christmas!

Supernaut

PeteMadoc wrote:

1.) jumping on and off is just bloody hard! I've got the jumping off bit sorted and quite smooth but getting back on and keeping momentum is much trickier. I have my seat set a bit lower than on the road bike to make things easier. When you watch the fast guys you wonder how they don't smash their balls as they bounce back on :shock:

Watch them more closely and you'll see that they don't land square on at all, as Jim says above it's more of a glide down the inner thigh. It takes some practising to do it properly but it's not that difficult. Once you've got it it becomes second nature.

Monty Dog

Your stoic perseverence will serve you well in CX and the fact you don't take it too seriously and enjoy it for what it is. Don't worry about the guys behind, you're an 'obstacle' on the course that needs to be navigated like a tree or dismount - except you're moving! Getting in front of a back- marker can be useful in a race when approaching a technical section and is a useful tactic if trying to break away from chasers - its the guys behind that might disagree!
Jammed drivetrains and trashed rear mechs are all part of the experience - alternatively ride singlespeed if you're worried about the cost of replacements.
Fast remounts mean landing on your inner thigh, but you still sometimes get it wrong - don't worry about pedal position, simple turn your feet until they hit something! Practise drills such that you can do running dismounts/remounts without needing to look down helps. Left hand dismounts are preferred, particularly to avoid the chainring taking a painful chunk out your leg.
Flexy forks and squeally brakes are part of the challenge of keeping the bike under control, although set up and the type of brake makes a big difference.

lyn1

Type Martin Eadon in youtube and you will find a number of technique videos including mount/dismount/cornering etc. Martin was the ex GB coach.

The mech problem was exacerbated because most of the riders only had one bike, understandably given they were relative novices. Whilst there are no guarantees it is less common when bikes are changed /cleaned before the mud really accumulates.

Seemed like a really good day and a great introduction to the sport for many people in a relaxed and friendly environment. There are a number of changes to the course that would improve it, eg a 6-7 minute lap to avoid congestion and ease the lap scorers job. It would make it safer as well with less overtaking. The single track and shale section also created congestion. Simple to address if they have access to more land. The lad who presented the prizes is 2nd claim and has ridden at World level all over Europe, as has his brother, so the club has access to a good base of knowledge if they need it. Well done to all involved. Encouraging to see that a club founded only about 6 months ago now has over 600 members.

ddraver

Teach, The mounting/dismounting thing is hard because you ve not ever done it before - Either find a CX training night at a club somewhere where they ll do drills for it or "recreate" up at the local football pitch by just riding in a line and hopping on and off every...say...10 seconds. You ll have it cracked in 15 mins. That said, doing it on the last lap when you re spluttering your lungs up is much harder!

Hiting pedals is just a question of looking out for things and moving your feet out of the way, Again it will become second nature soon enough, if you re really keen find an MTBer mate to take you round some trails to get your bike handling skillz up. Try and look as far down the track/course as you can to give yourself plenty of time to see things. You will have to constantly remind yourself to do so until that too becomes second nature!

lyn1

Teach wrote:

every time someone came near I stopped, as I knew I wouldn't win and did not want to be known as the person who got in the way and affected the results. Having spoken to the guy who won, next time I will just cycle and not worry about them. As he said it's a race and it's their job to get round me and not for me to move out of their way.[/quote]
Actually that statement is incorrect
If they are on the same lap as you there is no need to pull over, but if they are lapping you then you should pull off the racing line, as soon as safe to do so.
Rule 11.8 When being lapped, it is the responsibility of the lapped rider to surrender the racing line.
This rule probably exists to avoid people barging through and risking injury to either party and damage to bikes.

ddraver

In Big races, lapped riders are removed from the race after they ve been lapped to reduce confusion. Obviously, this would ruin it for most people in local races so the rule is often ignored with the above rule being in place instead.

You don't have to stop but letting the race leader past if you're being lapped is a courtesy, not doing so is a good way to lose friends...