Race Reports

[Blott's Mate]

I think the garden is long enough. The good news I have managed the dismount but with my r foot behind the left one which was an alternative on the Youtube clip.I am going so slowly when I dismount that I have practically stopped by the time I gather myself & swing my r leg so rolling along on standing on my left pedal trying to work out how to somehow fit my r leg between the bike & my left leg isn't an option. I would have ground a halt and fallen over before it happened.I can't do it everytime.Sometimes I freeze & bottle out. Can't leap on but I reckon if I practice all week I'll get a quicker remount by Sunday. Not sure about the dismount. Unless I am very much better I don't think I'll risk attempting the dismount in public.Will practice every day & decide Saturday.Thanks for the support.Appreciated.

 

[Christopher]

28th Nov, Oxonian CC 'cross
I liked the course, loved the fast steep descents down the bank near the tennis courts, nearly hit the fence on the last lap though. Was doing okay but had the usual chain-jamming problems as the mud got into the delicate transmission, so went backwards through the field and was nearly last I think. That's the last time I use Campag 10 speed for CX! However I have just bought Herself's old bar-end 8/9sp Shimano shifters, so will see how they do once I have re-built the rear wheel and changed the rest of the transmission. I like the idea of a wide-ratio MTB block and tiny front clangers, I haven't used the 50t ring for CX and not that frequently for loaded touring.

Herself seemed to like the event, I was glad of her company, but I did think that the three races in the NW I have been at had a slightly better atmosphere but you can't judge from one race. It was nice to have the use of a car and a changing room, I didn't bother with the shower as I wasn't all that filthy under the bibtights and LS top. However I will have to watch the swearing when the chain jams again (and again and again...), I think you can get DQ for that!

If anyone cares, I was riding a blue Dave Yates (slowly) and was #67.

 

[palinurus]

I couldn't stay away from that bloody fence. I liked this photo from the Oxonian event- 217 in the lower left corner- I don't know who it is.

http://www.grahamrobins.net/photos/Oxonian Cross 2009/page/13/

The rest are here

 

[Dave5N]

Yer upside down mate.

And still linked to site not image.

 

[Christopher]

ta for the photo link - shame none of the lowest point of the course which ended up as a lake of mud!

Anyone know if the CX instructional videos are available as a DVD? I'd happily pay £10 for it, as it seems each part is 10 minutes long (=50 mins) and I don't have home internet...

Have 'retired' for the season as the bike got a bit knocked about last Sat* and it will be so wet and muddy at Stadt Moers this Sat that the chain'll just jam again.

*mostly cosmetic but it needs a total overhaul

 

[dan_bo]

The stadtd moers is a good fun course mate. Pity you'll be missing it!

 

[trio25]

I won't be there either danny, have work that evening so wouldn't be back in time!

 

[dan_bo]

booo!

 

[dan_bo]

Today was good. Great course, bad weather, loads of mud, didn't break anything!

 

[Blott's Mate]

Foxhall stadium,Ipswich. East/South East regional championships. Been practicing the dismount as 2 sets of hurdles but one hurdle was half way up a slope so I'd ground to a halt anyway & the straightforward one was so cautious I am not sure it saved any time. Bogey for me in this one was a mound only about 6' high but with 6"slimy mud on the way up & a deep bog on the way down. Fell off on the way up @ 1st attempt on warm up, on the way down @ the 2nd attempt then managed it twice & ok in the race till the last lap when crashed on the way down & couldn't get my feet unclipped to get out of the way of riders hurtling over the brim to find me splatted in a foot of mud struggling to get out of the way. No one rode over me thank goodness! Good course & did ok for my level of ability. Muddiest so far.

 

[Blott's Mate]

Results up. only 7 women on the startline. I was 4th but only because a speedy girl was a DNF because of a technical prob.

 

[Blott's Mate]

Broome Heath scramble. On sandy terrain with 5" snow. Well I did it! Would be faster if I was braver, not sure how or when that will happen. One icy descent which I fell off at the top off on the 3rd lap purely through lack of committment. Generally fun & ok!

 

[palinurus]

Good work! know what you mean about needing to be committed on a descent. Just race and ride off-road often is all you can do I guess. I like to practice the bits that make me nervous during the warm-up.

Still never raced in snow. Frozen mud, but not snow.

 

[Dave5N]

West Midlands events cancelled.

 

[dan_bo]

West Midlands events cancelled.

Pussies