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It also stops your tyres rotting so you don't have to replace them so fast.. though I think the newer challenge tyres are self coated.
One day I will afford a tubular wheelset.. probably when i stop buying so many bloody tubeless tyres 🙂 Those challenge at Mantel are a bargain; TLR grifos for the same price too! Wonder if challenge have them sized right or not
Slight AstroTurf – eldest lad in action 🙂
Nice.. nice lookign bike too, plenty of mud clearnace at the seat stays!
It’s optional as far as I know, even for league riders – anyone can just sign one out for the day, but it helps the league admin to take this off their plate on race day. Apparently the old timing chips weren’t 100% reliable in heavy weather and riders not returning them was an aggravating issue.
Ah, makes more sense
Any prediction for finish position in V40 Dave? Apart from well ahead of me, Steve and G_L 🙂
Last seasons in V40s in the London League for me, back to singlespeed too, after a season with gears.
1st round at Stanmer next weekend.
Any prediction for finish position in V40 Dave?
Shivering, muddy and having a barrel of ice cold water poured over me before I'm allowed back in the van. The standard position. 🙂
Anyone heading to next weeks opening NW round at Blakemere from Sheffield with room for one rider and one bike? I'll be racing at 14:30.
Last seasons in V40s in the London League for me, back to singlespeed too, after a season with gears.
What gearing do you go with for the SS?
I'm currenty running 38/18 but think it might be a bit big for me.
Definetly in the right ballpark. When I was racing singlespeed I tending to gear just below 60".
Thoroughly enjoyed yesterday. Really fast track and I've been agonising all week over tyre choice due to the weather (PDX in the end). I should have known it was going to be fine at Blakemere because it drains pretty well! Managed to go reasonably well but I was stuck near the back from the start. A nice course with some good features. happy with my times just need to work my way up to the front a bit better at the start.
Proud of my daughter who managed to finish the race although she's a bit keener than previous years. She also learned a lot from watching the other kids too.
Looking forward to Saturday but it might be a bit of a rush after Gymnastics!
Found that to be a kick in the baws tbh, first one always is but not much respite to be found on that track at all. Did settle in OK until halfway round lap five when I blew up my mech with a bad shift. Elected to run in and finish - not sure why, seen as I run like a bloke carrying a grand piano on his back, but crossed the line in any case. So a poor result in the end but still good to get some racing under the belt.
I also couldn't believe how dry it was - it has tanked it down with rain and even that morning was pouring as we left, but the field just seemed to suck it all up, felt really dry in the turns.
Anyone racing the evening/night cross series at Supermarine in Swindon? Should be able to make all 5 this year, and after finally getting comfortable with the CX bike setup recently I'd like to see if i can get an improvement on lap times compared to previous years
Were you still in Stockport kit G_L? Think we might have had a battle for a lap early on. I also don't get on with the dry dragstrip kind of courses so scraping into top half of field / not getting lapped will be as good as I could hope for round there. Can't wait for some mud and tech (but did enjoy not having to wash bikes).
Chipps kindly offered me a chip on the stairs but I didn't have a spare hand or any breath.....
Not surprisingly Twinkly Dave was up the front.
Steve b looked like he enjoyed marshall and proud dad duties 🙂
Were you still in Stockport kit G_L? Think we might have had a battle for a lap early on. I also don’t get on with the dry dragstrip kind of courses so scraping into top half of field / not getting lapped will be as good as I could hope for round there. Can’t wait for some mud and tech (but did enjoy not having to wash bikes).
Yes Mick, the Belgian colours - you went past me quite early, looking in good form.
Appreciate the physical challenge of that course but one for the purists IMHO - prefer something more mixed. It's a great venue, though - very compact, don't have to worry about losing your kids.
Good form? = 39th place :-)....
Apologies for my kids loudly heckling with the jump gang.
I marshalled at Blakemere on Sunday. Managed to get sunburned after standing at the very far end (and windiest) part of the course from 10am til 4pm. Pace looked very high but I think that was down to the dry conditions as others have said. Hopefully I will take part in my first Seniors race this Saturday all being well.
What gearing do you go with for the SS?
I’m currenty running 38/18 but think it might be a bit big for me.
Sorry, missed this - 38/19 with an Oval AB ring. Just about right for me, although there was plenty of climbing at Stanmer yesterday.
Did my first race in Stanmer on Sunday and it was great. I was expecting to finish a long way off the back, but I didn’t finish last so I’m well pleased with that. A couple of things I’m going to change on my bike before the next race are a bigger front ring as I couldn’t keep up with those around me on the flat grass sections and I will probably stick the spuds on too. I toyed with taking the flats off on Sunday morning but I haven’t ridden spds for a good few years now and thought it probably wasn’t a good idea to race without a couple of rides to get used to them again.
I might even try and get some cheapo carbon forks from eBay to make it a bit lighter.
I really need to work on my cx dismounts too as I was rubbish getting over the planks
Ah it's good to be back!
Not so good to be throwing away a decent start by binning it on the gravel, stuffing a mech into the spokes and shredding my shorts, but the racing was as lung bursting as ever and the atmosphere was as friendly as I remember it (everyone loves a bit of heckling at the jump spot!).
Didn't even have to wash the bikes when I got home. Ace. 🙂
Can't wait for this weekend, doing the Western CX R2 - looking at this weekends results everyone looks fairly fast!
Not raced in 4 years so not going in with any high hopes but excited to get racing again! Not going for one League this year as right on the edge of the Wessex, Western, West midlands and CCXL areas so will pick as choose the local ones from each as trying to do one would mean a fair few 180+ mile days of driving!
Signed up for our work gym last week and did a FTP test over the weekend and was a tad disappointed to have dropped to 239w FTP, although happy to only be 2kg heavier - it just seems I've lost the muscle mass and replaced with cake! This now puts me at a 3.23W/kg so about 20% off my best from 2013! I guess that'll be the first target to build back the power to that and see how the results improve!
Didn’t even have to wash the bikes when I got home. Ace.
That was an absolute bonus, very rare! What wasn't a bonus was seeing you in front on the start line and thinking that's another place dropped then ;).
I am predicting that mud tyres will be required this weekend though. Awfully soggy driving through Houghton this evening!
going to get involved in a few rounds this year, was going to start with vive le cross at hull but injured this week, first round of the lincs cx is up the road in about 5 weeks, gives me time to have a recovery week then a decent 3 week block, maybe do the vive le cross midweek before the sunday race, then take it from there
them Challenge Grifo's on Mantel decent? first round of lincs is a piney sandy forest that drains well, never hard pack but never loose sand apart from 2 corners
also running 9170 di2, but 52/34 chainrings, with 11-32 out the back, best size single ring to go for?
also running 9170 di2, but 52/34 chainrings, with 11-32 out the back, best size single ring to go for?
I run 11-36 with a single 42 ring which I've always found about right across the season. I may take that back with reduced fitness but we'll see!
What a first race at Stanmer! Was gridded at the back in around 50th snd managed to get to 30th after half a lap and some aggressive yet still nice riding 😅
Managed 22nd in the end which I’m super pleased with for my first race, I’ve written about it in more detail here:Stanmer blog
Plenty to learn still but I’m most definitely hooked.
Oh well, first race of the season @ Tweedcross missed for me, back problems have developed into sciatica which isn't budging after 4 weeks!
Next race at Callendar Park will, at best, just be an opportunity to get wheels muddy for the first time, hopefully be able to take following rounds at Montrose and Fife College more seriously, if largely de-trained after 2 months off bike! Hoping some pool time maintains some fitness.
The beauty of cross is that I suspect the race experience will be exactly the same regardless of my fitness, just need to downgrade expectations from 47th to 67th!
Anyone racing the evening/night cross series at Supermarine in Swindon?
Yep, planning to do this, although still struggling to come to terms with the fact that the nights have drawn in to the point that this can be happening next week.
I really need to work on my cx dismounts too as I was rubbish getting over the planks
Those planks were awkward; coming into a 90 degree turn isn't the easiest dismount, especially for the first race of the season!
Those planks were awkward; coming into a 90 degree turn isn’t the easiest dismount, especially for the first race of the season!
I did consider monster trucking it on the first lap
monster trucking it
?
Pedalling over the top of everyone and crushing them beneath you? Wheelying so hard you do a backflip?
I have so much 'cross terminology still to learn... 🙁
Pedalling over the top of everyone and crushing them beneath you?
The majority of the field were a way ahead by the time I got there so there was no chance of that 😀
Stanmer for me last weekend.V60 now so was just hoping to justify my front row position in the combined v50/v60s. As every year there were a few new faces and so was expecting some changes in the finishing order and so it transpired. Very happy with 7th overall and 1st v60. Only a few seconds off 5th overall so seems there's life in the old dog yet.
Can anyone recommend a decent pressure wash - prob battery-powered? Was using a mobi and the charging port has corroded out, which seems to be a common problem. Will use it in the pits but doesn't need to be super powerful.
Steve b looked like he enjoyed marshall and proud dad duties 🙂
Yup, the supreme nachos were excellent and only minimal tape repairs as no one really crashed into it on the section I was one.
The eldest blitzed the U8 race and from what I can figure out lapped 32 of the 35 other kiddies at least once and was 30 seconds (half a lap) up on 2nd! The middle one had a laugh, binned it on the gravel (like Dave) and ended up 22nd so a massive improvement on last season.
I'm actually gonna drag myself out round Hoghton Tower this weekend and the eldest will be in the U8 again, while the middle one heads off to Wales for the Junior circuit race series.
I'm the event organiser for CX in the City, hosted by Velobants.cc, does anyone fancy coming to race at Campbell Park in Milton Keynes on Saturday 28th September? Its the same venue as the 2014 World Cup! Our event is more grass roots CX, trying to encourage as many people in to the sport as possible.
Its going off this year, we had 630 riders last year, and won the CCXL award for Best Race and Best Venue and this year its even bigger; Red Bull DJ Truck, Unicorner, CX steps etc, prizes to win like a Trek Crockett and Hunt Wheels. Plus we are also trying to beat the BC record of having 100+ riders in a womens CX race. All female entries get the chance to win a new Trek Crockett courtesy of Trek UK supported by Helen Wyman - whos also racing.
Central League is a really friendly league and a great place to race.
1st round of Vive Le Cross tonight for a serious wake up call, then organiser duties for the 1st round of the Yorkshire points series on Sunday at Bishop Burton East Yorks, venue,catering,1st aid, course planning all done.
Getting 10 marshals = a right pain the a**e.
Wherever you are please put a bit back sometime over the coming season.
Oh and on top of Whernside next Sunday for some dibbing action 🙂
See you there!
I am predicting that mud tyres will be required this weekend though. Awfully soggy driving through Houghton this evening!
It'll be muddy in those woods (and on that start loop in the lower field), it always is! Hopefully the main field near the pits will stay rideable.
Mind the cow poo! 🤢
It’ll be muddy in those woods (and on that start loop in the lower field), it always is!
Guess I'll fit the mud tyres then
Notts and Derby league at Shipley Park for my first race of the season tomorrow. Anyone else ridden there and able to comment on the course? Likely to be muddy after this rain?
I've ridden there loads. It can be an absolute mudbath but it won't be after the amount of rain we've had recently. Most likely to be fast running with the odd slippy section. It's largely smooth grass and there will be one or two serious climbs to contend with depending on how the course has been set out.
I'll be at Hoghton doing the usual course building this afternoon. Raking the woods clear is usually my job so will report back later (and the loam always turns into a swamp so you know the score anyway.....)
Actually looks dry for this afternoon / tomorrow, so I'd predict slighty less muddy but more sticky than normal.
Mud tyres as always.
I did my first cx race on 25 Aug. Tweedcross. It was probably the hottest day of my summer. I had a bottle in a seattube cage as there wasn't any portage but I was too on the limit to grab a drink from it. A erm colossal performance of 17th of 68 in the B race. I'd been riding 200,300,400,600km audaxs this year, the exact opposite of training for bouncing into the red for 55 minutes
Actually looks dry for this afternoon / tomorrow, so I’d predict slighty less muddy but more sticky than normal.
Mud tyres as always.
I suppose the forecast reasonable winds might dry it up a bit too?
All ready at Hoghton. Fields medium wet so probably grass and sticky mud (and some cow poop) rather than the sea of slop.
Testament to how wet last year was - this was the first time I've found fossilised ruts from the previous year still evident in the woods. I've raked us an extra soft new line on the last corner in the woods 🙂 then staying on the grass a bit longer to try and avoid covering the drive in filth.
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Nice one Mick. Must admit I don't normally enjoy Hoghton because it's usually the first one, so going to try and enjoy the course more tomorrow. Hard with the hill but has a good mixture of stuff. Might risk a bike change with an absent-minded 11yo manning the jetwash.