I’d say with how good full sus bikes are these days there’s almost no disadvantage to riding one over a hardtail.

I won battle on the beach (vets race) and 6th overall on a Trek Top Fuel. You can’  get much flatter than that.  Would a ht have enabled me to position higher? Nope.

Lol @ steve b77.  That wasnt how i meant it.  Mcvittees and i know each other quite well butbhes new here and im not sure he realises.

Ernie, nice one well done!

Haha! Just worked it out!

Pffftt.  I was undecided about travelling to Norfolk this morning for MSG @ Henham before any snow update.  FB updates look good though!   Anyway my daughter decided to be projectile vomiting all night so I decided  I wouldn’t take on the travelling & race tired, and therefore avoid any risk of accidents, with Builth Marathon only 3 weeks away.

I’m finding this very hard, I really like the MSG races but having to prioritise A races and defer to a Zwift race for todays intensity is probably sensible for the long game.  Now that its nearly April I feel like a third of the year’s cycling is “lost” to the weather. 🙁

So far only two races entered, Malvern just because, and as it is the only event within 20miles of where I live.

and the Grand Raid BCVS, and hoping I don’t break the bike, me or both! AGAIN!

Just need to get my head in a better place, starting to get seriously pissed at the never ending winter and regain some motivation.

This winter really seems to be lasting forever, it’s the first national at Sherwood next weekend and there’s flipping snowdrifts in my garden!

It does. My new Spark feels like it wants to be unleashed & fun on he few metres or drying loam it’s experienced so far. I’m gagging to whip through some dry woods singletrack on it!

Kryton. You realise in three weeks time we’ll be CAMPING at Builth Wells.

Kryton57, im home now from MSG @ Henham, if you were travelling from the West or the South you most likely would have come across some snow fall on route, the venue itself was hard packed, frosty and riding very well im told, I spent the day in my grey kit as Commissaire, and can confirm, the Easterly wind off the North Sea was freezing, a couple of riders quoted -3 on there Garmins in practice and to be honest it didn’t lift all day.

The MSG team as usual laid on a great event, the only thing being missing was the Burger van which was snow bound in Essex! but everyone made it through.

Time to warm up now.

r8jimbob88, or anyone else?

I’m racing for the first time (not sure I can count the miserable attempt I made in 1991) at Sherwood Pines in the Vets race next week. Would you mind summarising the course for me? I don’t think we’re going to make it down in time to do a practice lap.

Cheers.

Sorted it with Mrs Weeksy so I’m now doing 3 of the series.

http://www.xcracer.com/raceentry/index.php?series_id=172

24TH JUNE 2018 | PIPPINGFORD PARK

15TH JULY 2018 | MATTERLEY BASIN

Although this does mean that I miss the BHF ride on SDW as it’s on the 14th of July. But I’ll still do the White Roads the weekend before that one. So 3 dedicated xc races and 1 dedicated long event. Happy with that. Gives me something to train for now.

Kryton. You realise in three weeks time we’ll be CAMPING at Builth Wells

I have spent the year collecting thermal clothes . And, thanks to the upstairs refurb I will have plenty of….. Pillows.

I’m racing for the first time (not sure I can count the miserable attempt I made in 1991) at Sherwood Pines in the Vets race next week. Would you mind summarising the course for me?

I’m potentially interested in his answer too. My riding mate may not be about so I may enter the fun race cat.

To sum Sherwood Pines up, assuming it’s a similar course to previous events I’d say it’s very flat, very fast, sandy, twisty and dry. Nearly all in the woods with a few longer open fireroads.

Probably one of the flattest courses on the calendar.

The trail centre trail (doesn’t share much with the usual race course) is damn good fun too flows so well that it almost feels like one big downhill from beginning to end!

Well my first race of the season was cancelled today. Good job really as my car wasn’t going anywhere… opted for a Zwift race smashfest instead. First race will be Sherwood next Sunday now!

Hmmm sounds like it may be about as good as it gets for me from a layout perspective. Only downside is a 2hr 30 minute drive. So we’ll have to see what the weather looks like a bit closer as currently i can barely see my car for the snow, let alone drive anywhere

Yesterday’s MSG course at Henham was really good; up, down, twisty, loose it had it all.  Bit cold and bit windy but not wet! Definitely worth the 4hour round trip to get there.

However, something that came up for me was tire pressure. I’m 75kg and usually run ~21/22psi F/R for comfort and grip.  Yesterday I ran 23/24 as the course had lots of fire road track sections and I thought lower rolling resistance would be worthwhile.  At the finish I chatted with another rider who runs 28/30 (finished about a minute ahead of me).  I’d had the front tire wash out from under me on the practise lap and put it down to my higher than usual tire pressure and so was pretty cautions round corners in the race. BUT seeing as others may run theirs much higher than me it reinforces my thought that my technique, not tire pressure or tire choice (Rocket Ron/Racing Ralph), is the limiter.

What are your thoughts and experiences with tire pressure with regards to the trade off between speed and grip (especially on flat or loose corners)?

General rule of thumb for me is to go as low as you can get away with without pinch flatting or rolling the tyre off the rim!  I weigh 72 kg and go 18 / 22 Ron and Ralph.

Despite the cold it was a great course at Henham, I had Thunderburts on F/R and pressures 23/24 I am 64kgs, i did the practice with slightly higher pressure and was washing out and felt skittish on the fire road gravel. Normally I would be 18-21.

Thanks jimbob. Glad to hear its nothing to fear, first race of the season is the one I love and hate the most. Any idea how they grid the first race?

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/nationalmtbxcseries/article/xcs20131216-mountain-bike-2014-British-Cycling-MTB-Cross-Country-Series—Timetable-and-regulations-0?c=EN

Info on gridding etc here. Basically first round is based on last years performance.

Just done my first race of the season @ henham , was a good course but that cold air has left me with a stinking cold. Hopefully il shake it off before sherwood next weekend.

Does anyone know if they do a proper race for the under 9s at sherwood ? As last year at a couple of the rounds they just done a time trial.

Wow, the number of entrants at the first round of the nationals is huge!

For my sins I’ve been gridded 38th / 48 in Expert.  Really looking forward to getting my head kicked in….  There’s over 70 racing in Sport!  I read somewhere there’s over 500 entrants across all races.

Weather forecast looks reasonable too.  Hoping for a fast and dry course.

Somehow I’ve been gridded 12th in sport despite only doing 1 national year and coming 20th. The real question is whether I’ll be flying and beat my number or if I’ll get my head kicked in and come mid pack somewhere?

There’s over 70 racing in Sport!

That is really good news, hopefully the numbers will continue to be large! Wish I was racing now! By the time i get to do a national it will probably be back down to about 25!

@everyone, pretty sure first national is gridded based on last years overall national ranking

Gridded 64th out of 70 in the vets.. first year racing with a licence as normally just done a few regional ones or open, people I normally place with are gridded top 20 so will struggle to get to them. Takes the pressure off, excuses prepared already.

Just looking forward to a good day out as wife is racing in the afternoon and be good to watch and support as normally have same start times.

Be our first race since Sept as made it to the Elan Valley event the day before only for the snow to hit, nice walk out in the lakes instead.

Good luck to all racing at the weekend.

Ferrals, I only raced 3 times and the national was the only one I scored any points (a whole 28!). I’d guess then that it’s juniors moving up or people brand new to racing

Haha – i know I just went on BC to look at your ranking! Just as well I’m not racing I’d be on the front row at that rate (ranked 40-something last year) and this weekend weighted myself and realised I am currently a stone overweight 🙂

Top 15 from last year go to expert so I guess a fair few from last year aren’t racing or are now vets.

I’m going to have some fun! Gridded right at the back of vets since I’ve not raced xc for years yet there’s a guy I comfortably beat the other week gridded top 10.

Looking forward to the challenge.

Rollindoughnut, I might try and hang on to you then as sounds like we are in a similar position. I’m on a bright orange top fuel on the back row. However I did dislocate and fracture shoulder last year so may be a bit cautious re overtaking..

Big vets field, excellent!

I gather it’s a flat course – likely to be much in the way of technical features?

Just depressed myself that little bit more by looking at the gridding. Gridded 69/70 in the vets. Now I understand that I didn’t do any Nationals last year, but I finished 11th in the national rankings and 10th in the champs, how that netts me 69th I’ve no idea.

Gridded 16th in Expert, that should be a fun race. Hopefully the weather will be nice.

I’ve only raced Sherwood as part of the midlands series and there weren’t really any technical features, perhaps a log to ride over but nothing particularly difficult.  I’d imagine there will be a reasonable time penalty for taking a B line which is the norm at National race though.

Oh I read somewhere that if you challenge your grid position you will be sent to the back and fined 100 swiss francs in line with UCI regs!  Haha!

Similar issues here – I’ll be 41st or piling in on the back of the grid at MSG as I didn’t race last week, and my usual positional adversaries are lined up 14th-20th.

Best practise my starting sprint 🙂

Ernie and rsvktm. We can form a Top Fuel attack squadron on the back row as that’s what I ride as well.

Penultimate row is in for a surprise.

Hehe. That makes it sound even more fun!  Unfortunately my initial point of depression is the man flu that currently leaves me a hot/cold sweating shivering mess. The green card for racing has been revoked by the fun police. I won’ even get my favourite number board ’69’.

Gridded 47th in vets, my first Nationals, I expect to be going pretty much backwards from that position 🙂

No way windyg.  Number board challenge for all! Aim to finish equal to or higher than the number on the board.  Mostly just smash it and enjoy it though

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/nationalmtbxcseries/article/20180321-MTB-Cross-Country-Series-Race-guide–2018-HSBC-UK—National-Cross-Country-Series-round-one—Sherwood-Pines-0