beer.
I'll be marshalling and heckling, be nice to see some of you lot.
Bump.
I'll be there, be in blue/white/maroon G. R. kit, really looking forward to it, planning on getting there 10ish for a practise lap, clean bike, heckle the vets and women before getting ready to try and not come last in the seniors 😀
couple of questions - do you know what the course is like re. drainage and mud content? I'm guessing muddy given the weather! really dont want to DNF with a mud induced mechanical!
Also are there shower/hose facilities as I guess they arent going to want us inside for the screening if we are stinking!
couple of questions - do you know what the course is like re. drainage and mud content? I'm guessing muddy given the weather! really dont want to DNF with a mud induced mechanical!Also are there shower/hose facilities as I guess they arent going to want us inside for the screening if we are stinking!
I can't give you a definative answer - Tang of Lovecrossed is on here and may well be along to answer.
RE: Course, it does have a mix of surfaces, but i do believe the mud will be muddy.
tetbury derbyshire or Gloucestershire?
cheers qwerty,
Jekkyl, its the Gloucestershire one
In for the pairs race. Is there a prize for the best domestic argument? 😉
In for the pairs race. Is there a prize for the best domestic argument?
so your username is ironic, then? 😉
Oh no so HOW muddy? As said not sure I can face it!! My pit bike is pony and certainly can't afford another rear mechanism 😉
What's the course like? Anyone got any info? I want technical!!!
There will be mud, gravel (posh gravel mind), Tarmac, singletrack, parkland. It's been hammering down for 2 days solid but we are pretty good free draining limestone hills. That said I'm sure mud will on show.
Re the house. I've pinched the floor covers from Poldark filming, but bring clean shoes or you'll be in your socks!
I will update conditions tomorrow when I'm out on course.
We will be running the Van Der Poll on the worlds on the day
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so your username is ironic, then?
I thought it was obvious...
We will be running the Van Der Poll on the worlds on the day
Heart says Nys to have the perfect career ending.. don't know enough to use my head so Nys it is!
Can't wait for the day 🙂
Having just bought my first CX bike I found this event only this morning! will there be a series next year? I'm quite keen to give it a go ?
Bedds this is part of Western league so yes there will be another series next year! Quick come along on Sunday and race!
Is there a ladies poll for winner of WC too!?? 🙂
There would be but I can only show the men's!
I can't due to other commitments this weekend 🙁 I'll keep a look out net year though 🙂
Should be plenty of MUD cant stop raining in Gloucestershire these days some heavy downpours today saying that Saturday and Sunday are suppose to be dry 🙂
Walked the course this evening. It's not too bad! However, our pre pit mud section is very muddy! Final course decision on Friday. Full Castelli, ENVE, Sidi CX goods on show and Scott bikes will have the big van with the latest bikes. Vin Cox will be doing commentary.
Oooo some nice Cx bikes there? I fancy a new pit bike!
Oh are there shower or changing facilities there??
Sorry no showers(I couldn't afford to hire them, but hope to next time) , but we have a changing space if required. It's basic but private and the cake lady is set up in front of the door!
I fancy a new pit bike!
I, in the most veiled and subtle way, muted the idea of a second cx bike the other day - and nearly got pushed out of the car 😳
It's all good though - a few bike mentions and a second set of wheels wont seem too bad!! 😆
without wanting to jinx it, the weather actaully looks ok for sunday which is a bonus
See you there Ferrals, I'll be there with some of the Ponty boys. I have been enjoying my off month and consuming beer and chips with regularity so I expect you to come whizzing passing my barrel-like form in short order.
Can I come & take some photos/hang out with the glitterati?
See you there Ferrals, I'll be there with some of the Ponty boys. I have been enjoying my off month and consuming beer and chips with regularity so I expect you to come whizzing passing my barrel-like form in short order.
Judging by your strava I'm not sure thats 100% accurate 😉
I've only been religiously flagellating myself on the turbo anyway so I'll probably end up in some kind of anaphalactic shock from cycling in fresh air!!
Don't suppose that is Pontypool by any chance is it? That's my hometown but am based in Monmouth now. I'll be on a Ritte. See you there.
Matt
@ferrals Despite all strava activity I have managed to maintain a weight gain of 5kg throughout the last month. I am aware it is there.
@docketrog, you may take pictures of my glitterati as it hangs out.
@mattlewis, yes pontypool. See you there. We may have spoken at the Pembrey final round of welsh league? I ride the Canyon, which I broke at Pembrey.
The sun came out today. I've had a lovely day in the woods on my own. Two woodland sections pruned, staked and taped plus barriers arrived, crew arrives tomorrow! Conditions nice generally, 'no mud no lotus' section is muddy but I think the experienced will find a line. Check out @lovecrossedcx on Instagram for pics.
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By all means everyone welcome. There is food, cake and a bar! Plus don't forget the worlds after! Photos always good RDog.
Yeah ha I'm so excited about this weekend and event! No worries re showers I'd have just been miffed if they were there and I wasn't prepared! Shower in a can and some dry shampoo sorted 😉
Ferrals . . a pit bike is the way forward and a must on some of these races. I have an old Dolan but already decided it is shite so want a nicer one . . nearly even bought a 2nd carbon one the other day :-/ ssshhh don't tell crashtestmonkey!! Ha ha .. He won't care, he's the best pit crew! But can't come on Sunday.
Hello shed brewed, I know you now- I was eyeing up that Canyon too! See you there.
Matt
I bought a cx bike, did the supermarine races, then sold the cx bike. It was more fun watching and heckling cx. So a few of us will be going along to shout words of encouragement (mainly at some Banjo Cycles riders we know). Where's the best place to cheer/heckle?
Course looks good!
I'm spitting, turbo last night and right at the end my knee went. Icing up but I might be in spectator mode too 😥
Ferrals, bugger. Hope it clears up mate. Otherwise can I book you for pit bitch? 😀
Weather is interesting across the border today..
haha I'll still start and see how I go. If not will prob do video duty
Nooo showing rain please no more rain!!!!
LIVE UPDATE: the beer has arrived 🙂
Is this the same place they had a round of the sprint enduro few years back?Enduro has in motorbikes.
It's trying to snow where we are staying tonight in north Cotswolds, I know it won't, but how good would a full on snow fest be?!
I have my thermals on, snack bag ready & hot water bottle snug inside my jacket. Show me your best race faces today.
So Munqechick only went and won the women's, and a fellow Central CX League interloper got 2nd.
Well done Munque-chick - looked like you were riding well.
Thanks to tang, qwerty and everyone involved with the organisation.
Well done to Munque Chick for the result, top work on a very sticky course.
Despite the course being mostly all the things I don't enjoy; running, sticky mud, slippy grass, wind (maybe cross isn't the right sport for me? 😉 ) I really enjoyed the gravel and woods section. Nice to have some other pontypool company there and not to pull the rear derailleur off. Stopped a couple of times to declog derailleur and BB/forks which I've never had to do on the Canyon before. It was that sticky.
Great fun and many thanks for the organisation, and beers after.
Mmm recovery cider...
[img][url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1609/24106532043_3f323b4006_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1609/24106532043_3f323b4006_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/CJdh7P ]2016-01-31_05-36-55[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/martinddd/ ]martinddd[/url], on Flickr[/img]
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[img][url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1446/24437863680_e5a2441242_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1446/24437863680_e5a2441242_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Deurtf ]2016-01-31_05-37-39[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/martinddd/ ]martinddd[/url], on Flickr[/img]
[img][url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1444/24106538223_c3bc137d3b_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1444/24106538223_c3bc137d3b_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/CJdiXn ]2016-01-31_05-37-14[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/martinddd/ ]martinddd[/url], on Flickr[/img]
[img][url= https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1587/24733326365_52a0615d7b_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1587/24733326365_52a0615d7b_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/DFALet ]2016-01-31_05-33-49[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/martinddd/ ]martinddd[/url], on Flickr[/img]
A fantastic day, some heroic efforts, prime Cotswold venue, really nice that everyone hung around after to eat pizza & frittes, have a beer, coffee & cake and then into the mansion hall for live screening of the worlds.
Where were all the SSCXers?
See you all next year.
😀
Hopefully someone will be along shortly with some action shots!
Where were all the SSCXers?
Was there a class/prize for it? If so didn't know, but it's almost a 4 hour drive for me.
Was there a class/prize for it?
No, but the gloop suited it!
Very good event mega tacty mud saw a fair few broken rear mech hangers.
Nice inside the house watching last 10mins of Worlds.We were cleaning mates bike for every 2 laps.Nice fake rocks around side of house look very real.
Awesome last CX race of season! Hard, muddy ride which required lap bike changes. Oddly everyone gets seeded and starts together but I barrelled into row 3 of Vets 4 + 50, women and Junior. Had an appalling start and got stuck in traffic with competitive men so had to seriously battle to get through. 2 girls escaped and got 30+ seconds on, I kept my head on and ploughed on trying to remember all my skills (ha ha). Slowly reeled them back in on lap 3 and managed to get past and get a gap. Had awesome team of pit crew (Cardiff JIF) who realised my pit bike was a single speed on big ring and informed me they had a new pit bike with saddle height set for me .. Off I went on Jack's bike .. jack is 11 years old!! It worked a dream except for the crazy slammed low handlebars! Did the trick though and I pulled away for the win! Well chuffed with that! Hard battling with lots of blokes, I'm used to Women starting 1 min after Vets on our own start!
Had the odd altercation with rude ungrateful men but most were fab when I rode aggressively past then messed up the next corner 😉
Brilliant day out, particularly topped off with pizza and watching the World CHamps! My only disappointment (not a gripe against organisers) is my fab garish winners jersey is a medium and I need an XS 🙁 LOVE IT and wanted to wear it.
Now to chill after a fun awesome season. I will be back for Love Crossed next year! THanks Tang, Qwerty and all the others for all the effort and hard work that went into it!
Now to chill after a fun awesome season. I will be back for Love Crossed next year! THanks Tang, Qwerty and all the others for all the effort and hard work that went into it!
Err, i should point out that this is Tangs baby, he's pulled it all together into what you had today, put in all the graft of logistics & headaches in the weeks & months prior, and keeps his head throughout, well done! I just help out.
Really enjoyed today, had an awful race, have a feeling I may have come dead last of the people that actually finished but it was still a good day and venue. Racing, pizza and cx on the screen after. Brilliant! Thanks to Tang and all involved. Was a good course, I thought, on the two laps I did pre the vets/women's race it was all 100% rideable, pretty fast and not to claggy but that had changed by the seniors race.
As to the race, my legs weren't in it with too much more endurance type training in them and a dodgy knee, and my heart wasn't in it when I lost sight of shedbrewed and I realised a guy I normally beat in the Welsh league had two bikes and was switching every lap so I couldn't keep up. Was having to stop and try and de-clog using sticks every half lap, still ripped my rear mech in half 5 yards from the finish line. My wife did comment it's basically impossible to be competitive with just one bike, but it now transpires that wasn't permission for a pit bike 🙁
Got to say though the western league spectators and hecklers need geeing up a bit, my wife was watching and couldn't believe how quiet and polite it was!
Any idea when and where the results come out so I can see how badly I did?!
HA ha Ferrals that was DEFIANTELY a course for 2 bikes, I couldn't have won without bike changes, the girl I reeled in who finisehd 3rd was NOT changing bikes! I had to pit on the last lap.. as I couldn't even pedal up the final hill so I can't imagine you're pain after an hour!!!
I'm currently surfing Castelli Cafe trying to decide what to spend my £100 voucher on!! MEGA PRIZE thanks guys.
That clay mud is sapping. See my post edit re. Pit bikes - working on it for next season!!
Well done on the result!
[url= http://www.racetecresults.com/results.aspx?CId=27&RId=30322 ]Results[/url]
What it's the way forward!!!! I had a crappy old Dolan which was my main bike at start of season, I had the opportunity to buy a pimpy Carbon Focus .. it was money I was going to use to pay of the mortgage, asked OH (Crashtestmonkey) who told me not to waste it on the mortgage buy the bike 🙂
aren't I glad I did now!!!! Now the dolan has broken this season and despite it allegedly being 8 speed it is now a single speed! Hence borrowing an 11 year old's bike so better pit bike for me next year LOL 😉
They are very polite around there don't forget the future king of England only lives around the corner have to watch your Ps and Qs!!! 🙂
Most people had glogging problems yet there was a guy in the main race with cantis and never changed the bike once seemed to be clearer than most even the disc brake bikes strange.
I was using PDX's which I'd previous found to shed mud well, but they were failing yesterday. Close up, notice the lovely smooth surface shaped by the fork stays:
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Few other pictures from the seniors race:
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Got a good shot of one of my club mates there. Nice one. As a single bike racer I stopped a couple of times to clear out the rear derailleur and bb/forks despite the canyon usually having good clearance. A good rain shower would've helped but hey ho.
Got a couple of you too which I'd thought I'd stuck up, Including the moment you lapped me :oops:, I'll chuck them up later this eve.
Can't work out why my bike got so clogged, but I literally couldn't get the wheels turning.
A bunch of pics here too:
[url= http://www.stroudlife.co.uk/pictures/Pictures-CycloCross-Poldark-Country-Chavenage/pictures-28646850-detail/pictures.html ]Stroud Life Gallery[/url]
Despite the course being mostly all the things I don't enjoy; running, sticky mud, slippy grass, wind (maybe cross isn't the right sport for me? ) I really enjoyed the gravel and woods section.
Ha ha, that's a far more positive take on it than I had. A minute of enjoyable gravel and woody singletrack. Then 9 minutes of flat, muddy field. I've got cycling friends who just don't understand CX - this is why. 😆
Couple more photos:
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I can spot that extra 5kg! Cheers Ferrals, mind if I yoink them?
Haha, didn't slow you down though! Yep feel free, think they are full size
Yep feel free, think they are full size
Stop going on about the belly! 😀
Good to see bikes with disc brakes were clogging up too! I was contemplating buying a disc braked cross bike based solely on my experiences at Lovecrossed. My wheels were jammed solid! It's never been that bad before. I was wishing I'd had my mountain bike with the Lefty as a second bike. Slick event though and good to meet some fellow Welsh leaguers.
All the best.
Matt
Nah disks were just as bad, am thinking of getting tubs for next season as I think they shed mud better due to running crazy low pressures.
Anyone know where any of the 'real' photographers images are? seemed to be a lot of good cameras (and film?) knocking about, but only seen the stroud life ones.
good welsh representation on the stround life coverage posted by lovecrossed on instagram!
FWIW I stopped twice to de-clog and the Canyon has huge clearances. I only had to declog the BB and forks once. I did jockey wheels both times. My buddy JK stopped 5 times I think he said on his canti Limba.
I was de-clogging forks 'on the fly' from the start, by the half way mark i was stopping to de-clog as much of the bike as i could twice a lap. Speaking to a friend, bizarre as it seems, Ridley bikes apparently had very poorly clearing BB areas until last years models. Will have to practise my de-clogging by next season!
Or just get a second bike Ferrals you know it makes sense! Bike to work??
My Cannondale has got a 'shelf' sitting in front of the BB which causes the clog. By the end I was stopping twice per lap, but mainly because the jockey wheels were so bound up with crud.
Munqe-chick - MemberOr just get a second bike Ferrals you know it makes sense! Bike to work??
My current cx bike and a significant part of my mtb is still waiting to be paid off on the credit card - need to get that sorted first!
official photos up [url= http://ds.clientportal.info/redirect/&url=lovecross ]here[/url] though you have to enter email address to see them
Was just going to link! We went down with Flu straight after clean up! Needless to say we had a great time hosting everyone. We will be back better next year! More plans in store and we will work on the course some more.
On an aside, I will be doing a invitational to check out the XC course on the other side of the estate in the hidden valley. I have excellent 10-15k loop that we plan to race on at some point. I'll post up in March sometime.