[Closed] 2017/2018 cx racing thread

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/gbcyclingteam/article/20171030-gb-cyclingteam-news-British-Cycling-announces-team-for-UEC-Cyclo-cross-European-Championships-in-Tabor-0

I enjoyed the Abergavenny course, but due to little sleep, a head cold and not really focussing I ended up rolling a front tub halfway through the sighting lap; I landed on a tarmac bend with the front wheel already turned which was all the tub needed to pull off. Down I went like the proverbial. It did deal with one of the demons I've had since breaking my back in May in that it was the first crash I've had since then. Was good to deal with that.
Mediocre race from me but yes, great course and good to see so many there.

From an outside perspective, why do you guys even run them? I can count 4-5 instances of problems with gluing, rolling, whatever in the last 2 pages. Why not just run some fast narrow rubber tubeless?

Because the grip on the corners is measurably better and the ride is smoother thus conserving energy, plus you can bang them over roots, hitting the rim and usually get away with it.
You do have to glue them up properly, set the pressure correctly for the cornering forces expected and nurse them through certain sections.
Couple of races ago I was losing 2 seconds per lap to the leader. Think about how everything has to be optimum when you’re working to margins of 0.3 sec per minute on a course with 10 corners per minute.
That’s why we run them.

I do run tubeless on my training bike, but on race day I use Challenge tubulars.

I give the rim a coat and leave it a day then do the tyre and another thick coat on the rim and mount the tyre there and then. I read somewhere that this lets the glue really soak into the base tape.
Key thing is I then leave it for a week or more somewhere warm to cure properly before using it.

If I'd been on tubeless it would have rolled and burped too; it was sloppy riding due to tiredness.

While everyone was away in Wales I thought I'd try to pick up some points at the London league in Brighton, which definitely did not happen.

A combination of doing a hill climb, driving for 4 hours then going to a house party on Saturday left me a little tired to be racing cross, so my race positions went like this lap by lap: 4th, 6th, 8th, 8th, 9th, 9th, pulled out and lying on the floor. Managed about 40 minutes before conceding defeat, as I just couldn't get the HR over 160, where I'd normally average 185.

Ah well.

weeksy - Member

From an outside perspective, why do you guys even run them? I can count 4-5 instances of problems with gluing, rolling, whatever in the last 2 pages. Why not just run some fast narrow rubber tubeless?

Tubeless is good, though, no doubt - I'm looking at getting a second cross bike which will defo be setup tubeless for training, and I'll be trying them out in a race. Tubs do have obvious drawbacks - I actually enjoy glueing, find it quite meditative, but I don't enjoy shelling out 60 quid for a new tub. Another major ballache is if you remove them from the rim [I do after the season to use the wheels on the road} then the base tape can be in a bit of a state and it's not something that you can just re-glue time after time no problem.

Weekly, I use tubeless, even at nine stone I'm not happy going below 21 psi whereas heavier people with tubs are happily going sub 20 psi. Then you have to factor in that tubeless are much less supple casings and clearly the grip is worse. Even in a mid pack ability level your regularly riding for multiple laps in a super tight group. Loose half a bike length in one corner, the same in hte next and you are out of hte group almost instantly. I messed up one corner on sat and it took me half a lap of battling into a headwind on my own to get back. By which time I was spent.

When I have hte cash I'll be switching

Anyway, time for a pre work training hour 😀

Interesting info... Thanks to all.

tubeless are much less supple

"Open" tubs with latex tubes are a better option than tubeless IMO if you don't want to be dealing with tubs.

The reason I use tubeless at the moment is puncture protection as I use cx bikes outside of racing. Hoping to get a dedicated race wheelset for next year. Do you have a feeling for the difference in suppleness between 'real' tubs and the clement style tubs that seem more like a tubelss tyre sealed up?

Found this sequence of me overtaking an abergavenny rider coming round and down off the rise after the hurdles on Sat. Was pleased with that little move at the time so nice to see it on camera 😆

[img] [/img]

Ferrals. There was a wicked little mini rut to turn on at the bottom of that corner wasnt there? Pretty small target to hit in the mêlée though, especially when your vision is a bit blurry.

@Thomthumb ha ha yes there should be a lap counter board out every lap, normally after leaders have completed 2 laps it will go up. It will tell you how many left. Normally one side where Commies are standing doing number counting.

Crosstober looked like a good course watching in on S4C last night, shame I didn't make it home but Dai and his team did a flipping brilliant job by the looks of things!

rollindoughnut - Member

Ferrals. There was a wicked little mini rut to turn on at the bottom of that corner wasnt there? Pretty small target to hit in the mêlée though, especially when your vision is a bit blurry.

To be honest the ruts werent there on the saturday, I saw they had developed by the sunday though. Didn't really need any extra grip on the saturday though.

One thing I've been wondering about is how I can improve my starts. I'm typically gridded first or second row then inevitably get swamped. I know in part its due to not being aggressive enough, but equally in 1st or second row if I get off quicker I should be able to find clear water. Not sure if best to go easier gear and try and ramp up super fast cadence befor shifting down or just wind up with lower cadence in bigger gear.

Well since we're doing photos 😉 (that's me labouring away in the green and black, not the one who looks like he knows what he's doing in red and white...)

Fife College Dunfermline. The running sections of the course were in deep, gloopy mud, and I struggled badly. Elsewhere on the course I was having a great time including some crafty overtakes (if I do say so myself) but of course there are never any photographers there when you actually look good on the bike are there?

[img] [/img]

Edit: actually here's one of the few overtakes I made at the previous round in Callendar Park, Falkirk. Don't think the guy behind realised I was sneaking up on him 😀

[img] [/img]

Monk, are you racing Lochore (claggy pit of hell) and/or Plean? I now officailly own a CX bike, so hav entered Plean and should probably do Lochore too 😥

That switchback at Fife looked horrendous, similar to the Somme in many respects....

Just Lochore, might sneak Strathclyde Park in next year (the postponed round 3).

The switchback wasn't the worst bit, it was the run up from the finish straight to starting straight (if that makes sense). It was mostly flat but real deep sticky mud, I was pretty much walking it for the last two or three laps.

Was looking out for your name on the Fife College start list, think I had guessed your initials might be MP?

Ferrals. I practice starts a lot. I find a bigger gear gives you time to clip in nicely then stomp on the power. Personally I think it's the second phase of the start that matters. Everyone has got a 10 second effort in them however unfit they are, but then you need superb fitness for the next 30 seconds or so and this is where if you've got it you can easily come to the front as riders fade around you.

Trouble is at a Trophy, every bugger is fit as a butcher's dog.

13thfloormonk - Member
Was looking out for your name on the Fife College start list, think I had guessed your initials might be MP?

Yup thats me. I know exactly who you are and obviously disappointed to see suspension on that bike 😉

Didn't have a bike for Fife so had to give it a miss - it looked like proper hard work! Could've probably borrowed a ride, but still have the guilt from taking someone else's bike to Callendar!

Think I might be able to do Lochore, Plean, Strathclyde Park and have a go at getting into the Super Quaich madness 🙂

I know exactly who you are

Ah yes, the SDA connection! Need to do some more sluething, put a face/bike to the name 😉

Sounds like you've committed this year, I'll be happy with the three races, happier if I manage 4. You'd have enjoyed Fife, felt like it rewarded a more MTB style of riding in places (lots of corners with decent racing lines)

Got some upgrades planned for next season when I should manage a few more, including some carbon rigid forks 8)

Not a bad day on the Koppenberg so far for our lot 😀

For those running 1x: what gearing setup ya running? I’ve got a 40T ring with 11-32T cassette, and i’m not [i]entirely[/i] convinced it’s not too high a range for me

Re: 1x ratios.

I'm on a 40t narrow wide superstar chainring, 105 11-32 cassette and 105 rear mech all of which seems about right for me.

I did think I should go 38 on the front as I'm usually more of a spinner than grinder but haven't yet been out of gears apart from a very muddy/grassy day where I lost the top three sprockets due to muck buildup, as a result I had to run an uphill and turned out to be about as quick as when I was riding it.

I reckon for CX have a bigger gear to 'push' seems to work well for me and I'll stick with it.

Also worth noting that I've only dropped the chain twice, both on VERY bumpy sections when not pedaling despite the theory I should have a more hardcore rear mech.

Our clubs race in the Welsh league yesterday, despite the weather forecast threatening heavy rain in the days prior it never came and we had firm ground, getting cut up enough to be s bit slippy and coat tyres but not to clog on the bike. Saturday spent a few hours setting up and prepping the course - couldn't believe how tired I was afterwards, clearly not used to walking 😳 Then had minimal sleep on sat night as I was too busy worrying about whether drunken youths would trash the course (it was in a public park), if the course would be well received and if my alarm would wake me up for the early set up. Thankfully adrenaline kicked in during my warm up clearing heavy legs and tired head and I was feeling reasonable on the start line if apprehensive being on the first row. Managed a reasonable start and was sat in 12th place after the first lap. As things spread out was having a good race with one other guys till I messed up one corner, my front wheel slid out and I couldn't close the gap afterwards. Got caught and overtaken by two other guys, one got away but I sat on the others wheel and we ended up reeling in and passing various lapped riders and one guy on the same lap as us. Conscious that people where gaining behind us I attacked with 1.5 laps to go and managed to extend and maintain it to the finish. Really exciting race and was pleased the club event went well and the courses enjoyed by most.

Worth catching up with the European champs on YouTube too for exciting racing, only seen the u23 men so far but it's a cracker

Anyone riding southampton at the weekend?

I'm entered. If it's dry i might ride out; my wife needs my car and i don't know if i can be bothered to squeeze my muddy bike in her car & then clean the inside!

I'll need to leaving spares at home & lights for the return journey though...

same as last time - green bike/ green Push the cranks kit. say hello - i'll be near the back 😉

Aims. Improve my placings (85% at Sparsholt), chase overtakers more, no chain dropping, win the sprint for the line

Race up at Leverhulme Park in Horwich the other week, far drier than the previous round, but still soggy as hell in places.

I managed to drag my carcass round to 56th in V40, out of 96 riders, so 11 places up on the previous round. Actually feel like there's some fitness coming back after the lay off.

[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4523/38233567296_3e70b1dabb_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4523/38233567296_3e70b1dabb_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/21fz2w9 ]2017-11-09_04-48-02[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/140228292@N02/ ]Steve Bowman[/url], on Flickr

The little man had another good race, struggled a bit in the soggy long grass, but came home 13th overall out of 41 U8's, which is a staggering turn out for such a young age group in my mind, he's also moved up a place in the league to 11th 😀

[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4562/38256870712_0f7d37b208_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4562/38256870712_0f7d37b208_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/21hCsPb ]2017-11-09_04-47-13[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/140228292@N02/ ]Steve Bowman[/url], on Flickr

I wish I could do this on the way home after a race

[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4557/38233692606_37172a592a_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4557/38233692606_37172a592a_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/21fzELE ]2017-11-09_04-47-26[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/140228292@N02/ ]Steve Bowman[/url], on Flickr

This weekend we've got the rather long jaunt North to Ulverston for a no doubt muddy tech fest.

legend - Member
For those running 1x: what gearing setup ya running? I’ve got a 40T ring with 11-32T cassette, and i’m not entirely convinced it’s not too high a range for me

I've got a 38t front ring and 10 speed 11-32 SLX cassette with a XT clutch using a Wolftooth Tanpan to sort out the pull ratio difference with the 105 levers.

Good luck Thomthumb! I'm not going although I ought to do a few more to justify my tyres 😆

I really could do with lower gearing if I race again- might help my cadence. I think it's 38/46 on the front and 32-12 on the back but I used to really utilise my granny gear when racing my MTB on an XT triple.

Sports centre was super muddy today. For me it was a race of two halves first half i was holding my own, somewhere in the midfield. The bike started clogging and i had to stop & lost 1/4 of a lap attempting to clear it. after that it clogged several times. I ended up running the final 1/2 of my last lap, shouldering the bike as the rear wheel wouldn't turn. I was last across the line, to a good cheer. 😀

Aims. Improve my placings (85% at Sparsholt), chase overtakers more, no chain dropping, win the sprint for the line

52/62 84% so just?! did chase overtakes did me well: I was keeping up with a friend of mine (normally in vets)
until i clogged. didn't drop the chain - over the top of the cassette though! didn't sprint for the line. see above.

After the race carried the bike halfway back to the car, once i'd finished my hot choc i started riding, then this happened. Hanger, chain, mech all scrap! At least i finished the race. 🙄

[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4516/38370750751_d6b4067bce_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4516/38370750751_d6b4067bce_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/21sG8o8 ]IMG_4822[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/24645633@N08/ ]thom1984[/url], on Flickr

Bang on midfield at Ulverston Vet40-50 (36 of 72). Just realised 11 places ahead of steve_b77 🙂 Will try and say hi next week (I'm on the Unimog orange weird home made frame).

Good brutal / techy course and for the second time hit the goal of not getting lapped. Starting to realise most of my racing benchmarks are where I place amongst the other dads...... Lost a couple of places during lap 4 but tried hard to fight back and swapped back and forth right to the end which was good but futile fun.

mick_r - Member
Bang on midfield at Ulverston Vet40-50 (36 of 72). Just realised 11 places ahead of steve_b77 Will try and say hi next week (I'm on the Unimog orange weird home made frame).

Don't worry I probably won't be able to speak 😆 I'm in KTM Impsport team kit, God knows CX isn't my forte!!

I got a cracking start and then blew up spectacularly, still it was only my 3rd race back after injury so I'm getting there. Was taking it very easily on the descents as I'm still wary of crashing and coming down on my shoulder again, don't want to be out of action again.
[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4529/26606236219_590b36937c_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4529/26606236219_590b36937c_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Gx6V5F ]#cyclocross #nwcca #ulverston[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/140228292@N02/ ]Steve Bowman[/url], on Flickr

The little fella did really well in the U8's, we counted him in as 8th but the results show 11th, 2 places behind a lad he beat by over the line by a good 20 seconds. He put that much effort in I had to carry him back to where we were set up, before he filled his face, had a sit down and spent all afternoon riding round the perimeter of the course. The powers of recovery of a 5 yr old.
[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4565/24511223038_2aa319dd52_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4565/24511223038_2aa319dd52_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/DkYqDL ]#cyclocross #nwcca #ulverston[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/140228292@N02/ ]Steve Bowman[/url], on Flickr

No Central League for us this week as the venue owners got cold feet so it had to be cancelled, made up for it with a rare day of mtb playing around at Area 51. Managed another 7th at the previous week's Central round at the gorgeous Shuttleworth college. Last year I was fighting to stay in the back of the second group, this year I'm getting dropped by the first group but staying ahead of the second, still not figured out where my extra fitness has come from but it's highlighted limitations in my technique (I rode like a spanner at Shuttleworth, eventually falling off and twisting my bars which cost me a place).

once i'd finished my hot choc i started riding, then this happened. Hanger, chain, mech all scrap! At least i finished the race

I've done just that riding back to the car park from the finish line, got about 20 metres 🙄 (but better 20m after than 20m before I guess).

This coming weekend is RAF Halton, winner of course and venue of the year last 2 years running; loads of singletrack so a mountain biker's course, and the RAF put on a marching band, Belgian frite van and there's a rumour they're adding a sand pit this year 😀

there's a rumour they're adding a sand pit this year

Any organisers who build a sand pit around, how much does the materials cost? I was wondering about this and I came to the conclusion you'd need about 9 tonnes of sand for a decent sized pit so £270+VAT excluding wood for the boarding. A lot of cash for what would be a tempory feature. Plus no idea how we'd get rid of the sand afterwards!

He put that much effort in I had to carry him back to where we were set up

IIRC Mark Harvey put 10 tons of sand in at Dalton Barracks, but had the luxury of leaving it there so it's a permanent feature of any races he organises (he runs a summer series, a Wessex round, recently put on a 3hr night race, and has just committed to the Central Regional champs).

Possibly put tarps down so you can lift the sand after use?

Sounds like I'm in the right ball park for quantity. It was more just idle speculation really. I don't know how we'd transport 10 tonnes of sand afterwards anyway! Unless we sold it to the council as a kids play sand pit and just left it 😆

I was wondering about this and I came to the conclusion you'd need about 9 tonnes of sand for a decent sized pit

Wessex CX - used an abandoned golf course; complete with bunker. It was ace - i'm not sure they've been back for a couple of years which is real shame.

It was my first CX race and i rode SS commuter with a massive gear. I'd love to have another crack with a proper bike/ my miniscule amount of knowledge.

Wessex CX - used an abandoned golf course

Was that the Oxonian event in Oxford? We had to stop running it there mostly because there wasn't enough parking for the numbers now attending.

I was at Southampton yesterday and had comfortably my worst race of the season. On the muddy uphill drags I just couldn't get any traction. The entire field rode past me on the start whilst I was sat there spinning my wheel. On the plus side, the bike survived and I even had several gears still working at the end of the race.

Was that the Oxonian event in Oxford?

No eastleigh golf course/ fleming park. I [i]think [/i]it was a sotonia event.

google suggests they ran it 2012,13 & 14.

First ever CX race for me at Leeds Castle on Sunday! I got a bit too excited at the start and sprinted the first lap to then blow up early and spend the rest of the race being overtaken. Highlight was sliding down the off camber muddy descents.

Despite being an hour of suffering I think I enjoyed it and looking forward to the next one!

I got a bit too excited at the start and sprinted the first lap to then blow up early

An integral part of CX racing and happens at every race and in every part of the grid, it's not just a newbie mistake but it is a fine balance. You don't want to get baulked at the first pinch point and lose a stack of time, but you'll lose more if you blow up and go backwards. I'm in my third season and still consider myself a novice - I'm racing against guys who've raced CX and road for 10, 20 years so still learning stuff like pacing, tactics, and even basics like the best lines (which is one of the reasons I watch the pro races on YouTube/Eurosport).

Wessex CX - used an abandoned golf course; complete with bunker. It was ace - i'm not sure they've been back for a couple of years which is real shame.

I think the redevelopment of the site meant they couldn't sort out a viable course. Shame, I quite enjoyed it there

it's not just a newbie mistake but it is a fine balance

That's reassuring to know thanks! Looking forward to getting closer to that balance at my next attempt. I'll report back after the next one, possibly next weekend 🙂

I'm looking forward to RAF Halton at the weekend. I've missed it the last couple of years as it's clashed with the 3 Peaks. The prospect of a muddy RAF Halton is very exciting, and the forecast looks very wet for Sunday, can't wait. I'd have to disagree that it's an MTB course, it's got the best variety of surfaces in the CXL along with Corby, which are my 2 favourite CXL courses. Courses that are just grass do nothing for me. This from the BC Cyclocross regulations.

9.2 The course shall include roads, country and
forest paths and meadowland alternating in
such a way as to ensure changes in the pace of
the race and allowing riders to recuperate after
difficult sections.

I've done my race for 2017/8. Good fun/"fun", good beer, good people, mid-table obscurity.

Ticks in all the boxes.

Whattiler I mean a course that appeals to MTBers with loads of singletrack, as opposed to the more typical CX course, mainly grass, that my diehard MTB mates sneer at.

I liked Corby too, until it claimed all 3 of our rear mechs (and more than 20 overall) in 2015!

And what forecast are you looking at, BBC has it basically dry and cold all week including Sunday. I'd be happy with mud, it curbs the roadies' horsepower and I've barely used my mud tubs since buying them.

Any organisers who build a sand pit around, how much does the materials cost? I was wondering about this and I came to the conclusion you'd need about 9 tonnes of sand for a decent sized pit so £270+VAT excluding wood for the boarding. A lot of cash for what would be a tempory feature. Plus no idea how we'd get rid of the sand afterwards!

The problem is you really need a lot of sand to make it a course defining feature. I think the National Trophy at Derby used 100 tonnes to create a 60m sand pit, and even then, due to the nature of the sand used and the conditions it was packing down and relatively easily ridden. There's probably better things to spend money on, unless you can really invest or secure sponsorship and make a proper feature of it.

Any organisers who build a sand pit around, how much does the materials cost?

On behalf of [url= http://www.lovecrossed.co.uk ]LoveCrossed[/url] (04/02/18), I've just secured sponsorship from a local ground works / building contractor to supply/install/remove a sand pit. My next approach was to be our local building supplies company.

Approach local firms and put forward a proposal.

Good idea Qwerty. Just idle speculation at the moment for next year as we had our race a couple of weeks back, already thinking about how to mix up the course and improve it 😀

Mrs. Butcher - Member

The problem is you really need a lot of sand to make it a course defining feature. I think the National Trophy at Derby used 100 tonnes to create a 60m sand pit,

That is a lot of sand!!

Mrs Butcher you could do what Lovelo do for Crossmas and build a bridge like the Belgians do .. 18th December it's coming back ....awesomez as the kids say 😉

PSA: just in case anyone's not on social media (as if 😆 ), it just came up on my FB feed that Round 11 of the Western Leagues been cancelled for (I think) this sunday.

crash test monkey - I was looking at the one from Sunday after I'd just got back from another excellently muddy Eastern league race. Sadly you're right, looks dry now. Still be a cracker though, and the Belgian frites are awesome, we had that guy at our club's event.

DNFed Corby in 2015 too, survived last season thanks to two bikes, a petrol pressure washer and a pit helper.

An integral part of CX racing and happens at every race and in every part of the grid, it's not just a newbie mistake but it is a fine balance.

I had wondered about starts, and whether to elbow my way to a position in the start grid which reflected my last placing. I usually start in a respectful 'back of the pack' position because I don't expect to place anywhere significant.

That said, how many of the places gained by elbowing your way to the front of the grid might you reasonably expect to maintain? I finished top third (by one place 8) ) at my last race, despite starting very near the back. Wondering if I could conceivably finished higher if I'd started closer to the front...

1st race is started near the back (mostly due to being to slack to get there in good time) and got to overtake 40+ riders in the race.
2nd race i was closer to my expected (mid-pack of course) placing. Hardly got to overtake anyone.

1st race was way more fun 🙂

Sadly you're right, looks dry now

who knows- BBC says it's dry here in Oxford, outside my window says differently...

I finished top third (by one place ) at my last race, despite starting very near the back. Wondering if I could conceivably finished higher if I'd started closer to the front...

yes, you would. You'll be getting slowed at every pinch point and corner, the odd second here and there adds up. Dunno which league your in and how much info they produce, but you could look at lap times- you might be coming say 30th but actually lapping at the same pace as the guy in say 15th, but he gained 30 seconds on you in the first lap when you were coming to a near standstill when the field bunched up at the first few hairpins.

Central grid extensively (this year if you pre-enter you get gridded based on average previous finishes, even if you're in 100th place). In my first season (2015-16) I started at the back first race, finished in top half, so next race got gridded in top half etc etc, from mid-season on I was on the second row. I've stopped entering the occasional local Wessex round now as whilst I enjoyed racing for racing's sake I got more and more frustrated with not getting gridded and having meaningless finish positions.

Rats, thought there were lap times available for last race but there weren't.

During my search though I realised I wasn't quite as high in the rankings as I'd been making out, let's say top 36% if you include DNFs 😉

I think the National Trophy at Derby used 100 tonnes to create a 60m sand pit,

The UCI regulations that I found online state a minimum of 40 meters and a maximum of 80 meters for non-natural sand pits. BC just state no longer than 80 meters.

(not 100% sure if my info is the latest version. tbc.)

Lochore this weekend, bring on the Spiral of Doom!

[img] [/img]

(not actually the Lochore on pictured, apparently it's bigger!)

Not liking the sound of the extra high hurdles though... 😕

Extra high hurdles and claggy enough to reduce grown men to tears - sounds like we’re in for a treat!

Currently trying to get the bike sorted - just had to use mole grips to remove the summer tyres that came on it!!

Well I've been off the booze since Sunday (a big achievement for me :oops:) and resting the legs since Wednesday, so no excuses!

Bike is unchanged, had hoped to sell the front forks and fit some carbon rigids to chop 1kg off the weight but that will have to wait till next season now...

This is the first race with my own bike, the stock tyres definitely weren’t going to be up to the task! However I’ve made the questionable decision to go tubeless, with a pair of tyres that have been folded up somewhere for a long time - bet they’re flat by morning!

For anyone that did Haigh hall today, well done. Dunno if my Garmin was correct but 1100ft of up in 6.5 miles! It certainly felt like it, anyway. Steve_b77 saw you going round just before we started seniors. I don't think I've ever seen so much loam!

Haigh was loamy fun. Managed to reverse last week's battle and picked up a few places on the last laps. Didn't see Steve but was looking out for him.

Just going to the youth race tomorrow with one or both of the boys (youngest is undecided but had his best ride of the year today whilst it was still all rideable).

London X-League at cyclopark today on a Nat Trophy standard course. Overnight rain meant us V40's probably got it at it's best as first adult race, The mud was just right! Nice and slippery but not a bike killer.
Very, very technical circuit with a lot of the drama played out on steep banks.

Oof, a very pointed reminder of the (well established...) benefits of a warm up today at Lochore. Between getting there late and footering about I only gave myself 10 minutes up and down the road and half a lap of the course to warm up.

Within two laps I had to stop as I genuinely thought I was having an asthma attack, lots of desperate wheezing going on! Stopped for a couple of minutes and of course watched a veritable herd of other riders spin past.

Got back into the race slowly and actually started picking up a few places, felt great on the last lap and put in a big dig to try and catch someone on the line, gave the spectators a brief bit of entertainment! Did a brief google on exercise induced asthma, the big cause is high exertion in cold air (tick) and a known preventative is good warm up (not tick 😳 ). That'll be why all the fast boys are spending 45 minutes on rollers before the race... 🙄

The Spiral of Doom required some interesting race craft! Very slippy so just holding a tight inside line the whole way round wasn't possible without dropping your speed, and of course any time I did drift wide some bugger would sneak through the open door!

Got easier in the latter laps when I was just chasing places and mostly time trialling, could stick to the less slippy outer lines and just crank round.

Last race of 2017/2018 season for me I think, enjoying myself but got a long distance challenge to train for now and can't take enough time away from the 3 month old to train for both!

Well today I got caught, past and gapped by another forum user (who may have just posted above) 😳

Wasn’t on it at all today, worst result ot my short career so far. Even though the course is annoyingly flat I still should’ve done a bit better

Great course at the LRCXL today at Beaumont Leys, a proper MTBers course. Got the hole shot and had a strong race, finishing inside my goal of top 15 but just outside the top 10 with an 11th.

Got caught a couple of times behind slower back markers going into tight twisty bits, lost out by 20s to 10th place. Big efforts needed prior to choke points next time!

another forum user

Yeah sorry about that... 😉 Was being 100% sneaky and had checked some race numbers at registration, you were on my list of five riders I knew or who had pipped me before! I was lurking behind your back wheel for a little bit until I knew could pass and also put a dig in after to deter re-passing! 😀

Would have stayed to chat in person afterwards but my wife had been dutifully standing at the sidelines waiting with the wee man and he had just decided he'd had enough as I crossed the line!

Weirdly exhausting course for one with no elevation, that mud wasn't deep but seemed to clag the tyres up extra fast, felt like I was riding on a puncture the whole time...

he had just decided he'd had enough as I crossed the line!

I felt much the same when I crossed - straight to car, no chat in the tank for anyone 🙁 Definitely a draining course, claggy enough to give me all sorts of pedal trouble too. Wasn’t expecting that

I know! First time my Time pedals have struggled, that combination of fine sandy stuff on the steps combined with muddy shoes seemed to just overwhelm them. Still sneaked a few places on people who seemed to be struggling worse than me at that point 8)

My results for the year then were 89th, 39th, 49th, which averages at 59th out of an average field of 110ish I think, so not quite the top half of the table I'd aimed for but lots of good lessons learned for next year, lighter bike, maybe some of those Baby Limus tyres everybody else seems to be using, better warm ups.

mick_r - Member

Haigh was loamy fun. Managed to reverse last week's battle and picked up a few places on the last laps. Didn't see Steve but was looking out for him.

Just going to the youth race tomorrow with one or both of the boys (youngest is undecided but had his best ride of the year today whilst it was still all rideable).

Gave tubeless a try for the first time and have to say they were flawless [and trivial to setup]. Be interested to see how they do over a few races / different conditions.

Anyone got any thoughts on Specialized Terra tyres? Seem to be one of the few mud tyres actually available at the moment. Priced like you'd expect from Specialized, tread looks fine. Anyone? Not in a huge rush as this weekend is apparently likely to be wetter than yesterday, will really need something in the second half of the season though

mick_r - Member
Haigh was loamy fun. Managed to reverse last week's battle and picked up a few places on the last laps. Didn't see Steve but was looking out for him.

I was there, just a bit shit as I really don't like running at all, managed to drag my carcass round to 60th place out "sprinting" my mate on the final lap.

Little lad had a proper rough time, crashed 5 times in his U8's race including a trip into a bed of nettles and one OTB moment. At one point he'd dropped to 26th but fought his way back to 16th one place behind his nearest league rival. I wish I was as good as him 😆

Garry_Lager - Member
Gave tubeless a try for the first time and have to say they were flawless [and trivial to setup]. Be interested to see how they do over a few races / different conditions.

It's ace, stick with it.

Which category were you racing Garry? Definitely like an MTB course in places so suited me fine. I'm surprisingly finding the running suits me so as we have a gap for almost a month I'm going to try and practice a bit - Stadt Moers is certain to be muddy.

Must also apologise that my kids were part of the bridge jump "whip it" heckling crew 🙂

I ran tubeless Schwalbe X-One Bite for the first time (same setup as my eldest lad) and have to say they were fabulous. More grip / less clogging than I've ever had before. Almost pointless running anything other than a mud tyre for the NW races........

Stadt Moers? Is that the place in Whiston? I raced there years ago and seem to remember it was a little like this years' Nat Champs venue in Hetton.

LS - Member
Stadt Moers? Is that the place in Whiston? I raced there years ago and seem to remember it was a little like this years' Nat Champs venue in Hetton.

That's the one, a mixture of gravel covered paths, some block paving, a bit of tarmac and a sodding slippy muddy hill with some wooded bits.

Yes I recall it now, just looked back and it was 2006 when I was there, didn't seem [i]that[/i] long ago 😯

Haven’t tried the Terra, but my go to mud tyres are either a Challenge Limus or FMB SuperMuds. Limus are faster but SuperMuds are like shit to a blanket.

Cyclopark London League was indeed a fantastic course; slippery off-camber and rutted goodness with fast sections in between. Something to sort the more experienced cross racers from the MTBers and roadies.

4th in the seniors for me was a reasonable way to end 2017, this cross season has been a disappointment for me personally and so I'm taking some time off racing, I've been going since march.

@legend the new Terras have more bite than the previous versions. Never been a mega grippy tyre to rival a Limus etc but a good choice especially for those courses that are a mix of mud and fast or slippery on top of firm.

Should probably have mentioned that I'll be running them tubeless, which I believe really rules on the Limus (which i had a loan of for a couple of races and got on well with) and probably the Supermuds too?

2018 Terras looks like a step up indeed. Cant see them anywhere yet though. Really just wanting to avoid the clag-fest of yesterday - there not fun in trying to get mud off the bike in short carry sections

Stocks seem incredibly low of most options too

Anyone got any thoughts on Specialized Terra tyres?

I think they're a great all round tyre. They've been redesigned recently to be a bit more full on mud I think but not sure that version has landed over here yet.

No racing for me this season as my knee is screwed but did ride out to Haigh Hall yesterday and took a few pics on my phone and drank some hot cider...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/simondbarnes/albums/72157687558338992

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