Cyclocross - CX and SSCX races and training

My take on all this is that riding SS in the mud (i.e. much of the season) is the way forward, with the only alternative being Howard's expensive option.

It's not expensive. It just costs more. But you get more.

I should have capitalised it... HowardsExpensiveOption[TM]

I know where you're coming from, and it's a good call. I'll probably be up for chipping in at some point. Not this weekend though, as I'm out of town.

Just sit back and dream of the mobi pressure washer

It's even more tempting when you (me) don't have a garden or outside space. Cleaning bikes in a flat gets old fast.

Oh I do have outside space I can clean the bike in - but it's public space :)

Schlepping it on the train gets old fast.

Mine's died.

That sucks :(

I got one of those 20 quid hand pump jobs. Is alright.

Skillz!

Fuck yeh!

I'm getting tempted to try out this Sram 1x10/11 business once this season is over. Will all this play together okay?

Rival 10 speed right shifter
S500 left lever
Wide/Narrow 38t chainring
Sram Type 2 mtb derailleur (recommendations?)
11-28t (32t) cassette and chain

Yes - although there's narrow wide rings specifically designed for 'cross now. With a 38 on the faster courses you might be under-geared.

Short cage X9 is a good balance of cost and weight.

Wilmington School round of the London League has been cancelled, unfortunately, due to unavailability of the venue.

Which is a shame as a) I like the course and b) I want to finish a race there without a race ending mechanical.

On the positive side, it means my season will end on the 4th of January.

I'm not racing at Hog Hill.
As Noddy said. "it's CHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTTTTMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSS"

and I've got some shelves to put up.

sh-elves

38x11 actually gives a bigger gear than my current two ring setup. I'm not much of a sprinter anyway so I'd rather have closer ratios at the top of the cassette.

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Today's London League round summed up in one word; ooff!

Very muddy, very windy and a tough and challenging course with little respite. I don't think I've run that much since school cross country.

This makes me very glad I was too lazy to get the bike ready yesterday.

How did you do?

I did ok. Beat some folks who were swapping bikes.

Got baulked 3 or 4 times on the opening lap as people crashed or halted in front of me. Gradually pulled 3 or 4 back and only had one rider (on a MTB wearing a t-shirt ffs) pass me.

Running was a wiser choice on a lot of the bottom half of the course, so I seemed to gain time there. Think I was top ten again, though hard to say where.

Good result from what sounds like a miserable course.

I had the right set up and tech, and I can run, so it worked well for me.

Added bonus: no mechanicals because nobody crashed in to me. I was getting bored of that