Cholla Challenge XC Race Report

What on earth was I thinking running a 32X21 for a largely flat and mostly non-technical course? I think my average cadence for the race might have been in the 200 - 2,000,000 rpm range. SPUNNED. SPUNNERD. I toed up to the line with the single speeders again and was feelin a bit more confident after my 3rd place last time. Today was a much smaller race but still 9 SSers on the start line and myself (only chick again). About half a mile into the race and already spun-out off the back it occured to me that SSers have gear selection as a great race excuse over gearies. "Oh yeah dude, I was way under/over-geared today." I actually pre-rode the course on Thursday so don't have any excuse for choosing that gear when I had a perfectly good 18 sitting in my tool box. Doh! Somehow I pulled off a 4th place. The winner had on a 34X16. 3rd place dude beat me by about 15 seconds. He had on a 32X17.

When I got home Steve laughed and said "I told you so" - that was helpful in a superbly helpful kind of way...

Now I think I'll go for a real ride.

Published Saturday, April 01, 2006 5:39 PM by Lynda

Comments

# @ Saturday, April 01, 2006 6:32 PM

Nice work Lynda! I was wondering how it went...

Have you seen this: http://www.mtbr.com/faq/ssfaq.shtml#ssGearingRatio

Some good info on gearing...not that you need to read something to tell you you were undergeared ;) How many of the SSers were on 29ers? The gear sizes you mention are considerably different for 26 vs 29 in wheels.

Tell those boyz you want a rematch.

Dave

# @ Wednesday, April 05, 2006 7:26 PM

Thanks for that link Dave. Really I was just too lazy to change my gear and thought I would get away with it! That 4th pulled me up to 2nd place SSer overall in the Intermountain Cup Series. I'm doing ok against them boyz :-)

Lynda

# @ Thursday, April 06, 2006 9:03 PM

Whooohoo -- I just noticed I have a link. Totally awesome. Time to get yours up!!

Arleigh