Cyclocross - CX and SSCX races and training

Like all the best blue trails!

I thought I might enter the Bethlem round but at £25 for a one-off evening chipper I'm out. I may come down to heckle though so I would like to see some sick skidz

£25!?!

£15/round and a one-off £10 for series number. No on the night prizes either apparently. rip-off.

Can't remember the entry fee last year, but was it this, er, expensive in years gone by?

There is some spiel on the blog info about the one bike rule making it more accessible, but like you say I'd wager the biggest barrier to entry is cost.

Not aimed at you specifically.

When I helped run it a few years ago it was £12 with no need to buy a number.

It cost me £30 for the pain of yesterday.
£30.

£30 is commitment.

Yeah expensive considering they're trying to be more accessible. I want a pit bike
Think I paid about £12 for Bethlem in summer series 2013

Maybe I've chosen the right time to bow out.

Anyone want some cross stuff? Carbon tubs / Tubeless shiz.

Cost me about a £ a minute of 'competitive' action last night. I've known cheaper dentists/lawyers/fairgrounds/etc

interested in tubz but assuming they're disc? if they're not then definately interested

Got a pair on disc hubs with a brake track

Both QR the rear is 130

I don't think it's that bad. 15£ a race if you enter online, and you can enter the whole series of 8 races for 90. Last night felt expensive due to one off 10£ for the number/chip. Seems reasonable given the amount of organisation and volunteer time needed.

I don't disagree that there's a lot of effort gone in and I value that, and don't mind paying for it, now anyway. And clearly a load of effort went in to the whole timing and liasing with councils and what not.

But when my circumstances were different a couple of years ago,that price for an hours cycling ...I couldn't justify it.

The kids races are cheap which is fair. But for adults it's hardly inclusive. The women's fields aren't large and it's mostly wealthy white blokes.

I really enjoy cx, obviously it's not for everyone, but it's defintely not 'accessible'

I'd have thought a greater hurdle to entry for beginners to the sport, who might just want to try out a single race instead of the entire series, would be that £10 extra for a number board, rather than the fact you might be racing against someone with a second bike. I don't really get the obsession with digital timing, Eastern League have always been incredibly efficient with pen and paper through winter conditions with very large fields.

Summer series in Yorkshire is £10, which seems about right to me for a midweek race.

Given their reputation, can you imagine the moaning if the Yorkshire League started charging £25 for a single race.

Agreed.

Who is racing tomorrow at Gravesend? I want to go and cheer and jeer and possibly collect some assets for content creation

I'll be heading across. Maybe see you there.

Hi, has anyone ridden at Prospect Park in Reading and Popham Airfield in Hampshire. I'm going to enter these 2 cross races, I was wondering what are the courses like, advice on gears etc. Thanks

I've raced at Prospect park a few years ago, if it's the same course it's a belter with a steep hill you go up and down that's a real challenge

I've not ridden the Reading CC course so can't advise on gearing. I've helped a number of times though. It is one of the hillier courses, there's a section of singletrack through the woods and some flatter wider sections. This strava activity gives an idea
https://www.strava.com/activities/1232680441/analysis
Normally it is on the less muddy side, being early season so that there aren't issues cutting up the grass in the park to cause problems with the council.

I went down to Bethlem to spectate last night and managed a quick lap on 23c road tyres which was fun. I also told someone in an LFGSS to do a skid and they obliged which was rather good of them.

It's interesting to see how small the fields are compared to previous years, and only one hitter too. Quite a few punctures including Jules whilst he was comfortably leading which lead to a lot of swearing. Speaking to the comm, they are going to try and persuade Michael to get rid of the stupid one bike/no pit rule as it is putting people off from entering. Leaving work early only to puncture and be forced to pull out is no one's idea of a good evening.

I like the one bike rule.