The 'cross season is almost here......

[dan_bo]

In the north west league there are 17 (the most i've seen for......ever!) to go at, of which i've highlighted 12. There are three which i'm really looking forward to:

16.10.11- Manchester Wheelers at Boggart hole clough. Always a good 'un, on tracks that i've been riding since I was a little kid, with a barstool tarmac climb. Hopefully it shouldn't be too boggy wet by then. Field of 136 last year- a record.

29.10.11- East Liverpool wheelers/ Otterspool park, Aigburth. Excellent, fast course, cobbled climb. Good club.

20.11.11- Liverpool Mercury/ Stadt Moers country park. Bike breaking mudfest. One of the toughest of the year. Good slippy descents. Good crowd. Good Club. Usually Hailstoning. Hard man's race.

Can't wait.

Which ones are you doing?

 

[fossyant]

Is Stu organising any ?

 

[dan_bo]

Err don't think so- you do however see him lurking/stewarding/marshalling at Otterspool and t'Clough, amongst others.

 

[dan_bo]

Are you having a go this year Foss?

 

[sean8997]

I've fancied trying a cross race since buying my bikes (merida cyclocross 3, spec tricross sport) but dont know how to get involved. Also not found anything close to where I live (Chester), any advice with getting into it and any training tips?


Cheers

Sean

 

[dan_bo]

Here's a list of the CX races in your area. Alls you have to do is turn up early with bike and helmet, sign in, get your number and do a lap or to warm- up before the race. There's not a lot of ego at these events i've found.

As for training, get your top end sorted-intervals are your friend.

Get used to hopping on and off your bike.

Enjoy it- CX is great and a relatively safe introduction to bike racing in general due to the lower speeds involved it's also spectator friendly due to the short courses and 'action points'- rooty bits, short, sharp climbs and what have you where things go wrong, so take the fambly/ spouse along and they might enjoy it as well.

Might see you out there eh!

 

[Jezston]

Cyclocross is something I've been wanting to have a go at for ages, sadly it seems all the rides in my area are all series of short sub-hour races once a week, and presumably you can't just turn up for race 4 and give it a go?

Is cyclocross generally short, or are there nice several hour long rides to be had?

 

[dan_bo]

Cyclocross is something I've been wanting to have a go at for ages, sadly it seems all the rides in my area are all series of short sub-hour races once a week, and presumably you can't just turn up for race 4 and give it a go?

Is cyclocross generally short, or are there nice several hour long rides to be had?

Of course you can just turn up and give it a go- or at least you can at every race i've been to for the last 4 years. You just pay a couple of quid extra for a day license.

Races are usually 1 hour + 1 lap, or 50 mins + 1 lap- they are short blasts, but honestly, do it right and you won't want to do much more! it's more like an off- road crit than a MTB race.