First cross race since getting squashed in September. So in mid league and no doubt going to get blown away.
Icknield Cross, central league.

Good on ya. Get back in that saddle.

Western League Rnd 6 at Conham River Park (Brizzle) for me.

We’ll be at Icknield. Won’t have the new frame built up – maybe in time for next week.
Heavy rain tomorrow apparently so it should be soft going. Will be good to see you og.

Rapid Racer Bordon Enduro for me, although only 2 hours, so it’s basically an XC race!

That should make going up and over the old air raid shelters fun!
My stomachs churning thinking about it, what with everyone else having a few under the belt already this year.

After the horror of Nutcracker mtb race at Hamsterley last Sunday, its back to skinny tyres at CXNE @ Temple Park South Shields

North West League Round 6 at Pignut Hill for me on Sunday.

Knackered back = no racing ’til 21st November for me (West Buckland, Devon).

Everytime I see this post I’m thinking about the nags.

Everytime I see this post I’m thinking about the nags.

That’s the paper I lifted the title from.

So you’re not an old knacker then?

No I’m a fine Filly 🙂

Can I pinch yer bum as I come past please Mr Barnes? 😉

Did anyone read the Cycling Weekly article regarding how courses are too easy nowadays? Having only been racing cross for a year, I can’t really comment.

They also featured an article saying disc brakes have poorer mud clearance than cantis, which confused me a bit.

Courses have been changed to make them more like European courses – ie fast, rather than the old style courses which tended towards being very idiosyncratic. The adoption of minimum course widths etc particularly this year has meant that tight twisty singletracky events are the exception. I just hate the 40cm boards as I always think I’m going to just run into them and fall over.

In the seventies it wasn’t uncommon to encounter styles, fences and trenches I even recall some sort of ‘assault course’ scaffolding we had to crawl under.
Todays are like muddy crits.
ap that Hemel one you did is the most techy I know.

og – haha! We used to do Essex cx races where there were 5 bar gates and huge tree trunks to climb over. when I was doing my commissaire course we were debating about bringing proper Belgian style ditch crossings back in, although man made sand traps are allowed now.
I assume that tomorrow will be a power course round a field then?

[/quote]Western League Rnd 6 at Conham River Park (Brizzle) for me.

Just remember that may not be mud on your face at Conham Chas….. 😕

ap not exactly. There is the sand pit, though the damper the better. And there are five? old air raid shelters bunched together, they are grass covered though it’s a tough shout – ride or run.
Other than that then yes it’s quick.

Well my day in the office has come to an end, can I strip down and rebuild a bike in one evening? hmmmmm……..
It’s got to get dirty at some point.

Rorschach – Member
Can I pinch yer bum as I come past please Mr Barnes?

Feel free. It’s huge so you can’t miss it 😉

Taaaaa.
I need motivation…I’m getting early mid season cantbearsedridingtoofastincirclesroundamuddyfield syndrome.Not looking forward to tomorrow,pignut is DULL and will be hideous if it stays wet.

pignut is DULL and will be hideous if it stays wet

Oh joy 🙁
It’s not just a grassy playing field is it?

Nah….its a muddy playing field….with a bit of a dell in the middle.Still,not as bad as the lady of the manor but for completely different reasons.Got no discards left so I will have to adhere to rule 5 😐

4 hour at bordon tommorow and i cant wait for some reason !!!

Been racing on muddy playing fields today in round 4 of SRAM NDCXL at Bingham, slippy as hell, and at no point could be described as easy. A particularly “easy” section consisted of a 100 metre traverse up and down a 1 in 3 grass bank – really enjoyed that bit!
A well set out course in testing conditions – a big thanks to the organising club VC Notts for a good event.

DNF had to come off course, deffo not ready to race yet and the organisers held my day fee in case I’ve caused more damage.
Not helped by being seeded almost dead last at the back and having to ride past loads of riders and two crashes on the first lap, totally over cooked it – and yes sour grapes.
Very upsetting to see your racing year fading like this, especially after finishing 21st there last year.
ap won’t be at Hillingdon, but I’ll try racing in a fortnight at MK.

oldgit………..audax is calling you my friend 😉

ton I probably will be next year.
If there are no events locally, I believe you can submit your own GPS downloads of your own rides, does that make any sense?
I won’t be road racing next year anyway.

OG – didn’t go as got shakes/ sweating/ feel cold/ aching joints.
And to top it off my new frame didn’t come with a rear brake hanger or front mech pulley.
Hopefully catch you at mk. Maybe we should meet up for a casual cross ride either out your way or ours?

oldgit, you can indeed.
perminents they are called.
most events in the audax handbook can be ridden on a day to suit yourself.

Carmarthen Park for me, but I spectated as we’d been to a wedding yesterday and been indulging heavily all day and night! Great looking course which took in the banking of the velodrome (concrete outdoor) and start finish line in front of the grandstand. Hope the rider who came off towards the end was OK. I heard an ambulance was called.

Can I pinch yer bum as I come past please Mr Barnes?

It’s quite scary when the internet turns into real life 😉

I have that effect on people….but if nothing else I am a man of my word!Actually nearly enjoyed that one….was’nt quite as bad as I remember.Cruised a bit as I’m still in man flu recovery mode,nice not to be throwing up at the end like usual 😳