Yup another one for the welsh league here. Raced it the last couple of years. Beardy pontypool rider. Selling my race bike as just built a new one if any ones interested? £600

i’ll be doing a few of the western league races round brizzle. Having a now 8 month old baby has put paid to any sort of training I’m just permanently tired

Know the feeling, mine are 12 & 14 and it does not get any easier. Hope the nipper is doing well.

I was hoping to race most of the winter series but my eldest son has just got a road/track coach and cx does not fit in with his training unfortunately.

I hope to able to do a handful but not as many as I want. Hopefully see you at a few if you can get out.

My eldest wants to do the final round as we go there to watch the banger racing!!

I would be up for a Western training night if anyone else is.

Do they have the same (roughly speaking) set up as XC racing, ie: all the proper racers in their age groups and then other ‘non-competitive’ categories where people can have a go without getting in the way of some battle hardened 50 year olds who’ve got hundreds of thousands of miles in their legs and don’t want some fatty on a Boardman **** up their day?

Even better if the races are a bit shorter 😉

My first CX race was the three peaks last year. I can’t make it this year so will be having a crack at a few of the Wessex League and Southern Champs. I’m kinda keen, unless it gets really muddy in which case I’ll re-ignite my love of the turbo trainer.

Thanks – and i know it’s a timed race so eg: x mins and then the lap you’re on? So what typically is a lap time, and how many times can you get lapped before your number gets called and one of the commissaires pulls you off? Or do you just suffer pretending that you’re still competing for the full time?

You can be as many laps down as you want in a local-level race, you won’t get pulled out of the race unless you’re doing at the very least a regional championship. Laps can be anything from 5-11 minutes depending on conditions (the laps are 2.5-3.5kms long).
As soon as the winner gets the chequered flag everyone else finishes once they cross the finish line, no matter how many laps down.

Oh yes they do, just not huge, long sections.

I should link to my short preview of the forthcoming Welsh season on grit.cx..

http://grit.cx/news/2015/07/welsh-cyclocross-2015-2016-schedule

[sniggers]

Just lowered my seat post 10mm for maximum stand over height, that’s preparation for you 😆

I can guarantee that this is something that I will never, ever do.
I may be looking really quite miserable after having stood in driving rain for 7 hours without even a cup of tea though.
Note to organisers – make sure that the Comms get a mug of tea or coffee at regular intervals 😉

A few posts above, someone mentions calling ‘on your left’ etc. Is the etiquette the same as for xc races?

I did my first cross race last year and did call when neccesary but wondered if that was the done thing in cross. I didn’t hear anyone else calling for passes.

West Mids league for me along with a few Notts & Derby when I go visiting my parents & the odd NT round.
First year for me I’ll be running a matching pair of bikes-just hope I can do the kit justice!

Gonna be giving the North West league a crack along with a couple of the longer sportive events.
My bike turns up on Monday so I’ll be riding it as much as possible between then and the first race in September.

yep NW league and some nationals

I’m not talking about chopping people up or barging someone off their line. If you can make a pass stick then go for it but I’m not going to help you, particularly if you start announcing it in advance! That’s just racecraft in the same way as easing up slightly on the front of a group when your teammate attacks into a narrow section. I’ve DQd riders for deliberate line-changing so I know the difference.

I’ve been racing CX for 25+ years and only come up against one truly dirty rider in that time, but equally I’ve ridden against people who have become very good friends. Hard racing on the course, hands shaken after we cross the finish line.

Pontypool Thom. Unless you’re not the Jon I’m thinking of… In which case I’ll see you there and try to overtake politely

Howdy Thom. Thought it was you but wasn’t sure. See you in a few weeks.

🙂

Sorry IdleJon, I should’ve just said Chowder Thom and made it easier! Another year, more flasks of chowder!

So, I’ve just noticed that 2 of the Welsh League rounds are pretty close to me, 1 is actually very close.

I know you can use any bike, and discs are allowed, but what sort of reception would I receive on a Scandal 29er with a peaked MTB lid on?

Quite fancy a go, 50 minutes to an hour flat out is quite similar to most of my (XC) riding. Thoughts?

What tyres on 29er rims then? My X Kings won’t cut it in the mud!