We had our last round of 2017 at Macclesfield Supacross on 30th December, mini-me No.1 had his best race of the year and got his first top 10 in the U8’s strengthening his 9th overall position in the league.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/232381z]DSC_4614.jpg[/url] by Ellen Isherwood, on Flickr

After a week of snot and missing the last round I went on and had my best result of the year coming home in 49th from 100 starters in V40, and for the first time not getting lapped by anyone including the winner, the ever young Nick Craig 8)
[url=https://flic.kr/p/22ZmJ1G]DSC_5354.jpg[/url] by Ellen Isherwood, on Flickr

Hi Steve – saw you warming up but I was a bit preoccupied trying to find where my “helper” kids had vanished to (eventually found on the skatepark). I was 40th so not long until you overtake me. Slightly amazing to see the second race that Nick did in the seniors (battling with Giles for most of the race then catching and sprint finishing with the race long leader).

I’m planning a daft bike for the lastround…. 🙂

Was a couple of places ahead of you Steve, so we were probably riding quite close – I was the portly fellow in Stockport clarion colours. Quite a hard course Macc, IMO – wide open and flat out, but I guess there was just enough mud to keep it interesting.
Feels like the end of the season but I’ll still do Beacon park all being well.

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/britishcrosschampionships/article/20180104-National-Cyclo-cross-Championships-2018-HSBC-UK—National-Cyclo-Cross-Championships-to-be-shown-live-on-British-Cycling-s-website-and-Facebook-0

Thought for the day ahead of the Jan/Feb/Mar races – does anyone ever mix n match tyres? Probably thinking like a mtber, but wondering about sticking a mud tyre on the front and keeping the MPX on the back (if I can find a good mud tyre in stock!)

@legend, regularly.

More often file-tread rear, intermediate front; than mud front, intermediate back. Works well though.

Being able to run a file tread is something I can only dream of 🙂
Not sure if it would be good or just annoying. Steering but no traction would suck, and still likely be a risk of the drivetrain clogging up.

In race news. Super Quaich rnd1 entered and selected, rnd2 entered and waiting, rnd 3 still to open. 13thfloormonk, I wont be doing Strathy Park if you’re fighting for freedom that weekend!

I wont be making the 6 hour round trip to Lovecrossed this year, having had my request last year for gridding as a visiting rider met with laughter and “this is a western League race” 🙄 I asked on the basis of having come 10th overall in Central League. I was refused, and starting from the back row managed to come 7th. The guy who came 6th was also a visiting rider with a back row start. So if I wad a d1ck I’d say Western isnt a very competitive league. I’ve had a stronger season this year, coming 4th in my league and in the top third at the National Champs so could potentially be in contention for some prizes, but not when I’m starting from the back of the field.

Good luck with the event, but until this issue is resolved you’re not building an iconic stand-alone end of season finale that will grow on it’s own terms, you’re providing a rich prize fund for a Western League round.

Irvine should be a good event! The course is going to be used in a few weeks, using a round of the Super Quaich to test it out – i’ll let you know how it runs. The usually Irvine course is a good in anyway. The sand section is a reasonable length, not full Belgian levels of softness (bar a couple of areas) but a good addition to the track

Thanks for taking it as intended (took me 3 attempts to post due to STW gremlins so got more terse each time). I know Munqe-Chick has mentioned it to Tang. More generally around gridding I’ve had circular conversations with some organisers saying it is at Commie’s discretion, and with some Commies saying it is up to the organiser. I know for Central gridding is by the organisers and pre-entered visiting riders get gridded based on BC points-I’ve been bumped off the front row by ‘interlopers’ which I have absolutely no issue with because, guess what, they went on to kick my @rse. I’ve been gridded as a visitor at a Leics League round and that was after a chat with the commie.

It’s a terrific course at a cracking venue, and the whole set up means it deserves to thrive, it’s always had a very generous prize purse (my favourite road jerseys are the Lovecrossed winner’s jerseys that MC won that fit me 😀 ) but the barrier to it’s growth (beyond a few Elite-level prize hunters this year) is the deference to League gridding.

Tang, thanks for the reply and for the efforts you’re making to resolve the issue – I hope the chief commy on the day is onboard and that the whole event is a success. Munqe-Chick is returning to defend her jersey but the stonking prizes have coaxed some big hitters out of London League so she’s managing her expectations 😉

Last race of the season this weekend. League position isn’t going to improve, so time to have a bit of fun.

Singlespeed ratio is a bit lower than I’d like, but will be a swamp anyway so unlikely to matter. Luckily I’m better suited to push and run rather than a shoulder carry…..

An no it isn’t UCI legal 🙂

ThomThumb Abingdon is a great course and drains well but there are NO facilities there its on an airfield with 2 portaloos. There’ll be loads of good pubs nearby in Botley and surrounding villages if you google I don’t know any specific but it’s known to be a nice area for pub grub.

Any experienced hands got any advice for wet weather gear.

I’ve got loads of kit available: but the crux is there isn’t time to change between practice and race.

At the moment i’m thinking of wearing a waterproof jacket and shorts for warm up; leaving them on the line and racing in a waterproof jersey. Short sleeve/ longsleeve and glove choice made sometime tommoroow lunch time.

I spotted you today MickR, couldn’t not notice you on that bike! Horrific conditions, I was marshalling all morning and then racing in the seniors. Brass Monkeys doesn’t even describe it. Just about defrosted now, but still got to get the kit washed :(. Well done for getting out today! Double marshall points in order there BenjiM, Arctic wind and rain over the field.

Quite enjoyed getting stuck into the race – had some good battles on the big quagmire loop but was getting rinsed on the open field. Some lads doing well running the whole thing, but that’s not my game. Didn’t see Mick_r – suspect he’s a good runner if he got that SS round four laps!

The cold made everything a logistical nightmare before and after with two kids racing. Like to think I do well with the cold but I was a jibbering wreck getting back to the car after clearing the pits out.

cheers Ferrals.

Well that was wet; probably the muddiest I’ve ever been! So wet the timing chips didn’t work!

Good fun though; the course was fantastic.

Much lower turnout than other rounds! It was the definition of bleak today though I wonder if that had an effect. Looking forward to next week’s season finale at Southampton.

Cheers! I managed to finish 12th which is my best result yet, although the field was somewhat shorter yesterday!

Today’s round at Southampton wasn’t quite so fun!

Sticky mud + lots of leaves meant bikes were clogging all over the place. I’d seen 4 broken mechs before i’d left the car park.

The start was placed so that it was a run from the line. I’m no runner & this didn’t do my asthma any good.

By bike was completely clogged after 30 mins, and i DNF’d. The bike was so heavy by this point I was struggling to lift it to my shoulder.

Second bike & pit crew required i think!

Should have taken my spikes – never even thought about it this morning! Need to improve at running. Need to not have an asthma attack first lap!

First round of the Super Quaich series* yesterday, and I’m burst today! Great course but the weather had fairly taken its toll. Sections that had (apparently) been rapid last year were having to be run this time round. One of the descents even got so thick with mud that running was no slower than trying to plough through – thought i was going to lose my shoes a few times! Think there will be quite a few expensive repair bills after this round, quite a few mechs got eaten.

OTOH, first outing with Vittoria Terreno Wets on the bike and they were very impressive, probably better than the Challenge Limuses I used (in very similar conditions) at the start of the season – braking grip on off-camber descents with the wrong foot unclipped was nothing short of staggering.

Racing CX is turning out to be a great way to keep myself going with a baby in the house……… think i’ll go for a snooze now though….

*basically no categories including men/women, you’re just in the A or B race depending on how quick you’ve been at other races