Cyclocross Racing - First 'cross race report

First 'cross race ever.

C Race

Whistle blows, pick my way through the field, and before the end of the first lap myself and 2 others have a ~minute gap. We keep attacking eachother and the gap grows to 2+ minutes, we're lapping people. 35 minutes into the 40 minute race, I get a flat. No spares. Got off and cheered the leaders on and watched a guaranteed podium slip away.

B Race
Threw a new tube in and got to the line at the B race just in time, started from the back. Again, picked my way through the field, but it wasn't as easy with these guys. Dug a little too deep and blew up spectacularly with 2 to go.

What did I learn?

'Cross ain't like crits, you're not going to be able to do multiple races in one day and expect to finish well.
Tubulars rule, and have a spare pit bike (too bad my budget only supports spare wheels)

Little higher tire pressure maybe?

Also, why can't you put a spare wheelset in the pit?

Little higher tire pressure maybe?

Also, why can't you put a spare wheelset in the pit?

Oh, I will be. I've already shuffled wheels around on my various bicycles so that I'll have a spare set of wheels for 'cross.

I'm just saying it'd be more advantageous to have a pit bike.

1. Hit pit
2. Ditch busted ass bike for fresh bike
3. ........
4. Profit!

I don't know anyone outside the A's that have a pit bike.

Most just have a pit wheel, if that.

I know.

It was a misguided attempt at humor.

I know several B riders that have a pit bike. They're definitely in the minority, but if you can afford it there's no doubt it's a hell of a lot faster than changing a wheel, especially if you're likely to be in contention.

I do not fit that description by any stretch. The series races I've been doing have neutral wheel support so I take advantage of that (2 separate pits! 9- and 10-speed rears! w00t!)

Nice.

Did my first one this weekend as well. Report is on my blog - http://psimet.blogspot.com/2008/10/chicken-has-been-served.html

Photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/psimet/sets/72157608227504987/

We should have a sticky " Race Report" thread here...it's either that or I'm going to start like 3 threads every week.....;)

Nice.

Did my first one this weekend as well. Report is on my blog - http://psimet.blogspot.com/2008/10/chicken-has-been-served.html

Photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/psimet/sets/72157608227504987/

We should have a sticky " Race Report" thread here...it's either that or I'm going to start like 3 threads every week.....;)

You really need to learn how to do a running remount :D

Most A's have pit bikes because we've been racing cross long enough to have bought more than one bike. If you do use a pit bike, be sure to practice racing on it as well. NOTHING sucks worse than hopping on a bike that you're uncomfortable with in the middle of an already painful experience. In fact, I use my pit bike for my C, and some B races (meaning priority, not category). It really helps when I need to switch bikes in a race that I want to do well in such as Nationals.

Rest assured that when I do get a pit bike, it will be identical to my primary bike.

Yeah, I'm just that PRO.

:)

Rest assured that when I do get a pit bike, it will be identical to my primary bike.

Yeah, I'm just that PRO.

:)

That's the spirit! You're only as fast/good as you think you are. :D

If you really want to look pro, have a matching pair of bikes, and have a buddy on hand to switch and clean your bikes every other lap.

In the cat 4 race.

'Cross ain't like crits, you're not going to be able to do multiple races in one day and expect to finish well."Well" is relative. There are those old ******* hardmen who win the masters race as a warm-up to winning the cat 3 race. They almost surely could go faster still if they chose one of them.

You really need to learn how to do a running remount :D

HAHAHA...I know....I have been practicing them for a while and can do it fairly well, but it all fell apart during the race.

I lost a ton of time in remounts.....even though it wasn't as bad as the pictures make it out to have been.

HAHAHA...I know....I have been practicing them for a while and can do it fairly well, but it all fell apart during the race.As you related in your blog, it really is a shock how much it hurts when you first race cross. You lose your wits, you lose your confidence, and start doing really stupid crap. The skill to acquire as you move on in the season, is figuring out how deep you can get without completely blowing up.

It's sort of a matter of pride to remount correctly, even at slow speeds.

HAHAHA...I know....I have been practicing them for a while and can do it fairly well, but it all fell apart during the race.

I lost a ton of time in remounts.....even though it wasn't as bad as the pictures make it out to have been.

Once you're out of the barriers keep running until you're past all the guys trying to remount, you can pass a bunch of people this way.

Once you're out of the barriers keep running until you're past all the guys trying to remount, you can pass a bunch of people this way.

Exactly, because then even if you're a wobbly weaving disaster on your remount, you're blocking them from passing you back.

;-)

just did my first race. i don't think I dug deep enough and ended up having too much fun. finished 30 of 70 in the MC field. there was mud and it was a blast. Now onto making myself hurt more