MSG Central region series has been scrapped.  🙁  Best wishes to the organiser thats been taken ill.

Does anyone know of a race in March that’s not on the weekend of 16/17, and is no more than 90 mins from London?   I hate driving over 2 hours to MSG Henham, and Southern XC Winchester is about the same distance from me.

Had no intention of racing MTB this year, but since I was racing CX on my mountainbike anyway I’ve decided just to maintain whatever little momentum I had an enter rd1 of the Scottish XC series.

Definitely won’t be fit for it after a month off nursing a sore knee, but I wasn’t ‘fit’ for the winter CX races I entered and still enjoyed them once I adapted my strategy to my lack of fitness.

Hoping XC is a little less sprinty, a little more ‘endurance’ than CX, probably suits me better.

Oh, and finally, what gearing? Currently 38 x 11-40, but could go 36 oval x 11-40…

Oh, and finally, what gearing? Currently 38 x 11-40, but could go 36 oval x 11-40…

38 x 11-40 is probably considered on the higher end for XC, but should be do-able. If you have a 36t already, I’d probably throw that on.

I have 34 x 11-40 on my full sus XC bike which I occasionally race (but only because 40t is about the smallest cassette you can get for 11 speed).

I run 34 x 11-36 on my 10spd hardtail and raced it like that for a bit (and will probably race it this year), and the bottom gear there is is pretty close to your bottom gear.

I can’t speak for most of the courses, but Cathkin Braes shouldn’t have any long grinding climbs – it is more short, sharp undulations which should be fine for your current setup.

Who’s over at MSG Round 1 today, what was the course like and how did you go??

I quite liked the MSG course this year bit more of a mix rather then the uphill grind of last year.
The uphill rock garden is a bit crap though in my opinion but I do love the whole Oak Tree drop section.
Not a great race for me as somehow I bent a chainring tooth and the chain dropped a few times and shifting was rough.

Personally I felt that was a climbers course, with even more climbing than the usual Hadleigh climbing.  I liked it though.

Odd/bad day for me.  I felt sick during my warm up sprints, was OK at the start until just under the finish line 1 minute later where my stomach rolled and any watts I had vanished somewhere.

I spent the whole 1st lap in a state of vague survival and seriously considered quitting, took the whole second lap to recover then finally felt better on the 3rd lap – but by then everyone was gone.  I had no legs on the climbs throughout, just decided to ride for trainings sake.

Ended up 46 of 54.

As I’m training for the Scott Marathons, and haven’t properly tapered – just shorter VO2max & sprint this week – for this my coach said I wouldn’t have matches to burn and I’d be lucky if I had 80% to put out.  However although I’m not throwing in the towel on the coaching yet, I’m surprised 4 months of VO2max efforts didn’t help me today – I’m putting in a lot of work to dwindle down the rankings.

BUT – no moaning or excuses this year, it was a lovely day, the kids enjoyed Hadleigh and I got to ride a bike and be back in the race scene – happy days!

What was wrong with the uphill rock garden? It was tricky but doable.

Agree it is doable but hard to do every lap just seems a bit flip a coin if you will make it or not and as it is quite a blind corner if someone else has messed up your screwed.

First ever race at MSG today. How fast and way harder than I imagined8, but a great atmosphere and felt very welcome. So now i know what its like I well put some effort in and do better next time.

Ooooff, sounds like a tough day out – from feeling rough, to bent chainrings and uphill rock gardens!

The effort a commitment of you guys always amazes me!!

Really enjoyed my Hadleigh on sunday, wasn’t sure where my fitness would be as I only managed 2 races at the start of last year and no CX races over the winter. But I was pleased to come 25th in open male, better than I expected.
My CB Highline started dropping of its own accord on the seond lap, but fixed itself by the end of the lap, which made things much easier!

I noticed (unsurprisingly) the bikes of choice are carbon hardtails. I raced on an Orange Four, weighing 12.6kg. How much difference would a lighter (say 10kg) bike make? Anyone swapped and noticed the difference?

Yes.  I raced my Spark on Sunday, had I known all the technical had been removed I would have taken my 3kg lighter carbon HT, it would have made a difference on the climbs*  I’m a sucker for comfort though.

At a certain point say 25/24lbs your investment is far better in yourself getting stronger / lighter in a controlled way if you are new to racing efforts.  If you’re established and not carrying extra flab then the bike will be third on the list.  Easier tomdrop a LB on the waist than on the bike.

*well not much for me as I’m sick as it turns out.

Thanks Kryton57, good to know. Last couple of years I have shed 20kg body weight (wasn’t fat to begin with, what I would call average). Not really anything left to loose now, so whilst I hope to keep improving my cardio/ fitness, the bike is the next logical step it would seem.

Do people bother carrying spare tubes/pumps etc. when racing?

I didn’t when racing CX, but the walk to the pits was guaranteed shorter then!

Not running tubeless for various reasons…

Depends on the length of the lap, usually a tube and CO2 to get me back to the car without a major walk…

I have a little “pocket pack” which is basically a road tube, co2 cartridge and thingy, tyre levers quick patches and a quick link strapped together.  It sits in my race bag and slides into my middle pocket for MTB, road or race – its just easy to always pick up and go.

I have lightweight Scott Race tube strapped onto my MTB seatpost mainly for Marathons and rides from home, I don’t both taking it off for XC TBH.

I’ve never carried anything when racing, if i punctured i’d walk back… it’s race over at that stage anyway.

Actually after the faff involved in just getting the tyres to mount properly (and that’s with tubes…) I’m not even confident I could properly repair a puncture trailside, took the rear tyre about half and hour to sloooooowly pop into position properly.

On the flipside if I ever did go tubeless at least I know the tyres seat tightly…

Got my first XC race of the year coming up next weekend. A charity, as many laps as you can in three hrs kind of thing. Looking forward to it but barely ridden my mtb since last september.. and having been focussed on cross haven’t ridden 3hrs in a long time either. :Looking forward to it though and am considering it as a kick-start to my training

it’s race over at that stage anyway.

You see, I don’t agree.

I lost 7 mins after snapping a chain on the start once after being held for the next group to go and then fixing it with a quick link,  Now, I could have thrown in the towel, sat back and watch the race with a coffee on a sunny day.  Yet, in a field of 40, I managed to get to 25th with a 7 minute loss and, I’m no superfast person either.

It can be very quick to get a cut tubeless tyre sealed an back up with Co2, or even by throwing a tube in – I guess it depends how much it matters of how many points even a minor placing means to you.

You see, I don’t agree.

I lost 7 mins after snapping a chain on the start once after being held for the next group to go and then fixing it with a quick link, Now, I could have thrown in the towel, sat back and watch the race with a coffee on a sunny day. Yet, in a field of 40, I managed to get to 25th with a 7 minute loss and, I’m no superfast person either.

Considering how few i actually overtake in a race, i should clarify then “It’s all over for me”
Simple fact is, if i lost 7 mins in a race i’m last…. by a long way. The only places i’d gain is from DNFs.

I prob wouldn’t bother with any spares for a short course MTB race either – don’t think there’s much value continuing if you’ve dropped way behind your racing peer group, as there’s not typically anything to learn from just riding round the terrain. With cross I would always try to repair a mechanical or tyre problem as it’s so skills based that just going round the course will always have something for you.

With cross I would always try to repair a mechanical or tyre problem as it’s so skills based that just going round the course will always have something for you.

Eh?   There’s no skills in MTB is your inference.   I’m sorry but as I demonstrated above and depending on your evaluation of the importance of the race theres no reason to abandon.    Having travelled and paid for the privilege anyway plus also if you are actually interested in being fit for racing there’s merit in pushing out the remainder of the race at race effort for trainings sake – or skills sake as you seem to imply unless I read that incorrectly…

I always carry a spare tube, gas, multi tool. Probably overkill. I did once podium after snapping chain on the start line though….

as there’s not typically anything to learn from just riding round the terrain

Yeah, not sure I agree there at all.

My crank fell off end of the last lap on Sunday, I keep a tool on my bike so put it back on, with the faff I lost about 4 mins, but there was no way I was going to just give up. Part of the fun was seeing how many places I could get back.

Eh? There’s no skills in MTB is your inference. I’m sorry but as I demonstrated above and depending on your evaluation of the importance of the race theres no reason to abandon. Having travelled and paid for the privilege anyway plus also if you are actually interested in being fit for racing there’s merit in pushing out the remainder of the race at race effort for trainings sake – or skills sake as you seem to imply unless I read that incorrectly…

Certainly true that a workout’s a workout – you’ve driven there and got your kit on so I can see wanting to get a race effort come what may.

Didn’t you post here about doing an event in the Peak, and having to stop as you were struggling with the terrain? How is that consistent with ‘pushing out the remainder of the race at race effort for trainings sake – or skills sake’? I think rather it shows that racing is an emotional investment and that if you’re out of the race it can sometimes be hard to re-engage with it.

I think thats a bit of a emotive and unpleasant comment Garry and there’s no need for that.  I wasn’t “crying” no.

I quit just over halfway yes, because I was physically tired and mentally exhausted for whatever reasons after 3.5hrs racing the Peaks – something not to be underestimated – and had spent the last 1/2hr making silly mistakes leading to more frustration.   Thats very different to giving up because of a flat.

I’m not trying to paint a picture that I’m some kind of n’er give up hero, just commenting on your content with regard to carrying spares fixing a flat in an XCO race.  YMMV, but I’ve merely re-iterated a relatively positive experience in not doing so.

Apologies, Kryton, I re-phrased it. All I mean is that for the type of MTB races I might do (local / regional) there’s normally nothing there for me technically as far as the course goes, because MTBs are now so capable. The skills dimension is all in the racecraft, positioning your bike against the other people you’re battling with. So if that’s gone with a flat, I wouldn’t be that motivated to continue .

Will admit for the first time I didn’t carry any spares down at Cannock last weekend, didn’t see the point really as the lap is essentially a loop of the event center.

I always carry them when on Marathons, 12 /24hr races or training or normal riding as a bit of time can be made up and the loops are usually a bit bigger / more remote.

A charity, as many laps as you can in three hrs kind of thing

Ah the Spencer Sports event my mate is running, good luck.

It costs what, £25 to enter, x petrol/hours to get to race, favours to the family to actually be allowed to go, time spent ‘training’…if I puncture I’m ****’ fixing it and finishing the race. Plus even if I come last, I’ve had a good workout. No way I’m wasting my day and going through the mental anguish of an avoidable dnf. 🙂

Ah the Spencer Sports event my mate is running, good luck.

Yeah thats the one. Should be fun. You not tmepted? guess a long drive.

Ree tools – agree with McVittees, what a waste of money if you puncture / break a chain in the first 200yards. I’ve always carried co2, tyre, multitool and quicklink. You’ll have to fix it at some point after all!

When i race i go to race, riding round is irrelevant to me. Training, meh, i’ve done that. Its all about the race/results. If i puncture the race is over.

Yeah thats the one. Should be fun. You not tmepted? guess a long drive.

I am, just got to convince SWMBO

I started off with ‘its for charity..’

Ok, am convinced about carrying basoc tools, I’m treating it as training also so no point giving up and walking.

What’s the overtaking etiquette, similar to CX e.g. rider in front owns the line?

13thfm…

Yes, but a racer rider shouts “on the left/right” when the want to pass and politeness is encouraged.  The rider in front pulls to the side at the next available point.  A lot of riders forget this and don’t always stop to think that surprising the person in front on technical ground can result in a very bad situation, it’s something that annoys me a lot.

Racing for position is what it is,    Elbows out and hold the line  🙂

How technical are XC races? Mainly looking at SXC for myself, I’ve done GT7 and strathpuffer and am definitely a red route rider (though not the fastest and most confident) so just trying to gauge it to see if it would suit me. Thanks

Not terribly…. Blues really at most places i’ve raced, if that. Not down south anyway.

Not very – if you can handle reds at trail centres you’ll be fine. There are sometimes A & B lines but the A lines are nearly always utterly rideable. Having said that – even relatively simple tech takes on a new level when you’re blowing out your arse & you’ve someone on your tail. Also the higher up the scale you get on XC the more techie the races can get. Grassroots stuff will be pretty chilled but Nationals can have some quite intimidating stuff. Worry Gill flat out can be quite interesting..

No idea about SXC, from the races I’ve done it varies considerable from some of the most technical riding I’ve experianced to flat, smooth and fast. The good thing is that there are B-lines for the very technical bits and there is no shame in taking them (or so I tell myself 🙂 ) Sure you’d be fine if you wanted to give it a crack.