First cyclo cross race…. What to expect
mooro
Posts: 483
in Amateur race
Hi,
Just signed up for my first race at the weekend, looks wet and muddy….
What are the top tips for stuff to take?
Do you need to poke the crap off your bike quite a bit? What with?
Any specific kit requirements?
Cheers :-)
Just signed up for my first race at the weekend, looks wet and muddy….
What are the top tips for stuff to take?
Do you need to poke the crap off your bike quite a bit? What with?
Any specific kit requirements?
Cheers :-)
0
Comments
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A helper, spare wheels, spare bike and power washer.
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Spare kit, lots of layers. Ideally pre and post layers.
Reduce your tyre pressure, whatever you are running it's too high. My first cross race I ran 50psi!
Post ride I used a battery powered pressure washer which is good, if you don't have one you could try a bucket and brushes or maybe ask to borrow the use of someone else's (in my experience most people at cross races are super friendly).
A sense of humour and persistence is useful too. If it's proper grim then chances are most of the field will fall at some point.1 -
I chatted with CXers in local race last year, next one coming in November. Tyre pressures usually c. 25psi.1
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I've raced 18psi @80kg on 33c tubeless on one particularly wet day a few years ago.1
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ok thanks, appreciate all that. It shows I am comically under prepared!
not sure I will have a helper...
do you need the pressure washer midrace?
ill drop my PSI right down, I always run them too high on the Mtb but I am running tubes at the moment so always a but anxious of pinch flats0 -
Yeah, it's a balancing act, and it's course-dependent. If there are any rocky or tree root sections you'll need a bit more to avoid pinch flats.
Hopefully, you won't need it mid-ride, again if things are really bad you could cycle into the pits to ask to borrow one but I've never needed to or bothered. I've also never had a spare bike or a helper either. I did sometimes think this should have been added on the results sheet as in messy races it can make it a completely two-horse race between those that are carting around 10+kg of mud and those that aren't. Still, those races are thankfully quite rare, if the mud is wet enough it will wash right off.1 -
my top tip would be ride within your limits - cx is the hardest interval session you're ever going to do - it's so easy to go full tilt at the start and blow up mid race.
pre race ride the course and any tricky bits decide whether you're gonna run or try to ride them - often it's quicker to run some sections.
if the mud is claggy then a mid race clean is really gonna help - if you can't do that then you'll have to stop and drag the worst off if needed. i find an old spoke helps get into the nooks and crannies. if you're riding a disc brake bike then your brakes should be ok - if canti they attract mud like there's no tomorrow - especially if the grass is freshly cut.
just enjoy it - it's a baptism of fire but bloody good fun0 -
cheers... just signed up now so no going back.
it would be mint to have a load of spares but ill have to give it a go and see what I need.
its in the afternoon so the young'un will have finished football so will help out I reckon.1 -
That's a good point about running, I came to cross from road so always had the mentality of trying to stay on the bike, it took a while to realise that sometimes running wasn't just the only approach but in some places was quicker and easier too. Don't be afraid to get off the bike.0
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You only need a pressure washer during the race if you have a spare bike and a pit helper who can wash it while you are riding the other one. Washing your own bike mid-race renders the whole 'racing' thing kind of pointless.mooro said:ok thanks, appreciate all that. It shows I am comically under prepared!
not sure I will have a helper...
do you need the pressure washer midrace?
ill drop my PSI right down, I always run them too high on the Mtb but I am running tubes at the moment so always a but anxious of pinch flats
At club level most people don't have helpers, although a few do have spare bikes and/or spare wheels. If you are running tubes, sufficient pressure will be important so as not to pinch-flat. Without knowing your weight, it's difficult to suggest a number, so just try a few pressures during practice and see what works.
It's a grass roots (quite literally) sport. Most of the league races I did were just people with one bike and in muddy races you just got round as best you could.0 -
An absolutely mad Zwift-race like start followed by an hour of threshold with uneven anaerobic intervals. If there's mud involved it's like doing a ramp test at the same time as things clog up.
Have fun!0 -
so how was the reality???0
