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[url= http://centralcxl.org.uk/2015/12/cxl12-welwyn-postponed-do-not-travel/ ]welwyn cancelled[/url]
Newbie dumb question - why the mech carnage with CX and mud? Thinking of doing a first CX event later this month on my XC bike and wondering if I ought to take a single speed instead?
It's not mud that causes the problem [i]per se[/i], it's mud and grass/ leaves that clog the rear mech - just like they do with mtbs.
So anyone racing the Nationals this weekend or at least watching? I'm down to start weather and conditions looking typically horrific and manky mind! Half lap bike changes due...which reminds me must attempt to borrow mate's bike which is same as mine rather than have a shizzle bike (which is currently broken and in piece anyway!).
No nationals for me, not quick enough yet. Have a good ride Munge, if the weather keeps like it is at the minute it's going to be seriously messy.
I'm riding the Elites on the Sunday but there all weekend pitting for teammates on the Saturday. If I'm honest, I'm hoping for a slog as I haven't ridden a great many races this season so have few points and will be gridded midway down. If it's a slow race that will be much less of a disadvantage.
Rather enjoyed today's LCCA race.
Slippery, wet mud but not clingy.
Eek thanks Benji! Hoping to borrow a better pit bike as mate's reckon 1/2 lap changes! Never raced anything other than local little series so this is going to be a.SERIOUS eye opener! It was called Senior women when I entered then start list comes out as "Elite" LOL I am far from Elite 🙂 hope.it isn't raining ON the day simply to make it more fun for spectators!!
I am far from Elite
Same here but if that's what they want to call us then once a year I'll take it 😆
It's a great atmosphere and this year the Elite women's field will be smaller due to the 16-23 category that's been introduced, so it'll be slightly less manic for you!
The first lap of my race will be the usual bunfight until it settles down.
It is a shame to a point all women aren't racing together as for once you'd have a good battle with Vets (which is Sat) there could be close to 100 women there!!
Was all casual, chilled out about it. Then phoned my mate who is helping in the pits (raced Commonwealths..so a very good competent rider) starts asking me loads of questions.So what are you doing in the pits? Have you thought about tyre pressure? What are your plans at the start?
Isn't it smash it as fast and as hard as you like for 40 mins?? That not it . .am I missing something? LOL I will take the "elite" thing and also asmy name is sandwiched on the sign on sheet between Wyman and Harris.. . Closest I'm ever going to get to them 😉
You've got it - smash it and hang on. Even if you're gridded last you'll still be on row 3 so there's not much traffic around, just play safe on the opening half-lap and watch out for people making a mess of slower corners. Jump off early and run round them, plenty of people make mistakes as they're trying too hard.
From the pictures it'll be very wet so tyre pressures as low as you dare, half-lap changes if required and just enjoy it as much as possible
Awesome I think I'm coming down with something! Had scratchy throat for a few.stays laid off training. Last night about 2 hours kip got a bunged up nose and phlegmy throat, although I feel okay (except lack of sleep). Typical hey ho first year it'll be fun . .gives me more excuses too when I suck 😉
Heading down at lunchtime let's see how messy and muddy the course is!!!
racing the senior race on Sunday...Guessing it will be a mud run (hopefully not another bradford)
Sefton not called Senior renamed it as "Elite" 😉
The Elites will be up front...I'll be on the back row trying not to get lapped! haha
TCP gargle and a couple of blasts with vicks first defence Munge-chick, works wonders!
Good luck all racing!
Sefton, LS how did you get on?
Wow that was THE most horrific, brutal CX race I have ever done. IT was more like an cross country run carrying your bike! I went for half lap bike changes so the off camber, steps (start/finish section) I barely rode ran most of it .. so it's worth having a £3000 bike!! The wooded section was awesome except my crap Dolan's gears were crap! I loved the wooded section and hated the rest! My average HR was 190!! My lungs were on fire more than they ever were before (yes I got ill) and I was shit .. I guess positives.. I finished! pissed off though as on the start line they said if you got lapped you would get pulled out but would get a finish time and position. Nope me and the other ladies after me are down as DNF! Feels a bit like a blinking kick in the teeth when I did finish!!!! Not sure it was a particularly motivating experience but ask me in a week when I've had time to digest it, and no doubt I will be back on that start line next year!
So chuffed foR Nikki Harris though, really wanted her to win.
Plus I've stupidly entered the National Trophy in MK this coming Sunday, WHY oh WHY? Wonder if I can get a refund now?? 🙂
So how did others get on?
I rode the V50s but with only one bike and no pit crew I wasn't expecting to finish given the conditions. Weren't allowed to do a practice lap either but to be fair you didn't really need to except for being aware of the off camber exiting the tarmac straight. Happy to get third row on the grid so kept out of trouble when the whistle went. I was up in the top 20 but as the bike got heavier and heavier I lost places and finally finished 26th. Just happy to actually finish and I couldn't have ridden any harder so quite satisfied really. I then pitted for my team mate in the V40s. He snapped his chain on the start straight! But being the star he is he ran all the way to the pits, dead last, and on his knackered old spare bike proceeded to work his way back through the field.
26th awesome effort! you raced Sat so different conditions a lot of your stuff was thicker, gloopier, suckier mud? Did you enjoy it? Or is that a daft question?
Thanks Munge-chick. To be fair I think we had the best of the conditions, on the Saturday at least. I only had to run part of the bottom of the field where we exited the woods and some of the impossible bits around the finish area. Three hours later and my team mate, who is stronger than me, was running almost the whole of the field! On a circuit like that having good mud tubs made the world of difference but I'd love to know how much of a difference having a fresh bike every half lap would have made!
Yes very true, changed hugely! all of that stuff near the finish lines around the steps was pretty much run the lot! I'd be intrigued to know how much running there was really. That off camber section for Vet Woman parts of it looked rideable! absolutely no chance today. But even watching the U14 girls carry there bikes along it yesterday was incredible!
... and I did enjoy it, I seem to like the epic days. The club/organisers did a great job. I wonder what the Sports Centre thinks of their grounds now though? Hope they can see that in a few weeks it'll have mostly disappeared and don't make any hasty decisions about a return in future.
I managed 26th which I'm fairly happy with, not my best Nationals performance by a long way but it's all I had. I actually really enjoyed it, both the racing element and the survival one of keeping the bike going, getting foot placing right during the running on the banks, all that stuff.
I rode up the bank of doom each lap too which seemed to keep the crowd happy 🙂
Really chuffed for Liam and even more so for Nikki as I've known her and her family for years.
I haven't yet decided whether riding yesterday or pitting all day on the Saturday was the hardest part. The guys helping me out yesterday were fantastic and must be shelled today!
Erm how do I get a twitter picture onto here?
On Saturday afternoon, fully one third of the lap was quicker to run. the overnight rain loosened things up a bit for the Sunday morning races but it was just bad again in the afternoon. I don't think I'll be the only one with DOMS today.
Would love to say I was chasing Harris alas I was getting lapped! look at the total look of concentration and focus on hers, versus brokenness on mine 🙂
Was well chuffed when I just came across this picture on twitter.
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this was the pits before the Elite men.. this is the bottom end of the football field!!
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So who is racing either Central league at MK on Saturday, or the National Trophy there on Sunday? I'm down to do both! Hopefully dry all week so maybe a less manky course for a change !
I'm one of the commissaires at MK on Sunday after riding the final NDCXL on Saturday. Really hoping there's not too much running, I don't think I can face it!
Cool LS see you there! I can't face another run course! I'm racing Central league at MK sat so if awful I'll post 😉 and then I won't be there Sunday!!
I'm racing the NDCXL on Saturday, penultimate cross race of the season. I'll see you there LS, I'm easy to spot singlespeed vet40 in arrow cycles kit with a bright orange helmet.
Let us know Munge-chick, I'm riding the NT on Sunday and it would be great to have some idea which wheels to bring.
aha, another ndcxl entrant here - though i'm also trying to squeeze another 2 races in before the seasons end - north west and then the final round of the london cross league.
wont be able to make mk at the weekend 🙁
LS - Member
I'm one of the commissaires at MK on Sunday after riding the final NDCXL on Saturday. Really hoping there's not too much running, I don't think I can face it!
I'm one of the regional Comms... see you there at 8:15!
Plop_pants I shall try to remember to post on here then for your appropriate wheel selection!!
Mmmm, those pictures and your tales of "running" are not filling me with with the warm glow of excited expectancy I want for my first CX race on Saturday.
Ha ha Trimix I was just saying to Valerie to show you the pictures!! MK should no way be like that. Firstly the course won't be that muddy and secondly this week we have mainly dry cold weather so ground should be a bit more hard pack! I guarantee though that you will LOVE the CX race .. no doubt about it!!
Considering entering Rd 14 Dalton in the Wessex league as my first ever cross race as it's near.
Currently race XC. 29er winter trainer set up with rigids, narrowest tyres I have are 2.1 Xkings - ok choice?
Need studs for shoes. Do I remove bottle cage for shouldering and stick bottle in jersey or? Bar ends ok?
Any tips appreciated.
They might be funny about bar ends. Probably won't be but worth grabbing a commisaire early on to check.
Race what you have if you like it look at some cross clinchers for your next race. Just don't be under any illusions that at this time of year 2.1s will be far too wide to threaten the podium. You'll be dragged to a halt in the first muddy stretch as all these funny narrow tyres stuck on with glue with no air in cut straight through and ride past you. Some people find it fun though. You might be one of those 🙂
Check with the league or event organisers ref bar ends, for some reason they are seen as a risk.. How folk get away with running sti gear /brake levers good knows....
At this time of year I'd recommend getting some narrow tyres. You'll enjoy the race so much more if you're not sliding around on fat mtb tyres. Look at getting something cheap like schwalbe cx pro from crc. They'll be lighter than your mtb tyres and cut through the mud so much better.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/schwalbe-cx-pro-cyclocross-bike-tyre/rp-prod24614
And must importantly enjoy. It's s ridiculous sport!!
Ref bottle. A lot race without, but I like a few mouthfuls. You're not allowed bottle hand ups like in mtb races so need to carry one if you want water. I put the bottle cage on the seat tube mount for cross racing.
I'm one of the regional Comms... see you there at 8:15!
Sound job. I've already told Kelvin that I expect an open tab with the caterer, seeing as that I'll have officially have gone into 'off-season' mode and copious amounts of bacon will be demanded 😆
Any updates on conditions at MK today and those likely tomorrow?
Plop_pants. Courts update there is nothing technical but it is twisty turny. No planks only some step/muddy slope to run up. Warning it IS muddy from tape to tape however a lot is rideable mud it isn't deep, it is churned up grass but there is no mud free line. As it is a Nationals course it is wide. Towards end of day it was getting worse for eating rear mechs, so tips mud tyres, pit bike and pit crew probably lap changes!! Lots of off camber! Some running hills and even one running downhill depressingly! Long tarmac start/finish.
I turned up and didn't have my head on but rode into it! A course that shouldn't suit me but I felt I was riding well and yee ha back on the podium 2nd 🙂
Having been ill since before Shrewsbury I've decided to bomb out of tomorrow I need a lie in!
Good luck let us know how you get on!
Thanks for the update Munge-chick and well done for getting on the podium!
Really in two minds about tomorrow. I've only got one bike and I think I had my luck getting a finish on that last week. The drive there might be a bit dodgy too!