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CXNE was an absolute mud bath. Was late to the start so ended up on the back row, not the front. Still managed to claw my way back up to fifth. Struggling on one bike though. Ended up in the big ring to avoid chainsuck issues but then was over geared. Had to resort to a pit stop and just stand there while someone helpfully jet washed my bike with me holding it.
I think we've settled in for a muddy season so I'm going to have to look at options. I'm thinking of removing my pompetamine from sale and pressing it into CX service.
Monk, was that you filming in the dunes with your phone? Heard my name a few laps, but didn’t recognise anyone.
Yep, made the drive up to watch, glad I did, awesome course! Very jealous of the riders.
Not filming, just photos, will look through later and see if I got any decent ones
I did the Western Leagues, Stroud round yesterday, they were most generous and gave us an extra 20mins of racing for free (glad I found out on the start line!). Did my usual thing if starting at the back, no idea where I came as the results aren't up yet, but had a superb battle with one other rider for most of it, until I slid off course in the woods with 2 laps to go & then he and a couple of others made a gap I couldn't close. I was second to last to come in, but not sure about how many laps others did, I got lapped a few times by the fast guys. 60mins was ok, I had a good hour if racing. Claggy grassy mud.
I'd be interested to know peoples tips for racing one bike in the mud. I feel I've got a good handle on tyre choice, tyre pressure, power, line and general skills. Without a pit crew and spare bike I'm always let down by mechanical issues when everything get's choked up.
I try to get the drive chain spotless and very well lubed. Polish on the frame where mud accumulates. GT85 on on mechs, jockey wheels and pedals to help as well.
Any other tips?
Ride a modified MTB? Stick some 35c tyres on a 29er and you have mud clearance for miles!
Slightly worried about upgrading to a proper CX bike, clogging that big an issue?
Had read something about trying to always shoulder the bike when running, rather than pushing and picking up more mud!
I've got a few ideas to practice. There are two leagues up here, this season I'm doing both and the TLI one I'm treating as B races - the BC one I'm more serious about. So I'll have a practice. Going to try the SS pompetamine but I might also try a mtb at some point. 1/2 a lap on a sub optimal bike will be enough to let someone hand me my cx bike back clean. I think I can persuade someone to do that for me in return for a day marshalling their race.
There was one guy ahead of me running the deeper stickier mud. About the same speed but I think it was to preserve his bike as he is a good enough rider to have ridden through it.
Also on longer runs you can clear the worst of your mud with your hands.
I'd certainly run 1x on my next bike. I saw a few of them drop chains but overall I think it is better. Less clogging. Also you can run a tighter chain as there isn't the jump at the front. Slack chain = chainsuck - I got into the big ring to stop it.
Yesterday was particularly bad for mud though. The only bit of the course that wan't a couple of inches deep or more was the tarmac section near the finish line.
Did Wessex yesterday, given the amount of rain it was surprisingly dry. Lots of greasy corners, fun little wood section & a couple of soft grassy uphill slogs, but I enjoyed it, in a type 2 kind of way.
Just outside the top half, which for my second race I was pleased with, given the standard & pace of the league. I think if I wasn’t on the back row I could crack the top 50% a lot more easily. Tactical queuing required for the start next time 🙂
Jonba not a lot more you can do. Don’t warm up on course and start with spotlessesly clean seat Stays and chain stays. In race look for puddles, if there’s running try to clean the bike whilst it’s on your shoulder, run more than you might normally, don’t change gear as much and try to put the power down slowly out of corners to be ready for chain suck. But if it’s sticky clay mud and/or a flat course you’re knackered really.
I’d be interested to know peoples tips for racing one bike in the mud...….
I try to get the drive chain spotless and very well lubed. Polish on the frame where mud accumulates. GT85 on on mechs, jockey wheels and pedals to help as well.
Any other tips?
I use a wax based lube, Squirt to be exact, it doesn't leave residue on the drivetrain that attracts mud & grass so less stuff sticks to it. My frame and wheels are also waxed with a top end Silicon based automotive detailing product by a company called Naked Bikes, it's called Pro Wax, this helps a bit as wet stuff doesn't really stick, claggy stuff sticks to anything mind. Also a 2 second manual (fingers) clearing BB area when running can save more time in the long run.
NWCCA Rnd 5 at Heaton Park as ace, it was surprisingly dry and fast, bar a couple of places that were either wetter than an otters pocket or slippier than an eel, so it was flat out racing from the off. I went ok in V40 one minor tumble on lap 1 on one of the more slick off-camber sections, but consistent laps saw me come in 41st from 78 starters, which ain't bad really.
Son No. and No.2 were in the U8 again with No.1 back in the game after last weeks course of dread (in his head) and put in a proper strong effort to take the win again by nearly 22 seconds over his nearest rival, so that's 4 out of 5 wins so far this year and No.2 with some quality off the bike running that could put a lot of adults to shame, coming in 14th from 29 boys, which considering he's only 5 ain't bad at all.
As a bit of a bonus and to round the day off nicely I also picked up a 2nd / pit bike that was for sale there 🙂
Tactical running is key, also if there are edges of the course that are longer grass (but not cut) i ride through it to clean tyres a bit even thouhg it is more effort. Sometimes slwoer less muddy lines are the way to go in the long run.
Pleased with yesterday as results show I didnt blow up as badly as I thought - mush have just been mentally struggling! 9th/28 is also my best result so far this season, which from the back row of the grid after quite a hard training week suggests I'm getting a bit fitter... or more likely the off camber scetions suited me.
Heaton Park was great - course in great condition considering the deluge of rain we've had. Think I might have seen your tumble Steve (muddy section just past the pits?), a decent spill. Rolled in 33rd and felt good, but bike was running like an absolute sack of spanners - couldn't ride the hill as I didn't trust my gears.
Bike shop sold me the wrong size BB30 bearings on Sat and it went downhill from there, stripping bearings out of mountain bikes to try and get some that worked, misaligned drivetrains through swapping wheelsets - your usual Sat night race maintenance.
Break in the NW calendar for the trophy race next week - there's an excellent event at Minera lead mines in the N Wales series on the Sun, but it's pre-entry (by tomorrow I think). Might put my feet up and have a week off, though - work out a few niggles in the legs.
Think I might have seen your tumble Steve (muddy section just past the pits?), a decent spill.
Yup that was me, my front wheel just grabbed a tiny rut and I went right over the bars, most bizarre.
There's a Go-Race at Bebbington Oval for the kids on Saturday so I'm taking them there, and then it's the Fallen Leaves Rough Ride on Sunday in Stafford, 75k of mixed riding, so will provide a nice bit of base mileage and a change from max HR thrash 'fests
Felt a bit crap on Saturday so decided not to race on Sunday. Really regret that now as just want to get out and race again (plus felt ok on Sunday but was without the bike and a 3 hour train ride away)! On the plus side I fitted my new (to me) ST-R7020 105 hydraulic levers paired to deore calipers this weekend - wow what a difference, the front needs a bit of a better bleed but bloody hell they are fantastic! Gonna try to get to the west midlands league Worcester race this weekend and may do my own little one person CX race tonight round a local loop I've plotted to at least spin the legs out!
Shameless plug..If anyone is after a spare bike for the up coming season I have a caad x frameset in medium for sale!
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I’d be interested to know peoples tips for racing one bike in the mud.
I go single speed, I think CX is a great event for it.
#imnevergonnapodium
Looks like significant portions of England and Wales are covered in rain today so it will be another muddy outing this weekend 🙂
Whos racing? Newport for the Weslh League. I'm pretty excited as the course maps look good - though I've been tired with achey legs and struggling to get above threshold all week so thinking I might be about to come down with something.
@shedbrewed - still planning on files?!?
@ferrals yup still planning on intermediate front and file rear.
I’m chock full of cold this week so it’ll be more of a ride around than a race for me.
Brave! I'd switch that rear out for Singleton next weekend! Though it was surprisingly dry when I checked the course over yesterday, and its forecast largely dry after this deluge.
I'm going across to Wrexham for the N Wales race - good course at the Lead mines. Actually meant to be dry on Sun, although it'll have taken on a lot of rain this week I imagine.
Be on my guard for drunken lines - if Wales beat SA in the rugby then half the field will be on the bevvy.
National Trophy weekend at Irvine, woop!
Mid-morning race for me tomorrow, then some hanging around til Tyred Jr races mid-afternoon. Was a brilliant event last year, hoping for more of the same this time around.
Good warmup for it last weekend with a Scottish round up at Montrose, with some beach sand chucked in - coming into the season colder than I normally would has taken a bit of adjusting to, but felt the best I have done so far on Sunday, and not far out of the top 10 with a 13th. Heading in the right direction.
Hob Nob
Did Wessex yesterday, given the amount of rain it was surprisingly dry. Lots of greasy corners, fun little wood section & a couple of soft grassy uphill slogs, but I enjoyed it, in a type 2 kind of way.
Just outside the top half, which for my second race I was pleased with, given the standard & pace of the league. I think if I wasn’t on the back row I could crack the top 50% a lot more easily. Tactical queuing required for the start next time
What race were you? - I was in V50 and we may have been side by side in that shitshow of a first half mile (nobody's fault but walking those wide-open corners was a disappointment)
What are the cross shoes of choice these days? And by choice, I mean cheap 😅 I need a second pair as the current ones are just constantly wet!
With all this rain i'm gonna have some fun in the mud at the Western Leagues, Shamcross @ Keynesham tomorrow, propper cross needs mud & there should be plenty!
Managed mid pack in Vet 40 last week, which i'm pretty happy with.
PS: Clement PDX here, it's either those or Nanos.....
What race were you? – I was in V50 and we may have been side by side in that shitshow of a first half mile (nobody’s fault but walking those wide-open corners was a disappointment)
I’m in the V40’s. but it was still a mess, I got stuck on the inside which was annoying.
Raced again this weekend, Wessex again at Southampton which was my local one. With the weather and some awkward banks I figured it would be a good one for me (relatively of course).
Back row again, as I was late to the start, but gave it the beans right round the outside & overtook loads in the bunch up. Had a fun 3 laps holding place, then flatted. No spare wheels or bike, so pulled out at the end of the 4th lap. Annoyingly, it turns out I was having a great race. The guy I was battling with ended up in 24th. Well into the top 50%. Oh well, always next time, just have to hope it keeps raining to appease my riding skills rather than my lack of CX fitness 😆
I raced Shamcross at Keynesham, definitely not the mud fest I was hoping for. I absolutely love what they've done with their course, a real pleasure to race, great features and so many turns. I had a blast. Once again the Western League gifted us an additional 20 mins of fun!
Proper mud fest in Tredegar for the Welsh league. Hub deep slop in places. Proper tractor-pulling conditions. I really liked the course and those sort of conditions normally suit me, but for whatever reason I just wasnt in synch. In warm up I couldn't get my HR abouve threhold and race HR was only just above threshold too. Couldnt decide on lines, fell off twice, generally felt like a complete rookie. Result-wise was the same as normal but I would have hoped for a good result in those conditions.
Massive thanks to one of our club members who pitted for me without a jetwash and just used hands and a screwdriver to poke mud away from the drive train to keep things turning allowing me to have at least half clean bike changes.
On to our club race in Swansea next weekend so no racing for me, looking forward to seeing how the new iteration races (which is more or less the same as last year)
Had a good race at Minera in the N Wales league - great event. Hard circuit, twisty through the trees with a bit of elevation so must have had 4 or 5 runs ups per lap, which featured deep mud and stony quarry. Got lapped by the leaders right at the end and I wasn't complaining, hamstrings were singing.
Fitted a complete new drivetrain on the Sat, as is my habit, with one of those ultegra clutch mechs - so there was potential for disaster bedding it in on a one bike muddy race. But it rode great, no problems at all.
Well I went with the mud tubs for the Tredegar race, same as @ferrals Wasn’t expecting much other than to just ride around as still coughing up big green cornflakes. Very sloppy course, and the first time I’ve felt cold this season. Using one bike meant I stopped 4-5 times to unclog and just managed to save the derailleur when that horrid crunchy sounds came on the last lap. Sadly lost a few places then as I valued my derailleur and hanger more than a result. Smaller chainring may have meant I could leave it in one gear but not sure if it would’ve made any difference in terms of cloggage.
First race using egg beater pedals and cleats and they seemed to work well.
Next up is the Singleton round so expecting a tough course again.
If there are any uphill hurdles again I’m going to kick @ferrals in the shins. 😄
Preston Park in the London League yesterday, another great course with very close racing - you really had to fight for every inch!
Ended up with another mid pack finish after the usual battles. Switchwd from muds to intermediates just before the start. Was spot on.
@shedbrewed - no uphill hurdles. It's largely similar to last year, probably a bit less tough. One slightly longer descent rather than the hairpins on the far side and only one up and down on that little bit of banking.
It's back to Stadt Moers Park in Rainhill / Whiston this weekend for the NWCCA, hopefully all the dog poo will remain frozen and the balshy dog walkers don't decide the start finish straight is a perfect place to take their beloved for a walk.
No doubt that dam slippy and steep hill will be in and the wheel swallowing bog where you turn onto the tarmac bit - briefly, yey. First race for me with a spare bike, which given the amount of leaves that have come down over the past week could well be awesome.
Ahh Stadt Moers. After a great weekend at Irvine, racing a flat out course with beautiful coastal views right across to Arran, we're back to earth somewhat with a muddy circuit of an ex tip at the side of the M57 😂
Racing is always nice and close there, though. Plus there's usually that big puddle by the pits, that's good for cleaning the worst of the dog eggs off your bike post race...
I believe the NC Clarion guys went round with a shovel last time and collected multiple full buckets of dog turds from the cherished country park that we "destroy".
Recall chatting with someone at a race saying that the course would be a different part of the Stadt Moers park this year due to some past conflicts with the Scouse dog walkers - don't know if it was informed or speculation.
Really like the SM course as it goes (apart from a bit of an iffy starting straight last time out), just seems a nice balance of stuff on good mixed terrain. And managed to avoid the poo thus far.
Recall chatting with someone at a race saying that the course would be a different part of the Stadt Moers park this year due to some past conflicts with the Scouse dog walkers – don’t know if it was informed or speculation.
Apparently not just speculation!
Sounds exciting and it's always good to race new venues and courses 🙂
Interesting. I really wasn't feeling like racing but now slightly more motivated.
Awesome race yesterday at the Wessex league - really fun course with lots of barely rideable sections that throughout the seniors race dried out to the point where most was just about rideable and felt really rewarding when managed. Did really well for me (38/52 finishers/60ish starters) and the bike only took an hour to clean this morning!
Well Stadt Moers was indeed a new course...….. with rather a lot of off the bike action due to the incredibly claggy mud. Even the U8 race course was shortened due to the very soft ground and them not wanting to be picking munchkins out of the inevitable quagmire!!
First up son No.1 & No.2 in the U8 on the afore mentioned shortened course, I think it was about 250m in length with a mixture of long grass, mud and two tarmac crossings. No.1 made his mind up it was going to be an absolute smash 'fest from the start and actually got a good start for a change, leading from the off, lapping everyone up to 4th place and taking his 5th win from 6 races after 12 laps!! No.2 did pretty well too considering he had to pedal for the entire lap and ended up 12th boy.
Then it was my turn in the V40 running race, I was massively grateful for having a pit crew made up of one of my team mates and a selection of U8 racers (she was like the pied piper of pit crews) and ended up swapping bikes on half laps, somehow, considering the huge amount of running / plodding / hoping not to die I dragged my mud strewn carcass round to 31st place and my best result of the season.
Here's to hoping that Ulverston in a couple of weeks is a bit less bog like!!
Organisation/marshalling duties for me this weekend for the Welsh league. On Saturday we were setting up in torrential rain, digging trenches to try and drain flooded areas, and generally watching sheets of water run across the whole event area. Miraculously the rain stopped some time during the night and by the time we arrived at 7am on the Sunday things weren't looking too bad, with the course drying out further before the racing got underway at 0930. We were prety lucky to have glorious sunshine given the weather on Saturday, and its bucketing down again today.
Normally I try and set-up / help out and then still race at our event, but this year, being more involved with the organisation, I decided to make life simpler, skip racing and just marshall all day. really enjoyed myself encouraging/heckling, especially for the mens race where I was stationed on a tricky corner where a proper decent rut had developed.
Double header for me. NECCL on saturday. Muddy with plenty of running.
My bike wasn't working all that great again. I had a quick turn around to Sunday and at least now have an answer to the chain suck issues as I noticed a couple of damaged teeth on the chain rings. No time to fix it so just had to go with it on Sunday.
Early start for CXNE as I was also on marshalling duties as my team were organising.
By the senior race is was cut up and probably 20% running.
Managed 4th on saturday despite bike issues but was feeling the effect of the effort and only came in 11th on Sunday.
Next weeks race organiser for Saturday has just posted up this
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It was the only really muddy race last year in what was a dry season. It's barely worth taking a bike 🙁
Sunday is also on a notoriously muddy course and we raced there a couple of weeks ago and left it in a bad way. I miss my grass grit races now 🙁
Looks like some proper cross racing took place at the weekend, up and down the land - great stuff.
I was at Stadt Moers and it was a bike-killer, absolute glue mud - shouldering the bike and thinking there's no way it should feel this heavy.
I got a good result for me, came in 21st and ahead of some folk who are normally way in front of me - 100% down to having a pit person and bike changes. The lad I was chasing did it all on one bike which was impressive - perhaps he had a secret puddle he was riding through each lap. Noticed he was on a superX which are meant to be very good for mud clearance.
The running was punishing. I'm normally OK at the uphill runups as they're more like a power sprint, but bike-on-shoulder tempo running for long stretches is a different story. Think everyone round me was in the same boat, though - didn't see anyone legging it at speed through that wooded stretch, they all looked like they were suffering.
Does sound like the whole UK is in full mud mode. Hardly surprising: https://twitter.com/DaveThroupEA/status/1190962676358426624
Well, against my better judgement I've entered the National Trophy at Pembrey. There have been a few cancellations in the Welsh league so without doing the trophy wouldn't be racing till Decmvber otherwise. Assuming I have enough BC points/there are few enough entries to be actually able to race, I'm just hoping to make 26 minutes without being 80%-ed so that I'm not paying over £1 per minute racing 🙂
Stadt was great! Proper on/off/on/off run/ride/run/ride stuff, tough, but it was still more riding that running even after the deluge the night before.
Yes, anyone with more than one bike was at an advantage, but that's cyclocross - better that than a race to see who's best at clearing mud out of a drivechain with a stick at the side of the course! 🙂
Genuinely looking forward to more hard racing in the NW league now. Ulverston should have less running in it, based on ground conditions there before, even if it stays wet. Can't wait!
National Trophy for me this weekend, my club's event too. Helped put the course up last Saturday in biblical weather. It's a little bit different to last year. The steps have been rebuilt and are much easier. The bomb hole has an extra visit with a short but steep drop. I'm told all the ride-able climbs are on gravel. I'm also told the site drains well which is just as well as it was a swamp!
I'm in the v60s on Saturday, good chance of a top ten finish seeing as there are only nine of us!
Mulling over a new race bike, probably a superX - what do folk think about the groupset on a race bike, is it something you care about above a certain minimum standard? I'm sorted for wheels, and not sure I GAS about running apex v force v ultegra v whatever in a cyclocross race. Any features of the higher end groupsets worth paying for do you think?
If you're concerned about mud ripping off your mech then you've spent too much. Otherwise get whatever you like (that's 1x)
Can't comment on SRAM - but pschologically I'm happier with a clutch mech with 1by so if shimano I'd want an ultegra RX / GRX rear mech. But you can always switch the rear mech without loads of extra cost.
I actually prefer the feel of the tiagra on my commuter/pti bike than the 105 on my 'good bike'
not sure I GAS about running apex v force v ultegra v whatever in a cyclocross race. Any features of the higher end groupsets worth paying for do you think?
Race what you can afford to replace 🙂
I'm running 105 on both bikes and don't miss anything from the Dura Ace on my road bike. I've got an Ultegra clutch mech on one bike (with no chain retention device by the chainring) and a 105 mech (with the spring tension wound up) on the other bike, with a chainkeeper.
Number of dropped chains this season is equal on both bikes and on all occasions due to mud build up on the chainring. Not sure I'd bother with the clutch mech again TBH.
With regards to SRAM Apex shifters are a bit shit as the internals are steel and they rust up very easily, Rival are at least stainless with better bearings / brushing, force are better still with some Ti.
Mechs are mechs, I can't tell the difference between the Force on one and the Apex on the other.
My Apex levers still seem to work after a couple of years cx. Sram mtb clutch mech they are paired with isn't very clutchy anymore but chain seems to stay on. Seizing jockey wheels (all brands but Sram worst) and ht2 bbs seem to be our main issues.
Chickened out of Stadt Moers. Work is manic and just couldn't face additional jobs like clean up of kit for 3 people. Hopefully be in a better place for Ulverston.
Hope to see you there Mick - don't normally make the trip to Cumbria, but planning on going up and making a weekend of it with the family.
Thks all for the thoughts on groupset - 105 derailleur has been superb for me at chain retention, just on a narrow wide chainring with a jumpstop, v rarely dropped a chain even in the heaviest of conditions. Shifting, OTOH, around a 34 cassette can get a bit iffy IME. Recently tried an ultegra mech not for the clutch but because it's comfy on a 36 cassette, and it seems pretty smooth thus far. But I'd not be happy at ripping a £70 mech off in a race so perhaps I've gone OTT there.
Not directly related to grown up CX, but I'm building up Son No.1 crimbo pressie over the next few weeks, it's got 700c wheels and I've got a choice of 4 sets of tyres to put on it.
33c Schwalbe Rocket Ron TLE
32c Challenge Griffo
33c Vittoria Terreno Mix TNT
33c Schwalbe X-One all round TLR
For all round mini CX which would deal best with the inevitable mud he's going to face after Christmas? He's currently on a 24" wheeled bike with Kenda Kross, which aren't bad really, although he has complained about lack of uphill grip under power 🤣
Terranos from that list, I'd think.
Nat Trophy this weekend for me too. I see there are a couple of new water features 😉
What's a rear mech?
My Apex levers still seem to work after a couple of years cx
Are they mechanical or hydro, my mate (Guy Groves) in the V40 had no end of issues with his hydro Apex, multiple trips back to the shop and ultimately they changed them for Red's as they just couldn't guarantee reliable shifting with the Apex.
Apex mechanical. So I have gears but no brakes after 30mins of pad wearing gloop 🙂
Just caught a fleeting glimpse of twinklydave at B&Q. He appears to be fast everywhere......
I’ve got a choice of 4 sets of tyres to put on it.
33c Schwalbe Rocket Ron TLE
32c Challenge Griffo
33c Vittoria Terreno Mix TNT
33c Schwalbe X-One all round TLR
I'd go with the Terranos (the Terrano Wets I'm running have been very good so far this season). Failing that, Griffos can cope with more than you'd imagine.
Just caught a fleeting glimpse of twinklydave at B&Q
LOL, shopping for more tools to bodge cx bikes back together 🙂
National Trophy at Ardingley was a proper mudfest and made for very challenging riding, let alone racing!
Couple of offs and dropped chains and happy to have finished. Great event and congratulations to Ian Field - the only non-Belgian in the top 20 elite!
@Garry_Lager the SuperX as odd rear wheel dishing/offset so although it’s a lovely bike with good mud clearance you will struggle to get off the shelf wheels for it. As someone who goes to my friendly local wheel builder this wouldn’t be an issue but others may vary.
As for groupset; I prefer Shimano over SRAM given a choice but my race bike is sram rival and has only given me grief when mud got in the shifter and blocked he cable from moving. The hydro brakes are great.
Ian Field – the only non-Belgian in the top 20 elite!
Not quite, but close enough!
Did Alyn waters in the N Wales league yesterday - if you thought Stadt Moers didn't really have enough running or mud for a proper cross race, this would have been right up your street - even had its own swamp (plus no bike changes permitted!).
Had a bit of a low level cold so thought I'd just ride round and see how I felt, but there is no 'just riding round' on a course like that. Ended up going pretty deep and now feeling rather rough, but think I enjoyed myself. Thanks to Fibrax Wrexham Roads Club for laying on a beast of a course.
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photo is from Richard Evans
The wessex/Swindon course was good fun - nice balance of unridable mud with a few slippyery off cambers and turns! Was going really well, beating guys that normally beat me but then dropped my chain (first time ever with NW+clutch), got it back on but it sounded rough and then quickly snapped. Did run about 1/5 the lap but soon realised the chain was getting caught in the mech (and wrapped around the cassette) and likely to do more serious damage so I retired - on the plus side there wasn't a queue for the hose and got home by 5pm!
New chain on order as it's failed badly plus also bent in one other place. Also gonna try to design a beefy chain catcher/cleaner as convinced if was killed by slightly derailing off the chainring
the SuperX as odd rear wheel dishing/offset so although it’s a lovely bike with good mud clearance you will struggle to get off the shelf wheels for it. As someone who goes to my friendly local wheel builder this wouldn’t be an issue but others may vary.
As for groupset; I prefer Shimano over SRAM given a choice but my race bike is sram rival and has only given me grief when mud got in the shifter and blocked he cable from moving. The hydro brakes are great.
The SuperX rear end is awkward right enough, but I think I'd be fine just getting my rear tub dished for it as a race wheel. It would be more of a hassle for just riding it round on the roads and bridleways out of CX season (I use my cross bike for the little roadying I do). I think you might get a normal rear wheel in there for road use; if you can't then I guess it'll need another re-dished wheel.
Think it's a thru axle setup, as well, just to create more compatibility issues.
Garry_Lager
Subscriber
Did Alyn waters in the N Wales league yesterday
Rather glad I didn't bother with that now, looks beyond shit!
We're all off up to Cumbria for the next round of the NWCCA at Glaxo Sports Club this weekend, hopefully No.1 son can bag another win and move closer to wrapping the league up and No.2 can carry on nipping at the heels of top 10 for a good overall finish at the end of the season.
Me, I might even make the top 30 in V40 if it all goes well, but you never know.
My Swansea race was a nightmare day. Rear Latex tube burst unloading the bike from the car. Rear tub rolled in practice. Cleat came undone mid race. Dnf. Not been a good season for me.
Adding insult to injury the newly fitted Enduro bottom bracket bearings were fubar by the end of the day. That’s a new record for me.
Damn shedbrewed, that is a litany of mechanical woe. How did you do the tub, just riding along or did you hit something?
I am on my third drive side bearing on a bb30 over 8 races, which is pretty poor. Tried explaining what a bearing is to the pit child but not sure it sunk in.
Late fitness test for me for Ulverston - had a cold all week from swamp racing last weekend. Feel ok but it's usually best to put a cold to bed mid season, so might give it a miss.
It did sound like you had a race to forget @shedbrewed - still get the mechanicals out of the way in one race! Hopefully that will be it for the season. I'm ignoring the sound and feel of my headset and BB for the moment; can't afford the money or time to get someone to sort them out and I don't have the confidence to do press-fit myself.
With the welsh league cancellation this weekend, I was originally planning to race the western league race on sunday but decided early this week I couldnt face a 4hr round trip.
Got the rider list sent through for the Pembrey NT, I am disconcerted by how small the senior field is! 24 senior and 17 u23. With the various welsh league cancellations this season, I was expecting a bunch of welsh league no-hopers to enter for a laugh so that there would be a chain of slower riders to hide my lack of ability. No such luck!
Time to dust off / unseize bikes for Ulverston - shouldn't be any swamps on the slag heaps. Missed 2 races so will be way down in the league. Felt slow and stodgy riding to work yesterday. Pre-race prep is Wigan this afternoon for a colleague's retirement do.....
New Ulverston course looks interesting - at least the long suffering pit crews will get a chance to see the view across the bay this time (I think...)
Ground should be (fairly) dry, but I bet they'll find some slop for us to play in 🙂
@Garry_Lager I think the tub was suffering from a couple of very wet races previously and after I dropped a fair bit of pressure from it to try and find grip on the mud it was end of days. The cleat though, that pissed me off.
@ferrals yup, learn from it and move on. Vet 40 field is a fair size and the course is a nip shy of 2 miles per lap so I should get two in before being 80% 😄
Weather forecast isn't great for Sunday. Looking forward too it, but I've dinged a rim somewhere and cant get the bloody tyre to seal so will have to run with a tube argh!
@shedbrewed - Yeah the v40 field looks large and with a lot welsh guys in.
The course is going to be pretty savage - I've ridden bits of what I think the course is (and havent been far wrong based on the map sent earlier) and there is a few run-ups per lap- one long trudge up sand and one so steep you are practically holding onto the grass with your spare hand . There's a descent off the same bank which I think i might end up running down if it's where i think it is, very steep, bumpy and with minimal rollout.
Got the rider list sent through for the Pembrey NT, I am disconcerted by how small the senior field is! 24 senior and 17 u23.
Wait until all the Belgians and Dutch enter after the British rider BC deadline.
Missed 2 races so will be way down in the league
Don't worry about it, I'm well down as my Marshalling points still haven't been added from the first round!! They called up everyone who'd ever entered a race at Stadt Moers and the grid was about 15 riders wide.
New Ulverston course looks interesting – at least the long suffering pit crews will get a chance to see the view across the bay this time (I think…)
Am I looking at that right, the pits are on top of one of the hills?
Am I looking at that right, the pits are on top of one of the hills?
Yep, somewhere up there on the ridgeline I think:
Our club are hosting Hillingdon tomorrow. It’s muddy. So a minutes silence for those rear mechs that won’t make it. We’ve previously seen failures on the warm up lap.
I’ll be racing V50 on shiny (titanium with red Ritchey forks). My one cross race of the year. Then helping out Behind the scenes. Say hi if you are coming.
Bike is ready anyway. Rider less so. Had one off-road ride all year. That was Swinley on the cross bike. So I’m fully prepared and my three hours on a fixed wheel TT track bike this morning have just served to hone that readiness!
Well Ulverston was certainly fun, the course for both the adults and the kids was ace. Possibly the most technical U8 course we've had with steep climbs, off-camber root filled muddy corners and a fast tarmac section. The grown ups version was just as good and it wasn't even too wet, which is nice.
No.1 & No.2 son were in the U8 again and despite the mess up, where they decided to stop them in their tracks as they crossed the finish line on the first lap - as they hadn't realised they'd started yet! So off they went again and No.1 got a good lead straight away up the hill towards the pits then along the fence-line and held it all the way to the end, eeking out a few more seconds per lap to take his 6th win of the season. No.2 had a tough time with the big hills, but again he was far quicker running with his bike up them than trying to ride, so he did well in the end.
Me, I had my best race of the year, it just felt good from the off despite a not too good start and nearly ending up in the fence as the gap I was going for got closed a couple of times. Managed to bag 25th overall in V40, which is a best for me.
Now for a long break from the NWCCA as the next race isn't until the 29th December, but there's a round of the North Welsh league in a couple of weeks that I may have a go at and the NoE Champs on the 8th December, just going for the craic if I'm honest.
Did western league yesterday. It’s considerably more ‘grass roots’ than Wessex, in well, every way 🙂
Really didn’t enjoy it either. Not gridded as usual so started at the back, gave it the beans off the start and was hovering around the top 10 as it went into the first corners which was good, but the course had cut up badly and apparently clearance on a Boone is not great. Had to stop and clear out the rear wheel it was that bad, then the front started to clog too!
That, a drivetrain that was so thick with mud it wouldn’t shift & being taken out by a couple of kamikaze riders, I decided to sack it off about 40 mins in. Which is usually when we’re done in Wessex anyway. They lumped us in with seniors so the race ended up being nearly an hour & 10 mins...
I guess Ulverston counts as a dry race by NW standards. Proper switch around of everyone's usual positions in the mid-pack dads race :-). Revised course layout worked well.
First time I've been lapped but it was Rob Jeb and right at the end so avoided an extra lap trudge. Saw TD getting a knee down 2 wheel drifting a bend - that doesn't happen at my speed....
well, Ulverston was as ace as ever. In fact that was the best course there yet! I think the weather helped with some lovely slithery mud making even more out of the course features 🙂
Quite a few punctures going on throughout the day, glad I left the tubs pumped up, even it did result on a lot of sideways action!
The Trophy course at Pembrey, if the pictures Matt's been posting on Facebook are anything to go by, is gong to be brutal!