Cyclocross - CX and SSCX races and training

3 punctures in 3 races at Herne Hill this season. 2 today and a DNF, ugh. Tell me about tube sealant...

I think I saw you. Were you riding a single speed bike and borrowed a front wheel off someone?

That would be me. Failed to take into account that I'd borrowed a wheel from someone probably running 20 psi less than I should and punctured promptly afterwards. Live and learn I guess.

No races for me until muddy hell now. Was going to build a wheelset up with open pros but I'm thinking about going for a wider rim now - perhaps the a23s or maybe the Salsa cross rim.

velocity chukker? that's wide and mud deflecting profile.
Open pros are great, mavic road rims are always a bit wider than other rims I find, that's what I have, you do sense a bit of lateral deflection in the tyre, but nothing that bothers me too much.

Edit: I just looked up the A23's, nice rims, probably much lighter than chukkers

Clinchers? Just get some OTP aksiums / fulcrums or something.

Anyone else race at Hemel today? Quite a technical circuit that - lots of off camber corners with very little grip and some twisty, rooty singletrack. Dr Cake did not enjoy herself at all.

Raced on tubs for the first time: challenge Limus on 50mm carbons. Happy as they felt good at 40 psi and they didn't roll off the rim - small victories. Rims screamed like a banshee though - you could certainly hear me comming.

nice, how fast do they make you and how much more enjoyable was it?

40 psi? You should've stuck with clinchers!

I was there. Similar course layout to last year so I knew what to expect (such as the log).

I quite like that course, lots of opportunity to gain a few seconds with good technique.

Oh yeah, mud2 at 42psi

40 psi? You should've stuck with clinchers!

Yeah...I was playing it safe - they are my first CX glue job. Experimentation with lower pressures shall follow.

Dr Cake did not enjoy herself at all.

You could probably hear me swearing the entire way round. Mostly in the last wooded section with the epic tree roots.

Saying that I didn't enjoy it could practically be the understatement of the year.

At least I didn't finish dead last.

The chips on the way home were good though ;)

Ramaye - where did you finish? I was quite happy with a mid-table effort all things considered.

A lot lower than last season, I have gone from mid table and a regular gridding to circa 2 minutes a lap slower (25%) so down at the bottom.

This is great photography;

http://cyclephotos.co.uk/2012/10/the-klaas-vantornout-crash-sequence-at-ronse/

Do Herne Hill run weekly training sessions? - currently building up a crosser and keen up both skillz and fitness before trying a few races.

No but there are often Go Races before most league races and I've yet to meet anyone at a race who is not happy to share information/advice on their equipment, training and technique.

So you get to have a practice in the Go Race, get some advice then watch people fail to do what they just told you that you should be doing.

Thanks Rameye

TCC used to run training sessions on a Thursday night but I think Mac, who ran it alongside the central cross league, is taking a well deserved rest, so they are not on this year.

In the absence of any club training, you could do worse than learning how to dismount and remount (plenty of videos on youtube) and getting familiar with your bike on technical terrain - the hours spent at Swinley doing the MTB loop on the 'crosser certainly paid off at Hemel last week.

First race tonight, somewhat nervous. What gearing do people normally use for SSCX? I'm on 44x18 which is somewhat larger than desired, but I don't have the means to change it before tonight

In terms of training Cycling Club Hackney run a cross training session every wednesday. Starting at six. http://cyclingclubhackney.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/wednesday-night-cross-training-resumes.html

Well, first race finished. On a borrowed Ti SS with disc brakes and an inappropriate gear ratio. Still had a fantastic time, can't wait for the next one. Wasn't even last!

Photo Credit (and some more)

I rode the Eastern League race at Davy Down, near the Lakeside shopping complex today. A really good course, with a mix of tricky technical sections, a short hill, a couple of 10 step run ups, a short, but very steep and muddy descent, and another descent on a wooden bridge over a pond plus some field and singletrack sections. The course was, somewhat understandably, very muddy and slippery so it was a day for 25 psi front and rear.

Somewhat annoyingly, everyone gets gridded at the Eastern League so, having never ridden a round before, I started on the back row of an approx 80 rider field. I had two goals at the start line, don't get lapped and see if I could catch Phil Murrell, who I had many great races against in the London league last year. I thought it was a long shot, but it meant I'd be motivated to keep the pace up.

From the gun I got a clean start and was following Andy Snowball from the VCL as he was making good progress in getting past a lot of the slower riders who started in front of us, so we probably made up at least 20 places in the opening field section, before hitting the first of the run ups. We kept the pace up and got past more riders on the opening lap, before I had one of those embarrasing unclipping moments at the run up the second time around, and squased some poor bugger as I landed on his bike after my left cleat failed to disengage. Doh. I was straight back up and caught Andy again shortly afterwards, only for him to lose his chain at the top of the same run up a lap later.

I'd settled into it now and spent the next few laps picking off those who'd started ahead of me, probably picking up 5 places each lap. I had one coming together with someone I was trying to pass as his momentum on the uphill, muddy slope took him in a straight line as I tried to go around his outside. I caught him again shortly afterwards and made sure I got through cleanly. Then, with two laps to go, I could see Phil Murrell about 20 seconds ahead, so put my head down and closed the gap just as we started the hill for the penultimate time, I kept the power on, got past him, stuck my head down and gave it everything over the remaining lap and a quarter to ensure he couldn't come back. I kept looking for the leaders but the nature of the course meant you couldn't really see how the race was unfolding ahead, so when I hit the bell without being lapped I knew I had a chance of avoiding it. Which I did. I rolled across the line and rolled onto the pits to get my spare wheels. Here I noticed quite how much mud I was carrying on the bike, with huge lumps around the bb, the chainset, the front mech and both brakes.

I've no idea where I finished but enjoyed it the race immensely so don't really care.

Added: results are up, I was 17th and second vet.

http://ukcyclesport.com/results/cyclo-cross-uk/item/7960-elmy-eastern-cross-league-7-2012-13

Next stop - Muddy Hell!

Ha--look forward to seeing you race at Muddy Hell, Andy. Nice report.

I rode at Davy Downs as well today in the earlier vets race, my lads rode in the under 12s. Great, if muddy fun. That slippery wooden bridge scared the crap out of me, saw 2 riders go down hard on it.
A very well organised league that.

Debating paying £14 to have my arse spanked in the midlands CX Champs in December. Hmm.