Cyclocross - CX and SSCX races and training

I'm applying beer. It seems to be working so far. I have a feeling the chicken and curry from a jar might help too.

I see beer in my near future recovery plan.

Have been scouring the thread for clincher tyre recommendations.

One clincher that'll deal ok with most conditions to sort me out for my annual foray to Herne Hill and a bit of Incredibly Cross.

Any advance on Mud 2s or Clement PDXs?

Currently have some filetreads that obviously don't hold up well in the mud!

I have a pair of challenge grifo that I no longer need

bought from here https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/294876 and used once?

It's unconfirmed, but I believe @Jon. was 22nd in the National Trophy today. Cracking result!

What price would you put on them posted if the don't tickle Brookly Bay's fancy?

Clement pdx have done me really well through pretty much everything bit frylands.
FRYLANDS. THE HORROR.

Feel free to go for these - I'm going to be fussy and say the white won't go with my bike!

If the course was anything like last year then that is a fantastic result. Hard to work out what gearing would be best for it.

Bradley Woods Scout Camp near Brighouse for us. Non-league owing to the trophy. Previously it's been a venue for national level events but the march of adherence to UCI regulations has put it beyond even league status. But on the other hand, for those not travelling to the deep south, we get one of those great little wooded knockabout courses that's a lot of fun for all.

I ended up coming off a couple of times and properly upside down once so most of my usual competition disappeared while I tried to right myself. Didn't matter though, just a good day to have a bash about and not overthink the consequences of mistakes.

Hah, sounds good for me.

Frylands Cyclocross on google image search is just a parade of broken rear mechs!

Yeah! Crash in the last corner when I was leading out the group that went up to 17th so I may have lost a few places there. Bit disappointed not to get in the prize money in the top 20 but I wasn't going to challenge in a sprint on a massive long tarmac finishing straight anyway.

Fastest cross course I've ever ridden on, average in excess of 28 kph.

London League looked great from the photos I've seen. More my kind of thing. Recovery beer has been consumed.

Wowsers. Good work.

Fan

Looks like a different and, possibly shorter course to last year. I'm guessing at those speeds it's pretty firm going all round. I was surprised to see Isla Rowntree take the win as she'll have been on SS as well. Thought she might get strung out on the straights. Must have been really strong on the steps and corners.

Are you tempted by Shrewsbury? If your step work and off camber running/riding are good then you could probably make that break into the top twenty.

I'm generally not all that great on the faster, less technical courses but managed to follow the right wheels today and didn't burn too much early on in the race.

Tempted by Shrewsbury as it sounds more like my kind of course but it's a fair way from London and it would mean missing one of my favourite London League courses. National Champs is a possibility, but that's likely to be muddy and tricky without a pressure washer and spare bikes.

Peel Park in January could go either way. Some years it's completely possible to do it on one bike. Mind you, last year was so sloppy that Mrs TSK made a rare more than two bike changes during the race.

That said, if you can source a second bike, I'll happily volunteer to pit for you and keep it running. I won't promise pressure washer clean but I can unclag tyres, brakes and clearance in a half lap. If there's someone else you know coming up from London who does have a pressure washer, I'm happy to work with them to keep multiple riders moving as needed.

I do question the sanity of Peel Park on SS, but then again, I just question the sanity of Peel Park in general. It's a course I love watching more than I'd ever want to ride it.

Frylands? They've changed the course quite a bit for this year, it goes the opposite way around for a start, and the lap has been shortened.

Thanks. Might be able to hire a van and get a few of us southerners up there. I've never ridden there, is it all off-camber descents and banks?

Frylands?

Yup. I'd seen they bowed to peer pressure after all the breakages last year and were making changes. It's not coming down (what was previously) the starting straight is it? I always enjoyed sliding down that descent.

It's not clear how you get back down, but as I understand it, we're going up what was the descent last year (which, as you say, was slippy, slidey, white knuckled fun).

A bit late but big congrats to @Ecunard on the win today too!

Thanks. Might be able to hire a van and get a few of us southerners up there. I've never ridden there, is it all off-camber descents and banks?

Err, not quite all of it.

Having a look at the provisional course map, there's the nice sprinty tarmac finishing straight, some long sweeping corners a couple of draggy climbs including and a bit of not too technical treework in there as well.

Thanks @andyp !
The course suited me well since the peaks: always prefer running up banks than riding up hills for some reason. And quite helpful to have some of the big girls out at national trophy :-)

Anyways, had a ton of fun and felt like my head was nicely anchored on my shoulder. Great day out !

Also got a chance to ride the regional's course yesterday at cyclopark.
sand pit! Mega climb! mega descend! So many turns ! It's going to be a good one.

congratulations @Jon.

though having facilitated 500km of cargo bike riding per week perhaps @CTRL also deserve some credit..

Alternatively, imagine how good @Jon. could be if he trained properly! ;-)

Nice one on Sunday Jon.

Jon came past me after a lap and a half at welwyn on Saturday. Apparently he had stopped in the pits but I'm pretty sure the other 2 times he came past me were legitimate laps. I wasn't last but I wasn't far off. Some new tyres and some actual riding needed before the next race.