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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.
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 1x10 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?
@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 700x32 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?
Steve - I think you can sell them on - we might have two in one race next year (depends what happens with going to uni, work etc).
Slight AstroTurf - eldest lad in action 🙂
https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-cx-sl/
The ceremonial "dig out cx bikes > attempt to turn handlebars/spin cranks > buy new bearings for everything" dance is now complete. Bring on the NW league again.
V40 this year, which has come as a complete shock as I'm sure I'm still young! Oh well, it means I'll get the chance to 'double up' at a few rounds and race both the vets and the seniors...
Also aiming to get to most of the National Trophy rounds this year.
Can't wait 🙂
…almost but not quite, it’s not tan wall! Tan wall clincher Limus with latex tubes for the win 😉
Limus tubular the One God to rule all Tyres 🙂
You can barely see the tan walls on mine, mind - some folk recommend that aquaseal stuff to keep them looking smart.
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?
It's optional as far as I know, even for league riders - anyone can just sign one out for the day, but it helps the league admin to take this off their plate on race day. Apparently the old timing chips weren't 100% reliable in heavy weather and riders not returning them was an aggravating issue.
You can barely see the tan walls on mine, mind – some folk recommend that aquaseal stuff to keep them looking smart.
That ship had sailed for me, I bought mine 2nd hand...
Does aquaseal also help mud shedding, or is it just vanity?
It also stops your tyres rotting so you don't have to replace them so fast.. though I think the newer challenge tyres are self coated.
One day I will afford a tubular wheelset.. probably when i stop buying so many bloody tubeless tyres 🙂 Those challenge at Mantel are a bargain; TLR grifos for the same price too! Wonder if challenge have them sized right or not
Slight AstroTurf – eldest lad in action 🙂
Nice.. nice lookign bike too, plenty of mud clearnace at the seat stays!
It’s optional as far as I know, even for league riders – anyone can just sign one out for the day, but it helps the league admin to take this off their plate on race day. Apparently the old timing chips weren’t 100% reliable in heavy weather and riders not returning them was an aggravating issue.
Ah, makes more sense
Any prediction for finish position in V40 Dave? Apart from well ahead of me, Steve and G_L 🙂
Last seasons in V40s in the London League for me, back to singlespeed too, after a season with gears.
1st round at Stanmer next weekend.
Any prediction for finish position in V40 Dave?
Shivering, muddy and having a barrel of ice cold water poured over me before I'm allowed back in the van. The standard position. 🙂
Anyone heading to next weeks opening NW round at Blakemere from Sheffield with room for one rider and one bike? I'll be racing at 14:30.
Last seasons in V40s in the London League for me, back to singlespeed too, after a season with gears.
What gearing do you go with for the SS?
I'm currenty running 38/18 but think it might be a bit big for me.
Definetly in the right ballpark. When I was racing singlespeed I tending to gear just below 60".
Thoroughly enjoyed yesterday. Really fast track and I've been agonising all week over tyre choice due to the weather (PDX in the end). I should have known it was going to be fine at Blakemere because it drains pretty well! Managed to go reasonably well but I was stuck near the back from the start. A nice course with some good features. happy with my times just need to work my way up to the front a bit better at the start.
Proud of my daughter who managed to finish the race although she's a bit keener than previous years. She also learned a lot from watching the other kids too.
Looking forward to Saturday but it might be a bit of a rush after Gymnastics!
Found that to be a kick in the baws tbh, first one always is but not much respite to be found on that track at all. Did settle in OK until halfway round lap five when I blew up my mech with a bad shift. Elected to run in and finish - not sure why, seen as I run like a bloke carrying a grand piano on his back, but crossed the line in any case. So a poor result in the end but still good to get some racing under the belt.
I also couldn't believe how dry it was - it has tanked it down with rain and even that morning was pouring as we left, but the field just seemed to suck it all up, felt really dry in the turns.
Anyone racing the evening/night cross series at Supermarine in Swindon? Should be able to make all 5 this year, and after finally getting comfortable with the CX bike setup recently I'd like to see if i can get an improvement on lap times compared to previous years
Were you still in Stockport kit G_L? Think we might have had a battle for a lap early on. I also don't get on with the dry dragstrip kind of courses so scraping into top half of field / not getting lapped will be as good as I could hope for round there. Can't wait for some mud and tech (but did enjoy not having to wash bikes).
Chipps kindly offered me a chip on the stairs but I didn't have a spare hand or any breath.....
Not surprisingly Twinkly Dave was up the front.
Steve b looked like he enjoyed marshall and proud dad duties 🙂
Were you still in Stockport kit G_L? Think we might have had a battle for a lap early on. I also don’t get on with the dry dragstrip kind of courses so scraping into top half of field / not getting lapped will be as good as I could hope for round there. Can’t wait for some mud and tech (but did enjoy not having to wash bikes).
Yes Mick, the Belgian colours - you went past me quite early, looking in good form.
Appreciate the physical challenge of that course but one for the purists IMHO - prefer something more mixed. It's a great venue, though - very compact, don't have to worry about losing your kids.
Good form? = 39th place :-)....
Apologies for my kids loudly heckling with the jump gang.
I marshalled at Blakemere on Sunday. Managed to get sunburned after standing at the very far end (and windiest) part of the course from 10am til 4pm. Pace looked very high but I think that was down to the dry conditions as others have said. Hopefully I will take part in my first Seniors race this Saturday all being well.
What gearing do you go with for the SS?
I’m currenty running 38/18 but think it might be a bit big for me.
Sorry, missed this - 38/19 with an Oval AB ring. Just about right for me, although there was plenty of climbing at Stanmer yesterday.
Did my first race in Stanmer on Sunday and it was great. I was expecting to finish a long way off the back, but I didn’t finish last so I’m well pleased with that. A couple of things I’m going to change on my bike before the next race are a bigger front ring as I couldn’t keep up with those around me on the flat grass sections and I will probably stick the spuds on too. I toyed with taking the flats off on Sunday morning but I haven’t ridden spds for a good few years now and thought it probably wasn’t a good idea to race without a couple of rides to get used to them again.
I might even try and get some cheapo carbon forks from eBay to make it a bit lighter.
I really need to work on my cx dismounts too as I was rubbish getting over the planks
Ah it's good to be back!
Not so good to be throwing away a decent start by binning it on the gravel, stuffing a mech into the spokes and shredding my shorts, but the racing was as lung bursting as ever and the atmosphere was as friendly as I remember it (everyone loves a bit of heckling at the jump spot!).
Didn't even have to wash the bikes when I got home. Ace. 🙂
Can't wait for this weekend, doing the Western CX R2 - looking at this weekends results everyone looks fairly fast!
Not raced in 4 years so not going in with any high hopes but excited to get racing again! Not going for one League this year as right on the edge of the Wessex, Western, West midlands and CCXL areas so will pick as choose the local ones from each as trying to do one would mean a fair few 180+ mile days of driving!
Signed up for our work gym last week and did a FTP test over the weekend and was a tad disappointed to have dropped to 239w FTP, although happy to only be 2kg heavier - it just seems I've lost the muscle mass and replaced with cake! This now puts me at a 3.23W/kg so about 20% off my best from 2013! I guess that'll be the first target to build back the power to that and see how the results improve!
Didn’t even have to wash the bikes when I got home. Ace.
That was an absolute bonus, very rare! What wasn't a bonus was seeing you in front on the start line and thinking that's another place dropped then ;).
I am predicting that mud tyres will be required this weekend though. Awfully soggy driving through Houghton this evening!
going to get involved in a few rounds this year, was going to start with vive le cross at hull but injured this week, first round of the lincs cx is up the road in about 5 weeks, gives me time to have a recovery week then a decent 3 week block, maybe do the vive le cross midweek before the sunday race, then take it from there
them Challenge Grifo's on Mantel decent? first round of lincs is a piney sandy forest that drains well, never hard pack but never loose sand apart from 2 corners
also running 9170 di2, but 52/34 chainrings, with 11-32 out the back, best size single ring to go for?
also running 9170 di2, but 52/34 chainrings, with 11-32 out the back, best size single ring to go for?
I run 11-36 with a single 42 ring which I've always found about right across the season. I may take that back with reduced fitness but we'll see!
What a first race at Stanmer! Was gridded at the back in around 50th snd managed to get to 30th after half a lap and some aggressive yet still nice riding 😅
Managed 22nd in the end which I’m super pleased with for my first race, I’ve written about it in more detail here:Stanmer blog
Plenty to learn still but I’m most definitely hooked.
Oh well, first race of the season @ Tweedcross missed for me, back problems have developed into sciatica which isn't budging after 4 weeks!
Next race at Callendar Park will, at best, just be an opportunity to get wheels muddy for the first time, hopefully be able to take following rounds at Montrose and Fife College more seriously, if largely de-trained after 2 months off bike! Hoping some pool time maintains some fitness.
The beauty of cross is that I suspect the race experience will be exactly the same regardless of my fitness, just need to downgrade expectations from 47th to 67th!
Anyone racing the evening/night cross series at Supermarine in Swindon?
Yep, planning to do this, although still struggling to come to terms with the fact that the nights have drawn in to the point that this can be happening next week.
I really need to work on my cx dismounts too as I was rubbish getting over the planks
Those planks were awkward; coming into a 90 degree turn isn't the easiest dismount, especially for the first race of the season!
Those planks were awkward; coming into a 90 degree turn isn’t the easiest dismount, especially for the first race of the season!
I did consider monster trucking it on the first lap
monster trucking it
?
Pedalling over the top of everyone and crushing them beneath you? Wheelying so hard you do a backflip?
I have so much 'cross terminology still to learn... 🙁
Pedalling over the top of everyone and crushing them beneath you?
The majority of the field were a way ahead by the time I got there so there was no chance of that 😀
Stanmer for me last weekend.V60 now so was just hoping to justify my front row position in the combined v50/v60s. As every year there were a few new faces and so was expecting some changes in the finishing order and so it transpired. Very happy with 7th overall and 1st v60. Only a few seconds off 5th overall so seems there's life in the old dog yet.
Can anyone recommend a decent pressure wash - prob battery-powered? Was using a mobi and the charging port has corroded out, which seems to be a common problem. Will use it in the pits but doesn't need to be super powerful.
Steve b looked like he enjoyed marshall and proud dad duties 🙂
Yup, the supreme nachos were excellent and only minimal tape repairs as no one really crashed into it on the section I was one.
The eldest blitzed the U8 race and from what I can figure out lapped 32 of the 35 other kiddies at least once and was 30 seconds (half a lap) up on 2nd! The middle one had a laugh, binned it on the gravel (like Dave) and ended up 22nd so a massive improvement on last season.
I'm actually gonna drag myself out round Hoghton Tower this weekend and the eldest will be in the U8 again, while the middle one heads off to Wales for the Junior circuit race series.
I'm the event organiser for CX in the City, hosted by Velobants.cc, does anyone fancy coming to race at Campbell Park in Milton Keynes on Saturday 28th September? Its the same venue as the 2014 World Cup! Our event is more grass roots CX, trying to encourage as many people in to the sport as possible.
Its going off this year, we had 630 riders last year, and won the CCXL award for Best Race and Best Venue and this year its even bigger; Red Bull DJ Truck, Unicorner, CX steps etc, prizes to win like a Trek Crockett and Hunt Wheels. Plus we are also trying to beat the BC record of having 100+ riders in a womens CX race. All female entries get the chance to win a new Trek Crockett courtesy of Trek UK supported by Helen Wyman - whos also racing.
Central League is a really friendly league and a great place to race.
1st round of Vive Le Cross tonight for a serious wake up call, then organiser duties for the 1st round of the Yorkshire points series on Sunday at Bishop Burton East Yorks, venue,catering,1st aid, course planning all done.
Getting 10 marshals = a right pain the a**e.
Wherever you are please put a bit back sometime over the coming season.
Oh and on top of Whernside next Sunday for some dibbing action 🙂