Summer Cross Racing Thread
VamP
Posts: 674
Well, a bit earlier in the season than usual, but having moved to a new area, which has a summer cross series I am going to get the cross bike out and knock out a few summer races.
First race is tomorrow at Cheltenham, so any one out there doing Western Summer League, and/or any other summer leagues?
First race is tomorrow at Cheltenham, so any one out there doing Western Summer League, and/or any other summer leagues?
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Having only had a CX bike for the last couple of months I've decided to take the plunge and enter my first race - https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/event ... R2#summary
Been to a couple of training sessions with the RLSCC and really enjoyed it so thought there's no harm in going in at the deep end.0 -
Newbury Summer League for me. Gets going Thursday 28th.
Unfortunately the first clashes with the clubs annual 10m TT Cup. Already pre entered for the next ones though. Looking forward to giving a new bike a blast.
Good luck everyone.Mud to Mudguards. The Art of framebuilding.
http://locksidebikes.co.uk/0 -
I'm doing the Yorkshire cx association summer series. First race was two weeks ago and was my first race ever. 2nd round is tomorrow. I'm very much an "also-ran" but loved it first time around and enjoy pushing out of my comfort zone. I wish I had started cross years ago!0
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Had intended to but can only do the first round of the London league as after that I'll be on the family holiday on the Isle of Wight which sadly ends the week before the Wessex 3rd round is held there. Must plan my holidays better
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Lovely big turn-out on glorious sunshine-y evening in Cheltenham. Local summer league is quite a big force in it's own right, with a total of 9 races, fields of over 80, good local club organisation and (hold your breath) chip-timing!
The course was hard and fast, but with technical off-camber sections, and lot's of changes of surface gradient, getting things wrong wasn't too difficult. The format is nice and old-school - one race, with all the categories thrown in together (save for the U12s who get their own short race first).
I had a number of issues, first my mech-hanger broke within the first sighting lap. Luckily had a spare and managed to fashion a Heath Robonson bodge job on the busted rear mech so it limped through the race - though the shifting wasn't the best I've ever known it to be. Then my pedals decided that they would occasionally let the cleats get out for a bit of fresh air. That was a bit disconcerting mid-gallop. Thirdly, I couldn't quite dial in the right pressures to get my tyres to get the optimal amount of grip. I suspect that these Vittoria tubs are not quite the product they ought to be. I wanted to be on my trusty TUFO file treads, but their sidewalls have perished since the winter season (I've had my money's worth with three seasons and over 3k miles).
Lastly my brain somehow hadn't grasped the distinction between the bell and the finishing flag, so after an almighty sprint for the bell(!), I then pulled over and watched in amazement as everyone carried on racing past me. Doh!
6th V40 and 18th overall, not too bad considering all the issues and being ungridded as a bit of newcomer to these parts. Felt good (if slightly strange given the weather) to be racing cross again.0 -
Really enjoyed my second race in the Yorkshire summer series on Wednesday. Paced myself a lot better so I didn't have a mid race blow up again. The course was a lot hillier than the first round and there were some nice fast downhill sections. Ended up in a sprint, for wait for it......., 92nd place OA (field of about 170). I still had about a lap left in me so I need to go a bit harder next time. Still loving it though, atmosphere was great, everyone friendly etc.
The one thing that surprises me is how fast the kids can go... The event is split into under and over 14 for the summer series and in the over 14s there were 2 or 3 under16 lads in the top 5 overall. Absolutely rapid, how the hell do they manage it when there is nothing to them??
Anyway... looking forward to the next one in 2 weeks time.... need to do some hard training. My aim is to get into the top half OA by the end of the year and then work from there.0 -
Rd2 Western League Summer CX at Hengrove Park. Tarmac and grass crit. Average lap speed around 19.5mph!
Really good fun actually and good safe and courteous racing throughout the field. Felt awful at 20 minutes, then got second wind and managed to bounce back a little for 10th overall, 2nd vet.
Was nice to have a fully functioning bike, and really loving the narrow wide chainring on it's first outing.0 -
My first summer CX race and the first in the London Summer series at the very fast Bethlem Hospital circuit. Not very technical, more of a roadies course but that gave me some chances to hold my own through the corners. Lost a lot of time on the straights though so something to work on. Good fun and came back looking like I'd ridden the Paris-Roubaix, could've done without the ride home, damn near killed me.0
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My first summer CX race and the first in the London Summer series at the very fast Bethlem Hospital circuit. Not very technical, more of a roadies course but that gave me some chances to hold my own through the corners. Lost a lot of time on the straights though so something to work on. Good fun and came back looking like I'd ridden the Paris-Roubaix, could've done without the ride home, damn near killed me.
Sweet. I've only ever ridden at Bethlem when it resembled the Somme, so that illustrates nicely the difference between summer and regular cross. Our Summer League wound up last week, so have some time now to repair bikes and more importantly legs.0
