'09 Cross season with in sight!

Hey is this Greg C from Lightning Velo? :wave:

 

I have pics from Saturday up here, but wasn't there Sunday. Here's a few...

 

I guess it was more of an Anarchy cross.

Maybe it's just the mtb'er in me, but I LOVE singletrack.

As for the sand/gravel, I personally didn't like it, though it wasn't so bad--at least it wasn't mud n snow. I think that's the closest that we can get in SoCal :lol:

I'm totally ignorant on what a course is supposed to be like, I just enjoyed going out and having fun. I like the idea of being able to have a race wherever you can, instead of having to abide by all the rules (though I understand the need for them)--I have ADD, so I like variety.

Is anyone going out this weekend? ElDo park--woohoo! It's my understanding that Dorothy works on her courses a bit more, plus, we may have some mud!!!!!

 

Mud for sure! Its going to be off the hook. Right around the corner from my place and Ill be there doing my 1st CX race in the cat 4's. And recovering with some IPA's afterwards hopefully!

 

Check out the Path Bike Shop's Urban Cyclocross hosted by SHARE MTB Club of Orange County! Is Sunday, October 25th in Silverado Canyon. Free youth races for 10 & under, free hot dogs will be grilled up and a big cash and merchandise prize purse. www.backontrackproductions.com for full details

 

This is fundamentally why Urban and SoCal cross parted ways.

SoCal is more traditional, and Urban has more MTB elements.

I like PV but was unable to attend

 

As someone who has raced Brads courses (back on track productions) over the years Dorothy (Socal Cross) and course designer Jonathan Livesay are the best thing to happen to cyclocross in SoCal. The Irvine and Bonelli courses were awesome proper cyclocross courses. Single track is dumb for cyclocross, you are supposed to be racing people head to head and the course should allow that with plenty of opportunites to pass.

 

Are you saying you're in really really good shape? :clap:

It depends on fitness AND terrain AND your riding style. Are you a masher or a spinner? By terrain I mean is it dry hardpack or is it a goopy muddy mess. I assume those races are always dry hardpack for kev :-k

 

From my personal experience, people who brag about riding fixed gear usually.......um how can I put this nicely...are less than accomplished racers.

 

That is true in my case. I love the challenge, but have no thoughts of winning
Cx is the hardest kind of riding I can possible imagine. I'm redlined 99% of the race but it sure is a blast!

I would imagine that the serious racers are putting in some serious mileage on the road during the week and I just don't have the time and believe it is way too dangerous to boot!

 

Okay guys, serious question, off topic of the nagging ones. I had my tire pressure at 60psi, which I guess is too high for most courses.

But, with mud as a possible issue, should I keep in a bit on the higher end (maybe not quite 60) or lower it a bit more? Logically, I'm thinking that cutting through the mud with a higher pressured tire would be good, but, like I said before, I'm pretty ignorant on this Cx stuff.

 

I run tubulars and seem to like somewhere near 30 PSI.
But I've seen folks run more and some run less...

Lower pressure puts your rims a bit more at risk depending upon the course design, but mine seem to survive.

 

I weigh 150lbs and I run 27-28psi in my tubulars and 30 psi in my clincher (pit wheels). Mud typically you run even lower pressures because you need the extra traction and with mud your speed drops so less chance of flatting.

 

60 is high for anything unless if you're hitting some paved paths. 30s is good if your small but bump it to 35-40 if you're big and don't want to flat much.