Cyclocross Singlespeed Pro

So I was browsing the CXMagazine Forum yesterday, something I like to do occasionally, and I came upon a question/topic that it turns out is right up my alley.  Under the heading CX Singlespeed Pro, a guy asked, "If you wanted to compete with the "geared" folks and were in amazing shape, what set-up would you use."  I crafted a response, ended up writing an article, and a few people found it really valuable.  I figured since I wrote it and hadn't posted anything to this blog in awhile, I'd reproduce it here for your benefit.  It's long winded, consider yourself warned:



I don't consider myself in "amazing" shape by any stretch of the imagination, but I do compete on a SS against the local 1's and 2's with some success. All I can share is what I've figured out through experience as there's not really anyone else around me that I've seen racing SS against the geared guys (I don't live in a hotbed, a 10 person local field in the 1's 2's race is a large field). I think that's probably because everyone assumes that you're at a major disadvantage, but for a variety of reasons, I don't think that's necessarily the case.

Setup-wise, there's nothing exceptional about my bike, it's not even expensive (or that light). I've got a Specialized Tri-Cross Singlecross with the following modifications:
I run a 39x18 which is smaller than the SS hammerheads, but makes it possible to ride short or moderate inclines and in mud for an hour. Obviously I work on legspeed for the pavement sections, usually only an issue at the start, and rarely find myself unable to keep up.
I built some simple wheels (surly hubs laced to Open Sport rims) changed tires (panaracer cross-blasters are cheap, light and fast, though narrow, so watch out for those submerged rocks, Pinch Flatington) and will soon be replacing the V-Brakes, but that doesn't really have anything to do with it being a SS.
The other significant modification I made was switching from a 175 to a 170mm crank arm length. My SS mountain bike has 170's and I was used to it, that's why I made the change, but I think it helps with the legspeed thing, and makes it easier to get the crankarm up and over the weakspot in my pedal stroke when I'm really in the shit (like deep mud, 180 degree turns or hills). It also allows me more clearance in the corners, crucial since you're pedaling more and need to get on the gas earlier coming out of corners to get on top of the gear. That's another reason I run a 39 x18, I get up into the sweetspot of my powerband a lot easier and spend more time cruising comfortably than the 42x18 mashers.

The most important thing, though, is your mental state. That's where it's at when you have gears too, (clearly if you're thinking of going SS you KNOW the bike doesn't really matter that much) but it's even more important without them. When you pull up on the starting line, remember; your opponents think you're dumb, crazy, and possibly tough as nails. You want to encourage this thinking. I wear a camelbak during warmup because you wont be drinking for 60 minutes once it starts, no one else does it, everyone should and because it makes me look like I have no clue. I always keep it breezy in the start area, crack some jokes, make fun of myselfand wear outdated clothing. All of these things confuse your opponents and make it hard for them to know what to make of you. If they can't figure out why you dress/behave like you do, it'll be more difficult for them to factor you into their strategy or respond confidently when you attack (which you have to do at some point). They already know you're going to have to ride the course a little differently, but when you don't behave like they expect a "serious cross racer" to behave before you even start pedaling, it'll be even tougher for them to know what to do with you around the 50 minute mark.

Once the race starts stay relaxed. Smile. If anyone's acting sporadically or spazmatically, make fun of them a little. Serious cross guys (especially the roadie types) don't like to be made fun of by the weirdo on the singlespeed when they're getting all squirelly in the first 3 minutes. Spin circles, breath deeply, laugh out loud a little, make more jokes, pretend you're out on a frisky group ride. Observe how the geared guys approach the course. They'll slow down on the hills (it's natural to bail yourself out if you can) you slow down with them. When they go fast on the smooth downhill sections, stick right in there as if it's no thing at all. Tell yourself you can spin at 140 RPM "forever" and believe it. Pick your spots to make your moves but don't let on where you're going to crush them later by coasting past them, or punching it up a tricky short hill. Let them think you're just barely managing to stay with them. This of course isn't true because one speed isn't really slower. Stay near the front, pick your spot and break their hearts. Nothing worse than getting passed by a laughing, crazy, happy, lunatic going really fast on a singlespeed while you're turning yourself inside out. It's really tough to recover from an attack from a singlespeed at the 50 minute mark. Especially from a guy in Purple tights circa 1995.

Now, every other race, particularly ones with climbing, you will blow up and be an absolute non-factor. That's cool, you were on a SS in the Main Event, no one expected you to be a factor. Have a beer and congratulate everyone that beat you, that's part of riding with one gear too.

Of course none of this applies if you're trying to race against National pros. Those guys are just damn fast. Semi-regional too. Cat 2 is going to pit you against the big guns in local races (we have a 1,2 combined race here) and allow you to be competitive at the bigger National-type races (in the 2,3 category). Can you imagine trying to ride a SS against Tim Johnson? That would be ugly. I'm dumb but I'm not delusional and I wouldn't bet on a SS against TJ if Lance himself was riding it with a head start.

When you're on a SS, your bike is more efficient and gets more efficient as the race wears on and mud accumulates. You're forced to ride as efficiently as possible for the sake of momentum. I've never dropped a chain, never been in the wrong gear, never even had to devote one iota of mental energy and focus (at a premium in a 60 minute session) to deciding what gear I want to be in, I just pedal as efficiently as possible and stay on top of the gear I've got (which, you'll find, is going to make you ride pretty fast around the course). SS has it's advantages; use them to yours.

You also will want to make sure that being extra uncomfortable is something you're into because 60 minutes against the fastest geared guys around isn't going to feel very good until it's over.

Tour with The Baby Leg

Progress. It comes in baby steps. Especially when you have what I call "my baby leg." I'm lucky. 12 days after surgery I was walking. 15 days after I was able to negotiate an airport and rock a show. The pain is still real, but it's more fatigue than pain, but the discomfort is real. I'm lucky, already over the crutches hump, walking, and working/living. Life is good. I'm starting to think cyclocross season isn't out of the question.

Baby Leg:



-- Post From My iPhone

Knee

Most of you know I hit a tree snowboarding in late February.  In fact that's all well documented in this blog.  What hasn't been documented is my surgery to repair my ACL.  I arrived in Durango the day after the Dusters last Ski Tour Show, did a pre-op appt, got some tips from my Physical Therapist and went under the knife.  I drastically underestimated how invasive the procedure would be.  It really fucked me up.  Massive swelling, dead leg (they did a nerve block on the whole thing) and incredible pain (I'm not man enough to pretend like it didn't hurt).  After the relative ease of my initial injury (I figured if I could walk on a broken leg, a little knee surgery would be nothing), the magnitude of the situation post-op overwhelmed me and I freaked out.  First four days were terrible, but then I saw my Physical Therapist, Tiffany, an old friend and wife of Hap, Durango banjo and mountain bike staple.  Tiffany got my head straightened out and started using machines, ice contraptions and her skills (oh, science...) and I immediately started improving.  I'd intended to return to Nashville last Wednesday, but all interested parties decided that wasn't the best idea, so I decided to stick around an extra week and join the band in Houston for the start of our CD Release Tour (Things That Fly hits 4/20/10).

This week has made all the difference.  Pain has almost disappeared, swelling has come down ( I wish I would have taken pictures...) and today I took my first shaky but unassisted steps.  I've not set any goals, though it'll be nice when I can roam the stage again.  Cyclocross season will probably come and go without me getting bloody and muddy; I may just be the drunk guy this year.  I anticipate getting back on skis (maybe snowboard, since it's soooo much easier, thank you very much!!!) by Ski Tour, though I doubt I'll be dropping into the Big Coulior.  Everyone's been really supportive and I think I'll be stronger than ever.  They managed to pull a massive chunk of my patellar tendon to use as a template for my ACL, the knee may ultimately be stronger than before.  Time will tell, but I'm just happy to be up and not in pain. 

It's going to be a great summer.  Festival season is almost upon us and Sarah and I are subletting a place in Lyons, CO for the months of July and August.  Life is good and ibuprofen is my new best friend.  Also, I would like to personally thank Ska Brewing for starting the Canned Beer Revolution.  I love you, Ska.  Can't say how much talking about myself I'll be doing, guess you'll just have to check in periodically.

Comprehensive

Where to begin?  It was an epic Ski Tour.  Straight Up.  Serious Business.  The band rocked it, I did some choice snow riding before my dreams were crushed, and we saw some beautiful country.  Let's see what we have here:

This is Ed, Panda and Myself on top of Lone Peak just before dropping in on the Big Couloir.  It was the only 4 hour window the clouds cleared the entire weekend and we took advantage by skiing the Big.  I'm not a great skier, not yet, at least, so I was in over my head but I managed to survive.

 

 

I understand this is basically the same shot I used in a previous post, but this is actually what it looked like when my partner and I skiid up to the edge. 1500 vertical feet is a lot of feet. When my wife saw this picture, she freaked out. When I broke my leg a week later, she was kinda pissed! 

This is a shot of Lone Peak and the Big Couloir taken from across the valley by a friend a little later that same morning.  Pretty sweet.

Six days later I ended up at Utah's Powder Mountain with my man Casey.  We rode low angle aspen trees all day.  It mostly looked like this.

The very next day we ended up at Brighton and I hit one of those things hard on the first run of the day.  Snow was a little lighter than I thought I guess.  Broke some stuff.  So the Ski Tour ground to a halt, which is a real shame because I had a day at Park City, two days at Wolf Creek, two days at Loveland and at least one other day lined up before the end of the season.  In rehab mode now, waiting for the break and the mcl to heal.  The leg is actually hurting more now since I'm using it and the bone is just about fused.  Can't get surgery on the ACL until all that other stuff heals so Sarah and I are still doing our Duo Tour in Colorado.  It'll be heartbreaking to be out there with all the great snow and no way to ride it but at least I won't be in a bed in TN.  Expecting a full recovery, though, this has brought into question the lengths at which I'll go to have a good time.  I'm glad I hit the Big when I did because I kinda doubt I'll ever do it again. Don't think I would ever do it differently, though.

Fibula, ACL, MCL

The epic Ski Tour ground to a halt at the base of an aspen tree at Brighton Ski Area Monday. Broken fibula and torn ACL and MCL. I'm insured but my deductable is high. Here's the X-Ray.


So I won't be using the leg much for awhile. I'll continue to keep anyone interested posted on developments. Any good vibes are appreciated and I'm considering setting up a Paypal acct. for those interested in donating to help cover medical bills. Stay tuned.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Mcl, acl, fibula

Everythings broken:


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Big Couloir

Yesterday, Ed insisted we ski the Big Couloir at Big Sky.  It's the classic line on the mountain.  I was too busy trying to ski to take pictures so I snagged a few from the intertubes.  It's the obvious line to the lookers right of the summit as shown above.  Below is a closer look from the tram.

This is what it looks like from the top right before you drop in.

In all my years skiing/riding, this was by far the most...