RRCX 2019

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cbusick
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RRCX 2019

Post by cbusick »

I'm not proud, but it turned out to be a pretty fun race today trying to hold of the Little Rhino.

Signed up for the 2-3-4 so I wouldn't have to get up at 5AM to make the 8:30 40+ race. During my pre-ride I saw Nathaniel the little kid (13 yo Racing Age) on Rhino Bike Works who's been destroying the 4/5 races this year. 'I wonder what poor 4/5's day he's going to ruin' I thought. Hmm, he's number 238, wait a minute, I'm 237! Crap he's in my race! If this goes wrong I'm going to hear it from all the people I've been making fun of for getting smoked by him this season. Cactus, for one, will not let me hear the end of it.

I got an ok start, Nathaniel got squeezed a bit on the first turn so he was behind me, but then when we hit the 180 by "Burgle's Hole" everyone was jammed up and I see little Nathaniel, off the bike, running up the left and squeezing between a rider and the inside tree, moving up like 15 spots. I was picking off riders on the straights and eventually got him back in sight. Then some riders tangled, and he got hung up behind them while I slipped through on the left. I drilled it on the straight, trying to open up a gap. But when we got to the ridable run up at the back of the course I could hear people cheering for him. I looked back and there he was. The next straight I took off and put some college kids between me and him, but they worked together to close down the gap to me.

There's no recovery on this course. Normally I would try to tuck in behind someone on one of the many long power sections, but I was convinced that was the only place I could open a gap. Problem was, I wasn't opening a gap. The kid was just getting a free ride in my enormous draft.
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This year, it was barriers, then a 180, quick up/down chicane with a nasty 180 with a little drop to the left before a 90 degree left into the sand pid. I was second in a line of 6 when the lead guy went wide on the 180 into the little drop and went over the bars on the little drop. HIs rear wheel wound up smacking me on the hand, but I powered through and hit the sandpit full gas hoping he'd hold up the others behind me, but I got stuck in behind some traffic (Chandler) and 1/4 lap later I had a line of people back in my draft, including Little Rhino.

I kept throwing everything I had left at the group behind me, finally distancing them before pit 2. At least I thought so. I'd dropped everyone but Little Rhino, who sat in my draft on the long drag by the start finish and then passed me at the barriers for 2 laps to go. How can someone that small even run over those full height barriers? I admit it, at this point I was broken. Maybe I should just recover and try and get him in the sprint? Then as we go into the sandpit he bobbles, reaches for the fence, misses at first and then frantically grabbed for the rail. BOOM! I was off. Rode the run up clean, but someone was behind me. I tried to get away but it was Chandler coming back and he got around me. Fortunately he was alone. So, I had a little gap to the kid. But how would I keep this gap for another lap? I had been going flat out for nearly 40 minutes at this point. Woosh, a white jersey went by me like I was standing still and chopped Chandler going into the corner by the Gazebo before the stairs. Chandler yelled for him to go and I realized it was Magnus, messing with Chandler, and leading the JR UCI field lapping us.

It's been a while since I was lapped in a race, but this time it made me so happy. I cranked up the pace again, going by Chandler and through the mudhole onto the finishing straight and sprinting, seeing '0' on the lapcard and my race is over. I sat up, Chandler pulled up and said "so happy that's over" then Nathaniel caught up to us "What!?!?! We're done?" (he sounded so disappointed)

"Yep, we got lapped"
-Chris Busick
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pace21
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Re: RRCX 2019

Post by pace21 »

His arm numbers look like swimmies
strat
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Re: RRCX 2019

Post by strat »

First time for me at RRCX...I opted for the 40+ so got to enjoy the 5am rise!

It's a fun venue and course but little opportunity for recovery like Busick mentioned. All rideable except for the hurdles...apparently these are at 40cm regulation height but looked more like something from the DMZ in Korea!

I'm having a lousy season...back problems and now an ankle issue that feels terrific when I unclip! Anyway...it seemed like the type of course where I could do ok and avoid another DFL prize. Things started ok, I picked off a few folks at the back as they ran through the sand and I rode it. Lap 2 and the 50+ leaders pass me between the sand pits (they started 1 min behind us), as we approach the steps I noted how some folks had squeezed by these by going on the far right and basically avoiding them. Not one to usually entertain short cuts it didn't feel entirely honest but I figured it might save a few seconds. Well...as the Busick's can attest (and maybe this image was captured by Katie?!) I bodge the execution and end up on the deck! I roll out of the way for others to pass then straighten the bars and remount...for the remaining laps I rode the steps!

Finished 23/27. The pizza smelt good and the beer tent looked inviting but I had to scurry home so couldn't watch any other races either...looked like a fun place to hang out for the day though!
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cbusick
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Re: RRCX 2019

Post by cbusick »

Ian, we didn't get a picture of Karma throwing you to the ground for taking the "masters" or "cheater" line, but I did witness it. You did a good job murdering the top stake at the stairs. This gave me the opportunity to repair the tape and place the replacement stakes right at the edge of the top and bottom steps, cutting off the cheater line. This made for some entertainment on the next lap when the cheaters came in not prepared to dismount, but also not really all that good at hopping the three stairs.

At least you did a good job hopping them the right way next time around.

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.p ... %2F%3Ftype

Josh was still able to push the tape and skip the second step.

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.p ... %2F%3Ftype
-Chris Busick
ppereira
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Re: RRCX 2019

Post by ppereira »

Well I squandered being staged 27th and finished 59th/93 pretty mediocre even by my standards. My chain came off during shifts a couple of times and cost me probably around 10 spots overall. I took my bike to a shop near my parents house and my big ring might be the culprit with some slightly bent teeth so today I’ll have to stick with the 36t and not try to shift big. Also leaving earlier today to preride, didn’t get a chance to yesterday and there were a few spots that caught me completely by surprise
strat
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Re: RRCX 2019

Post by strat »

ppereira wrote: Sun Nov 03, 2019 6:55 am Well I squandered being staged 27th and finished 59th/93 pretty mediocre even by my standards. My chain came off during shifts a couple of times and cost me probably around 10 spots overall. I took my bike to a shop near my parents house and my big ring might be the culprit with some slightly bent teeth so today I’ll have to stick with the 36t and not try to shift big. Also leaving earlier today to preride, didn’t get a chance to yesterday and there were a few spots that caught me completely by surprise
Phil, time for a 1X with the narrow/wide teeth and a clutch type rear derailleur...that solved my chain drop issues! You might need to swap out your rear cassette for something with a wider range but (depending on your group set level) the whole upgrade can be done for like $300 ish. Other's may chime in but I don't think you'll regret it. Plus you can lose the front derailleur and save a few grams too.
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pace21
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Re: RRCX 2019

Post by pace21 »

strat wrote: Sun Nov 03, 2019 4:02 pm
ppereira wrote: Sun Nov 03, 2019 6:55 am Well I squandered being staged 27th and finished 59th/93 pretty mediocre even by my standards. My chain came off during shifts a couple of times and cost me probably around 10 spots overall. I took my bike to a shop near my parents house and my big ring might be the culprit with some slightly bent teeth so today I’ll have to stick with the 36t and not try to shift big. Also leaving earlier today to preride, didn’t get a chance to yesterday and there were a few spots that caught me completely by surprise
Phil, time for a 1X with the narrow/wide teeth and a clutch type rear derailleur...that solved my chain drop issues! You might need to swap out your rear cassette for something with a wider range but (depending on your group set level) the whole upgrade can be done for like $300 ish. Other's may chime in but I don't think you'll regret it. Plus you can lose the front derailleur and save a few grams too.
What’s a “front derailleur”???
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JeremyC
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Re: RRCX 2019

Post by JeremyC »

If there was a 0x I'd get it
ppereira
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Re: RRCX 2019

Post by ppereira »

Do you like video taken on a knockoff gopro clone by a mediocre cat 4? If you, you'll love these! Make sure to smash the like and subscribe buttons for more content (I'm going to become a youtube influencer)

https://youtu.be/p4OJIYQB6KU

https://youtu.be/5mzilUJVg2Q
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