Crystal City Wednesday Night Spins

[Sunyata]

@TriGirlSara 157174 wrote:

I was on my road bike with slicks for my first race there the other week. Last night I rode my cross bike with some brand new file treads I just got. I was sometimes getting a concerning “tire screeching” noise as I was going around turns last night that had me worried I was about to bite it. Still, I think I felt a little more safer/confident going around corners. On the other hand, I was definitely working harder/going slower with my heavier cross bike than I was with my road bike. So it was probably a wash. Also, full disclosure, I came in second to last in the race last night.

That “screeching” noise was the knobs on the side of your tires catching. It freaks me out too, but I keep telling myself to trust my tires to grip. Telling myself that helps me to not slam on the brakes when I hear the noise, but it definitely has not helped me lean the bike more and go faster around those sharp corners.

*sigh* One day… One day…

By the way, you did great out there! You always looked stable and confident when I saw you. It was a definitely a fast field last night. I think I got lapped by Britt three times.

Since Freezing Saddles will be over, and I have somewhere to be after the race, I am going to drive and bring my rigid mountain bike next week. I am curious to know how much better I handle the corners on flat bars. I am not sure about tires though. I may just leave my knobbies on, even though they will be SLOW. I also have some less aggressive tires that I might try (but they are still knobby and 2″ wide).

[Tania]

I think the leaders lapped me twice and at that point I had no idea where I was in the field!

My tires (Rock and Roads – wide, even knobbies) only screeched in one spot and it was a strange one. So towards the end of the lap, you thread through the pillars (reminded me of a dog agility course – those poles!) and then make a hard right, go a short ways along a narrow path and then a super tight 180 degree turn to the left and then up a small incline that veered left a bit? At the top of that incline was a decently wide left hand turn. EACH TIME I turned left there at the top of the incline my tires howled and I almost became besties with a pillar.

After a long discussion with Bikenetic, I’m going with G-Ones next race on the CX bike. No side knobbies to potentially roll and I can use them as an all-rounder off-season tire. Jan is a very patient man. [He tagged my order “Concrete Queen”]

One thing I learned this race is that while I come in pretty hot to corners (I do love them!), I tend to wait too long to pedal out of them. I realized this towards the end of the race when I got lapped and then tried to hang on the lapping rider’s wheel. I noticed she was pedaling MUCH sooner out of them than me! Good lesson.

[TriGirlSara]

Thanks for reassuring me on the screeching noise, @sunyata! Every time I heard it, I slowed down and pulled up out of my turn because I was worried. I’ll corner a little more confidently next time knowing this is normal. And yes, it was a fast field last night! But I had fun and it was good practice for me.

[TwoWheelsDC]

I’ve only ever tried the CCWNS courses on my fixed gear, so I go slooooooow. Less because of traction and more because my fixed gear is a track bike with lots of toe overlap. But I’m just generally too chicken to race since I’m afraid I’ll slide out and kill myself and maybe someone else. But maybe I’ll ride my gravel bike next week and see what it’s like when I can coast.

[TriGirlSara]

@Tania 157194 wrote:

I think the leaders lapped me twice and at that point I had no idea where I was in the field!

My tires (Rock and Roads – wide, even knobbies) only screeched in one spot and it was a strange one. So towards the end of the lap, you thread through the pillars (reminded me of a dog agility course – those poles!) and then make a hard right, go a short ways along a narrow path and then a super tight 180 degree turn to the left and then up a small incline that veered left a bit? At the top of that incline was a decently wide left hand turn. EACH TIME I turned left there at the top of the incline my tires howled and I almost became besties with a pillar.

After a long discussion with Bikenetic, I’m going with G-Ones next race on the CX bike. No side knobbies to potentially roll and I can use them as an all-rounder off-season tire. Jan is a very patient man. [He tagged my order “Concrete Queen”]

One thing I learned this race is that while I come in pretty hot to corners (I do love them!), I tend to wait too long to pedal out of them. I realized this towards the end of the race when I got lapped and then tried to hang on the lapping rider’s wheel. I noticed she was pedaling MUCH sooner out of them than me! Good lesson.

I was getting a little tire screeching at that spot too, but I was really getting it at the super sharp right turn at the base of the ramp. After seeing a few racers in the prior mens race wipe out there, I was nervous! Ben Kristy (dad of Sam Kristy, who got 2nd in the first race) told me he put 35mm slicks on Sam’s cross bike and that seemed to be working out well. With just one women’s race left, I think I’m going to stick with my file treads for another week, but I’ll be curious to hear how those tires work out for you!

[Sunyata]

Several wonderful forum folks came out for the last CCWNS races of the season. If I do say so myself, it was a REALLY fun time!

I got a few photos (but did not get photos of everyone due to beer and laughter). They were with my phone, so kind of blurry.

From the 6:30 “Open” race:

trey197
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14464[/ATTACH]

Rimas
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14465[/ATTACH]

D_a_n_e
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14466[/ATTACH]

D_a_n_e
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14467[/ATTACH]

Rimas
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14468[/ATTACH]

[Sunyata]

A few fun photos from the “Anything Goes” race:

Henry being quite dapper on his commuter.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14469[/ATTACH]

Komorebi’s awesome fox tail!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14470[/ATTACH]

Judd NOT getting passed by someone on a razor scooter.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14471[/ATTACH]

Drevil and his awesome wife tandeming it up.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14472[/ATTACH]

Steve O also being dapper, but on a one wheeled wonder! (Being passed by vvill and his lovely daughter!)
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14473[/ATTACH]

[Sunyata]

This is probably my favourite photo from the night…

Steve O was SO distraught by the offer for a PBR handup, that he covered his eyes!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14474[/ATTACH]

[ginacico]

Rimas racing on a folder. How does he pick one from the stable, I wonder?
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14475[/ATTACH]

Steve O showed up with a “three-wheeler”
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14476[/ATTACH]

Josephine and the fox ride again
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14477[/ATTACH]

Judd on a Brompton
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14480[/ATTACH]

LSG with a beautiful new bike (and questionable taste in beer)
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14481[/ATTACH]

[ginacico]

Bicycle built for 2-1/2
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14482[/ATTACH]

Dapper Steve O
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14483[/ATTACH]

Henry classing up the place in tweed on a vintage touring bike
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14484[/ATTACH]

Steve O had several rivals on unicycles, but he outdressed them all.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14485[/ATTACH]

[Birru]

@ginacico 157952 wrote:

LSG with a beautiful new bike (and questionable taste in beer)
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14481[/ATTACH]

I thought I didn’t like red bikes until I saw that TCX. That “TRON Red” glows in the dark.

[Tania]

@ginacico 157952 wrote:

LSG with a beautiful new bike (and questionable taste in beer)
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14481[/ATTACH]

No more crazy cool green rims!

[bentbike33]

@Tania 157958 wrote:

No more crazy cool green rims!

Maybe he will put the old wheels on the new bike for Christmas next year.

[dbb]

@ginacico 157952 wrote:

LSG with a beautiful new bike (and questionable taste in beer)

No, you could only make that assertion if he was 20 years older. PBR is new and cool again, for the young’uns!

[Steve O]

@Sunyata 157943 wrote:

A few fun photos from the “Anything Goes” race:

Steve O also being dapper, but on a one wheeled wonder! (Being passed by vvill and his lovely daughter!)
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14473[/ATTACH]

How can you tell I wasn’t passing them on the outside?

[Author]

Posts