Pack Fodder

Greetings Readers!

It’s never too early to start thinking about next year right? Awhile back I was in Bills shop (Cyclepath) and I was fondling these wheels, Easton’s EC90 SLX. Oh MAMA, sick ass light! 1175 grams of pure tubular wheel lust I tell ya. Those rims! So smooth, I caressed them like an object of my desire and all I could think about was how I’d love to put them on my road bike. I mean they couldn’t be tough enough for cross right?

Fast forward to today, as I’m talking to Dev and were geeking out over next years wheel purchases I mention the aforementioned EC90 SLX, so out of curiosity I did some digging and to my delight I got ahold of a rather prominant crosser who’s got a firm grip of my complete respect. I emailed him and within an hour I had his take on my object of desire for next year.

First, a pic of his bike and my coveted wheels of choice:

I’ve been through this before, I wrestled with buying my Dugast Rhino’s for about 6 months before pulling the trigger. this is even worse….

Anyway, here’s the response I got from my senior (in ability, not age) crosser:

“They’ve been really good. I’m very surprised at how tough the rims are, I rode almost half a lap with a flat at the Velo Bella Surf City race and the rim was unharmed. I’ve been running my tires at 24-25 lbs so the rims totally hit during the race most races: that’s what has killed a bunch of Zipp wheels for me a couple years ago. These seem to take it really well.

Get ‘em if you can, they’re sick!”

Great, a raving review from someone who knows how to race and beats his equipment. Now I’ve confirmation that those sick tubbies I thought merely road worthy have been battle tested and are ripe for CX too. Wow, this helps me not….. Now I’ll have these wheels rolling around in my head, just begging for a set of Fresh Grifo’sFango’s and to prop up my Zank. Ho’ man, I’m cheap too. Except for my cross bikes that is, I’ll throw dough at my crossers without a second thought, I’ll spend it like I got it: and I don’t. Racing is all that and then some. Makes you feel alive yo’. Granted, there not Deep, at 25mm there as deep as my current tubular rims. But man, that weight! Besides, I could rock these wheels much easier than some Deep Tubular Carbon rims, and I wouldn’t use them for the slop, I’ve got my CK/Rhino’s for that. I dunno, one thing is for sure: I’m going to stew on it for awhile. I love my EA70X wheels from Easton and I’m sure these would prove just as worthy of my affection. However, I’m terrified of carbon rims in cross, so there’s that. I’m in turmoil, turmoil I tell ya…..

Cheers!

Greetings Readers!

I found this one on OregonVelo. No, I’m not trying to pass a kidney stone, that’s the face of the pain cave trying to pedal through za mud.

Funny huh?

Cheers!

Greetings Readers!  

After having been sidelined the last two races in a row trying to kick the crud I was less than optimistic about my return to racing. Although I’m feeling better, I’ve been off the bike for weeks and my fitness is squat. While driving to the venue, my wife looked at me and said: “just have fun, this is what you love you do” Ok, easier said than done. I’m no where near where I was physically at the start of the season, and I don’t know if I told you but I hate to suck.

To make matters worse Dev was racing the Master’s B and issued a challenge to me to race with him, there was no way I was going up to the B’s. Not yet anyway. I’m glad I didn’t as judging by my time of 50:11, I would have finished damn near last in the B’s, which would have ruined my fragile psyche. I needed to make the front half of the race today to feel good about my season. I got to the course early enough to preride and to my disappointment this venue tailored right to my weaknesses. Totally flat, lots of super fast flat sections where guys like Speedy and my friend Ken could use there power. Plus, we had to go through this horse arena. It was super deep with mud (horse crap) and I didn’t see anyone able to ride it. “Crap, lots of running too” I thought to myself, as that’s my other weakness, I’m just not a good runner. My courses are tight and technical, muddy and challenging. That’s where I do well. Can’t match the fast guys with powa yo’. As Dev would say; “I need mo Powa”

So with the new lottery, 47 guys got called up. I was lucky and my third digit was 7. I was the first wave after the call ups, so there was only around 55 guys in front of me. Could have been much worse. I was relaxed and calm at the start, telling myself to just have fun and enjoy racing the course, let go of your ambition Jim….. The gun went off and I just stayed on the gas and tried not to lose any ground, we had a nasty pile up and some poor guy went down, hard. By the time the 1^st lap was coming to a close and we were heading into the arena I told myself that I was going to attempt to ride it. What do I got to lose? It’d sure beat running. Lots of guys tried, but for the 4 laps I went through that arena with all the guys around me: No One was able to ride it, Except for me. (pat myself on the back here) Oh most tried, but halfway through there was the section that was dried clay like deep mud & poop which broke every one and forced them to run. I too would stumble there, on the 2^nd lap and have to run. I did ride it though, for 3 of the 4 laps.

So this would be my calling card, I wasn’t going to place well, but I would conquer the mud pit in the arena and ride where most guys couldn’t. At least in my class anyway, I know the Elite’s went thru it like it was nuthin’. There was a set of bleachers and the crowd would erupt each time I made it past the breakpoint, screaming “Ride it! Ride it!” which would fuel my desire even more to get out of the arena rubber side down.

I had a ball as that was a challenge indeed. I felt like a damn warrior each time I made it out of the arena with my feet still clipped in and pedaling. That was fun!

By the time the race was over I lost around 20 spots, unable to hang on the fast flat sections were guys went by me for most the race. In the end, I finished 74^th out of 147. I just missed the front half of the race by 1%. I did however; beat Hinkley for the 1^st time. Jim has whupped my butt for two seasons…..

All in all is was a great day of racing and I got to hang around and watch Dev in the B’s plus a few other races with great sunny weather. I had fun: and isn’t that what cross is supposed to be? Fun?  

Relaxed and contemplating at the start.

Were off!

the mound of stall clean up….

A couple pics of my pal Speedy (in the blue jersey) running the slop in the arena

Jammed up and avoiding a big hole concealed buy the mud, I managed to save it and stay upright

I’ve righted the ship and I’m determined to ride on..

on the other side of the arena, still pedaling!

Through the barns..

Running the barriers..

Speedy and I, tellin each other how it went down…

My Bike.

Cheers!

Greetings Readers!

I’ve been sick, again. Can’t seem to shake this bug, tomorrow is the SSCXWC08. I’m nervous. I won’t be racing the SSCXWC race cuz no way I can hang with those guys, but I will be racing my race. I haven’t really been on the bike since Astoria trying to get well. I’m gonna give’r a go tomorrow, but I’m nervous……

I damn near bought a Felt Breed today, damn near. I test rode a 51cm and loved it. I’m hankering for a SS CX. Iffin my pal Tim would have manned up and put the plastic down, I would have followed suit. Sweet bike for a stock SS, another level over the San Jose and the Singlecross IMHO. I think racin’ cross with a SS would be fun as hell. I love my Langster. Anyway, did I say that I’m nervous?

Race Report tomorrow…….

I’m nervous, hope I can manage a 45 min output and don’t stink it up too bad. I sure wish I had me sum teammates out there…….

Cheers!

Greetings Readers!

Ok, so I’ve always had a real soft spot for Lobsters, I’ve lusted after them for years….. Paul really knows what he’s doing when it comes to building cross frames, and this beauty is no exception.

I had to post it! Click on it to get a larger view.

I think this pics was circa 2006, so it’s a few years old but oh! Is it pimp! lets go over the little details shall we?

1st) there’s the CUSTOM Michy Green Mud treads put on those soft as a baby’s ass Dugast Casings. Yikes, there’s some monies in those tubbies….. I’d kill for a pair!

2nd) the drive side chain stay has been crimped to accomodate the double chain guards on the single ring crankset, a subtle touch that’s really sweet. No need for a third eye here.

3rd) there’s no cable routing for a front derailleur, this baby’s single only, and the rear brake and derailleur cable stops are mounted on the side of the top tube, again sweet!

4th) Custom Scandium tubing tuned just for you…..

Is that bike hawt or what?

Wonder if Paul would build one for Devin, Marcelo, and I? You know, just for kicks……..

Cheers!

Greetings Readers!

I found this one from OrVelo, and since I’ve gotten so much response about my socks…….

Those little red spots are skull and crossbones. Too bad my socks got more attention than my racing did…….. But whatever, Tonkin I’m not.

Cheers!

Greetings Readers,

What a day it was today. I gave and gave and gave. I dug deep. So deep in fact that I was dizzy, light headed, nocuous, sick, and generally thought I was going to die. In fact, I was so wiped that I had to go to the car during the B/SS race and lay down. That course really beat the shit out of me. But, I’m getting ahead of myself.

I kinda felt it this morning, well what I mean to say is: I didn’t feel it. My wife looked at me prior to the start and said “what’s wrong?” I looked at her and said, “I’ve no legs” meaning; they were heavy and tired and I had prerode the course and knew what was in store for me. Mostly, some very choppy meadows with no good lines and lots of speed killing holes and bumps. Hard I fought, but I could just not get anything going in those meadows. Plus, they were not only killin’ my back, but my kidneys too. My friggin kidneys hurt the rest of the day. There was a nasty climb right after the Mac’s 6 pak barriers to add to our pain.

There were positives today: no mechanicals, no flats, no crashes. I prolly had the tubbies a little too hard though, we had a lot of pavement and paved transitions, and I didn’t want to run too soft and have the tires get squirrely on me, I wanted to be able to corner on the pavement, I paid for that decision in the meadows.  That was a battle, not only with my fellow racers, or the course, but with my own head. I wanted to pack it in and was questioning why the hell I was out there. My heart won out and I kept digging, kept putting the pressure on. I didn’t realize that I wasn’t having that bad of a race; I saw the preliminaries and the video my wife shot. I thought I had stunk it up good.

We’ve this new lottery staging, and being that my last digit was 7, I had 7rows of riders in front of me, I was row 8, rows 9 and 10 behind me,  Plus the 28 guys that got called up. I had a monumental task ahead of me. I don’t know how many guys were in front of me, we had 80 something in the race so prolly 60 to 65 between me and glory. I stayed calm at the start and told myself I was gonna real some guys in and make up some ground. On that 1^st lap I was very aggressive and was fighting for lines, wrestling for position, diving to the inside of corners, I had to put the elbow out more than once, that’s racing. I think I made most of my gains on that 1^st lap as by lap 3 my kidneys and back were killin’ me.

I didn’t know who guys were, most were in costume and I was just racing guys. Had I known who they really were and how close I was to them I’d have gave even more. Some guys I know by face, some by number, some I have talked to a bit. I was in a group of guys who normally finish in the top ten. Ken Pace, who finished 8^th yesterday finished right in front me. Had I had another 100 yards I might have caught him. Ken Pace is a far faster rider than I am. Course Ken raced yesterday; maybe he was having a bad day. Hinkley was a few riders in front of me as well; I’m getting closer to Jim and one of these days…….

Preliminary results had me finishing in 43^rd, not bad given where I started. It’s no top 20, but that will be a tall order for me to fill this year given the lottery and how many guys are in front of me. I wish Devin had raced today: it would have been nice to have a teammate out there.

Not sure what my goals are for the remainder of this season? I’ve not enough ponies to make up the deficit the lottery presents me. I need a top 18 to get points and with no points, the lottery and bad starting position.  I’m in a lose/lose position. So, having said that; I’ll continue to chase the guys who are  in front of me, use them as a carrot, and continue to get race experience and savy. This was our last dry race, next weekend Barton will be rainy and challenging. Who know’s? maybe lady luck will role my way, stranger things have happened……… I’m a good bike handler, sloppy conditions don’t hinder me, they help me. Maybe the mud will present me with some options that haven’t existed so far this season.

The Course:

The start shute took us through a right hander that lead down our only descent. This was where I would real in my group after getting dropped each lap. I can bomb with the best of them yo’. Anyway 1st super choppy meadow ensues, a right hander followed by a few lefts and then a very short steep climb ensues. Gravel road heading into two barriers and onto the highway. Paved uphill road race that turned into a very steep short climb, the field got busted up on this one. We went up a paved section around a tree and headed back down towards the road again, swung left and came around to the finish line. Then more pavement and a right hander into an arena with a dirt floor. Out of the arena and into meadow, choppy suck meadow. This section took us through a little ramp and what I called the gauntlet, lots of fans screaming and watching us jump the ramp. The course curved around a building and took us down a short off camber section that started the climb up to the Mac’s 6 pak. This was a tough section as the approach to the barriers was uphill, followed by the barriers, and then more choppy suck meadow that rose steeply into a big climb. It was hard to remount with any momentum going into the climb. This blew the field. We then descended through teeth rattling meadow and went into some animal stalls, we zig zagged through several of them before heading back into the dirt floor arena, which took us out to the area we started from.

I’m sure there were racers who liked this course, I wasn’t one of them. I’m not however going to beat myself up over my placing. Lots of guys struggled today and I hung with a group of riders much faster than me. Given where I was staged it could have been much worse.

At least I didn’t have this guys day: Doh!

The steep short climb right after the highway.

coming around the barn…

another barn….

Top of the suck meadow…

Coming down….

The gauntlet…

Cheers!

Greetings Readers!

Results are up and it would appear that the preliminary results were accurate (at least in my case) 48^th out of 126 riders. 38 percentile.

I did however make up some ground and I beat a few guys who got called up to the top 28 at the start. One guy sticks out in my mind: an Organic Athlete rider that fought me like a true warrior the whole race. Respect to you dude.

He started in the 2^nd row, and I in the 4^th. I’ve read other blogs (including Devin’s) and the memory retention is amazing. Hell I can’t recall a race like that. Most of the race is a blur for me, a few things stand out, but most of it is intense focus and survival mode. Anyway, I watched the film and this rider really battled with me and we see sawed back and forth the whole race, finally on the last lap I took him at the top of the climb and absolutely blurred my vision on the descent. I didn’t see him again, I think he finished 52^nd.

So, I did have a positive today. I battled a faster, younger rider, and I beat him fair and square with a 2 row disadvantage. I believe I beat a few other guys who got called up also after reviewing the film. Unfortunately, about 12 guys who started behind me, beat me. So there’s that. L

I had me a good race, and I HURT today more than I ever have after a cross race. We really had some climbs yesterday and the legs are sore as hell!

Damn I love Cross……..

Cheers!

Greetings Readers,

Today was Rainier, a new venue last year (which I missed) and a new one for me this year. I tried to be prepared, and brought my two bikes, and three sets of wheels. What I didn’t bring was a double chainring, ugh.

I was trying to get myself organized when I heard the announcer say “this is the most elevation gain of any Crusade race we’ve had” Uh, what? “what chu talkin’ bout Willis?”

Think Hornings Hideout, with way more climbing and one really tough quad breaker that went from the bottom to the top of the course. I tried to stay calm, and rode around trying to get a good look at the course. Our races are so close together that if you don’t get there early before the beginners race it’s hard to pre ride. Anyway, the course was dry and grassy, with a really bumpy back section that was mixed with a barrier and a bridge, this was my slowest area of the course. The Mac’s 6 pack was back with lots of grassy corners and a serious downhill section where I’m sure we were doing 30mph. There was some nice singletrack and it really was a fun course, despite the nasty elevation gain. There were a lot of sections with really tight grassy corners where it was damn fun to race while carrying some speed. I had fun nippin’ guys on the inside of those tight corners. Guys on SingleSpeeds earned it today for sure. Props to them, those guys were Killin’ it.

We’ve a new system for starts: I let Brad Ross explain it:

OK here’s the scoop.  After much tribulation, we have decided what we’re gonna do about staging each race.  I’m not not even sure if I understand how it will work, but here we go.

First, there will be a random number drawing from 0-9 first thing in th morning.  That draw will be posted at registration.  The last digit in your race number will correlate to the number draw.  For example, if the first number that gets pulled is 7 and your race number is 547 then you will be in the first group to be called up.

Second, the start chute will be closed off.  It will not do you any good to get there 1/2 hour before your race starts, you won’t be able to line up.

Third, 10 minutes before your race is scheduled to start, I will call to the line all riders who currently have points in the series (about 25 people).  After that, I will call the numbers up in order of the mornings random draw.

One consolation for the group that gets the last draw is that will be the weeks beer number.  The least we can do.

It’ll probably be a bit confusing this first week, but that’s how we’re gonna do it.  Any complaints can be directed to your new vice president whoever he/she may be.  Stop with the smack, I grew up in Alaska.

Also, there will be two start chutes.  We will line up one category next to the other.  i.e. Single speed/B.

Onto a new topic.  The Rainier H.S. booster club is going to charge $5 per vehicle parking.  This $ goes directly to scholarships and doesn’t have anything to do with the permit fee the Cross Crusade pays to Rainier School Dist.  Cmon, quit bitching, it’s less than a tube.

Last piece of business.  Rainier H.S. is as you might expect, a no alcohol venue.  For this reason, I won’t be bringing last weeks prizelist.  I will be bringing ALL of the beer to Astoria for the Halloween weekend.  Sorry.

After a public urination scandal at Villebois last weekend, Team Beer has rented their own personal porta potty.  Pretty good idea actually.  They will probably except bribes.

I want to extend a huge thanks to Guy Smith for all the work he has put in to making this race happen.  Rainier is probably one of the best cross courses any of us will ever race on.  Oh by the way, for all y’all that have been complaining about too few barriers, the McTarnahans Six Pack will be back this weekend.

Brad Ross

Race Director

Being that I missed Alpenrose and only managed 30^th last week I have no points. There would be no call up for me. I was suspect to the lottery. Keep in mind that I’m Fodder, a fringe rider, usually I’ll drop somewhere around a dozen spots from where I start from, which means that If I don’t get up front I’ve not much chance at getting a good placing. I’d like to GAIN a dozen spots each week from where I start, but whatever. I’d also like a top ten, but again, whatever. What can I say; the top 20 guys are usually faster than me. I can have a good race and break the top 20, but I’m not gonna do it starting 35 guys down. I crossed my fingers and walked up to registration. This was a hilly bugger, not my strength by any means and I was gonna push a 42tooth chainring the whole way. If the lottery frowns on me I could have a really tough day, I could easily see myself ending up at the back of the race. With the new lottery system I think I can say goodbye to a top 20 finish for a goal this year. Why? We had 28 guys with points in the series today. So 28 guys were called up, then the lottery went off and by some cross grace my last digit was called 1^st. There would only be around 35 guys ahead of me at the start. Could have been much worse. Next week, I may be at the back. Were talkin’ about a field size of 130 guys people. I wish I could say that I’ll just have to dig deeper and bring in some points, but the truth is: I gave my freakin’ all today out there, which is a trademark for me, I give. I could not even stand much less walk for at least a good 10 mins after the finish. So, it’s not like I can just give more to crack that top 20.

I’ve not been however: my usual stressed out self at the starts lately, I’m liking that. I’m calm and confident that I’m gonna give, regardless of the adversary. There’s lots of fringe riders just like me that are gonna have to deal with the same lottery so shut up and just give Jim.  Get some cheese out if your gonna whine. Show up and give’r yo’.

All n all, it was a good race:

·         I didn’t crash, always a good thing.

·         I didn’t have any mechanicals

·         I didn’t flat

·         I gave it all I had and then some.

So, I had me a good race. J And I feel good about it despite my 48^th preliminary placing. Which is around the top 38% of the field. Not my hopeful top 25% but hey, did I say the course was hilly?

Chaos at the start…

For once, I had my tubbie pressure dialed, I was railing the corners today…..

Mac’s 6 pak was back….

There was gobs of this today: standing, out of the saddle, Climbing.

Runnin’ after the barrier and bridge, we had to run aways as it was too bumpy to remount here

The Start of a very long climb…..

I’ll check the results tomorrow to see where I actually placed. Till then..

Cheers!

Greetings Readers…

Being a self admitted tubular tire addict and cross junkie, (yes I have a tire problem) I had to post Za Rhino’s.

Would you look at the size of those knobs?

I struggled with these beauties for quite some time, trying to justify my Master C racin’ slow old arsk needing a set of mudders. You can see that post HERE. Anyway, after finally getting my wheels rebuilt I got them glued on and they’ve cured.

As any crosser worth there salt knows… there is no better performance upgrade that gives you bang for buck more than a set of tubulars. No matter how you slice it, tubulars rule. Even though I’ve had problems with my Grifos bleeding air, there is no denying the speed, control, and traction that tubulars provide. Sure, I’ll hear the tubeless debates, sorry, no matter how low your clincher can go in psi, the sidewall of a clincher vs the casing of the tubular is night and day. Cotton vs Rubber, nuff said. Anyway, off my high horse. I had my old pretty in pink CK hubs rebuilt with Sapim Laser spokes, brass nipples, and 25mm niobium alloy rims. I really dig these rims, I’ve three wheelsets with these rims. Deep enough, but not too deep, and plenty pretty on the eyes. There just isn’t much in the way of tubular rims available in that depth without going carbon. I’m not quite ready for some Zipp 303 pave’s. (Maybe when I start killin it in the B’s, Doh!)

I was in the garage over several nights glueing these babys up. 1st night, aquaseal and stretching. 2nd night, 3 coats on rims, 2 on base tape. 3rd night, another coat on rims and base tape, then mount. I’ve now glued up all three of my tubbies. It’s sort of a right of passage, gluing your own tubes. Sort of this white underbelly of cross thing that somehow makes you appreciate more the nuances of the sport. But then again, I have a tire problem, so there’s that. If I’m hanging out in my garage freezing my ass off gluing tubulars, and it makes me feel (in some twisted way) more like a crosser, what’s wrong with that? I think between Devin and myself, we’ll be able to handle the tubbie gluing needs of our soon to be team.

Front wheel, Back wheel, and as a couple.

Bring on the Mud! Ain’t scared. Just sayin’

I race two bikes, I luv them both and I like having the ti bike for the all out pig slop. My 1st set of tubbies was a pair of Flexus, which is my favorite dry (think krugers dirt crits) tire. I’ve also a set of Grifos on my Zank, and now these for the mud.

Next year I’ll be adding two more tubular wheelsets with these….

yup, that’s a matching pair of Grifos and Fangos. I took a closer pic of the treads:

They sure dress up the counter top, I wonder if my wife would let me keep them there?

In looking at the size of the tread blocks on the Fangos, I’m guessing that they’ll reside somewhere tween’ the Grifos and Rhinos. With the Rhinos taking the all out USGP type slop we get in Portland. I dunno, I haven’t rode the Fangos yet, so’s I’m just speculating. Once I’ve raced them both in similar conditions I can give you a difinative, that’s another post……

So, next season I’ll have both my bikes and 5 wheelsets between them, a set of Grifos for each, a set of Flexus, and both Fangos and Rhinos for the mud. Did I say I had a tire problem? Now, what wheelset am I gonna put these on………..

Cheers!