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Post by Malcolm Steven on Jan 30, 2015 21:09:20 GMT
Hi Speed River Cycling Club, Just a quick note to let your Club know about the upcoming Steaming Nostril CX/MTB race starting in St. Jacobs on Sun. March 29. Early Bird Registration deadline is midnight Feb. 1, save $15 plus the tax to register early and order a cool cycling jersey. Prizes, age medals and a nice hot meal after the race. Race it or ride it, main thing is to have fun on the rural gravel/rail trail course of either 69 km or 35 km. Register at www.cyclewaterloo.com |
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Post by wilfred on Feb 24, 2015 20:20:34 GMT
Hey...I'm thinking of riding this as prep for the P2A. I checked out the route on RWGPS (not sure if it's the official route) ridewithgps.com/routes/6570162It looks like mostly gravel roads and rail trail. It could be very soppy on March 29. Here's the question: do I ride my Single Speed CX bike or my geared road bike with 28mm tires? Wilfred |
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Post by Bayden on Feb 24, 2015 20:42:47 GMT
Hey Wilfred,
This looks like the new route, but hard to know for sure until they update the website - but assuming this is it, this changes things up where before it was definitely a cross bike required course before. Looks like now there's one tiny section of off-road, and its a walking trail in town instead of a rail trail.
I'd lean towards towards the road bike, because
- its super flat, the vertical scale on the profile is small so those bumps are just bumps, so it will be quick and you'll probably spin out whatever single speed gear you have in the peloton
- won't really need fat tires of the cross bike to navigate this. last year the dirt roads were a little spongy probably due to the huge amount of snow we had soaking in, but 28's would have been fine if it weren't for the rail trails.
Cross bikes in years past were needed because they had more like 8km of rail trail, all snowy and icy, it was a challenge just to ride straight, let alone race.
If its dry on the day and leading up to it, road bike with 25's might even be ideal.
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Post by wilfred on Feb 24, 2015 20:56:57 GMT
Good points, Bayden. I also noticed there were only 4 guys on single speeds last year so here's my chance for a potential top ten finish! But by the looks of a few of the names--also a chance to be in last place. Yeah, I'm thinking the geared road bike.
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Post by nathan on Mar 15, 2015 10:24:23 GMT
This route is 7 km short, the official route is circulating. But not 'out' yet, which I'm sure will have changes, as it did last year as well. It is slightly more south, and looks like a figure eight. The overall grade is 3% and there's only one trail section 3km in length with mostly gravel roads. Not sure if it'll be soft, or hard with the oncoming spring. Like the road bike idea, but it could be dicey in a couple of spots. And 42x15 works fine for a single-speed... You could ride more gear but hills are hills and riding the trail if sloppy might not be doable.
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Post by wilfred on Mar 16, 2015 15:58:57 GMT
Sounds like a last minute decision. I'm running a 42x18 gear right now which I used for P2A last year. Sounds like I could go bigger for the Steaming Nostril, but then again, I don't have the "steaming" guns that you guys have, either.
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Post by nathan on Mar 17, 2015 13:28:49 GMT
Hehehe. 42x16 is another one to try. Used that at p2a and steaming nostril a couple of years ago -good mix of push and pull.
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Post by Lorenz on Mar 18, 2015 14:59:05 GMT
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Post by wilfred on Mar 18, 2015 21:28:13 GMT
sounds like recon time
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