Cyclocross - CX and SSCX races and training

If it was in the V40's that would have been me, it's a great bit of kit

Great riding yesterday Andy, you were flying when I was making my way back to the start. How did you get on?

A gradually slipping seat post stopped play for me, that'll teach me not to use a torque wrench

Superb course yesterday, thanks to @leggy_blonde, and all those who helped out getting the course ready at late notice.

I made a hash of the first lap and gaps seemed to grow pretty quickly yesterday once they were established. Still, the new bike felt great in the woods. As much as I was a naysayer about racing with disc brakes previously, they probably did help me out on the descent into the dead turn and the hill.

ohai!

So you won?

ha, third. a long way back from the other two, and a bit lucky to get that after Bruce rolled a tub.

Yeah, it was an awesome varied course, and thanks to everyone who helped prepare it for Sunday. Nice to meet @andyp before the race and get inside tips too. I had a good couple of early laps, then spent the rest of the races battling the boy that won Juniors. He was so much stronger than me on the flats but couldn't hop the barrier or log so I got about 10 seconds a lap on those which was enough to break away from him on the last lap. Legs feel it today though

Is your number seventy something? We had a brief period of racing together on the 3rd lap, Grupetto suit, I eventually passed you in the field with the looooong left hand curve. Got a poxy piece of flint in my wheel soon after, so ran back to the finish area and packed.

Back luck on the seatpost!

28th. So plenty more people were flying!

I was absolutely on the rivet for pretty much the entire race, yet still finish way back. The strength in depth in the v40 field these days is quite something.

Bad luck on the seatpost. When I had a Giant, with the d-fuse, seatpost, the secret was to ignore the torque wrench anyway, and just tighten as hard as you could.

Well done anyway. Who's leading the league then?

I went to Central League in Shuttleworth with Joe. He got second and I got 38th :( it was good fun though, for a grass crit.

It was pretty quick on the open field section, it was surprising how quickly the gaps appeared on the first lap

Thanks for the info, I'll also a put whole load more carbon past down there

It was good to meet you in Saturday my hands are still pretty ruined from those brambles

Michael Butler and Matt Holmes are a class apart from the rest of the regulars. I'm up there with the best of the rest, but there's plenty of racing (and mud) yet to come.

Anyone got 130bcd 39T narrow-wide chainring they want to shift?

Nice. Good attitude

39T? Might need an inverse-shimmed chain...

38 or 40 then :)

That had never even occurred to me.

Someone just built this out near me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcrsoQZLkDM

who's coming over for a smash about?

Only if they put some rollers and a couple of table tops in it. Looks dull as is.

That would be me, what kit were you in?

You were very unlucky with the puncture, despite our best efforts on Saturday I was sure the brambles would still cause a few punctures. Happily that didn't seem to be the case

Nice to meet you too. I sat looking wistfully at my gardening gloves on Saturday evening. Quite why I didn't bring them with me I don't know.

I am going back to ss and cantis for the remainer of the season. I got a pair of Avid Shorty 6 brakes I will use, but which brake pads should I go for? I have previously used standard Shimano DA road pads. But is it worth spending a little more?

Kool Stop multi compound pads are doing me justice

Same as Andy, Grupetto kit, plus I wimped out and wore leggings.

Another Grupetto rider punctured too, although this must have happened right near the end as he finished Ok, it was only as we went to leave that he discovered it!