CX?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by FTM on December 1, 2008 at 2:17pm

I'm 41, cat 3 and race SS Elite (1/2/3). With the exception of one race, I have finished in the top 5 (no first or fourth places yet). Our SS field usually starts 90 seconds - 2 minutes behind the men's 35+ 3/4 group and by the end of the race I usually have caught and passed all but the podium finishers of their field. I'm trying to get them to start the SS field first next year since trying to get through 35-40 people in the first half of the race can cause a lot of unnecessary issues.

Not sure if this is the info you are looking for.

Permalink Reply by Darkness Merkin on December 1, 2008 at 2:30pm

Do you mean to say that there are more than one designated SS classes in the races that you do? If so, how many people are in each class?

Permalink Reply by Darkness Merkin on December 1, 2008 at 2:29pm

Your question brings up one of my own. How many of you actually have a SS class in your area? Here in Portland, there are over 100 people in the designated SS every week. I did a race in Sacramento last year and they has a SS class too.

Permalink Reply by Booksy on December 1, 2008 at 3:40pm

Tennessee Bicycle Racing Assocation (TBRA) has a SS class, but I went to Louisville for the KY State Championships, part of the Ohio Valley Series and they had no SS class. It was relatively flat and muddy and I think the the SS put me at an advantage. I only saw one other single speed rider, though, it was strange...

Permalink Reply by Lillypad on December 1, 2008 at 3:30pm

I have no choice, there is no women's ss div's. there are times if i'm geared wrong for the course then I'm at a disadvantage....other times I think I have an advantage....lighter bike, less mech, forced to ride a harder gear, thus go faster (well if I don't fatigue.....) i've seen races in where when the fields are mixed some of the top placers are ss....
once you get the hang of it & know the course, you fig out where you need momentum, power, & take advtge of recoverying when you can, I don't think there's a diff if it's a classic cx course....my 5 cents worth

Permalink Reply by qcifer on December 1, 2008 at 3:33pm

I'm a 3, age 47. If it's a double race day I'll either do the M45's or P123 depending on how the event schedule works out. In a few geared races (Putney 2006) I've gone single in master races, it's fun but spinning out & losing places in flat sections gets old

In our region (eastern upstate NY) we've been adding singlespeed fields to NYCross series races since 2006. Singlespeeders of all categories go out with the P123 women and U19 men. We were starting everyone en masse until later in the season when we started sending out the singlespeeders 30 seconds ahead, a good move

Permalink Reply by FTM on December 1, 2008 at 4:25pm

There's the SS 1/2/3 and SS cat 4, they both have about 10 - 15 riders each, are usually run at different times and at the same times as other races. Last year there was just one SS category but it was split up in order to give people a chance to try it out without being blown away by the faster riders. I think it's working since the fields seem to be growing.

Permalink Reply by FTM on December 1, 2008 at 4:31pm

Lillypad, can't women race in the regular SS race? In NorCal and SoCal, women and men both race together. There aren't many women racing SS but maybe there would be if there was a separate women's SS race.