You can get a free provisional race licence with Bronze, Silver and Gold British Cycling membership. The link below indicates which type of licence is required for races staged in the UK.

http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/membership/article/mem-st-Racing-Licence-Prices-0-Need-a-Racing-Licence–0

I tend to use the following;
Muddy – Kenda Kwicker
Fairly muddy/hardpack – Panaracer Crossblaster
Dry – Kenda Small Block 8’s

The Small Block 8’s mentioned above for £10 are a real bargain, well spotted s.m. They are much grippier than they look and surprisingly good in mud (unless really gloopy), very fast on tarmac, hardpack and grass. Would probably be ideal for the mixed terrain you described. At that price certainly worth a punt.

I usually have towbars fitted by Indespension, not particularly cheap but always good quality fitting. The last two A4’s had Brinkmatic removeable towbars and cost £270 and £350 respectively some years ago, so probably over £400 today.
They have nationwide depots so probably find one local to you.
http://www.indespension.co.uk/

Ripstop outer with bonded pimple finish membrane inside – no loose mesh if that’s what you meant.

If it needs to be really lightweight and packable then an Altura Pocket Rocket may be worth a look – no frills, waterproof, breathable and packs mega small.

Muddy – Kenda Kwicker
Fairly muddy/hardpack – Panaracer Crossblaster
Dry – Kenda Small Block 8’s

The basement at the office has more roof boxes than Halfords!

I think LS is being somewhat modest!
If he’s the same LS I’m thinking of who usually gets a top three placing.

Round 6 SRAM Notts/Derby League at Sinfin Moor Park on Saturday for me.
Will be a slip slidey mudfest me thinks.
Good luck to all racing.

‘bigjim – Member
I remember the days of mail order when everything was on 28 days terms. You lot need to chill out!’

Yes! and we used to have to fetch water from the next village! Get real.

Chickenman – ouch!
Broke my ankle in 3 places and dislocation 14 years ago while biking. So badly smashed they were going to fuse it, but luckily some whizz kid young surgeon came on duty and decided he could fix it. Lucky for me it worked so at least I have still got some movement.

If you have a swan neck / removable towbar then the only option is the clamp on ball type. Scary principle, but they do seem to work!
The Thule 9503 is a very capable rack, good value, but personally found it fiddly to attach bikes.

The real danger of being well and truly trounced by my son at cross racing. Desperate times have resulted in me spending much dosh lightening my bike whilst secretly making his heavier.
Sadly, I think it will all end in tears (mine).

Ordered Monday am, got email today confirming dispatch, might get delivered tomorrow. So not great service although their 10% offer finished on Monday so perhaps a backlog of last minute orders to shift.

Not complaining, but I think the good old days of order today and fit the bits tomorrow is sadly long gone.

From the Exposure website;

Does a Race or Enduro light confuse my wireless cycle computer?

Yes it can. There can be some localised interference to other transmittted signals such as wireless cycle computers and heart rate monitors. The interference will be greater on the higher light settings. Our suggestion is to move the light and computer as far apart as possible. The Exposure Lights’ aluminum body does a good job at shielding most of the “pulsing” from the light but if the computer is very close it can effect the readings.

backhander –
Try and go for the 2011 lights if you can as they have the more powerful XPG led’s. Recently managed to get the Maxx D Mk3 for £260 from Wiggle.

Sorry, don’t work for a council or a large company, but we run and administrate our own HMRC approved cycle to work scheme in house without a third party facilitator such as Cyclescheme.

The company own the bikes, so at the end of the hire period our members can take one of the following options;

1- Continue to use the cycle free of charge, with no further payments.
This means the company still own the cycle and the hirer cannot sell it as technically it is a company asset and HMRC might require to see it if a check was ever carried out.
When the cycle is six years old ownership can be transferred to the employee with no tax liability.

2- If the employee wishes to purchase the cycle at the end of the initial hire period we will sell the bike for, say £1, and they will then be liable for the tax on the balance left between the HMRC fair market value guidelines.
So, on a one year old £1000 cycle a basic rate tax payer will pay 20% on £249 which equates to £49.80 tax liability collected via a P11d ‘benefit in kind’ form. Total cost to transfer ownership £50.80 which will equate to approx. 5% of purchase price.

Handing the bike back to your employer or worse still, the third party administrator, seems a crazy option to me.

Vanity and the knowledge I have a perfectly set up drivetrain means I never use the plastic spoke saver discs.
However, last season during a particularly gloopy cross race, my chain over shifted ripped through 3 spokes, gouged the hub flange, wrecked the rear mech and chain – about £100 damage – ouch!

I now run the rear wheel with, yes you guessed it No spoke protector!

Vanity rules. 🙂

Not got a Toro but have had an Enduro Maxx (720 lumen) for 3 years and have recently bought a Maxx-D (1200 lumens).
The Enduro Maxx has been great, enough power for offroad use, and still exceeds the manufactures stated run times. The new XPG led’s and lens seem to give a whiter light with a better spread – I would imagine the Toro will share the same benefits.

I’ve used both Schwalbe CX Pro 1.35’s and Conti Twister 1.5’s cross racing on an mtb.
Much preferred the CX Pro’s – fast rolling and grippy enough even when very muddy. The Conti’s had a very aggressive tread which felt quite draggy on wet grass. Also not sure if the Conti’s are still available.

Another vote here for a small frame and build.

In fact here is one I made earlier – xsmall 14″ Giant XTC frame bought in a sale and the rest raided from the ‘good spares’ spares box!

Trouble is he will soon have outgrown it, so will be searching for a new frame in the near future.

Good looking bike there slowjo.
I think the 64cm specs are all wrong, as it also has a shorter seat tube than the 62cm.
Don’t worry about the sloping top tube. I ride a Giant with semi compact geometry and is ok to shoulder.

Wow 230mm headtube – that will give you vertigo!

The 62cm frame with a 180mm headtube sounds better to me.

Edit; Thinking that must an error in the specs as it’s totally out of proportion with the other sizes.

Winter & Summer

Blimey! Have recently been toying with the idea of advertising a couple of Exposure lights on the classifieds, but having read this thread, I don’t think I’ll bother.

I was out on Saturday and everyone behind me wanted to overtake , and anybody in front of me I wanted to chase and overtake.
This strange phenomenom lasted about an hour, then it was all over, and I could breathe again!
Ah! I remember now. I was in a race! 🙂

“Surely flat bars & disc’s are the way to go for a fast easy xc machine”

You are so right, but that’s nowhere near niche enough!

Been racing on muddy playing fields today in round 4 of SRAM NDCXL at Bingham, slippy as hell, and at no point could be described as easy. A particularly “easy” section consisted of a 100 metre traverse up and down a 1 in 3 grass bank – really enjoyed that bit!
A well set out course in testing conditions – a big thanks to the organising club VC Notts for a good event.

Yet another thread about how useless cx brakes are!
Why do people buy these bikes when they must know by now what sort of brakes they have. If they were used for their intended purpose, ie racing, you would soon realise that slowing down is the least of your worries! If carefully set up most types will work fine.
Sorry for the rant, but been racing today, so not feeling particularly philanthropic at the mo.

That’s a real bargain!

My lbs is selling those for £140. Good Luck!

I’ve had an original carbon Alien post on a road bike since 2001 and have an alloy Alien Cyclops on another road bike (2yrs old).
Not had any issues with either.

13 year old son:
Rides fixie to school plus extended ride home – 1hr / day
Cyclocross training one evening / week – 2hrs
MTB ride one evening / week with Dad – 2hrs
Cyclocross Race Saturdays – 2hrs inc. practice/warm up
Saturday (when not racing) BMX with mates – up to 7hrs (includes much hanging out)
Sunday – more BMX/Fixie or occasional MTB/Road ride with the ‘old man’

Summer schedule includes even more looning around on bikes, although I’m sure current enthusiasm will wain in a few years when he discovers beer and girls!

I had a 98 Mount Vision and that had a 50mm chainline if that helps at all.

” no doubt somebody be along to say their tcx is more comfy than their steel bike though “

Not at all. The frames are stiff as a board with race geometry, although the entry level bike comes with an alloy fork and eyelets front and rear.
I use mine as a race bike, but I once did a 100 mile road ride on it, fitted with slicks, and it was surprisingly comfy.

The jumps at Drum Hill were demolished by the landowner due to fear of Third Party Liability claims.
Although not been through these woods for a few months I doubt they have been rebuilt.

Just an outside chance, but has the bottle of brake fluid been shaken at all. Brake fluid will hold air bubbles for days before it disperses.

These wheels are really red! Although not mine, it is my sons’ bike.

Another one here for Notts/Derby league round three at Alfreton Park.
Good luck to all racing.

Exposure recently quoted £65 incl. postage to replace the battery on a 3 year old Enduro Maxx.

Most of the people I ride with have ‘built in a shed out of scaffold poles’ bikes, so my Specialized/Giant’s end up being niche!