[plume]

Has anyone raced out in Renaissance Park short track? I'd like to try the singlespeed class but my fork is out for repair and I'm not positive I'll get it back in time for the 28th. I'm thinking of just doing this on my cross bike instead. Will it be fun on a cross bike or is it too technical. For some reason I'm picturing a CX course anyway, minus the barriers.

http://www.charlottemtnbike.com/

 

[teamdicky]

Has anyone raced out in Renaissance Park short track? I'd like to try the singlespeed class but my fork is out for repair and I'm not positive I'll get it back in time for the 28th. I'm thinking of just doing this on my cross bike instead. Will it be fun on a cross bike or is it too technical. For some reason I'm picturing a CX course anyway, minus the barriers.

http://www.charlottemtnbike.com/

Paved DH sidewalk start
Right turn on parking lot blacktop
Hard left into singletrack
Fun little ditty-bop on gravely all-weather course with banked turns.
Little rise in the trail
Another DH section with banked corners and a couple jumpy bumps
Fast left hand sweeper to a gradual singletrack climb that finishes with a sharp little grunt
Gravel to grass climb to the finish line
All in about .7 miles

It has been done (successfully) on a CX bike before.

 

[plume]

cool. I think I'm doing it then.

:thumbsup:

 

[videl_majin_cold45]

i'll be racing the junior class, sounds like a fun course even though i've never raced short track before.

 

[plume]

I'm doing it for fun/training. I suck at sprinting types of races but thats why I need to do this.

plus my folks are out that way. gives me an excuse to bother them.

 

[plume]

I felt really slow compared to these guys in the ss category. No climbing meant that I had no chance of holding on to the pace of the 1st and 2nd place riders (they lapped the field). 3rd was out of reach as well and 4th and 5th, well maybe had the race been longer... yeah I ended up with a 7/14th place finish. I was in a solid 8th the majority of the race but reeled in the 7th place right before the finish... Not what I had hoped for but great fun and experience none the less. Fastest race ever...

:thumbsup:

 

[nc-rider]

Yeah, I raced it last weekend, and for me, I would not want to do it on a Cross bike. The singletrack is just too twisty. I was running some really skinny larsens, and they were pushed as it is. I wouldn't want to do that on anything skinnier...

 

[plume]

Yeah, I raced it last weekend, and for me, I would not want to do it on a Cross bike. The singletrack is just too twisty. I was running some really skinny larsens, and they were pushed as it is. I wouldn't want to do that on anything skinnier...

The idea of the cross bike was only because I wasn't sure if my SS would be up and running by then. Luckily it was. I dunno, that course was by far the least technical race I've ever done. I think I would have felt pretty comfortable on a skinny tired bike there. I just think of how fast I'd be going on the flats and pavement. I'd lose a bit of time in the woods more than likely but damn you'd kill it on more than half the course. It's a moot point though because I'm trying to do as many SS races as possible. I'll probably try CX racing next year.

Oh and just because it was the "least technical" doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it, or realize the concept behind a short track race. This event comes highly recommended. Very fun.