I’m thinking my next thing to work on is definitely going to be trying to improve the technical skills and get a bit more smooth. I think I’m a bit inefficient with my power delivery. Kind of seems to me like I’m putting down power in the wrong spots to just slam on the brakes when I get to the next corner. If I got smoother I could probably go faster with less power. It’s just so hard to practice, I’m thinking I really need to back it down to maybe 95% during the races so that I can work on this. It’s just so hard to concentrate on the skills mid race. I get carried away with trying to close everything down on the pedals as opposed to over the technical bits. I’m almost hoping moving to cat 3 will help as I won’t be chasing the upgrade points anymore and it’ll be less pressure on having a bad result.
I almost want to pick up some tubulars and see if that helps, but I really hate spending money if what I really need to work on is myself.
Tubulars can be somewhat cheap now, as more riders move to tubeless. Look for used aluminum rims. If it removes any doubt from your equipment and leaves all improvement to “you” in your mind, it may be worth it.
For almost all cx tracks, you should never “slam on your brakes.” Short of a terrifying downhill, brakes should be purely modulation—anything more and you either 1. Hammered too hard into that corner or 2. Are braking too much for that corner.
It’s all about finding the flow, the smooth line. Power when it makes sense and brakes when it makes sense
Yup that stuff all makes sense, but’s it’s a bit easier said than done! I’m coming from more of a mountain bike and motorcycle background where I think brakes are a lot more necessary. On the mountain biking there’s almost always a ton of downhill corners where if you don’t give the brakes a nice liberal application coming into it that you’re going to have a bad time into a tree. Similarly on the motorcycle you’re usually either trying to be WOT or you’re hard on the brakes. It kind of makes it where I’m used to being on the front brake coming into nearly every corner to “settle” the front end down.
It’s kind of funny too, I’ve noticed when I do two races in a day. My average power in race two is almost always lower, but my average speed increases! I think it’s because I start coasting a bit more when I can and likely am being forced to carry more corner speed.
Same here! TrainerRoad’s motto might be “Get Faster” but when it comes to CX all I’m achieving is “Get More Power” at the moment
Other than just racing more, figure-8 drills, dismount/remount, sprinting on grass/dirt/gravel straights, I don’t know what else I should be doing to convert my improving power output to improved lap times during a race. I wish I could have a weekend with Jeremy Powers or MvDP (assuming he is a nice guy).
I encountered this stuff at Jingle a couple of months ago and cannot recommend it enough for thick peanut butter mud situations!! https://us.muc-off.com/
Get some cheap cones and make your own CX course (ideally with a few team mates or friends to help with the race simulation factor)! I do figure 8 drills, weaving patterns and 90 degree turn drills as well with these bad boys: Practice Cones/Discs-Set of 10 - Ruggers Rugby Supply
I second the above. I got 80 small cones from amazon for like $20. I went to the park a handful of times to set up a course. 10 minutes of setup and I had a course i could run through at race pace that was about 60-90 secs per lap.
The problem though is all the technique I worked on in practice gets blown out the back of my head during the start on race day. I literally have to keep telling myself during races to focus on teqnique.
Congrats on the upgrade! Perhaps we will meet again at next year’s Jingle Cross.
So far, I’ve found racing as a Cat 3 challenging but fun. The level of competition is higher, everyone is aggressive, and no one apologizes for cutting you off! It’s awesome!
It’s really giving me some things to work on in the off-season, too. Overall, I’m satisfied with my decision to make the move. I’m almost looking more forward to my off-season training than I am finishing out this cx season.
Another good result for me on Saturday. Snagged 2nd in a group of 31. I took another video and actually added some commentary. Have a look if you’re interested and leave me some feedback if you’d like. State Championship is next week and hopefully I can contend for the podium!
Nice choice to pass at 1;50. It’s so easy to just fall in, but that extra bit of awareness is crucial to keep moving up. When you slowed up on the line, 'joe" sensed you going slow and that was that. Looks like a lot of elevation on the course… That really highlights fitness.
I’d say next thing is to work on punching it harder on straight sections, especially nice paved ones, like the finish line area. Eg, you noticed Joe standing a bit after he went around you on lap 2, or get low and aero and spin up. Decide which sections you’re going to do that for on your Preride so it’s part of the plan.
i tacoed my front wheel at the end of the third lap, that little dirt ditch dip right before the parking lot.
I had a good jump off the start but ended up stuck behind someone who was mounting from a standstill at the top of the first staircase. still felt like I was doing really good, so extra frustrating to not be able to keep riding (was around 17 or 18 out of 35 when it happened)
I did my first SSCX race last week and oh boy was that fun! I think it was possibly maybe the most fun I’ve had racing cyclocross all season. I think I’m hooked.
My gearing choice wasn’t exactly right, but it was fun battling with guys and seeing where my gearing was a benefit as opposed to where it was harming me. Also, so much fun to just practice conserving speed and staying away from the brakes!
For the rest of the season, I think I’m going to build up a dedicated SSCX bike and try to hop into the remaining SSCX races.
ahhh bummer! Sorry about your wheel. I find that getting a good start is so important as you reduce the chance that you get stuck behind people taking a turn weird or stopping at the top of the stairs. It can be really hard to pass which is why I kinda just go for any pass that I can!
Definitely! I noticed that I was actually thinking about how best to carry the most speed through corners. Without being able to shift it was very clear when I was braking too much and then subsequently having to pedal far to hard to regain speed. There were a few corners in particular where there was a climb immediately following the corner. If I used too much brake into those corners the climb would be very hard, but if I nailed the corner the climb was just that much easier.
Was it a race with very few racers? I don’t think they give points for races with fewer than six entrants, but I haven’t had issues with races just not showing up.
Sometimes if the categories don’t match up with what’s in their system it won’t award any points.
I did a race earlier in the season in Wisconsin where it didn’t give anyone points. However, I was able to send them an email and they resolved the issue.
