You are reading a single comment by @_kristian_ and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
London Fixed Gear and Single-Speed is a community of predominantly fixed gear and single-speed cyclists in and around London, UK.
This site is supported almost exclusively by donations. Please consider donating a small amount regularly.
@_kristian_
Sooooo first ever CX race (novice class) DONE!
Thanks to Two Wheels Good in Crouch End for lending me two very knobbly tyres and some spd pedals! Learned a lot... like, a bike that weights 13kg will end up ruining your back, and tyre pressures - I presumed you shouldn't have them too hard but on my way to HH the tyre was slipping all over the rim :-) Needless to say I popped into a bike shop on the way for some air which was good because the course was really dry.
The race itself was a mix of fear and excitement, not wanting to get in anyones way but also wanting to make progress... I soon realised half a lap in that my lungs were burning and the whole race might be a 45minute sprint... It almost was if it weren't for the fact I ran out of gas on lap 2 or 3 or 4 (mind a bit addled).. dragging that bike up that short sharp hill was sooo tough at the end. I saw some people sorting out punctures but I'm not sure I could have written my own name on a piece of paper never mind change a tube during a race.
I've never used spd pedals or repeatedly jumped on and off my bike, clipping in and carrying the bike was far from gracefull and it was during the clipping in process that most people passed me :-)
Really good fun and not as scary as I thought, the Senior racers were quite polite in their passing!
Right.. I'm soooo tired I might sleep for a year.
p.s. thought I'd ruined my head bearings because it kept clunking... turns out my front wheel wasnt really attached to the bike too much - it either came loose or I didn't tighten it - extremely lucky!