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Thanks guys 🙂
Those training sessions / Surrey league sounds good. Unfortunately I'm racing on the 4th March so I couldn't get two training sessions in...unless they release more training dates?
Haha TCC would be the first club I'd consider joining.
Good luck at the weekend TiRed!
Late to this party, but I am road racing this year. I did a couple 4 or 5 years ago then nothing but have been training hard all winter.
Plan for the weekend is to do the Velo29 winter series race. My, perhaps ill thought out plan is to do a 45 min Cat 4 go race then with my clubmates, who are all cat 3 or above do the E1234 handicap.
I have done one of the Cat 4 races of the series already and managed 13th but I know what I did wrong then and I think I have a better sprint and will certainly attack off the front less.
Main plan for the year is to enter some 3/4 hilly road races.
Great performance Nath... Well done !
Thanks weeksy!
Over the moon with 6th - definitely ended the series on a high note!
Will you be coming to Abingdon?
@CH - I'll be at Hillingdon on Tuesday night, leaving work around 3 and will swap bikes with a quick pit stop 🙂
Yeah i may make it over... what's the timings/schedule ?
My lads Enduro race has been postponed to the Sat after, so i may be able to make it over for your race.
Racing starts at 9am Saturday 25th Feb & 4th March.
I'll be waking up at 6am for food 😆
Ah right, yeah i'll be there then 🙂 works lovely for me as i've almost got to go past it to get to Luton afterwards.
Postcode ?
It's at Dalton barracks. Just follow the red sign from the Abingdon jct. Once you are off of the roundabout, it's literally first right, first right, first left.
Nath- cool, looking forward to Tuesday 🙂
Errrrrm eh ? Can't be.... right off the roundabout and right again takes you to Tesco.
So come off the A34 and onto the roundabout following the signs to Dalton Barracks....i.e. first exit towards Millets Farm, then go right right left. Easy 🙂
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Super. All good. We couldn't go left last time for some reason for CX race so it was an adventure to find it.
See you on the start line.
I'll bring the flags, banners and marching band. You two supply the excitement!
Attack attack attack
Zzzz, zzzzz, SPRINT!!! Is my only hope..... more draft, less 'Nathing' on the edges would help too 😀
Slightly off topic but I am upgrading my worn out drivetrain, I currently run 175mm long ranks, however the groupset I want at CRC where I can use my BC discount they only have 172.5mm cranks in stock at 5'11 am I likely to find this an issue?
Ahrgh I caved under the CRC "theres only 3 left in stock" red flag pressure and ordered, I suppose I can always return it if it looks like a bad idea
From what I've read- you'll probably not even notice. That said, I don't even notice when my handlebars are 2" off centre and my saddle 1" low 😀
crosshair
Zzzz, zzzzz, SPRINT!!! Is my only hope..... more draft, less 'Nathing' on the edges would help too
Hey! Haha
I'm going to turn up to Abingdon with my helmet on backwards or something to be dismissed by everyone so I can be left alone and not spend time in the wind 😆
@tomvet I'm 6ft, 89cm inseam and use 172.5mm cranks. I made the switch from 175s to encourage some more rpm. I can't tell the difference, even before both bikes were running 172.5s 😆
'Nathing' like a pro 😀
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(The wind is 1/4 over the photographers left shoulder 🙁 )
Haha.
Well what's the point of racing if you ain't getting a good workout? 🙂
To tick off TiReds list basically 😀
From what I've read- you'll probably not even notice.
I didn't even notice when I accidentally ran a 172.5 on one side and a 175 on the other for a few weeks.
OK thanks that's good to know, I am fourth from right with the black Catlike helmet in the pic above
Hmm the list, how you doing on that CH & tomvet & tiim?
1. Buy a race license and enter a race (this IS the biggie)
2. Not get dropped (took me a few races)
3. Finish mid pack (needs skill not fitness)
4. Finish top third (Yes!!! I'm a "racer")
5. Work on the front (actual training required)
6. Contest the sprint (try not to lose position)
7. Bridge to a break (more training)
8. Attack (You have to be able to do something in the race)
9. Contest the points (Cat 3 here I come!)
10. Win! (Hmmm, still working on this one)
nathb - Member
1. Buy a race license and enter a race (this IS the biggie) Tick
2. Not get dropped (took me a few races) Tick
3. Finish mid pack (needs skill not fitness) Tick
4. Finish top third (Yes!!! I'm a "racer") Tick
5. Work on the front (actual training required) Tick
6. Contest the sprint (try not to lose position) Tick
7. Bridge to a break (more training) Tick
8. Attack (You have to be able to do something in the race) Tick
9. Contest the points (Cat 3 here I come!) Tick
10. Win! (Hmmm, still working on this one)
10's still a dream for me.
Still only ticked off no.1 on the list [b]so far[/b].
Have been sore this week following last week's off, bike OK. I'm missing this Saturday but aiming to be back for round 4 and looking to tick of no. 2
1 and 2 definitely and possibly 3 depending on how many started lol
I reckon I was 24/44 on Strava Flybys so who knows 😀
I'm not going to claim it until I tick off 4 as well.
I almost said 5 but accidentally finding yourself at the front and 'working' there are two different things 😀
Tiim, did you know round 3 isn't until the 25th anyway?
Up to 3 possibly 4 but can't be sure of that as Abingdon only give positions to top 10
Tiim, did you know round 3 isn't until the 25th anyway?
I do now 🙂
Better get onto the BC site and engage brain this time . .
Edit: see you on the 25th
Cool! Team STW 🙂
Hmm the list, how you doing on that CH & tomvet & tiim?1. Buy a race license and enter a race - tick
2. Not get dropped (took me a few races)- Does getting caught the wrong side of a split and chasing back on count?
3. Finish mid pack - tick
4. Finish top third
5. Work on the front
6. Contest the sprint
7. Bridge to a break
8. Attack
9. Contest the points
10. Win!
Only managed 1 race so far, so I'm reasonably happy with ticking 1-3 (although in hindsight I should have managed 4,6 and/or 8 )
having a go at the [url= https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/158916/University-Of-Birmingham---One-Day-Stage-Race ]University of Birmingham 1 day stage race[/url] on the 11th March, which might give ample opportunities for ticking number 8
'Accidentally' bought this on Tuesday as well 🙂
@jd77 - bike looks really nice!
Strange day today, normally I'm pondering race tactics for tomorrow and mentally preparing myself 😆
I think if the weathers okay I'm going to head down to hillingdon midday, I think it's still empty.
Find myself looking at the new range of Ribbles - they're looking really nice.
@TiRed - would you recommend me joining the surrey league then?
Quick read through it looks like they really want you to be associated with a club before joining?
Looking at the time table, and providing there are spaces, I could potentially do:
March 4th @ Hillingdon Cycle Circuit: Novice Racers Training Day [b](after the abingdon race in the morning)[/b]
April 15th @ Hillingdon Cycle Circuit: Novice Racers Training Day
@Nathb Thanks, it's 2nd hand but at £750 it was too much of a bargain to ignore
Awesome 🙂
@nathb good work, you'll be a Cat3 by the end of March at this rate
The bike used to be Gary Foord's, and as he owns the shop, he gets a new summer bike every year - hence the lack of wear
Hopefully 🙂
Still be in 3/4 races though annoying CH 🙂
Annoy away- I'm not going to be troubling the front of the 3/4 races anyway 😀
I might try marking you one race and see how long I can stay with you.....
I was going to say, but didn't want to come across as arrogant.
At Abingdon I plan on following the same tactics as Hillingdon, so come up the field with me at the 5 laps to go mark. May even try do an attack with 2 to go...
You have been averaging lower wattages in the bunch so it would be great to see what you do (in the absence of the YGA offering advice 😉 ).
Last time, it was a break of four who went with about 7 to go followed by a pair stuck half way across on the last couple of laps and then the bunch sprint.
My personal goal is just to use less watts getting to the last lap or so and then go hard with about 1 minute left (it may well be a longer course so not sure where that will be).
I need to 'buy' some sprint wattage by spending some time under threshold!
Mr YGA was a bad influence on my attempts to be lazy, telling me to attack 😆
I'll try make you aware of what I'm doing if you're around me and want me too. I don't want to be responsible for you not getting a decent finish though by blowing you up on one of my silly attacks 😆
In practice Nath, it depends how the race pans out anyway doesn't it. Thanks for the offer though- if your wheel appears, I'm not going to ignore it 😀
There seemed to be a few teams and lots of the Outdoor Traders guys planning stuff. Obviously they try and get breaks away whilst controlling the bunch so it may be that sitting in all race isn't the right tactic anyway- risking a sprint for one remaining point seems pointless if you have the legs to follow a move.
I guess that's why it's fascinating- every race is different.
The Strava Flyby is worth a watch to see what happened last time......
That'll be interesting then, there wasn't much cooperation at Hillingdon.
Might head down there tomorrow afternoon for a few laps, or try my new Vortex - not decided yet 🙂