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I’d like to try either the Pembrey or York trophy event.
Well give me a shout if you're there - I'm lead commissaire on the Saturday and second-in-command on the Sunday.
seniors? vets?
Veteran men. Thanks for the info, do you think I'll be ok on 700c / 35 Smart Sams?
yer, sam's will be fine, like i said its flat, non technical wooded singletrack that drains well, even with the predicted rain in sunday lunchtime you'll be fine, vets is full as well, so get to the start early, the start line on the same double track to the entrance off of the main road (if they keep it the same)
if you need to warm up away from the race area, if you go out the entrance, straight across the road and right into the small car park, you have like a 1 mile straight flat, its in the arse end of nowhere so very few dog walkers unless they've drove to walk the dog (first yellow dotted to the right of the B1207 on my pic)
if you go straight across the road and follow it, its just a gravely road for a couple of miles
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Thanks, that's really great info. Can I ask a newbie question? I'll be on my own, and plan to bring a small amount of tools / spare cables (only what you can fit in a under saddle bag). Am I best keeping that on my bike or in the pits or somewhere, as I won't have a mechanic or any support? Also, do CX racers usually carry water bottles in their cages?
CX racers do not carry water bottles, or cages, on their bikes, no.
Bring tools with you to the event in case you need to change anything after practice, but there's little point doing the race with them. Of course it's no harm to run a saddle bag but what really would be the point of this? Just make sure your bike is in good order the night before, everything moving as it should and all bolts tight. You'll be fine - it's normal to think that stuff might go wrong with your bike but mechanicals are actually rare, and the one's that do happen usually mean race over anyhow.
Nice one, some final bike checking / tinkering tonight and I think I'm ready to embarrass myself then!
@shedbrewed I'll be interested to see how you go wit the mix. I do love how easy vittoria tyres seem to be to put on tubeless, I switch to the terreno dries last night ready for Pembrey and it took 15 minutes to do both wheels, I tihnk I used to be slower than that wen using tubes!
@superjohn71, if using tubes in your tyres, I'd put a bag with tyre leavers, tubes and a track pump in the ptis. otherwise I wouldnt both with anything.
Am living vicariously through this thread at the moment, no racing for me in the near future although hoping I can limp along to spectate Round 2 of the Scottish Series at Callander Park, always a great course. Managed to talk three pals into entering after enthusing about CX to them, so at least I'll have someone to cheer/heckle.
Just out of curiosity, what is everybody's normal warm up drill? I tried various things last season but always ended up having to stop after the first couple of laps until my airways opened up again! Bit of exercise induced asthma I guess. Feels like I need to do some proper balls-out intervals as a warm up to try and get the airways used to the effort and air temps, is that what everybody else is doing?
You might see me at Cally Park then, but its touch and go at the moment as I've got some kind of (toddler related) lurgy at and barely ridden in weeks as a result. At least the conditions are likely to be very similar to the last 2 years, so I know what I'll be missing out on! Still frustrating to miss out on my (joint) favourite race though.
My warm ups are just sprints somewhere as near the start as practical. Usually for around 20mins, purely because that's how long I read Chris Boardman used to warm up for (with no link to CX at all)
I used to have a structued warm up of 5mins easy, 5 mins tempo, a couple of minutes easy, 3 minutes just suprathreshold, a couple of minutes easy anf then 3 all out sprints and recover, followed b more easy spinning.
However...
My understanding of warmup are that they have a threefold purpose.
1) pschologically to remind you what a super high intensity effort feels like
2) To do something to your muscles which accelerates the speed that lactate is moved away from the musles
3) To warm up the body because warm blood transports oxygen more effectively (or maybe can transport greater quantities.
Given that we typically have to stand around for 10-15 minutes shivering to be gridded and I don't have anyone waiting to take my clothes, I think 3 is pretty much negated.
I think I get 1 during my practise laps.
I don't really understnad 2.
So these days I'm pretty ambivalent about warm ups and don't really bother, just spin around a bit to stay loose and do an effort or two if i cna find useful terrain to enable that.
I like to do a couple of laps just to see what's up with the course, then 20 mins (easy with a few big spin ups) on the turbo before the race. I think the turbo is more a mental help than physiological - feels controlled and calming, don't build up nervous energy.
Last race I did, though, I'd done a 25 TT the day before which was new territory for me - legs were sore so I tried a pretty focussed turbo warm up for 30 mins (bloke parked next to me commented that it looked well OTT). Seemed to work well as I was fine in the race - as slow as normal, anyhow.
Learning experience as I know some strongmen like to race Sat and Sun which always sounded way too intense to me, but it's probably a lot more doable than I thought. Bet it sharpens you right up - deletes your weekend, though.
@ferrals I’ll not have a chance to do much practice with the Mix pre-race as I’m on holibobs.
My warm up is to get a good ride of about 90 minutes in the day before. On race day I like to sight the course as late as possible, then get about 5 miles in on mixed surfaces.
Then hang around waiting for the start. It’s mostly psychological.
Also I know when I finish I can have a beer.
Looking forward to a double header weekend with the national trophy on Saturday then a Scottish round on Sunday. Moving the youths to Saturday at NT means its a single day affair in our house now, which is welcome!
For warm-up I go for the BC 20 minute on the rollers, timed to end a few mins before gridding. Limits the fannying-around time and means I don't have to think about what I'm doing. Legs woken up, HR moved up and down, ready to go after that. Same warm-up for everything!
I've been trying to do as structured warm up as possible but last weekend I failed miserably at this - I was enjoying watching the race before too much and ended up realising my race was about to start with 15 mins to go, so grabbed the bike as sprinted to the start line (~300m). Wasn't a great feeling sitting on the start line completely cold and think suffered on the first lap because of it - it did mean though that I was able to finish much stronger than I have in previous races!
So, sat in the turbo room and my just fitted challenge baby limus blew off my carbon rim, so in need of some last minute replacements
Ideas? Not an open tubular
The challenge baby limus was tubeless? how did it blow off on a turbo? Front wheel I assume? so just excessive side to side motion on the turbo?
No open tubular, wasn't on the bike, was just sat newly fitted, i know there is a problem with enve rims (ive had the problem before with enve and strada biancas, didnt know it extended to others
so
x-one all round or Michelin Jet
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/schwalbe-x-one-allround-microskin-folding-tyre/
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/michelin-power-cyclocross-jet-tlr-ts-tyre/
Where are you based? Paul Milnes is in Bradford and Empella bikes is in Derbyshire somewhere if you want to try and get something good from a cross shop short notice. Otherwise prob have to settle for any cross tyre the LBS has in.
Not really understanding the cause of the problem, mind - clincher tyre blown off rim at cx pressures? Is the bead damaged or something that you can't just stick it back on?
I know a lot of people use and like the schwalbe tyres.
I have no experiance of either.
Will you be setting them up tubeless or tubed?
EDIT. I do agree with GL though, seems a bit odd.
Did S****horpe today in the Trophy Day Series. Wobbled around, hopefully not getting in people's way, and didn't fall off. Came almost last; would have placed a little bit higher if I hadn't had to stop with cramps in my calves on the last lap. Loved it.
same here, frustrating day, power was there (to start with) i just didn't seem to get any rhythm or flow, cadence was well down, usually race mtb on that course in the summer, bit like bambi on ice in the corners today which meant i didn't carry any speed, need to have a bit of faith in the tyres/grip
It was different for me. I was slow because basically, I'm clueless and don't know what I'm doing. 😀
I'm also not as fit as I thought, and accidentally had several pints last night!
Wessex CX at foxhill today - that hurt. Was way to conservative at the start and ended up 30s behind the guys I was targeting to be racing and spent the rest of the race trying to pull them back. Did beat someone on the line that I'd been racing for a few laps as a minor victory!
Who's racing this weekend? Can't decide on whether to give the west midlands series a go this weekend(Heart of England Conference Centre) or have a weekend off? What's the back of the pack racing like with this series?
have a weekend off?
Not a chance! Sunny Beacon Hill near Ormskirk this weekend. (Although away next week so I miss the Manchester Race 🙁 )
Pembrey Sunday for us Welsh League riders. Am being optimistic and going with an intermediate/dry tyre mix as the area drains well and is usually firm. Muds will of course be taken for when my optimism fails.
What’s the back of the pack racing like with this series?
In my opinion there is a really good spread, some very fast (but polite) riders lap me at least once or twice a race, but I am still racing quite a few people with similarish fitness and ability. The course at fillongley is fast but with a mix of surfaces including a nice big sandpit.
@shedbrewed - it was still bone dry yesterday according to some GR folk who rode there. I'm sticking with full file treads. With only one wheelset I'm going for the all or nothing approach! Though pit bike has muds on so worst comes to the worse I can switch.
How are field sizes in other leagues this year? I've noticed the senior cat in the Welsh league seems down a fair bit; with around 20 entrants for the last few races rather than 30 - 40 for the last couple of years. Particularly suprised about Pembrey which is normally very popular.
WTF is a "file tread"?!
In the NW league we get a choice between full muds or flippers 😂
Ha ha, This year its been full muds or full files for us. We ahve a real range of terrains in our league which is nice. Only problem with the sand is the drivetrain abrasion!
Yup it's the delightful (in summer) Beacon Park this weekend, almost guaranteed to remove a rear mech or two if this weather continues - just hope it's not mine this time.
I'll be there along with the rest of the tribe with Son No.1 looking to continue his strong start in the U8 with 3 from 3 so far and Son No.2 hopefully not having to take his bike for too much of a walk and maybe nab another top 10 in the same cat 🙂
Another normal day in the North West
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Good racing battling the normal faces. Legs fell off on the last half lap. Assume TD was somewhere at the front.
And just realised I was marshalling all day last Sunday with BenjiM 🙂
Good racing today Mick - can't beat a bit of running the bike over flat ground because it's too much of a quagmire to ride. First lap shocked the legs as it's a few weeks for me since the last race, but settled ok.
Have to say I was proud of my 8yo kid who manned the pits solo - gave me two bike changes. Was sort of expecting her to give me the bike back as I'd left it, but got a clean bike for the last lap.
Thought Leverhulme was harder on the bike, paradoxically - like today was a lot heavier conditions but that wetness clears the drivetrain somewhat. Whereas Leverhulme you wouldn't have said was particularly hard conditions at all, but it was in that zone of a load of grassy mud that clogs like a bstard, but not enough rain to clear it off.
Yeah I noticed the bike change hardly lost you any time - efficient kid you've got there (mine was sat in the van). Think the big puddles after mud soup corner really helped wash the lumps off each lap. Also didn't see the normal amount of Beacon snapped hangers.
West Midlands CX was bloody muddy. What didn't help is my brakes gave up while riding to the grid. Not just low brake power, completely have up spin the wheel freely gave up. Had a couple of tree interactions and one very loud "brakes failed, get out of the way" as I flew through the tape into the crowd watching as I forgot I was without brakes.
Did have fun but was horrendously slow though some sections although I did find out the high speed left at the bottom of the hill was possible without brakes. Effing scary and had to use all the road but doable. The tight right shortly after needed a lot of feet rubbing the ground to do though!
And just realised I was marshalling all day last Sunday with BenjiM
Yep! I had an idea it was you but didn't like to say "Are you mick who posts on STW, in case it wasn't and got a blank look!
Good fun yesterday my littlun was to busy chatting on the start line to make a decent go of it in the Under 8's hopefully she might learn not to answer back to the commisairre She does struggle with the CX version of the frog so I might just put some flat bars. Anyway she was happy with getting a medal and a Mars Bar. Steve your lads do really well, so my question is how often are they riding. We struggle to get riding time in with work, other clubs etc., although Gymnastics on a Saturday morning might be getting knocked on the head!
Tough conditions and I had a great battle with Adrian Dalgleish although I overtook him on the last climb only to blow away my lead by making the mistake of running with the bike after the Belgian corner, which he took advantage of.
Intermediate front and file tread rear worked well at Pembrey yesterday. What clearly didn’t work were the ears of the back-marker; who after I called ‘passing on your right’, turned his head right to look at me and rode right as he did so. This resulted in me t-boning him and a rather unpleasant tangle of bikes and over the bars.
I lost 4-5 places too as we got untangled and I straightened my bike out which added insult to the injury.
Yours grumpily.
Unlucky @shedbrewed, you did seem a little peeved afterwards!
Agree about the tyres, I spent a lot of time Sat night / sunday morning watching the weahter radar, second guessing conditions and repeatedly swithcing tyres, thankfully the file rear, interediate fornt seemed ideal. Could have got away with file f&r I think, but always good to have the extra security.
i enjoyed the course, zipping along the flat singletrack in a train first lap was pretty fun. There was a lot of argy-bargy caused by the singeltrack; some of which was funny as to see, bike grabbing arguments when people tried to force through.
Had a pretty good race, felt good on the bike, steady-ish lap times and HR, and for what was a power course had a good result. Frustratingly I bungled the sandy little ramp after the tunnel at the end of the first lap, had to dismount, loosing the wheel in front and then couldnt get back on before the hell headwind sections so was dangling 50 yeards off the back of the group in the full brunt of the wind and stayed like that, esperately trying to close it but with the distnace slowly increasing for a few laps.
Intermediate front and file tread rear worked well at Pembrey yesterday. What clearly didn’t work were the ears of the back-marker; who after I called ‘passing on your right’, turned his head right to look at me and rode right as he did so. This resulted in me t-boning him and a rather unpleasant tangle of bikes and over the bars.
I had something similar happen to me a few weeks back, although the fast guy called on your left, so I moved to the right as he hit me at a fair old whack, both of us hit the deck pretty hard. He the had a good old rant about how he called on my left, I agreed he then looked very sheepish and apologized as he realised he'd gone to pass on the right. I now have a quick double check and try to hold my line rather than dart to the side when being overtaken
@ferrals it was a brutal headwind. I felt ropey after it in the second lap. Checked my hr after and I was sitting at 199bpm. That’d be why.
Yeah I was peeved. It didn’t help that the backmarker had decided to have a drink at the time.
Anyway, that’s racing.
I think I might be on the same intermediate/file combo for the next couple of races.
Yeah things like that are annoying. I was lucky to not be held up unduly, the only time i got caught behind someone slow I was delighted for a breather 🙂
I get confused between left and right at the best of times so at full effort its a complete lottery if I go the right way!
I think I might be on the same intermediate/file combo for the next couple of races.
Are you racing somewhere differnet to me??
Think the big puddles after mud soup corner really helped wash the lumps off each lap.
I think we were the lucky ones, earlier races were really claggy, then it rained a bit for us 😎
Was pleased with my effort and finally moving up the places to 35th.
Son No.1 had a mare, crashed twice, sliding back down the hill by the pits once, lost heart, but still managed 4th. No.2 appears to be quite good at running with his bike and came away 10th placed boy
@ferrals I know Carmarthen can be boggy but there’s also sections where it’s tarmac. Quite flat too from memory.
Round after is at Tredegar park again and I know it’s not going to be as dry as round 1 but still could be firm enough.
Good fun yesterday my littlun was to busy chatting on the start line to make a decent go of it in the Under 8’s hopefully she might learn not to answer back to the commisairre She does struggle with the CX version of the frog so I might just put some flat bars. Anyway she was happy with getting a medal and a Mars Bar. Steve your lads do really well, so my question is how often are they riding. We struggle to get riding time in with work, other clubs etc., although Gymnastics on a Saturday morning might be getting knocked on the head!
I'm in the same boat with our daughter - she's moved up to U10 and found the two races she's done very hard, as we don't really get out enough. Going from the podium U8s to being at the back is a bit demotivating, although she was in good spirits yesterday in what were tough conditions (medal and mars bar definitely helped).
@shedbrewed - you're a braver man than I! I rmember Carmarthen mostly for being a mech-ripping mud fest! I'll be using mud tyres for sure.
I'm wondering if it's even going to be on, given the amount of rain/flooding they've had there and considering last year was cancelled as the showground was underwater. I have heard a few people saying the same.. though nothing more than idle speculation. If it is cancelled it will be a choice between Western and SW league for me, as I do want to race next weekend.
Steve your lads do really well, so my question is how often are they riding.
@BenjiM
Thanks, it's all the big one wants to do he wants to go pro! and the middle one just enjoys it. As for riding, I'll be totally honest, not very much at all. Over winter they tend to just race CX and maybe the odd weekend ride when the weather is ok, but the big one can easily rattle off 25k round Delamere or a couple of laps of the blue at Llandegla. Over the summer they ride a lot, but just messing about on bikes kind of riding. They both race kiddies crit's in the summer and that's about as serious as it gets.
I reckon they're pretty lucky with their school as they have PE about 3 times a week, swimming once a week and over winter inter-schools (the local villages) XC races every couple of weeks, so it keeps them pretty active.
I'm really not one for training sessions for little kids, we just mix any skills stuff in to riding round the woods - translates as see what the biggest / steepest thing I can convince them to chuck themselves off.
Welsh league at Carmarthen on Saturday has been cancelled.
I've entered the SW league race seeing as a change is as good as a rest.
Anyone else race the SW league and know what the Taunton course is like?
Well, the Nw round at Beacon Park was the classic mud fest it always seems to be (weirdly rideable & grippy, despite the slop). Barely needed to touch the brakes, but still got through a set of pads!
Looks like the Heaton Park round next weekend will be the "usual" course - no complaints from me as it's a cracker of a route as long as the swoopy stuff in the trees stays rideable 🙂
.
Why are CX races so expensive to enter?
Looking at doing a couple of WMCCL events but because I haven't pre-registered for the league and entry is closed anyway I'd have to pay £3 on top of the £15 to enter.
All for a 50min race. Sounds excessive.
It doesn't sound excessive to me, at all, but obv we all have our own personal perspective on the value of £18.
Think what is involved, though - my local league is the NW can have 50-100 racers per age group, so 100s of competitors in total, six different races from U8 up. I think in some events we've had 100+ just with the kids (U8 - youth). Needs a proper risk-assessed CX course with two commissaires in charge, timing system which is run by volunteers, 10-15 marshalls to put the course our and take it away (league members who will all marshall one race).
Needs to be a venue with a boat load of parking space, and won't aggravate local residents - establishing a new venue for cross can be really difficult for these reasons. A lot of work behind the scenes from club guys to make sure venues are sustainable with councils, landowners etc. Plus you prob need to partner with BC for liability insurance, first aid which add further costs.
But the whole point of all of this is that it delivers - you're getting great racing, really competitive and challenging right through the field.
I would say it's ok price wise but it definitely does make me think, especially as you can often spend the same again on fuel to get to each event! I do sometimes find it odd how they then charge extra for parking when you're parking in the same muddy field that the race is being held in!
So have located the issue with my brakes... combination of slightly low pads (about 1/2 worn) and my cable outers have both compressed (or more the spiral has unwound)! I must have held the brakes on especially hard at some point lining up for the race to do this (pre-race nerves) as they worked fine going up and down the road warming up just before. Genuinely never seen this before with proper brake outer so a bit mystified, although it is the stock outer that Genesis fitted in 2014 so had few years use! Got some full hydros in the post (hopefully) so will negate this issue in the future, but it does mean I wont feel bad about selling the calipers and levers with an unknown fault!
Why are CX races so expensive to enter?
Are they? Guess it depends what you're comparing them to...
Anyway, insurance mostly, plus the cost of using the park/private estate - that's been the death of a few 'classic' venues.
Certainly no-one "in the scene" is making a fortune out of it, so I suppose the answer is (without being facetious, I hasten to add) "Because that's how much it costs to run" 🙂
I agree that from the outside it seems expensive. Having been involved with the organisation of our own event for the last couple of years, it's interesting to see where the money goes.
From your £15 online via BC, £1 goes straight to BC for the payment handling, £3 to BC as a levy, and 80p to our league as a levy. So we're down to £10.20 per rider before we even start. We have around 300 riders paying full price, so call it £3,000 in round numbers after levies.
From that we've got to pay venue fees (varies a lot, but typically £500 - £1,500), first aid (~ £500), toilets (~ £300), chip timing (~ £1000), cash prizes (~ £800).
Other odds and sods quickly add up (stakes, tape, signs, free refreshments to thaw out our marshals).
Our venue takes a lot of preparation. This year, we've been very fortunate in getting quite a lot free hire kit, and a number of us taking days off work to do prep work. Last year we paid hundreds for tools and labour.
You'll notice that this doesn't add up which is why we now charge £18 pre-entered!
Even at these prices, there's a huge amount of "goodwill" (i.e. free labour and discounts) needed to make our event viable.
Personally I'd be happy to see the cash prizes go: I don't think anyone does this for the money. Admittedly I don't see any cash prizes in CX, but I've had a few TT (team!) prizes and I'm always, meh, that's my entry fee back.
Chip timing adds a fair bit to the cost, but it's well worth it in my opinion.
The kids races are also much cheaper (so you are subsidising them which isn't a bad thing), and if you get to be good then prize money can make them near cost neutral - I employ a fast wife and kids to help in that respect 🙂
Our last race had £2500 prize pot spread a long way across the categories. Twinkly Dave might even have made a profit!
I do begrudge the £1 to BC for registration, though, as it's not a great system and it's per rider, regardless of age, even if you do them all in one batch.
Our last race had £2500 prize pot spread a long way across the categories. Twinkly Dave might even have made a profit!
All profits are ploughed back into the nearest coffee cart and recirculated as Tunnocks products for people who've been nice to me in the pits 😉
Our club event only manages to break even because club members donate home-made cakes to be sold at the cake stand on the day. Imagine how much it would cost if the races weren't run entirely by volunteers (with the exception of the chip timers I guess).
I am happy to pay the cost of chip timing, not only are results avaiable quicker and with more detail available for the stats nerds; it saves someone whos spent all day in a muddy field with a clipboard, then spending the following day deciphering said muddy clipboard to work out hundreds of placings, while peopel on social media clamour for resutls.
Personally I’d be happy to see the cash prizes go
Agreed. Total waste of money (not that I've ever won money in a cX race). But its BC specified amounts. When there was a novice race in our league even the novices got cash prizes.
All for a 50min race. Sounds excessive
My mate said something similar, thought it was a lot of faff 'just for 10km of riding'.
It's either worth it to you or not, nobody's getting rich off it. Cost of race entries is worth it just for giving me so much reason to look forward to winter!
I listened to an american podcast where they were saying their races (which are much larger than a uk leaugue race) have to be sold as 'events' rather than races to be profitabile.
TO a certain extent though, even with a league race you are paying for an event, you may only be racin for 50 minutes, but you get there early, pre-ride the course, chat to friends, watch some of the other categories etc. It is a full day out even if the race you've paid for is just part of it.
Twinkly Dave might even have made a profit!
Not at the rate he goes through wheel & bottom bracket bearings he won't 😉
It might just be me, but if I'm honest I don't even factor in fuel costs, and race entry fees are more than reasonable IMHO. £12 for me in Vets and a quid a piece for the monsters, I suppose you can add in a tenner for league registration and a fiver each for the kids, its £174 for the whole league season for the 3 of us. It's just a family day out with a lot of mud, cleaning, and hard work (if you're racing).
Probably untold damage to the washing machine though, our 3 lots of kit, including warm up and race gear each took 3 washes to be the right colour again after Beacon Park!!
Speaking of costs, I'm seriously considering a pit bike. As few will attest on here, the NWCCA rounds can be very grassy & muddy and after Leverhulme I started thinking about it.
Now I'm no podium botherer, let alone top 10 or even 20 (as it currently stands) so is it self flattering over indulgence or a good idea? I'm not talking a matching one to my main bike, just something cheap and 2nd hand with matching contact points, gear ratios and shifters so they at least feel the same to sit on.
I always take a pit bike now - couple of seasons back starting to race more regularly I had an exasperating run of mechanicals, was upgrading my cross bike anyhow, so decided to take two to races. Initially just left it in the pits in case of a problem, but now if my daughter is racing or I can drag my son out of the house I'll get a change. I do own a roly poly water carrier (extremely Boss) and a worx jetwasher, though, so I guess am invested in it.
I wouldn't give a shit about the indulgence of a bike change, I'd do it if I was fighting for 7th or 77th if I felt it would help - it's part of the sport. It is a palaver, though, with all the stuff, getting someone to pit for you. So I can definitely relate to people just wanting to keep things simple - just show up with you, your bike, and your lungs.
It's fun if your kids can do it, although yours may be a bit young if they're racing U8. My daughter managed great at the weekend and felt really proud of herself. Both of mine helping out worries me, though, as a pit crew that hate each other and a jet spray could cause a scene (but hasn't happened yet).
Personally I’d be happy to see the cash prizes go
Agreed. Total waste of money (not that I’ve ever won money in a cX race). But its BC specified amounts. When there was a novice race in our league even the novices got cash prizes.
BC doesn't specify any amounts (or event that the prizes must be cash) and as of this season there's not even a recommended number of prizes (it used to be 1 prize per 5 riders). The exception to this is youth races, where you must pay out 75% of the entry fees as prizes. [Source: page 187 of BC handbook]
For our club events this year we're doing minimal cash prizes for the top 3 in each category and giving any cash left over to charity (air ambulance).
We just try not to think about the cost.... £40 entry if we all race, plus league plus transponder purchase plus BC membership plus plus plus. But guess we don't smoke, don't drink huge amounts, keeps us fit and always fun battling with you boys (this year seems to be particularly close in the midfield dad's championship).
Pit bikes don't bother me (feel free to use what you want) and it can add to the race tactics as sometimes a bike change loses more time than the clean bike gains. I've gone to the extreme of making my own frame to avoid mud clogging and it hasn't yet failed to finish. Rear mech is still the potential weak link, but I've not resorted to the singlespeed or Sturmey Archer options designed into the frame (I'm sure the SA would cause much start line amusement).
The only thing I don't like is jetwash armageddon at National races. Would be much fairer and less abusive of race venues if limited to 2 bikes and bucket only washing - but can't see that suggestion going down well.
BC doesn’t specify any amounts (or event that the prizes must be cash) and as of this season there’s not even a recommended number of prizes (it used to be 1 prize per 5 riders)
Ah, my mistkae, I knew the recommended numbr of prizes had been dropped, but when we were discussing if cash prizes were needed, someone said it was stipulated amounts
R.e pit bikes, I also always take one. It's not a cost indulegnece for me as its just my old cx bike that I use as a commuter bike most of the year. come cx season the mud-guards and road tyes come off and the cx tyres go on. It has totally different geometry / contact points and feels very differnet when switching but I'd still rather have it than not. I dont have a pit crew but normally there is someone in the club hanging around who is willing to hand up a bike 2/3rds of the way through a race if things are a bit sticky. If its really muddy some of the kids in the club are happy to do be proper pit crew for pocket money, much cheaper than replacing a rear mech and bike changes every couple of laps does make a big difference when its really muddy.
No jetwashes would be a fine idea, Mick - basically you can get a bike change if your bike is fked and that's it. But like you say they're not going anywhere - part and parcel of elite cx racing and local / regional leagues feed into that.
N Wales league is single frameset only. Wasn't seeing the positive side of that when I snapped a chain lap one in a race there last year, but it's a nice counterpoint to the jetwash circus.
I'll say the opposite of everyone else and go with pits being a great idea. As a racer the idea of midwinter races being decided by who is the best at using a stick to clear out grass/mud/leaves at the side of the course isn't very appealing!
I can see why lots of jetwashes aren't a desireable thing in local races as regards noises and that ever-present pit-area raincloud, but given that most people riding are relying on the goodwill of teammates/long suffering spouses/children I can't see how making things harder for them will really progress the sport...
(And as noted above, they are part and parcel of National and International level racing, so lets get people used to that standard if they have the kit)
I've got no issue with pits, the tactics of when to change bikes is all part of the sport. I don't have a jet wah but at club level you don't need a jet-was per person anyway, I've always been able to get use of one.
The pit area rain cloud does remind me that when we tape out our race to mark out a seperate bike wash area to make the actual pits more tolerable!
Well worth watching the superpresitige from Boom today on GCN if you haven't seen it. cracking race!
First race in 8 years tomorrow. Overweight and underprepared due to 7 month old son, so should be “fun”. At least it’s on a golf links, so recent rain shouldn’t be a problem.
First race in 8 years tomorrow. Overweight and underprepared due to 7 month old son, so should be “fun”. At least it’s on a golf links, so recent rain shouldn’t be a problem
Montrose?
Had been looking forward to it but still off the bike, going to drive up to watch anyway, good excuse to get out the house anyway!
Aye, that’s the one monk. Live near Carnoustie so fits with family life. “Racing” V40 cat. If you see a fat sweaty man with weird handlebars and an interesting take on a race shirt, give me a cheer.
My pit bike again is just my second cross/winter bike.
I’ve currently got Maxxis Mud Wrestlers on- I’ve seen some Limus’ for £30 a pop and am wondering if they’ll make that much of a difference in muddy conditions? Anyone got any experience?
First CX race in a long time for me too today, I've not done any high intensity riding for ages so it'll be Type 2 fun for sure. Western Leagues, Stroud round, I'll be on the SS Kona Private Jake, it's my doorstep race.
Ooft, remember why it’s 8 years since I did one!
Didn’t comes last though. Yup, some poor sod had to go to his nearest and dearest and tell them he was beaten by the guy in “that” shirt.
Great course and good conditions.
Monk, was that you filming in the dunes with your phone? Heard my name a few laps, but didn’t recognise anyone.
Day out for me at the SW league in Taunton due to the Welsh league cancellation. Nice dry, slightly sunny day, pizza oven by the finish line and lots of tape round a couple of playing fields. Great course with some super fun offcamber stuff and a little run up, a tiny bit of wooded stuff and a small sandpit. Loved all the technical stuff, there was also a lot of long straights which current fitness could have done without 🤣 just enough mud to ball up the tyres and make it slippy but not affect the bike or gears.
No results yet but went from right at the back to I guess somewhere in the middle, paced myself too much to start, but then still blew up with 10 to go as I've got used to racing 50 minutes not an hr.