hustler

iTrader: (6)

That **** above is too much complaining, everything is fine and fun. First proper race is Thursday and its supposed to rain.

hustler

iTrader: (6)

Kind of want for CX:
https://www.podiumcycling.com/cyclin...FUKCMgodcS0A2Q

hustler

iTrader: (6)

Ultra important question:
Since I am going to be in the mud in CX, do I need to get some shitty bib shorts? Will me decent road shorts come clean even if they are mud-soaked?

Savington

iTrader: (31)

Please help, I got some of Trey's poo on me and now I have CX Ebola.

I own this now, don't tell my girlfriend

emilio700

iTrader: (3)

You will enjoy it. It's technical, suffering, beer, mud, catching air in the drops, more cowbell and over in less than an hour. Such win.

hustler

iTrader: (6)

When I do my first race on Thursday, do I need to pick a heart-rate and stick with it or what? I know I need to attempt to get out front at the start, but right now my cardio fitness is a huge limiting factor and I can't ride at 180bpm all the time.

Maybe I don't need you to answer that, time to brace my fitness reality of being the slowest dude out there. hehe

emilio700

iTrader: (3)

If dark yes. Anything white is hard to get white again. Mud CX tips:

Rider
-piece of carpet or something to stand on to change shoes/clothes outside of car
-plastic or folding chair
-trash bags for muddy clothes
-2.5g water just with side spigot. This will be your shower if there isn't something at the venue
-2nd set of dry clothes for the drive home if the first set gets muddy spectating or crewing for another racer
-Don't let mud on bike or clothes dry. Self serve car wash and low pressure rinse will get the worst off.
-rubber boots for traipsing through the mud with impunity

Bike
-WD40 helps keep mud from sticking to bike. Pam also works.
-Wet lube on change, lots of it.
-Make sure your brakes are tip top. They will be **** by the end of the race.
-If you have spare glasses and prefer to ride with them, have a crew member in the pits with spares. Otherwise start without glasses as they'll be covered in mud after a lap or two and you'll drop them trying to take them off.
-All manner of cycling embrocation ointments available to keep your bare skin warm during the race if its cold.
-cycling cap under the helmet earns style points and really keep head warm if cold. High-tech fabric skull cap more efficient (breathes) but not as as stylish

Pro tip for cars with four doors. Open both doors on one side. Spot behind front door makes a nice changing room if your vehicle is oriented away from the peeping masses. This is where that clean piece of carpet comes in handy.

hustler

iTrader: (6)

Thanks for the tips.

emilio700

iTrader: (3)

Not about HR. It's about running into the pain cave and meeting your alter ego. Focus on not blowing up. Pay close attention to how you're feeling and just hold steady throttle. When you're fit, you jump out of every turn for the whole race. When you are not fit you don't jump out of any turns but instead, focus on being smooth and holding as much momentum everywhere as possible. If you feel OK going into the last lap, try to slowly crack that throttle open that's been at 70% the whole race. You just hit the WOT stop entering the last turn and drain the tank across the line.

You think too much though. Just enjoy the race. Try not to crash.

EErockMiata

What's everyone using for road bike tires? I'm currently on a set of Michelin Lithion 1's that need to be replaced.

Another random question. Do you guys think I can put a 10 speed cassette on a wheelset that originally shipped with an 8? It's an older bontrager wheelset with a shimano style freehub. (circa 2004 or so).

TIA.

dcamp2

iTrader: (4)

What class are you racing? Yeah- try not to blow up. I've raced short track XC a few times and pacing myself was always my biggest problem. Take any beer hand-ups given early in the race- the crowd will love you for that.

I'm pretty sure you can do the cassette... might be best to physically check at a bike shop. 6-speed, 7-speed, 8-speed, 9-speed, 10-speed, 11-speed?

Not sure if it would be worth it though- replacing tires and everything on the bike to make it a 10 speed you could almost purchase an entirely new bike.

hustler

iTrader: (6)

Cat 5 bro, extremely slow. I will probably be the slowest dude out there. I got into this hobby so late in life that I really suffer doing anything with an elevated heart rate; my brain doesn't work above 175bpm or so.

emilio700

iTrader: (3)

Don't fret over the late start. I began cycling as an adult when I was 28. I rode bmx as a kid but gave it up at 14 because I thought I was too old to be on a bike. Those years 14-28 that I missed are one of the few regrets I have. I went on to win a few races.

The fitness will come. To me, half the reward is how difficult it is to gain that fitness. If it were easy, it wouldn't mean as much. If never stops hurting, you just go faster. Once you get a little fitness, know that riders near your speed are hurting too. Don't for a second think you are suffering any more than the guys at the front. They recover faster after the race to make it seem like they weren't working as hard. Not so. I assure you, they were cross-eyed and slobbering just like you.

10s cassette will not fit on an 8s freehub body but 9s will.

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

Broke my damn toe.



got about 60 days to heal before ski seaon. Damn it.

Also, yeah my feet are gross, what did you expect?

dcamp2

iTrader: (4)

Don't worry about it... if it's your first race, who cares how you finish?

Just drink all the beer handups, then you have an excuse to finish poorly.

Savington

iTrader: (31)

I'll just leave this here:

Bike Ride Profile | 253 kilometers near Ponferrada | Times and Records | Strava

momotaro

pretty sure you can run 10s cassette on 8s wheels. 11s is a different story.

What do you need the tires for? Just regular riding, or racing? For regular riding I have had pretty good luck with any tire from any of the major companies: just buy what is on sale. The conti GP's wear really well though. Don't ask me about riding in the rain, cause I don't do that shti anymore.

momotaro

Always more entertaining when an aggressive move wins the race. Chapeau.

emilio700

iTrader: (3)

I like Dotsie Bausch's comment: something like "He is too young and inexperienced to know that move would never work." Indeed. Awesome race. Besides the attack on the last climb that barely opened a few seconds, that descent in the wet was madness. True hero riding.

momotaro

Exactly. Attacks like Kwiat's is what makes cycling beautiful. Otherwise Races like San Remo end in a sprint, HC climbs are only decided in the last km. How boring.

Celebrate the brave. Radios are worse than the drugs, at least for spectators, but don't get me started on drugs.

Does not matter if you are protour or Fred cat 6: Attack. When you get caught, attack again. When you are about to die, attack again. Overcome your self doubt and kill your opponents, or die trying. This is the what makes cycling magnificent.