CX Racing

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cancan64
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Re: CX Racing

Postby cancan64 » Mon Jun 01, 2015 5:02 pm

Rd2 of the NCXS was good,...After the start of the race I heard the commentator mention that "if you want to see some expensive bikes get trashed then head to the creek"...I had no problems last year with the creek but was on a mountain bike then and the thought of a creek full of water and Di2 I decided on taking the bridge and passed 3 riders in the process so that was my plan for the rest of the race and I was a nice clean after, actually copped more mud from watching the elites than racing. In the end was a good race and was sitting 2nd in the M5 until I made a mistake on the last lap and that was me stuck in 3rd... had nothing to keep up...Dalai47 done well taking home the leaders Jersey... thinking about Melbourne but first week of school holidays so not looking good...
“Some say he isn’t machine washable, and all his potted plants are called ‘Steve’.

dalai47
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Re: CX Racing

Postby dalai47 » Tue Jun 02, 2015 4:13 pm

cancan64 wrote:Dalai47 done well taking home the leaders Jersey...
Thanks cancan64. Happy with how I rode both days. 2nd overall and 1st MMAS4 day one, 3rd overall and 2nd MMAS4 day two so series leader in MMAS4 after the first two rounds. :D

Ran through the creek the first two laps till got easily passed by another rider running over the foot bridge, so took the bridge from then on as although a few steps further was faster!

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Re: CX Racing

Postby dalai47 » Tue Jun 09, 2015 12:39 pm

Raced rounds 2 and 3 of the Vic CX series at Mt Beauty Saturday and Sam Miranda winery Sunday in A grade.

Saturday - out the back early on. Very technical muddy course which showed clearly skills I need to work on. Lapped by the leaders once already mid race! Rolled a rear tyre towards the end of the race - had to deflate it so I could push it back onto the rim and ride the flat tyre to the finish; in the process getting lapped by the leaders a second time!

Sunday - flatter course suited me better. Reasonable start for me but still in the back third. Rode well only just getting lapped by the leading 4 riders on their final lap.

Coming from a road rather than a MTB background does mean another skill set to learn, but that is part of the challenge. Guys lapping me are at the front end of the Elite National Series so to be expected. I'm racing A grade as races are longer so gives me more time to work on skills and fitness plus when they pass gives me an insight of lines taken as I watch them.

Next rounds of the NCXS in Melbourne two weekends time. Looking forward to it!

nezumi
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Re: CX Racing

Postby nezumi » Tue Jun 09, 2015 8:50 pm

dalai47 wrote:Raced rounds 2 and 3 of the Vic CX series at Mt Beauty Saturday and Sam Miranda winery Sunday in A grade.

Saturday - out the back early on. Very technical muddy course which showed clearly skills I need to work on. Lapped by the leaders once already mid race! Rolled a rear tyre towards the end of the race - had to deflate it so I could push it back onto the rim and ride the flat tyre to the finish; in the process getting lapped by the leaders a second time!

Sunday - flatter course suited me better. Reasonable start for me but still in the back third. Rode well only just getting lapped by the leading 4 riders on their final lap.

Coming from a road rather than a MTB background does mean another skill set to learn, but that is part of the challenge. Guys lapping me are at the front end of the Elite National Series so to be expected. I'm racing A grade as races are longer so gives me more time to work on skills and fitness plus when they pass gives me an insight of lines taken as I watch them.

Next rounds of the NCXS in Melbourne two weekends time. Looking forward to it!
I'm restricted to practise sessions at the moment.

I'm getting married on June 21, so no NCXS, and last weekend we had planning meetings for priest on Sat and function venue on Sun.

I'm sure I'll see you out on course sooner or later!
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dzzmzz
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Re: CX Racing

Postby dzzmzz » Wed Jun 10, 2015 1:45 pm

I've been to all the QLD sprint CX races this year and had a ball. Had to miss the NCXS rounds up here unfortunately. Will be doing most of the rest of the season. Great to see so many people getting involved up here in QLD.

Better late than never, here are some vids from the weekend (not mine). I was sending them to a friend but thought I'd post them here.

Robbie McEwen's highlight from Rd 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHMnEDa ... e=youtu.be" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Highlights from Rd 2: https://vimeo.com/129446928" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Smashing through hepatitis creek: https://instagram.com/p/3VRMR1M5z7/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
=========================
2009 Specialized Tricross
2004 Cannondale CAAD4
2013 Giant Trinity Composite

dalai47
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Re: CX Racing

Postby dalai47 » Wed Jun 10, 2015 2:34 pm

nezumi wrote:I'm getting married on June 21, so no NCXS, and last weekend we had planning meetings for priest on Sat and function venue on Sun.
Didn't plan that very well - booking a date in the middle of Cross season! :lol:

All the best for the day.

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Re: CX Racing

Postby dalai47 » Sun Jun 14, 2015 7:59 pm

Canberra flights and car hire just booked... :D

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Re: CX Racing

Postby dalai47 » Tue Jun 16, 2015 11:03 am

Anyone else entered this weekends Victorian NCXS rounds?

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Re: CX Racing

Postby BenGr » Tue Jun 16, 2015 11:26 am

dalai47 wrote:Anyone else entered this weekends Victorian NCXS rounds?
I've entered the support races. My trial MTBA licence runs out on Friday...

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Re: CX Racing

Postby dalai47 » Sun Jun 21, 2015 9:19 pm

NCXS R3 and R4 this weekend. Local races so no travelling.

R3 - 2nd MMAS4 2nd Overall

Raced well - though need to work on my start before the next races. Had to work my way through the field on the first lap even though I was on the front row today as it was M4 + rather than racing with and lined up behind M1-3.

Worked up into clear third and gaining on the leaders when mid race my rear derailleur doesn't want to shift from my largest cog. Tried to give the derailleur a tap with my shoe whilst on the finishing straight only for the rear wheel to lock up and me to come to a skiding halt. Thinking I've just sent the derailleur through the rear wheel and race over it isn't and I can keep riding... Now with the 26 cog, big and small chainrings and a very badly out of gear derailleur I work at just holding my position, only to soon pass 2nd who was running after getting a front flat. Only thing I could find wrong was the lower jockey wheel was seized, so replaced the pulley wheel and retuned the gears that evening.

R4 4th MMAS4 - 6th Overall

Again a poor start making the first narrow section about 8-9 riders back - muscle my way through and am gaining on the leading three during the first couple of laps but just not able to latch on. They start to split up and so I am chasing 3rd. Got passed by a couple from other categories but not concerned as they won't impact the series points. All the time I'm doing the sums calculating the points of my closest contender for the series who was ahead in 2nd. Missed out catching 3rd by a bike length on the finish so reduced my series lead from 20 to 10 points but still good enough to retain the leaders jersey.

Next 2 rounds are in Canberra in 3 weeks. Will be focussing on working on my starts before then...

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Re: CX Racing

Postby silentbutdeadly » Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:33 am

I did my first CX race over the weekend...though it wasn't entirely intentional.

I cracked my Giant Anthem during a ride the week before and wasn't able to swap the parts onto another frame in time. Then it rained so our MTB club round was looking like a cancellation. Then the track steward sorted out an alternative 4km track which was on higher and sandier ground within our track network...and claimed it to be almost without technical obstacles. So I rode the CX bike over to the event on Sunday morning (only -0.5 degrees!) to check it out. If it was too obstacle laden then I wouldn't race and take on the BBQ duties instead.

Just one obstacle (nested log crossing/jump) in amongst 3 km of flat flowy singletrack and a km of open levee bank...soft but almost no boggy bits. Heaps of the usual trees and corners. 7 laps for B grade. Why the hell not?

So I lined up amongst the mates with their MTBs and poo eating grins...and kicked off. I was in trouble almost immediately. Cornering into the log obstacle I hit a stick which crossed me up and put me down on the right knee...which I drove into a fallen log. By the time I got over the obstacle I was well back amongst the lower grades...

...and I never really improved. My heart rate kept sitting well up in the 160's and I couldn't get any power down in the open sections. I was enjoying myself but nowhere near fast with only an 18 km/h average (whereas I needed 21 km/h to be competitive) so I was losing 2 to 3 minutes per lap on the B Grade front runners. The bike was a hoot on the singletrack but the engine was cooked. Cramping on the final lap added insult to injury.

I was fully expecting to be slow since prior experience has demonstrated that I'm faster on a 29er on our flatter track than the CX bike on the same track but I was hoping to be be no more than a kay off the average pace. But it just wasn't to be...

Still bloody good fun though!
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Re: CX Racing

Postby nezumi » Mon Jun 22, 2015 1:55 pm

Very proud of one of the guys I ride with regularly and have raced against in C grade for taking out C on Sunday - even if he didn't realise it and went home early!

(I was unable to race/spectate as I was a little pre-occupied with my wedding)
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cancan64
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Re: CX Racing

Postby cancan64 » Thu Jun 25, 2015 7:50 pm

The 4 race Brisbane series is up now although online entries isn't up yet.
http://www.qldcx.com/?p=211
You can enter a team so if there is 3 others that want to form a BNA team let me know... 3 races at nundah and 1 in Nerang... Team is just for fun, I don't expect to take the series unless there is 3 riders that can carry me
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Re: CX Racing

Postby dalai47 » Wed Jul 08, 2015 3:26 pm

Anyone else racing the Canberra NCXS rounds this weekend?

I will be there. I 'm flying up Saturday morning and back Sunday evening. :D

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Re: CX Racing

Postby Chris249 » Wed Jul 08, 2015 9:55 pm

I was going to, but my annual issue with old injuries has struck as it does just about every year. There's some chance of getting there for the Sunday round, but after three weeks off the bike it'll be ugly. Oh well, at least I did a couple of days of the inaugural national series a couple of years ago.

It's great to see your support for the series.
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Re: CX Racing

Postby dalai47 » Wed Jul 08, 2015 10:13 pm

Say g'day if there Sunday. Looks perfect CX weather - 2 to 8 degrees and rain... :D

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Re: CX Racing

Postby Gunlock » Thu Jul 09, 2015 8:46 am

dalai47 wrote: I 'm flying up Saturday morning and back Sunday evening. :D
dalai47 wrote:Say g'day if there Sunday. Looks perfect CX weather - 2 to 8 degrees and rain... :D
You're a hard man dalai.

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Re: CX Racing

Postby dalai47 » Thu Jul 09, 2015 10:08 am

Gunlock wrote:You're a hard man dalai.
Some say mad, but having fun all the same...

Unfortunately it seems there are no showers at Canberra airport, so might have to have a Belgium shower at a tap in the park after the race Sunday. :lol:

I've been working on my skills over the last few weeks - built some practice hurdles with pvc pipes.

Image

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Re: CX Racing

Postby Blakeylonger » Thu Jul 09, 2015 12:36 pm

dalai47 wrote:I've been working on my skills over the last few weeks - built some practice hurdles with pvc pipes.

Image
If you use a tee and 2x 45º elbows at each end of the bar you can make a more stable barrier that will still give if you screw up, but is less likely to tip. Gives you two legs at 90º. You can glue selected joints so it won't explode but will still pack down for transport.

Ideally you'd use a 3-way 90º elbow, less parts, less cost, but the piece seems impossible to source in AU.

The longer leg on the trailing side does help with tipping though.

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Re: CX Racing

Postby dalai47 » Thu Jul 09, 2015 12:49 pm

Pretty happy with how mine above turned out. Ended up costing only around $22 for the pair. I have some blue plumbing glue I will use on the joins I don't want to come apart. They are quite stable even though built with a shorter trailing leg so will fall over when knocked.

I have a joiner in the crossbar to assist packing down. Next mod is to still run 4mm elastic cord I bought at the same time through the hurdles, so when it is folded will collapse like a fibreglass tent pole. :D

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Re: CX Racing

Postby silentbutdeadly » Mon Jul 13, 2015 10:01 am

Blakeylonger wrote:
dalai47 wrote:I've been working on my skills over the last few weeks - built some practice hurdles with pvc pipes.

Image
If you use a tee and 2x 45º elbows at each end of the bar you can make a more stable barrier that will still give if you screw up, but is less likely to tip. Gives you two legs at 90º. You can glue selected joints so it won't explode but will still pack down for transport.

Ideally you'd use a 3-way 90º elbow, less parts, less cost, but the piece seems impossible to source in AU.

The longer leg on the trailing side does help with tipping though.
Why not use a 90 degree elbow and one of these http://www.rexel.com.au/products/ADAPTO ... 80205.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; or http://www.rexel.com.au/products/ADAPTO ... 96313.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; They are $3.40 to $4.40 each

Image
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Re: CX Racing

Postby dalai47 » Mon Jul 13, 2015 10:55 am

Very good weather compared to what was forecast in Canberra on the weekend. Dusting of snow on the surrounding hills but mostly dry skies both days.

Great courses with both riding differently mainly due to the soaking Saturday night making Sunday a mud bath!

Was 50/50 if I was going to race. Didn't even start packing till late Friday night even though I was home on sick leave all day, but I needed to get some series points to keep the series jersey in sight. I only had a 10 point lead so couldn't afford to get a DNS both races.

I tried warming up both days unfortunately any efforts would induce a coughing fit; ended up just starting as best as I could manage and try and work my way forward!

Surprised to still manage 3rd place and only one spot behind my nemesis both days. I've now lost the jersey as we are on the same points and Paddy finishing in front of me, but a pleasing result given my health.

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cancan64
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Re: CX Racing

Postby cancan64 » Mon Jul 13, 2015 12:50 pm

Well done ...So I guess it all comes down to South Australia now??

We start the Brisbane 4 race series this week... Has been a long break since races so looking forward to it, and could be some rain to make things interesting
“Some say he isn’t machine washable, and all his potted plants are called ‘Steve’.

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Re: CX Racing

Postby cp123 » Mon Jul 13, 2015 12:54 pm

dalai - I went and watched the cx as a local yesterday. I probably saw you slopping on around.

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Re: CX Racing

Postby dalai47 » Mon Jul 13, 2015 2:30 pm

cancan64 wrote:Well done ...So I guess it all comes down to South Australia now??

We start the Brisbane 4 race series this week... Has been a long break since races so looking forward to it, and could be some rain to make things interesting
Adelaide it is. Enjoy your race cancan64! :wink:
cp123 wrote:dalai - I went and watched the cx as a local yesterday. I probably saw you slopping on around.
If you were there when the masters race was on then most likely. :D

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