Bike suggestions for first race!

[kermit]

So South Florida is starting a cyclocross series. The first race is in a month and I have a steel single speed, and a specialized stumpjumper with propedal and a lockout. The Mountain bike will be heavier to carry but has more speed and shock options. The course is in a park, and looks short but technican(?????IMO) and will probably have manmade options and be mostly flat. They do have a separate first timer and single speed division so I'm covered either way. I would have to swap tires and pedals to use the single speed. I am leaning more towards the mountain bike. Any advise and suggestions would be great. It looks like fun! I think I'll give it a shot.

[Eden]

If you have to carry your bike at all (for a run up or barriers) the weight of the mt bike will be a liability, OTOH the singlespeed category will probably be all of the singlespeeders and will likely include very advanced riders.

If the course is mostly flat the mt bike may be more of a liability too. My cross experience is relatively limited, but I did find that as a road biker I was able to fly by the mt bikers on the flat sections (especially the paved one....), but my off road technical skills (especially going down) were not nearly as good as them - so it was a game of lets keep passing one another...

On a hilly or technical course a single speed may not even be that much slower than a geared bike. One of my teammates often does both races (she's a cat 2 cross) and generally finds that her lap times are only 10-12 seconds slower on the single speed - which tells you how much of it is handling skills.

[Zen]

In Miami, the only hills are drawbridges. Sounds like they'd have a lot of artificial obstacles (run-ups, barriers, etc.) where weight would be a factor.

Go SS. That's my vote.

[gnat23]

Is it a women's singlespeed category, or just one for women and men?

I say take the singlespeed bike, but ride with the women regular.

-- gnat! (woulda gotten 4th had I done that last time)

[spokewench]

Usually, the courses are not very long. Take both bikes; ride each one a lap around the course to see which one you want to ride.

And, sign up with the women to race. No way would I sign up for a mixed gender, mixed ability single speed race for my first race; that is just asking to be trounced and have no competition around you to make it fun.

spoke

[kermit]

I had looked at the schedule and race map, not very specific. The singlespeed catagory is mixed with "clunkers", and first timers. That race starts at lunch time, not sure thats the right catagory for me. Okay here is the blonde part of me asking about the womens catagory. They have two classes, womens A & B, 1-3X, and they are divided by 30 or 45 minutes. Whats the difference? Do you race for 30 minutes and see who gets the farthest? I am leaning more towards the mountain bike, the singlespeed is steel and heavier that the stumpy. It is just a low end bikesdirect toy I bought for our nasty georgia roads. I am hoping to scope out the course when I can, it will be flat and probably have lots of barriers to run over. I have no expectations for anything, just like my first sprint tri, and this is also virgin territory for the club hosting it. Here goes nothing! Thanks for the advice.

[spokewench]

Usually the womens a and b are based on ability. Usually the A is the higher category than the B. But you can tell, if the A is 45 minutes and the B is 30 minutes, then the B is the lower level.

And, when it is timed event like that, you ride until the first rider crosses at the 30 or 45 minute mark. You may have been lapped and if you have been lapped, then you will not do as many laps as the leader. They will pull you off the course when you cross the finish line. They usually give you a bell lap when you come through on your last lap (although it depends on when the leader crossed); but usually when you are coming thru on your last lap, they give you the bell and you know that is the last lap for you.

spoke

[kermit]

Cool. It looks like fun!

[ehirsch83]

i will be there to watch

[kermit]

Oh crap, pressures on!

[spokewench]

So, BUMP - How'd it go Kermit?

[kermit]

It didn't! I wound up selling my full squish mountain bike and had to work. I am headed back towards the tri route, for now!

[spokewench]

It didn't! I wound up selling my full squish mountain bike and had to work. I am headed back towards the tri route, for now!

Too bad, - cyclocross is way more fun that tri! But, I'm sure you'll enjoy whatever you do.

spoke