Forum menu
Not long till the season starts and getting over-excited so figured I'd start the thread 😀
Our club organised a fun cx race for half an hour on Sat round some local playing fields, good prep. which got me frothing for the season proper. Loads of fun, short 3 1/2 minute laps lots of off camber and a couple of power climbs. So good to feel the burn again, was the only person who managed not to get lapped by a couple of very fast guys (although unsure if they were going full gas or not)
Shed 1.2kg off the bike with lighter wheels (thanks john_l 8) ) which makes it feel much more sprightly.
Last year was my first season at cx, had a few reasonable results, primarily in the mud, really hope it wasn't beginners luck and I can replicate it again this year. 5 weeks to go, bit of rest this week then three hard weeks of pre- and post- work drills and intervals to sharpen everything up.
Yup, ours kicks off 1st week in September and give the forecast heatwave it might not be muddy until at least the 2nd weekend in September.
I'll probably be rubbish again, but it's my last year in Seniors before vets beckons.
No doubt my 4yr old will do better overall in U8's than I will too.
Yeah I'm woried about the potential for an indian summer 😆
Mind you the heat wave is only lasting two days in South Wales.
Training plan going well, though this year I'm not taking it too seriously at all. I'll do the Rapha SuperX again (off to Munich to do their excellent event in Oct, last years was unbelievable) then a few of the London X league events. I'm thinking of fitting in another set of long distance CX rides, the Hope one at the end of the months been cancelled and I didn't get a slot for the 3 Peaks so have to make up for it by doing the Keswick Monster Miles again, which is a favourite of mine.
More surfing for me this year, and probably next.
Enjoy, I might see you at an event or two.
Just going to be some (all the ones I can make) of the Welsh league for me and the Welsh champs will be my last race. Gives me a month head start on thinking about xc which i didnt do till after new years this year.
If anyone did the Gravel Reviver thingy, well on 22-23rd of Oct the guys are running a training course in Hexham .. Only 50 spaces, but looks kinda excellent (for the riding I love doing)
Actually remembered to register for the West Midlands League this year, so hope to make most of the rounds. Missing the first due to Kenilworth Half-marathon, and need to juggle with running in the Birmingham Cross Country league though.
I fancy a go this year, I have an (old) CX bike, but it's on a compact chainset, not sure how suitable that will be, there's a couple of Welsh league races fairly close.
I know it's supposed to be grim, but I usually do quite well at an hour of hard sustained effort, could just be my thing.
What sort of gear range is recommended for a beginner? 14st on a Canti braked Kinesis.......
Just leave it in the little ring
I appear the be the proud owner of a Boardman CX team via C2W, so I may have to have a go at this CX racing lark. 🙄
Hopefully doing some of the welsh races this year.. I'll be the small bloke on the tiny tripster if I see any of you would be nice to put faces to stw..
Looking forward to it. Should be able to do most of the Welsh league this year barring breaking any bones pre season like last year! New son is going to get an autumn and winter spectating and having a cowbell attached to his romper suit.
Got my 3 dates for London League Comms.
stupid question...
Can you use mountain bikes to race CX?
I'd love to have a go but don't really want to shell out for a CX bike as I have a 29er already.
Can you use mountain bikes to race CX?
generally for national series races no, but for regional series races yes.
you tend not to be able to use bar end on an mtb, which is a bit weird given their similarity in shape to sti hoods...
Yes you can, but as stated above bar ends are not allowed.
If racing London League then don't use a GoPro (or similar from other manufacturer) as you will be asked to remove it before starting.
f racing London League then don't use a GoPro
same with any league isn't it - it's a BC rule?
Yup. But then not all Leagues are equal 😉
Core (and in fact anyone else), if you are close to Swansea, I think Gower Riders may be holding another fun 1/2hr cx race on the 27th which would be a great intro to cx. Adult race will be around 11am after the kids races. I'll post more details when I have them. Whole mix of abilities from first timers to fast people having a pre-season warm up but all friendly and fun.
Shedbrewed - congrats on the baby boy! see you in Cardiff. Bit gutted I'm missing the abergavenny weekend. would have liked to race both the sat and sun but other commitments 🙁
I'm also looking forward to the cross season. Finished 7th overall in the series so will have to work hard to better that as there are a few in the cat. that could win the elite races (one of them is a former German junior national champ). Hoping to get some training wheels sorted out for my Crux in the next few weeks as there is one MTB marathon next month that is quicker on a cx bike and don't fancy ruining a set of tubs.
Yup! Been working on new course for lovecrossed, will be hosting western league finale again within the race and screening the worlds as per. Hope to be at Monster Cross at Catton Hall on the 11th of September with a Lovecrossed team, looks like it should be fun. Other than that maybe some pitting at trophy and visiting the Belgian family for a big race or two.
A return to the Weldh League for me this year. I hear the vets are getting their own race ... that should cut numbers to below 100 hopefully!
Congrats Thom; sees you in Llanishen.
Ferrals - didn't realise that was you, glad you like them.
First London League round is just 3 weeks away! Will be rocking a posh paint job on the Kite this season.
I appear the be the proud owner of a Boardman CX team via C2W, so I may have to have a go at this CX racing lark.
OK Dave see you in old blokes class at Hoghton Tower 10th September then...
Or they are doing fun class where you get thrashed by the youths 🙂
tang - Member
This is a good read
http://road.cc/content/blog/176154-help-yourself
That event was so wet, at one point we thought we'd have to give the U10s snorkels and marker buoys.
As you can see the start grid sheets started to become papier mache, and we found out that the BC Comms jackets weren't waterproof.
Looks like L and I will be there again on 2nd October...
OK Dave see you in old blokes class at Hoghton Tower 10th September then...
Yip I think you will, no idea what to expect but what the hell, it can only be agony for 40 mins. 🙁
First lap will be a traffic jam. Practice hopping CX bike up a stone step will gain time and places every time you ride through the barn. Other than that Hoghton and rossendale are mtbers courses.
May be my last season of 'cross in the London League. Just left my club after many years and as two of my main rivals are in said club it might be a bit 'edgy'. Can't be doing with that so might take up table tennis instead.
Final season here as a Senior so hoping for a good one. Numbers indicate that I'm not getting slower yet, but I'm not getting faster either 😆
A full NDCXL season lies ahead with selected Trophies and hopefully a mudbath at Bradford for the Nationals.
Commissairing quite a bit too, a couple of the Trophy rounds and chief comm at the Midland area championships.
ride through the barn
what????
is it part indoors 😉
what????is it part indoors
Yup. I made up plenty of places by riding up the steps out of the barn on every lap last year. I was still outside the top 100 though 🙂
I had better get some practice in then. 🙁
Just been helping recce out potential courses for the welsh champs in december, first iteration looking pretty darn good 😀
Didn't see your post before John, haha, forgot to put user name! Yep they are going nicely
Does anybody race in Yorkshire? I've never done it before, I have a almost suitable bike, and I have just found that there is a county wide series going on that seems quite popular.
Should i give it a bash?
Will I die!?
Does anybody race in Yorkshire?
Yes. Lots & lots.
Should i give it a bash?
Most definitely
Will I die!?
Probably 🙂
CX bike all ready.... Can't wait.
Cheers Iain, Ant. See you at Llanishen.
Debating having a crack at the first couple of Notts & Derby rounds myself. Only ever ridden bike trials comps so I've absolutely no idea what to expect. Think my bike is setup pretty well for it, just needs new tyres I think!
Anyone local-ish to Swansea, there are so 'go-cross' races at Penyrheol this Saturday. Annoyingly my knee is wrecked but its good practise for round one of the Welsh series as a similar course. The races are fun races aimed at newcomers but there were a fair few faster guys in the adults last time so the racing snakes among us should have a few people to battle with too.
[IMG] 
[/IMG]
Hope everyone's season prep is going well (or first races gone well!)
Saw this on grit.cx: [url= http://grit.cx/magazines/unsupported-tech-advice-mud-protection ]Unsupported mud advice[/url]
Has anyone actually tried this or is it some kind of cruel non-April April fools? Sounds possibly sensible but am not sure whether it could transfer to discs with disasterous results!
Well I'm off to Munich for Raphas SuperX (last years was superb!!) then Keswick Monster miles is my first foray back into long distance racing, from a self imposed lay off. I've kept up riding to about 70% fitness (goal was 80%) but I'm having too much fun surfing.
As to that rainX, nah. You kinda just get used to the gloop that attaches itself.
If it actually prevented the extra kilograms of mud attaching to the frame/rims I'd give it a crack but I'm not sure it would.
Seasons first race at Cardiff today, not very cross-like sunshine and a fun flowy course made for a great day out. Lots of lovely off camber, saw some funny crashes in the earlier races. Made the mistake of over pacing myself and finished with a lot left in the tank but still felt good, had a good race, a reasonable position (I think) and hope can build on it as it gets more technical/muddy.
So pleased the seasons started 😀