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Just skimmed down the start list for Brecon. It looks like a normal Welsh League lineup, albeit on a day when almost all the strongest riders turn up. But yes, unless you are Steve James/Steve Roach/John Pugh you can expect to finish a little further down the running order than normal!
You ride a Blue Genesis? Or is that a different Ajax rider?
Yeah that's me - ah, you are Thom from Pontypool (based on your results)? If so you pipped my mate Tom (Dye) by a place. It's his first season of 'cross and he's loving it.
Yeah that's me, give me a cheery wave next time you pass. I managed to talk a few more poolers in to racing this year. It's nice to have a bit of club company.
Good work on getting another Ajax in too. Definitely bigger fields in the few years I've been riding.
Now we just need all the cx racers to migrate over to the xc series in summer too 🙂 though my results would get significantly worse I suspect!
Edit. 166 registered online for Brecon, that's amazing, and space for a few more on the day. Looking forward to this one, and without wanting to jinx it the weather forecast looks good, less windy than last weekend 🙂
Cracking course for the welsh league at Brecon today. Most fun I've had yet racing cx, flat out fast with a couple of twisty bits. Pleased with my result too, managed to do 8 laps so only the super fast people lapped me. Definately like the tag system for fast results!
Hmm, definately a one way conversation going on here 😳
Another cracker today. Again very different from the others in the welsh league so far, sludgy slippery mud and saturated grass. Lots of broken bikes from the weight of mud. Think I had my best result so far, really good battle with one of the Abergavenny riders the last few laps though he got me in the end.
Jon - didn't see you - did you race?
I've got an abcess so waiting for that to go before I race.
Watching this thread with interest though.
Huge two wheel slide early on cost me a couple of places at Addington today in the London League. Was a beautiful day though & fast, close racing again. I'm sure the mud will make an appearance soon 🙂
First one of the season for me today a Linc's league one, been riding endurance events all season so had neglected any top end training, wow that come keen.
I Comm'd at Central League today. Seemed like a good race, the course looked quite interesting with a mixture of grass plugging and more technical riding.
It was quite interesting on my way out there to find a car stuffed into the central reservation of the M4. Waited for 25 minutes until the services rolled the wheels that had broken off it onto the hard shoulder and coned off the car before letting every one through.
@bikebuoy - hope you get fit again soon.
By the way, was very pleasd i swtiched from grifos to some clement pdx's great grip and mud shedding. offcamber in particular was great, gripped like riding on the flat!
Well, after several more-or-less dry rounds, the season started for real in South Wales yesterday with plenty of mud 😉
Decent race for me, got caught behind someone else's crash in the first few corners and dropped down to about 30th, but hauled my way back up through the field to 8th or 9th place. Absolutely spent at the finish thanks to an all-or-nothing attack to drop someone with half a lap to go. Both bikes absolutely caked in mud - I took my spare from the pits for the last two laps, so rode it for about 15 minutes to spend an hour cleaning it when I got home.
Good going. Looking forward to seeing the full results.
Pretty chuffed as looking at strava (just requested to follow you btw David), I was a minute behind the fastest guy that trains with my club. In the first two races I did he lapped me and at brecon we finished on the same lap but I was way back, so I feel like I'm getting the hang of it slowly!
Really enjoyed yesterday - full on cross hangover today - a lot of coffe drunk already :-).
Wondering about bringing my mtb to Melin Mynach as a spare, but its more of a trail hardtail than a full on xc bike so i guess it would be an 'in case of mech failure security' than a viable bike to ride. Probably more hassle than its worth.
Good work. Always interesting how the first proper modder of the season can shake up the pecking order - some people go well in the mud, maybe you are one of them!
Wondering about bringing my mtb to Melin Mynach as a spare, but its more of a trail hardtail than a full on xc bike so i guess it would be an 'in case of mech failure security' than a viable bike to ride. Probably more hassle than its worth.
It really depends how bothered you are about scoring points toward the league. If you are bothered, then any spare bike that will get you over the finish line, still scoring some points even if it's less than normal, is better than zero points for a DNF.
Yeah good point, I think I'm just going to make it to 7 races so having two bikes there might not be the worst idea. Mind you I'd be a paranoid android about leaving it unattended 😳
I enjoyed the mud, didnt think i would but it was good, I wonder if mostly riding mtb helps in the mud with traction control?
Jon - didn't see you - did you race?
No, had a family day out instead. I'll be at Melin Mynach next week, and can probably make another 4 rounds after that so didn't need to risk wrecking my bike yesterday. 😐
What was it, something between 10 and 20 wrecked rear mechs?
Quite a few! I blame these fancy 11sp cassettes with lots of cogs, minimal clearance and narrow chains, my 9 speed was 'fine' a.k.a survived.
Cleaning the bike took over an hour- and there is still bits of grass jammed in the chainset and jockey wheels.
I'm hoping to go for a practise at MM eiter on Weds eve if I can leave work early enough or on Sat if you are keen?
After MM I can only do Pembrey and maybe the botantical gardens 🙁
Wednesday evening is good for me. (Working on Saturday.) Got decent lights?
Hmm, definately a one way conversation going on here
nah, it spilled over into your tyre thread which is what brought me here!
I Comm'd at Central League today. Seemed like a good race, the course looked quite interesting with a mixture of grass plugging and more technical riding.
the hilly mound was well used with a steep slippy chalky climb (which if you could ride you made up places on those that carried and then struggled to clip in) and quite a few off-camber corners. Good fun course and amazing weather again (done 4 of the Central League now). I had a good race in V40, came first out of the 3 of our club (BMCC) that are closely matched and having our own private race, but probably my best place overall and hopefully nudging top 10 (from being ceded on back row due to having never raced for round 1 I'm now up to 2nd row, typically been 80 in V40 which is our biggest cat). Munqe Chick won the women. Again 8)
What was it, something between 10 and 20 wrecked rear mechs?
MC's JIF buddies reported over 20 ripped off rear mechs on FB (either mech or hanger failed) as a result of mud+grass = birds nest in the sprocket. Looks like we're spoiled in Central!
MC's JIF buddies reported over 20 ripped off rear mechs on FB (either mech or hanger failed) as a result of mud+grass = birds nest in the sprocket.
25 DNF's according to the results. it was fairly brutal on the bike.
I'm chuffing my socks off at the moment as i made the top twenty overall and within spitting distance of top ten senior. Sure I will be back to normal next week though!
IdleJon - MemberWednesday evening is good for me. (Working on Saturday.) Got decent lights?
No, just a rubbish light, I was planning on driving over, trying to get there at 4.30ish and ride for an hour? can't be certain I'll manage that though
I see they still aren't willing to split the Welsh league down into slightly smaller fields?
We clearly are certainly very spoilt in Central League. Isn't it Gorseinon this Sunday for you Welshies? We are at wedding Sat night and I was tempted but it's driving the wrong way to return home to Oxford later that night. Plus having raced 5 CX weekends in a row (last weekend the doubler too) I am shattered and need a week off to recover!!!!!
Absolutely love it though!!
Absolutely love it though!!
I've become totally obsessed with 'cross, it's so much fun.
Yeah it's Gorseinon this weekend and organised by my club so have to say it's worth coming for. Given the forecast it might be another muddy one 😀
I like the big fields too, rarely an issue passing riders if your lapping them and it keeps the racing frantic!
Given the forecast it might be another muddy one
You'd better believe it!
(I can't make it out earlier on Wednesday sorry. If you go over there you'll be distinctly unimpressed with the venue but they make it into a good course though.)
Judging by how quickley it got dark yest I doubt I'll make it either. See you on Sunday!
I raced Gorseinon last year is it the same course? If so it will be PROPER manky think I will give it a miss! If I was going to race I'd make the effort to get back up here for Central league but I actually think I need a week off my legs are battered!
Layout is changed a bit but venue the same as I understand it.
Look forward to seeing you at Gorseinon, Ferrals.
I had a little restorative break over in France so missed Carms. I like MM, it's an involving course.
Glad to hear you're getting some bite from the tyres.
I'd expect similar conditions to Carmarthen for Melin Mynach. The bottom of the hill in particular is always a complete slog - last year I recall a downhill to the bottom part of the course that you had to pedal hard the whole way down just to keep moving through the mud! Bottom of the hill became quicker to run than ride by the end of the race.
Anyone doing the CX mountain event at llandovery on the 15th November?
I Comm'd at Central League today. Seemed like a good race, the course looked quite interesting with a mixture of grass plugging and more technical riding.
Ah, didn't see you there. I was visiting friend in Bucks so came along to plod around at the rear of the V40 field. Very different to the NW league - much prefer racing in a field of 120-160 riders (Vets / women) as it gives me more people to try and race rather than being lonely at the back! I did manage to beat 7 people and only got lapped once (just!)
The spiral thingy was properly annoying, made me dizzy, no need for those!
[url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5806/22307449098_7e7734daf6_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5806/22307449098_7e7734daf6_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/zZevrm ]Central League Round 5[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/simondbarnes/ ]Simon Barnes[/url], on Flickr
Ah! I did see you, there was another [i]caker[/i] there as well?
Normally there'd be more riders but it was a combination of a 2 race weekend and National Trophy on Sunday, so was the smallest field of the year.
The spiral is not the preferred option in a venue with so much area to ride in. I prefer the double-double kidney that I used when I promoted Archer races at Hillingdon. Also some cheeky reducing radius corners to force braking/ change of pace and maybe the odd dead stop turn!
Next Comm for me will be Sussex London league after Xmas.
Yes, there was a fast Velocaker and a slow one 🙂
Not sure when my next race is, work keeps getting in the way 🙁
After starting to road race last year, I dug my MTB out having ridden it about 6 times since I bought it in 2011, to race some of the Central League CX races. Did the Novice at the MK Bowl 2 weeks ago and came 1st, and entered the senior race last week. Great fun! Inspired to get back on the MTB in general!
planning on racing a wessex round this year only ever done one CX race (same venue a couple of years back) raced SS then and came 2nd from last (happy with that!)
I'd like to do it without buying any stuff....
is 34:44 a silly chainring combo?
bontrager cx0 or small block 8 for grassy ex golf course?
is it worth swapping to latex tubes?
am i over thinking it ? 😉
Great course at Liverpool yesterday - narrow with singletrack sections, couple of sharp-ish climbs close together. Felt like one of the harder courses this year for intense phases, but there were places you could recover (a bit!). I've found the fast, open courses more difficult in general.
I finally remembered to screw in some toe studs on my shoes for this race - felt like it made a big difference on the run-ups.
is 34:44 a silly chainring combo?
No 🙂
bontrager cx0 or small block 8 for grassy ex golf course?
I replaced a CXO with Michelin Mud for the Sparsholt race today and still ended up on my arse. So weather dependent I'd say.
If you mean the Eastleigh round in a couple of weeks, its moved to Southampton Sports Centre.
12th at Ardingly today. Best course yet & a massive field!
The mud made an appearance too 🙂
[img][url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5661/22700648081_6e31719fec_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5661/22700648081_6e31719fec_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/AzYKNa ]Vet men[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/huwspics/ ]Huw Williams[/url], on Flickr[/img]
Love this pic! That's me in the Singular kit, chasing down the Evans rider.
Beautiful warm sunshine for Welsh League in Gorseinon yesterday. The course was still muddy though; I blame the warm sun for drying out the mud on my jockey wheels resulting in a torn off rear mech just as I started the last lap. That was a long, long run to the pits.
I really didn't enjoy Ardingly yesterday, it felt as if there were no recovery sections just constant effort for an hour. Probably more to do with me than the course though, I spent the whole race wanting to pull out.
That's a nice pic- looks like a good course.
It didnt seem so beautiful when I was overheating!Beautiful warm sunshine for Welsh League
Bit of a frustrating race for me felt good and 'home' turf but had a bad start: someone a couple of rows in front of me stumbled, the row behind stopped, forcing me to stop with people behind knocking into me. By the time I'd extricated myself and got going I could see people steaming past either side. Got angry and went too hard the first two laps to try and reach the people I wanted to be racing with (failed), and spent the middle couple of laps swallowing my own vomit and paying for my efforts. Dropped my chain in the last lap too. No idea how I've done, hoping judging by strava better than I thought initially. Ah well, another lesson learned in race pacing.
Enjoyed the course though, a good mix. David - were you running that boggy slight uphill after the hairpin in the field by the carpark? I couldnt work out what to do there.
Shedbrewed had a bad off - hope your feeling better today mate.
Jon, didnt see you at the end - how did you go?
David - were you running that boggy slight uphill after the hairpin in the field by the carpark?
In the later stages yes, ran it the last three laps (didn't have any choice on the final lap!)
@David Jey, it wasn't you running with the bike shouldered with a torn rear DR and no rear wheel was it? That was commitment I thought.
@Ferrals. Yes a bit better today thanks. It was the lads wither side of me on the start who clattered together and I got caught up in it too. Made really good progress after that and was feeling very good. I even caught sight of David too! Then I hit a lump of something and OTB'd onto my right eye/face on I think lap 3 or 4. Was 20 minutes in. The remainder of that lap was obvious something wasn't right as I couldn't balance through corners and everything was kaleidoscoping from that eye. Pulled out, disappointed and saw the medics. They did a pupil check and confirmed it was ok in there, so just concussion. Eye is only slightly shining today and balance is not so bad now. Was rough last night.
Up to Newtown this Sunday and hope for a better result!
it wasn't you running with the bike shouldered with a torn rear DR and no rear wheel was it? That was commitment I thought.
That was one of the guys from my club - I think he ran a whole lap.
Mondays are a killer, not only am i tired, i keep getting distracted and looking for the results 😳 hope they do use timing chips next year.
Central League yesterday, a pretty relentless course with the bumps, enough mud to make the corners fun. I had a good race in the seniors and came away with 4th, so pleased with that.
Ardingly - That was London League wasn't it?