Who’s racing this season 👀
Where you racing?
What are your goals?
Can’t wait!

First race this weekend! Tweedcross in the Scottish Borders.

Was really looking forward to it, effectively 2 months in to my ‘training’ for the winter season and with a solid week’s riding in Girona just past, but I’m still nursing a spasm in my back which makes mounts and dismounts pretty painful. Praying for a course with no boards or steps!

After that 6 weeks until the start of (my) Scottish season in Falkirk. Considered one of the best courses on the circuit but has been my nemesis in the past, just couldn’t master the muddy off-cambers!

Ambitions still pretty modest, think consistently placing in top third is as much as I can hope for!

Wessex, V50
Aiming to do majority of the races and average placing above half way
It’s possible I’ll do a bit better than that but I’m under no illusions about top 10s or anything like
Wondering if I dare try any bunnyhops in actual races when I’m redlining

Doing the two NE England leagues.

Focus on the BC one for the first time. Would be great to get on the podium. Sort of depends on who races. If Thomas Mein turns up we are all racing for second. Looking for a good overall league placing and I think my team could be in with a shot of the league win.

TLI league I’d like to win a few and top three for the league. Pipped into second by 0.5 points by a team mate last year. Have won it in the past.

Season goals to be re-evaluated on weekend of 7th when it kicks off in both leagues.

I’ll be doing the NW league and if things go well I’ll do a few Yorks and N Wales races as well.

Goal first and foremost is to race every weekend – more or less managed this last year and felt quite fit by the end, was feeling strong off the back of it for ages afterwards. Expecting to improve a bit just on experience and technique, there’s so much to a cross race – same as 13thfloormonk consistent top third would be good progress for me.

Also hoping that my 8yo daughter enjoys the races and wants to stick with it through the season. She had the motivation of the podium last year but will be racing U10 now, so a different proposition.

Quite a few off here showing their class at the NW last season – hope to see folk in two weeks time.

After that 6 weeks until the start of (my) Scottish season in Falkirk. Considered one of the best courses on the circuit but has been my nemesis in the past, just couldn’t master the muddy off-cambers!

See you there (again) matey. Currently got a 9 week old that doesn’t enjoy sleep – I’m aiming for nothing more than surviving a few races this year!

CX in the City for me then possibly a few Central League races.

My only aims are to not die and not finish last.

If I manage that it’ll be a success.

Moving up to the vets this season in NWCCA. Quite looking forward to the earlier starts and not racing in near dark!

NW league here. Mostly Sunday races this year which helps as boys both working in bike shops on Saturdays. Another year of very long days with someone in almost every race…..

Just back from 2 weeks XC mtb in Czech republic and done a lot more commuting this year so guess that counts as training. Main goal is to beat all the STWers in Vet 40 🙂

Got to start looking at bikes. Youngest hasn’t got one. My wheel bearings are trashed. Other stuff probably gummed up or seized. Will two home made frames stay in one piece for another year? One bike on tubs – can we trust last year’s glue?……

Good to hear!
It’s my first proper cross season- i’m writing a blog for the London and Sussex league as I did a little write up of the team champs last season when it was my first race. Have done lots of training and drills since plus a proper cross bike so we’ll see what happens- it’s a complete unknown having not raced senior cross before.

Southern Cross Blog

It should be very fun- cross certainly appeals far more than road and crits- it’s just taken 2 years to realise! It should suit me better too.

First time racing cross up north. Anyone know of any regular training sessions in Sheffield? Definetly need to brush up on a few skills.

Senior cat in Welsh league for me.. but the last Welsh league race is the regional champs on 8th December so will then migrate to the western league for a few races. Never expected the season to start so soon (8th Sep) so am missing round one due to hols, which is a pain because it means I#ll be gridded at the back for round 2.

I had big plans to really train hard in a structured fashion for cx this year; but I’ve had three bouts of 2-3weks off the bike with illness and work has got in the way too so thats not happened. Not done anything like as many skilss drills as I normally do either. In otherwords I’m expecting a worse performance than the last couple of years. A long way to the end of the season though so if I can squeak a couple of top 10s in the regional races I’ll be happy.

A big goal for me is to race the Pembrey round of the national trophy and make it to half way through the race without being 80%-ed. Need to get some UCI-legal width tyres first (all my tyres are marked 33 but come up 34/35), a good excuse to get some filetreads though!

Can’t wait to start racing- was watching a replay of the world champs that was in Heusden-Zolder a few years back last night on youtube and it got me super excited

Another one here moving up to V40 although instead of getting an earlier bath the male groupings are now all racing together again. I’m missing the first two rounds because they start so early so will be waaay our back when I start. Was going to be aiming for top 10s this year but looking doubtful. Hoping it gets wet this year. @ferrals when’s the Pembrey National round?

@shedbrewed, I’m convinced it will be a wet one. We have lots of potential mud venues this year too by the looks of things. I’m expecting great things from the prcc round – I’ve been told pontypool park is always muddy!

Pembrey nat is 23rd/24th November.

How are you getting on with your Terreno drys now? I know initially you liked them. I reckon they are the only tyres I can get as tubeless and marked less than 33mm (so will come up as 33 I guess). Anyone know if bounty cx0s come up true to size?

@ferrals Very happy with the Terreno Dry. I found they had more corner grip than the Grifo XS. I’ve not tried the newer Challenge iteration to compare. They went up well tubeless too.

Cool, think I’ll give them a crack. cheers

Dry conditions cross tyres…….. still doesn’t compute 🤔

3 races right by the beach on sand covered in short grass this season. even in the midst of a typical welsh winter wet ground is a rarity there.

I’ll be racing along with what seems like everyone else in V40 in the NWCCA league.

Aiming to improve on last (part) season and maybe beat Mick_r once or twice, also not nearly dying would be helpful!

As @ferrals says; there are some quick and well drained courses for the Welsh League. Even when it’s been horizontal rain on the start line I’ve run a dry tyre out back and mud front.

Planning to race as much of the Welsh league as possible and keep ahead of ferrals at round two for at least a lap or two.

Have been following the BC cyclo-cross training plan from their website

Also am building a cinelli zydeco for the purpose, then it’ll transform to a commuter next year.

NW league here. Mostly Sunday races this year which helps as boys both working in bike shops on Saturdays. Another year of very long days with someone in almost every race…..

Have you seen the new transponder set up? I’ve just ordered one for £36 – sounds like you will need a couple at minimum.

We’ve got four races – youth, women, vet 40 and junior,so in theory we can manage with just one….. Might be a bit skanky by the end of the day, but I was wearing it over waterproof socks for the bog running races last year so probably won’t notice.

On the plus side we can never mix up or wear the wrong transponder! And slightly less stuff to clean.

@wonny_j not if you keep skiving Thursday training 😂 Race week next Thursday 😁

I have this very strange desire to do a few cross races over winter. The only races I’ve done recently have been enduros, so this is purely going to be something to keep me riding and maybe improve my fitness a bit, rather than just pissing about on the bmx.
I’ve not really got the bike for it, but looking at the local sussex races rules you can use a mtb, so thinking of sticking some CX tyres on my 2016 Voodoo Bizango which the mrs uses for work. It’s currently set up 1×10 with a 30 x 11-42. Would that gearing need to be altered at all? It can take a front mech and I still have the double chainset, mech and shifter that I can bolt back on if needed. Any recommendations for tubeless CX tyre?
Should I just stop this right now and buy a PS4 instead?

@muggomagic I’d recommend going to a larger front ring; 36 or bigger.

@wonny j @ferrals can I sell you some tubeless 700c disc brake wheels? 😉

so this is purely going to be something to keep me riding and maybe improve my fitness a bit

You say that now, but if you commit you’ll probably end up addicted!

CX tyres on my 2016 Voodoo Bizango which the mrs uses for work. It’s currently set up 1×10 with a 30 x 11-42

I stuck some CX tyres on my Trek Superfly (and some much narrower bars, just because) and have raced that for a couple of seasons, will probably race all of this season on it too as won’t be able to afford a new CX bike till after christmas.

I think you’d probably be fine 30 x 11-42, I run 36 x 11-40 but spend a lot of my time near the top of the block, e.g. in amongst the 28-32 cogs (but then, Scottish races are typically soft and muddy in my experience!). With a 30 I guess you’d just spend a bit more time nearer the bottom of the block.

Cheers.
I’ll give the 30t a go first then and if I find I’m spinning out at all then I’ll change it for something a bit bigger.
Just ordered 2 700×32 kenda small block 8s from Halfords for £5 each from the PSA on here. The bars on the Voodoo aren’t particularly wide. I think I’ve some 680s in the garage that I could put on it. Just need to give it a bit of tlc and it’ll be ready for the first race, unlike me.

If flat and fast then you probably need a 36 on the front. Otherwise 30 will be fine.

Muddy races (ie all the NW season) then Schwalbe X one bite is the secret weapon tyre. Haven’t got a clue for dry conditions so just listen to ferrals 🙂

Just ordered 2 700×32 kenda small block 8s

My first CX tyre, loved them, but be prepared for some wheelspins and sliding in the mud! In truth that’s part of the fun for me anyway, there’s no mud like CX race course mud, get used to sliding round corners

The bars on the Voodoo aren’t particularly wide. I think I’ve some 680s in the garage that I could put on it

Lol, I never really caught up with modern bar widths, my Trek started at 680mm and I’ve since fitted a 25.4mm clamp bar chopped down to about 560mm.

Funny thing is, more than one race commentator has made a comment as I’m going round about ‘the man with the narrowest bars on the course’ but last I checked most folk were running 440mm drops!

haha. I’ve got 780mm bars on my bikes so the 720s on the voodoo feel like chopped down road bars.
I’ve ridden SB8s in winter before (too lazy to change them) and it was an experience 2 wheel speedway drifting down every descent. If I make it through the first race and still want to enter more then I might well invest in something a bit grippier.

@shedbrewed much though I’d love a spare tubeless wheelest to avoid saturday nights spent sitting in the garage trying to second guess course conditions; if I spend any more cash getting my bikes ready for cx I’ll be castrated with rusty barbed wire.

First time CXer over here.

Just ordered a bargainous CX bike with Sora, BB7s and Tubeless for a smidge over £400 and can’t wait to get stuck in!

Hoping to do a few of the Yorks CCA races but not sure which yet, depends what I can fit around family life which is one of the reasons why ‘cross appeals. A 1hr smash round a field is much more convenient than sodding off for a full day on the road bike or MTB, plus I want my boy to see it’s OK to get muddy and end up going A over T as it might inspire him to give the U8s a go!

@wonny_j How’re you finding the BC 8-week plan? I intend to start it next week in preparation

Really looking forward to Wessex League this year, it’s great to be involved in these races as a member of the committee and also working for the timing company. The riders are brilliant, the courses are fun (ish, this is cross after all) and with loads of organisers coming forward it looks like one of the best seasons in years.

Have you seen the new transponder set up? I’ve just ordered one for £36 – sounds like you will need a couple at minimum.

Yeah it’s a bit of a bugger to be fair as we’ll need two this season, then one next season.

Just ordered 2 700×32 kenda small block 8s

I do hope you only ever race in the dry as there’s no chance you’ll be able to lean on them in corners in the wet, even more so with a mountain bike and it’s wider bars and more relaxed geo.

I do hope you only ever race in the dry

Only racing in the dry is definitely a possibility.
I did say up there somewhere that these are just temp and if I want to do any other races I’ll invest in other tyres.

The limus TLR is on Mantel at £31. So not all that cheap but we’re talking about the God of Tyres here.
[description is wrong on their website, mind]

https://www.mantel.com/uk/challenge-cross-limus-tlr-tyre

we’re talking about the God of Tyres here

…almost but not quite, it’s not tan wall! Tan wall clincher Limus with latex tubes for the win 😉

Have you seen the new transponder set up? I’ve just ordered one for £36 – sounds like you will need a couple at minimum.
Yeah it’s a bit of a bugger to be fair as we’ll need two this season, then one next season.

Whaaaat, that sounds a bit cheek, the chips are expensive (more than £36 in some cases) but asking you guys to spend £72.00 upfront sounds a bit much. How will they manage day riders?