Cyclocross - CX and SSCX races and training

The route I was thinking is probably 60% on the gravel roads and 40% on trails once you get to the forest, but if it is super boggy may be more of the former than the latter.

Ps - I meant harder in the sense of firmer, not more difficult!

S4C have published full coverage from the all races at the British Championships here
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I've entered my first race next Sunday. I've never ridden CX before. I last rode mountain bikes off-road 19 year ago.
Will I die? Any tips for the day to prevent the aforementioned happening? Oh well, in for a penny as they say 👍

Enjoy the feeling of standing still though moving :]

Tyre pressure, tyre pressure, tyre pressure or lack of will get you far

Van Aert to race elites at worlds according to his Twitter feed.

Anyone racing Central League at Standalone Farm, Letchworth on Sunday? Tips on the course?

mer, not more difficult>

Where in Clapton - I'm kinda tempted but I feel I'd be slowing you down...

Corner of Lea Bridge Road and Chatsworth Road at 9 am. You definitely won't be slowing us down; neither of us have ridden much recently.

Tips for that course would have been: pit bike and helper and 15-20 psi.

Today was pretty horrible. A sticky flat course kind of horrible. How did you get on?

Numero Uno. I seem to excel on these boring, flat, muddy power courses when I thought I was good at the very opposite sort of riding.

Very satisfied with the 1x10 setup. Rode it last weekend at Swinley across roots and rocks (with too much pressure in my tyres) and today in grassy, clogging mud and no chain drops. Have to see how it goes after the chainring has worn but looks good thus far. @Howard was right though, 38t is probably going to be a bit undergeared for dry, fast courses so I'll get a 40 or 42t ring for next season. 38t is good for riding proper hills off-road not too fast though which is what I'll be doing more of in the off-season on this bike.

@J.Dennis Well done! Did you both race in the central league today?

Doesn't sound like my kind of course (What is?!) so kinda glad I missed it.

FWIW I've only ever dropped the chain when downshifting real fast. Oh, and that time in the Summer Series at HH when EVERYONE mechancaled. It's possible to adjust the tension on the clutch if this starts becoming an issue.

Thanks and yeah, I believe it was the last race of their league. I was hoping for some fast, frozen ground but it was thick, grassy mud all the way round with no distractions other than whether to run or ride. Most people who could were changing bikes every half lap. I'd probably have got the train back had I seen the course prior to paying my £19(!) entry fee.

Hah, lovely.

My three hour road ride was free. But I didn't win anything.

SuperStar components are making some cyclocross narrow-wideish rings - by next season they'll be available. Might try one if they do one in 130bcd.

Finally built up my cross bike! Just in time for the end of the season... Ah well, gonna be nice to have something that rides fast on the road as well as on the trail! And it'll give me time to get better at remounts and the like! Has anyone got any good but cheap suggestions for a chain catcher or chain guide?

Good job with that result! The mud stopped my wheels from turning a fair few times, had to spend a minute or so scraping it off mid-race, which turned out to be pointless as it built back up in about 30 seconds.

A good win, Jon. Is that 4 for the season now? I see you're top of the London League rankings too.

I went out for a cross ride today, was really mucky but great fun crashing through icy puddles.

Took the cross bike to work as my lane was covered in black ice/un-rideable. Was great riding on the thick frozen grass (surprisingly fast) and along the South Downs Way until it started getting seriously rutted, it soon became impassable meaning I ran about a mile until I could remount for a fast grassy decent of death. At the bottom of the decent was large areas of frozen ruts caused by horses, was so sketchy. Probably the most stressful commute I've had, wasn't worth the cross practice. Way home was even worse, thick mud that rendered the tread on my tyres useless and left me with one gear to limp home! Sumners pond will be challenging if conditions stay as they are.

From what the organisers have posted on Facebook, Sumners Pond doesn't look too bad. There certainly isn't large areas of rutted ground caused by horses, which caused me a few moments yesterday. But away from the bridleways used by horses, conditions weren't too bad at all. I was only 15 seconds off my best time up one wooded climb I ride regularly, so there was grip to be had.

You're right, largely the conditions look good and the drainage is rarely good in this area. Sumners pond is set up the hill a little bit too which must help, it's all private land around there too so as you say no horses.

thought I might as well ask in here - does anyone have a 53cm cx frame / f+f for sale?
preferably something in steel or alu

@bmx_fred this is pretty bargs and might fit the bill?

or there is a complete Felt on ebay in a 53 or 54 which has 1p starting bid

thanks, I may pursue that Condor...