4130gibson@sbcg

I was taken out by a hotshot on the first lap today... maybe he didn't pre-ride the course [?], but this genius hurries up to pass me on a short straight with a really slick left turn at the end. Okay, take the lead, it's the first lap, and we're still near the front of the B class, right? So he goes into the turn a little hot, and I'm thinking this guy must be a good bike handler to pull this off. Yikes, he immediately dumps it right in front of me, I change my line somehow and think "whew, close call" but wait, he kicks his bike away from him which of course lodges in my front wheel, sending me instantly on my face! now we're both wallowing in the mud , people are running around us, and his @##@ bike is jammed in my front wheel!! I realize that's racing, but geez, the rest of the race I tried to work through the field, and ultimately it was a disappointing, and painful outcome.
Guess I just had to get that off my chest. But the moral is sure, pass if you can, but not if doing so is going to have you riding way over your head, you're a danger to yourself...and others!
To add insult to injury on the way home I noticed my new computer is also MIA! Crap.

xccx

this, my friend, is racing. sometimes ppl play dumb, sometimes they play dirty, but that's how it goes.

when the race is on ppl take chances, especially in corners, and it doesn't always work out. i'm not saying what he did was right, esp. the bike kicking thing,...i'm just saying it happens.

jfmckenna

Did he kick his bike after the dust settled like in anger? Or was he just trying to get away from the bike so he didn't get mangled by it? Big difference. Just remember any one at any time has the right to try and pass you. There are techniques you can use to make it harder for people to pass.

I lost a computer one in my first year of cross racing. It's probably not a good idea to use one unless there are some super strong mounts I am not aware of.

drumbum

Yeah, I guess it would depend on whether he kicked in it obvious frustration or if he felt it was the quickest way to get the bike off of him. It it's the latter, not much you can do about it

I thought for a minute this post was going to be about me passing you on your 3rd or so lap (see video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r492kj6Yhhs). Sorry for that, just saw the finish line and kinda got possessed!

crossthreaded

First, it wasn't me, I was in the C race. Was this the muddy off camber left at the end of the straight after coming out of the woods?
I guess you can mark it down to his inexperienced unbridled enthusiasm. It's a shame when that ruins someone else's race. It happen once at the Fields when we had 5 inches of snow. This guy in a skateboard/bmx helmet made a banzai move just as our group was entering the turn to descend next to the road. The resulting header/barrel roll whiteout took down a few guys along with me washing out through the 'police' tape and akwardly steering over the curb into the road, dropping my chain. I wasn't happy, but it was a race and we just get on with it. A shame you lost some equipment too. I take it the guy never tried to apologize either.
How'd you like the lumpy steep off camber left sweeper down into the valley? Trumps the Willoughby hill of despair, I think.

comradehoser

here's another question about etiquette that's really a threadjack, but I'll try to make it relevant:

how beholden are we as racers to stay within the tape? Obviously, when you lose control, fine, and cutting a straight line through switchbacks is not cool, but say I was rider #3 coming into above said pile-up--would I be justified in going out of the tape to avoid it if it blocked up the lane? Similarly, what about obstacle bottlenecks, like a narrow run-up?

drumbum

No, DON'T pass outside the tape unless for some reason you've had an accident outside of it. If there's a bottleneck blocking all the tape, find a way through it. Thats what makes cross the mayhem that it is

Granted, the above statement is assuming there is actual tape marking the course. If it's just flags, I don't see a problem with riding to the right of the flags rather than the left--just stay as close as possible, and of course, only deviate in extreme circumstances.

4130gibson@sbcg

Yeah the off camber down hill was awesome! the Willoughby hill was longer, but the descent was easy; just stay off the brakes and fly straight down... this was a better test, as I saw many A and B riders fall on that section!
In retrospect I don't know if the guy was trying to get away from his bike or was just p*ssed, but that is racing, as they say. I'm new to cross, but raced road Cat. 3 in 1986,87, and mtn. bikes 85 till 91, so it's been a long while, but I still have a fair idea what's what.
I would have apologized if it was the other way around. I've put a few close passes in myself, just was in control enough or lucky enough not to dump it right in front of my adversary.
Anywho there's always the next one.... too bad I can't get out of work Sat. for round 2, but i hear the course will be different.

drumbum

crossthreaded and 4130, have fun tomorrow! I'm not going to be able to make it up this weekend because I've had a 104° temperature for the last 24 hours. Be sure to post a race report afterwards!

4130gibson@sbcg

Drumbum, Sorry to hear that. I have to work on Saturdays, was very lucky to get off for the Willoughby race. Guess it's up to you Crossthreaded! Best of luck, have fun! 4130.

drumbum

Fate's playing with me--my fever has been down since I posted last, but since I missed work over the last two days I have to make it up rather than race! Arg.

Best of luck crossthreaded!

crossthreaded

Sorry 'bout your bout with a fever. The weather wouldn't have been kind to you in that condition. There was a brisk cold breeze today. All of the grassy areas were covered with a little over an inch of snow. The east upper field going west to the log by the gravel parking lot was VERY soggy, I felt like I was towing another racer on a heavy chain through it. The trail was crusty frozen before the Bs got to it and then it was greasy mud. Last week's long run-up was a downhill to the road. We did the downhill gravel-bridge-uphill gravel to the southern fields. The course was basically run backwards with a few added/deleted parts. All of the bikes were caked with icy mud. Shifting and braking were compromised. Needless to say I was caught out by this when I was making a move into the sloppy turn at the fence corner on the south field. The deep grooves and iffy brakes had me straight line the turn into the tall bushes but I stayed upright and removed myself from all the broken branches and debris. More work at hand. I managed to pull myself up to 6th on the road up to the east field and then 5th on the soggy trip to the log, which by the way, most could ride/hop over. I managed it the first time, fell victim to the developing rut/crater the second time and dismounted/jumped the last time. So another top 5 result Hope you get well. Next week: the farm...

drumbum

Nice race and nice race report! Sounds like a true cross race, aka, miserable

What can we expect at the farm?!

4130gibson@sbcg

Congrats, Crossthreaded! Good job in difficult conditions... another friend of mine called me this PM and also referred to the icing of the drivetrain, only had lowest 2 or 3 gears, no front derailleur shifting, but on a plus side he said his new Michelin Mud tires performed great, and had no muck buildup. He finished in the midlle of the B field, not sure of his exact position ... wish I could have been there. Ah well, next week I plan on being at "the farm" Look me up, I ride a black redline conquest pro, usually sport a red jersey and yellow/black helmet.
See ya there! Bill

crossthreaded

Expect mud, lots of it!

4130gibson@sbcg

Mmmmmud! I can almost taste it now! Hope I see ya there, guys!

crossthreaded

4130 & Drumbum, I think we're the only 3 crossers on this site that are doing the BA series. Next weird thing is we all race on Redlines! Mine is blue & white.
I'm thinking of running off some flyers with this site's name so we can get some more input & threads going. What do you think?
Hope be at the farm Sunday, see yunz there.

drumbum

Oh, ha ha. Steelers struggle to win 3 - 0 and you suddenly think you can talk like us.....

Yeah, flyers would be cool. Would be nice to turn this into a little venue with some more race reports and photos. I've been bringing my horn to the last coupla races...would be fun to organize a horn battle with someone else!

What's the farm like besides muddy? Any hills?

4130gibson@sbcg

Sorry, it's gonna be a first for me too! Guess that's part of the fun.

Cyclist01012

Ive done a few of the BA series C field bianchi axis Orrville kit.

crossthreaded

Hey Drumdum, here's some stats:
Born in Rochester
Raised in Aliquippa can you say Mike Ditka? Doc Medich? (Hopewell, remember T. Dorsett?)
Attended California State U....Vulcans
Do you even remember the bridge to nowhere?
So I don't care what yunz say!

We coulda had a cx race at Heinz field Monday!

The farm, Mostly lilting dirt farm field roads and some tight single track thru a patch of woods, also a wider wooded trail, some gravel, maybe some tarmac--depends on how they set the course up, deep puddles and mud. Once they set up the barriers right before a "pig stye" One year we had about 4 inches of snow

I made some bookmarker flyers for this site.

drumbum

You win, you win. And I claim to be a yinzer having only lived here 5 years...

4130gibson@sbcg

Welcome Milice.Heck, with all you C guys, I'm entertaining the idea of dropping back in with you guys, but I'm more worried about getting caught (again) by somebody who started a minute behind me! Arrgh!!
Well, I hope my tires will be better suited to the conditions this weekend, as the Bontrager CXR's packed up about 10# of mud each!! Michelin Mud 2 should help, I hear. See ya there, guys!
4130 cromoly (Bill)