Augusta Cross (Sussex Fairgrounds) NJ

there was one guy with a nice van dessel country road bob...one of my favorite bikes, but for some reason he was running gears....lame..

does anyone know where pictures from this event are? i saw a few people snapping fotos out there
 
For the data weenies...

I just downloaded my PowerTap info from today. Nothing too out of the ordinary.

KiloJoules-777
average speed-14.2 mph
average cadence-65 rpm
average wattage-272 (with zeros included)
max wattage-1152 (this broke my 30 second record today as well, HOLESHOT!!)

These numbers are for 50 minutes. 1 thing I found is how hard it is to get the wireless PowerTap to stop recording. If you take it out of the mount it still sends data. I so need to get training peaks.

Next week should be a little faster chasing R-to-the-F around!!

-Jim.
 
Farmer cross..

What a super fun course. I loved the barns and the chance to really find faster lines on the course each loop. My bike handling helped and my lack of top end fitness hurt me today. I managed to stay in 6th spot till the 2nd loop. I was just going harder that I could sustain. I lost position in each of the following loops but I was still happy with my result.

I found my way again and started pushing the big ring. For some reason after the last muddy race I just forgot about the big ring. DUH!

The course was getting slicker in the turns and the temps were rising too quickly for my taste.

At the start i swore they said 5 laps.. Well it was 4. So the last lap I realized that I was out there on my own! Duh!

I really liked the mini jump off the road crossing. Every cross race should have some kind of jump!

I am totally loving the SRAM stuff. It is going on my Road bike for sure.

The bottom line here is that I am having a blast. I know that I will never be a super skinny racer type but I am making the very best of it. I am bummer that this is almost over.

It was good to see some familiar faces out today. Congrats to everyone.


*note.. At the start they scolded many guys who clearly don't belong in the "beginner" category. What gives here?? The guy who won was 5" taller and 60lbs lighter than me. He should be ashamed, not proud of his win. Am I off base?? How much glory comes from beating regular types when you are rocking a skinsuit and crushing the field?? In my book once you win more than once in the lowest class you need to move one. ( i will however pardon Fred from this as he is going for a points series. )To me this is a shame and in some form it might keep newbies from trying this super fun sport.


till next week..
 

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jdog said:
It was pretty darn warm by the end. I was considering ditching my jacket too.

Fat keeps you warm I guess.
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BRRRRR! Late in my race I was wishing I had my winter shoes on. I wore them Sat. I couldnt even think about not wearing gloves! Maybe carbon doesnt get as cold as aluminum?
 
dirty bert said:
j, u got a lot of cyclocross bikes for sale in the store?
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Some.. But like most years they are hard to get during the actual cross season. For some reason the bike makers never understand that cross is a short season.

Can your back handle it?? You can borrow mine for a few days if you want to try one.

j
 
It looked dry, my kind of race. That mud thing last week looked like alot of fun but, too much energy to get through that for me. Ben did a excellent job of filming it..

I got the green lite for the Staten Island race, is that where you will be next week J ??
 
bobkennelly said:
It looked dry, my kind of race. That mud thing last week looked like alot of fun but, too much energy to get through that for me. Ben did a excellent job of filming it..

I got the green lite for the Staten Island race, is that where you will be next week J ??
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Sunday I will be doing the Fifth Street cross daylight race.

j
 
jdog said:
*note.. At the start they scolded many guys who clearly don't belong in the "beginner" category. What gives here?? The guy who won was 5" taller and 60lbs lighter than me. He should be ashamed, not proud of his win. Am I off base?? How much glory comes from beating regular types when you are rocking a skinsuit and crushing the field?? In my book once you win more than once in the lowest class you need to move one. ( i will however pardon Fred from this as he is going for a points series. )To me this is a shame and in some form it might keep newbies from trying this super fun sport.
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Next week is going to be what you saw times 10. Many racers will be downgrading into a lower class to have a chance at winning the state jersey, which you'd expect, I'd do the same if I wasn't a CAT2. I may do the A-race because they'll all be sandbaggin' the killah-bee (B-Men) and sissy (C-Men) fields and I'll be the only one in my class:D

-Jim.
 
jimvreeland said:
Next week is going to be what you saw times 10. Many racers will be downgrading into a lower class to have a chance at winning the state jersey, which you'd expect, I'd do the same if I wasn't a CAT2. I may do the A-race because they'll all be sandbaggin' the killah-bee (B-Men) and sissy (C-Men) fields and I'll be the only one in my class:D

-Jim.
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This is totally UN-Cool. If you do this (downgrade) you are a total fraud in my book. I would go as far as to say that if you race for a team and wear a team kit that you have no place in the easiest class going. (unless you are Fred). If you do 3000+ mile on the road this season and you have done at least one race, you are not a c in my book. If you have won a c race by a mile you are certainly not a c.

Cross has so much potential to be the sport that really gets people into cycling. This is just one of the things that turns people away.

I was actually thinking of things that could be done to make it easier to get more people involved.

-Mtb class.. Get out on your mt bike and try it.
-Never ever class (with cash prizes)
-Demo bikes.. Get some manufactures out there so people can demo some cross bikes.
-Summer races. Get people out when it is warm and they will be hooked.
-venues.. How about holding races in a town center where random folks will see this sport?
 
uffda said:
i have never seen a NJ state champ jeasrey for cross?
the top 3 racers from this weeks c race
will be moving up
they apoligized for entering the c race
if your in the top 3 in C move to B
top 3 in B move to A
or race 35+ or 45+ where all is fair


remember if it's not FUN why do it?
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It is all fun but c'mon..
 
J, Jim or whoever raced,

I have next Saturday off, and may try my first cross race at agusta. All I have is my 26'' SS mountain bike. Lowest gearing available is 32x14, which is pretty close to 44x19 for comparison sake. I also have 15 & 16 cogs. Any thoughts on if any of these might be suitable?

Thanks.
 
pixychick said:
J, Jim or whoever raced,

I have next Saturday off, and may try my first cross race at agusta. All I have is my 26'' SS mountain bike. Lowest gearing available is 32x14, which is pretty close to 44x19 for comparison sake. I also have 15 & 16 cogs. Any thoughts on if any of these might be suitable?

Thanks.
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Ellen, what gear would you run on an SS if you were racing at Allaire? That gear, or a little stiffer, might be good starting point. IMO. The climbs are short and a lot of the course is flat and wide open.
 
uffda said:
i have never seen a NJ state champ jeasrey for cross?
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It the same jersey they give out for all the NJBA State Championships.

387869979_K4nhB-M.jpg


Here's Ralf sporting his.

As for the standard "top 3 move up". It's not apples to apples given the diversity of racing. It's very easy to place well in the small local NJ races, then fight to not get lapped at Beacon or HPCX. It's a trickle effect from local A racers bumping down into B because they don't want to get lapped by the likes of Tim Johnson when the big boys come to town. And then guys who normally race B bump down because they don't want to get lapped by guys like Roger Foco or Bryon Kremer (sorry Roger). And then guys like Ed Haack and Freddy win the C race by 5 minutes and guys who are actually beginners get frustrated. One way to fix it would be to have the promoters use the CAT's more strictly. Like making the C race only CAT4 instead of 3/4. Maybe make B CAT3 and then A could be P/1/2. That would spread more guys into the higher classes and force them to stay there.

-Jim.


-Jim.
 
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jdog said:
I would go as far as to say that if you race for a team and wear a team kit that you have no place in the easiest class going. (unless you are Fred). If you do 3000+ mile on the road this season and you have done at least one race, you are not a c in my book.
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By your definition, there would have been 5 guys in the C field. I have a bright ugly kit, rode close to 4000 miles this year, came in 10th at the state RR in cat 4 (hardly an achievement for the ages granted), and you still beat me. We were both barely in the top 20 I think. In fact, you rode away on the flats where you'd think I might be somewhat useful. :)

Although I'm a cat 4, I usually race 35+ on the road, where Cat 2 roadies kick sand in my face but if I can't even crack the top 10 at a CX race, I can't see why I don't belong in the C's, especially if they call it Cat 3/4.

I was in the Rocket kit on the black Gunnar.
 
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