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Flat hard-standing carpark.
Longish track to get to it, but it's not that muddy. Rwd car will be fine.
Great time at the soggy saddle event in llandysul yesterday. The guys had cut some lovely singeltrack which i found technically testing and some a-lines which looked nuts and I avaoided 🙂 Some bloody step climbs too which made my plans to use it as a z2 training ride a bit sticky (endined up walking one hill to keep my hr down).
Not many people attended whcih was a shame given the effort that had gone into the course. Very relaxed event though and exactly what I needed, lots of time on the bike and a technical spruce up. Would highly recommend looking out for other events being put on under te Spencer Sport name there.
bigmandh/Garry_Lager/13thfloormonk - SXC events are designed to have wide appeal, so absolutely get involved!
(disclosure - series organiser here!)
Seriously though, each round is designed to serve everyone's needs as best we can, whether that's curious-but-nervous newbies who fancy giving it a shot, developing youths aiming to make a mark at national level, trail centre shredders keen to see how fast they really are, right up to riders who regularly do well at world cup level. We just want everyone to have a great time!
Anything technically daunting has a B-line option - if you're comfortable riding red-graded trails in the UK then the A-lines should be generally be fine; as people have pointed out, the difficulty comes trying to maintain race pace when you're fatigued.
This year we're at two new venues - Beecraigs at Linlithgow and Kirkhill forest on the edge of Aberdeen. Brilliant places to ride your bike, and with the courses having design input from two of the best XC/CX riders in the country, we've high hopes for them.
We're a new organising team - the SXC is run by a volunteer crew on a two-year rotation basis, to keep things fresh and prevent anyone getting fed up with it all - and one thing we're doing this year is trying to keep the laps short, hopefully encouraging closer racing that's more of a spectacle. We're lucky enough to have series sponsorship support from Shimano, which has allowed us to reduce the cost of entry in most categories too - £28 or £25 for senior riders, depending which category you're in.
It all kicks off this Sunday at Cathkin Braes, using a variation of the European Champs course from last year that's designed to include as much old-school singletrack as we can fit into the lap, as well as a fast, swoopy descent to the line to finish things off.
Entry is open online until Wednesday night, no entry on the day. Got to be in it to win it!
Thanks for the efforts 2Tyred!
Am entered for Cathkin, and pretty committed to Beecraigs and Lochore, family duties allowing. Beecraigs has been my training ground so far, just trying to master the roots!
Quick question about categories:
I'm 36 this year, but have not raced before or accrued points, is Sport the appropriate category? I noticed by age I'm actually Master now! I don't want to sandbag if Sport is for interested newbies as I'm (slightly, I hope) quicker than that. Having said that I was never higher than mid-table in the Senior CX category...
13thfloormonk - Sport is your category! Until you're 40, you race in Sport until you've accrued enough points to have Expert or Elite on your licence. Taster is the newbie category.
There's a slight discrepancy between our categories and those recognised by BC at the national champs (same at BMBS rounds) - Masters is a British champs category but isn't a separate race category at either National or Scottish level. Age category will come into play for you at 40.
Beecraigs is going to be mint, really like how the course is looking for that one. Look forward to seeing you! I'll be the guy impersonating the worried headless chicken on race day.
I’ll be the guy impersonating the worried headless chicken on race day.
That'll be two of us then, except I'll have a number haphazardly pinned to my shoulder...
In the meantime if you feel like dropping any hints about the Beecraigs course then go ahead, I promise not to go and session the absolute bejeezus out of the difficult bits 😉
I’m 36 this year, but have not raced before or accrued points, is Sport the appropriate category? I noticed by age I’m actually Master now! I don’t want to sandbag if Sport is for interested newbies as I’m (slightly, I hope) quicker than that. Having said that I was never higher than mid-table in the Senior CX category…
Not in anyway meaning to put you down, more expectation management... plus it may be diffesnt in Scotland
I find the Sport cat in Welsh and national series to be very fast at the pointy end. What you have to remebmer is that as well has enthuisasts like us, you have people jsut out of junior who need to earn points to get to expert, or fast guys who could easily be expert bt who race a couple of times a year so who never get enough points to move up. Personally If I make mid-field in XC I'm happy!
Thanks Ferrals, good point!
Can't be any worse than having to race the Scottish National Champ every round in Seniors CX so I'm sure I'll be happy either way.
DrP is back in the game.... well... entered a few races at least!!
Will be at Matterly bowl on Sunday; not ridden the XC SS bike in anger for about months, but may as well start again somewhere.. hilly, drops, singletrack; sounds good!
Unfortunately, all the other weekends the Southern XC races are on are weekends I've got the kids, so will pass on those this year...
Also just entered the Big Dog (solo again) five minutes ago...
Be good to get back into the swing of things again..
DrP
One and only race entered this year: Battle on the Beach. Race is on the 7th April and on the 8th I booked in for an operation to fix my slipped disc. What could go wrong?
Where's the Big Dog entry? I can only find 2018?
What's its like there - for 6h pairs and a man that likes comfy are we talking Scott Scales or Sparks?
http://www.xcracer.com/raceentry/chooserace.php?event_id=1437
But yeah.. Takes more hunting than it should!
Erm... The course is great.. Nice mix of singletrackworld, but pretty hilly course...
Re bikes.. Erm... Dunno!
Go on, enter, its a great race!
DrP
Looks like my racing is well & truly scuppered for the year. Not back on the bike till mid-June earliest..
Thanks Dr P... ...and bad luck Mrlebowski... 🙁
TBH I'm not feeling it... I've not put my entry in for the weekend and looking at the forecast and the constant rain, i don't think i will be.
2tyred, how does it work with all the different categories racing at the same time on a short lap with tight sections etc? Do they all get set off at the same time or staggered? Also is there allocated time for practice on the day before the race and what length is the sport Male race (as it seems to have been left off the race length times on the sxc website). Thanks
Is anybody entered in the Velo29 beach race this weekend? Bit of confusion over race type but it claims to be mtb which makes it my first race back in about 4 years!
https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/197691/Velo29-Beach-Race-XC-and-MTB
I've stuck myself in as a master which makes me feel old. I've got a good few years before I hit the Veterans though.
In for Big Dog pairs.
bigmandh - staggered start between categories. Gap depends on numbers and what the commissaire thinks, but usually 2 mins.
Course inspection (practice) is Saturday afternoon - chief comm needs to walk the course and give the green light. No first aid, so it's at-your-own-risk.
Sport male is the Senior Men U23 (that's cut from the BC handbook, not very clear eh!) so between an hour and a quarter and an hour and a half. There's a dark art to come up with the number of laps each category races for to make it fit those boundaries! Each category races for a set number of laps - there'll be a board at sign on with the numbers on the Sunday morning, but we post it up on the SXC Facebook page on the Saturday evening. I'd guess 5 laps for Sport Male but it all depends how fast the course is riding on Saturday.
You coming along? 🙂
Jonba I will be travelling down for this and intending to pack the cx as well as the MTB. This will be my first proper MTB race in a number of years. I will be in the Vet cat so it will be interesting to see how many come out for this. Working out tyre pressure is doing my head in as there is so little info out there for beach racing.
Might mince out for Hit the North on Sat, although not massively motivated I have to say. Not ridden the MTB in months, bad weather, and coming back from London late Fri may conspire against me. Hopefully feel a bit keener on the day.
leahnp
I'm running 2" tyres and have put some rigid fork on the mtb. I did think about the cx but don't think I'll bother. At only £10 this is a punt. No idea if the local hitters will turn out or what the course is. Very vague info...
Advice from seasoned CX racers who do occasionally ride sandy stuff was as fat as you can and file tread or slick. If it is all on the sand then you should be able to run really low pressures as it is normally only rocks/roots on a cx course that cause issues.
Well it's Hit the North for me on Saturday, I imagine it's going to a complete mud 'fest given the recent weather, yey!!
Are you on the MTB or CX Steve? I've not done it before - Would prefer the crosser if it was in anyway a close decision, but been recommended the MTB from a couple of old hands - apparently a descent or two that is hard to ride fast on the CX.
Haven't made my mind up, I rode it on my XC FS last time and was thankful as the field crossing by the viaduct was pretty dry and a bit rutted, one of the descents is just plain daft with a bog halfway down it that sucks you right in!
My CX has 40mm mud tyres on it and the MTB's have a mezcal on the back, which ain't the best in mud, so I'll see which one is in best state of repair tonight.
A quick ask; how many racing bikes do you have / need? I have a Vitus Carbon HT and a Scott Spark.
I want an all day bike / position and am interested in the Solaris Max 29 with a 140mm fork likely, but I’d have to sell the Vitus for cash and space. Do we need “spare” race bike really? Why not just defer to the - heavier - Spark ?
Then again, the old “ train on what you race” theory springs to mind for familiarity.
One 29er XC FS and one 29er XC HT, the geo is nigh on identical, the set up & positioning is working a couple of mm on each bike, same bars (dimension wise) same grips, pedals, saddles and tyres, even got the same bottle cages.
I train on the HT mostly and use the FS for racing, which as I was specializing in 12 & 24hr stuff works nicely, with the HT in the pits.
Out of necessity I had to race the HT at Cannock - thankfully I took both, my mates wife was going to go for a ride on the HT to try before she buys - as the rear brake lever failed on the FS just before the race.
So in my world, there's no way I wouldn't have both - at the moment. Even though this year I'm not soloing anything, just marathons, a bit of XCO for shits & giggles, Mayhem 24hr as a team and then CX
One 29er XC FS and one 29er XC HT, the geo is nigh on identical, the set up & positioning is working a couple of mm on each bike, same bars (dimension wise) same grips, pedals, saddles and tyres, even got the same bottle cages.
Same here . I am suffering from not riding - training and turbos plus weather is pissing me off tbh . It's quagmire conditions also so it not like I can go for a long ride in the country - more like frustrating sloppy progress punctuated by bloody intervals .
I'll probably save my Cotic want for a Flaremax on race retirement.
Are you doing the Scott's Steve?
One - 29er FS, the Orbea Oiz. Might be overkill for most courses, but at my age my back will thank me for it 🙂
Are you doing the Scott’s Steve?
I'm doing the double at Builth, possibly Llandovery, but I'm doing Bristol to Liverpool the week before so might need a rest.
Bonehead might clash with holidays, but I'll be at Hope for the double again.
I did the double last year at Builth. The night race was one of the standout races in my life. It was so wet, muddy and slippery (like your front wheel was never tracking straight the entire time) that it was ludicrous, hence magnificent. The marshals out on the course were the real heroes. What a night to be out in.
I use a Pivot Les with a 120mm fork as my training bike. Use it for road miles too with the fork locked out. Have added some small frame bags to it with all the essentials in plus extra waterproofs and layers. One side of the main bag is kept full of snacks so I can just grab the bike and go without any hassle.
Love that bike so much.
I wouldn’t train on my race full suss. The components are too expensive. I run 2x10 on my Pivot which means I can get a new cassette and chain for about £25.
My CX has 40mm mud tyres on it and the MTB’s have a mezcal on the back, which ain’t the best in mud, so I’ll see which one is in best state of repair tonight.
How are the Mezcals generally?
I'm running a stock, fairly low profile Bontrager tyre on the Superfly. Probably cheap and nasty compound but I'm quite enjoying the back end sliding around at the moment (good training for CX probably). Just worried I'll be penalised on any long/slippy climbs where I might spin out.
I have a posh new Mezcal waiting to go on but frankly would rather return it and spend the money on something else, unless someone told me they were absolutely fantastic tyres...
i've got 2 mezcals and 2 barzos sitting in my loft space, both fitted, then removed
They are fantastic, except in mud and clay.
Hmm... torn!
Should probably swap it for a more toothy tyre in case of muddy courses, but then the idea of a faster rolling tyre than I already have on is quite tempting. I see the rollingresistance website said the Mezcal was one of the top 3 fastest rolling XC tyres (all else being equal e.g. tubeless sidewall etc.).
The grown up in me says I don't need a new rear tyre at all and I should just return it and spend the money on the next race entry! Will see how tomorrow goes, if it's snowing today then tomorrow's course could be pretty sloppy...
When they were on offer I bought an extra Barzo, so that in wet / muddy conditions I could swap out to that on the rear. In fact they still are £32 at probe kit.
Or perhaps make Weeksy an offer, he doesn't seem to like them.
Re number of bikes... I've just the one xc bike.. Travers Angus SS, rigid...
I'm not massively into proper xc racing, so this suits me for racing and winter riding.. Don't really get the opportunity to 'train' per se!
A few other bikes too.. Road fixie, Enduro HT, cx... But they'd be crap in an xc race!
Anyone riding Winchester tomorrow then?
DrP
Anyone riding Winchester tomorrow then?
Yes, a couple of us coming up from Bournemouth tomorrow. We're definitely in the "making up the numbers" ranks.
Had a bash at the offcamber race in Blandford a few weeks ago which was good fun but hella rooty!
Forecast for tomorrow actually looks alright, never ridden there before so no idea what it'll be like.
I’ll be racing at Matterley Basin tomorrow, open category.
I'm starting 0945... The categories are confusing!!
DrP
How are the Mezcals generally
I really rate them as a many conditions rear tyre, just not in mud.
Oof! 1st round of Scottish XC Series. Am sure I was promised gravelly trail centre, but that was muddier than some cross races! 😉
Great course, real mix of everything, was humbled when one of the elites passed me then prejumped and cleared the nastiest, steepest rock garden on the course.
Definitely swapping for the slightly larger, slightly stickier Mezcal, the syock tyre was a proper US 'dust' tyre but still coped OK, could just have done with a bit more grip on the hard packed fast twisty bits.
Great event 2tyred! Contemplated doing some detective work and trying to figure out who you were, but I seized the opportunity to get home nice and quick to earn some brownie points 😉
Super sticky mud down South at Matterley as well. I really should invest in something other than dust racing tyres...
Good course, would have liked it to be more technical, but impressive what they’d pulled out of that terrrain.
DrP (I think - beard + singlespeed) came past me on the last lap like I was going backwards. Impressive technical riding and fitness.
I finished top third of the open category, pleased with that.
Gutted for the organisers as they had a lot of their kit nicked on the Friday night, really amazing they were still able to put a race on.
Please could someone explain how races work that finish at a certain time plus one lap?
I messed up yesterday at HTN.... I asked the finish line marshals as I went past around noon if this was my last lap. They said "no, two more to go" so I held back a bit. Then when I came round to start my expected last lap they said "Well done you're finished" , so I stopped a bit nonplussed. It was a bit confusing.
Completely inconsequential given I was mid pack but would be nice to know for next time.
So is it only the leaders that get to start a lap after 12 noon , or the you get to do ish the lap you're on or you get to start a new lap.