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Race The Training Thread

No. I suppose if your tire is already full of sealant CO2 cartridges would be better. Just make sure to get the big ones.

In my experience the small ones are powerful enough. After filling the tyre, and the pressure is established, I use a gauge to drop it to the desired pressure.

I envisage riding these events with 2 x tubeless full of sealant and maybe the inserts that @OreoCookie pointed out. Then maybe two spare tubeless tyres incase the tyres rip, and then a handful of tubes for anything after that. Plus a load of cartridges and the gauge...

Definitely sounding more and more like a survival adventure ride than a race!

Andy
 
In my tyre search, these two models look good.
I think both tires options you posted are optimized for dry, gravely terrain. But rocks will slow you down, especially downhill. Unfortunately you don't have the clearance for something like a Maxxis Re-Fuse or its gnarlier sibling, the Rambler. IMHO tire choice will be quite important. If placing well is less important, I'd err on the side of something knobbier.
In my experience the small ones are powerful enough. After filling the tyre, and the pressure is established, I use a gauge to drop it to the desired pressure.
I think the difficulty is, though, that it is hard to accurately gauge the pressure (no pun intended) when you use CO2 cartridges. Offroad this may make a huge difference. Perhaps a small pump with a gauge is a better option.
I envisage riding these events with 2 x tubeless full of sealant and maybe the inserts that @OreoCookie pointed out. Then maybe two spare tubeless tyres incase the tyres rip, and then a handful of tubes for anything after that.
Just be careful not to overprepare. For sure you should take 1-2 inner tubes with you (if you have no cush core that is) and tape to fix tires and other things. (I wrap tape around my pump.) Perhaps it is useful to google Dirty Kanza, look at the kit people bring with them and then scale back. If the race is very long and treacherous, failure is an option even if you are perfectly prepared.
Definitely sounding more and more like a survival adventure ride than a race!
What is your goal for the race? If you just want to make it, leaning towards being overprepared is fine. If you want to place well, I think you have to take educated risks.
 
I think both tires options you posted are optimized for dry, gravely terrain. But rocks will slow you down, especially downhill. Unfortunately you don't have the clearance for something like a Maxxis Re-Fuse or its gnarlier sibling, the Rambler. IMHO tire choice will be quite important. If placing well is less important, I'd err on the side of something knobbier.

I think the difficulty is, though, that it is hard to accurately gauge the pressure (no pun intended) when you use CO2 cartridges. Offroad this may make a huge difference. Perhaps a small pump with a gauge is a better option.

Just be careful not to overprepare. For sure you should take 1-2 inner tubes with you (if you have no cush core that is) and tape to fix tires and other things. (I wrap tape around my pump.) Perhaps it is useful to google Dirty Kanza, look at the kit people bring with them and then scale back. If the race is very long and treacherous, failure is an option even if you are perfectly prepared.

What is your goal for the race? If you just want to make it, leaning towards being overprepared is fine. If you want to place well, I think you have to take educated risks.

The search for the perfect tyre continues. Will definitely try 40 on the front and 35,36 on the back.

I am looking at cush core and other brands including tyre invader. Do you have any opion in which is better. The tyre inavder is certainly cheaper.


Those drills and plugs also look essential. I ordered some at the bike shop just now. I have two good condition tubeless tyes with small holes in them, so first thing is to practice and fix them.

For the cartridges, I think the best way is to fill it too the max (especially if you are hoping it will reseal a hole with the sealant), run it for a bit, then drop the pressure to the desired pressure using a digital gauge (which I carry already).

For sealant I have Imezi sealant in their now, but the guy at the shop recommends Cafe Latex as it bubbles up and is more active. So will look into other sealant options. Any advice?

The other advantage of cartridges is that you can, with skill, inflate tubeless tyres from flat. Something impossible with a hand pump.

Tape is a good idea, as is looking at the Dirty Kanza kits. This it the Otaki guide:


My aim is to win the races. I am at a disadvantage in terms of experience. So I will train specifically for it.

Last year's top placers had 40mm tyres and some had suspension on their gravel bikes. So this is a disadvantage. Riders rigs here:


I think to ride hard and practice dealing with flats, mechanicals etc at a race pace is really important. At the moment I can just roll home on the rim from the local rindo but that won't be an option in the real mountains.

This is a big learning curve for me. But that's what makes it fun and interesting!

Cheers!

Andy
 
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@andywood you may should start a new thread with your way to the SDA.
It's super interesting.
I'm already looking forward reading about to the outcome in your race report.

Cheers, the SDA 100km races are in May and September. Hopefully May won't be cancelled.

I will also do a 150km off road gravel race in June. And a 4h off road enduro in April.

So a good set of races to train for and prepare for.

Cheers, Andy
 
After reading a few reviews, I went with the Kendas.

I got a front 40 and rear 35 for 10,000 yen from Bike Inn including shipping.

Looking forward to trying them out!

Andy
 
Got a set of used R8000 pedals. My feet feel much more stable now. My shoes also don't pull off the pedals anymore. Still having issues with my left knee, though... Guess I need a fit or a physio. Or a fit by a physio.

The trainer is still making unpleasant noises, though...

Hey, my bike is just under 9 kg now!
 
Yeah, pedals are complicated. Since switching to (6800-series) Ultegra pedals, my knees and my achilles tendon are acting up again, especially when I engage certain muscle groups. I'll head to my LBS on Sunday and see if I can get a better fit. If not, I might have to try Speedplay pedals.
 
The search for the perfect tyre continues. Will definitely try 40 on the front and 35,36 on the back.
Sounds like a good setup. Let us know how it works out. Having a wider tire in the front should definitely help w
I am looking at cush core and other brands including tyre invader. Do you have any opion in which is better. The tyre inavder is certainly cheaper.
Unfortunately, I don't have any first-hand experience to offer up. My mountain bike's rims aren't even tubeless compatible …
My aim is to win the races. I am at a disadvantage in terms of experience. So I will train specifically for it.
Good luck! I really wish I could participate in one of those longer off-road races this year. I am tempted, but I haven't decided yet. It depends on how expensive my races will be.
Last year's top placers had 40mm tyres and some had suspension on their gravel bikes. So this is a disadvantage. Riders rigs here:

They have some bling kit there. Perhaps for you something like 3T's Exploro would be the bike — an aero gravel/multi surface bike. The look is a bit marmite, but according to a ride mate it performs.
 
I also frequently get horrible pain in the left side of my neck near my left shoulder blade on long rides. This goes double if I ride in an aero position. Supposedly some people actually need asymmetic reach, but having uneven brake hoods would just be....unacceptable.

I wonder if going to a seikotsuin (not seitaiin) wouldn't help me diagnosis or fix asymmetries.
 
Sounds like a good setup. Let us know how it works out. Having a wider tire in the front should definitely help w

Unfortunately, I don't have any first-hand experience to offer up. My mountain bike's rims aren't even tubeless compatible …

Good luck! I really wish I could participate in one of those longer off-road races this year. I am tempted, but I haven't decided yet. It depends on how expensive my races will be.

They have some bling kit there. Perhaps for you something like 3T's Exploro would be the bike — an aero gravel/multi surface bike. The look is a bit marmite, but according to a ride mate it performs.

Cheers, I think if I could add another bike to the stable it would be a full suspension MTB.

I was watching youtube videos of Otaki and it really needs a MTB to take it on properly. Maybe in the future if my experiences this year get me hooked.

Andy
 
I also frequently get horrible pain in the left side of my neck near my left shoulder blade on long rides. This goes double if I ride in an aero position. Supposedly some people actually need asymmetic reach, but having uneven brake hoods would just be....unacceptable.

I wonder if going to a seikotsuin (not seitaiin) wouldn't help me diagnosis or fix asymmetries.

I think these kinds of pain are common in early spring. Even more so if you have been mostly riding the trainer.

Shoulder presses and shoulder shrugs with dumbbells may help.

Andy
 
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Yeah, pedals are complicated. Since switching to (6800-series) Ultegra pedals, my knees and my achilles tendon are acting up again, especially when I engage certain muscle groups. I'll head to my LBS on Sunday and see if I can get a better fit. If not, I might have to try Speedplay pedals.

It's just my opinion, based on experiences of friends, but Speedplays may make things worse or bring further problems.

Pedals are like saddles, once you find one that works for you, stick with it...

Andy
 
I think these kinds of pain are common in early spring. Even more so if you have been mostly riding the trainer.

Shoulder presses and shoulder shrugs with dumbbells may help.

Andy

True, or when you ride on a borrowed bike. I got a stinger for the first time in that same area of my shoulder/neck doing a fast group ride on a borrowed bike.

It is a little concerning that it's always only the left side, though.

I did wonder if my knee issue isn't "spring knee," but I think there is simply a fit issue.
 
True, or when you ride on a borrowed bike. I got a stinger for the first time in that same area of my shoulder/neck doing a fast group ride on a borrowed bike.

It is a little concerning that it's always only the left side, though.

I did wonder if my knee issue isn't "spring knee," but I think there is simply a fit issue.

I wouldn't worry that it is more apparent on your left side.

Assuming you are right handed (?) and therefore do more with your right side upper body muscles, the right side of your upper body will likely be able to avoid fatigue for longer.

Another merit of strength work is removing the left/right imbalances in both your legs and upper body.

Andy
 
5 days off road this week.

And time spent researching Otaki SDA on youtube and ordering equipment to deal with the demands of the race.

After two years of researching the fastest tyres for the TT it seems strange to be going for fat thick tyres and filling them with foam and sealant and bunging up holes.

The usual blog link and cut and paste below.

Cheers, Andy



「getting ready for gravel」

last week's training blog

last week was all about gravel

five days off road

・technique

on the kendo rindo from monday to wednesday

big rocks
not on the level of Otaki
but big rocks all the same

a puncture on monday is a wake up call

need to find the best lines

more than that need to learn how to read the road

small rivers wash away fine gravel
expose the rocks

where are the rocks?
where is the best line?
technique is everything

less than 1km from my front door

this will be a great training ground this year

on friday I hit two new rindos

rider friendly gravel!

I feel my climbing legs coming back too

I want to make a training loop out of these roads

maybe even kashiwazaki's own gravel event!

back on the kenno rindo today

KOM pace

and then the delightful rindo linking the lakes to the sea...

monday: kenno rindo
tuesday: kenno rindo
wednesday: kenno rindo
thursday: zwift
friday: honjo rindo / higashi yama rindo
saturday: kenno rindo / seaside rindo
sunday: road volume (160km plan)

・equipment

I am preparing for the gravel races with equipment too

>tyres 40mm front / 35mm rear (ordered)
>tyre inserts (ordered)
>tyre plugs (arrived)

punctures are inevitable

but I want to reduce the risk as much as possible

learning how to deal with gravel punctures and mechanical problems is also important

race pace puncture repair!

・volume

as well as gravel technique and equipment

volume is important for this year's targets

160km planned for tomorrow

around 10 riders?
should be fun

really excited about this year's training and racing

here we go!
 
In other news... was in the US for 2 weeks on biz so the hotel room proved a good spot to work on some push ups. I just finished the first 2 weeks of the 100 push up challenge. At the end of the second week, I needed to retest the max consecutive count and I squeezed out 32 this morning so making decent progress. No pain which is the important part. Thanks @jdd for the link to that site. Excited to be back now and foot seems good now too so looking forward to some good training again.
 
It's just my opinion, based on experiences of friends, but Speedplays may make things worse or bring further problems.

Pedals are like saddles, once you find one that works for you, stick with it...

Andy

I tend to agree. Adjusting my new pedals from the factory setting (too lose) to about the mid point greatly increased the stability of my foot, which I think may have reduced my knee issue.

If you just want to try a pedal with more float, a cheaper solution to try might be using Look pedals. They have 50% more float than Shimano pedals.
 
It's just my opinion, based on experiences of friends, but Speedplays may make things worse or bring further problems.
I've had Eggbeaters before, which are very floaty pedals, and I switched to them, because my Shimano SPD pedals were giving my knees grief. With Shimano SPD-SL, I feel very much locked in. So if I am in a good position one day, that's awesome, but if for some reason I'm in a bad position, I am locked into that bad position. It also seems to depend on which muscle groups I activate: regular and "stompier" pedal strokes tend to be just fine, the trouble starts when I want to smoothen my pedal stroke and emphasize the push/pull.
Pedals are like saddles, once you find one that works for you, stick with it...
True. I feel like I should give the Shimanos more time and tweak my cleat position further.
 
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