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  • Midland XC round 2 at Cannock,anyone doing it?
  • gee68
    Free Member

    Hi all,long time lurker first time starting a thread.

    At the grand old age of 43 i’ve just enlisted for my first ever bike race,quite excited but also a little nervous.I’ve entered the “go race cat” as the only ambition i have at the moment is just to finish and not die.Can anyone offer advice as to what to expect and important things to remember,i’d hate to screw up someones race by being ignorant of etiquette.

    I have two bikes to choose from to ride,an old specialized hard tail and my new Fs Trek(EX 9).Now i know HT’s are supposed to be faster over the ground but i suffer from a bad back,should i just MTFU for a couple of hours or will i be ok on the FS bike?

    scruff
    Free Member

    Depends where the course is but the Chase can be very bumpy in places due trails going over / across old furrows.

    bill-oddie
    Free Member

    If you suffer from a bad back on hard tails i’d go full sus. i’m doing this race in sport cat. will be using a squidger cos I get a bad back. If you aren’t in pain you’ll be able to ride faster I reckon.

    is it a trek fuel ex9? Just put some ultra whizzy tyres on and pump up your forks and shock a bit harder. It’ll be fast as ****!

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    br
    Free Member

    Use the FS.

    At the start, get near to the front. No matter how slow you are, its no fun been stuck behind a group of (even slower) riders at the first ‘chicane’.

    andrewh
    Free Member

    Cannock is a really simple course, nothing too difficult there. I train on it on a rigid SS but will be racing a geared HT, I have the option of a full-suss but the HT will be faster.
    If you live local I would suggest you go and and ride around on your HT, see how you get on. The Go-ride race should be less than 90 mins, is this enough for your back problem to manifest itself? If the test shows that the HT really isn’t a good idea then an EX should be OK for racing, not the fastest out there but in the Go-ride cat it really doesn’t matter that much, just have fun.
    Also, if you do go to try the course really hit it hard, racing speed. If just pootling around nattering any issues with riding an HT won’t become apparent, I’ve had a back injury in the past and I can still feel a little niggle at racing speed (HT or FS, doesn’t matter) but it never shows itself unless I really am flat out for at least an hour.

    project
    Free Member

    Some pictures from last years event, the only bike race ive been to that the bikes stayed imaculate, no mud.

    https://picasaweb.google.com/BIKEYPAUL/MIDLANDSXCCANNOCKCHASE20MARCH2011#

    This years event Sunday 18 march 2012

    paddy0091
    Free Member

    Yeah I’m there. You’ll have great fun, drink plenty and take a couple of gels. It’s said too often, but ride at your own pace, you’ll be surprised how many people will fade when they go off too hard.

    Bit ot but, I’m heading over on Sunday morn, anyone got a rough idea of the circuit?

    I know from previous events that races start near campsite..

    cheers

    andeh
    Full Member

    I think (think!) I’ll be there. Pretty sure we (Notts uni cycling) are holding our varsity/club vs old boys race there. My first xc race also, so not sure what to expect. I’ll hardly be killing it on my 30lb BFe, more for the fun than anything. I’ll chuck the Larson on the back and attempt to dig in a bit.

    paddy0091
    Free Member

    andeh! I believe we’re at the same Uni…

    gee68
    Free Member

    Thanks for all the reply’s much appreciated. 😀

    I can take the pain in my back during the race no problem, it’s afterwards i suffer,feels like my kidneys have been a few rounds.

    I was going to start right at the back so i didn’t get in the way,pottle round the first lap then hammer it,by the sounds of it this is a bad tactic.How many laps will it be,2/3?

    snakebite
    Free Member

    Looks a fun course, lots of smiley faces pic here of scruff rippin it up!:D

    thehustler
    Free Member

    Now snake you know thats not fair, thats a self portrait!!

    oldnpastit
    Full Member

    That guy (rider 104) had a broken rib last year. I spoke to him just before he bailed out after about an hour of grovelling round trying to pretend it didn’t hurt.

    snakebite
    Free Member

    He looks like his rib has dropped a bit….

    andeh
    Full Member

    andeh! I believe we’re at the same Uni…

    Unfortunately, I’m an old boy now. I not had a road cone on my head or stolen a pint glass once in the last year!

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)

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