mattm

Haven't done it yet so dunno, but from the pics I've seen it looks like it varies between hardpack dirt, gravel, and loose gravel.

I signed up so I'll find out!!

aaronmcd

How did it go? Sticking around for 3/4? I made the mistake of pushing too hard on the final descent - ran out of energy.

UmneyDurak

I got 15th. I was doing well for most of the race, but on back side of final lap my legs just couldn't keep up. Could be mental or something. Although I felt so much better then last weekend. I just got home. No reason to do 3/4 with such a poor results in 4s. It was a super mellow race too.

Which team are you on?

aaronmcd

The reason to do 3/4 is pain! Haha.. and extra training. No team for me. I was in the long sleeve Pearl Izumi jersey.
And yeah, it was pretty mellow. I'm thankful for that.

UmneyDurak

I rather just chill at home and eat a sandwich, which might be part of a problem. lol.

How did you do?

aaronmcd

14th

UmneyDurak

Congrats!
Well next time!

Santa Cruz Classic is a fun race, in a masochistic kind of way.

UmneyDurak

Davis race, anyone done it, or know the area? The description says "two sharp S-turns" are we talking about almost 360 and sprinting out of it every corner type deal like last year at Burlingame?

hack

UC Davis Crit? If so, identical course to Cal Aggie Crit and Land Park Crit.

edit: its not too bad of a course, its a big loop with a few sharp turns. the first is a ~100-120 degree left followed with a sweeping 90 degree right and a sublte 60 degree left again. then about 200 meters later is a 90 degree right.

caloso

It would be great to run that course the other way around, just for funzies.

UmneyDurak

Yeah UC Davis race that is in a week. So what is the course like?

hack

Also, youtube search either Lank Park Crit or Cal Aggie Crit...quite a few vids on there for good course view.

hack

i threw a super brief description in my edit above...note that it is totally flat, park course, that circles around a few golf course holes. cool location.

UmneyDurak

Ah Thx. I am debating between SC Classic and that one.

hack

SC is like 730AM or something super early, right? I think the UCD crit is much later (2PM) and after the collegiate races.

I'd expect bigger fields at SC and a more interesting course (I've driven it, but never raced it).

caloso

Super flat. Just a big wide oval except for the two chicanes. Bike Ride Profile | Land Park E3 near Sacramento | Times and Records | Strava

UmneyDurak

It's 8 am slightly better. lol. I have raced it before, and not sure how good are my chances of placing there. It's basically hill repeats for 40minutes.

UmneyDurak

Thank you for links.

hack

If the field is smaller for the 4/5s at UCD, it could be a more enjoyable race. The couple times I've race there we had fields of 50+ and we never got strung out enough to prevent going into the tight turns more than 5 wide. As a result, the turns always were huge bottlenecks with a sprint out. With fewer people (or people moving faster like the 1/2 or 3's) you should be able just roll through the turns. If not, just stay up front. Also there are two or three wheel breaking potholes on the inside part of the course on the straight after the finish.

save10

SC is hilly with some technicalities. Fun to race. But if you are fatty like me the 35+ 123 field will spit you out quickly

bobonker

Can anyone recommend a starting tire size/pressure combo for the Copperopolis road race? 155 lb rider. I'm a first timer and from pics and the course description, it sounds brutally bumpy in some places.

Thanks,
Sonny

caloso

Fattest you can fit. Brutally bumpy doesn't begin to describe it.

bobonker

Thanks, caloso. This pic of the course has me thinking that springing for some 700x28c tires (Schwalbe Ultremo ZX) might be worth it!

I've got 700x25c GP4000s on the bike now and I think squeezing a 28c in there will be doable.

Sonny

spdntrxi

^ good pic.. ugly road surface.

UmneyDurak

Yep, what he said. I would say if they turned it in to dirt/bravel road it would be an improvement. The descent on end part of the loop before small uptick to finish line is brutal with potholes big enough to swallow your wheel.

Looks like it is going to rain on Sunday. bleh.