Standalone Farm - Central League

Senecio [Daniel D]

I had the luxury of racing in my home town today. Hitchin Nomads promoted the final race in the Central CX League at Standalone Farm in Letchworth.

I was a bit disappointed when I saw that the whole race was contained in a single 'boring field', however the course was cleverly laid out and the ground conditions were challenging (from swamp to slick mud and even some grass could be found in places). So a gruelling race as there was no let up; however I really enjoyed it. (Despite a lot of tight corners).

Many thanks to a crucial pit crew; you guys did a great job. Thank you.

Tim Fisher was riding his first CX race. His large mountain bike tyres loved the mud so much they didn't want to let go of any. He had to keep stopping to pull it off! Also riding his first race was Theo Brignall; a tough first event. Dave Hadlsey was riding in the right shirt at last, so that was great.

Not sure who else was racing. I did see Sophie in the closing stages of her race and she was looking strong and in control. Nice.

Ipswich and the familiar Eastern League next week...

dhadsley

Riders starting off their bikes and running from the start, unhooking of brake cables as they were only getting in the way and you didn't need them, half lap changes (thanks guys). Boring field it was but very, very heavy going.

Gilgamesh

For myself (Tim F see above), a retro 26er Mountain bike with 2.1 "mud tyres" was an absolute disaster. I've got to laugh, as I did at the time, as I managed only two laps.

The most difficult part of the course for me was fairly close to the timing tent, both before and afterwards, which brought with it too much grass. Get-off and run, I suspect was the antidote to this quagmire.

In the pit lane I removed my rear V brake pads, not being able to remove the whole assembly. The rear wheel had ceased to turn on it's Axel, which was slowing me down to put it mildly; actually it ceased to turn.

However, I'm not entirely sure I picked up much speed afterwards and a number of trackside would-be photographers vicariously and on more than one occasion, enjoyed the spectacle of my front brake assembly looking like it had grown a profusion of straw and mud, sprouting left and right, an effigy of Worzal Gummidge no less, up & out from the from forks, but the main issue was the upper-rear stays which at times were so blocked with drying straw / grass and mud, that it frequently stopped the wheel turning in the frame.

Chequered flag: this then ceased any further spinning sessions in the mire, that’s half the problem; if you have no forward momentum, and I was barely moving forward at times, allied to 2.1 mtn bike (supposed) mud tyres, then any effort through the pedals equals a spin-fest and little progress. My eye glasses were perpetually misted up, so slowly was I going. Thankfully I was spared my Garmin telling me, “Pause”, which would have annoyed me as I had turned it off.

Back in the pit lane, a number of CCA riders picked up my bike, one comment summing up a pervasive issue with collecting half the field’s cut grass, “I’ve never picked up a heavier bike”.

If we had it bad, then the next race, the 1 hour riders in what can only be described as reminiscent of The Somme, so cut-up was it.