In The Crosshairs

A cyclocross bike with wood composite tubing?

Click on image to learn more about Sylvan Cycles

 It’s so crazy it just might work. Sylvan Cycles specializes in using sustainable materials to build bicycles that “rival or surpass conventional frame materials for performance.” We met up with Sylvan co-founder John Fabel at the 2010 Shimano North American Handmade Bicycle Show in Richmond, Virginia, to talk wood bikes and how they would hold up on a ‘cross course. 

Sylvan’s featured bike at the show was their adventure model, a sharp looking ride crafted to excel in adventure and randonneur events. This does not mean, however, that the model would hold you back at your local ‘cross throw down. And talk about turning some heads. And I’ll bet for few extra bucks, the boys at Sylvan will get out their wood burning kit and etch your name on the top tube. 

Sylvan Cycles cares about building quality bikes and also about getting people to out and riding no matter what they throw their leg over. Hence their by line, “using bicycles to go places.” Learn more about the company by visiting it online at www.sylvancycles.com. 

Here’s the interview. Thanks for watching.

Snow? That's not snow. The pits at Capital Cross.

Proteus Bikes’ Super Bowl of Singlespeed may have been pushed back a week but that does not mean there will be no cyclocross racing in the Nation’s Capital this Sunday. Tim Rugg (Battley Harley/Sonoma) and Justin “Rez” Resnick (District Velocity/The Bike Rack) are not going to let the forecasted 36 to 360 inches of snow stop them from racing.

Before we get the details of what these guys have planned, I have to say I’m a little worried that Rez is spearheading this effort. As we saw way back in September, slippery surfaces are not always his forte. For those that may have missed it, here’s a recap.

And now for deets on this Sunday courtesy of Tim and Rez:

WOOH SNOW CROSS!! Spread the word, this is gonna be AAAAWESOME.

We could use some extra orange sport cones to set up the courses so please bring some if you have them!

Newbies, spectators, hecklers, snowball throwers, and photographers welcome!

Route: here

Schedule:
09:45am – Optional breakfast at Open City Cafe.

11:00am – Meet-up at Rock Creek Park exercise area, set up course, do preview lap.
Stage 1 – Rock Creek Park exercise area start at 11:30 SHARP.
Race TBD laps until 11:55 or so.

12:15pm – Meet-up at Calvert St Bridge park, set up course, do preview lap.
Stage 2 – Calvert St Bridge park at 12:30 SHARP.
Race TBD laps until 12:55 or so.

2:15pm – Meet-up at City Bikes to ride over to Malcolm X Park.
2:30pm – Meet-up at Malcolm X, set up course, do preview lap.
Race TBD laps until 3 or so.

Races 1 and 2 of the North Carolina Cyclocross Winter Cup took place January 9 and 10 in Salisbury and Mooresville, North Carolina. The CXHairs.com helmet-cam was in attendance for the event. Thanks to Chris Carraway (NCVC) for strapping on the hardware for the races and giving us a good look at the NCCX series. 

We also caught up with Route1Velo’s Thori Wolfe who traveled from DC to NC for the weekend’s races. Before getting to the video, here is Thori’s race report of how things played out at the front of the Masters 45+ field: 

Wolfe At The Front of the Salisbury Field. Photo by Demoncats Photography. www.Demoncats.com

“Somewhere into the second or third week of undisciplined gluttony following Capitol Cross and the end of the ‘cross season, my R1V teammate Danny Koniowsky suggested the North Carolina Winter Cross Series. I was starting to feel like a slug, so I checked the calendar and Google map and decided to commit to at least the first weekend. I made the trek last weekend and wasn’t disappointed with the trip. Both races on Saturday and Sunday were low key, local races with relatively small fields and some very talented racers still willing to get out in the 20 degree temps when the only other ‘cross racers taking the discipline seriously live in Northern Europe and are named Nys, Albert, and Stybar. The accents were heavy Carolina. The juxtaposition of Ridley bikes, tubulars on carbon rims, and the southern accents you might otherwise expect at a NASCAR event was pretty awesome. It reminded me of surfing in Cape Cod with a bunch of dudes with heavy Massachusetts accents wave sliding on long boards. In both cases, seemingly incongruous, but it didn’t matter once they got down to what they were there to do.  Continue reading »

Dombrowski on his way to winning Schooley Mill 'Cross

Those that raced cyclocross this past season in the Mid-Atlantic already know Joe Dombrowski. The eighteen year old Haymarket Bicycle/HomeVisit rider could be found in the front group of most MABRA races he entered this year. He usually finished on the podium and captured some impressive victories along the way.

While most of us have hung up the ‘cross bikes for the season, Joe is spending his second consecutive Christmas in Belgium racing bikes against the best cyclocross competition that the world has to offer. As an invitee to Geoff Proctor’s Euro Cross Camp, Dombrowski is living in the Team USA House—along with a group of U-23 and junior racers, as well as a handful of elite riders—and competing in up to nine races in 14 days.

We caught up with Joe to see how his second season is progressing, learn a little more about racing in Belgium and get some insights into life at the Team USA house.

How was your travel to Belgium? I saw where Jeff Bahnson’s bikes didn’t make it on the same flight as him. Any similar issues for you?

The travel was rough. Belgium was getting snow that they haven’t seen in years. I spent 14 hours in the London airport, which made for a total travel time of 37 hours without sleep. Jeff and several others were missing bikes, wheels, and various other pieces of luggage.

Take us through a typical day in which you are not racing. When do you wake up, train, eat, etc. How do you spend the downtime?

The Euro Cross Camp wheel stash.

Geoff comes by each room and wakes us up in waves. Juniors first, U-23s next, and Elites last. He wants us to be on the same schedule on non-race days as we are on race days. I usually get up at 8:30.

Training starts after breakfast. It doesn’t get light here until 9:00, and we usually are on the bikes around 11:00. After training, I just try to keep the legs up and get a nap in if possible. Els [Delaere (House Directress and Head Chef)] cooks a delicious hot dinner each night.

With another year of racing under your belt, is there anything about Euro Cross Camp that is easier than it was in 2008?

I came into this year’s camp with a better perspective on the level of racing. It’s a bit of a shock when you first start doing big races here; this is definitely not a forgiving place.

Guys at the camp are racing juniors and U-23, right? Do you all travel to the race together? What’s the pre-race routine like?

The camp is mostly juniors and U-23s, but we do have three Elites as well though. Each group travels to the race together, and comes back together. If it is a late race, usually we are on the rollers in the morning keeping the legs loose. If the race is earlier in the day, we will grab breakfast and jump in the van and go to the race.

Usually we can get back from our race in time to watch the Elites race on TV. Continue reading »

The Finishing Stretch. Photo: Anthony Skorochod

The Bilenky Cycle Works Urban Junkyard Cyclocross took place Sunday, December 20 in Philadelphia, Pa. In year’s past the biggest obstacles in this race were hulls of rotting cars, rusting detritus and an oil-slicked race surface. The cars and detritus remained this year, the race is in a junkyard after all, but the oil was replaced by snow. This meant that the crash total remained about the same but road rash was not as big a problem. Racers also had to keep alert for the well-aimed snowball.

Your CXHairs Camera Crew Hard At Work.

The course features a sweet jump into a pond of sofa cushions, a dumpster fly-over and a quick trip through a tractor-trailer. Ryan Dudek (TOMS Shoes p/b KindHuman Sports) strapped on the CXHairs helmet-cam for the five-lap race. He not only gets some great footage but also hangs on for third place in the ‘B’ race (as far as we know).

For more photos of this race and many others from the 2009 cyclocross season, check out Anthony Skorochod’s CyclingCaptured.com.

I am playing around with different video hosting options. This should allow for longer videos without degrading the quality. However, it also means, you won’t be able to find the footage on You Tube. So if you want to show your friends the race, send them here.

As always, if the video isn’t streaming fast enough, click on the HD button to turn HD off. Thanks for watching.

The CXHairs Team Bike At Schooley Mill

The Howard County Double Cross weekend took place November 21 and 22. Schooley Mill Cross, a new race, featured long power sections and some muddy climbs. Rockburn Cross featured the same exciting single-track sections, punchy climbs and technical turns as it has the past three years.

For these interviews, I tracked down podium finishers that have yet to grace the cyber-pages of In The Crosshairs for their racing prowess. This way we get a couple more voices in the mix, with different takes on some of the same old questions. I also included sixth place finishers at Rockburn because those folks won pie. And if you win pie, you deserve to be recognized.

I think the highlight of these interviews is the great discussion on race starts and the hole shot. Pay attention to what these folks are saying and see if their successful strategy matches up with what you are doing.

Thanks for reading.

What is your pre-race routine?

Rusty Williford (Fulcrum Coaching/WWVC Racing, Rockburn Cat 3/4, 4th place): Same thing every week: Get to the course by 8:30, recon the course until 9, kit-up and hit the trainer by 10, off-the trainer by 10:35 and head to the course for either 1 hot lap or a few starts.

Andreas Gutzeit (HPC List, Schooley Mill Masters 3/4, 4th place): I do about two laps of the course, mainly looking for good lines. Then I do 30 minute warm-up. Jeff Anderson describes cross racing as a reverse crit. Very helpful for a novice roadie. So now I have taken to practice the start on the course a couple of times and it really served me well at Schooley Mill. I was fourth into the dirt and ended up fourth 40 minutes later.

Brach hits the climbs at Rockburn (Nystrom not pictured)

Chris Nystrom (C3-Athletes Serving Athletes, Elite Masters, Schooley Mill 8th, Rockburn 6th): Arrive early enough to preview the course before the start of the race two slots before my race. Really getting to know and understand the track is key. Pin up the number and get dressed during the race (two prior) and ride the course with a bit more speed before the next race. Ride the trainer and b.s. with teammates during the race just before mine. Red Bull 45 minutes before my start. Get to the line, relax and visualize the start. Remember to have fun.

John Cutler (CycleLife DC, 1st place Schooley Mill Men’s 3/4, 19th place Rockburn Elite Masters): Coffee and a Starbucks egg sandwich (kind of disgusting, yes, but fast). Drive. Listen to NPR or that weird show about parenting. A moment of sheer terror trying to find a gas station with a restroom. Arrive in the middle of one of the races. 20 minutes to get number and get ready to pre-ride. Ride a couple laps. Pretend that I’m actually remembering the corners and lines. Hop on the trainer for 40 minutes. I used to never bring a trainer, but I’ve come around. You can listen to music and zone out. Then Race.

When a race throws a kink in my plans—like a really long walk to registration, one port-potty, a line at registration, a line for the hose, etc.—it really throws me for a loop. I said this last year, but I’ll say it again. NEXT YEAR I’m going all out with the tent, the easy chairs, that little mat for taking of your shoes, the cooler, etc. For two days of racing your post race routine is really important as well. Instead of jumping back into the car while slamming recovery shakes, it can pay to relax, socialize, put your feet up, and commune with fellow racers.

Jeff Trinh (Georgetown University, 1st place at Schooley Mill Men’s Cat 4, 6th place at Rockburn Men’s Cat 4): Coffee and oatmeal for breakfast. When I get to the race site I get dressed and pre-ride the course, making sure to drink plenty of water in between laps. One of the advantages of doing the 9am race is that you have plenty of time to pre-ride, so I like take my time and make mental notes about which lines I’ll pick.

Elizabeth Harlow (C3-Athletes Serving Athletes, Women’s 1,2,3 Schooley Mill 4th and Rockburn 6th): Ride the course a couple of times before the Master Men’s Elite race. Paying attention to anything that may give me trouble. Ride around easy while the men race and then ride the course again close to race pace after the men finish.

Jon Hicks (Winchester Wheelemen, Rockburn Cat 4 5th place): The first lap to get a feel for the flow and the second much slower, looking for objects to avoid. A gel and FRS 30 minutes before the start.

Andrew Welch (Squadra Coppi, Mens 3/4, 3rd at Schooley Mill, 1st at Rockburn): I don’t like to have a lot of down time before my race, so I usually show up just in time to get a couple laps in before the previous race goes out … nothing too fast, just some course recon and easy warm-up. Then I get my number, change kit, and finish warming up … on the road. I have a trainer in my car, but it hasn’t come out all season.  Continue reading »

Mud and the MABRA 'Cross finale go hand in hand.

The MABRA ‘Cross Championship took place November 29, 2009, at Taneytown Memorial Park, Taneytown, Md. Under sunny skies and warm temperatures, racers faced a course of varied conditions. Fast asphalt, gravel and grass sections funneled riders into muddy bogs. Some ridable and others, not so much.

The video captures the first ten minutes of the masters 3/4 group from the helmet-cam and the seat-stay camera. The helmet-cam video angle is a little more severe than usual. This is the result of what could be described as a wardrobe malfunction but more accurately was an ill-advised wardrobe decision. I almost always wear a CXHairs.com cycling cap under my helmet (if you want one, e-mail me at cxhairs@gmail.com). On most occasions said cycling cap faces forward. On this day, I wore it backwards. This pushed my helmet forward a centimeter or so and lowered the horizon on the video.

Music this week is courtesy of Paper+Plastick. This label has a slew of fantastic artists. Three are featured here: Failers’ Union, Rehasher and The AKAs. Please go to paperandplastick.com to discover even more great material. If you like what you hear, buy an LP or download some tracks to keep you motivated on the trainer this winter.

Thanks for watching.

Ryan Douglas (R1V/Arrow Bicycle) working the off-camber. Photo: Joel Steen

Day two of the Howard County Double Cross took place November 22 in Elkridge, Maryland. In its third year, Rockburn Cross is a Mid-Atlantic favorite that features greasy corners, fast single-track and quick hard climbs.

With the sunny open sections and wooded single-track, this course works well on video. It may be paradoxical to say that you can move forwards and backwards at the same time, but this clip shows the possibilities as the camera quickly works its way from the front to the back of the pack.

Music is again by our friend, Caleb Stine. It may be a little slower and a little quieter than other tunes featured on CXhairs.com, but music doesn’t have to be hard and fast to be punk. I guess that’s the second paradox of the day. Check out Caleb at www.calebstine.com.

Thanks for watching.

Day one of the Howard County Double Cross (HoCo2xCx) weekend was Schooley Mill ‘Cross that took place November 21 in Highland, Maryland. Racers were faced with long power stretches for half of the course and a hilly, grassy bog for the other half. As you will see in the video, the field gets strung out but stays more or less together for the first lap. A rarity in the MABRA series.

I am psyched to have a second soundtrack appearance by Exotic Fever Records. They first appeared on the Granogue Video and added some great atmosphere to the day. I beleive the same effect is accomplished here. Tracks are by Pash and The Sinister Quarter. Check out those artists and the others in the Exotic Fever stable at www.exoticfever.com.

Thanks for watching.

Men's 3/4 leaders. Photo: Joe Metro.

Here is the final Tacchino ‘Cross installment. These podium interviews are just what you need to get ready for this weekend’s races. Pre-ride strategy, race tactics, barrier technique, pre-race food. It’s all here. 

Thanks for reading. 

Under ideal conditions (you arrive on time, it’s not pouring down rain), how much time do you spend on the course before racing? Do you walk the course? Do any hot laps? What are you looking for during this time? 

Steevo Cummings (Indiana Regional Medical Center, 2nd Place Men’s Elite): 20-25 minutes is ideal. I ride around the outside of the course and watch the racers when I arrive. I got to pre-ride the course after the Elite Masters with Gerry Pflug. He showed me the lines he was taking, where bottlenecks were forming, where to recover, etc. That was like doing 3 or 4 laps on my own. Some of the stuff I would have not found on my own. 

Jared Nieters (Haymarket Bicycles/HomeVisit, 3rd Place Men’s Elite): I try to arrive early, during the ‘B’ race, and do the pit work for Tyler Karnes (he does a great job taking care of the task for me during the elite race). After the ‘B’ race, I ride one lap slowly, in my street clothes, and get a good solid look at all of the corners and lines. During the next race I get my number and throw my kit on. Before the women’s race, I typically try to take a lap at a comfortable pace and then another where I hit a few of the trickier corners at speed. Some of the lines I take aren’t the ones that get beaten in during the day (I take early-apex lines more than most people in order to keep exit speeds high), and that becomes more obvious when I’m warming up at speed. I hop on the trainer during the women’s race, and make sure everything is taken care of, before catching the end of the women’s race. 

Jennifer Maxwell (ATAC Sportswear p/b Bike Rack DC, 2nd Place Women’s Elite): Usually get to the race 2 hours before a UCI race and 1 1/2 for a local. I park, get the LeMond back-up bike ready, and ride to registration. If I can get on the course, I will do a few laps to get a feel for tire pressure and lines to take. I like to sometimes ride behind an Elite women/male to get a feel for which lines to take. HOT laps are for when I am running late and know that I will not get a full hour of warm up on the trainer. So I then register, drop off the LeMond in the pit, and head to the car to warm up on the trainer. I prefer warming up on rollers but with grass and uneven parking venues I need to use the trainer for cross. 

Tyler Karnes (Pioneer Racing, 1st Place Men’s 3/4): I usually try to arrive at the venue a little over 2 hours before my race, that way I can get out of the car and get straight on course to pre ride a lap before the early race starts. I usually try to get another lap before the last race ahead of mine. This weekend, some unfortunate events in a rider breaking his ankle allowed a lot more course time than usual. I think I got 6-7 laps in before my race, and I re-rode some of the more difficult sections numerous times. I usually walk some of the course on the way to registration, noticing how riders are taking lines and if they are avoiding anything on course. I will get a couple hot laps before my race just as a final warm-up prep. 

Patrick Blair (Adventures For the Cure, 2nd Place Men’s 3/4): After racing about 13 races this season I think I finally have my pre-race prep figured out! Before the CAT4 race I try to get in at least 2 slow laps, analyzing every aspect of the course. After the CAT4 race I try to get in at least 2 more laps at a faster pace but still taking lots of mental notes on the course layout. During the races before my race I spend time stretching, checking tire pressure, eating, cheering for teammates, etc. 

Tim Brown (The Bike Rack, 3rd Place Men’s 3/4): I normally like to get in at least 3 laps before racing… an easy lap, a hard lap, and one to work on tricky sections. I usually never arrive early enough to have time to walk the course. 

Meg Schiffman (Squadra Coppi, 2nd Place Women’s 4): I feel most comfortable if I get 4-5 laps in on the course…which usually means getting there about 3-4 hours before my race. I don’t walk the course, but get a few slower laps in and then one or two just below race effort. My objective is really just to gain confidence and familiarity with the course while getting the bod warmed up. The more laps I get under my belt prior to the race, the better I feel on the start line! I do try to test out lines, look for the dryer ones, etc. during the warm-up laps as well. Continue reading »