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2015/2016 winter 'cross racing thread
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aPFree MemberPosted 8 years ago
You don’t need to be a member of BC or a club, you can turn up and race, it’ll just cost you a little more (£3ish) to buy a day license.
You may wish to look at the website for your local league as some are now pre-entry only and may not admit entries on the day.richardkFree MemberPosted 8 years agoThanks aP, active club member but BC membership just lapsed, so I may renew it. Local to Swindon, so looking at the CV races at Supermarine, and possibly a Western League if I enjoy it…
ferralsFree MemberPosted 8 years agoLS – Member
That’s a grey area but you’d probably be fine as it’s not really ‘team’ kit. It’d come down to the commissaires on the day but in most cases common sense would prevail.For the avoidance of doubt, the two jerseys I have are the tld sprint jerseys:
This oneWill they be ok?
Jon, no way I’m going naked, but I have I nice mankini for the warmer early round!
LSFree MemberPosted 8 years agoI’d be 100% fine with those as the logos on there are those of the manufacturer, and they’re not TLD team jerseys.
Like I say it’s a grey area (there are many regulations that you can drive a coach and horses through, this is one) but I’d be very surprised if any commissaire had a problem with those jerseys.IdleJonFull MemberPosted 8 years agoJon, no way I’m going naked, but I have I nice mankini for the warmer early round!
MrsP said she’ll help you pin your number on. 😉
cookeaaFull MemberPosted 8 years agoIt’s only £5 for a plain jersey from decathlon, might not be TLD but once you cover it in mud, what’s the difference?
ferralsFree MemberPosted 8 years ago@Shrewbread, cheers, I was expecting it would be, been racing the xc mtb series this year and thats been super friendly, as was matt pages winter xc series at pembrey. Just didn’t want to turn up and have to race with only a smear of bacon fat to keep warm!
@cookea, seems like there is no reason to. But I got both jerseys super discounted, they fit well and are comfortable, so don’t really want to buy a another jersey just to race, even if it is a fiver.
@at Jon/bikebuoy, i’f I’m not allowed my jersey, I’ll just Velcro the number to my chest wig but thanks for the offer!
ferralsFree MemberPosted 8 years agoWhat’s the cx start protocol? In xc it’s any time in the next 15 seconds and then a blast, but from watching cx vids it seems to be 5.4.3.2.1 go. Is this just at international level or is it the general procedure?
aPFree MemberPosted 8 years agoNope, its any time in the next 15 seconds. 5,4,3,2,1 is specifically not allowed. And one foot on the ground as well.
ferralsFree MemberPosted 8 years agoaP – Member
And one foot on the ground as well.Thank f. for that, if it had been no feet on the ground I’d have been bvggered!
aPFree MemberPosted 8 years agoHaha! Some people try and track stand. But all that they do is hold up the start until they put their foot down, then it starts at that exact same time… 😉
bikebouyFree MemberPosted 8 years agoYeah trackies are just going to fall over when the bunch moves forward anyway. I’ve seen 2 mental pileups on the line because theres been a trackie with his wheel at 45Deg, then hoot and everyone piles in the back of him.
Should always be one foot on the floor IMO.
benjiFree MemberPosted 8 years agoThe other fun thing that happens from the start is someone’s wheel slips on the mud and spins, then the second row gets traction and then they are both on the floor.
cookeaaFull MemberPosted 8 years agoWell then I am entered into Newbury on the 20th September and Reading on 18th October… Bit nervous now, anyone else doing these races?
isitafoxFree MemberPosted 8 years agoI quite fancy giving one a go, just to see how I’d get on as I only use my bike for commuting duties so rarely push myself. I had a brief look on the BC website for bike spec rules but couldn’t find much (top quality work intranet is bordering dial up speeds), would I get away with risers on a CX bike or are they super strict?
Also anyone in the High Peak area link me to a local race league website??? 😕
karlwoofFree MemberPosted 8 years agoI’ll be in the NDCXL league again. Hoping to get a top 10 this season too. Just converted some old RS80 wheels to tubeless so I may have some grip this season 😀
LSFree MemberPosted 8 years agoI had a brief look on the BC website for bike spec rules but couldn’t find much (top quality work intranet is bordering dial up speeds), would I get away with risers on a CX bike or are they super strict?
It’s been mentioned before but so long as you aren’t riding a National Trophy/National Championship or the Three Peaks, then you can ride anything you like. Some leagues ban bar ends on MTBs and you might get turned away if you try and ride on fixed wheel but beyond that, go for it.
Quite a few Notts and Derby league events are within striking distance of the High Peak, as are some Lincs, North West and Yorkshire races.flybywireFree MemberPosted 8 years ago@cookea – Reading, prospect park in 2011 very wet & muddy. Tricky down long slopes on back of circuit with cantilever non-brakes! Not flat.
Newbury *formally at county showground – open in-field section with changing wind direction bit sapping but solid underwheel, good wooded section fast/switching track.
*Mary Hare is this season’s Newbury venue, not ridden here.Basingstoke – memorial park, good course includes BMX track and banks on outside of in-field.
focus like an xc race, although it’s not all rideable, keep high intensity but not cook it in first couple of laps. Good to learn where lines work and where can carry speed etc.
eskayFull MemberPosted 8 years agorockfield – Member
Pjt201- those mince pies were amazing. I only had 2 which probably explains why I did so badly. Looking forward to the new season and new venues in the western league. Mendip raceway is going to be interesting!
I would have thrown up for sure if I had taken one but it did make me chuckle!
Looking forward to Mendip Raceway (anyone know if it uses part of the track?) I hope to be able to make the first round next Sunday as well.
leggyblondeFree MemberPosted 8 years ago1st race of the season proper tomorrow! Doesn’t look like the file treads will be getting much use this year…
bikebouyFree MemberPosted 8 years agoYup, Sunday for me. Limus ON!! (well maybe I’ll just turn up with the griffo’s and see how it goes)
As is it seems my Club has now a dedicated training season setup whilst the racing season peters out, should tie in nicely with some long distance CX offroad stuff I have planned.
Already done a stint of sprint to stop, hop off/hop on, sprints for the last few weeks..8)
rich-cFree MemberPosted 8 years agoApologies for the weather it’ll be my fault as I bought some challenge chicanes last week, anybody that’s used them care to comment on how damp it needs to be before these need to come off and the muds go on. I’ve nothing in-between the 2 options.
leggyblondeFree MemberPosted 8 years agoIt depends on the course. Chicanes don’t work so well if it’s damp on courses with lots of slow-in, slow-out dead-turn corners as you don’t lean enough to engage the side knobs cornering and straight line upright braking and hard accelerating is pants. However, if it is more open and fast, chicanes can work surprisingly well.
Don’t be afraid to mix and match treads, I often ride with some form of file tread on the back with a grippier tyre up front.
dharmstrongFree MemberPosted 8 years agoHow technical do CX courses get? Am toying with n+1 on a cross bike, justifying it by entering a race or two….
IdleJonFull MemberPosted 8 years agoNot very technical if you are riding a mtb with wide knobby tyres. Very technical if you are pushing your limit aerobically on a cx bike with skinny tyres and no brakes. Even a basic corner can take you out if you aren’t paying attention.
(That’s not going to help until one day, when you are blowing out of your backside trying to get around a simple switchback without sliding out, you’ll remember this. Or not :D. )
eddie11Free MemberPosted 8 years agoTechnical is a good question. It’s a different kind of technical of off camber banks, steep ups and downs, stupid daft mud. What makes all that doubly technical is the speed you try to take it at. Trying to ride someone off your wheel or force a mistake without blowing or falling off yourself.
john_lFree MemberPosted 8 years agoLooking nice for Stanmer on Sunday (sorry), Griffo’s on, new disc Kite built up – just me to sort out ;o)
rich-cFree MemberPosted 8 years agoOne of the good things about cross is the technicality can change during the race as well as year to year, one year you go well at a course go back next year after some rain and the whole thing changes.
Cheers for the tyre advice Leggy, another learning curve with file treads.
dharmstrong I’ve a nice CX bike for sale in the classifieds if your serious about having a bash at racing.
john_lFree MemberPosted 8 years agoAnyone else at Stanmer today? Lovely weather, big field & a great course.
rich-cFree MemberPosted 8 years agoSounds very much Like Skipton 🙂 Had a great day but v tough and so glad the course wasn’t wet!
leggyblondeFree MemberPosted 8 years agoI’m not sure which was harder, 11 times up Stanmer today or the hills of Basildon yesterday! My legs are ruined now, that was a serious opening weekend.
rollindoughnutFree MemberPosted 8 years agoGreat bit of loamy woodland track at the top of Stamner wasn’t it? Got a full on two wheel drift going on one of the faster corners.
john_lFree MemberPosted 8 years agoI’m not sure which was harder, 11 times up Stanmer today or the hills of Basildon yesterday! My legs are ruined now, that was a serious opening weekend.
Yup, definitely hurt on a singlespeed!
bikebouyFree MemberPosted 8 years agoAwe no, didn’t go. Suffering with ManFlu brought into work by all the ex holiday/kids crowd. Woke up Friday thinking I’d be fine, Saturdays hour sprints on the bike turned into an afternoon on the sofa, and yesterday despite having the bike in the car I decided to bin it.
Gutted.
Looked like an exceptional day for hard riding, few spills, clicks n kicks.Highlight of the course?
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