Cyclocross Racing - iron cross weekend

so, who's in? i'm going to race both days. i *may* bring a geared bike for saturday's racing, but am doing sunday on my single speed. headcount?

Grrr. I can't make it Saturday and the 65 miler, while probably better suited for my style of fitness right now, would do nothing good for my training for regular cx right now.

I am signed up for Granogue and Wissihickon the following week.

Have fun. I know I am going to regret not racing this year.

dont use gears!

^^^^yeah... i'm thinking about just bringing one bike (singlespeed). thing is, i have room for two, and it would be nice to *save* the new bike for sunday.

I'm doing the Sunday ride. I'm looking at it as some good hard training. The two weeks between this and DCCX should be enough to recover. I got one bike and it has gears. I plan to use them all.

Now I need to remember at what hotel I reserved a room ...

Oh yeah, what tires are you all running. My understanding is that you don't need anything real agressive and there is a lot of hard pack that favors more of a file tread. I think I'm going with Ritchey Speedmax but will bring along the Grifos as well.

Oh yeah, what tires are you all running. My understanding is that you don't need anything real agressive and there is a lot of hard pack that favors more of a file tread. I think I'm going with Ritchey Speedmax but will bring along the Grifos as well.

Speaking of speedmax tires, why does JensonUSA and Tree Fort show COMPLETELY different tire for this?

Jenson (http://www.treefortbikes.com/421_333222339252__SpeedMax-Cross-Pro-700x32.html)

Tree Fort (http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/TI295B01-Ritchey+Speedmax+Cross+700C+Tire.aspx?sc=FRGL)

There are different variations to the Speedmax. Cross, Pro, plain-old-Speedmax. The Jenson is the Pro the Tree Fort is the Cross. I guess they are trying to get as much mileage out of the speedmax brand but it certainly is confusing. They would not be my first choice for a cross tire.

I have Maxxis Locusts on the Blue now (AC hurricane clincher wheels). I think that covers the muddy / soft days.

Looking for a faster rolling tire for hard / dry days. What would you suggest?

If I were shopping today, I'd get the Grifo XS (http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=tech/2007/quickspin/12-19). I think the tubular version is what Trebon won with on the grass at Cross Vegas.

Ahh thanks.

Schiek: i'm going to run some maxxis larsen Mimo something or others that i have worn down considerably with commuting.

I've got an older pair of those floating around. Now I'm going to start overthinking this.

^^^excellent plan. my current thing that i'm overthinking is: should i use my messenger pack to carry tools/tubes/bottles/food....

If I was doing the 65, I'd maybe pack like this:

Camelback (100oz classic) for gatorade.
Left jersey pocket for tube, patches, pump, tools and c02.
Center pocket for cell phone, car key, and gels.
Right pocket for more gels.
2 or 4 Clifbars under leg of shorts.

Last thing I'd want is a messenger bag whacking around.

it's a messenger pack and it doesn't "whack" around. imagine a parachute w/out the chute inside. that's how stable it is. also, having full pockets is a good way to ensure you lose stuff on the rough sections.

Putting cages on the bike for the weekend. Hammer sustained energy in the bottles should provide enough calories for the ride w/ one refill at an aid station. Tools and tubes in a small saddlebag. May carry a third bottle in the jersey.

well that was fun. and hard. sorta like... um... hmmn. nothing like that, really. awesome weekend. i wrote a bit of a race report here: http://neverendingheadwind.blogspot.com/2008/10/ic-vi.html

Schiek, it was really cool to finally meet you. hope you are well recovered today. see you at DCCX

b

Great to meet you as well *new*guy. Nice race report, a spot-on take of the day. Hope you were able to stay awake during your early morning meeting. I am definitely spending today licking my wounds.

awww man you didnt do it SS?

yeah.... i know, geared. basically, i was dialing in the de salvo on friday and my wheel was moving around. the eno wheel i was going to use just won't work right w/ track ends. it needs vertical dropouts. there's a conversion kit to make it a regular axle, but i dunno if i'll bother. basically i had to take a bike that i knew would be reliable, so i took the geary. other than 2 episodes of chain drop and a flat, it was spot on for the pounding it took.

Cool man. I've always wanted to do that race but something gets in the way. I guess you have to expect all kinds of mechanicals at a race like that.

Absolutely. I flatted twice. It is amazing to see all the people on the side of the road/trail fixing flats or dealing with mechanicals. Probably passed 20 or so. And I was there with them.

Equipment choice is also a brain teaser. I ran 30mm tires, which were too skinny for the loose gravel and single track, but I picked up positions by the handful every time we hit the asphalt or smooth fire roads. Probably wasted ten or fifteen minutes with tire changes, an unplanned dismount/crash and overshooting a turn on the course but that seems about average for most folks. My plan was to put in a hard training ride under 5 hours. Finished in 4:58. Along with a t-shirt, pint glass and socks, I also got to take home a left knee the size of a grapefruit. Just proves the mechanicals are not always bike-related.

riding geared is probably for the best anyway. that race nearly killed me last year. i absolutely hated that long rocky section.

yeah. there was a dude i know of who did RAAM this year fixed who raced yesterday on 48x18 single. he placed well, too. totally bonkers.

on a positive note, i took one of my road wheels and used spacers and a steel cog and now have a perfectly reliable setup on the desalvo. i'll race it at DCCX. i *might* double up and do one race geared, the other SS.

There are some great pictures posted here: http://elementoftheeye.ifp3.com/root/ElementoftheEye/iphoto/main2.cfm Looks like he is adding new batches, nightly.

Saw a couple of Bryan in the Spiral of Death.